Ministers say Kapris lying

Highlights:

*Aimo: "Lord have mercy on his lying tongue"

*Pruaitch: "Flabbergasted and innocent of this saga"

*Marus: "Allow the rule of law to take its course"

 

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

MEMBERS of parliament named by convicted bank robber William Kapris in court have denied the accusations levelled against them, The National reports.

Correctional Services Minister Tony Aimo said he forgave Kapris for the accusations and "pray that the Lord has mercy on his lying tongue".

In a personal explanation to parliament yesterday, Aimo said the Post-Courier headline was "misleading and not true".

"The court will not let itself be misled into believing a common convicted criminal," he said.

"But, that is the court's business. I stand respectful to the courts.

"As a leader, I know I am innocent. I still maintain my dignified innocence.

"I forgive this common convicted criminal, Kapris, for those false accusations and may the Lord have mercy on his lying tongue," Aimo said.

Aitape-Lumi MP and State Minister assisting the Prime Minister Patrick Pruaitch, in a follow-up personal explanation, categorically denied any involvement with the bank robber.

He said it was unbecoming of a criminal and newspapers to divert attention to seek sympathy from the courts.

Pruaitch apologised to the people of Aitape-Lumi and West Sepik for what he called "this unfortunate allegation".

"I am flabbergasted; I am totally innocent in this saga," Pruaitch said.

Earlier, acting Speaker and member for Talasea Francis Marus, in response to questions by new deputy opposition leader Sam Basil, said the matter was before the courts and he would not comment.

"We must allow the rule of law to take its course," Marus said.

Maprik MP and Commerce and Industry Minister Gabriel Kapris, angered by the same surname of the convicted criminal, said he had conducted his own investigations into his family in Kimbe, West New Britain, and found that "the name is Kapis and not Kapris".

"The convicted criminal is spelt as Kapis and not Kapris," the minister said.

Namah is leader of opposition

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

THE member for Vanimo-Green and PNG Party leader, Belden Namah, is the new opposition leader, The National reports.

He replaced Sir Mekere Morauta, who is Moresby Northwest MP.

Sir Mekere, a former prime minister and founder of PNG Party, declared Namah as the new opposition leader.

Member for Bulolo Sam Basil is deputy opposition leader.

Basil recently joined PNG Party after leaving People's Progress Party with Anglimp-South Waghi MP Jamie Maxtone-Graham.

PNG Party comprised 11 members of parliament.

Other parties in opposition are New Generation with two MPs, People's Progress Party (3), Melanesian Liberal (2), PNG Labour Party (1) and two independents.

Sir Mekere said his decision to relinquish the leadership of the opposition "is occasioned by the changes to the make-up of the opposition and the leadership change in PNG Party".

He said he was proud to give young people the opportunity to rule.

Outgoing deputy opposition leader Bart Philemon said the time for him and Sir Mekere was over and that young, vibrant leaders should take over and lead.

"Today marks an end to the old guard and the beginning of a new guard to keep parliamentary democracy vibrant and alive to serve the interests of the 6.7 million people by keeping checks and balances on the government," he said.

"It is important to groom a young breed of leaders and to allow them to take an active role in leading."

Philemon said he had enjoyed the past four years helping Sir Mekere.

He said they would take the back stage and support their young vibrant and energetic leaders to take up the fight where they had left off.

Namah said he was challenged when the party, MPs and the parties in the opposition decided that he should lead.

He said the decision by Sir Mekere to hand over the party leadership was tough but an honourable thing to do.

He thanked the senior members of the opposition and the young leaders for having trust in his leadership.

Parliament set for 2pm restart

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

PARLIAMENT resumes at 2pm today to clear a back-log of government agenda, leader of government business Paul Tiensten said yesterday., The National reports.

There will be a new-look opposition bench after Vanimo-Green MP and PNG Party leader Belden Namah was elected leader and Bulolo MP Sam Basil as his deputy, taking over from Sir Mekere Morauta and Bart Philemon respectively.

Tiensten said parliament would sit for three weeks this month and three weeks each for the next three months to clear the backlog of notices.

He said new legislative amendments and bills would go before this session of parliament.

The Pomio MP and Minister for National Planning and District Development said the marathon session was to meet the 63-day per parliament calendar year requirement.

"There are legislations and bills that must be dealt with by parliament, including the outstanding women's bill to have nominated women representation, increasing the number of ministries from 28 to 31, legislations to effect the new Hela and Jiwaka provinces and amendments to the Organic Law to retain provincial governments after the elections next year."

Tiensten said there would be ministerial statements and debate on important issues of national interest.

This session will be free of any threats of a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.

The law did not allow for votes of no-confidence 12 month before the issue of writs for the next general election.

The opposition was expected to touch on the K125 million Nasfund loan, the suspension of special agriculture and business lease, outstanding Taiwan deal, Singapore account and asylum issues.

Oil palm yields K5mil monthly for Oro growers

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

MORE than K5 million is being paid to smallholder oil palm growers in Oro every month, a senior officer with Oil Palm Industry Corporation Popondetta revealed, The National reports.

Project manager Leo Ruki said more than 5,700 small block holders and 3,000 village smallholders receive about K1.5 million a week resulting in the increase of the cash flow in the province which has started to change the living standards of the people.

Ruki said oil palm was greatly assisting in the overall living standard of the people who needed the  government to assist by providing the necessary infrastructure.

He added oil palm in the province was a family business, where mothers and children collected loose nuts and the husbands harvested the main bunches.

Payment for their efforts are paid directly to their respective made accounts.

Ruki said the small growers were also entitled to Nasfund benefits and that was good news for growers in the province.

He said with the good turnover, more people were actively engaged in the industry and was one way the people had been kept busy.

Meanwhile, a Sohe leader Steven Kila Pat said the cash flow in the province was more than K5 million  a fortnight.

"Beside smallholder oil palm, other sources of cash flow from the province were from wages and royalties from timber operations, salaries, betelnut trade, tourism and fisheries so there could be almost K7 million cash floating in the province every  month," he said.

Former Oro governor Sylvanus Siembo, who accompanied Kila Pat for the Igora Primary School opening, said although there was so much cash in the province, government presence was absent with the lack of services.

He said infrastructure like roads, bridges, schools and other services had crumbled  after Cyclone Guba IN 2007.

Siembo said law and order also needed a boost and called on the political leaders  from the province to stay with the people and make changes so that more investors could be attracted to the province.

He said people were keen to work on their land but the government had to assist them, adding that agriculture was the way forward and the government should invest more in it. 

US firm goes in search of rare earths

By BOSORINA ROBBY

 

THE mining industry is slowly moving away from traditional gold and copper mining with the onset of other mining companies looking into minerals such as nickel and cobalt (Ramu NiCo), molybdenum, rhenium (Yandera) and now rare earths by an American company called Geovic Mining Corporation, The National reports.

Rare earths are elements that are abundant in the earth's crust but because of their geochemical properties, they are typically dispersed and not often found in concentrated and economically exploitable forms, thus known as 'rare earth minerals'.

Geovic Mining Corp is one of few mining companies in the world that specialises in the exploration and extraction of these "elusive" minerals.

Speaking at the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) twilight hour session last week, Geovic founder William Bucko­vic, said that exploration of these minerals were different from gold and copper.

He said the minerals could be found anywhere but with highly specialised tools to help locate deposits.

However, it is the extraction of the minerals that is very expensive and difficult as the minerals can be found in places where it is economically impossible to extract.

Rare earths are used to produce mobile phones, jet carriers and stealth technology besides satellites, radar and sonar technology, batteries, lasers, portable X-ray machines and equipment used by military agencies.

Geovic Exploration geologist Erwin Schutfort said they came to PNG early this year in the hopes of exploring the geological terrain to see if PNG had deposits of rare earths.

So far, they had applied for and received an exploration licence for two years in Morobe.

Schutfort said the venture into non-traditional mining was a new thing for the country, as could be seen from other mines but was also to see if PNG could contribute to the global demand for these minerals.

Currently, China is the world's biggest producer of rare earths. However, the supply is slowly decreasing and Geovic is stepping in to see if PNG has the potential.

MRA managing director Kepas Wali said this was an exciting time for PNG and the mining industry because there were only a few rare earth countries in the world and this would diversify mining activities in the country.

He said if the exploration turned up positive, it should pave the way for more people to come to PNG in search of these very valuable minerals.

 

Soldiers raid and destroy gas station

By ANGELINE KARIUS

 

TRUCKLOADS of fully armed soldiers from the Taurama barracks, in Port Moresby, last Saturday ransacked a service station, destroying property worth more than K5 million during a drunken brawl with civilians, The National reports.

An attempt at setting fire to the fuel station – which at the time had more than 80,000 litres of highly inflammable matter – failed.

Port Moresby police said yesterday the brawl started at East Boroko's Baret Club at around midday.

They said three PNG Defence Force soldiers had picked an argument with a member of the public and had chased him on foot towards Manu autoport service station at Korobosea.

He was caught by the three just before he reached the service station and was beaten up.

The fight spilled over to a betelnut market on the opposite side of the road when the man's relatives retaliated against the three soldiers.

Police said it was understood the three immediately returned to the barracks for reinforcements.

According to police, they were joined by 20 to 25 fully armed soldiers in battle gear riding on a Dyna truck and in a LandCruiser.

Police said as the troops arrived at the service station, they started firing their weapons, forcing people at the service station and the betelnut market to duck for cover and flee.

The soldiers then went on a rampage at the service station, smashing five fuel bowsers, looting the mini-mart and taking three days' takings of more than K108,000.

Service station operator and owner Reuben Kandiu put the estimated property damage and looted goods at more than K5 million.

He said his workers had not been involved in the fight and the destruction of his property and theft of goods and money were criminal offences.

Kandiu said the unauthorised discharge of firearms raised serious security concerns in the city.

"As a disciplined force, the incident should have been handled in an appropriate manner and reported to police," he said.

"I appeal to the PNGDF commander Brig-Gen Francis Agwi and commanding officer-in-charge of Taurama to seriously address this type of behaviour as it was not the first time this has happened," he said.

Kandiu said the group of soldiers had tried to burn down the service station but luckily a worker had shut the main valve. 

"I had about 34,000 litres of petrol and 53,000 litres of diesel. If the place had been set on fire, it could have spelt disaster for the nearby business houses, homes and the hospital," he said.

The Taurama Barracks, about 5km east of the service station, is the home of the first Royal Pacific Infantry Battalion, where some of the country's finest fighting men are based.

Attempts to contact Taurama barracks were unsuccessful.

 

Abal: Invest here

Caption: Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal and Rimbunan Hijau Group executive chairman Tan Sri Sir Tiong Hiew King cutting the ribbon to officially open the Vision City Mega Mall last  Friday. Accompanying them are (from right) RH PNG managing director James Lau, Steven Rockefeller and RH PNG executive director Ivan Lu.

 

RH setting the trend with Vision City, says acting PM

 

By JULIA DAIA BORE

 

ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal has welcomed foreign investment but has called on these investors to ensure that they abide by the laws of Papua New Guinea, The National reports.

He made this call last Friday evening during the official opening of the state-of-the-art Vision City Mega Mall in NCD's Central Waigani.

The occasion coincided with the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Rimbunan Hijau Group's (RH) presence in PNG.

Abal congratulated RH's presence, saying that when PNG was going through the economic down-turn due to the world's economic recession, RH had faith in PNG and had stayed, investing and diversifying into all sectors of business venture.

He also acknowledged RH for providing employment to the people of PNG.

But most of all, RH had contributed to the economic and infrastructure development.

The Vision City Mega Mall was such an example, he added.

The acting PM described the Vision City Mega Mall as being "as good as any shopping mall in Cairns, Australia, or anywhere, for that matter".

Abal said: "Congratulation to RH for your day today; for the past 20 years of being here, congratulations, to you and all your hard working staff of RH."

The RH Group of companies executive chairman and executive director Tan Sri Sir Tiong Hiew King, who arrived in Port Moresby from Malaysia for the occasion, told guests at the official dinner marking the two occasions that the RH Group had to date provided employment for about 7,500 Papua New Guineans.

The RH Group has made significant economic contributions totalling K1.65 billion to date in the form of contributions, through and including payments of wages, salary tax, premiums and levies, royalties, export duties, corporate tax, NPF payments and infrastructure contributions.

Sir Tiong said new international hotel apartments and modern office space would also be part of Vision City but, most importantly, Vision City would provide employment and growth.

More than 5,000 people would be employed by the project, he said, adding that the mega mall would generate more than K200 million in economic activities annually.

"Vision City is a long-term investment that shows Rimbunan Hijau is committed to economic growth in PNG," Sir Tiong said.

During the unveiling of the plaque to mark the official opening, RH PNG Group managing director James Lau thanked the Sir Michael Somare-led government for providing the stability necessary to support these developments.

He particularly thanked Abal for his presence at the grand opening, saying: "This is a proud moment for PNG.

"Guided by the government of PM Sir Michael Somare, PNG has experienced strong investment and economic growth in recent years.

"Employment figures have been strong; investment from home and abroad is increasing.

"The government has provided the stability necessary to support these developments.

"Vision City represents an important milestone in our group's venture in the retail and property development industries in PNG.

"It is one of the most ambitious development projects in the South Pacific," he said, announcing that the new 18-storey international hotel, apartments and office space were being planned to be built soon.

"Once completed, Vision City is a sustainable business model that will provide employments growth," Lau said, adding it was a sign of continuing confidence in the government and RH would continue to conduct business and to deliver and to promote development and investment.

RH's involvement in PNG began with forestry for which it was a leader in the country; and later ventured into agriculture (oil palm), retail, property development, media and agriculture.

It is also involved in transport infrastructure such as roads and bridges.