Port Moresby road works near completion

Friday May 18, 2018

Major road infrastructure works in and around Port Moresby are due for completion before the APEC Leaders’ Summit in November, according to city manager Bernard Kipit.

In fact, three out of six major road projects will be completed well before the end of August.

Ela Beach is the first major project to be completed on schedule, due to be opened to traffic by the end of July.

That will be followed by Stanley Esplanade in town and Independence Drive in Waigani, both due to be opened for traffic by the end of August.

The rehabilitation of the Freeway, Independence Boulevard, Independence Drive and the Wards Road roundabouts will be completed by the end of October.

All projects are consistent with NCDC’s four year plan.

 Kipit said there was no easy way to avoid the traffic congestion caused by the road works.

“In the example of the Freeway, traffic could not be diverted around site, as the surrounding roads were not designed for heavy or oversized vehicles," he said.

"So the Freeway has had to be rehabilitated in sections.

“But I want to assure the public that the end to our traffic woes is just around the corner.

“The cost to NCDC and our people has been minimal as the road projects have been funded by a series of generous non-tied aid grants from China.

“In the case of Ela Beach where we originally had to remove 100 trees to make way for the new-look Ela Beach.

"We are planting over 1,000 trees – which will transform Ela Beach in to a real showcase for Papua New Guinea, especially with APEC Haus as part of the landscape.

“It’s a win for our people and a win for the environment. 

“Motorists have been patient and their patience will be rewarded with Port Moresby connected with world-class roads infrastructure, the likes we have never before seen in our capital city.

“It has been a case of short term pain for long term gain.

“The new roads will facilitate the further growth and development of our city for the benefit of all.

“I wish to reassure motorists and residents that our major road works will soon come to an end, with world class roads as the reward for our patience, planning and perseverance."

Duterte, Papua New Guinea PM to hold talks Wednesday

by Azer Parrocha, pna.gov.ph
May 15, 2018

MANILA -- Papua New Guinea Prime Minsiter Peter O’Neill arrived in Manila on Tuesday afternoon for a three-day visit where he is scheduled to meet President Rodrigo R Duterte for a scheduled bilateral meeting on Wednesday.

Duterte will also be hosting a state banquet in honor of O’Neill on Wednesday night in Malacañan.

O’Neill arrived at 4:11 p.m. at the Villamor Airbase, according to a statement sent to the media by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

He was welcomed by Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

Pasay City Mayor Antonio Calixto, Pasay City Rep Emi Calixto-Rubiano and Navotas City Rep Tobias "Toby" Tiangco also joined Piñol in welcoming O’Neill.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by PNG Minister of Finance James Marape and Christopher Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer of the Papua New Guinea Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Authority.

He will cap off his visit to the country by touring the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija and then proceed to Japan.

Papua New Guinea is this year’s chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Duterte and O’Neill met last year at the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam.

O’Neill was also in Manila during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November 2015. (PNA)

Widnes release Stanton Albert

loverugbyleague.com
May 13, 2018 

Widnes have released Papua New Guinea international Stanton Albert from his contract on compassionate grounds.

Photo courtesy of Richard Long

The 22-year-old joined the Vikings in the off-season from Queensland Cup side PNG Hunters, alongside brother Wellington.

However, Stanton has found chances limited at the Vikings and will return to Papua New Guinea to pursue his career in his home country.

Widnes head coach Denis Betts says it is unfortunate that it didn’t work out for Albert.

He said: “This has been a difficult situation for both Stanton and the club, but ultimately we have had to understand and accept his decision.

“Moving to a new country and settling into a new team can be difficult, and Stanton unfortunately struggled to adjust to moving here in the way that his brother, Wellington, has. Having linked up with the Vikings late into the pre-season, it naturally took Stanton time to get into the condition required for first team action. When we signed Stanton, we also recognised that whilst he had great natural attributes, he also had aspects of his game that required development or adjustment to play competitively in the UK.

“Stanton had been working hard to break into the first team, and we provided focused training and loan appearances at our partners, North Wales Crusaders, to support that progress. Ultimately though, he faced a lot of competition in our forward pack and needed to remain patient to claim his spot in the team. Stanton is someone who wants to play regularly, and this experience has been challenging for him. As a group, we have all tried our best to support his development, make him feel welcome here and support his overall welfare.

“Whilst we believe that Stanton could have been a successful player in the long-term, with ongoing development, we reluctantly agreed to this termination. We hope that this is a positive step for him and wish him all the best for the future.”

And Albert, who was a star for Papua New Guinea at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, says the club will always stay in his heart.

He said: “I have been grateful for the opportunity to join the Vikings, but unfortunately things haven’t worked out as I hoped.

“As a player, it is important to me to feature regularly and I have found my chances limited whilst I adjust to this new environment. I believe that it is the right decision for me to return to my homeland, where I can play regularly.

“This has been a very difficult decision to make, and I am grateful to the coaches and directors for their understanding.

“I would like to thank the players and supporters for the brilliant welcome that they gave me to the club. I wish Widnes Vikings lots of success for the seasons ahead, and look forward to backing Wellington and all the boys as a supporter. Once a Viking, always a Viking.”

Russian warship due to dock in Port Moresby

By PRIMROSE RIORDAN
The Australian
May 14

Russia will dock a warship in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea for the first time in the modern history of both nations, Russian media has announced.

The Russian navy training ship Perekop which will pay a visit to PNG.

Analysts say the move indicates Russia is increasingly interested in the Pacific after the country based 100 personnel in Indonesia’s Papua province and flew two nuclear-capable Tu-95 bombers over the South Pacific on their first training mission there for a few days late last year.
The visit put the RAAF Base Darwin on a “short period” of ­“increased readiness”.
The 7000-tonne Perekop training ship is loaded with 200 cadets and armed with anti-submarine rockets and anti-aircraft guns. It will arrive in Port Moresby on Wednesday and stay until Saturday, Russian state media reported, quoting Russia’s navy spokesman Igor Dygalo.
The ship is on a two-month long mission that began in April and has included stopovers in ­Europe and Sri Lanka. Russia’s ministry of defence said the aim of the mission was to conduct exercises to train cadets in navigation.
Euan Graham, director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute, said there was a question of what the diplomatic motivation was behind the port stop, considering it strayed from usual Russian naval routes.
“I would join it up to the very unusual aircraft deployment that the Russians did in Indonesia on the other side of the island but there is no sort of bristling military weaponry or capability … it’s really just a visiting of the flag.
“So the question is: what is the diplomatic motivation behind this?” he told The Australian.
“The Russians are more interested in the Pacific if you sort of join the dots of what they did in Fiji with the training mission with the Fijian armed forces.”
In 2016, Russia donated a 20-container shipment of weapons and military hardware to Fiji and stationed Russian troops on the islands to train local forces in how to use the equipment.
The Fijian government said the hardware was to arm Fijian peacekeepers on UN missions and the donation was seen as unusual by Pacific Island experts.
“The security orthodoxy in the Pacific Islands region is changing as new external actors play a greater role in the region, and local states engage in ‘new Pacific diplomacy’, placing ­Australia’s and New Zealand’s ­influence in the region at risk,” experts Anna Powles and Jose Sousa-Santos said in a 2016 paper that examined the Russian ­donation.
Dr Graham said Russia was keen to show it was courting countries that the West considered their partners.
“A poke in the eye for the US — that’s the standard cynical ­interpretation for anything they would do down here,” he said.
“It may just be a fairly low-cost way of showing the flag, ­announcing that Russia is still present and operates globally ... is engaged and has an interest in areas that other countries might regard as their backyard.”
He said PNG’s role as host to the APEC summit this year could also be behind the visit.
The French navy’s Jeanne d’Arc mission arrives in Darwin this week, an amphibious exercise involving two French ships along with British marines.
A Defence spokesman said the department was “aware of a planned port visit to Papua New Guinea by the Russian Navy”.

PNG foreign minister confirms visit of Russian naval vessel

Papua New Guinea Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Rimbink Pato has confirmed the visit of a Russian naval vessel this week.
He said in a statement yesterday that the visit by Russian naval cadets was a "pre APEC gesture".
"In a pre-APEC gesture of friendship, the Government of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea will welcome the visit of some 200 young people from the Russian Federation," Pato said.
"At a meeting of APEC officials from a variety of member economies this month, Papua New Guinea arranged to host a crew of cadets learning about naval traditions and practices.
"The cadets are on a training tour through four oceans which includes visits to a range of foreign ports."
Pato said the cadets were scheduled to arrive in Port Moresby on Wednesday,  May 16 and depart on Saturday, May 19.
"While in Papua New Guinea they will learn about local culture and customs," he said.
"The cadets are travelling aboard the Perekop training ship, a 138-metre naval vessel
commissioned more than 40 years ago.
"It carries only basic armaments.
"The visit is the first of a range of visits by APEC members in the lead up to the APEC Leaders' Summit in November.
“We welcome youth from all APEC member economies prior to -- and during -- this great event for our country.
“This is not a formal port visit by the Russian Navy but rather a goodwill visit for young people, arranged at a convenient time with so many able to come to our country at once.
“Naturally, we have informed the Australians, our major security partner and close
neighbour, and advised them of the nature of the visit.
“As is usual with our friends and ally, the Australians welcome our attempts to draw
attention to the forthcoming APEC summit, and they support our efforts to cultivate
friendship and understanding among the youth of APEC nations.”

Mothers’ Day:Papua New Guinea among countries where maternal healthcare remains neglected

by Asma Ghani, tribune.com.pk
May 13, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Mother’s Day was celebrated on May 12 to honour mothers in the region. However, in Pakistan the government has put little effort into creating a healthcare plan for mothers, making the maternal mortality rate high among impoverished communities. The lack of an appropriately implemented health plan also leaves many women in poor health after giving birth.

Representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS

The Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2006-2007 estimated that about 276 women die during pregnancy or after within 42 days due to complications among 100,000 women who give birth in a year. However, the last survey was completely silent about the matter, leaving us with no recent authentic data on maternal deaths in Pakistan.

According to recent UN agency for population (UNFPA) State of the World Population Report 2017, countries such as Bangladesh, Laos, East Timor and Indonesia are seen as being likely to bring their Maternal Mortality Ratios (MMRs) below 70 deaths per 100,000 by the 2030 deadline, in accordance with the UN Sustainable Goals (SDGs). But others like Pakistan join the list of those that would not able to meet this deadline including Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Cambodia and the Philippines.

The PDHS 2012-2013 says that about 73% pregnant women in Pakistan receive prenatal care from a skilled healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, midwife, or lady health visitor), but only 52% of women give birth assisted by a skilled provider. And only 48% mothers deliver babies in health facilities. The situation in rural areas is the worst with only 40% of pregnant women giving birth in any health facility, while in urban areas 68% of women give birth in proper healthcare facilities.

One in four women had no prenatal care at all. Prenatal care varies by region as about 30% of women in Balochistan received prenatal care from a skilled provider compared to 94% in Islamabad.

Pregnant women should take iron tablets for at least 90 days during pregnancy to prevent anemia and other complications. According to a government survey only two in ten women took iron tablets for at least 90 days during their pregnancy.

The health of mothers is frail and there are many social, cultural and policy level reasons for that, said Reproductive Health Expert and Maternal Neonatal and Child Health Consultant Dr Samina Naeem Khalid.

Midwives and lady health visitors are not properly trained to refer expecting mothers to the hospitals at an appropriate time, she said, and mothers who after gathering a budget and transport reach basic and rural health centers do not get proper care due to a lack of facilities. The tertiary care hospitals are overworked even in the federal capital and not able to cater to women coming from far off areas with complications, she added.

Even if mothers survive by luck, their nutritional health is poor, she said, adding, “More than half of the women are anemic and giving birth to malnourished children. Marriage at a young age and frequent pregnancies aggravate the situation”.

The provincial governments establish maternal and child healthcare programmes but do not add enough to the budget to expand and equip health facilities to provide better and skilled maternal care. If we want to improve the health of the nation, we will have to give priority to mothers, she asserted.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2018.

Raiders to auction jerseys for Kato Ottio fund


nrl.com | May 12, 2018

Indigenous round for the Canberra Raiders takes on extra significance as they again reach out to help the family of Kato Ottio.

The late Kato Otto played for the  Raiders.

©Grant Trouville/NRL Photos

Ottio tragically died early this year when he collapsed after a training run while in Papua New Guinea.

Canberra's jerseys will be auctioned off following their clash with the Cronulla Sharks on Sunday, with proceeds going to the Kato Ottio Memorial Fund.

The 23-year-old's death rocked the Raiders family and coach Ricky Stuart said the auction is the latest measure to try and ease the suffering of Ottio's family.

"Knowing the club how I do, it won't be the last time we help the family," Stuart said.

"Kato was a very special member of the Canberra Raiders and I know we will continue to support that family for a long time ahead. That's what makes our club so great."

Stuart said he expects Paul Gallen to play, with the Cronulla Sharks skipper being given every chance to prove he has overcome a knee injury.

Sharks coach Shane Flanagan is likely to have Gallen on a time restriction if he plays in the crucial clash at GIO Stadium on Sunday.

"I know he's going to be here because he's asked me to help his young bloke out being a ball boy," Stuart said.

"I said 'if he wears a Raiders jumper he can do whatever he wants'. If he plays he plays, if he doesn't he doesn't. Gal will know if he's right and we're planning on him playing.

"He's their spiritual leader and they always give us a tough performance at home, so without or without Gal we're waiting for a really tough game."



Canberra will be aiming for their fifth win in six games and a place inside the top eight for the first time this season after losing their first four.

"Every game's important, especially when you see the congestion of the competition table," Stuart said.

"Stringing a few games together really gives you a boost in the position on the table at the moment."

With wins over bottom eight teams Canterbury, Parramatta, North Queensland and Gold Coast Titans, Sunday's duel with the Sharks shapes as one of Canberra's biggest tests of the season.

Stuart is confident in his side and refuses to buy into the notion the Raiders have only beaten teams not in the finals picture.

"I don't care what other people think of our footy team as - it's what we believe in," he said.

"I know what I've got here when we play well. From the outside looking in, I don't care what opinion is out there. It's about what we've got here and when we're on and we all play to our strengths, we're a strong footy team."