Port Moresby: The City of Buai Stains

By REUBEN AOPI
Citizen Journalist

Port Moresby is gearing up to host its biggest international event - the APEC Leaders' Summit 2018.

Betelnut spit and rubbish is a feature of Port Mores by.-Picture by REUBEN AOPI

It expects both Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US president Donald Trump to be among the thousands of delegates.
The filth that buai (betelnut) is causing will be a visible sight our visitors will not miss. Irresponsible citizens,  high on the drug,  continue to spit and dispose of the husk in a manner in which only people without a brain would operate.
Betelnut stains can be seen on footpaths, walls of shopping centres, car parks, roads and on the very own teeth of chewers themselves.
With the rising prices of food and commodities in the country, it is not unusual for local folks to chew betelnut during the day to curtail hunger and then eat one big dinner meal at home to save money. 
Aside from controlling hunger, local folks also feel a sense of euphoria throughout the day after they chew. 
In addition, most folks will say that betelnut is PNG’s version of coffee in the morning- an instant eye-opener to start the work day.  Some chew one betel nut at a time intermittently throughout the day, while some chew more than one at a time. 
On average, locals will chew between eight to 10 betel nuts in one day.
Papua New Guineans rely on the sale of betelnut for their livelihoods.
A native cash crop, betel nut is referred to as "green gold".
It is completely untaxed.
Markets often have an area dedicated solely to betel nut vendors.
Prices for one betel nut and mustard stick vary between 50t to K1 dependent upon the location, season and recent growing conditions.
The habit, which is virtually a national pastime, involves chewing the small palm tree nut, which is mixed with lime powder and mustard, before spitting out red-tinged spittle to the floor.
The mixture produces a mild stimulant likened to the rush from cigarettes.
The streets of the capital, Port Moresby, are littered with the red spills and husks.
The spitting of pathogenic saliva increases the spread of disease.
In a country with one of the highest infection rates of tuberculosis in the world, this habit poses huge contamination risks.

About the author

Reuben Aopi was born in Daru Island on Oct 8,  1988.

His father Pala Aopi was a painter, and his mother Sibaio was a retired nurse.

Both have gone to be with our Lord.

China, Papua New Guinea co-build agricultural industrial park

by Hu Pingchao, app.silkroad.news.cn
May 31, 2018

BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- China Railway International Group (CRIG) has recently signed an agreement with Papua New Guinea (PNG)’s authorities about the land-use right transfer to support construction of an agricultural industrial park under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Photo: A valley in Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea

Under the agreement, the Chinese company will own the use right of the lands in the Eastern Highlands Province and the Western Highlands Province in PNG for 99 years. The lands cover an area of more than 6,000 mu (15 mu equal one hectare).

The lands are located in the core area of the China-PNG agriculture industrial park under the Belt and Road Initiative, co-built by China Railway Group (CRG), parent company of CRIG, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, and provinces of PNG.

World Environment Day 2018: Governor Parkop and NCDC call for action

NCDC

Preparations for the upcoming World Environment Day on June 5 are underway by the National Capital District Commissions and the office of NCD Governor.
NCD Governor Powes Parkop has called on city residents to come out of their comfort zones this Saturday to clean the city as part of a commitment to World Environment Day and the city of Port Moresby.
As part of this commitment, the employees of NCDC will be doing a major clean up from Boroko to Gordons on Saturday.
NCDC is committed to transforming Port Moresby to a more liveable, peaceful, and healthy environment as part of a global movement to protect the earth’s natural environments.
Governor Parkop also made a call to the National Government to declare June 5 a National Day of Action to Protect the Environment – making it a public holiday where people can do public clean-ups, beautify the environment and plant trees.
This year World Environment Day falls on June 5 which is next Tuesday, so NCDC has opted to celebrate the day early with Saturday’s cleanathon from Boroko to Gordons. 
This is also part of NCDC’s strong commitment to the environment.
Earlier this month, NCDC committed K150,000 to support the government’s ban on plastic bags and other plastic products through the Ministry of Environment and Conservation under its cleaner city campaign.
With the theme for this year’s World Environment Day being ‘Beating Plastic Pollution’ it is a clear statement on how committed NCDC is towards protecting and saving our environment.
City Manager Bernard Kipit said NCDC is right behind the concept and is excited to be doing the major cleanathon this Saturday to mark the special day.
“We have to keep reminding ourselves as city residents to do all we can in keeping our city clean, healthy and safe and beautiful,’ Kipit said.
Governor Parkop appealed to city residents to join him and NCDC by cleaning their suburbs, villages and settlements - to make them clean and beautiful places to live; and to show our commitment to protect our natural God-given environment.
This Sunday’s Walk for Life will also be themed to promote World Environment Day.
Walk for Life commences each week at 5.30am at Murray Barracks and all Port Moresby residents and visitors are invited to attend, it is a great way to promote a healthy lifestyle at the same time supporting an important cause.
An open invitation has been extended to staff and the Board of National Forestry Authority, CEPA, Department of Mining and Energy to also join the cleanathon on June 2 and Walk For Life on June 3 - as these are State agencies who can multiply NCDC’s efforts to protect our national environment.
Other Government Departments and agencies, private sector, churches, NGOs and all other stakeholders are also invited to join NCDC in the noble cause of protecting and saving our natural environment.

NEC appoints heads of missions to China and India

Prime Ministers Office
May 30, 2018
 
The National Executive Council has endorsed the appointments of Papua New Guinea’s heads of missions to China and India respectively.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the two new heads of
Missions are retired judge, Don Sawong,  as PNG’s new ambassador to China and Secretary to the Department of Communication and Information, Paulias Korni,  as high commissioner to India.
“NEC has endorsed the appointment of Mr Sawong and Mr Korni as the new PNG heads of mission to the Republic of China and India respectively.
“Therefore, NEC has further advised the Head of State to appoint Mr Sawong as the ambassador to the People’s Republic of China for a period of four years effective on and from the date of the publication of the instrument in the National Gazette.
“Cabinet has also appointed Mr Korni as the high commissioner to India for a period of four years effective on and from the date of.publication of the instrument in the National Gazette.
“The Acting Secretary for the Department of Personnel Management has been directed to prepare the contracts of employment for the two new heads of mission in consultation with the Secretary for the Department
of Foreign Affairs for execution by the Head of State."
O'Neill said NEC had also directed the Minister for Public Service to facilitate an acting appointment of the Secretary for the Department of Communication and Information in consultation with the Minister for Communication Information Technology and Energy.
“In the same NEC decision,  the First Legislative Counsel has been directed to prepare the instruments of appointment for execution by the Head of State and the Chairman of the NEC respectively and for
gazettal,” O'Neill said.

Thailand, Papua New Guinea strike deal on fisheries cooperation

news.thaivisa.com | May 30, 2018

BANGKOK, 30th May 2018 (NNT) – Thailand’s Department of Fisheries has forged cooperation with Papua New Guinea on fisheries development, with workshops and research projects to be undertaken jointly.

Director-General of the Fisheries Department Adisorn Promthep was joined by Mr John Edward Kasu, Managing Director of the National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea, during a ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding on fisheries cooperation between the two agencies.

Under the agreement, a joint working group will be set up to develop both countries’ management of fisheries in line with their governments’ fisheries reform policies. There will be exchanges of fisheries knowledge through joint training activities and research, which will be aimed at enhancing the capabilities of related officials, aquaculturists and fishermen.

Mr Adisorn underscored the significance of this cooperation between Thailand and Papua New Guinea, saying it will help ensure that marine animals imported from the latter have been caught in compliance with standard procedures and laws and that no smuggling is involved.

Moreover, the MOU could mean that Thai operators will have a chance to resume fishing activities in Papua New Guinean waters after the country stopped giving out licenses due to the need to overhaul its fisheries management.

Cabinet appoints State negotiating team for new gas project development

Prime Minister's Office
May 30, 2018

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says the National Executive Council has endorsed the setting up of the State negotiating team (SNT), which will lead project development deliberations with the new natural gas field development proposers this year.

O’Neill said the team would closely look at the
development of three gas fields currently under development in the country.

“This follows Cabinet’s approval of the Papua New Guinea Natural Gas Policy White Paper that is intended to set in place specific policies to maximise benefits to the country by adding value to PNG’s domestic economy" he said.

“The State negotiating team  will be led by the Chief Secretary to Government, Isaac Lupari with the managing-director of Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd as the deputy team leader.

“The other members of the team are the decretaries for the departments of Treasury and Petroleum, the managing-director of Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC), the director for the Gas Projects Coordination Office and the State-Solicitor for legal advice and clearance of gas agreements.

“The three natural gas fields namely, Pasca A, P’nyang and Elk/Antelope are approaching project development

"Two (Pasca A and P’nyang) are in application for petroleum development license (APDL) while one Elke/Antelope) is fulfilling its petroleum retention license (PRL) conditions in preparation to move onto making an APDL.

“The State negotiating team will prepare and enter into negotiations with each of the project development proposers and establish a gas sgreement for each of the project."

O'Neill also announced the terms of reference for the State negotiating team as well as an advisory board and a rechnical working group.

“The advisory body will comprise of State agency heads and will also be supported by experts in various petroleum development fields," he said.

"The advisory body will also be further supported by a technical working group.”

"The Government’s Gas Project Coordination office  will providet he Secretariat role to the State negotiating team and to the sdvisory body as well."

The SNT will be reporting directly to the Ministerial Gas Committee (MGC) which will be made of:

• Minister for Petroleum;
• Treasurer;
• Minister for National Planning and Monitoring;
• Minister for Finance;
• Minister for Information Communication and Energy;
• Minister for State Enterprises and Investment;
• Attorney General;
• Minister for Health and HIV;
• Governor for Gulf; and
• Minister for Environment and Conservation.

The Minister for Petroleum shall be the chairman of the MGC.

“It is important that the State has the best team available to negotiate the best terms possible for our country and the best ministerial team to provide guidance and leadership to realise our national development aspirations" O'Neill said.

“With the policies in place to provide a comprehensive framework to direct the development and growth of the natural gas industry, comes the added responsibility to ensure optimal benefit to the country and its future generation.”

O'Neill said the recent PNG LNG development had made PNG a key natural gas producer in the Asia Pacific region and these three gas developments would add value to PNG’s economy and further boost its reputation as a
world-class LNG producer.

“As we prepare to host the APEC leaders' meeting in November 2018, Papua New Guinea needs to showcase the next lot of world-class developments to LNG customers from within the APEC economies and
secure potential buyers," O'Neill said.

“The Government is committed to concluding negotiations with the developers and I wish to encourage the developers to working closely with the State negotiating team  so the three natural gas projects can be developed to bring benefit to the developers, financiers, land owners and the country as a whole.

“I have every confidence in the State negotiating team which is made up of senior and well experienced public servants to deliver the project that will add value to the economy and the country."

2017 PNG LNG Environmental and Social Report released

ExxonMobil

• K44.8 million invested into education, health, community infrastructure and environmental projects in 2017
• 2.3 billion kina spent on local services and landowner companies

Port Moresby: The 2017 annual PNG LNG Environmental and Social Report has been released, outlining production and Project activities from January 1 to December 31,  2017.
Operations continued to safely perform at exceptional levels of reliability with facilities operating at 20 percent above the original design capacity in 2017.
Safety continued to be paramount with over 10 million work hours carried out at the LNG Plant without a Lost Time Incident since the start of production.
The annual report highlights the development of ExxonMobil PNG Limited’s Papua New Guinean workforce, with 80,200 training hours delivered through 2,154 courses.
The report further outlines the partnerships, and environment and community initiatives formed throughout the year.
ExxonMobil PNG Ltd managing-director Andrew Barry attributes the strong results achieved to the collective support and hard work of the ExxonMobil PNG workforce, co-venturers, suppliers, communities, landowners and the PNG Government.
“Our team continues to deliver industry-leading production reliability while building the capacity of Papua New Guinea through programmes and partnerships that focus on education, health, community infrastructure and the environment,” Barry said.
“We have supported the local community with new infrastructure, invested in local businesses and more recently have committed to the long-term recovery of communities impacted by the severe earthquake which occurred in the Highlands region on 26 February 2018.”
“The performance and achievements accomplished throughout 2017 are a testament to the commitment and teamwork of staff across our operating facilities.
"We continue to see this same commitment carried through to 2018.”
In 2017, more than K44 million was spent on community investment programmes while K2.3 billion was spent on Papua New Guinean services and landowner companies for production-related activities.
Community investment activities ranged from classroom and health centre infrastructure upgrades to livelihoods improvement projects and conservation scholarships.
The first royalty payments of over K15 million were also paid by the Government to 90 landowner clan accounts in the LNG Plant site area as part of the Umbrella Sharing Agreement between the State and landowners.
The 2017 Environmental and Social Report provides a progress update on PNG LNG’s social and environmental performance and is available on the PNG LNG website at www.pnglng.com