Papua New Guinea government improves disaster preparedness funding

PORT MORESBY, 18 July 2013 (IRIN) - The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has bolstered its funding for disaster preparedness, strengthening the country's National Disaster Management Centre (NDC) to better respond to crises.
"This is a positive development and one we hope will continue," Ruger Kahwa, head of office for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which works closely with the NDC, told IRIN.
The PNG government allocated 50 million kina (US$21.8 million) to the NDC in 2013, chief government advisor Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc confirmed.
Since 2006, the NDC has been working with a budget of only $1.3 million annually, and before that, less than $500,000.
Though pleased with the increase, NDC hopes that this is not a one-off allocation by the government.
"I have discussed this with the relevant government agencies, and I have taken this up with the deputy prime minister (Leo Dion) and made it known to them that this level of funding should be sustained for as long as we (the NDC) exist," Martin Mose, the NDC director, said.
Mose and his team of 10 people in Port Moresby, the capital, are now working to utilize the additional funds for programmes they had shelved for years, including capacity building for communities, response and equipping provincial disaster offices.
"Our response to natural disasters has improved a lot this year. Half the year is gone, and we have [already] spent K10 million ($4.3 million) of that money on relief operations," he said, citing heavy rains, landslides and flooding in the first quarter of 2013.
High-risk country
According to the World Bank, PNG is highly susceptible to natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis. Global climate change has increased the occurrence of extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, threatening the population, food security and causing economic disruption in rural areas.
The country has 16 active volcanos and 22 dormant volcanos - the most in the South West Pacific.
Ten of the 16 and all of the dormant volcanos are located within the Bismark Volcanic Arc. Five are located in West New Britain Province, potentially threatening 250,000 people, the country's interagency disaster contingency plan for 2012 reported.
"Volcanoes are known to generate landslides, tsunamis and earthquakes. Volcanoes in PNG, unlike others around the world, behave differently from each other, but we are monitoring all the activities," Ima Itakari, assistant director of the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory (RVO) told participants at a recent emergency evacuation exercise in the port city in June.
When the volcano on the 10km-wide island of Manam erupted in 2004, the entire population of more than 10,000 was evacuated to the mainland.
Located on the margins of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, PNG regularly experiences earthquakes between magnitudes 5 and 7, and landslides are a common occurrence.
In 1998, more than 2,000 people were killed in Sanduan Province when a 6.8 earthquake triggered a tsunami off PNG's northwestern coast, wiping out the village of Sissaro.
In 2012, a landslide in Tumbi Village, Hela Province, killed dozens and severely disrupted trade and transport in the country.
"The Tumbi landslide is an example of how resource developments in the country can affect the environment. The widespread deforestation due to increased farming and logging and the effects of climate change are real development issues. That is why the government provided the biggest budget ever," Mose said.
Rising sea levels are also taking on their toll on the country's offshore islands, with authorities in Manus, Bougainville and Morobe confirming that some of their islands are threatened and that their communities will have to be relocated.
According to government figures, in the first half of 2013, more than 100,000 people were affected by disasters in PNG, mostly flooding in 15 provinces, resulting in nine deaths, six injuries and more than 600 people being temporarily displaced. 

 

InterOil enters into a combined US$350 million refinery working capital facility

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea and HOUSTON, July 17, 2013 — InterOil Corporation (NYSE:IOC) (POMSoX:IOC) announced that IOC and its subsidiaries, EP InterOil and InterOil Ltd, have entered into a US$350 million working capital structured facility arranged by BNP Paribas (BNP), also acting as lead manager, to replace the existing US$240m bilateral working capital facility with BNP.

Out of the US$350m, US$270m will be a syndicated secured working capital facility with the support of five banking partners, namely: BNP, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ), Natixis, Intesa Sanpaolo (Intesa), and Bank South Pacific Ltd (BSP).

In addition, BNP will also be providing an US$80m bilateral non-recourse discounting facility.

The secured facility is to support the operational requirements of the Napa Napa Refinery in Papua New Guinea.

 It will be secured by InterOil's rights, title and interest in inventory and working capital of the Napa Napa Refinery.Credit portion of the facility bears interest at LIBOR plus 3.75%.

Funding is subject to Bank of PNG approval on the granting of PNG security over refinery assets, and other standard closing conditions.

InterOil is pleased to have the support and confidence of longstanding banking partners.

 Collin Visaggio, InterOil's CFO remarked: "We are delighted to have strengthened our banking relationship with BNP who have led our existing working capital facility since 2004, and broadening our relationships with existing financiers like ANZ, BSP, and new syndicate partners Natixis and Intesa.

"The financing will assist with the ongoing operational activities of the refinery, which has experienced consistent growth over the past five years."

 

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/07/17/5027372/interoil-enters-into-a-combined.html#storylink=cpy

Kevin Rudd sorry for 'Kokoda survivor' gaffe

Source: AAP , News Limited

Two Australian veterans who fought in Papua New Guinea during World War II have slammed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's throwaway comment that he is a "survivor" of the Kokoda Track.

Mr Rudd walked the Track in 2006 with opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey as part of a television segment for Channel Seven.
At a joint press conference with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill in Port Moresby yesterday, Mr Rudd acknowledged the 30,000 diggers who fought pitched battles against Japanese troops in horrendous conditions along the 100km Track in 1942.
Australian forces suffered more than 2200 casualties, including 625 deaths, with a further 4000 falling victim to tropical diseases.
Mr Rudd also acknowledged that more than 3000 Australian tourists each year follow in the soldiers' footsteps.

Kevin Rudd is greeted by locals at the Port Moresby airport. (AAP)

"I was one of them way back then and I am a survivor of the Kokoda Track," Mr Rudd said at his Moresby press conference.
Some felt those words were poorly chosen.
"It was a stupid thing to say, he wasn't there," 93-year-old veteran Bede Tongs, who won a Military Medal for single-handedly taking out a Japanese machine gun post at Templeton's Crossing in September 1942, told News Limited.
"Instead of saying stupid things he should spend more money on health and education for our friends in PNG.''
Len Griffiths, a former infantry Sergeant with the 3rd Militia Battalion, reportedly described Mr Rudd's comment as "disrespectful'' and "a bit dicey''.
The 91-year-old and his fellow diggers forced the Japanese troops' final retreat off PNG before raising the Australian flag in the village of Kokoda.
"He was lucky wasn't he," said Mr Griffiths when told about the PM's claim that he "survived" Kokoda.
But Mr Rudd has since apologised, saying that he meant no offence.
He said that his comments were referring to walking the gruelling trek.
"In my speech I said that 3000 Australians walked the Kokoda Track every year and that I had done the same and survived. That is actually what I meant," he said on Tuesday.
"If people have taken that a different way then of course I'm sorry about any misinterpretation."

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd describes himself as Kokoda Track survivor

By Patrick Lion, News Limited Network 

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has described himself as a "survivor" of the Kokoda Track where hundreds of Australian soldiers were killed in World War II.

On the final day of his two-day trip to Papua New Guinea, Mr Rudd announced Australia would increase financial support for health and hospitals in Papua New Guinea to help save lives.
Australia will also deploy 50 police to PNG by the end of the year.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill a Queensland State of Origin jersey.

His comments came after meetings with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on asylum seekers, law and order, health and economic matters.
Mr Rudd said the assistance was worthy as Australians had a soft spot for PNG given 3000 Australians walked the Kokoda Track each year.
"I was one of them way back then and I am survivor of the Kokoda Track," the PM said.
"This is a good investment for Australia and a good investment for PNG."

Kevin Rudd walked Kokoda with Joe Hockey and David Koch as part of a segment for .

Mr Rudd walked the track before becoming PM with opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey as part of a television segment for Channel Seven's Sunrise.
Mr Hockey was filmed pulling Mr Rudd out of rapids and has since joked he should have left him there.
The Kokoda Track was where more than 600 Australians were killed during the World War II campaign against the Japanese.
Mr Rudd said funding support for improved health in Papua New Guinea was a key agreed priority under the Australia-Papua New Guinea Partnership for Development.
Australian will provide just over $160 million over four years to 2016.
Mr Rudd said this additional funding would ensure continued availability of quality assured medical supplies for 2,700 health facilities across Papua New Guinea.
It will build on Australia's existing support for pharmaceuticals procurement and distribution.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national-news/federal-election/australian-prime-minister-kevin-rudd-describes-himself-as-kokoda-track-survivor/story-fnho52ip-1226679675541#ixzz2ZEzye5dk

UN report on Manus taken on board: Rudd

By Eoin Blackwell, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd says his government is working through the United Nation's report which heavily criticises the Australian-run asylum-seeker processing centre in Papua New Guinea.

At a joint press conference with his counterpart, Peter O'Neill, in Port Moresby on Monday, Mr Rudd said both governments will be mindful of the report's criticisms as a permanent asylum-seekers' facility is built on remote Manus Island.
The UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, last week slammed conditions at the temporary detention facility on Manus Island.
"I thanked PNG for its co-operation on asylum seekers, including on Manus Island," Mr Rudd said.
"I thank the UNHCR for its work in this report and we're studying its recommendations. We will work through those recommendations with our friends here in PNG.
"PNG is an important part of an effective regional response."

He said the construction of a permanent facility on Manus was still going ahead."This is a challenge that as Australian prime minister I will not shy away from.
"As I've said before, where the circumstances change, Australia will adjust, continue to adjust and, where necessary, change our policy."
Mr O'Neill said he hoped the UNHCR appreciated the problems faced by governments in tackling asylum seekers.
"We agree with Prime Minister Rudd, we welcome that report and will look into the details of it.
"We need to establish a permanent regional processing centre."
Mr Rudd said he intended to work with PNG and other regional neighbours to tackle people smugglers.

Australian police officers to aid PNG

By Liam Cochrane of ABC in Port Moresby

Fifty Australian police officers will be sent to Papua New Guinea by the end of the year to help PNG with law and order problems.

Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, made the announcement at a joint press conference with PNG's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
The announcement comes a day after armed soldiers attacked people at the Port Moresby General Hospital just hours before Kevin Rudd arrived in the capital for talks with his counterpart.

Photo: 50 Australian police officers will be sent to Papua New Guinea by the end of the year to help PNG with law and order problems. (ABC TV)

Both prime ministers also said they would consider the recommendations of a UN report critical of the Manus Island detention centre for asylum seekers.
They have both committed to continuing towards an original solution for people smuggling.
Mr Rudd said infrastructure projects, including work on a highway, will be brought forward by a year.
Australian trade minister, Richard Marles, will stay on in PNG for further work on trade deals.

Rudd talks up trade with PNG

Source: AAP

 

Minister Kevin Rudd has invited Papua New Guinea to tell him what Australia needs to do to improve business relations between the two countries.

Mr Rudd was in PNG on Sunday and Monday for trade, law and order, and immigration talks with his counterpart, Peter O'Neill.

Trade between Australia and PNG, it's closest neighbour, is approximately $7 billion a year. (AAP)

The prime minister has talked up the credentials of his new trade minister as he pushes to improve business ties with Papua New Guinea.

At a breakfast at Port Moresby's Grand Papua Hotel on Monday, Mr Rudd told business leaders newly appointed Trade Minister Richard Marles was a "Pacific man" who knew the region.
"Richard has a passion for PNG," he said.
"The reason for this gathering is to make sure that we're doing all we can to make sure the trade and investment relationship with PNG is reaching its full potential.
"I want you all to know what priority I attach to that in (Mr Marles') work."
Mr Marles was parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island affairs before Mr Rudd's aborted tilt for the prime ministership in March.
He was made trade minister when Mr Rudd regained the prime ministership last month.
Trade between Australia and PNG, it's closest neighbour, is approximately $7 billion a year.
Mr Rudd held talks with Mr O'Neill before attending a lunch at PNG's Parliament House before departing for Australia.