Ombudsman Commission to investigate Falcon jet affair

Ombudsman Commission will investigate the Falcon jet affair, NBC news reports. 

The commission says it is intact and will do its job and warned leaders to be mindful of what they do, especially with elections just around the corner

Police commissioner's case goes to court

Huge police presence at the roundabout to Parliament as National Court met to decide on Tom Kulunga or Fred Yaksa as police commissioner. 

You could be forgiven for thinking that it was WW111!

 Interesting developments in the court house. 

Tom Kulunga gave an assurance that there were no plans to arrest Fred Yakasa and his lawyer David Dotaona, with such a large presense of police. 

Presiding judge Catherine Davani received a letter from Yakasa expressing these fears. 

Court deferred to 9am tomorrow.

Belden Namah suspends PNG Ports boss

PNG Ports Corporation chief executive officer Brian Riches was yesterday suspended by Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah who is acting Minister for Public Enterprises, The National reports.
A letter containing the notice of suspension was dropped off at the PNG Ports office reception at lunch.
Riches said it contained no reasons for his suspension.
Yesterday afternoon Riches was in the process of making an application in the National Court seeking a court injunction to stop the process pending a full court hearing.
"Until this hearing is completed, it will be business as usual at PNG Ports," he said.
Riches said his suspension did not follow due process and that he was a leader under the Leadership Code and could be dealt with by the Ombudsman Commission if the government felt he had fallen foul of the law.
He said neither the Independent Public Business Corporation nor the National Executive Council had any powers to appoint under existing laws.
The power was reserved for the board of the organisation.
Riches said he had been accused of mismanagement in the PNG Ports but no details were given.
The sacking comes only a week after the government honoured Riches with the Order of the Logohu in the New Years’ Honours list.
Riches said: "One day I am celebrating the highest moment of my life and in then it is the lowest point. I have no idea what is going on.
"It is devastating."
Riches has spent 30 years in various management positions in the country, is a citizen and joined PNG Ports in 2007.

Jakarta “sad” at strained relations with PNG

By MALUM NALU

Jakarta is “sad” at the outbursts against Indonesia by deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah and has expressed concern that this could affect relations between Indonesia and PNG, according to PNG Ambassador to Indonesia Commodore Peter Ilau.

Former PNG Defence Force Commander Ilau said he met last Friday with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, his deputy, four senior directors general and the Indonesia secretary for foreign affairs and was conveyed that message.

“Jakarta has noted Namah's outburst, and was sad that such public remarks could be made when the incident occurred sometime back,” Ilau told The National from Jakarta yesterday.

“Minister Natalegawa was seriously concerned that our robust and special relationship between RI (Republic of Indonesia) and PNG should not be jeopardised for such incidents, which could be resolved amicably through diplomatic means.

“He asked if I could convey all of this to the PNG Government, and if he could also speak to his counterpart as soon as possible as a mark of respect and sincerity.”

Ilau said he first became aware of the incident involving Air Niugini’s Falcon jet and two Indonesian fighter aircraft last Friday.

“ But I was not formerly approached by anyone until 3pm Jakarta time, when I received an urgent invite by the director general of PNG Desk in Indonesian Foreign Ministry for an urgent meeting with Hon Marty Natalegawa,  the RI Foreign Minister,” he said.

“It was round about the same time when I received an email from the Asia Desk in PNG Foreign Affairs alerting me to the outburst by our DPM (Namah).

“At 5.30, I was ready at the Foreign Minister's office, and waited until 6pm when he was free from his own briefings to accept me.

“In the meeting also was the deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, like our vice ministers, plus four of his senior directors general and the equivalent of his Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

“He basically explained their understanding of the incident, and reiterated that the process for requesting flight clearance requires the consent and approval of three key stakeholders. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Transport (MoT), and TNI (Defence).”

Ilau said Natalegawa told him that the flight clearance for the Falcon was registered on their records as Dec 3-17; however, the intrusion of their air space was on Nov 29.

“The Falcon was intercepted in their view as a standard operational procedure (SOP) when unidentified aircraft enter their territorial airspace,” he said.

“Such intrusions, he advised, are SOP in most countries where threats are often expected in such approaches through their sovereign airspace.

“Minister Natalegawa painstakingly assured me over and over that at no time was there any hostile intent.

“There was no risk or harm intended.

“The response by the air force was to identify the intruder, and decide whether to get them to land at the nearest airfield or escort them out of their airspace, and the latter was the case.

“The Minister then made it clear to me that they did have some unconfirmed report that an amendment request for the flight clearance may have been made through the RI Transport Department, but there was no knowledge of this amendment with Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the TNI.

“The Minister reiterated that the agent(s) for the Falcon VIP jet may have submitted the amendment but failed to ensure that the process for total clearance was done properly and completed.”

Asked if this incident could damage Indonesia-PNG relations, Ilau said: “ My straight answer is no, but, if PNG Government takes the path of extreme by deporting the RI Ambassador,  then we would be in the same situation as UK and Iran.

“My mission here would also have the same fate as my counterpart in Port Moresby, and that is an outcome no government in its right mind would ever consider.

“Our relationship is far too mature and robust, but it is also delicate and sensitive given our geographic and demographic implications.”

Ilau said the status quo of Indonesia-PNG relations was “business as usual” with Minister Natalegawa allowing an open door policy with him.

“He gave me his mobile number in front of his staff and encouraged me to call him at any time for clarifications or advise in general,” Ilau said.

“I have since called him twice to convey PM O'Neil's views.

“There is no restriction of any sort.

“The outburst by DPM (Namah) was on the Jakarta Post for a day, and I believe because the incident is consider outdated, there has not been any real concerns raised from any level.

“Both PM (O’Neill) and Natalegawa are of the same view to resolve the matter expeditiously and maintain the special relationship of two close neighbours.

“Jakarta press has mentioned the PNG concerns of the Nov 29 incident, and mentioned also that a similar incident concerning another small aircraft from another country also came through their airspace unidentified and were intercepted by the RI Air Force and were forced to land at an airfield, where they waited for 10 hours before they were released.

“These were policemen on the way to Timor Leste for peacekeeping duties.”

Ilau, who arrived in Jakarta last September and presented his credentials last October, said it was a “pity” that such an incident happened.

“…I just want to say it is a pity that we have to experience such misunderstanding between both our close neighbors,” he said.

“I also hope that PNG officials travelling our way should at least seek our assistance so that such problems are avoided in the future.

“That is why I am here, and the PNG Embassy, it is our job to improve and strengthen relationship but also to provide the best advice to avoid any misunderstanding.”

PNG envoy to Indonesia is recalled

Papua New Guinea's Ambassador to Indonesia Peter Ilau is being recalled to Waigani for consultations with the government on the Falcon jet incident over Indonesian airspace on November 29 last year.

The O’Neill-Namah government made the decision at their Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the recall of the PNG head of diplomatic mission in Indonesia was part of the government’s deliberate effort clear the Falcon jet incident.

“We are recalling our PNG Ambassador to Indonesia for consultation,” Neill said.

“Cabinet has supported the continued maintenance of diplomatic relations with Indonesia as being vital to PNG’s long term interest.

“We have decided to request the government of the Republic of Indonesia through diplomatic channels to provide further explanations and clarifications on certain technical matters relating to the Falcon incident and we seek an official report from them on the incident.

“Cabinet further approved and directed the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority and Air Niugini to provide to Cabinet within two weeks, the full report of the incident with appropriate recommendations to fully address the matter.”

O’Neill said the Chief Secretary to Government ManasupeZurenuoc had been directed to coordinate with all key stakeholders of government, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and trade as the lead player for diplomatic dialogue with Indonesia.

“It is our government’s desire to ensure that this incident is adequately and fully resolved as soon as possible, " O’Neill said.

A final goodbye to a beautiful wife

By REG RENAGI

We were young and full of life when we met in the 70s.
We also became good friends since high school for 41 years when it all suddenly ended for me and my beautiful wife from Yule Island.
My marriage came to a terrible end too when my wife and 27 other passengers perished in an air crash in Madang province last October, 2011.
We had been together for 39 years, 3 months and 13 days until that fateful day.
Last Saturday,  7 January 2012, I said my final goodbye to a beautiful wife and friend in an emotional memorial service as a tribute to her.
After the funeral service I took her remains in a small casket (that was all that remained of her) to the Funeral Home to be cremated.
Once there, a brief prayer was said over her casket and I hugged and kissed her casket before leaving it along with the funeral attendants.
I did not immediately leave as I hesitated a while longer with tears running down my cheeks.
I felt so sad and did not want to leave her alone there with strange people who do not know her.
I hated the thought that in a matter of a few hours will reduce her to ashes for me to collect the next day.
I cried the whole weekend and brought her ashes back to the family home on Monday this week.
Yes, she was my best friend for 41 years and God took what was all alone his until the day I am called by him to join my loved ones in heaven.
Goodbye my darling, Louise Toto Miria; and I will forever be grateful to you for making me very happy during your short time on earth.
May your beautiful soul rest in eternal peace

Kerevat National High School to remain open

Keravat National High School will remain open for the 2012 school year and its past administrative discrepancies will be investigated, says Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

“Closure of the school is not an option,” O’Neill said today. 

“Our government will not allow our young people to be denied grades 11 and 12 education at Kerevat. “Our government has introduced a free and subsidised education policy that must benefit all school children starting this year.

“I have directed the Minister for Education to keep the school open and have it restored to its former glory after necessary investigations are made into the school’s past maladministration and mismanagement of its development and rehabilitation funds.”

He said Education Minister Theo Zurenuoc had been directed to establish an investigation into mismanagement of the school and misapplication of its development and rehabilitation funds over the last five years.

“I have also directed that a new principal be appointed for the school and its existing governing board be suspended and replaced by an interim board to facilitate the investigations,” O’Neill said.

He said the investigation would also evaluate the scope of national government funding required to redevelop the school.

He said the deliberate intervention was made to rescue the school from eminent closure due to rundown condition of classrooms and dormitories.