Australian Defence joins PNG aid mission

AAP

AUSTRALIAN Defence Force personnel are working with American and Japanese counterparts to deliver aid in Papua New Guinea through the latest Pacific Partnership mission.

The US-sponsored program has been conducted annually since the devastating Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 and has delivered help to more than 150,000 people in 10 Pacific region countries.
Around 100 medical and engineering personnel from the US, Japan and Australia are aboard landing ship HMAS Tobruk to deliver medical, dental, veterinary and engineering aid in PNG.
Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore, deputy chief of Australian Defence Force joint operations, said on Tuesday the program directly benefited the people of Pacific nations and allowed partner nations to practice working together.
"Importantly, Pacific Partnership provides a platform that can build confidence to ensure the nations involved can respond effectively as a group to a multinational crisis supporting humanitarian and civic action if the need arose," he said in a statement.

January completion for PNG asylum centre

From AAP 
 

A $137 million permanent processing centre for asylum seekers on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island is set to be completed in January.

Construction company Decmil, which has experience constructing villages for oil, gas and mining projects, will build the 600-bed centre.
A spokesman for Decmil said the site would be able to house women, children, families and "other vulnerable groups".
Along with the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre (MIRPC), a 200-room accommodation facility for staff, along with health, welfare, recreational and operational facilities are included in the project.
Work is set to start this month, with a completion date set for January 31, 2014.
"Our experience in remote locations, building the villages that house workers on many of our nation's major resources projects, has placed us in the ideal position to tackle this new project on behalf of the Australian government," Decmil chief executive Scott Criddle said.

Kina Petroleum farms out majority stake in Papua New Guinea petroleum licence

Tuesday, July 02, 2013 by Bevis Yeo
Proactive Investors

Kina Petroleum (ASX: KPL) has reached a deal to farm up to 64% of PPL 340 in Papua New Guinea to Hunt Energy and Mineral in return for a carry through certain work program items.

 



Hunt, part of the Pacific Hunt Group – an affiliate of Holloman Corporation – will carry Kina through a 5,400km aeromagnetic/gravity survey in the south eastern part of the licence and a seismic program of between 75km and 150km to earn a 32% interest in PPL 340.

Hunt then has the option to acquire an additional 32% in the licence upon drilling one well. This will leave Kina with a 36% interest in the licence.

The US $13.2 million work program will target/test a reefal trend believed to extend south east of InterOil’s (NYSE: IOC) Antelope gas discovery.

The recent selection of ExxonMobil as the preferred candidate to facilitate development of Antelope is also likely to result in work accelerating along what could be an extension of the Antelope trend.

New reserved business list for Papua New Guineans

By ROSE AMOS in Madang

The SME Summit in Madang will come up with a new reserved business list for Papua New Guneans.

 The summit agreed to come up with a new list after receiving clarification on the matter by Secretary for Constitutional Law Reform Commission,  Dr Eric Kwa.

 Dr Kwa told the summit it was legal, however, they needed to consider other key issues.

 These included whether or not Papua New Guineans have financial strength and capacity to do business, and how nationals can take over businesses currently run by foreigners.

Papua New Guineans need to develop strong business culture

By ROSE AMOS in Madang 

Papua New Guineans need to develop a strong business culture if they are to be successful.

Businessman Allan Bird issued the challenge at the Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) Summit in Madang this morning.

Mr Bird says a lot of young nationals come up with good business ideas but fail because they lack discipline.

He also says PNG business owners compete with each other instead of supporting one another grow their businesses.

Mr Bird says this sometimes leads to businessmen and women being jealous of one another.

 He says this mentality must change for PNG to move forward in terms of doing business.

Business Restricted Activity List likely to return

Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry e-flash

A straight shooting  speech, by Commerce Minister, Richard Maru,announcing the protection of Papua New Guinean businesses  has received overwhelming  applause  by more than 400 participants at an  SME summit in Madang.

Minister Maru  didn’t mince his words when he  told  foreign advisers that they were wasting their time if they were going to push for unfettered access to  PNG’s economy

He said the SME sector would be staunchly defended  by the government through protection policies and the  creation  of jobs for  Papua New Guineans.

One of the first things that will happen before the end of the year is  the revival of a reserved list specifying  the kinds of businesses that foreigners will be barred from operating.

Maru is no  stranger to  hard hitting undiplomatic  statements  at public forums.

 Yesterday,he took that to a new level.  

 He told foreign advisers,some of whom were present, that they would be wasting their time if they were thinking of pushing for  free access into the lower levels of the PNG economy.

 “We are going to bring back the reserve list legislation,”  he said.  

 “This summit will decide what will be for Papua New Guineans, what will be 51-49 and what will be only for foreigners.

 “The NEC has already decided to bring back the reserved list. 

"So any of you advisers who are thinking there will be no reserve list, you’re wasting your time. 

" government has already decided.”

  Unlike in the past there is a general  acknowledgment, that the  current economic boom is temporary and unless steps are taken to use that new found wealth, the country’s future will be in jeopardy.

This summit will chart a new future.
In mind will be an  economy based on renewable resources.  
 An economy that is sustainable  and able to support  Papua New Guinea's  young population.

Volunteers sought to build college in Kokoda

Maitland Mercury

July 2, 2013 

 

Maitland, Australia,  residents are urged to consider a two-week placement in Kokoda to build a college in the jungle of Papua New Guinea to help break the country’s poverty cycle.

The idea to build the Kokoda College originated more than a year ago when the Kokoda Track Foundation realised the shortage of teachers and community health workers was preventing the development of the communities along the Kokoda Track.
“When we started researching we discovered that some 500,000 children are currently not going to school because of a shortage of teachers,” the foundation’s executive director Dr Genevieve Nelson said.

HELP NEEDED: Dr Genevieve Nelson.

“And in healthcare, things aren’t looking much better with a severe shortage of community health workers for Papua New Guinea’s population living in the rural areas.”
In October and November the foundation will build the college at a site in Kou Kou village, near Kokoda.
“We are engaging a large team of Australian volunteers to help us with the various stages of the construction process,” Dr Nelson said.
“We are looking for dedicate people with a passion for adventure and helping others. Our teams of volunteers will commit to a two-week placement and will travel to Kokoda in groups.”
For more information visit www.kokodacollege.com