Three bodies found in freezer of suspected illegal fishing boat off Papua New Guinea

By PNG correspondent Liam Cochrane

Updated about an hour agoMon 29 Dec 2014, 7:46am



Photo: Illegal fishing is a growing problem in the Pacific. (ABC News, file photo)

 

Three human bodies have been found packed amongst tuna in the freezer of a fishing vessel that ran aground on a remote island of Papua New Guinea.

The suspected illegal fishing vessel was found on December 10 at Paona Island, a 45-minute boat ride from Fead Island, which is 200 kilometres north of Bougainville.
Due to the remote location, authorities had only begun launching an investigation mission to the area.
"Local reports coming from the area are that there are three dead bodies in the ship's fridge with some fish they have caught," said Franklin Lacey, Bougainville disaster coordinator, who is leading the investigation team.
Mr Lacey said the deceased were of Asian appearance and may have been crew members.
The identities of the bodies or the ship had not yet been established.
"The occupants of the boat, when it ran aground, they tried to burn it but it did not get ablaze – it's only the top part of the ship that's been burnt," Mr Lacey said.
Mr Lacey said the freezer containing the corpses was still working.
"We've been giving a warnings to the locals not to get the fish from the fridge, which they normally do with other ships that run aground," he said.
Illegal tuna fishing is common in the area and the crew was believed to have fled to a "mothership", acting as a hub for smaller vessels.
An assessment team was expected to leave Bougainville for the remote island on Monday and hand a report to the country's National Maritime Safety Authority, which will lead the recovery of the bodies and the vessel.
"We'll leave it to the NMSA to do the rest, because they could get the fish and dead people off and bury them somewhere," Mr Lacey said.

New Bougainville time zone takes effect today

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville will move its clocks  forward by one hour on December 28, 2014.

A new time zone, to be known as Bougainville Standard Time, has been adopted by the Bougainville House of Representatives. 

The new time zone is 11 hours ahead of co-ordinated Universal Time, which means Bougainville will be one hour ahead of the rest of Papua New Guinea.

The change will happen at 0200am on December 28, 2014, when all clocks in the Bougainville region will move forward to 0300am. 

From this date onwards, when it is noon in Bougainville, it will be 1100am in the rest of Papua New Guinea. 

All persons travelling to Buka or Kieta  will need to forward their watches by one hour, to align with Bougainville time.

 Similarly when leaving Bougainville and traveLling to the rest of Papua New Guinea, travellers will need to move their watches back by one hour.

Air Niugini is also in the process of updating its booking systems and timetable information to reflect the above, for all flights to/from Buka and Kieta operating from December 28 onwards.

Race for stake in NBPOL most intense plantation deal

Saturday, 27 December 2014

By: HANIM ADNAN

The Star

As of Dec 22, the plantation group has a market capitalisation of RM5.4bil.

 

     

THE most intense cross-border oil palm plantation deal this year has to be the race for a major stake in London Stock Exchange (LSE) listed New Britain Palm Oil Ltd (NBPOL) based in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
NBPOL was coveted by many regional plantation companies given its credentials as a fully integrated palm oil producer with 135,000ha of brownfield assets, 12 mills and one refinery each in PNG and Liverpool as well as the largest sugar cane and beef producer in PNG.
As of Dec 22, the plantation group has a market capitalisation of £997.82mil (RM5.4bil).
Initially, the NBPOL’s stake up for grabs was the 49% stake owned by Malaysia’s Johor Corp plantation investment arm, Kulim (M) Bhd, which saw competitive bidding from seven potential planters, whereby four believed to have been short-listed.
It is also believed that intense bidding war took place between two government-linked companies, Sime Darby Bhd and Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) for Kulim’s stake in NBPOL.
In the end, lady luck favoured Sime Darby as the conglomerate was chosen as the preferred party to negotiate for Kulim’s equity stake in NBPOL in July.
The plantation conglomerate also had a 60-day exclusivity period to decide on the proposed acquisition.
Upon the expiry of the exclusivity period under the exclusivity agreement between Sime Darby and Kulim on Sept 28, Sime Darby made an announcement to Bursa on its decision to abort the NBPOL deal but it did not disclose the details.
This sudden turn of event has sparked market talk that it could paved the way for other suitors including FGV to acquire the NBPOL stake.
On Oct 9, Sime Darby sprung another big surprise to launch a conditional general offer (GO) to acquire all shares in NBPOL at £7.15 per share or £1.07bil in cash.
The GO will be subject to Sime Darby receiving a minimum acceptance of 51% of the NBPOL shares, an assurance that the offer will not be contrary to PNG’s national interest, and meeting the regulatory requirements by the LSE, the Port Moresby Stock Exchange, the PNG government and Bursa Malaysia.
The latest development is that Sime Darby has extended the offer period for the takeover of NBPOL from Dec 18, 2014 to Jan 20, 2015.
NBPOL’s shareholders owning 58.7% of the shares, including Kulim, have accepted Sime Darby’s offer.
Sime Darby expects the exercise to raise about RM2.75bil. The privatisation of NBPOL will also see the PNG plantation group delisted from the UK bourse.
Meanwhile, Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV)is also a no stranger to mega plantation deals particularly in the past two years. FGV upped the ante this year by setting its sight on Asian Plantations Ltd (APL) listed on the LSE’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and also, NBPOL.
FGV, however, failed in its bid to acquire NBPOL after an intense bidding process.
Undeterred, FGV reverted to its earlier plan by launching an offer to buy APL for £2.20 (RM11.50) per share, or RM628mil in total, in late August.
The offer became unconditional on Oct 13 after FGV secured valid acceptances of 93.9% APL’s issued shares.
On Nov 11, FGV went on to delist APL from LSE’s AIM market after the plantation group completed its purchase of APL shares.
Hence, with the delisting of APL on AIM, FGV will be working towards integrating APL into its wholly owned subsidiary, according to FGV group president and CEO Datuk Mohd Emir Mavani Abdullah.
APL owns 24,622ha of oil palm plantations through its five wholly-owned estates in Miri and Bintulu, Sarawak.

Four women, 13 children at risk of murder in PNG after being accused of witchcraft, missionary says

ABC

Updated Fri 26 Dec 2014, 10:45pm



 

A group of four women, along with their 13 children and grandchildren, are at risk of being murdered in Papua New Guinea after being accused of witchcraft, a missionary says.

Anton Lutz, a Lutheran missionary in PNG's Highlands, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat that while details are still coming in, the church, government and NGOs are trying to see if they can help.


Photo: People stand by while fire burns on a pile of rubbish in Mount Hagen, near where a woman accused of witchcraft was reportedly killed in 2013. (AFP/Post-Courier, file photo)      

He said a "witch-hunter" pointed them out when villagers were investigating a measles outbreak which has killed several people.
"A witch-hunter, as it were, travelled from a village called Wanakipa ... to the place where these women were and to identify them," he explained.
He said their lives are in serious danger.
"This is happening in the Hewa language [group], which extends between the northern part of Hela province and the western part of Enga province," Reverend Lutz said.
"It's a very large group and they are well known for murdering women."

'Over 20 accused witches killed in recent years'

Reverend Lutz said he knew of at least 25 women who were killed over the past 10 years after being accused of sorcery in the western part of the Hewa language group, with no arrests being made.
He said it is difficult to get the authorities to help, because the community is only accessible by one airstrip and reports have only just emerged about the imminent killings.
"It's an extremely remote part of this country," he said.
"We're still trying to notify the authorities and we're waiting for calls back from the police right now."
But the missionary said accusations of sorcery and retaliatory violence against women are not unique to remote, undeveloped areas in PNG.
He pointed to last year's killing in Papua New Guinea's third-largest city, Mount Hagen, where Kepari Leniata, 20, was burnt alive after being accused of sorcery.
The young woman was from an area believed by many in PNG to be hotbed of witchcraft.
"And she had run away from her village because she had been accused of this witchcraft thing and she escaped here," he said.
"But she was actually murdered [in Mount Hagen] based on accusations from [her hometown], which is where this story is unfolding.
"So it's a very real risk that sort of extends right through the highlands.

Accusations becoming more widespread

Reverend Lutz said the accusations of sorcery are becoming more widespread.
"For instance, I live in the Enga province, in the eastern part of it, and there are no traditional beliefs about this kind of witchcraft," he said.
"But, because of the movement of people ... those who have never believed in these kinds of things before are now hearing these stories and believing in them."
Last year, a conference on sorcery in Melanesia heard the belief in the power of others to cause harm using supernatural powers is deeply ingrained in the region.
"We consider it a very troubling phenomenon that really goes to the heart of the international human rights framework as a human right violation against women's right to life," said Nancy Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights regional representative.
"A right not to be tortured and also to lead a life without violence.
"These are issues that we are aware of exist in many countries, but her feel that it is inadmissible that by virtue of cultural practices, women's right to life is being violated."

Cue completes sale of assets in PNG to National Petroleum Co. for $7m

By  Cue Energy Resources Ltd.

Press Release

|Friday, December 26, 2014

 

Cue Energy Resources Limited (CUE and the Company) announced  the sale of its interests in Papua New Guinea to the National Petroleum Company of PNG for $7 million. CUE received $7 million in cash via the sale of 100% of the shares in CUE’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Cue PNG Oil Company Pty Ltd, effective Nov 20, with the sale proceeds substantially exceeding the book value of the assets. The sale follows a strategic review of the company’s PNG assets and immediately allows CUE to realize value from its share of the declining reserves and contingent gas resources and releases CUE from a potential substantial well commitment of up to $10 million, delivering a material saving over the short to medium term. The sale aligns with the company’s strategy of operating in lower cost areas with near term development options and enables CUE to re-allocate capital to other opportunities more closely aligned with its strategy, including the recently increased 100% participating interest in the Mahakam Hilir PSC and farm-in to the highly prospective Mahato PSC, both located in Indonesia. Commenting on the transaction, CUE CEO David Biggs said, “The sale of our interests in PNG, together with the recent announcements of our increased participating interest in Mahakam Hilir PSC and farm-in to Mahato PSC demonstrates CUE’s focus on delivering its strategy of effective capital allocation to core areas in support of CUE’s future growth.” “We are very excited about our increased position in Indonesia and the proceeds from the sale of the PNG assets allows CUE to add value for shareholders in a more meaningful and immediate way.” Biggs sai The asset interests sold by the subsidiary are: PDL 3 - 5.568892 percent SE Gobe Unit - 3.285646 percent PRL 9 - 14.894 percent PRL 14 - 10.94 percent

- See more at: http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/136517/Cue_Completes_Sale_of_Assets_in_PNG_to_National_Petroleum_Co_for_7M#sthash.GKi9goP1.dpuf
 

Papua New Guinea among must-visit destinations in 2015

Source: Vietnamplus

Papua New Guinea ranked fifth on the list of five must-visit destinations in the world next year, according to the travel online agency Destinia.com.
Dubai, the most populous city　in the United Arab Emirates, is at the top of the list, followed by Namibia,  Burma, Vietnam, and PNG.  
The travel site said that Vietnam will celebrate National Tourism Year 2015 under the theme "Connecting world heritage" in the central province of Thanh Hoa, to celebrate the cultural legacy of the country.
All the provinces and cities with UNESCO recognised world heritage sites and practices will host various artistic and cultural performances and events during the year.
At present, Vietnam is home to 22 world heritages recognised by the UNESCO, including two natural heritages, five cultural heritages, nine intangible cultural heritages, four documentary heritages, one geological heritage, and one mixed heritage.

Focusing on reading in Papua New Guinea

Improving how reading is taught and learned

December 23, 2014

by Jeff Ramin 

Global Partnership for Education

                

Papua New Guinea is making great strides in improving how students are being taught to read.

This is good success considering that in 2011 literacy rates among primary and secondary students in five of Papua New Guinea’s 22 provinces were below 20% (ASPBAE Australia).

 

Two girls sitting at a desk in Papua New Guinea.Picture: Jeff Ramin

The Pacific Island nation of 7.3 million people joined the GPE in 2010, with an ambitious Universal Basic Education Plan designed to ensure that “all children of school age must enroll in school, complete nine years of basic education and should have learnt skills, knowledge, and values covered in the basic education curriculum”.
The plan aims to improve access and the quality of education as well as enhance management of basic education, retention, and equity.
 The Global Partnership for Education supported Papua New Guinea with a $19.2 million grant to implement this plan.

Reading is a fundamental skill to promote learning

The 2011 PNG Read program, funded by the GPE grant and implemented by the Papua New Guinea Department of Education with the support of the World Bank, is an innovative program founded on the principle that reading is the fundamental skill all children must acquire to promote learning.
The program promotes better teaching and learning of reading skills in elementary and primary education.
In Papa New Guinea, elementary level means preschool and the first two years of primary school, and elementary level includes grades 3 to 8.
The program consists of three basic interventions:

• Classroom libraries and related support for grades 3 to 8;
• Learning kits and materials for elementary grades, also to teach reading;
• Introducing a reading assessment tool to enable teachers to measure student progress

Many challenges to address….

As a result classroom libraries of 60 books are being established all grade 3 to 8 classes across the country.
 Considering that PNG is as large as the United Kingdom with much of it not accessible by  road, delivering books to every school in the country represents a major logistical challenge that is still underway. 
Selecting and procuring more than one million books was another challenge, as well as preparing teacher’s manuals and training DVDs to promote the use of these books via activities such as silent reading, paired reading, story time, and improved methods to teach reading.
Preparing, selecting and distributing the learning materials for younger children, much of it in vernacular languages as more than 800 languages are spoken in PNG, was yet another challenge we are addressing.
And finally, adapting and testing the reading assessment tools known as Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) in four of Papa New Guinea’s 22 provinces is underway and is meant to give teachers and education departments officials practical tools to measure progress of the reading-related initiatives, including the ability to identify and address problems quickly.

…and successes to report

During a recent visit to Papua New Guinea I was able to see the progress of the PNG Read program. Reading scores in Madang province for both boys and girls have improved, interventions in the Western Highlands province are on track, and books for the classroom libraries are being distributed. In addition, teachers are being trained to use the materials to promote reading and improve reading scores.
In the capital Port Moresby I visited two local schools and observed that teacher training to promote reading has been quite effective.
Teachers are integrating the classroom libraries and reading sessions into their classroom schedules. Techniques such as having a reading buddy are being used to pair stronger readers with less-proficient readers to help those struggling to become more confident and willing to participate in the reading activities.
The PNG Read team is also working on the development of a new “Standards Based Curriculum”, which highlights the importance of data collection to inform curriculum planning.
This will strengthen evidence-based decision making going forward and the establishment of a strong and sustainable system.

Jeff Ramin is the GPE Country Lead for Papua New Guinea, Bhutan, Haiti, Maldives, Mongolia, Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Yemen.