THE people of Southern Highlands are calling on the national government to immediately withdraw the powers of the Southern Highlands provincial government, The National reports.
Many people rang from Mendi, Southern Highlands, while others from the province living and working in other provinces also rang to call on the government to withdraw the financial powers of the provincial government.
They have also condemned the current administrative struggle between reappointed provincial administrator William Powi and the former and sidelined administrator Lawrence Olkoben.
Senior lawyer Marley Nandi said the government should immediately withdraw the financial powers back to Waigani while an independent investigation team was established to look into the rot in the province.
He said the province had become a milking ground for people since the time of the late Dick Mune, the Hami Yawari regime and the Agiru government.
He said that provincial administrators also needed to be investigated as many unscrupulous activities have been going on in the manner in which the funds of the province have been used.
He said that the recent investigation and jailing of seven people involved in the fraud was just a tip of the iceberg as many such people were still on the run and an immediate investigation was required.
Former member for Kagua-Erave David Basua said so much money into the province's coffers from the resources but it lags in development as the huge sums of funds are squandered by people in authority.
Meanwhile Southern Highlands National Alliance secretary Terence Perene called for another declaration of state of emergency.
He said there were many thing wrong with the governance of the province and it was time the national government intervene to correct it.
He said the coming election was also a threat as more guns were brought in to the province while such weapons were brought into the town without anyone being arrested by police as in the recent clash between the two groups over the administration position.
Basua also condemned the action of the two groups and stated that the position was not a birthright for few people.
He said any credible Papua New Guinean can apply for the position and not just the cronies of politicians and people from one district.
Leaders from Lai valley and surrounding villages of Mendi town have also expressed similar sentiments.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Group cuts off Telikom services
By GABRIEL FITO
ALL telecommunication services in parts of East and West Sepik have been disrupted after people purporting to be landowners unplugged solar panels and heaped rubbish onto the helipad preventing the helicopter from off-loading fuel at the Mt Albawagi repeater station at Dagua in East Sepik, The National reports.
Telikom workmen have made unsuccessful attempts this week to fly in fuel as the helipads were still covered with debris.
Mt Albawagi landowners' chairman Paul Amit said the problem was not caused by the landowners of Woginara but opportunists from Magopin village.
He lodged another complaint at the Wewak police station yesterday
Anit apologised to those who were affected by the actions of the perpetrators, saying the problem had been caused by an outside group.
He called on Telikom management to meet with the landowners immediately to resolve the issue of landowners' chairmanship so opportunist did not take advantage of such situations by disrupting vital services.
The Telikom customer service manager in Wewak could not be reached for comment as she was out of the office yesterday, but an employee confirmed the disruption of services.
ALL telecommunication services in parts of East and West Sepik have been disrupted after people purporting to be landowners unplugged solar panels and heaped rubbish onto the helipad preventing the helicopter from off-loading fuel at the Mt Albawagi repeater station at Dagua in East Sepik, The National reports.
Telikom workmen have made unsuccessful attempts this week to fly in fuel as the helipads were still covered with debris.
Mt Albawagi landowners' chairman Paul Amit said the problem was not caused by the landowners of Woginara but opportunists from Magopin village.
He lodged another complaint at the Wewak police station yesterday
Anit apologised to those who were affected by the actions of the perpetrators, saying the problem had been caused by an outside group.
He called on Telikom management to meet with the landowners immediately to resolve the issue of landowners' chairmanship so opportunist did not take advantage of such situations by disrupting vital services.
The Telikom customer service manager in Wewak could not be reached for comment as she was out of the office yesterday, but an employee confirmed the disruption of services.
‘Blake was forced out'
INDEPENDENT Public Business Corporation managing director Glen Blake was forced out by the new Minister for Public Enterprises Sir Mekere Morauta and did not voluntarily resign as claimed in a newspaper report, The National reports.
Sources said the former minister Arthur Somare said Sir Mekere told Blake to go shortly after taking office, saying his services were not needed.
State entities had performed exceptionally well, making huge returns through sound and prudent management of the state's enterprises since 2002 when the National Alliance-led government took office.
They said there might be a return to a sale of all entities as was the case when Sir Mekere was prime minister.
The government businesses had made "significant progress from insolvency to profitability and marketable organisations", the sources said.
Some notable performances were made by PNG Power and Post PNG, which had improved from being insolvent entities into becoming the best performing entities.
The sources said too much money had been paid to foreign consultants during Sir Mekere's leadership.
The source said decisions were likely to be manipulated by international organisations like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to privatise and sell state entities that were now performing very well.
Sources said the former minister Arthur Somare said Sir Mekere told Blake to go shortly after taking office, saying his services were not needed.
State entities had performed exceptionally well, making huge returns through sound and prudent management of the state's enterprises since 2002 when the National Alliance-led government took office.
They said there might be a return to a sale of all entities as was the case when Sir Mekere was prime minister.
The government businesses had made "significant progress from insolvency to profitability and marketable organisations", the sources said.
Some notable performances were made by PNG Power and Post PNG, which had improved from being insolvent entities into becoming the best performing entities.
The sources said too much money had been paid to foreign consultants during Sir Mekere's leadership.
The source said decisions were likely to be manipulated by international organisations like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to privatise and sell state entities that were now performing very well.
Vehicle owners told to be responsible after accidents
By BUSTIN ANZU
VEHICLES involved in accidents are the owners' responsibility and must be cleared so that roads are free for other road users, Morobe's police chief Supt Peter Guinness says, The National reports.
He said once a vehicle had been involved in an accident, the owner must try to remove the vehicle so that roads were free for other commuters.
"The owners must remove the remains of the accident. They must not leave the remains or debris from accidents lying around. That will help avoid further accidents," he said.
He said this after visiting the scene of a two fatal accidents that claimed the lives of 13 people.
Guinness said if that semi-trailer had been removed after the first accident in which five people died, the second accident would not have occurred.
He said his officers, who attended to the scene, had advised the owner to remove the semi-trailer but it was ignored and which led to the death of eight other people travelling from Madang a day later.
A frustrated Guinness, who visited the scene on Monday with Assistant Commissioner of Police for Momase Giossi Labi, said the second accident could have been avoided if the semi-trailer had been removed.
Guinness said the owner was negligent and was the cause of the fatal accident.
He said he would seek legal opinion if the driver of the semi-trailer could be charged with manslaughter or murder.
"The second accident will be investigated and presented to the coroner for its deliberation," he said.
A full media briefing will be held today by the Land Transport Board and police regarding the fatal accidents last week.
Meanwhile, Guinness said the rescuers in the helicopter crash in the jungles of Wafi revisited the scene and collected more body parts and pieces of the crashed helicopter.
"The plane crash investigators are working on the case while police will present its report to the coroner," he said.
VEHICLES involved in accidents are the owners' responsibility and must be cleared so that roads are free for other road users, Morobe's police chief Supt Peter Guinness says, The National reports.
He said once a vehicle had been involved in an accident, the owner must try to remove the vehicle so that roads were free for other commuters.
"The owners must remove the remains of the accident. They must not leave the remains or debris from accidents lying around. That will help avoid further accidents," he said.
He said this after visiting the scene of a two fatal accidents that claimed the lives of 13 people.
Guinness said if that semi-trailer had been removed after the first accident in which five people died, the second accident would not have occurred.
He said his officers, who attended to the scene, had advised the owner to remove the semi-trailer but it was ignored and which led to the death of eight other people travelling from Madang a day later.
A frustrated Guinness, who visited the scene on Monday with Assistant Commissioner of Police for Momase Giossi Labi, said the second accident could have been avoided if the semi-trailer had been removed.
Guinness said the owner was negligent and was the cause of the fatal accident.
He said he would seek legal opinion if the driver of the semi-trailer could be charged with manslaughter or murder.
"The second accident will be investigated and presented to the coroner for its deliberation," he said.
A full media briefing will be held today by the Land Transport Board and police regarding the fatal accidents last week.
Meanwhile, Guinness said the rescuers in the helicopter crash in the jungles of Wafi revisited the scene and collected more body parts and pieces of the crashed helicopter.
"The plane crash investigators are working on the case while police will present its report to the coroner," he said.
People urged to report early campaigning
THE people of East New Britain are being urged to report illegal early campaigning by aspiring politicians, The National reports.
Provincial electoral manager Terence Hetinu made the call after his office received reports of illegal political meetings where aspiring candidates were giving away money and food items.
He called on people to capture the meetings on their mobile phone cameras and record the speeches being made during such gatherings and to pass these on to the electoral office in Kokopo.
He said if such were confirmed as political campaigning, those people would be arrested by police for early campaigning and could be banned from contesting the coming elections.
Hetinu said the Electoral Commission was gearing for a massive awareness programme in the wards to educate the people on the meaning of early campaigning and how the community could distinguish between political and social gatherings.
He stressed that the Electoral Commission wanted the province to conduct a clean and transparent national election next year.
He said people had the right to make decisions and not to be intimidated or have their rights violated on who to vote for in elections.
Hetinu was responding to queries by Kombiu LLG president, Komit Kunai, who complained of early campaigning by candidates.
Provincial electoral manager Terence Hetinu made the call after his office received reports of illegal political meetings where aspiring candidates were giving away money and food items.
He called on people to capture the meetings on their mobile phone cameras and record the speeches being made during such gatherings and to pass these on to the electoral office in Kokopo.
He said if such were confirmed as political campaigning, those people would be arrested by police for early campaigning and could be banned from contesting the coming elections.
Hetinu said the Electoral Commission was gearing for a massive awareness programme in the wards to educate the people on the meaning of early campaigning and how the community could distinguish between political and social gatherings.
He stressed that the Electoral Commission wanted the province to conduct a clean and transparent national election next year.
He said people had the right to make decisions and not to be intimidated or have their rights violated on who to vote for in elections.
Hetinu was responding to queries by Kombiu LLG president, Komit Kunai, who complained of early campaigning by candidates.
Residents told to dump rubbish in proper place
LAE residents have been warned not to dump household, shop and industrial waste into Bank South Pacific Go Green campaign rubbish bins installed around the area, The National reports.
Most home owners, shops and industrial firms are avoiding paying garbage fees by dumping their garbage into the newly-installed bins or piling rubbish near the bins at nights.
Lae City authority health services manager Jonathan Ipang said people found dumping their waste would be fined according to the type and volume of rubbish they leave.
He said fines for household waste varied between K50 to K100, while fines for industrial and commercial waste ranged from K500 to K1,000.
Ipang said the BSP rubbish bins had been installed for people in the business centres to dump wastes like plastic shopping bags, empty drink cans and containers, paper and similar rubbish.
He said those who chewed betel nut if found spitting into the bins or in public places, they would be fined K20.
"Keeping the city clean is everybody's business that starts in homes.
"We must learn to keep our environment at homes, city and workplaces clean so as not to create illness and diseases that might affect our health and production," Ipang said.
Through the Go Green campaign, BSP has provided and installed 50 drums throughout Lae city at locations that include Top Town – 7, Market – 8, Eriku – 7,Voco Point and China Town – 6, Malahang and University of Technology gate three each, Salamanda and St Paul's two each, Snack Bar two, Angau Memorial Hospital two and two each in all five health centres around the city.
The monthly garbage bin sticker for low cost houses costs K20, medium K25 and high covenant K30 while K100 per load for companies that have no service vehicles and require LCA to help them.
For those have service vehicles, shops are to pay K80 while companies K150.
But before heading to the Second Seven dumpsite, they are required to collect a dumpsite entry sticker at LCA office.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Once bitten, twice shy at Old Lae Airport
By MALUM NALU
In the past 18 months, the face of the Old Lae Airport has changed dramatically, and in 2010 alone, over 700 containers of project cargo for the LNG plant were stored on the tarmac until ready for delivery to the Highlands.
Development of the Old Lae Airport epitomises the mind-boggling development Lae is undergoing with all the current resource projects.
The development at the Old Lae Airport worries Jonathan Saing, the vocal chairman of the Ahi Landowners’ Association, which represents the traditional landowners of Lae.
If the Ahi people miss on airport benefits, it will be second time unlucky for them, having first missed out in the 1920s when their land was forcefully taken away from them to build an airstrip during the Wau-Bulolo gold rush.
Saing is growing old; however, his concern for his people of the six Ahi villages of Yalu, Kamkumung, Hengali, Butibam, Yanga and Wagang is what drives him on.
He says the undeveloped lease land (UDL) at the Old Lae Airport has seen so much foul play and corruption among unscrupulous landowners, businesses and politicians.
“The UDL at the Old Lae Airport is a real mess,” Saing says.
“At the rate we are going, we Ahi people, traditional landowners of the Old Lae Airport, won’t have any footprints there.
“This is very worrying.
“I’m sad to say that our young children will be completely lost.
“I stand between the old and the young.
“I want our Ahi clan leaders to be strong and hold on to their land.
“I also want to uphold the wisdom of elders for the good of the young people.”
In March 2009, in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court approved an application for a stay order taken by Butibam and Kamkumung villagers against the Morobe provincial government and the State over development of the controversial Old Lae Airport land.
The court noted that the landowners had not been adequately compensated for all the anguish and turmoil they had gone through over the years.
It has long been a sore thumb in Lae as Morobe Governor Luther Wenge and his then administrator, Patilias Gamato, fought a war of words both within and out of court with the villagers.
In Early 2009, things came to a head at the Old Lae Airport when some Butibam women were manhandled and beaten by Lae police.
Village elders from Kamkumung and Butibam, at that time, hailed the Supreme Court decision as a huge victory for their people, whom they said had been robbed of their birthright.
This controversial piece of land has a long and colourful history behind it.
The discovery of gold at Edie Creek above Wau in 1926 sparked off a gold rush which led to the exploitation of the rich deposits of the Bulolo-Watut river system by large-scale mechanised mining.
The rigours and cost of the eight-day walk into the goldfields and the difficulty of building a road from the coast led to the early introduc¬tion of an aviation service.
The driving force behind the development of the goldfields was Cecil J Levien, a former Morobe district officer who has been described as a “rare and formidable combina¬tion of opportunist, practical man and visionary”.
Levien persuaded the directors of Guinea Gold NL that startling profits would be made by any aviation company that could provide a service to eliminate the arduous walk between Salamaua and Wau.
He secured an option on a small DH-37 plane in Melbourne and engaged a pilot, E A ‘Pard’ Mustar, to bring it to New Guinea.
He then selected Lae as the best place for the coastal airstrip and without bothering to obtain official permission, took on about 250 labourers to clear and level a landing ground under the supervision of Tommy Wright, the foreman of the agricultural station.
The construction of the airfield was perhaps the biggest enterprise ever undertaken at Lae and greatly perturbed the local villagers, who watched amazed as a vast area of bush was torn down and gardens were flattened.
They were in for further surprises when Mustar and his mechanic, AWD Mullins, flew in from Rabaul, where they had been assembling and testing the plane.
Their arrival brought the full power of Western technology home to the villagers with a shock.
The mastery of Europeans, previously seen in their goods and possessions, was now indisputable.
The old Lae airport has played a significant role in the history of the town, Papua New Guinea, and the whole world for that matter.
Mordern day Lae and PNG grew because of the airport
The greatest airlift the world had ever known started from Lae to the Bulolo goldfields in the 1930s.
World attention was focused on Lae in 1937, and continues to this day, when it was the last port of called for the famed American aviatrix Amelia Earhart before she disappeared somewhere over the deep-blue South Pacific ocean.
Lae airstrip was bombed out by the Japanese on January 21, 1942, however, recovered to become a major player in the development of post-war PNG.
The old Lae airport started losing its thunder in 1977 when Nadzab, an American World War 11 strip, became operational.
Fierce political squabbling over the pros and cons of Lae and Nadzab continued until 1982, when, in an unsolved mystery (just like Amelia Earhhart), the Lae airport terminal was burned down.
Nadzab had taken away its glory; however, Lae continued to be used by Air Niugini and other third-level airlines until 1987.
Lae continued to be used as the base for the PNG Defence Force Air Transport Squadron until it was transferred to Port Moresby in 1992.
After that, one of the greatest icons of PNG history was literally left to the dogs, and became covered by bushes.
It was only recently that the land was sub-divided for commercial purposes as well as given back to the traditional landowners.
Once bitten, twice shy, and the Ahi people don’t want to be shortchanged for the second time, surmises Jonathan Saing.
In the past 18 months, the face of the Old Lae Airport has changed dramatically, and in 2010 alone, over 700 containers of project cargo for the LNG plant were stored on the tarmac until ready for delivery to the Highlands.
 |
| Containers of project cargo for the LNG project at the Old Lae Airport |
Saing is growing old; however, his concern for his people of the six Ahi villages of Yalu, Kamkumung, Hengali, Butibam, Yanga and Wagang is what drives him on.
He says the undeveloped lease land (UDL) at the Old Lae Airport has seen so much foul play and corruption among unscrupulous landowners, businesses and politicians.
“The UDL at the Old Lae Airport is a real mess,” Saing says.
“At the rate we are going, we Ahi people, traditional landowners of the Old Lae Airport, won’t have any footprints there.
“This is very worrying.
“I’m sad to say that our young children will be completely lost.
“I stand between the old and the young.
“I want our Ahi clan leaders to be strong and hold on to their land.
“I also want to uphold the wisdom of elders for the good of the young people.”
In March 2009, in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court approved an application for a stay order taken by Butibam and Kamkumung villagers against the Morobe provincial government and the State over development of the controversial Old Lae Airport land.
The court noted that the landowners had not been adequately compensated for all the anguish and turmoil they had gone through over the years.
It has long been a sore thumb in Lae as Morobe Governor Luther Wenge and his then administrator, Patilias Gamato, fought a war of words both within and out of court with the villagers.
In Early 2009, things came to a head at the Old Lae Airport when some Butibam women were manhandled and beaten by Lae police.
Village elders from Kamkumung and Butibam, at that time, hailed the Supreme Court decision as a huge victory for their people, whom they said had been robbed of their birthright.
This controversial piece of land has a long and colourful history behind it.
The discovery of gold at Edie Creek above Wau in 1926 sparked off a gold rush which led to the exploitation of the rich deposits of the Bulolo-Watut river system by large-scale mechanised mining.
 |
| Lae 1931-32. A Junkers G31 and a Junkers W34 are at centre of picture |
The driving force behind the development of the goldfields was Cecil J Levien, a former Morobe district officer who has been described as a “rare and formidable combina¬tion of opportunist, practical man and visionary”.
Levien persuaded the directors of Guinea Gold NL that startling profits would be made by any aviation company that could provide a service to eliminate the arduous walk between Salamaua and Wau.
He secured an option on a small DH-37 plane in Melbourne and engaged a pilot, E A ‘Pard’ Mustar, to bring it to New Guinea.
He then selected Lae as the best place for the coastal airstrip and without bothering to obtain official permission, took on about 250 labourers to clear and level a landing ground under the supervision of Tommy Wright, the foreman of the agricultural station.
The construction of the airfield was perhaps the biggest enterprise ever undertaken at Lae and greatly perturbed the local villagers, who watched amazed as a vast area of bush was torn down and gardens were flattened.
They were in for further surprises when Mustar and his mechanic, AWD Mullins, flew in from Rabaul, where they had been assembling and testing the plane.
Their arrival brought the full power of Western technology home to the villagers with a shock.
The mastery of Europeans, previously seen in their goods and possessions, was now indisputable.
The old Lae airport has played a significant role in the history of the town, Papua New Guinea, and the whole world for that matter.
Mordern day Lae and PNG grew because of the airport
The greatest airlift the world had ever known started from Lae to the Bulolo goldfields in the 1930s.
World attention was focused on Lae in 1937, and continues to this day, when it was the last port of called for the famed American aviatrix Amelia Earhart before she disappeared somewhere over the deep-blue South Pacific ocean.
 |
| Date with destiny...Amelia Earhart and her Lockheed Electra at Lae, Morobe province, before her flight into oblivion |
The old Lae airport started losing its thunder in 1977 when Nadzab, an American World War 11 strip, became operational.
Fierce political squabbling over the pros and cons of Lae and Nadzab continued until 1982, when, in an unsolved mystery (just like Amelia Earhhart), the Lae airport terminal was burned down.
Nadzab had taken away its glory; however, Lae continued to be used by Air Niugini and other third-level airlines until 1987.
 |
| The old Lae airport in its heyday in the 1970s |
After that, one of the greatest icons of PNG history was literally left to the dogs, and became covered by bushes.
It was only recently that the land was sub-divided for commercial purposes as well as given back to the traditional landowners.
Once bitten, twice shy, and the Ahi people don’t want to be shortchanged for the second time, surmises Jonathan Saing.
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