NEC approved proposed public service time and attendance policy

The National Executive Council  recently endorsed a proposed public service time and attendance system policy to manage uncontrolled absenteeism of large numbers of public servants.
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said Cabinet endorsed the proposed policy and reiterated that many ministers and governors were concerned about poor time keeping and daily attendance of public servants, resulting in poor service delivery over the years.
"Our elected representatives are simply voicing the concerns of their constituents who continue to suffer by officers' poor attendance and incompetency at work," O'Neill said.
He said in order to impose strict discipline on time-keeping and attendance, there must be a consistent recording system in place.
"Each agency head must be able to judge the performance of individual officers against the rules.
"There is a General Order requiring that every department keeps a manual or journal to enable officers to sign in and sign out stating their times of commencing and finishing work daily," the Prime Minister said.
He further announced that Cabinet also approved various pilot sites to test and develop the payroll linked electronic monitoring and control systems.
"This will introduce a compulsory electronic controlled time and attendance system across the public service to improve productivity and service delivery,"  O'Neill said.
Further, the Prime Minister said the proposed policy woulf improve productivity as measured by the improvements in attendance at the workplace and is targeted to improve at a 20% rate.
"The Department of Personnel Management has been directed by Cabinet to set up a Timekeeping & Attendance Taskforce headed by its Secretary (Chairman) and work with other lead agencies to establish and coordinate this project, " O'Neill said.

PILP with Taiwan wraps up in Taipei

• Publication Date：11/10/2014 
• Source： Taiwan Today
Pacific Islands Leadership Program with Taiwan concluded Nov. 7 in Taipei City, showcasing Taiwan’s economic and cultural achievements while fostering stronger relations among participants.



MOFA Vice Minister Vanessa Shih (center, first row) is all smiles at the closing ceremony of Pacific Islands Leadership Program with Taiwan Nov. 7 in Taipei City. (Staff photo/Chin Hung-hao)

Drawn from 13 Pacific nations, the 26 young students and professionals took part in a variety of activities like workshops and seminars during the four-week program. They also went on tours of such attractions as National Palace Museum and Sun Moon Lake.
“As a member of the Asia-Pacific, Taiwan spares no efforts in contributing to the development of the region through programs spanning such areas as education, fisheries management, medical care and renewable energy,” Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Vanessa Shih said at the closing ceremony.
“PILP with Taiwan is a perfect example of our commitment in this regard and highlights the importance of close cooperative relations between Taiwan, the U.S. and the Pacific Island nations.”
Also attending the ceremony were ambassadors to the ROC of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu, representative to Taiwan of Fiji, charge d'affaires of the Solomon Islands, as well as AIT Director Christopher Marut.
Alatina Ioelu from Samoa said robust exchanges with members of Taiwan’s leading academic, private and public sector institutions during the program paved the way for a new approach to longstanding challenges in the region.
Echoing Ioelu’s remarks, Mona Giheno from Papua New Guinea said PILP with Taiwan opened her eyes to see the value of hard work and perseverance. “People are the greatest assets and I will use what I learned to change my country for the better.”
Co-hosted with East-West Center in the U.S., PILP with Taiwan is in its second year and aims to produce 125 young leaders across the region skilled in leadership and building cooperation by 2017. (DF-JSM)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw

Siaka century helps Papua New Guinea make history

Andrew Nixon
9 November 2014

Yesterday, Papua New Guinea become the sixth team to win their first ODI. Today they did what the previous five couldn't do - win their second.

Batting first after winning the toss at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville, Queensland, Hong Kong lost the sometimes dangerous Irfan Ahmed early on, but recovered with Waqas Barkat and Anshuman Rath putting on 60 for the second wicket before Barkat was out for 24.

Rath then put on 53 for the third wicket with Hong Kong skipper Jamie Atkinson before he was out for 51. Hong Kong in general batted much better than yesterday, with Babar Hayat top scoring with 55. Haseeb Amjad smashed the ball around towards the end of their innings, scoring 42 from just 20 balls.

The final Hong Kong total was 261 before they were bowled out three balls short of their quota of 50 overs. Norman Vanua was the pick of the PNG bowlers with 4-60.

The Papua New Guinea reply was initially dominated by one man - Lega Siaka. The 21 year old, who scored two centuries in the World Cup Qualifier earlier this year, played superbly to make Papua New Guinea's first ODI century. He scored 109 before he was run out, and shared in a 79 run stand for the fourth wicket with Vani Morea.

It was Morea who then took over the run scoring, keeping the strike and keeping up with the required rate even as three wickets fell at the other end. He finished unbeaten on 65, hitting the winning four when a Hong Kong fielder failed to take what could have been a simple catch when he lost the ball in the sun.

The three wicket win sparked celebrations in the PNG camp, who can go back to Port Moresby safe in the knowledge that they've had a better start to their ODI history than any other team. Captain Chris Amini was overcome by emotion in a post match interview, choking back tears as he dedicated the series win to his grandfather, who was the first of many members of the Amini clan to play for Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea will next be in action later this month when they play in the East Asia Pacific Twenty20 Championship in Lismore, New South Wales.

Papua New Guinea beat Hong Kong by 3 wickets
Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville, 9 November
Hong Kong 261 (49.3 overs, Babar Hayat 55, Anshuman Rath 51, Haseeb Amjad 42, N Vanua 4-60, W Gavera 3-45)

Dion calls for open communication among MPs

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister for Inter Government Relations, Leo Dion, who is responsible for all provincial and local level government affairs maintains that effective and open communication among all national MPs is the cornerstone for stability and good governance at the provincial government level.
Dion made this statement when announcing the successful outcome of a compulsory meeting he facilitated last Thursday  with the Prime Minister and all the three MPs from Oro Province.
"From this meeting we, together with all the Oro MPs agreed and collectively resolved that all issues that resulted in the standoff were a direct result of lack of effective communication and consultation among the leaders on mainly management issues affecting the province. We also resolve to uphold that  Garry Juffa is the mandated Governor of Oro Province and maintains his role as chairman of provincial executive council and the provincial assembly as mandated by the people," he said.
Dion said all the MPs and LLG presidents would support Juffa's leadership role as Governor.
"Collectively, we also resolve to refrain and withdraw forthwith any actions that will jeopardise the development prospect and progress of the province. As Minister responsible, I am very pleased with the level of maturity demonstrated by our Oro MPs in their resolution to put their differences aside and work together for the common good of our people," Dion said.
He said the meeting was very important and indeed the outcome was "a testament to what we can do as leaders if we can come together and discuss issues openly with a greater sense of objectivity".
"I thank the Governor for Oro, Garry Juffa; Member for Sohe anf Minister for Community Development, Delilah Gore and Member for Ijivitari,  David Arore for their humbleness in coming together for the compulsory meeting.  I also thank the people of Oro for their patience and refrain during this period of the standoff," he said.
Dion also acknowledged and thanked the Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill for his leadership in fostering a dialogue for the compulsory meeting to take place.

PM:Potential of Ebola in PNG very low

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill  and the National Executive Council (NEC) have received a briefing from the Minister for Health Michael Malabag MP, on preparations to reduce the potential of the Ebola virus reaching Papua New Guinea, as well as measures being implemented to deal with a patient in the unlikely scenario that a case was to become present.
"Health Minister Malabag made it very clear that there are no reported cases of Ebola in Papua New Guinea, and the likelihood of Ebola being imported into the nation is very low," O'Neill noted following the briefing.
"Considering that the World Health Organisation has declared Ebola a public health emergency of international concern, Papua New Guinea has taken heed of this warning and is implementing measures that meet and surpass global standards.
"A National Ebola Taskforce has been established and is working closely with border protection agencies including immigration, health facilities and international partners to ensure procedures are in place to prevent Ebola entering our country.
"In the extremely unlikely situation that a person with symptoms did arrive, that person would be moved to an isolation unit at the port of entry.  Immediate care would be provided to test for the virus and a management plan implemented to deal with a potential infection.
"Temporary isolation tents are being deployed to international entry points, and the provision of essential Personal Protection Equipment is included with these facilities.
"Training of healthcare workers is continuing to ensure a professional response if a potential case is detected.
"A permanent isolation unit that meets WHO standards for biohazard level 4 facility standards is also being established in Port Moresby to deal with potential Ebola and future infectious diseases threats.
"I thank the Minister for Health and his Department, as well as all participants on the National Ebola Taskforce for their efforts to date.  While the potential of Ebola appearing in our country is low, we have to be vigilant and well prepared."
The Prime Minister called on the media, and in particular social media users, to be responsible in discussion of Ebola and not cause undue distress.
"We have seen two instances in Queensland recently where people with a heightened temperature went into isolation as a precaution while they were tested. 
"Unfortunately some mainstream and social media reporting worried people in Papua New Guinea when there was zero risk to our people from these instances.
"We just need commentators to be responsible and report accurately on this important community health issue."

Fact Sheet
Ebola – National Preparedness and Response Planning
·    A National Ebola Taskforce has been established and is meeting regularly to consider issues relating to current global concerns relating to the Ebola virus. 
·    The Taskforce comprises representatives from border protection agencies of government, National Airport Corporation Ltd (NAC), PNG Ports Ltd, NAQIA National Disaster Centre, the media, Air Niugini, NCD Health Services, City Hall, Defence Force, Australian Government, US Government, and the World Health Organisation
·    The Taskforce and the National Department of Health (NDoH) and the Citizenship and Immigration Services Authority (CISA) are undertaking immediate preparedness activities with the support of the Australian Government, World Health Organisation, and other partners, including:
 - Training of flight crews to identify and respond to passengers that may be showing symptoms of Ebola.
- Establishment of isolation centres at ports to quarantine incoming passengers showing symptoms of Ebola.
 - Training of health workers in conjunction with the World Health Organisation at PMGH with further training to be conducted for all NCD health workers.
 - More clinical and quarantine officers will be identified and trained for surveillance at the airport and seaport.
- Stringent screening of applications for visas for entry into PNG by foreign nationals introduced by CISA at PNG foreign missions and posts.
• There is currently an intense transmission of Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola) in three (3) countries in West Africa, namely Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea.
• There is also a localised transmission of Ebola in five (5) other countries, namely, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Spain, and United States of America (USA).
• Ebola is not an airborne virus as was the case with SARs in 2003, Ebola transmission is only through direct contact through body fluids.  This makes the virus significantly more open to containment than the SARs virus.

Fiji Television forced to sell its stake in PNG's EMTV

SUVA (Fiji Broadcasting Corporation / Pacific Media Watch / The Fiji Times): Fiji Television is selling off its Papua New Guinean television station, EMTV, because of a new law which says all media organisations must be majority owned by PNG nationals.
The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation and The Fiji Times newspaper reported that Fiji TV had signed an agreement with Telikom PNG to evaluate the station and put in an offer to buy it.
Fijian Holdings Limited chief executive Nouzab Fareed told the FBC that until now EMTV had been a "cash cow" for Fiji TV but that its market value had been slowly declining, partly because the new law has led to new local TV stations starting up:
"We have signed an exclusive agreement, a memorandum of undertaking with Telikom PNG, which is a government owned authority, to look at a complete due diligence, through which the Telikom PNG will make an offer, for our entire shareholding in Media New Guinea Limited, I agree Media New Guinea Limited is a cash cow for Fiji Television Limited, but cash cows aren't cash cows every day, unless you protect your subsidiary, and if you feel comfortable and I think I don't see much value in that otherwise.
We are happy right now, but it doesn't mean, when the competition comes into the market from November and December, in PNG, the value of our company will be the same, we see the market share has been slowly going down, the advertisers in PNG is reducing their length of their contracts, so we see that competition is coming up, click tv PNG is starting next week, we are aware that DigiTv is coming up, but at the same time, we are fully aware, the legal frame work in PNG."
EMTV was previously owned by Australia's Channel Nine, before being sold to Fijian Holdings Limited (FHL).
Meanwhile, The Fiji Times newspaper reports that Fiji TV is hoping that its licence to broadcast will be renewed when it expires next month.
The TV station is owned by Fijian Holdings Limited which has invested $25 million in Fiji TV.
Fareed said that having to apply for a licence renewal every six months might "create an issue in the long-term planning."
However, he was sure that the government would renew Fiji TV's licence, as the station was operating within the confines of the media decree which was imposed by the previous military regime, and which remains in force.
"From the operations point of view, I'm OK with this. I'm doing my best and doing everything within the Media Decree. We are trying to satisfy the government and we are hopeful that in December they will give us a licence," Fareed told The Fiji Times.

Policemen implicated in ENB crimes to be suspended and removed says Deputy Commissioner Andrews

POLICE MEDIA

Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Operations Jim Andrews said four serving policemen charged for Sexual Touching, Sexual Penetration and Wilful Murder in the East New Britain Province will be suspended from duties forthwith.
The four serving members and one former policeman were all charged for sexual assault and murder, in Kokopo and Kerevat respectively.
The Kokopo Committal court found sufficient evidence against the five men and referred them to stand trial at the National Court.
Andrews said Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki issued instructions for the four serving members to be suspended and served with Serious Disciplinary Offence Reports (SDORs).
"Once the SDORs are served, they will receive Notice of Penalties (NOPs) effecting their termination from the Constabulary," he said.
"As Commissioner Vaki has declared a zero tolerance level on such behaviours by members of the Constabulary, enough is enough. The four policemen will be removed from the Constabulary so they can fight their cases as civilians in the criminal court.
"The Constabulary will not harbour crime suspects. They committed very serious crimes and the law will deal with them."
An investigative team from Port Moresby arrested and charged Reserve Constable Sakius Kilala and Senior Sergeant Hunat Bapun for sexually assaulting a female detainee in early October 2014. It is alleged the woman was sexually abused inside the Kokopo Police lock-up while in detention for causing the death of her husband.
The investigators also arrested and charged a former policeman Andrew Nasala, Reservist Nathan Maita and Constable Robert Gigi over the death of a detainee who was allegedly beaten to death inside the Kerevat Police station.
Andrews commended Officers from Internal Affairs for swiftly investigating the matter and pressing charges on the five suspects.
He warned all members of the Constabulary to respect the rights of citizens who come in conflict with the law.
He said the RPNGC management will continue to show good leadership and governance by punishing members of the Constabulary who break the country's laws.