94 bag awards from queen

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

NINETY-FOUR people have been recognised for distinguished services to the community in this year’s Queen’s birthday honours list.

Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio announced the names of recipients yesterday, The National reports.

Noel Levi was awarded a knight bachelor for service to the public administration in his former roles as a minister of state, senior public servant and diplomat and secretary-general of the Pacific Forum and to John Ralston Wild for service to commerce, particularly in air transport and tourism and for community and humanitarian endeavours.

The order of Saint Michael and Saint George (civil division) was given to Andrew Kumbakor for service to the community as a member of the national parliament and minister of state and Erna Kathleen Pita for service to the community and the advancement of women’s status and welfare.

The order of the British empire (civil division) was awarded to Gari Baki, Peter Humphrey, Charles Lepani, Mathew Tjoeng while Dr Umadevi Ambihaiphar, Ni Cragnolini, Neville Henry Howcroft, Richard Maru, Rev Father Patrick McIndoe, Ricky Moke Mitio, Steven Mokis, Susan Ranjanayagam, Frederick Sheekiot, Dr Robin Sios, Akuila Tubal and John Wauwia were awarded OBEs.

Those who received MBEs were Orly Alvarez, Ian Andrew Chow, Igo Daure, Chief Insp Cathy Dobb, Robert Ian Howden, Guwi Kambi, Alphonse Krau, Anthony Kundila, Kay Wakerley Liddle, Aravapo Lohia, Moses Makis, David Kym Mitchell, Kandaso Napi, Simon Passinggan, Gerald Philip, Graham Pople, Wayne Leslie Satchell, Wan Sete, Lahui Tau, Sebulon Tovaira, Alois Chris Valuka, Russel Waibauru, John Warbat and Rev Dondoli Wawe.

Imperial service order awards were given to Tommy Nahuet and David Naon, while British empire medals were presented to Michael Sigiho Buka, Dominic Bre, Nancy Dabada, Peter Du, John Hinalu, Mavis Holland, Clare Ivia, Juliana Jiki, Alois Rokoa Kanakana, Avosa Kave, Peter Nere Kupo, Timothy Laemeta, Timothy Meria Lapeya, Ding Mathew, Rev Mondopa Mini, Joseph Muna, Giyame Mashleen Nagwi, Yaku Nolepo, Joseph Panu Arimax Magabe Peyape, Bothen Pusembo, Paias Puwa, Michael Sau, Yori Sauna, Araga Dikana Sere, Gitene Somole, Elijah Taksir, Joyce Talibe, Imbi Tanda, Janet Diribu Telabe, Kee Tine, Walter Unam, Richard Waera and Edward Yaliui.

Sir Michael announced that Brig-Gen Francis Agwi was the recipient of the order of the British empire (military) CBE award while Col Joseph Fabila was awarded OBE and a MBE went to Commander Michael David, Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Kumun and Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Augustine Daniels.

Sir Michael announced Chief Warrant Officers Dick Roy, Steven Narimonda Jonah Pomeleu, Francis Tule and Michael Taram Valuka as recipients of the British empire medal (military) medal.

Australia’s first WW1 battle was not in Gallipoli, but Papua New Guinea

By MALUM NALU

Most Australians know about the horrors of Gallipoli in 1915 and commemorate Anzac Day annually on April 25.

Bitapaka War Cemetery where Australians from WW1 and WW11 are buried

However, very few people know and acknowledge the fact that Australia’s first battle against Germany was seven months before Gallipoli, in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea,
Who has heard about the 1914 capture of German New Guinea?
Alternatively, the battle between the German Pacific fleet raider, SMS Emden, shelled by HMAS Sydney on September 11, 1914 and beached as a total loss?
Few people also know that Australia’s first submarine AE 1, on patrol near the Duke of York Islands, some 20 miles from Herbertshohe (Kokopo), was lost with its crew of 35 on November 14, 1914, and has never been since then.
Various theories exist but it seems likely that the navigator, who was using captured German charts, may have misunderstood them and hit a reef.
Now, former Rabaul-based policeman, Maxwell Russell Hayes, is pushing for this battle to be given the full recognition it deserves before its 100th anniversary of Gallipoli in 2014.

Maxwell Hayes...fighting for recognition of this fogotten battle

Hayes joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1950 for six years, including service in Korea.
He was appointed as a direct entry to commissioned rank to the Royal PNG Constabulary in 1959, and his first posting was to the New Britain island town of Rabaul in the volcanic Gazelle Peninsula.
Hayes became interested in the rich history of that area as it concerns Australia.
After 15 years in the constabulary, he was retrenched at the rank of chief inspector at the time of PNG independence in 1975.
As PNG was then not covered by the Australian section of International Police Association, Hayes joined the British section on July 6, 1964, transferring to the Australian section on February 23, 1976.
In researching the history of RPNGC, he made three return trips to PNG.
“Despite this being Australia’s first battle in WW1, Australian government commemoration is non-existent and there are surprisingly few memorials,” Hayes says.
“At the Royal Australian Navy base, HMAS Cerberus, there is a memorial in tiles naming those who perished in this battle.
“In Sydney, high on the sandstone wall near the Opera House at Circular Quay is a small plaque erected in 1964 denoting the sailing of the fleet on August 19, 1914.
“For many years, Northcote RSLClub (Victoria) has recognised that one of the first two killed was a Northcote citizen.
“On December 16, 2001, it commissioned a large mounted bronze plaque commemorating this battle with images of William Williams and Brian Pockley.
“Each year, on September 11, a small group meets to commemorate Australia’s first six killed in battle with the loss of submarine AE 1 and its crew in WW1.
“At Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance, wreaths are laid by two grand nephews of Pockley and Williams within the shrine and at the ‘Rabaul’ tree.
“The 100th anniversary of this small but important battle will be in three years.
“It is hopes that the Australian government might see fit to recognise Australia’s first battle as a sovereign nation.
“Locating, and hopefully recovering our lost and forgotten coral-encrusted steel coffin, AE 1, with its 35 crew still entombed would be a significant gesture.
“The post-humous award, in what should have been Australia’s first WW1 Victoria Cross to Captain Pockley for the meritorious deed, which cost him his life, would be more appropriate.
“With the exception of Moffat, those Australians killed in the battle were buried in various locations before being interred at Rabaul in 1919.
“There, those graves suffered considerable damage during the bombardment of Rabaul during the Japanese occupation.
“Finally, the graves were returned to the Bitapaka War Cemetery in 1950, very close to where they fell in 1950.”
With the outbreak of WW1, Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914, and knew that a large and hostile German naval fleet was active in the Pacific Ocean.
Britain feared that a newly-constructed wireless station at Bitapaka near Rabaul in German New Guinea would be of immense assistance to that fleet.
By cable on August 5, 1914, Britain requested Australia to capture and destroy that wireless station.
In the early nationalistic fervour of doing battle with Germany, a force of 1, 116 New South Wales army volunteers with 451 naval reservists was quickly enlisted and uniformed.
This force embarked on the HMAT Berrima from Man O’ War steps at Circular Quay, Sydney, on August 19, 1914.
“The force became known as the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force,” Hayes says.
“The accompanying flotilla of almost the entire Royal Australian Navy, including our first submarines AE 1 and AE 2 (sunk in the Darndanelles and recently discovered in situ in 1998), steamed north.
“It stayed a few days at Palm Island and two weeks at Port Moresby for further training.
“This was the first-ever Australian force as such to leave our shores, and the first commanded by Australian officers.
“Earlier foreign wars such as the Maori Wars, the Boxer Rebellion and the Boer War were comprised of colonial (state) forces before the Federation in 1901.
“Early on the morning of September 11, 1914, our fleet entered Rabaul’s magnificent deep volcanic Simpsonhafen (Simpson) Harbour.
“Earlier troops and naval reservists landed some 20 miles away at Herbertshohe (late Kokopo) and the stone Kabakaul jetty.
“This was thought to be the nearest access to where the wireless station was probably located.
“In fact, it was located some five miles inland and directions to the inland track were obtained from a Chinese trader.
“Shortly after dawn, the attacking force (comprising mainly of naval reservists, with some army medical personnel) started to make it way along a narrow track through the thick jungle.
“The track was mainly impenetrable on both sides.
“The force came under the first volley of fire from a numerically-superior German force of reservists, backed by native troops, firing from positions in high trees.”
To cut a long story short, killed were Australian Army Medical Corps Captain Brian Golden Antil Pockley, 24, of Sydney; Able Seaman William George Vincent Williams, RANR number 294, 28, of Northcote, Victoria; Able Seaman John E Walker, RANR number 121; Lieutenant Commander Charles B Elwell of Wentworthville, New South Wales; and Able Seaman Henry W Street, RANR number 419.
The party continued to advance along the track to capture the wireless station.
German deaths were estimated to be one reservist and about 30 native troops.
On the same day, having received information the seat of government had been moved inland to Toma, HMAS Encounter shelled the position.
German acting Governor, Dr E Haber, then sought a truce, until officially surrendering three days later.

Lest we forget!

Nautilus granted mining lease for Solwara-1

FOR the first time, a major step forward in the development of seabed mining is now in place with the granting of the mining lease to Nautilus Minerals for the development of the Solwara-1 project in the Bismarck Sea between New Ireland and New Britain, The National reports.

The mine operation, located 30km from the coast of New Ireland and at a depth of 1,600m, is expected to begin by the end of 2013 with the mining of “high grade” seafloor massive sulphide deposits that contain copper, gold, silver, zinc and lead.

While the project is unique as the world’s first seabed mine, the lease arrangements themselves are a reflection of the evolving legislative and regulatory process in PNG since the 1970s.

“This will enable us to avoid past experiences from the Ok Tedi and Bougainville mines,” senior technical assessment engineer with the Mineral Resources Authority Lyndah Brown-Kola said.

Brown-Kola was part of a team of government officials from PNG at­tending the deep sea mineral project workshop organised in Fiji by SOPAC, a division of the South Pacific Secretariat of the Pacific Community. 

The team presented to the delegates the legislative and regulatory pro­cess in PNG that led to the granting of the seabed mineral mining lease.

Brown-Kola said the current legislative and regulatory review process was adequate to ensure that environmental, operational and financial concerns are addressed.

“We operate in conjunction with the Department of Mineral Policy and Geo-Hazards Management, which has responsibility of setting all mining policies. It is part of the mining ministerial portfolio.”

She said the government had been looking at the Solwara-1 project since 1997 and granted Nautilus the first offshore mineral exploration licence in 2008.

“We have been working with Nautilus for 14 years. It was only in this year we granted the company a mining licence.”

This followed two years of deliberations over their application.

 

 

Mix reactions over sackings

Highlands bloc rallies behind Duma and Polye

 

REACTIONS continue to be mixed on the sackings early this week of government ministers Don Polye and William Duma, The National reports.

As acting Prime Minister Sam Abal stuck by his decision to sack Polye as Foreign Affairs Minister and Duma as Petroleum and Energy Minister for the sake of solidarity, the country’s trade unions yesterday threw their support behind him, saying that national interest was paramount to Enga politics.

“Abal must stand firm and resolute in the face of adversity,” PNG Trade Union Congress general secretary John Paska said.

Another unlikely supporter was Morobe Governor Luther Wenge who said every political party in government should support Abal until incumbent Sir Michael Somare recovers from his heart operation in Singapore.

In Enga, deputy leader of the NA branch Chris Kandenge said Wednesday’s special meeting of the branch to expel Abal was

illegal, as it was convened by certain executives with self-interest.

Branch executive Yali Kaki said several party leaders in the province were underestimating Abal’s leadership qualities and should be voted out of office.

Their support for Abal’s action, however, was outweighed by support for the two sacked leaders from cabinet – Polye being the highlands bloc head of the ruling National Alliance and Duma being the parliamentary leader of United Resource Party, the second biggest party in the coalition.

The support, as expected, came from the highlands region where:

*In Western Highlands, Duma supporters held a peaceful demonstration, marching to Mt Hagen Queen’s Park to air their frustrations about the sackings; and

*In Eastern Highlands, two NA leaders warned that NA may lose its popularity in the region if Polye and Duma were not reinstated.

Reaction from the opposition parties and the business community remained subdued.

 

 

Hagen people protest sacking of ministers

By JAMES APA GUMUNO

 

NATIONAL Alliance and United Resource Party supporters in Western Highlands yesterday staged a peaceful protest march in Mt Hagen city over the sacking of two senior government ministers, The National reports.

The protesters gathered at Kimininga and marched to Queen’s Park where they were addressed by a number of speakers from the highlands region.

They demanded acting Prime Minister Sam Abal travel to Mt Hagen next week and tell them the truth behind the sacking of Don Polye and William Duma from the foreign affairs and immigration and petroleum and energy ministerial portfolios respectively.

Many speakers praised the two leaders’ performance at the national and international arena and did not deserve to be dumped in such a manner.

They said Abal’s claim the two men had not been performing and were trying to destabilise the government were very shallow.

Speaker Wan Kewa, from Kagamuga village in Hagen Central, said after the 2007 general election, Polye and Duma, as party leaders, brought with them enough MPs to help NA form government.

He said because of their contributions, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare justly rewarded them with two senior ministries.

URP, of which Duma is the leader, boasts the second biggest political party in government.

Kewa said it would only be proper if the acting prime minister paid a visit next week “and tell us the truth”.

He also warned that any procrastination by the executive government would only inflame the situation further.

Protester Robin Aipi, from Muyan village in Enga’s Kandep district, called on Abal to tell the people what he had done for the country and his electorate.

He said Polye and Duma deserved praise because they had done a lot for the multi-billion-kina LNG project and for roadworks in the country.

Aipi said the country needed people like Polye and Duma to move forward.

Another protester from Jiwaka region, Pawa Wai, asked: “How can an acting prime minister sack two ministers who have shown true leadership at the national and international level?”

Wai said for the good of the country and its people, Polye and Duma “must be reinstated”.

Many Engans did not travel to Mt Hagen yesterday following news of the protest.

Gamar Iki, from the Enga provincial government media unit, confirmed many Engans decided against travelling to Mt Hagen yesterday.      

World Bank agrees to fund major roads

By JUNIOR UKAHA

 

THE national government and the World Bank have signed a US$43 million agreement to fund the rehabilitation of selected national and provincial roads in the country, The National reports.

The agreement was signed on Thursday in Port Moresby by World Bank country manager Laura Baily and Finance Minister Peter O’Neill.

It followed a previous agreement signed by both parties in 2002, which lapsed in 2009.

Papua New Guinea would provide US$10 million as counterpart funding.

The five-year project, ending in 2016, will be coordinated by the Department of Works under its second phase of road maintenance and rehabilitation project (RMRP II).

Baily said the signing was a “financial and legal document” that would see the PNG government and the World Bank work hand-in-hand to ensure important infrastructure services were delivered to the people.

Ten provinces will be covered under the programme – Central, Gulf, Western, East and West New Britain, Manus, Oro, Morobe, Madang and Milne Bay.

“In many parts of PNG, roads are more than just tarmacs,” Baily said.

“It is not just an investment in roads but an investment in the future and people of PNG,” she said.

Baily said the project was a sign of the ongoing commitment the World Bank had for the people of PNG.

O’Neill said infrastructure development was a key component of the government’s development strategies.

He said, in line with the MTDS, the government had since 2009 increased its funding allocations to rehabilitate roads and bridges.

“Roads give vital access for our people, and present them with the chance to utilise the public services the government provides, therefore, enhancing their involvement in economic growth,” he said.

Work will start on the Hiritano Highway in Central and the Kerema-Malalaua Highway in Gulf.

Hidden Valley Gold Mine engineered tailings storage facility considered a possible model for the industry

Caption: General manager Hidden Valley mine, Mark Mitchell explaining some of the features and mining operation strategies to Clant Alok and Dr Paul Ngabung at the Hidden Valley Kaveroi open pit - look out.

 

The Hidden Valley Gold mine’s engineered tailings storage facility (TSF) has been commended as a potential model for future tailings disposal options for mining projects in the country.

These were the comments from a group of participants from the National Government’s Central Agencies Coordinating Committee (CACC), provincial administrators and heads of commodity boards who visited the mine as part of the recently-completed 2011 priority impact projects conference in Lae last week.

The conference was held to further discussions as part of a first quarter review on the Crown Plaza Pronouncements earlier this year.

The group comprising a number of provincial administrators and senior government bureaucrats including Lawrence Disin (chief administrator for Bougainville), Dr Samson Amean (Enga), Raphael Yipmaramba (Central), Brigadier General Commander Francis Agwi (PNG Defence Force), Clant Alok (technical advisor tier 3), Gabriel Dusava (technical advisor) and Joseph Sukwianomb (director general programme support) from the Prime Minister’s Department were among 37 others who were impressed by the standards and practices they encountered during their visit.

Speaking on behalf of the tour group, Alok, one- time provincial administrator for Morobe and Madang provinces commended mine general manager Mark Mitchell, Joint Venture representatives, David Hume (Harmony Gold) and Brett Fletcher (Newcrest Mining) and senior mine employees of the impressive standards being practiced - highlighting in particular the construction and use of the tailing storage facility (TSF) for tailings disposal as at Hidden Valley, all tailings from the processing of ore are stored permanently in an engineered TSF.

“The general consensus and comments from this group today after touring the mine has been nothing but impressive” Alok said.

“Hidden Valley is emerging as the cream of the crop and we take our hats off to you in the way you conduct your business; in the confidence you have by appointing PNG nationals to senior managerial roles at the mine that are capable and experienced in the PNG mining industry.”

Along with other delegates, Alok pointed out the TSF structure, saying they had also noted the predominantly local workforce of more than 90% Papua New Guineans employed and the joint venture’s future plans to localise the mine management, the range of community and regional development projects and programmes for stakeholders and implementation of certain aspects of the mine’s closure plan in the areas of revegetation for a project that had only just begun operations.

“We have learnt a lot from this mine site today and will be taking these lessons and knowledge back to our superiors where we shall initiate discussions for inclusion into future plans and policy documents especially in the area of mining, related to tailings disposal,” Alok said.

Speaking on behalf of the Joint Venture partners, Harmony Mining Executive, David Hume thanked the delegates for taking the time to visit the mine operations saying stakeholder relationships were very important.

“We are delighted that you took this opportunity to visit the mine to observe the way we do business here and we look forward to working with you and building on these relationships as we continue to improve our practices into the future.”

Hidden Valley general manager Mark Mitchell also expressed his appreciation and thanked the delegates for taking the journey to visit the mine.

The delegation indicated through senior bureaucrats there was every intention for future visits from government to work with and learn more from Hidden Valley mine operations.