World AIDS Day message from United Nations Secretary-General

Heading into the fourth decade of AIDS, we are finally in a position to end the epidemic.

The progress we have made so far is proof that we can realize our vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

The number of new HIV infections has fallen by more than 20 per cent since 1997. New infections are continuing to decline in most parts of the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region most affected by the AIDS epidemic, HIV incidence has decreased in 22 countries.

Among populations at risk, the tide is shifting. Access to HIV prevention services are helping young people, sex workers and their clients, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, and transgender people to take control of their health for greater well-being.

Treatment has averted 2.5 million AIDS-related deaths since 1985. Last year alone, 700,000 lives were saved. Some 6.6 million people, nearly half those who need treatment in low- and middle-income countries, are now receiving it.

Synergies between prevention and treatment are speeding up progress.

But to end AIDS, we need to deliver even greater results.

This year in June, the United Nations General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on AIDS adopted bold targets for 2015: reduce the sexual transmission of HIV by half, eliminate new infections in children, provide treatment for 15 million people living with HIV, end stigma and discrimination, and close the AIDS funding gap.

With strong political will, reasonable financial resources and a firm human rights-based approach, we can achieve all of these targets.

Financing will be critical to success. I urge all concerned to act on the investment framework put forward by UNAIDS and to fully fund the global investment target of up to $24 billion annually. The results would offset the upfront costs in less than one generation.

We must build on the political commitments, investments, energy, activism and determination that have brought us to this turning point.

Momentum is on our side. Let us use it to end AIDS – once and for all.

Heading into the fourth decade of AIDS, we are finally in a position to end the epidemic.

The progress we have made so far is proof that we can realize our vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

The number of new HIV infections has fallen by more than 20 per cent since 1997. New infections are continuing to decline in most parts of the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region most affected by the AIDS epidemic, HIV incidence has decreased in 22 countries.

Among populations at risk, the tide is shifting. Access to HIV prevention services are helping young people, sex workers and their clients, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, and transgender people to take control of their health for greater well-being.

Treatment has averted 2.5 million AIDS-related deaths since 1985. Last year alone, 700,000 lives were saved. Some 6.6 million people, nearly half those who need treatment in low- and middle-income countries, are now receiving it.

Synergies between prevention and treatment are speeding up progress.

But to end AIDS, we need to deliver even greater results.

This year in June, the United Nations General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on AIDS adopted bold targets for 2015: reduce the sexual transmission of HIV by half, eliminate new infections in children, provide treatment for 15 million people living with HIV, end stigma and discrimination, and close the AIDS funding gap.

With strong political will, reasonable financial resources and a firm human rights-based approach, we can achieve all of these targets.

Financing will be critical to success. I urge all concerned to act on the investment framework put forward by UNAIDS and to fully fund the global investment target of up to $24 billion annually. The results would offset the upfront costs in less than one generation.

We must build on the political commitments, investments, energy, activism and determination that have brought us to this turning point.

Momentum is on our side. Let us use it to end AIDS – once and for all.

Minister pledges safer skies in Papua New Guinea

By MALUM NALU

Civil Aviation Minister Puri Ruing has pledged to make Papua New Guinea a safe country to fly in.

He made the pledge when launching PNG Air Services five-year plan 2011-2015 at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby on Monday night.

Civil Aviation Minister Puri Ruing (right) having a look at PNGASL’s new fully-computerised air traffic management system which will be set up by Australian company ADACEL.-Picture by DENNIS IORERE

“In this regard, the government of PNG must be committed to support and promote a healthy civil aviation sector; must facilitate access to the air transport network by the mass population; and ensure the safe and smooth flow of aircraft, passengers and cargo within the civil aviation system for the economic and social development of PNG,” Ruing said.

“To enable the delivery of modern civil aviation  services, the government has established a sound legislative and regulatory framework for civil aviation that provides for the establishment of state aviation companies and entities to carry out regulatory and service provision within the aviation sector, in a more-efficient and effective manner and to meet government policy and directives.

“PNG Air Services Ltd is one such company which started operations on Jan 1, 2008.

“I am pleased that PNGASL satisfies government policy by operating as a self-funding company to conduct its business operations and maintenance of infrastructure.

“The challenge, however, is that PNGASL provides the required services using facilities and assets inherited from the former Civil Aviation Authority, majority of which are old, obsolete and out-of-date.”

Ruing said PNGASL had therefore embarked on a ambitious but critical programme called ‘ CNS/ATM replacement programme’ for the short, medium and longer term to mordernise its communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management systems to keep abreast of the modern trend.

“Once completed, the new communications, navigation and surveillance systems will drive the revitalisation of the delivery of air traffic management systems required in this growing aviation sector, which is intrinsic to the well-being of the people of PNG,” he said.

“This mordernisation is contained in the 2011-2015 development plan.

“The focus is to shift from current ground-based airways infrastructure to more-mordern and innovative satellite-based systems.

“This shift will also ensure that issues of land ownership, vandalism, theft, insurance, logistics, operational and maintenance costs are minimized and ultimately done away with.

“This mordenisation programme will obviously attract a significant capital investment to the tune of US$95 million and the government of PNG must be committed to ensure sufficient funds are allocated to fund this substantial investment programme.”

Ruing said US$20m has already been provided for by the Asian Development Bank while AusAID had also provided funding under the transport sector support programme (TSSP) and memorandum of understanding projects to assist PNGASL.

Police to probe wife-bashing claim

POLICE will investigate a complaint by an eight-month pregnant wife of a policeman that he hit her with a piece of timber fracturing her arm and injuring her head, The National reports.
National Capital District/Central assistant commissioner Fred Sheekiot said police were alerted about the matter in a report in The National yesterday and would investigate the officer involved.
“I will do it. Now that you’ve given me the name, I will have the matter investigated,” he said.
Director Internal Affairs Unit Supt Tony Duwang had said earlier he would also follow up on the housewife’s complaint.
The police commissioner’s executive officer Chief Superintendent Andrew Sterns said the police hierarchy did not condone any form of violence against women or children and would continue to work with advocate groups to minimise such violence in society.
“The report in The National newspaper will be investigated like every other complaint brought against members of the constabulary, and the policeman referred to in this report will face normal criminal or disciplinary action,” Stern said.
The housewife said she was assaulted after she found out he was having an extra-marital affair. She was sporting a broken right arm and wore a cap to hide to hide a 2cm cut on her head.
The woman, who said she was expecting twins, said it was the third time she had been assaulted by her husband since they married last year. She said she reported her second beating to the police but no action was taken against him.
“He would drink, woma­nise and then come home and beat me up, blaming me for little things such as not washing his uniforms or cooking.”
The assault has also enraged members of the public.
In one social networking site, a group called “Papua New Guineans against domestic violence” and its 5,000 plus members were disturbed by the news.
One comment pasted by a member of the group on Facebook read: “The whole police force needed to be educated on the rights of citizens and responsibilities of wearing a uniform. If this trend is not dealt with, they (police) will end up killing us all.”
Another commentator wrote: “Abuse by anyone is dreadful, but by a person in the position of community trust, such as police, doctors, teachers and clergy is appalling. Public shaming is a good start.”
Another wrote: “Can you at least get a message to her about the page and tell her she has about 5,000 people who would like to give her a hug and who admire her for speaking out.”
Stern, who has worked as the Commissioner’s executive officer for over 30 years, said the top echelon of the consta­bulary shared the views of concerned individuals and groups who had taken up the fight against violence on women.
Stern said the housewife had a right under the law to pursue criminal charges against her husband and police investigators would treat the case as any other assault complaint.
He however denied that the policeman, a probationary constable, was attached to the Commissioner’s office.
“We don’t have a probationary constable working in the Commissioner’s office and the media should get their facts right before publishing such defamatory stories,” he said.

Polye: It is all hogwash

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

THE government has described as “hogwash and misleading” a claim by the opposition that there has been significant expenditure outside the budget in three months, The National reports.
Treasury and Finance Minister Don Polye assured the nation, the business community and development partners that the budget would be tabled next Tuesday with the sovereign wealth fund legislation.
“There has never been any unlawful and illegal expenditure of whatever amount as claimed by the opposition,” he said.
“We are working within the confines of the Public Finance Management Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, medium-term strategies and Vision 2050.
“The economy is in safe hands and we believe in prudent management.”
Polye dispelled claims that MPs were missing out on what he was disbursing in district services improvement programme funds.
“I look at the check-list and finance those districts that have missed out on funding. This is fair, instead of funding those that have already received their share,” he said.
Polye said the priorities of government were health, education and infrastructure – and that was what the government was paying within the budget.
He said the Finance Department was doing its “normal close of accounts” for this
year’s K9.3 billion appropriate expenditure.
“It is a normal pattern of financial management and accounting undertaken at the end of every fiscal year,” he said.
“These bunch of opposition critics are out of touch with financial management and system of government. They do not seem to understand accounting.
“I suspect they are only misconstruing the facts and deliberately falsifying information to discredit a credible government and hope to influence the decision of the courts on Dec 9.”
Polye said the Finance Department had issued a public notice that the 2011 fiscal year would close on Dec 12.
“Any truth about the government’s management of the economy will be known after the close of books by the end of December.”
He said the final report would be published in the 2011 public accounts report to be tabled in the March session of parliament

Australian firm denies foul play in MVIL’s NSW account

AUSTRALIAN-based financial services provider, Woodlawn Capital Pty Ltd, is disappointed with suggestions that they had acted inappropriately in managing the Motor Vehicles Insurance Ltd (MVIL) funds, The National reports.
It was responding to a statement issued by Minister of Public Enterprises Sir Mekere Morauta on Nov 23 and reported in The National on Nov 24.
Sir Mekere’s statement claimed that funds held in a trust account  by Woodlawn Capital on behalf of MVIL was illegal and its placement in such an account had no proper approvals.
The statement yesterday supposedly released on behalf of both Woodlawn Capital and MVIL was later announced through an e-mail as representing the views of Woodlawn Capital alone.
Sir Mekere said yesterday in a statement that, as far as he was informed, the statement by the companies did not represent the views of MVIL.
“Stop trying to confuse the issue and just bring the money back,” Sir Mekere said.
The company’s statement read: “Statements made by both the Ministry of Public Enterprises and the media report by The National that money has gone missing are completely false, as is any implication that Woodlawn Capital has acted inappropriately or illegally in its dealings with the funds under management it holds under the terms of its investment management agreement with MVIL.
“The directors of Woodlawn Capital Pty Ltd are disappointed by the lack of professionalism and due diligence of the parties who have made these accusations.”
The statement said Woodlawn Capital was an Australian-based financial services company, regulated by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission and was a holder of an Australian Financial Services licence.
Woodlawn Capital is also regulated by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre to comply with anti-money laundering legislation.
MVIL had engaged the company to provide investment management services under a commercial arms-length agreement in 2009.
 The agreement was signed by the MVIL executive management and the board of directors.
 “Any suggestion funds are ‘missing’, ‘siphoned off’ or ‘owned by Woodlawn Capital’ or any other third party is incorrect,” the statement said.
“Investment funds are currently, and have always been, held in a trust account on behalf of and for the benefit of MVIL.
“Woodlawn Capital has at all stages met all reporting requirements both in Australia and to its clients. MVIL is provided with regular reports in relation to the funds under management and MVIL have been issued with independent verification of the funds under management.”
Sir Mekere said MVIL had confirmed to him that it had not authorised the statement released by Woodlawn Capital, purportedly on MVIL’s behalf.

K500 million in state funds misused, claims opposition

lBy ISAAC NICHOLAS

THE national government has blown out about K500 million within three months in unbudgeted funds which will have serious deficit implications, it has been revealed, The National reports.
The figure was released by the opposition in a confidential report which included a print-out of a list of expenditure and payments totalling K439,935,647.07.
But the government yesterday described as “hogwash and misleading” the claim by the opposition that there had been significant expenditure outside the budget in three months (details on page 2).
The report claimed that the handling of the funds was unlawful and expended with non-compliance of the Public Finance Management Act and Appropriation Act.
Some frontline MPs in government were also named as receiving between K5 million and K16 million. A law firm got K18 million.
The report was made in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling on Dec 9.
It pointed out corrective actions to ensure prudent financial management were maintained by the Department of Finance.
The report said: “The payments are made from accounts receivable notional cash book (consolidated revenue) and used by the current management to draw cheques from unbudgeted claims directed by the minister for finance or acting secretary at their discretion.
“These payments are expenditures incurred not from the lawful budget appropriation, none from any lawfully established trust accounts.
“The gross misuse and misapplying of public funds and drawing from consolidated revenue fund will have serious budget deficit implications and, subsequently, result in a negative cash position and a bank overdraft balance as at the end of the 2011 fiscal year.”
It stated that the 2011 supplementary budget of K600 million had been deposited into various established supplementary trust accounts.
“This will immediately draw down the current Waigani public accounts balance into overdraft balance. The implication will be that government cheques can be dishonoured immediately.
“It will be of serious concern when cheques are dishonoured. The public and private sector will lose confidence in the government for mismanagement of public funds and will reflect negatively on the current government.”
In a media conference, Madang Regional MP Sir Arnold Amet and Wabag MP Sam Abal challenged Sir Mekere Morauta, Bart Philemon and Sir Puka Temu who have been preaching about transparency and good governance to tell everyone whether they knew of what was happening.
The conference was also attended by parliamentarians Sani Rambi, Philip Kikala, Francis Potape and Tony Aimo. They gave copies of the report with expenditure details to the media.
Abal said they had evidence to prove that the treasurer had used his powers to approve 210 project funds totalling almost K500 million which, he said, was gross mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds and the PFMA.
He said the highlands region received the bulk with K168 million, Momase got K99 million, Islands region received K98 million and Southern K63 million.
Of the amount, all but four provinces and 24 open electorates completely missed out.
Abal said more interestingly, the frontline of the purported government benefited with Speaker Jeffery Nape receiving K15 million, Don Polye K12 million, Belden Namah K16 million, Peter O’Neill K14 million, East New Britain provincial government K10 million, Sir Puka K5 million, Dr Bob Danaya K6 million and Young and Williams Lawyers K18 million.
Sir Arnold said the 2012 budget, yet to be handed down, should be a balanced budget but the people now knew that this government, since it took office, had been plundering Finance and Treasury.
“These are excessive hand-outs to individual members of parliament and ministers to keep their support. The 2012 budget will run into a deficit once it is handed down.”

SIR MEKERE: Woodlawn Capital statement a fabrication

Minister for Public Enterprises, Sir Mekere Morauta, said Motor Vehicle Insurance Ltd had confirmed to him that it had not authorised the statement released by Woodlawn Capital today, purportedly on MVIL’s behalf.

“The statement is a fabrication,” he said.

“MVIL confirmed to me that it had not approved its release.

“It also omits one central fact: the transaction was illegal because MVIL did not obtain any of the approvals it was required by law to get before proceeding.

“Stop trying to confuse the issue and just bring the money back.”