Polye joins Opposition

 Kandep MP and Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) Party leader Don Polye on Sunday confirmed that his is now in the Oppsition ranks.

He confirmed this to reporters at a press conference he held on Sunday but declined to comment on whether on he wanted to take up the position of Opposition Leader.

“That’s not an issue,” he said of the Opposition Leader’s position.

“Why are people making this as an issue?

“The issue is economic management and the conduct of the Prime Minister.”

He maintained that THE Party was intact despite several of its MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion, leaving en masse for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s ruling People’s National Congress.

“Look at the Organic Law on Intergrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC),” Polye said.

“It says that the party constitution regulates MPs and other members.

“The constitution says that if you want to resign from THE Party and join another party, you have to give your reasons to THE Party council.

“THE Party council determines that and says, ‘OK, we’re releasing you, you can join another party’.

“In this case, none of these people (who joined PNC), have written any letter.

“I only find out in the newspapers that m MPs have joined the PNC Party.

“These MPs are technically and legally still members of THE Party.”

Tomscoll: Coffee best opportunity for rural farmers

Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll says growing and harvesting coffee remains the best opportunity for smallholder rural farmers to work their way out of poverty.

He said this at the awards night for the week-long inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping competition in Port Moresby on Friday.

Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll, Kabwum MP Bob Dadae, PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping Competition winner Jonah Anagoh from the Kanite Kirapim Association of rural Okapa in Eastern Highlands, Daulo MP and a former Coffee Industry Corporation CEO Ron Ganarafo, and acting CIC CEO Anton Benjamin on Friday night.

“Smallholder coffee farmers work in the informal sector of our economy,” Tomscoll said.

“They make up 85% of the workforce in this sub-sector.

“They generate K400 million annually in revenue and account for the livelihood of three million people.

“Very easily, because smallholders work in the informal sector, they are neglected by government policies, decisions, and actions, as opposed to registered companies that operate in the informal sector of the economy.”

Part of the large crowd of coffee growers, their families, and supporters who packed the Gateway Hotel on Friday night.

Tomscoll said the government had already provided assistance through freight subsidies, establishment of district nurseries and seed gardens, increasing quality assurance programmes, and undertaking partnership with the World Bank.

“From early this week, the government sponsored the first international cupping quest staged in Papua New Guinea,” he said.

“This quest has facilitated communication and education between farmers, and farmers and exporters, measured the quality of coffee beans, and most importantly, put monetary value to the cup of coffee.

“It is during cupping quest that new alliances, networks, and business opportunities are founded.

Family members of Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll showcasing their brand-new Simbai Coffee which is produced from coffee grown by Tomscoll himself as well as smallholder growers from rural Simbai in Madang.

“The government believes that through the distribution of new coffee seeds for planting, it should lead directly to increased production, should bring new income, and create new employment for the unemployed youths and rural people.

“Coffee farming is the most-powerful lever for reducing hunger and poverty, and improving quality of lifestyle for our people.”

Tomscoll to “think global, acting local” by planting coffee gardens in small family sizes.

“When we depart from here after tonight, I want us to go away having belief in ourselves that we are collectively the future of the coffee industry.

“We will plant coffee gardens in small family size – and we will think big – and as individual families we will act local.

“As families acting together, and collectively, we will create a global business inspired by the idea of family farming and district marketing.”

PNG coffee to be promoted at all airports

Coffee Industry Corporation and National Airports Corporation have entered into a deal to promote Papua New Guinea coffee at all major airports in the country.

The deal was signed by acting CIC chief executive Anton Benjamin and NAC CEO Joseph Tupiri at the awards night of the inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping Competition in Port Moresby on Friday.

Acting CIC chief executive Anton Benjamin and NAC CEO Joseph Tupiri  are all smiles after signing the agreement at the awards night of the inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ Cupping Competition in Port Moresby on Friday.

The winner of the competition, Kanite Kirapim Association of  remote Okapa in Eastern Highlands, will have exclusive rights to sell coffee at all of NAC’s 23 airports including Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby.

Benjamin said CIC would work together with NAC to promote PNG coffee both locally and internationally.

“What’s an airport guy doing here at a coffee cupping competition?” Tupiri said.

“I had an idea to promote PNG coffee at our airports throughout Papua New Guinea.

“The winner of tonight will have exclusive rights to sell at NAC’s 23 airports in PNG.

“Extending the (Jackson) Airport terminal building at the moment, we are creating a coffee house, which will be opened next July.

“The winner of tonight will have exclusive rights to sell coffee at the airport.

“We are partnering with CIC to promote coffee where National Airports Corporation goes in the world.

“In 10 years time, that story might lead to something greater.

“We might have people buying coffee big time from Papua New Guinea.”

Okapa has best coffee in PNG

Remote Okapa in Eastern Highlands has been rated as having the best coffee in Papua New Guinea.

Okapa’s Kanite Kirapim Association won the top accolade at the inaugural PNG Coffee Growers’ 

Winner Jonah Anagoh of Okapa’s Kanite Kirapim Association.

Cupping Competition awards night in Port Moresby on Friday after a hectic week of tasting 69 coffee samples from all over the country by an expert panel of five international and one local taster.

Tasters Rose Romalus from CIC, Juliana Nobre and KC Reynolds from Australia, and Adi Taroepratzeka and Ulden Banu from Indonesia with winner Jonah Anagoh of Okapa’s Kanite Kirapim Association.

 

 

Juliana Nobre and KC Reynolds from Australia, and Adi Taroepratzeka from Indonesia are showered with gifts from PNG coffee farmers. Nobre and Reynolds are wearing traditional rain capes from the remote Menyamya area of Morobe.

The tasters, who had to taste over 700 cups last week, were Marichi Clarke, Juliana Nobre and KC Reynolds from Australia, Adi Taroepratzeka and Ulden Banu from Indonesia, and Rose Romalus from PNG’s Coffee Industry Corporation.

 Winner Jonah Anagoh of Okapa’s Kanite Kirapim Association with the other four top prize winners and tasters on Friday night.

Hundreds of people including coffee growers, family members, and supporters of the industry packed the Gateway Hotel for the awards night.

Jonah Anagoh, who picked up the award for Okapa, said winning would certainly place this remote part of Eastern Highlands on the world map.

“We have come all the way from Okapa with our extension officers,” he said.

“It is a great honor to win this first-ever type of award for the coffee industry in PNG.

“I’m so happy for us people of Okapa to be recognised like this.

“We Okapa people are ‘bush’ people who work very hard in looking after our coffee.

“We are so proud that our coffee has been recognised as being the best in the country.

“I urge all coffee farmers in Okapa to continue working hard and to maintain the quality that we are renowned for.”

Reynolds, on behalf of the tasters, said they had discovered some “very beautiful coffees” during the week.

“We had a big task all week of tasting all 69 coffees and getting acquainted with the best of PNG coffee” she said.

“In total, we brewed and tasted 730 cups of coffee.

“As cuppers, our main focus is cup quality.”

Reynolds advised quality could be improved by not picking under-ripe cherry, drying properly, and proper fermentation.

However, she said they had discovered some “very great flavors”, which showed the quality of PNG coffee.

Tasters Rose Romalus from CIC, Juliana Nobre and KC Reynolds from Australia, and Adi Taroepratzeka and Ulden Banu from Indonesia.

“We found flavors of blueberry, wine, dark chocolate, cherry, milk, candy, melon, honey, lime, caramel, apple, grape, apricot, hazel nut, guava, hibiscus, mango, jelly, turmeric, and many, many more flavors,” Reynolds.

“This week, we not only had the chance to cup the coffee of PNG, we also had the chance to meet the people behind the coffee.”

K50 million claim By Opposition Leader - Chief Ombudsman not interested in investigating

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill   has raised concerns that the Ombudsman Commission will not investigate claims made by Opposition Leader Belden Namah that he spent K50 million on Members of Parliament in the 2012 election.
’Neill said Mr Namah himself had made the multimillion kina claim and it raises serious concerns that should be properly scrutinised. 

However, the Ombudsman Commission has responded by suggesting the matter should be considered by the Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates Commission.
In his correspondence with the Chief Ombudsman, the Prime Minister stated that the failure of the Ombudsman Commission to inquire into this claim “casts light on the fundamental question of fairness and impartiality on the part of the Commission.”
“This matter is the subject of great public interest, which warrants Ombudsman Commission investigation under the Leadership Code.
“The Ombudsman Commission should not simply ignore the public complaint, which has been lodged and refer it to another Authority for investigation.
Speaking after more recent correspondence from the Chief Ombudsman, the Prime Minister said he remains concerned at the lack of interest on the part of the Ombudsman Commission.
“The people of Papua New Guinea have legitimate questions that they would like answered,” PM O’Neill said.
“Where did Mr Namah get this K50 million?  He was not a successful businessman before he went into politics.
“Has he declared this K50 million and paid tax on it?
“Adherence to transparency is a responsibility of all holders of public office and this admission of questionable activity by the Leader of the Opposition needs to be fully investigated without fear or favour.”

Improving policing services for people of Manus

 Australian High Commission

 

New infrastructure for improving policing services for Manus is a step closer with a contract awarded for the designing a new Lorengau Police Station.

Papua New Guinean firm Alexander & Lloyd Pacific Ltd was selected through an international open tender to formulate a design for the Police Station, as part of a K5 million rebuilding project that will be funded by Australia.

Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Ms Deborah Stokes, said: “This new police station will boost the capacity of the local police to protect the people of Manus. It will demonstrate respect for the important work of the police and the commitment expected of the police in serving their community. It will also be easier for community members to approach police for information and assistance.”

 The design will include private interview rooms for people making complaints and safe facilities for people reporting family and sexual violence.

 After the design is completed, a further tender for construction to rebuild the Lorengau police station is expected to be issued in early 2015, with construction expected to commence mid-2015.

 The rebuilding of the police station will complement the PNG Government’s Police Modernisation Program, including the PNG Government’s investment in additional housing for police. This program seeks to build the professionalism and the enabling environment for PNG’s police personnel.

 The police station will be on top of the additional Australian support package to Manus valued at K65 million, which includes Lorengau Hospital, education infrastructure, Lorengau Market upgrade, community grants and private sector support.