Daru and Western province go to the dogs because of poiticians and public servants

By MALUM NALU

Deputy chief justice Gibbs Salika has blamed Western province politicians and public servants for the decline of Daru and the rest of the province.

Salika, who is from Western province,  said at the launch of several multi-million kina PNG Sustainable Development Program projects on Friday that he hoped the event put politicians and public servants to shame.

The canoe people of Daru, who live on their canoes on the mudflats of this forgotten South Fly town, are a feature of the place. They, and many others in Daru, live in abject poverty because of years and years of neglect by both national and provincial governments.

He was not present for the occasion, but in his absentia, his speech was read by master-of-ceremonies Roger Hau’ofa in front of Western Governor Bob Danaya, South Fly MP Sali Subam, and public servants.

Salika said the launching of the Daru airport upgrade, Daru wharf trestle upgrade, Daru barramundi hatchery, and the Ta’owo Point unloading facility were all worthwhile projects which should have been initiated by the provincial administration and its political leadership as it was their primary responsibility.

“The launching of these development projects is a testimony of that fact and could not have come at a better time,” he said.

“A better time, because this event must put to shame our political and administration leadership.

“Our leadership at the provincial and district level cannot and should not claim any credit whatsoever for these developments.

“Credit must go to PNGSDP and its management and staff.”

Salika said Western province politicians and public servants “went to sleep and are still sleeping”.

“I hope this launching wakes them up,” he said.

“The Western province is a huge province.

“It has a lot of natural resources and I believe it also has a lot of financial resources, it has a lot of money to spend, but I am told that our administration and its leadership do not know how and where to spend it.

“This to me is utterly disgraceful.

“We are failing our people.

“Our education and health services are not up to scratch.

“Our people have no clean drinking water in the village and the list goes on.

“The point I am making is that the large amounts of money the province has should be used to improve our education and health services, and look for ways to improve the living conditions of our people.

“That is the primary responsibility of the provincial government and its administration.

“The province and more so the Daru district needs a new lease of life.

“I hope this is the beginning of new and better prospects for Daru.”

Air Niugini to resume flights to Daru after 12 years

By MALUM NALU

Air Niugini will begin regular flights to Daru, Western province, later this month after a 12-year absence which has seen airfares between Daru and Port Moresby rise to among the highest in the country.

Air Niugini acting general manager-commercial, Dominic Kaumu, confirmed this in Daru on Friday (June 1)  after one of its Q400 aircraft landed there to break the 12-year drought.

A proud moment...Captain Tauedea Ugava, who flew us on the Air Niugini Q400 to and from Daru on Friday, with PNGSDP CEO David Sode after the historic Q400 landing in Daru, which heralded the return of Air Niugini to Daru after 12 long years of suffering for the people of Daru and Western province.

Hundreds of people lined up the perimeter of Daru Airport to watch the Q400 land with many openly shedding tears of joy.

The last Air Niugini flight to Daru was on March 4, 2000, after which it had to stop services because of the unsafe state of the runway.

The Q400 was able to land because of a K40 million airport upgrade funded 50-50 by PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) and Fly River provincial government through South Fly funding, with construction undertaken by Global Construction and supervised by National Airports Corporation.

Airlines PNG has had a virtual monopoly in the Daru-Port Moresby route over the last 12 years, with airfares now being K999 one way.

Kaumu said in Daru that Air Niugini fares would be cheaper than Airlines PNG, however, could not disclose the figures.

“We will begin operations about mid-June,” he said.

“We will be using the Dash 8 to Daru.

“We will also be using the Q400, but at a reduced capacity (passengers) because of the length of the runway.

“At this stage, not daily (flights), but at least three flights a week and we build up from there.

“I’ve spoken to a number of people and the information we’re getting is that everyone wants Air Niugini back.”

PNG LNG Projects spends K4.3 billion

By MALUM NALU
The PNG LNG Project has to date spent more than K4.3 billion (US$2.1 billion) in PNG to date, according its quarterly environmental and social report released this week, The National reports.
The report said that to date, more than K880 million (US$424 million) had been spent with landowner companies (Lancos) for all project-related activities.
“This quarter, K195 million (US$94 million) was spent with Lancos, representing an increase of 30% from the previous quarter,” the report said.

Welded pipe ready for commencement of lowering along the onshore pipeline route.-Picture courtesy of ESSO HIGHLANDS

“The total in-country project-related spend to date is now over 4.3 billion Kina (almost US$2.1 billion).
“In its two and half years of operation, the Enterprise Centre has supported more than 1,300 local businesses with training and business development programmes.”
The report said the project’s construction was progressing well and in line with the schedule.
“Numerous milestones were achieved during this quarter including: reached 50% of the Komo airfield’s bulk earthworks; completion and delivery of the second drilling rig; completion of the second of four horizontal directional drilling operations; finalisation of the offshore pipeline detailed design; and a record 453 truckloads of equipment moved from Lae to Hides in one month,” it said.
“During this quarter, the upstream infrastructure contractor, who achieved over 10 million work hours lost time incident free, was recognised by the project for excellence in worker involvement in safety, effective subcontractor management and collaboration and teamwork.
“In addition, the Esso Highlands Ltd ground transport workers achieved an outstanding safety record of over 7.5 million km driven by a fleet of more than 125 passenger vehicles with no lost time Incidents
“The project has reached a major workforce development milestone with more than one million hours of training now provided to the project’s workforce, including over 164,000 training hours this quarter alone.
“This quarter, pre-construction surveys were completed for supporting infrastructure for the onshore pipeline.
“The surveys covered areas such as valve stations, drilling platforms and access roads.
“Pre-construction surveys assess areas of ecological interest, weeds and water quality at project worksites, while identifying potential archaeology and cultural heritage sites.
“The only pre-construction survey remaining is on the 24.8km Hides Spineline.”
The report said with construction activity at its peak this year, the project workforce stood at more than 16,200 people.
“The total number of PNG citizens trained to date for both construction and production roles across all project sites reached more than 8, 500,” it said.

Highlights included:

• In January, the first intake of operations and maintenance trainees from the Production Operations Training Centre in Port Moresby left for Nova Scotia, Canada to undergo one-year of advanced skills training.

• At the Juni Construction Training Facility, the first intake of trainees graduated in March with an Australian Quality Training Framework standard Certificate II in General Construction and Civil Construction. Meanwhile, the second intake of 20 trainees commenced their training program in January.

• Jason Maisasa from the PNG Institute of Medical Research (IMR) was selected to undertake the Biomedical Equipment Repair Training program in Dallas, Texas, through MediSend International.

Yandera assets upgraded

By MALUM NALU
Marengo Mining yesterday announced a substantial increase in measured resource at its world-classYandera copper mine in Madang province, one of the largest undeveloped copper projects in the Asia-Pacific, The National reports.
It also announced that the land-based tailings option had been selected.
The report said there were:
• Significant conversion of tonnes to the measured category, increasing confidence in the possible minimum 20 year mine life plan;
• Identified higher grade zones near surface (grading +0.5% copper for initial potential years of production;
• Confirmed large areas of elevated gold and molybdenum grades;
• Improved recoveries for copper, gold and molybdenum. High grade concentrate from the recent metallurgical test work programme; and
• Encouraging results from first hole of the Dirigi exploration programme.
Marengo’s managing director and chief executive officer, Les Emery, said the resource update supported the previously stated goal of achieving a minimum operating life of at least 20 years.

Helicopter with stinger attached for radiometric survey at Yandera.-Picture courtesy of MARENGO MINING

“The measured resource category has increased by over 100% and substantial additional resources have been upgraded from the inferred to indicated category,” he said,
“Drilling activity continues at Yandera, both on further in-fill tasks within the Yandera Central deposit and on nearby exploration targets
“Furthermore, areas of higher grade (+0.5% Cu) have been identified that, with the advantage of topography, can potentially be targeted for the initial years of possible production.”
“The resource estimate incorporates assay results from 465 diamond drill holes totalling 145,335 metres, which were drilled up until the end of 2011.
“The Yandera copper-molybdenum-gold project, reviewed as a part of this 2012 updated resource modeling study, has so far demonstrated and confirmed that this area contains significant amounts of copper mineralisation.
“The tonnages reported, for example above a nominal 0.25% copper lower cut-off, and the coincident contained metal tonnages are significant.”
Regarding tailings, Emery said following a review of the tailings options for the completion of the feasibility study, and discussions with various stakeholders, it had been decided to go forward on the basis of a combined rock waste dump and tailings storage facility.
“The facility will be located in close proximity to the Yandera project and processing areas, with the copper concentrate being transferred to a coastal shipping facility by a small diameter pipeline, which will where possible, follow existing infrastructure corridors to a coastal loading facility,” he said.

Lloyd Hurrel, PNG coffee pioneer, dies at 95

By MALUM NALU
Papua New Guinea’s multi-million kina industry coffee industry has lost one of its pioneers, Lloyd Hurrell, who passed away on Tuesday last week in Australia, The National reports.

Hurrell…chairman of Coffee Marketing Board from 1964-1979

Hurrell, 95, was the pioneer chairman of the then Coffee Marketing Board (CMB) from 1964 to 1979.
“He was the leading coffee planter based in the Wau-Bulolo area and became the most influential and respected man in PNG coffee history,” said Coffee Industry Corporation chief executive officer Navi Anis.
“ The PNG coffee industry will miss a great man who has very much foreseen and paved the way for the multi-million kina industry coffee industry today that affects lives of ordinary Papua New Guineans that farm coffee.”
While serving as chairman of CMB, he contributed immensely in expending coffee plantings and promoting business enterprise for indigenous Papua New Guineans.
He was instrumental in setting up the CMB, then the Coffee Industry Board and also the Coffee Industry Fund (a stabilisation fund) in 1975.
His service to the PNG coffee industry was recognised in June 1969 with the award of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and in 1980, he was awarded the Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).
A framed photo (A3 size) of him still hangs today in the CIC board room which was named after him.
Lloyd Hurrell was born in Wingham, NSW and educated at Hurlstone Agriculture High School.
He trained as a teacher at the Armidale Teachers College (Australia) and taught in 1937 and 1938.
In 1939 he joined the Department of District Services and Native Affairs as a cadet patrol officer and was posted to Rabaul.
In February 1940 he joined the New Guinea contingent for Australian Armed Forces when World War II broke out and took part in the famous Kokoda Track campaign.
After the war he returned to his pre-war job as patrol officer, looking after Finschhafen, Menyamya and Wau in various periods.
In 1953 he resigned and began his life as a farmer.
He became deputy provisional chairman of the CMB, created in 1963 and after four months, he was elevated to the chairman’s post.
In the 1960 elections he won the New Guinea Coastal seat and became a member of the Legislative Council.

Today's buai pekpek (betelnut shit) in Port Moresby

With all the politics going on, noone seems to care four our city, which is getting filthier and filthier by the day through buai pekpek.
Tell me if you've seen a filthier capital city in the world than Port Moresby?

Outside Mobil Service Station, Waigani



It was good to see BSP Waigani clean today




BSP Waigani was clean as a whistle this morning!



The usual buai sellers outside BSP Waigani weren't there this morning

My favorite drain outside BSP Waigani

Diry walkways

Yuck!



Buai pekpek and rubbish everywhere!



Along Waigani Drive this afternoon

Plastics are choking Port Moresby to death

While politics is the flavour of the month, we are slowly, but surely, being chocked to death on all fronts by an insidious and ubiquitous creature...plastics, as seen in this drain along Wards Road, Hohola, this morning.
 Let them do political campaigning, I'm campaigning to ban plastics starting today and you can help me by emailing me your most-despicable plastic pictures to malumnalu@gmail.com, which I'll post on my blog, with full photo credits to you.
I don't want my kids to grow up in a plastic (and buai pekpek)-filled environment, and I'm sure that neither do you.
Our politicians won't don't it, our "public servants" at Department of Environment and Conservation won't do it, so let's do it ourselves!

Since noone wants to do it, I'm starting a campaign to ban plastics using my blog, which will feature pictures of the massive damage being done to our environment and health by plastics.

Drain at Hohola

Plastic-filled drain at Hohola

Do plastics rot?

On land as well

After rain, drains are filled with plastics

An ugly sight that must be banned!