Nothing done to control arms, says Maipakai

By JUNIOR UKAHA

 

INTERNAL Security Minister and Kikori MP Mark Maipakai is worried about the build-up of firearms leading into next year’s elections, The National reports.

He said this last Friday during a passing-out ceremony 98 officers from the Royal Papua New Guinea Police Band at the Bomana Police College.

Maipakai said since the report and recommendation of the Guns Control Committee came out six years ago, “little or nothing has been done to rectify the situation”.

“I am concerned about the use of firearms, both legal and illegal, in the commissioning of crimes, conflict situations and especially in next year’s national elections,” he said.

Maipakai said the use of guns was one of the single biggest problems facing the country.

He said guns which fell into the hands of criminals and other unscrupulous people were used to kill people.

He said the use of illegal firearms to commit crimes “is a hindrance to development and is destroying businesses”.

“Guns will drive away investment and ruin our society,” he said.

He said guns were used in over 80% of crimes committed in the country.

Maipakai commended Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie and his deputies for the pre-election operations being conducted nationwide.

“It will flush out some of these illegal firearms but not all of it,” he said.

Police Commissioner Operations Fred Yakasa said police operations before and during the election would require K188 million to be successful.

Yakasa said around 20% of that money would be used in pre-election operations.

Lae is on a road to nowhere

By MALUM NALU

On Friday, June 25, while back home in Lae, I took a drive along the city’s infamous roads with regional works manager Brian Alois.

We took a look at Markham Road opposite Lae Showground, Bumbu Road opposite  golf course, Milfordhaven Road opposite Botanical Gardens, the steep hill leading up to town from Voco Point, and the Huon Road leading from town to Eriku.

At first glance, so much for so little, that I felt like breaking down and crying for the people of Lae – me included – who have suffered so much over the years.                                              

I remember a Lae from the 1970s and 1980s that was perfect – before the rot set in – and had no potholes at all

Just last December, acting Prime Minister Sam Abal dished out more than K100 million to a handful of contractors to fix up Lae roads, however, cracks are already appearing in the concrete and water is spilling out from drains.

Contractors are working willy-nilly on their assigned stretches, in an unplanned, haphazard fashion, and there seems to be  no uniformity all over the city.

Compare that to a decade ago when AusAid-funded Barclay worked on the Lae roads?

The Department of Finance, seemingly, has appointed overseas contractor NME International as its engineering supervising consultant for Lae roads with no input whatsoever from Department of Works.

Alois and the works guys, even the city engineer, have no say whatsoever in the Lae roads project.

“That question that arises is that if the national Department of Works or provincial works is not supervising the millions already spent on Lae roads, which agency is responsible?” wonders four-time Lae MP Bart Philemon.

“Going by the project signboards, it would appear that the Department of Finance is now the implementing agency.

“If this observation is correct, then how much this could be?

“Department of Finance is not technically qualified, so how will it depend on the engineering consultant to manage the whole project?

“I believe the Department of Finance appointed NME International as its engineering consultant for Lae roads project.

“It means that the government has now delegated or offloaded its responsibilities to this private company in preference to its own implementing agencies.”

“The company, NME International, is now totally responsible for everything that takes place.”

What is painfully obvious to all is that there is no overall design for total Lae roads upgrading, with all engineering designs being different, each contractor having his own design.

Alois concurs with Philemon, and during our drive, pointed out some things that were lacking on Lae roads including utilities, road furniture, street lights, dumping of spoils and physical planning approval.

“There are no provisions for relocation of utilities such as water, telephone lines and power poles, etc,” he says.

“Consideration should have been given to these respective service agencies to firstly, relocate the infrastructure and secondly, make provisions for future extensions/installations, etc.

“Once the roads are concreted, it would be near difficult to carry out works on the relocation, maintenance and installation of service utilities.”

Road furniture

“Every road has to have them and apart from the many other functions, they are there to promote road safety for vehicles and pedestrians as well,” Alois says.

“Importantly, we have not allowed for accessibility for people with disabilities (wheelchairs); compare the previously upgraded roads by AusAID and these current works.”

Street lights

“Every modern city has to have street lights and these were installed when AusAID funded the roadworks before.

“In these current works, there are no street lights and we say all the time that Lae is not only the second city, it is the industrial hub.”

Dumping of spoils

“We are dumping all the spoils dug up from the roads into the sea at the DCA beach and that is not good environmental management.

“If these works were planned properly, then my suggestion would be to do river training works on the Bumbu, and use the spoils as backfills and that way we can reclaim some of the land that was eroded over the years by the Bumbu River.

“Institutions like National Polytechnic (Lae Tech), Bumbu Barracks, CIS Buimo and streets along the Cassowary Roads have suffered loss of land.

“So instead of dumping the spoils and polluting the sea, we could have made good use to reclaim and at the same time protect further erosion.

Physical planning approval

“I am sure that no physical planning approval was given for the current works unlike the previous works by AusAID.

“So we have broken the procurement laws (no tender, variations exceeding maximum limits etc), and also the physical development laws.”

Alois says entry into Lae can be through ends or gateways: From the Highlands Highway at Bugandi and from Bukawa Road through Busu Bridge.

“These two roads that lead into Lae City are classified as national roads; the Highlands Highway as it traverses into the city rides on Markham Road then onto Milfordhaven Road ending at the Lae Port, while the Bukawa Road rides on to Malahang/Busu Road terminating at the Malahang Industrial Centre,” he adds.

“I’d like to believe that there is no road classification for the network of roads here in Lae.

“Needless to say, it is necessary, in view of the traffic volume and high maintenance costs, that we categorise our roads into their primary functions.

“This means that we must, in the first instance, assign roads according to what we want them to deliver in terms of traffic.

“We must have different classification of roads that are designed and constructed for the different types of traffic that we would expect would use them.

“The suggested road classifications can be:

·         Class A main arterial roads;

·         Class B link roads;

·         Class C industrial roads;

·         Class D residential roads; and

·         Class E central business roads.

“At the same time, we must emphasise on nominated routes for our public transport system.”

Alois, apart from being the regional works manager, is also the president of the Institute of Engineers PNG Lae branch and a board member to Institute of Engineers PNG Board and Professional Engineers Registration Board.

Meantime, Lae continues to be heading on the road to nowhere!

Chief remains, says Kaiwi

GRAND Chief Sir Michael Somare remains in office regardless of the wishes of his family, the president of his National Alliance party said yesterday, The National reports.

“The position now is that the Somare family has made its wishes known,” National Alliance president Simon Kaiwi said yesterday.

“They do not want their father to continue as a politician. That is understandable.

“In terms of the positions that he (Sir Michael) holds as prime minister, parliamentary leader of NA and East Sepik member, he stills holds those positions.

“He is still the party leader and the PM until such time as that position is taken.”

He said Sir Michael’s position as prime minister would only be determined by parliament after legal requirements were satisfied.

The process to replace Sir Michael as parliamentary leader of NA begun in February this year at the Grand Chief’s own behest and was now well advanced, Kaiwi said.

Kaiwi said the next caucus meeting, scheduled to be held in Jiwaka, would determine the party leadership position.

“We are at an advanced stage now,” he said. “The process is well under way.”

That process started in February when, in consultation with the Grand Chief, Kaiwi was told to prepare for a successor to Sir Michael.

The parliamentary wing of NA, comprising 42 MPs, would convene in Minj town to elect the leader of the National Alliance.

That leader would be NA’s choice for the PM’s post should a vacancy occur by then.

Should a vacancy occur before the July meet, Kaiwi said it was the sole prerogative of parliament to elect a prime minister.

The view that the Somare family’s announcement to retire Sir Michael without his knowledge does not constitute a legally-binding decision was also shared by a number of people yesterday.

Private lawyer Tiffany Nonggorr said:  “It is not a family monarchy we have here in PNG; that Arthur Somare or any member of the family can decide on when the prime minister of this country can step down or not step down. 

“There are existing processes and bylaws of this land that must be followed.”

She said that by the application of this country’s section 142 of the Constitution and section 6 of the Prime Minister (PM) and National Executive Council (NEC) Act 2006, “the only way Sir Michael ceased being a PM is when he himself says (from his own mouth) that he has resigned and does so in writing to the national executive council, declaring that he is resigning and, therefore, stepping down”.

Or, that he is dismissed, suspended or voted out by parliament.

She said the application of such laws safeguard a PM (any PM) and the people of PNG from any actions, unscrupulous or otherwise.

She said the proper legal procedures required – under current circumstances – was that, upon advice from the national executive council, the governor-general was required to advise the PNG Medical Board, “who designates two medical practitioners to examine the prime minister”.

It would be based on that joint medical report presented to the governor-general “who advises the speaker to advise parliament which would then decide whether to suspend the prime minister on medical grounds or not”.

She said only then can a new prime minister be elected by parliament.

Outside of that, no one, not even the prime minister’s family members, have any say in whether or not he, as the chief executive of the country, should step down or not.

Senior lawyer Peter Donigi had raised similar points and the opposition yesterday called for the appointment of medical practitioners to follow the dictates of the Constitution.

Abal: Govt is intact

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

ACTING Prime Minister and Wabag MP Sam Abal has assured the nation that the National Alliance-led government is intact and will continue to dispatch its responsibilities until next year’s general election, The National reports.

Abal said this during a  state-owned enterprises (SOE) consultation on the National Plan and Vision 2050, with the theme “Delivering through SOE” at the Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby yesterday.

He said despite speculations that the NA and coalition partners were splitting and regrouping to elect a new prime mi­nister after Sir Michael Somare stepped down, the go­vernment was intact.

But the talk in the corridors of power is that seve­ral MPs from the go­vernment are in talks with the opposition to change the prime minister when parliament resumes in August.

A few leaders who were interviewed said the coalition partners and NA members remained intact out of respect for Sir Michael.

The sources said since the PM had had been advised by his family to retire, the leaders could make their move.

Abal said in order to bring stability to the go­vernment and in fostering development, all political leaders needed to focus on the development agenda of the country first so “our people do not have to keep asking why they are still poor in a rich country”.

Abal said: “With less than a year to go before writs are issued for the next national election, it is my hope that politicians on both sides of parliament focus their best efforts on the people in their electorates, in deli­vering the best development outcomes possible.

“We can then go to next year’s election confident that which ever party wins the most seats, its leader can become the prime minister.”

Meanwhile, Abal urged all state-owned enterpri­ses to commit themselves to outlining three priority initiatives that could improve their profit margins and result in greater corporate growth.

 

 

Elias urges SOE CEOs to improve services

By JEFFREY ELAPA

 

CHIEF Secretary Margaret Elias has urged chief executive officers of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to be responsive towards the joint efforts to implement policies and directives of government geared towards achieving development objectives, The National reports.

She said the CEOs had responsibilities to improve service delivery by providing the environments to support economic growth and social development.

She said they should work closely with the Department of Public Enterprises and Independent Public Business Corporation (IPBC) to develop an infrastructure development policy framework which they should present to government as soon as practicable.

Elias added that the state-owned enterprises needed to develop a master plan to be submitted to government by the end of this year.

“The challenge for you is to offer your services and technical advice to both the rural and urban communities in establishing enabling environment,” she said.

“For example, our district treasuries and district hospitals must have electricity and proper water supplies to ensure that they are functioning and which will encourage the local people to access services at the districts.

“I challenge you all to support government in improving service delivery under your organisations’ mandates.

“It is intended that this forum provides an avenue for effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting to government on how SOEs are supporting government in achieving its policy objectives through the existing mechanisms.

“It is imperative that we must improve on our performance as CEOs of state-owned enterprises and heads of agencies of government.”

She said it was a system under which government would enforce compliance and monitor performance particularly at heads of government agency level.

She said there had to be transparency, accountability and commitment in the operations of the organisations they led and be accountable to the government and the people.

Elias said the state-owned enterprises must submit their annual profit and loss statements and valuation of assets for scrutiny by government, through the IPBC.

She urged the CEOs to manage the people within their organisations to create harmony and avoid industrial disputes “which can be a disruption in the economy as well as hinder the achievement of the objectives of their organisations and the expected outcomes as per their business plans.”

BSP to buy back shares

BANK South Pacific Ltd will buy back up to K40 million worth of its own shares, chairman Kostas Constantinou announced yesterday, The National reports.

The shares buy-back was agreed upon during the bank's capital management strategy discussion during its annual general meeting last month.

The buy back is set to open today for a period of 12 months.

The board of directors decided to buy back shares since BSP's current market share prices did not reflect the fundamental value of the company.

Constantinou said BSP intended to enter the market from time to time to purchase shares pursuant to the buy back, which under this, shareholders are invited to sell up to 10,000 BSP shares of each registered holding.

BSP would pay for any brokerage on shares bought back.

Selling shareholders would not pay brokerage.

At the release of the full-year profit results to Dec 31, 2010, Constantinou informed the market last March that "BSP had achieved sound results last year, characterised by continued profitability and balance sheet growth, demonstrating operational and financial stability".

The directors of BSP believed that a measure on market buy back of the company's own shares would complement the share consolidation that was effected early this month.

The shares consolidation allowed for shareholders to now receive one share for every 10 shares they previously owned, meaning BSP's share price will, in effect, be multiplied by 10 to maintain the value per share.

Shareholders would notice that the current selling price for BSP shares stood at K6.68 from K0.68, and where they had 1,000 shares, they now have 100 BSP shares.

 

Tribunal date set for Somare

By JULIA DAIA BORE

 

ANGORAM MP and Minister of Public Enterprises Arthur Somare will face the Leadership Tribunal next Monday, The National reports.

The tribunal is to decide whether Somare is to continue as an MP pending the tribunal hearing on allegations of misapplication against him.

Much will depend on his submissions before the three-member tribunal headed by Justice Salatiel Lenalia.

The other two members are Principal Magistrate Orim Karapo and Senior Magistrate Noreen Kanasa.

They were appointed in 2006 by the late Chief Justice Sir Mari Kapi.

Lenalia was appointed by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia three weeks ago following the National Court's dismissal on June 3 of Somare's last ditch attempts to have his referral stopped.

He had argued before a Supreme Court panel of judges headed by the Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika that the proceedings should be dismissed.

Salika, however, ruled that Somare's application had "no merit".

He added: "The decision to refer, in my respectful opinion, is not unreasonable and capricious in the circumstances and as such, the Ombudsman Commission did not act in excess of its jurisdiction to refer.

"In the end result, all the grounds for judicial review are dismissed as having no merit."

Following this decision, Sir Salamo said the decision of June 3 effectively paved the way for the new chairman to be appointed and for the stalled tribunal to get under way.