APEC’s structural reform efforts boosted at Singapore workshop

Issued by APEC Residential Training Workshop on Structural Reform

 

Singapore, 11 August 2011 – Experts from APEC economies urged members to identify and implement structural reforms to boost trade and prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region.

 APEC Residential Training Workshop on Structural Reform participants will work with fellow policy-makers from 19 APEC economies over three days to identify domestic reform priorities and capacity building needs.

 Workshop participants will analyse questions of prioritising and sequencing reforms, as well as examining structural adjustment, regulation and competition.

 In his keynote address, Gary Banks, Chairman of the Australian Productivity Commission, shared with the participants Australia's experiences, challenges and successes in undertaking structural reforms over recent decades. 

 Highlighting some of the challenges and obstacles Mr Banks said that implementation of structural reform may face both technical barriers and strong domestic opposition. All economies face similar obstacles to securing beneficial reforms and APEC economies can learn off each other on how to overcome these obstacles.

 Explaining the importance of consultation in the reform process, Mr Banks said, "Australia has benefitted by creating institutions to identify reform needs and help build public support."

 Also speaking at the workshop, Dr. Deunden Nikomborirak, Research Director at Thailand's Development Research Institute Foundation, acknowledged the complexities of implementing reforms, especially competition policies.

 "Implementation of competition laws can be problematic," she said. "And if there are vested interests, how do we ensure that governments will implement the law?"

 "It is time for developing economies to rethink their policies and to collect evidence to see who the policies are actually benefiting. They have to start answering these questions."

 Separately, Australian Trade Minister Dr Craig Emerson has also singled out domestic structural reform as a priority for APEC economies and its significance for achieving sustained growth and advancing regional economic integration.

 "Better functioning domestic markets and institutions across the Asia-Pacific region will promote higher productivity and help economies maximise the benefits of open trade and investment regimes," said Dr Emerson.

 This workshop forms an important component of the APEC New Strategy for Structural Reform (ANSSR), launched at the 2010 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Yokohama, Japan.

 The strategy aims to promote balanced and sustainable growth by fostering transparency, competition and better functioning markets in the Asia-Pacific. In addition, this new strategy emphasises a social dimension that includes enhancing opportunities to women, education and SME development.

 The structural reform workshop is the second in a series of capacity building activities that advances APEC's new structural reform trajectory. The outcomes of the workshop will be used to inform future APEC structural reform activities.

 The last APEC New Strategy for Structural Reform (ANSSR) workshop of the year "Approaches to Assessing Progress on Structural Reform" will be held on September 19-20 on the margins of the third APEC Senior Officials' Meeting in San Francisco. It will focus on building developing economies' capacity to integrate measures to assess progress on the structural reform priorities they have set.

Remembering Goroka the way it used to be

By MALUM NALU

With just over a month to go before the world-famous Goroka Show, the town is stinking with piles of uncollected rubbish everywhere.
This is feasted upon by pigs in full view of everyone.
This is a far cry from the Goroka I knew, grew up in, and came to love – the Goroka I’d like to remember.
I found some classic old photos of Goroka, posted online by former Goroka resident Brian Wilson – from 1972 - at http://www.ski-epic.com/  , which stirred up so much nostalgia.
Goroka, like the rest of PNG, had its glory days in the pre-independence era, after which everything crumbled when the Australians left.
The town’s children of today, visitors from overseas and around the country, must know that Goroka was once one of the prettiest towns in Papua New Guinea.

Entrance to Goroka market in 1972. See how clean it is

I find myself following the yellow brick road to a land that promised so much hope and dreams back in the 1970s.
The first thing that struck me about Goroka was the beautiful flowers, shrubs, roaring streams, and, needless to say, cleanliness.

Downtown Goroka. Note the cleanliness of the streets

I was then seven years old, bound to turn eight later that momentous year of 1975, but the memories are still there, 36 years on.
The family of my mum, dad, elder sister, elder brother, my younger sister and me disembarked from an Air Niugini F27 Fokker Friendship one cold January morning in 1975.

West Goroka. Hardly any litter

I took my first breath – fresh, cool and clean mountain air – of what would be our home for the next three years until the end of 1977.
Back in 1975, mum, dad and my elder siblings were no newcomers to Goroka and the then Eastern Highlands District.

West Goroka on a Saturday afternoon in 1972. Note the spotlessly-clean streets

Mum and dad came here as newlyweds to Iufi Iufa primary school, Asaro Valley, in the early 1960s.
My father Mathias was a school inspector and an ex-Dregerhafen and Sogeri schoolmate of one Michael Somare while my Moasing mother was a missionary-trained nurse.
It was here that my elder sister Alison and my elder brother David were born.



Goroka Steamships - nicknamed Steamies  - which was both a grocery store and a department store

 I have so many pleasant memories of growing up in Goroka.
In those pre-independence and immediate post-independence days, colonialism was still in the air, hence, there being so many expatriates.
Goroka was a neat, well-planned colonial town, which – like Lae and Kainantu – was built around the airport.

Burns Philp shopping centre and Goroka Pharmacy

The airport then was a hive of activity, especially given Goroka being the base of Dennis Buchanan’s Talair.
Throwing frisbees and flying kites in the park, riding bikes, chasing muna (those seasonal beetles eaten by the locals), buying sweets, comic and books at West Goroka and lying in the Rotary Park and dreaming on those endless summer afternoons in December were among our great passions.

Traditionally-dressed Goroka women in 1972 outside the main market

Comic book trading – Donald Duck, Phantom, Walt Disney, Ritchie Rich, Casper The Friendly Ghost, Wendy The Good Little Witch, Bugs Bunny…and I could go on and on with the characters – was a way of life among us kids in those days.
I have no qualms that I learned more English and the nuances of grammar from those comic books than from school.

Goroka Post Office

Professional boxing was all the rage in those days of inimitable fighters like Martin Beni, the late John Aba, his brother Tony, Mark Apai and the lot.
Through the late Norm Salter – the great fight promoter – Goroka was able to host its share of professional and amateur bouts as well as wrestling matches featuring men, women and even midgets from overseas.

Jumbo, the elephant, in Goroka, 1972

Goroka’s YC Hall was the equivalent of Madison Square Gardens in the US - the true centre of boxing in the country.
The YC was also the centre stage for basketball in those days with national championships being held there in 1975, 1976 and 1977.

Halftime during an aussie rules match at the National Park, with the iconic Sports Club in the background

The showground, now the National Sports Institute, saw bone crushing rugby league matches as well as aerial rules football contests.
Of course, nothing in Goroka would be complete without the annual show, a colorful extravaganza of singsings, agricultural produce and those wonderful show bags we loved so much.

Goroka market 1972

The West Goroka Theatre, now the NSI gymnasium, was where we would sit on old coffee bags and watch those good old Bruce Lee and James Bond movies, as well as thrillers like Airport ’75, Jaws, Towering Inferno and King Kong – the place being literally packed to the rafters.
Radio then was king – there being no such thing as EMTV or video – and it was a joy to listen to the Sunday night dramas, Grade 10 quizzes and the live coverage of rugby league and other sports on the National Broadcasting Commission’s medium wave transmission.

Asariyufa village, next to Goroka Market. These days, pigs wander freely, unlike before

Yes, indeed, life was a wonderful dream for us who grew up in Goroka at the time.
Of course, in 1975, independence was in the air.
Young men who championed the cause, like Michael Somare, were treated with disdain by the lapuns and old colonials, who argued that independence would be a catastrophe.

Typical Goroka government house in 1972

Little PNG flags and independence t-shirts and caps were very fashionable.
At school the teacher, a beautiful Hula, Central province woman called Mrs Manoka, would ask us, one by one, to give our individual oratories about this thing called ‘Independence’.

Goroka Base Hospital 1971

That year, in April, there was excitement all around the brand new PNG currency was introduced.
Shiny 10 and 20 toes coins were all the rage among us kids.
The venerable Australian dollars and cents, which had become part of our lives, continued to be legal tender until after independence.

Saturday afternoon at West Goroka - full of out of town people from surrounding villages

Also that eventful year, by quirk of fate, a big frost in Brazil – the world’s biggest coffee producer – saw prices skyrocket.
It was a cause to celebrate with fortunes being made overnight, especially in the Highlands.
At the West Goroka shopping centre just down the road from where we lived, it was a common sight to see villagers in as tanget (leaf coverings, which were worn widely in those days instead of clothes) with huge wads of cash going on an orgy of spending, buying big cow legs, beer and stereos for the inevitable parties that followed.

Turner and Davey (TDE) electrical shop in West Goroka

My uncle, the coffee tycoon Jack Amos, made millions overnight and celebrated by travelling to the Phillipines to watch that famous ‘Thrilla in Manilla’ world heavyweight championship bout between Muhammed Ali and ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier.
These all added to the big party that was 1975.
September 15, 1975, was the last day for PNG to come under colonial rule.

Swimming pool at Minogere Lodge

Today, 36 years later, Goroka is still a beautiful place.
In fact, I spent four years there from 1998 to 2002, finding myself back on my childhood stomping grounds.
It was like arriving at a place I’d never left!
Memories of another day, those oh-so-happy childhood days, came rushing back.



Basketball game at Goroka Teachers College (now University of Goroka)

 And nostalgia filled my heart every time I saw something that reminded me of those blissful days.
Goroka still hasn’t lost its basic shape of 1975, 1976 and 1977 and still has that colonial feel about it.
Goroka, to me, is home.
After all, my siblings and I were born, raised and educated here.
In later years, my late wife and I spent four wonderful years in Goroka, and it was there that my two elder sons were born.
I dream of a golden future for this pleasantly-agreeable town with its perennial spring climate, majestic sentinel-like mountains and bouquet of perfumed flowers.
Let’s not turn Goroka into a pigsty!

New plants and animals discovered on island of New Guinea

By MALUM NALU

At least 1,060 new species of plants and animals have been discovered on the island of New Guinea, comprising the Indonesian province of Papua and Papua New Guinea, between 1998 and 2008, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Litoria sauroni, a tree frog discovered in Kikori, and named after Sauron of The Lord of the Rings fame in reference to his striking red and black mottled eyes.-Picture by STEPHEN RICHARDS

The WWF announced this at the launch of a new species report of recent discoveries made on the island of New Guinea last week.
These were discovered in the forests, wetlands and waters of New Guinea and include 218 plants, 580 invertebrates, 71 fishes, 134 amphibians, 43 reptiles, two birds and 12 mammals.
“Such is the extent of New Guinea’s biodiversity that new species continue to be discovered even today,” the report says.
“A 2009 expedition to the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea featured on the BBC series Lost Land of the Volcano found an estimated 40 new species, including at least 16 new species of frog, two new species of lizard, three new fish species, one new species of bat, and an undescribed endemic subspecies of the silky cuscus, a type of possum.
“Another mammal, and the largest new species of animal discovered during the trip, was a giant wooly rat, found in the forest inside the crater of Mount Bosavi.
“Since 2008, more than 100 new species have been described by scientists, and clearly many more await scientific discovery and discovery.”
The report says if managed sustainably, the island’s precious habitats such as reefs, rainforests and wetlands will continue to thrive into the next century, because unlike most other parts of the world, these resources are at present relatively untouched.

Cadetia kutubu found in the Kikori region of PNG.-Picture by WAYNE HARRIS

British High Commissioner to PNG Jackie Barson said the launch happened to coincide with the 2011 International Year of the Forest as declared by the UN General Assembly.
“Forests are home to 80% of all terrestrial species on Earth and 1.6 billion people rely on the resources that forests provide,” she said.
“They cover a third of all land areas and are home to 300 million people worldwide.
“So all very pertinent to Papua New Guinea.
“As we know, PNG is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.
“Its wildlife represents about 507 percent of the world’s biodiversity as it is home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds as well as plants.
“Visiting scientists continue to make remarkable discoveries in different parts of the country.
“The Island of New Guinea contains one of the world’s last truly unspoilt wildernesses, a final frontier on the edge of the Pacific that is richly endowed with between 6 and 8% of global biodiversity on less than 0.5 per cent of the earth’s landmass.
“With 36 million hectares of PNG still under natural forest cover there is potential for more discoveries but with the effects of climate change, and de forestation, being seen and felt everywhere, there has never been such an important time for Papua New Guinea to grasp environmental education and provide its population with valuable knowledge and skills to look after its diverse forestry which ultimately house these species.”
New Guinea is the largest and most-mountainous island (785, 753 sq km) and lies on the edge of the South Pacific and South-east Asia.
“In terms of its biological distinctiveness,” says the WWF report, “New Guinea is more like a continent than an island, possessing a staggering array of endemic animal and plant species.

Tropidonophis dolasii, one of many discoveries made by scientists working for the


Bishop Museum, in the D’Entrecasteaux Islands of PNG.-Picture by FRED KRAUS

“Endemic species are those found only within a restricted area, meaning they’re entirely reliant on the continued existence of the habitats in that area.
“The island’s landmass is home to about 6% of the world’s known land species, around half of which are strictly endemic.
“New Guinea’s share of Earth’s species rises to 8% when fish in its seas are taken into account.
“The island is home to more than 800 species of birds, including 38 of the 42 known birds of paradise.
“It’s estimated that a single square kilometre of lowland rainforest may contain as many as 150 species of birds.
“The known herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) of New Guinea consists of 350 species of frogs and 400 species of reptiles (two crocodiles, 17 turtles, 251 lizards and 130 snakes.
“Around 240 mammals are found in New Guinea – 4.5% of the world’s total, a remarkable nine times the average global density of mammal species.
“Most of these mammals (62%) are endemic.
“The highest diversity of tree-dwelling marsupials in the world exists here, with 38 species.
“The island is home to 12 of the 14 known tree kangaroos (of which four are critically endangered and three are endangered).
“Four species of echidnas (spiny egg-laying mammals) also inhabit New Guinea: the Short-beaked echidna in the south west, and three species of the genus Zaglossus, or Long-beaked Echidna.
“New Guinea also supports nine of the 11 species of forest wallabies.
“Bat species are more numerous than all other mammal species on the island – Papua New Guinea alone has 91 known species, 9% of the planet’s 986 bat species.
“Much of the interior of the island is covered with dense rainforest containing emblematic trees such as ebony, sandalwood, cedar and camphor.
“Rare trees include the Papua Ebony, Diospyros insularis, found only in a few locations on New Ireland in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
“Trees of the genus Gyrinops and Aquilaria, which produce the rare and high-value fragrant resin eaglewood, still grow wild in parts of New Guinea.
“These forests are generally considered to support at least 21,000 plant species.”
WWF adds in the report that very little is known about invertebrate life in New Guinea, which is a much-understudied but exciting area for further scientific discovery.

The WWF report

“Scientists predict that New Guinea possesses, at least 200,000 species of invertebrates,” it says.
“The largest butterfly in the world, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing, which has a wingspan of up to 30cm, lives within the lowland coastal rainforest of the island; the male is spectacularly coloured, with iridescent yellow, blue and green markings..
“The island’s flora and fauna is a unique mix of elements from the neighbouring South-east Asian, Australian and Pacific regions.
“As a result of this and the island’s isolated habitats, the species of New Guinea have evolved in remarkable ways.”
New Guinea is already the ‘Land of the Giants’, boasting:
• Largest butterfly (Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing);
• Largest tree frog (white-Lipped Tree Frog);
• Largest mosses (Dawsonia spp.);
• Longest lizard (Salvador’s Monitor);
• Largest Pigeons (Crowned Pigeon);
• Largest moth (Atlas Moth);
• Most massive orchid (Grammatophyllum spp.);
• Largest bandicoot (Giant Bandicoot);
• Largest egg-laying mammal (Eastern Long-Beaked Echidna); and
• The tallest tropical tree (Klinki Pine).
In addition to these, New Guinea’s unique environment is also home to other extraordinary species:
• World’s only poisonous birds, the Pitohui spp. (seven species);
• Highest diversity of arboreal marsupials in the world;
• Highest diversity of rainbow fishes in the world; and
• World’s smallest parrots (Micropsitta spp.).
And this could only be the tip of the iceberg!

Bodies of chopper crash victims found

CIVIL Aviation authorities yesterday confirmed that an Australian pilot and his two Papua New Guinea passengers were killed on Monday in the helicopter crash in the Bulolo district of Morobe province, The National reports.
Head of the Accident Investigation Commission David Inau said the helicopter, P2-RUH (pictured above before the crash) owned by Manolos Aviation, was flown by Peter Waters when it disappeared between the Wafi mine site and Mumeng while returning to Lae.
Inau said another helicopter spotted the wreckage that afternoon but bad weather prevented anyone from reaching the crash site, 5km south of Timini.
He said that on Wednesday, members of the Porgera mine's air rescue team were dropped in by helicopter and confirmed that there were no survivors.
Waters was in his 70s.
Also on board were two local G4S security guards.
Inau said Waters was an experienced pilot and a friend.
"Yeah I know him very well," he told Radio Australia yesterday said.
"We've flown together for many, many years here in PNG."
Inau said investigators arrived at the crash site yesterday morning and retrieved the three bodies with the help of local villagers.
The bodies were brought to Lae.
Villagers in the area had no idea that an aircraft had crashed nearby until notified by a search team.
They then led the team to the crash site.
Manolos Aviation and G4S could not be contacted for comments.
Civil Aviation Minister Puri Ruing sent his condolence to the families of the three dead people, saying that Inau's investigation team would be providing an interim report within 28 days.
"The investigation commenced shortly after the accident occurred and the on site component of the investigation will continue for several days," he said.

PNG agrees to Manus deal

THE government has agreed to an Australian request for a refugee-processing centre on Manus, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Ano Pala yesterday said, The National reports.
"The government has made commitments to take co-operative action with Australia to enhance the region's response to irre­gular migration and to combat people smuggling," he said.
This follows a recent understanding reached between Pala and his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd in Bali, Indonesia.
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill also mentioned it to Australia Prime Minister Julia Gillard when she called to congratulate him last week.
Gillard released a statement from Perth yesterday acknowledging PNG's de­cision.
She said: "I welcome the comments made today by the prime minister of Pa­pua New Guinea confirming agreement to establish an assessment centre in Papua New Guinea.
"The Australian go­vern­ment thanks Prime Minister O'Neill and his newly-formed cabinet for giving prompt consideration to the proposal for an assessment centre on Ma­nus Island and providing its approval for the propo­sal to proceed."
Arrangements are being made for a high-level delegation of Australian officials to travel to Papua New Guinea in the near future to finalise a memorandum of understanding  regarding the centre.
Gillard further said: "We are committed to working in partnership with Papua New Guinea to examine how such a centre might operate, including how it might best complement broader regional activities. Our officials will now work together to examine those options.
"Like this government, the government of Papua New Guinea is acutely aware of the need for co-operative approaches to addressing irregular migration while also providing opportunities for asylum seekers to have their claims for protection considered in safety and dignity."

Pala said any final agreement on the details would be subject to negotiations by officials of an appropriate framework which would be endorsed by both governments.
He said:  "PNG is not a target destination for illegal movement of people at this point in time, however, PNG would become a target destination when its economy develops and reaches a level that offers greater opportunities for outsiders looking for opportunities to better their lives."
He said it was important that any details to be agreed to would include the strengthening of PNG's other international border facilities and infrastructure development.
The agreement to co-operate with Australia reflects PNG's strong interest in combating people smuggling in the region.
The Manus centre was operational under the Howard government in 2001-03.

Somare advises 'regime' to await court ruling

THERE could be serious consequences about the le­gality of actions taken by the "interim regime" if the current Supreme Court re­ference succeeds, Angoram MP Arthur Somare said, The National reports.
The Supreme Court decision was expected to take effect from Aug 2 and it was a possible that all decisions taken between then and the date of the Supreme Court judgment might be declared illegal and, therefore, not bin­ding, he said in a statement.
Somare said the "inte­rim regime" must act with due care and in recognition of the serious constitutional challenge now before the Supreme Court regarding the way forward for PNG.
He said politicians and public servants should refrain from making major decisions until the refe­rence was decided by the Supreme Court.
But this should not prevent public servants from carrying out their normal day to day business, So­mare added.
"It is good that parliament has been adjourned
to avoid the risk that the constitutionality of any le­gislation could have been questioned."
He called on public ser­vice heads to record every issue and transaction that was "not normal government business".
"We will conduct an audit on what transpired in the event the Supreme Court determines that Sir Michael Somare remains the lawful holder of this high office.
"We will take note especially of instructions and directions given by current Ministers. I call on every public servant to take note and to keep careful records."

Somare said he was convinced the events that took place in Parliament on Aug 2 raised serious doubts about its constitutionality.
"I believe the East Sepik provincial executive is correct in filing a Supreme Court reference alleging that no grounds exist regarding a vacancy under s142 of the Constitution," he said

PM replaces three departmental heads

By JEFFREY ELAPA

THE week-old government has started its war on corruption and unlawful appointments of departmental heads by revoking appointments of three heads of departments, The National reports.
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill told reporters yesterday that Chief Secretary Margaret Elias, Fi­nance Secretary Gabriel Yer and acting Southern Highlands provincial ad­ministrator Lawrence Ol­koben have been replaced by Manasupe Zurenuoc, Seven Gibson and Wil­liam Powi.
He said the three re­placements had vast public service expe­rien­ces as provincial ad­mi­nistrators, deputy se­cre­tary and secretary of different departments.
Zurenuoc was a former Morobe administrator, one of the longest serving administrators while Gibson was a former Milne Bay administrator.
Powi, who holds a masters in public policy and administration, was also a former deputy secretary and director of policy with the Department of Prime Minister before being ap­­pointed Southern Highlands administrator du­ring the state-of-emergency in 2006.
He will be acting for a period of three months until a permanent ap­pointment is made.
Zurenuoc was the acting chief secretary before Elias took over while Gibson was the deputy secretary operation with Fi­nance Department.
O'Neill said for good governance and im­ple­mentation of good transparent governance, the cabinet had decided to revoke the appointment of the three former heads.
He said Yer was sidelined because of on-going misuse and mismanagement of finance while the appointment of Elias and Olkoben were done contrary to the appointment processes, bypassing all public service appointment procedures.
He said his first task was to fight corruption and restore confidence in the public service machi­nery at the provincial and nation level.
Powi, when contacted, said justice had prevailed and credit should go to the government for following due processes and it would restore confidence among public servants and the public.