Nautilus: We are abiding by laws

By BOSORINA ROBBY

 

THE proposed Solwara1 ocean floor mining by Nautilus Minerals Ltd in the Bismarck Sea has complied with environment and mining laws of Papua New Guinea, the company’s PNG country manager Mel Togolo says, The National reports.

He also told the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum Environment Seminar on Wednesday that an important aspect of the project was its smaller physical footprint compared with land-based mining.

Solwara1 will commercially explore for seafloor massive sulphide (SMS) deposits, which are high grades of copper, gold, zinc and silver, in deep sea mining off the coasts of New Ireland and East New Britain provinces.

Togolo said some advantages of deep sea mining, a world first in PNG, was the use of reusable infrastructure and technology like offshore diamond drilling, dredging, onshore mining and pumps systems of oil and gas fields.

“The advantage of being out at sea is that there will be limited social disturbance, and there are no human presence at the depth of 1,600m, which is how far down the mine is located,” he said.

Togolo said worker safety would be protected because most of the work would be done by robots and machines programmed to work at such depths, which are too cold and deep for humans, which are all controlled on board a command ship.

“We will have minimal waste as what comes out goes back into the sea, and we will have minimal overburden because there is no land for us to get rid off before getting to the ore deposits,” he said.

Togolo said during his presentation that Nautilus Minerals had been given government approval in the form of a permit to explore and a permit to operate a mine after satisfying procedures outlined in the Environment Act 2000 and Mining Act 1992.

He said these permits were presented in 2009 and 2011 respectively.

Togolo said the project has also applied for and received approval from the relevant communities or those who are closer to the project.

He said preliminary awareness programmes included transparent and inclusive stakeholder engagement and workshops involving communities, world-renowned experts, government and non-governmental organisation.

Given that production was set to start in 2013, Nautilus Minerals was seeking acceptance or social licence to disaggregate seafloor material, transport the material to a ship and transport to a market.

Togolo mentioned that the coastal communities were most concerned about environmental issues such as the protection of the marine environment with emphasis on tuna, reefs, whales, sharks and turtles.

In response, Nautilus Minerals said that with the extraction taking place below the level the tuna population, their feeding and breeding grounds would not be affected.

However, Togolo said the only impact on surface waters would be the presence of the vessels and supporting vessels and riser pipes which will transport the ore from the seafloor up to the vessel.

NA party members on collision course

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

EXECUTIVES of the ruling National Alliance party and its parliamentarians are on a collision course over the suspension of acting prime minister from the party, The National reports..

But Abal has reassured the people and party supporters that the National Alliance “is solid”.

He will also put up his hand up for the post of prime minister when it becomes available.

The party’s national executive committee had decided on Monday to suspend Wabag MP Abal for two weeks for “wilfully acting in a manner prejudicial to the interest of the party”.

In that regard, the parliamentarians said the national executives had more powers than them, the elected members of parliament.

The NA highlands MPs yesterday closed ranks around Abal who they elected as the region’s new deputy leader claiming their decision was within the confines of the party constitution.

Abal said the national executive should, like other political parties, handle issues internally before going to the media.

“They have done a disservice by going to the press. At the moment they have served documents which I said is not legal,” he said.

“Legal advice is that it is debatable whether an unelected representative can presumably suspend an elected member of parliament and purportedly take down the acting prime minister.”

Abal promised to unite the party and “cut out stuff like this that try to weaken and break up the party”.

Abal said Wednesday night’s decision was reached after much deli­beration.

He commended the leaders from the region for supporting Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare’s appointment of him as deputy and acting prime minister.

“The time for elections is next year and the National Alliance, being the biggest party, needs to take steps to consolidate and move forward,” Abal said.

“It is not an easy decision and I thank the former leader, Don Polye, for his leadership thus far.

“It is about time we renewed the face of the party and propose to the people that we have re-strategised and prepare ourselves to lead the country.”

Abal said the country had been unstable with governments lasting 18 months, but the National Alliance-led government had brought stability and restored investor confidence.

Abal was flanked by Education Minister James Marape (Tari-Pori); Labour Minister Sani Rambi (Mul-Baiyer); Tom Olga (Western Highlands Governor); Yawa Silupa (Lufa); Benjamin Mul (North Waghi); Miki Kaeok (Wapenamanda) and Lands Minister Lucas Dekena.

The media conference was attended by Attorney-General Sir Arnold Amet (Momase) and Charles Abel (southern).

They were the first to congratulate Abal on his election.

NA still split

But highlands, southern and Momase blocs prefer Abal

 

THE governing National Alliance is still split on who should succeed ailing Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare as party leader, The National reports.

It is now the party’s parliamentary wing pitched against the NA national executive as the leadership tussle entered its second day with no compromise in sight.

However, yesterday, NA’s parliamentary wing renewed undivided support for Wabag MP Sam Abal who has been acting prime minister since March.

The NA highlands MPs closed ranks around Abal to recognise him as their new leader while support also came from the other two regions, Momase and southern.

Attorney-General and Justice Minister Sir Arnold Amet, representing Momase NA, congratulated his Highlands colleagues for electing Abal while southern’s representative, Minister assisting the Prime Minister Charles Abel, said it was happy that NA highlands had consolidated.

 

NA party members on collision course

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

 

EXECUTIVES of the ruling National Alliance party and its parliamentarians are on a collision course over the suspension of acting prime minister from the party, The National reports.

But Abal has reassured the people and party supporters that the National Alliance “is solid”.

He will also put up his hand up for the post of prime minister when it becomes available.

The party’s national executive committee had decided on Monday to suspend Wabag MP Abal for two weeks for “wilfully acting in a manner prejudicial to the interest of the party”.

In that regard, the parliamentarians said the national executives had more powers than them, the elected members of parliament.

The NA highlands MPs yesterday closed ranks around Abal who they elected as the region’s new deputy leader claiming their decision was within the confines of the party constitution.

Abal said the national executive should, like other political parties, handle issues internally before going to the media.

“They have done a disservice by going to the press. At the moment they have served documents which I said is not legal,” he said.

“Legal advice is that it is debatable whether an unelected representative can presumably suspend an elected member of parliament and purportedly take down the acting prime minister.”

Abal promised to unite the party and “cut out stuff like this that try to weaken and break up the party”.

Abal said Wednesday night’s decision was reached after much deli­beration.

He commended the leaders from the region for supporting Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare’s appointment of him as deputy and acting prime minister.

“The time for elections is next year and the National Alliance, being the biggest party, needs to take steps to consolidate and move forward,” Abal said.

“It is not an easy decision and I thank the former leader, Don Polye, for his leadership thus far.

“It is about time we renewed the face of the party and propose to the people that we have re-strategised and prepare ourselves to lead the country.”

Abal said the country had been unstable with governments lasting 18 months, but the National Alliance-led government had brought stability and restored investor confidence.

Abal was flanked by Education Minister James Marape (Tari-Pori); Labour Minister Sani Rambi (Mul-Baiyer); Tom Olga (Western Highlands Governor); Yawa Silupa (Lufa); Benjamin Mul (North Waghi); Miki Kaeok (Wapenamanda) and Lands Minister Lucas Dekena.

The media conference was attended by Attorney-General Sir Arnold Amet (Momase) and Charles Abel (southern).

They were the first to congratulate Abal on his election.

Murder suspect's transfer baffles warders

By JASON POK

 

PRISON authorities want police to explain how a murder suspect in their custody was not in his cell at the Boroko police station on Wednesday night, The National reports.

Bomana prison commander Michael Mondia said Theo Yasause, who is facing charges in relation to the death of a former PNG Kumuls player early this year, was brought from the prison, where the court had ordered he be kept in custody, by police officers on Wednesday.

Yasause is the former boss of the office of climate change.

Mondia said Yasause was taken out of Bomana prison by Boroko-based police officers on Wednesday for further investigation into his murder charge.

He said the officers were from the criminal investigation division in Boroko.

Mondia, however, sent some of his officers later to check on Yasause at the police station and discovered that he was not in his cell.

He said his men saw Yasause’s car pull out of the station as they were driving into the Boroko police station.

He said his officers could not find him in the cell but later saw Yasause “fast asleep” in one of the offices at the Boroko station.

He said his officers believed that Yasause had returned from somewhere with the police officers.

Several attempts last night to get comments from police in Boroko were unsuccessful.

Banks asked to join war against fraud

By FRANK SENGE KOLMA

 

PAYMENTS for infrastructure, compensation, feasibility studies and out of court settlements have been identified as the conduits by which the most fraud is committed against the state, The National reports.

And these types of payments will now be queued by banks as high-risk and be put through the most stringent due diligence procedures before being cleared.

Those who regularly bring these kinds of payments to banks will be placed on a high risk watch list and the information be shared be between banks, the fraud squad and relevant stakeholders.

These are part of due diligence guideline issued by the Police Fraud Squad's financial intelligence unit under the proceeds of crime act in relation to government payments.

Payments above a certain threshold will incur the attention of banks which will then apply the due diligence guideline. No threshold figure is mentioned in the guideline.

Compensation payments by the state to various parties have come under the special attention.

"Fraudulent payments obtained through the compensation payment process have become so frequent that they do not generate the level of suspicion that they deserve," the guideline states.

"It is evident that in recent times many claims have been paid in contravention of the statutory process, allowing illegitimate and improper claims and excess payments and excessive payouts to be legitimised."

The guideline states that the finance secretary, the attorney-general and the solicitor-general can only settle claims against the state and can only be drawn from legal sources and cannot be drawn from trust accounts or from votes other than the court order appropriation.

Votes that had attracted frequent abuses in the past include c207 miscellaneous, 460 account No. 2 and the 410 cash adjustment account, the guideline states.

When suspicious payments are detected the decision to accept a government cheque or payment must be made by at least two people in the bank.

"The signatures of the two must be recorded on the customer's file along with the acknowledgment that they agree with the assessment and a brief statement as to why," the guideline states.

"The decision must state whether the payment complies with the Public Finances Management Act or not.

"Cash dealers shall not clear any government cheque or payment above the threshold until these processes have been completed and a decision recorded about the legitimacy of the payment.

"This guideline applies to all payments of money from the public purse including trust accounts and all levels of government."

Companies that have a "long history of exemplary conduct in provision of goods and services to the government" will be placed on a low-risk list and clearance processes will be less stringent.

It is uncertain at this point whether or not the guideline is binding upon all cash dealers or whether or not banks have agreed to perform the due diligence asked of them.

Opposition backs calls for inquiry

THE opposition wants a commission of inquiry to look into how some government ministers have been setting up business entities using public funds, The National reports.

This included Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal who, they claimed, set up the K5.6 million Wabag District Rural Holdings Ltd, gave K10 million to Eremas Wartoto to start airline company Travel Air and diverted LNG revenue into the Independent Public Business Corporation.

Opposition leader Belden Namah, Moresby Northwest MP Sir Mekere Morauta, Namatanai MP Byron Chan, Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat and Gazelle MP Malakai Tabar said at a media conference an inquiry should look into such dealings.

Namah claimed Abal had deposited K5.6 million of public funds in the new company's account of which he is the main signatory.

He said it was an example of misuse of public funds.

Namah and his colleagues said Abal should support his "year of implementation" policy by setting up the commission to look into his own dealings with Wabag Holdings, Wartoto and the K1.9 billion of development budget paid out in three months.

Sir Mekere claimed these were examples of ways used by ministers to divert public funds into their pockets.

"It is naked and it is stupid." Sir Mekere said.

He said opposition sources in the IPBC and National Planning had found out that more than K10 million was allegedly given to Wartoto by the government.

"The whole nation was told by the treasurer in his budget speech that Air Niugini had been allocated K30 million for re-fleeting.  Has this money been given to Air Niugini?" he asked.

Sir Mekere said it would be wrong if the money was allocated elsewhere. 

"Air Niugini struggles everyday with domestic services because it does not have enough aircraft," he said.

"What is the delay in giving Air Niugini the money it was allocated in the budget?"