The year of living dangerously in Apec City, Port Moresby

by MALUM NALU

 I had a 9.30am meeting on Saturday Oct 13 2018 at Islander Village.

I call my faithful City Loop cabbie Albert Wangua (video below) to pick me up.

Near the Islander Village, I get a text saying 10am, so I get off at the service station, walk into the  Bank South Pacific ATM, withdraw K100, and walk into the fried chicken outlet.

Albert, who is parked outside BSP,  suddenly runs in, warning me to take care, as he'd seen some dangerous characters watching my every movement.

As I cross the road, unaware, this gang is following me.

Albert, now with another passenger, speeds towards Hohola, makes a u-turn, and shouts at me to jump on.

He points out the gang following me.

We go drop off the passenger at Boroko and Albert drives me back to Islander Village.

We pass the men who would have robbed me, perhaps killed me, waiting for another unsuspecting prey.

Albert, a committed Christian, says this is Divine Intervention.

That's a snapshot of living in Apec City.

Times are hard.

People are desperate.

Apec City is a very dangerous place to live and work in.

PS: Albert is the hero and a credit to City Loop. It pays to have a trusted cabbie, who in my case, may have saved my life.

Australia gives another A$6 million for polio in PNG

By Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Foreign Affairs
 Australia 

 The Australian Government will provide a further $6 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to support the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to respond to the current polio outbreak.

In June 2018, the PNG Government declared a national public health emergency in response to confirmed cases of polio virus.

The PNG Government, along with key partners including GPEI, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have developed an outbreak response plan that includes mass vaccination rounds.

Australia’s contribution to GPEI will support the delivery of PNG’s polio response plan.

PNG is our closest neighbor, and a strong response is needed to protect both PNG’s and Australia’s health security.

Routine immunisation remains the most effective prevention for highly infectious diseases including polio.

The Australian Government is committed to the vital work of global polio eradication and has contributed $104 million to support the work of GPEI since 2011.

Australian support for sexual and reproductive health in communities across PNG

Australian High Commission

Health clinics run by faith-based organisations across Papua New Guinea are integrating services, facilities and resources to better serve the primary health care needs of communities.

A blood sample is taken from a young woman at Anglicare’s Begabari Clinic

In partnership with the National Department of Health, Australia is supporting Catholic Church Health Services (CCHS) and Anglicare to widen the health services offered at standalone sexual and reproductive health clinics across 18 provinces.

Sr Julie Bamban stands in front of antiretroviral medication at the CCHS-run St Joseph Freinademetz clinic in Port Moresby

This is a true partnership, with Australia funding staff salaries and operations of facilities, PNG Government paying for medicines, and the Catholic Church Health Services providing facilities.

Graham Apian is the project manager at CCHS who is overseeing the integration process at the organisation’s 22 health clinics across Papua New Guinea.

Community Health Worker, Johnson Tipora, consults a patient at Anglicare’s Begabari Clinic

“Integration involves combining HIV clinics with primary health care clinics, so that people just visit one place, and no longer need to visit separate clinics for health care.

For example, a pregnant woman with HIV should only need to go to one clinic, not two, for her needs,” said Apian.

The Begabari Clinic in Port Moresby is one of two health facilities run by Anglicare that is expanding its focus to provide a broader suite of services.

The busy clinic serves the National Capital District and neighbouring Central Province, and treats around 1100 people living with HIV, with over 200 new patients each year.

While the clinic will continue to offer HIV and STI testing and treatment, it will also offer a range of other health services, such as antenatal care, child immunisation, family planning, and tuberculosis and malaria testing.

Sr Josepha Tametalong is the clinical specialist at Begabari and is pleased the clinic will be providing integrated health care.

“Mothers and children especially, and the general population, will now have a government recognised and accredited primary health care service, as this clinic will be upgraded to a Grade 3 clinic,” said Sr Josepha.

Many church and non-governmental organisations set-up sexual and reproductive health clinics in Papua New Guinea in response to the country’s HIV and AIDS crisis.

The Director of Anglicare PNG, Heni Meke, says it is time these specialist clinics provided a more integrated service to patients.

“Our clinics and health centres want to offer a ‘one stop shop’ service,” said Meke.

“These clinics are on the frontline of community health needs, where nurses and community health workers assess patients before they are referred to larger health facilities and hospitals.”

Integrating health services is expected to be more convenient for communities, and also provide improved health care and value-for-money for Provincial Health Authorities and the National Department of Health.

Anglicare’s Begabari clinic in Port Moresby and Newtown clinic in Mt Hagen are both currently being assessed to become government-accredited primary health care providers.

“We are looking forward to meeting government regulations, as this is very important to get proper access to other government services and sustainable funding,” explained Meke from Anglicare.

“We also need our own facility code so that we can be able to get our medical supplies from the national area medical store.”

In addition to providing more holistic services to patients, integration will also provide more comprehensive health data to the government in order to better target services to community needs.

“Previously we only fed HIV/AIDS and other STI statistics to the National Health Information System, but with the integration of other services, we are able to send health data on other diseases and infections that our nurses and community health workers attend to,” said Meke.

In preparation for the delivery of integrated primary health care, organisations have begun training clinic health workers.

Mentor training is being rolled out to build up a cadre of Papua New Guinean health workers who can not only deliver high quality services, but also mentor colleagues to improve their STI, HIV and sexual and reproductive health skills.

Sr Julie Bamban is a senior nurse at the CCHS-run St Joseph Freinademetz clinic in Port Moresby and participated in mentor training in 2017.

The training covered integrated health clinic processes and procedures, and how to monitor the progress of health professionals delivering integrated health care.

“It may take a bit more time for those processes and procedures to reach the clinics here in PNG, but realising that such innovations exist is a motivation,” said Sr Julie.

“The training really helped me understand in detail why I continue to do what I am doing.”

Since the training, Sr Julie has been holding mentoring sessions once a week with other nurses at the St Joseph Freinademetz clinic.

“I think there is a lot of progress for me as an individual and I am happy my other colleagues are grateful and adhering to the support I am offering.”

Future lawyers receive training in commercial law

Australian High Commission

Access to commercial law expertise in Papua New Guinea is set to improve after close to 80 aspiring lawyers received training in modern commercial litigation practise from a team of judges and lawyers recently.

Trainee lawyer Sharon Peri makes a point of law during a discussion at the Commercial Litigation and Advocacy Workshop at the LTI

Seventy-eight students, including 34 women, from the Legal Training Institute (LTI) were given instruction in key areas of commercial law during the four-day workshop, including how to apply for court injunctions and how to prepare for trial and mediate on commercial law cases.


The workshop was developed and led by a team of 11 judges and lawyers from the Queensland Bar Association in consultation with LTI staff.


This is the sixth workshop of its kind after its initiation by Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia and Justice Logan in 2013, to help meet PNG’s rapidly growing need for skilled commercial lawyers.


Speaking at the workshop’s closing, the Chief Justice encouraged the students to consider practising commercial law, and praised Justice Logan and the Queensland Bar team for volunteering their time and expertise.


Similar sentiments were shared by Queen's Counsel, Mal Varitimos who said he saw “great potential” in those attending the workshop, and urged them to seize the opportunity to “make a positive contribution to the administration of justice, the rule of law and the people of Papua New Guinea”.

He said about 600 PNG law students had received instruction in commercial law advocacy since the workshop’s inception five years ago– more than half the number of lawyers currently certified for practise in PNG.

Representing the Australian High Commission, Law and Justice Counsellor, Gina Wilson said it was particularly pleasing that an increasing number of women were embarking on a career in law.


Sharon Peri was one of the students who successfully completed the course, and found the practical nature of the sessions to be very useful, complementing other training she received at the LTI.

The workshop was supported by the Australian Government through the Justice Services and Stability for Development Program.

There is hope of reviving Garaina tea

Commentary by SAMPSON BONAI

LIFE used to be good for many school children in remote Garaina, Bulolo,Morobe.

They attended school, wore good clothes and ate decent meals every day.

The children living with their parents, spend time with their peers,  playing, splashing in the river or hunting for birds in the surrounding bushland.

Life was was for them when their parents and many other local people earned a decent income working for Garaina Tea Plantation and Factory.

Garaina Tea Factory now standing idle and covered in tall kunai grass at Garaina station.~Pictures by SAMPSON BONAI

However,  all this came to an abrupt end, when the plantation and factory closed suddenly.

Their parents were told that their employment would cease with immediate effect.

The factory could no longer produce any more tea as there was no money to offset the overhead production costs.

Garaina Tea Plantation is now covered in thick bushes

The future of the innocent children and their parents turned bleak.

The local people returned back to their villages.

They resorted to subsistent farming to sustain their lives.

Children walked long distance to attend school everyday.

The forced closure of the tea factory  brought misery upon their lives.

Millions of kina been allocated by Morobe Provincial Government every year for  operations of the factory disappeared into thin air due to mismanagement over the years

Garaina Tea, which had gained international popularity as one of best organic teas, now stands idle.

What had happened is now history.

The tea plantation and factory needs to be revived with funding to get it off the ground and into production once again

A separate company has to be incorporated as a business arm of Morobe Provincial Government to manage operations of the tea plantation and factory.

The introduction of cocoa into the valley and the revival of Garaina tea will greatly boost the economy of Garaina.

It  can become and agriculture hub of Bulolo, Morobe and Papua New Guinea.

Add tourism and Garaina is onto a winner.

Trainer: Security guards must be properly trained

By SAMPSON BONAI

SECURITY companies in the company have been urged to properly train their guards.

Aviset Security and Training Solutions trainer Max Ananuka, who trained six Mainland Holdings'  security guards on the basic use of batons last week, said many security firms were operating illegally without providing proper training to their static guards.

Aviset Security and Training Solutions' trainer Max Ananuka (right) demonstrating basic drill on how to fend off knife attacker using bare hands at the Mainland Holdings Graham Goudie Training Centre at 6 Mile in Lae last Thursday.~Pictures by SAMPSON BONAI

"The security firms should comply with the National Security Authority by-laws to provide basic baton and weapons training to their guards to use while providing security services to their respective clients," he said.

"Many security firms are operating illegally around the country.

"They have not met the standard set by the National Security Authority to provide baton and weapon training to their guards."

Ananuka commended Mainland Holdings for complying with the National Security Authority regulations by engaging a locally-owned registered security training solution company to train their guards in the past three months.

He who was a former police special services division trainer for 15 years and holds a level 4 training certificate.

Ananuka said he had conducted two trainings already on the use of baton and access control.

Aviset Security and Training Solutions trainer Max Ananuka (right) demonstrating  how to use a baton to defend himself from an attacker at Mainland Holdings' Graham Goudie Training Centre at 6-Mile in Lae last Thursday.

This is the third batch of guards to undertake basic baton training.

"I thank the company for realising the importance of providing training to its security guards on the use of batons at their workplace," Ananuka said.

"We are looking forward to continue to provide training to upskill the guards to enable them to perform their duties more professionally."

The one-day baton training was witnessed by Mainland Holdings' security supervisor William Wareka.

Mainland Holdings security manager Jacco Haasbrolk congratulated the guards for undertaking the baton training.

Six Mainland Holdings security guards with Avisat Security and Training Solutions specialised trainer Max Ananuka (centre) after the completion of basic baton training at Mainland Holdings' Graham Goudie Training Centre at 6-Mile in Lae last Thursday.

He thanked Aviset Training and Training Solutions for providing the training.

He said the security guards wuldnow be using batons as their weapons at their workplaces.

"We will continue to send more of our guards to attend similar training as we increase the number of our security guards,"Haasbrolk said.

Aviset Security and Training Solutions managing-director Willie Gumaim thanked Mainland Holdings for engaging his company trainer Ananuka train the guards on the basic use of batons.

"It is very important as the company has to comply with the National Securities Authority regulations to properly train their guards on the use of batons to empower them to perform their duties more effectively,"he said.

"I would like to see more security companies operating in Lae use our training company to facilitate their training on the use of batons, as it is the legal weapon for security companies.

"We are the only registered and recognised company in this country who are specialised in conducting such training programme

"We also provide training on the use of firearms to ensure the specialised guards providing escorts have permits for using it.

"The baton is part of the uniform of security guards.

"They should be trained on how to use the baton while executing their duties as it is allowed under the laws of this country.

"Our training company is fully registered with Investment Promotion Authority and National Securities Authority to provide various types of security training from the use of batons and firearms.

"We have highly-skilled, trained and certified former police and defence force officers who have attended various trainings in PNG and Australia and are qualified to provide security training to the various companies in PNG."

The retired police chief inspector and former contingent commander of Bougainville operations and Sandline Crisis operations commander, added that the regulating security body should carry out checks on all the security firms in PNG.

This is to ensure they have fully complied with the amnesty period which ended in February to provide proper training to all their guards.

The revival of Garaina

By SAMPSON BONAI

We arrived at remote Garaina on Independence Day 2018.

The closed down Garaina Tea Plantation now standing idle in thick kunai grass with no sign of life.~Pictures by SAMPSON BONAI

People  greeted us when we disembarked from chartered North Coast Aviation Britten Norman Islander aircraft and walked over to the airstrip hangar at Garaina station.

They welcomed us as we carried our bags to the small hangar.

The 20-minute flight from Wau on a fine day gave us an opportunity to glance down from the aircraft to see the mountains separating Waria Valley from Wau.

The towering Owen Stanley Range at Garaina

We flew over the Biangai mountains.

 We could see Lake Trist glittering under the mornng  sun.

Lake Trist as seen from our Britten Norman Islander.

We later flew over the Biaru and Waria mountains before we saw Waria Valley in front of us.

A local man and Grace Memorial Secondary School  principal,  Zukua Koito, who was sitting next to me excitedly pointed out of the window.

We flew over Onora airstrip near the two villages of Sikemu and Kapiso.

Garaina station was in front  of us.

The expatriate pilot steadied the plane as it slowly towards Garaina airstrip and landed safely on the grassy strip.

Locals came rushing to the airstrip and welcomed us in their local Gusamanie language that is widely spoken by the people from Waria Valley.

We grabbed our bags and returned their warm welcome by responding "dzobe".

Wau-based policemen and two local guides arrived and led us along the track towards the LLG headquarters and the soccer fields.

Forty-eight soccer teams participated in the weeklong Waria Valley  Unity Cup Soccer Tournament.

Arihe (men) and Au (women) took out the top accolades and K1000 prizemoney.

Major sponsor and PNG Cocoa Board chief executive officer Boto Gaupu congratulated the winning teams.

PNG Cocoa Board CEO Boto Gaupu (right) with Arihe men's soccer team which took out the 2018 Unity Cup Soccer Tournament

He said next year's event would be even  bigger and better.

"We will launch the Waria Valley cocoa project next year," he said.

"Agriculture Minister Benny Allan and other senior Goverment officers from Waigani will be in Garaina to witness the launching programme."

At Garaina, one other track leads to the primary school, shops, health centre and the closed Department of Agriculture and Livestock office.

Garaina Health Centre which provides  services to the people of Waria Valley

Two shops with Bank South Pacific Eftpos machines, owned by locals and located near the health centre,  continue to provide public servants and local people with basic store goods.

One of the two shops in Garaina that serves public servants and the local people

The goods are flown in by air.

 It's very costly to buy a packet of sugar or rice.

The track then connects further down the road and leads to the local government council area.

The old road that connected Garasa and Bapi villages is now closed and had been turned into bush tracks.

The power line and the generator that used to supply electrocity to the station had also broken down and stands idle.

The people still mention the name of former council manager, John Orebut, who served in Waria in the 1990s.

They described him as the "best council manager of Waria LLG".

The towering Owen Stanley Range right in front us at Garaina runs from Waria all the way to Northern and Milne Bay provinces.

The lawn around the Waria LLG headquarters,  council manager's house, two patrol officers' houses, police barracks area and deteriorating RSL Club house are kept clean at all times.

Waria LLG Manager Pagau Arubidza with his son standing in front of his house at Garaina Station

Waria LLG headquarters lawn is kept clean and the office block is always manned

The cool climate and fertile soil makes Waria Valley one of the best areas to grow cash crops such as coffee, cocoa and tea.

The Garaina tea plantation now covered in tall bushes

The area is an tourist destination.

More guest houses need to be set up at Garaina and surrounding villages.

The local people are very friendly and always look after visitors and government officers passing through their villages with accommodation and food.

Waria Valley will soon transform into one of the biggest cocoa-producing area in Bulolo and Morobe.

A cocoa nursery in Bulolo

More local people will venture into various business activities to sustain their lives when cocoa production begins.

Tourism will be one area the local people can venture into.

They can build guest houses in the villages for tourists visiting their area for trekking, birdwatching and various other activities.

Finally the day arrived for us to return back to Wau.

I packed my bag, said goodbye to my new friends and walked to the airstrip to the rest of our team travelling back to Wau.

"Aipo",  all my new-found Garaina friends.

 See all of you again next year for a bigger and better soccer tournament to coincide with  launching of Waria Valley Cocoa Project.