Somare retires

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

PRIME Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare has retired from office for medical reasons, his son Arthur Somare announced yesterday, The National reports.

The decision was not Sir Michael's, but that of his immediately family members who reached it three weeks ago in Singapore.

"He is not in a position to coherently make a decision himself ... that is why we have made the decision,'' Arthur said.

"On behalf of Lady Veronica and the rest of Sir Michael's family, I would like to inform the public that it is our wish that Sir Michael will now pursue a life in retirement after nearly 50 years of active politics due to medical reasons and the uncertainty of the recovery period."

The retirement covers all positions held by the PM including:

*Parliamentary leader of the National Alliance party;

*Regional member of parliament for the East Sepik people; and

*As Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea.

Somare, who is minister for public enterprises, put on a brave face although he was visibly emotional when making the announcement.

"The public was informed at different intervals that Sir Michael has taken medical leave to address a condition that has prevailed over many years," he said.

"The initial operation to replace the leaking heart valve was successful but, subsequently, other complications had developed.

"These complications have further delayed the anticipated time in which Sir Michael was expected to recover and return to Papua New Guinea."

The son said the difficult and trying part of identifying infectious diseases had been cleared but, at the age of 75, going to 76, and after three heart operations, "it will weaken a person of his age".

 "The uncertainty of when he will be out of intensive care has pushed us into this decision," he said.

He said Sir Michael was in ICU and "is not in a position to talk and understand the decision made by the family three weeks ago".

"I have not talked to my father in weeks," Somare said.

He said the road to recovery would be slow and "it will be a tedious wait and the family cannot keep PNG waiting".

"All five siblings and our mother have taken this decision that he steps down from politics and that Sir Michael is allowed to recover at his own pace. In our considered decision to do this, we believe PNG should have a level of certainty with regard to political stability and leadership well into the future.

"He is not only the head of the Somare family. He is the head of the country and there are different processes to be taken to elect a new prime minister.

"I am not here for politics but as a family member to announce the family's desire to retire our father.

"Taim femili ino toktok, banis istap yet. Nau mi toktok, mi kliarim rot. Em samting bilong palamen, kebinet na pati long mekim disisen. Em bai ino mo sanap long rot. (When the family did not speak out, it becomes an obstacle, but now that I make that announcement, it clears the road for parliament, cabinet and party to make a decision).

"This has not been an easy decision to make without full and proper consultation with Sir Michael.

"However, in the greater public interest and collective good of the country, we are of the view that this decision is necessary and we believe it will be his desire to do so at this time given the circumstances.

"I would like to thank the people of Papua New Guinea for their well wishes, messages of support and constant prayers."

Women at work

Women of the Seventh-Day Adventist church in Lae, Morobe, walked through the streets of the city collecting rubbish on Sunday, The National reports.

About 200 women were divided into three groups and collected rubbish at the three major shopping centres of Main Market, Eriku and Chinatown. 

Some of the women (above), who had cleaned Chinatown were on their way to the Main Market when they were pictured at the Lae Yacht Club, at Voco Point.

The other group, which started from the market, also cleaned the road to Eriku from where other women picked up rubbish on the way to Chinatown.

The women collected used plastic bags, soft drink containers and other rubbish. – Words and picture by PISAI GUMAR

 

Broker highly rates Highlands Pacific

AUSTRALIAN investment broker Evans and Partners has given a “positive” rating to Papua New Guinea mining explorer and developer Highlands Pacific, The National reports.

The company is a junior partner in the US$1.4 billion Ramu nickel and cobalt being developed by Chinese giant Ramu NiCo, 18.18% joint venture partner in Xstrata’s Frieda River copper mine in East Sepik and explorer in the Star Mountains of Western’s North Fly electorate.

“Highlands Pacific remains our number one recommendation within the copper space, due largely to the extreme discount to valuation the company is currently trading,” research analyst Cathy Moises said in Evans and Partners’ Australian resource sector report released last week.

She wrote that with a decision on the Ramu NiCo submarine tailing disposal court case expected later next month, a trebling of the exploration focus in the Star Mountains and final definitive feasibility study for Frieda River due in January 2012, the news flow would be significant.

Frieda is the key asset, she said, noting that it was one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper/gold resources.

“Subject to the project continuing to meet its project hurdles, a 12-month feasibility study is due for completion in January 2012, with possible construction commencing in 2012 and production in 2017,” Moises said.

The pre-feasibility study provided for a 60mtpa operation for the first eight years of mine life and 50mtpa average for LOM (when processing harder ore).

 

 

Students urged to repay Tesas loans

By BOSORINA ROBBY

 

RECIPIENTS of the Tertiary Education Study Assistance Scheme (Tesas) loan from 2000 to 2007 are urged to start repaying their loans to the Office of Higher Education through the Department of Finance and Treasury, The National reports.

OHE student support and scholarship assistant director Joseph Morimai said recipients living in the National Capital District should go to the cash office at Vulupindi Haus and make payments to finance revenue vote #106.01.

Recipients in the provinces could visit their district treasury office and make payments to the same vote.

Those employed recipients are asked to provide their employment details to the OHE.

Morimai said copies of the receipt should then be faxed to the OHE for their database and cross-check purposes.

He said the OHE would design and maintain debt recovery database to allow accurate accounting of individual student’s loans and repayments, and to keep all student data.

He said since its inception in 2000, OHE had loaned close to K6 million to more than 3,000 students in Tesas attending nursing, teaching, technical and business colleges and universities.

“So far, only two women have repaid their loans since the Tesas loan scheme started,’’ he said.

“So, by creating this repayment mechanism with the help of the Finance and Treasury Department, we hope to recoup at least 60% of the funds.”

The loans scheme was developed to help students enrolling at universities and non-university institutions pay their tuition fees.

The four scholarship categories were academic excellence scholarship (AES), Higher Education Contribution Assistance Scheme (Hecas) and self-sponsored.

The service was suspended in 2008 to allow OHE to develop ways to get its money back.

Police boss cracks whip

Officers implicated in student killing face suspension

 

By JUNIOR UKAHA

  

POLICE officers implica­ted in the death of a Kokopo Business College student will be suspended pending an investigation, Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie said yesterday, The National reports.

He condemned the actions of a group of policemen who allegedly assaulted a final-year management student who died while in police custody.

Wagambie said if the reports into the alleged beatings and death were correct, “then the policemen responsible will be dealt with accordingly”.

“Nobody is above the law, even if they are police officers,” he said.

“Normal police investigations will follow and none of the officers responsible will walk away free.”

As he made his hard stance known, Acting Deputy Commissioner operations Fred Yakasa announced one policeman had been committed to stand trial and three others were facing charges in relation to the death of a man in custody in Kimbe, West New Britain, early this year leading to a riot in that town (story on page 3).

East New Britain provincial police commander Supt Sylvester Kalaut yesterday maintained, however, that he needed to have “concrete evidence” on the allegation that his officers were involved in the student’s death.

He said it was mere speculation by the community and the school administration to force an internal investigation on his officers.

Wagambie spoke out after a group of policemen from Kokopo, East New Britain, stormed the Kokopo Business College, fired tear gas, raided a male dormitory and assaulted students.

The officers allegedly beat up the final-year student, Stanis Jiki, in his dormitory and hauled him and three others to the police cells where Jiki was said to have died.

Wagambie said police were allowed to “use force”, when carrying out their duties, but the “nature of the situation” must justify the type of force used.

“I have not been formally briefed,” he said.

“But if it is true (killing), then, administrative procedures will apply.

“The officers implicated will be suspended automatically pending investigation.”

He said a similar case where police brutality had resulted in the death of a local youth in nearby Kimbe, West New Britain, had resulted in three police officers committed to stand trial.

He said another policeman in Port Moresby was last year sentenced to 22 years in jail for discharging a firearm in public and pointing a gun at members of the public even though he did not kill anyone.

Wagambie passed his condolences to the relatives of the deceased and appealed to the students not to take the law into their own hands.

His comments came as four male students from the Kokopo Business College appeared before the Kokopo District Court yesterday on charges of arson and damaging school property.

The students were all from Wosera in East Sepik. They were Winsaslaus Bagamu, a second-year student, Noel Wapikundi, Edward Jiriwahu and Bradley Wambi, all first-year students.

They were charged on Saturday under section 67, subsection 1A of the Criminal Code.

Their cases had been transferred to the Kerevat District Court and were remanded in custody at the Kerevat Correctional Services.

The four were refused police bail and had been ordered by magistrate Samuel Lavutul to file for bail application.

The burning down of the office administration building was in retaliation to the death of Jiki.

Kalaut yesterday said the school administration had complained that police officers had beaten up Jiki.

He confirmed that a post- mortem would be conducted on Jiki this week, once doctors at the Nonga Base Hospital morgue were ready.

It was understood that a protest march was being planned by KBC students and staff for today.

Cop to stand trial over Kimbe killing

A POLICEMAN will stand trial in the National Court over the killing of a man which sparked a riot in Kimbe, West New Britain, early this year, The National reports.

Acting Deputy Police Commissioner and chief of operations Fred Yakasa said in a statement yesterday that three others would be committed to stand trial in  what is known as the ex-offico indictment.

The announcement came as  the dead body of a student was found in a police cell on Saturday morning in neighbouring Kokopo in East New Britain.

Policemen are said to have fired tear gas and stormed into the dormitory on Friday night where they beat up students and dragged off four to the police cells for questioning.

Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie yesterday said any policeman found to have been involved in the death of the student would be dealt with.

Yakasa named the policeman to stand trial over the Kimbe murder as First Const Paul Karl.

Three other policemen who appeared separately for the same offence, but had their cases struck out due to insufficient evidence, were named as Chief Sgt Godfrey Kambania, Const Alex Tokavai and Gabriel Nomu.

All four policemen were charged under section 7 principal offenders of the Criminal Code Act.

Yakasa said section 7 of the Criminal Code Act covered people who were merely present when an offence was committed but did nothing to deter or prevent the offence.

“In this particular case, they are members of the constabulary who have sworn an oath to protect and serve the public.

“By allegedly not doing anything, they are just as guilty of criminal neglect.

“However, in this particular case there was overwhelming evidence proving their involvement in committing the crime.

“We are, therefore, arranging with the state prosecutor’s office to commit the other three to stand trial through the ex-officio indictment,” Yakasa said.

In the meantime, their serious disciplinary offences report had been submitted to internal affairs directorate for speedy adjudication.

Yakasa said the police hierarchy was serious in ensuring members of the constabulary were held accountable.

“Let me make it very clear again that the Wagambie administration will not tolerate undisciplined, abusive, corrupt and unprofessional policemen.

“We will hold all members accountable for their actions or inactions,” Yakasa said.

HPL, Marengo rated highly in copper scene

By SINCLAIRE SOLOMON

 

INVESTMENT broker Evans and Partners has described Highlands Pacific and Marengo Mining as among exciting “new kids on the block” in the copper sector of the Australian market, The National reports.

Looking beyond the three major pure copper producers in Australia, the broker highlighted opportunities among the junior producers, namely Highlands Pacific, Marengo, Intrepid Mines and Sandfire.

However, it said Indonesia was not as pro-mining as neighbouring Papua New Guinea where the Highlands Pacific and Marengo had large scale porphyry copper projects while Intrepid Mines had its projects in Indonesia.

Sandfire has a higher grade copper project in DeGrussa, Australia, it noted.

“As expected given the long term and capital intensive nature of development, the porphyries are trading at a greater discount to valuation,” Evans and Partners said in a report released last week.

It said that while Highlands Pacific remained its preferred copper producer among the junior sector, Intrepid Mine also featured as an interesting producer, “with a large discount to valuation and strong exploration upside, but with a higher risk profile due to location within a protected forestry region in Indonesia”.

Highlands Pacific has a 18.8% interest in Frieda copper project in Ambunti-Dreikikir electorate, East Sepik, being developed by Xstrata as well as interest in Ramu nickel and cobalt project being developed by RamuNiCo in Usino-Bundi electorate, Madang, and exploration in the Star Mountains of North Fly, Western.

Marengo Mining has a 100% stake in the Yandera copper and molybdenum project in Usino-Bundi electorate, Madang.

Evans and Partners said that a positive for the project was that a Chinese off-take partner might take a stake.

It is a three-million tonne  attributable copper resources and has a production timeline from 2015.

The broker also noted that Yandera was a very large scale project, unusual for a junior to retain a majority stake in such a large project.

Research analyst Cathy Moises said: “Looking at key supply/demand metrics, we feel over the next decade supply is likely to exceed demand for copper which may lead to price weakness in later years.”