Bougainville genocide lawsuit thrown out by appeals court

By Edvard Pettersson - Jun 29, 2013 6:23 AM PT

Bloomberg

Rio Tinto Plc (RIO), the world’s second-biggest mining company, won dismissal of a lawsuit in the U.S. accusing it of contributing to genocide in Papua New Guinea.
The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco today affirmed a lower court’s ruling dismissing the case. The appeals court’s decision was prompted by an April 22 order by the U.S. Supreme Court, which in a separate case brought against Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) had scaled back application of the 1789 Alien Tort Statute.
That law, also invoked in the Rio Tinto case, has been a favorite tool of human-rights advocates seeking to hold companies responsible in U.S. courts for atrocities overseas.
The lawsuit against London-based Rio Tinto stems from the deaths of thousands of indigenous people starting in 1988 on the island of Bougainville, where Rio Tinto was part of a group operating the world’s largest open copper pit.
The case is Sarie v. Rio Tinto Plc, 02-56256, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (San Francisco.)
To contact the reporter on this story: Edvard Pettersson in Los Angeles at epettersson@bloomberg.net

Rainbow Power Company lands pot of gold in Papua New Guinea

By Andy Parks

Northern Star

 

NIMBIN'S Rainbow Power Company has signed a deal to provide renewable electricity to more than 3500 homes in 49 villages in Papua New Guinea.
Only 20% of the country has access to electricity, but Rainbow Power director Paul O'Reilly said there was a huge opportunity for the company there as the country had a target of providing electricity to 80% of the population by 2020.
"The alternative technology skills we have been practising in this part of the world for 25 years are really coming to fruition and have a place in the broader world," he said. 

LIFE CHANGING: Rainbow Power Company company director Paul O’Reilly with examples of the company’s product that will be exported to Papua New Guinea.

"We're now exporting those skills."
Each of the 49 villages will be provided with a three-phase solar system with battery storage that will be distributed via a mini grid.
The 13.8kW system will allow homes to run lighting, televisions, phone charging and a community cool room. Those too remote to connect to the mini grids will get a 90-watt stand-alone system.
At the moment most villages use kerosene lamps for lighting which is responsible for health problems including respiratory infections, lung and throat cancers, eye infections and cataracts as well as low birth weights.
Mr O'Reilly said when faced with a choice between diesel generators and renewable technology, renewables were now much cheaper and more reliable.
"When you're looking at villages that are a five to six-hour boat trip upriver, trying to keep the diesel flow up is a challenge," he said.
"So the answer is to install a system where they get free energy from the sun."
He said Rainbow Power's tender included its highest quality equipment because reliability was an important issue.
He said the desire for mobile phone technology and the need to recharge handsets was driving the push for electricity on PNG.
"When you looking at communicating with someone for a 30 cent phone call instead of a two-day walk, that's life changing."

High Arctic signs 3 year PNG contract renewals

Scandinavian Oil-Gas

High Arctic Energy Services Inc. has accepted a Letter of Award from Oil Search Limited for three year contract extensions for its primary contracts in Papua New Guinea (PNG). 
 

The extensions will cover the drilling contracts for Rigs 103 and 104 and the drilling support services contract related to the supply of personnel and rental equipment to support the related drilling operations. 
The new contracts are expected to be signed early in July once the agreed terms are incorporated into the amending agreements. 
 The new extensions will be effective July 1, 2013 for a three-year term to June 30, 2016.
Commenting on the renewal, Bill Easson, General Manager Drilling, for OSL, said; “The extension of these contracts reflects Oil Search’s recognition of, and confidence in, High Arctic’s quality service delivery in Papua New Guinea. Over the last six years, our companies have forged a strong partnership to safely deliver effective drilling results in a very challenging environment.”

Essar Projects secures US$ 50 million contract in PNG

Essar Projects a Global EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) contractor headquartered in Dubai announced that it had secured a construction project valued at US$ 50 million in Papua New Guinea for the Western Highlands Development Corporation.

This is the sixth international contract won by EPL this year and the second project secured by the company in PNG, where it earlier constructed and commissioned the Komo Airport for Exxon Mobil. Essar Projects’ current order book has swelled to over US$ 4 billion.

Mr Alwyn Bowden president and CEO, Essar Projects said: “This project is a historic win for EPL reaffirming the entrepreneurial nature of the company and the proven ability to operate in the most challenging of environments, and underpins a clear strategy to consolidate and build on our operations in Australasia, just as we are successfully doing in the Middle East and Africa.”

The project involves construction of Kapal Haus in Mount Hagen Western Highlands Province. EPL would design, construct and commission the Proposed Mixed Use Development project which will include construction of an office complex to house the provincial headquarters including the Governor’s office and a residential building for diplomats, ministers and high profile professionals. The project will be completed in 22 months.

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Mr.Peter  O'Neill will inaugurate the project next month accompanied by four former Prime Ministers in a ceremony that will be graced by the Regional Head of the Catholic Church and all foreign diplomats.

Source - Strategic Research Institute

(www.steelguru.com)

NASFUND looks to invest in Fiji

From NASFUND June e-Newsletter

FIJI’S potential as an ideal investor location was discussed by National Superannuation Fund (NASFUND) Chief Executive Officer, Ian Tarutia, at the recent Fiji Institute of Accountants Congress 2013 held at the Sheraton Fiji Resort on Denarau Island early this month.

The event has been the premier meeting ground for Fiji’s private and public sector movers and shakers for many years.

Mr Tarutia was invited by Fiji’s Accounting Congress Committee following a marked increase in PNG’s institutional and private investors’ participation in Fiji.

One such investment is the joint venture between NASFUND, Lamana Development and Fiji National Provident Fund in the much-anticipated FJ$90 million investment redevelopment of the 5-star Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Grand Pacific Hotel Suva is 50% owned by NASFUND, 25% by Lamana Development with Fiji National Provident Fund owning the remaining 25%.

Tarutia said that NASFUND’s Board of Directors considered three fundamental issues as part of the decision making process to invest in Fiji: i) the quality of their joint venture partners, ii) hotel management capability and iii) the Melanesian connection with Fiji.

He added that “for NASFUND, with its high growth, excess liquidity and limited opportunities in conformance with its investment guidelines in the PNG economy, other jurisdictions had to be explored. Importantly portfolio diversification from single country risk is another consideration NASFUND takes into account. With the after effects of the Global Financial Crisis still reverberating in the western world, the Pacific region which remain unscathed was a natural area for opportunities.”

NASFUND’s first ever investment in Fiji, the Grand Pacific Hotel redevelopment, has been a catalyst of much=needed economic activity in capital Suva since works commenced in 2011.

Initially built by the Union Steamship Company in 1904, this legendary and luxurious hotel has accommodated dignitaries like Her Majesty the Queen of Britain and other reputable individuals who graced Fiji and the Pacific back then.

The revival of one of Suva’s most iconic landmark after two decades of it closing its doors is seen by some Fijians as a sign of more grandeur things to come and with it hope that NASFUND and other PNG investors will continue with their prudent investment in other business opportunities in Fiji.

Trade relations on agenda during PNG PM's Townsville trip

ABC

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister will discuss a possible increase in trade with Townsville during a visit to the city this weekend.

It will be the first time Peter O'Neill has visited the north Queensland city.
His two-day trip will include a tour through the Port of Townsville and watching a Cowboys' football game.
Dawson Wilkie from the Townsville Chamber of Commerce says it is an important opportunity to develop trade relations.
"We were looking to reinforce that and look at ways that we can improve that relationship," he said.
"Townsville businesses do a lot of trade in PNG, there's a lot of PNG students who come to TAFE colleges in Townsville."
Mayor Jenny Hill has other issues she'd like to raise.
"I want to talk to him about education opportunities here as well as health opportunities," she said.
She says she also wants to discuss fly-in, fly-out workers.
Mr O'Neill will arrive in Townsville on Saturday.

Restoring livelihoods for cocoa farmers in PNG after widespread crop disease

World Bank

June 26, 2013

Cocoa is a lifeline for thousands of small farmers in Papua New Guinea (PNG), providing vital income for some 20 percent of the country’s population.In 2006, a devastating disease ravaged the crops of thousands of small farmers in East New Britain, the first province in PNG to be affected by the cocoa pod borer (CPB).The impact of this disease is severe. Untreated, its larvae tunnel into fresh cocoa pods and decimate cocoa harvests.

After the cocoa pod borer disease decimated harvests, a program is helping restore farmers’ livelihood and boost the country’s agriculture sector. View slideshow

Crop disease caused hardship for cocoa farmers
Farmers here saw as much as 90 percent of their crops destroyed. Total production in the province plummeted from 22,000 tons in 2008 to under 4,000 in 2012. This left many farmers and their families without a basic income, and created a great deal of hardship.
Nelson is a farmer in Vudal and cocoa is his main cash crop. In 2006, he had never seen CPB before.

When we saw it for the first time, it was horrifying. We just saw the insect bites. These looked like fruits that had fallen onto the ground and had lain there for weeks.

Nelson Farmer

“There was no warning,” Nelson said. “When we saw it for the first time, it was horrifying. We just saw the insect bites. These looked like fruits that had fallen onto the ground and had lain there for weeks.”
Across the province, communities describe how the loss of income left them unable to meet their daily needs, from sending their children to school, or paying for transport to get to town. Farmers went from harvesting some 15 bags of dry beans, to just one or two bags a month. Many gave up.
Alois Dulia orks as an assessor at Agmark, one of the cocoa buying companies in the province. He remembers when the factory was filled with cocoa beans, and farmers were literally queuing to sell their produce.
“There were farmers all the time, and we could hardly keep up with so much supply,” he recalls.
“Now, because we’ve got the disease it’s slowing everything. This place used to be full of cocoa. These days, we are always waiting for farmers to arrive.”

Working together with farmers to control the disease
Initiated in 2011, the World Bank’s Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (PPAP) is supporting community-led projects in East New Britain and Bougainville to help thousands of small farmers control the outbreak and restore their livelihoods.
Five cocoa partnerships have been established funded under the first round of the project, helping provide seedlings of more CPB-tolerant cocoa varieties. Model farmers have received training on techniques to manage CPB, and are working with extension workers to pass on their knowledge in their communities. Measures like regular harvesting, pruning, good block sanitation and pod burial can eliminate as much as 98 percent of CPB infestation.

Interest to plant cocoa has returned
Hosea Turburat is the manager of the Central Inland Baining Rehabilitation Partnership, part of the PPAP, which will rehabilitate 500 hectares of land. Altogether it will provide 100,000 new cocoa seedlings, for 500 farmers in the remote Bainings area.
“The main advantage is to increase production, because we are introducing hybrids which are CPB resistant, and also to increase income and improve standards of living.
“We have seen really invigorated interest in cocoa. The project has provided assistance to help farmers recover and reestablish their cocoa plots, and replant the trees.”
The project is also helping farmers plant other crops such as galip nut or taroas an additional income source. Some projects are supporting local agribusiness development and marketing, especiallyfor women farmers.
Funded by the World Bank’s International Development Association and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the project is supporting coffee and cocoa farmers through eleven partnerships in six provinces to date. With growing community interest, more partnerships are in the pipeline.
Another 14 partnerships are expected to be approved in the next few months. By the end of this year, more than 18,000 farmers will be benefiting from PPAP.