PNG police consider possible ransom demand for missing scientists

Police in the Papua New Guinea province of West New Britain are working on a possible breakthrough in the investigation into the disappearance of five scientists nearly two months ago, Radio New Zealand reported last Friday.

The five staffers from the Institute of Medical Research, along with the three crew of their banana boat, disappeared at sea at the beginning of August.

A search was called off two weeks ago but police believe the group may be victims of piracy and has been kidnapped.

The West New Britain police commander, Senior Inspector Thomas Reu, says they are continuing to investigate this possibility.

He says last Thursday a relative of one of the missing researchers received a demand for money from an unknown source.

"The unidentified caller is asking for phone credits worth 1, 000 kina to be given to them and also he's asking for ten thousand kina to be given too. So I am now in the process of running a request letter to both [telecoms] companies, Digicell company and B-Mobile company to see if they could assist."

More lies from Australian High Commission

By SIMON MERTON

The Opening of two new Australian Visa Application Centres (AVAC) in Port Moresby and Lae is being promoted by the Australian High Commission as a positive step in addressing our concerns.

Fact is, it doesn't!

All it is doing is shifting the line up from the car park to somewhere else!

 These application centres are third-party contractors who simply accept applications and they pass them over to the AHC for processing.

What they have achieved by introducing these centres is placing yet another barrier between the applicant and the Migration office which is now closed to the general public.

And to further rub salt into the wound, on top of the existing non-refundable application fee, people will now have to pay an additional K49 to fund these centres.

Banker arrested over fraud claims

GOVERNMENT inaction in dealing with the poor state of affairs at the National Museum and Art Gallery (NMAG) has resulted in the arrest and charging of a highly respected senior banker Aho Baliki last Thursday by Boroko police on allegations of fraud, The National reports.
Police Commissioner Anthony Wagambie expressed surprise over Baliki's arrest and said he was in the same aircraft with Baliki to Goroka last Thursday.
He said he would seek an explanation today on what was going on.
Baliki's arrest has angered the president of the NMAG board of trustees Julius Violaris, who had been working with Baliki to protect the institution's funds and all its assets from theft and maladministration.
Baliki, 56, of Okiufa village, in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, is BSP's paramount banking general manager.
Police alleged that Baliki conspired with three board of trustees members to defraud the museum by fraudulently debiting K149,400.97 and crediting it to several accounts.
NCD metropolitan commander Supt Joseph Tondop said the three board of trustee members had been summoned to be at the Boroko police station today for questioning.
Baliki's arrest came after police acted on a complaint lodged by museum director and chief executive officer Meck Kuk of the unauthorised transfer of funds from the museum accounts by its board of trustees.
Violaris last Friday wrote to Finance and Treasury Minister Don Polye advising him that the so-called charges against Baliki were "trumped up and malicious".
He said the charges were "vindictively applied by the current director of the museum Meck Kuk because we have denied him unaccountable access to the NMAG's funds".
"Police have been investigating allegations by Meck Kuk since Aug 24 and there is no evidence of any fraudulent practices. The only payments made by the trustees have been to legitimate creditors including electricity and water supplies, because the director refuses to process their accounts for payment.
"Minister, the action by police will have major ramifications for the business community and your government.
"Aho Baliki is a senior banker and a prominent member of the business community, with many years of service in the banking industry.
"He has a very strong reputation as an honest and industrious person and Meck Kuk and his friends and relatives in the police should not be allowed to tarnish his re­putation," Violaris said.
"In your position, you must also consider the impact on the business community as they ponder on how a prominent banker with impeccable integrity can be falsely accused and charged."
Violaris said Kuk had been attempting to gain "unfettered control of the museum's finances" and used his "tribal and kinship connections in the police to attain his ends".
"These charges and arrests are an act of desperation on his part. We have asked our minister to have him suspended by the NEC, three months ago, and we hope that this will happen soon as this man has no regard what damage he causes to the reputation of people by his illegal actions," he said.
Violaris also gave The National a copy of a court order of last June 27, which allowed the current trustees to stay in office after they were wrongfully terminated by the former culture and tourism mi­nister Guma Wau.
The National Court granted the trustees leave for a judicial review on their termination and that is yet to take place.
Violaris said last night the K149,400.97 which Kuk claimed were illegal payments were, actually "critical" payments necessary to maintain the museum.
They included water bills, telephone charges, electricity and legal fees.

Merger query

By BOSORINA ROBBY

ANY merger of Airlines PNG (APNG) and Air Niugini Ltd (ANG) will have to satisfy all requirements set out by the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC), the commission has said, The National reports.
ICCC CEO and Commissioner Dr Billy Manoka said last Friday that the ICCC would have the last say in the proposed merger which was approved in principle by ca­binet last week and announced by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill before he departed for New York.
Manoka said: "As the guardian of competition, the commission is always mindful that merger transactions have significant implications for the competitive pro­cess in the market."
Four trade unions also called on the government to immediately shelve the proposed merger.
Former public enterprises minister Arthur Somare yesterday also called for ICCC intervention and approval before the merger could go ahead, saying the merger could derail all positive gains made with the national flag carrier in the past eight years.
Manoka said section 69 of the ICCC Act prohibits anti-competitive business mergers and acquisitions, unless the transaction had been approved by the commission through either a clearance or authorisation process.
"Clearance and autho­risation are simple administrative processes which involve wider stakeholder consultations, through which the commission is able to assess the competitive impact of the merger in the market.
"In the case of authorisation applications, it is whether or not public benefits outweigh the anticompetitive effects, which decides whether or not to grant or decline the application," Manoka said.
O'Neill said last week the merger would expand the airline industry, leading to more services to the people.
The merger issue surfaced last August when APNG took a financial downturn brought on by the 2009 Kokoda Track crash and the entry of Qantas flights between Cairns and Port Moresby.
Government sources said the merger would be
detrimental to ANG's safe­ty record and it would be forced to pay higher insurance premiums, not to mention its record of good profits.
Manoka said that ICCC expected Air Niugini or Airlines PNG to make an appropriate application to it in due course.
Manoka said whether or not applications had not been made by parties to the transaction, did not prevent the commission from inquiring independently to satisfy itself that the law had not been broken.
"If the commission inquires and forms a concluded view that the law has been contravened, there are remedial measures provided to it under the ICCC Act, such as divestiture of assets acquired, and or other pecuniary penalties, which can be sought from the courts", he said."In the interim, the commission is monitoring this development closely, including making its own preliminary inquiries," he said.

Goroka Show gets kudos

By MALUM NALU

Eastern Highlands Agricultural Society has given the thumbs up to Goroka Show committee, sponsors, farmers and the community for the successful staging of the 55^th Goroka Show and 36^th independence anniversary.

 President Wilson Thompson and secretary Thomas Solepa gave kudos to organising committee chairman Gideon Samuel, his deputy David Seine, Coffee Industry Corporation CEO Navi Anis, National Agriculture Research Institute, department of Agriculture and Livestock, Goroka Treks & Tours and Coral Sea Hotels.

They said that it was without incident and many activities such as parades by police and prison officers, as well as a performance by the Royal PNG Constabulary Band, stole the show.

"There was also the introduction of greasy pole by CIC with farming implements, and live bands such as K Dumen," Thompson said.

"There were also many exhibitors from NGOS like CARE, Save the Children, Eastern Highlands Disabled Committee, Bismarck Ramu Group and environmental NGOs.

 "We had government agencies such as Bank of PNG, Mineral Resource Authority, PNG NRL Bid, Eastern Highlands Health Authority and Fresh Produce Development Authority, apart from the traditional support from CIC, NARI, DAL and promotion of model farmers by Highlands Farmers & Settlers Association, Ramu Agricultural Industries Ltd, Brian Bell and Bris Kanda project from Morobe.

"In the cultural exhibits, the attractions were the Eastern Highlands Cultural Centre from Kainantu, Zumin (Markham) Pottery and individual craftsmen and artists who sold their arts and craft and paintings.

"Commercial attractions include RAIL, Trukai Ltd, Lae Biscuit Ltd, New Guinea Fruit Company, Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd, Nestle PNG and others.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill graced the show and 36^th independence anniversary celebrations in Goroka with his presence.

"The EHAS also appreciated the presence of our three Ministers from Eastern Highlands John Boito, Thompson Haroqkaveh and Sai Sailon Besseo;  Yawa Silupa, Vice Minister for Finance and Treasury;  Benny Allan, Unggai Bena MP (patron of show);  Patrick Kondo, Daulo MP;  Ombudsman commissioner John Nero; Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc; Commissioners of Police and Correctional Service; and other dignitaries," Thompson said.

"The EHAS Inc as the legal body of the Goroka Show organising committee, people of Goroka and Eastern Highlands,  commend the Prime Minister's various policy statements on free education and NATSCHOL, law and order and road infrastructure development;  and also appreciated the various K5 million government funding for Goroka Town roads, Goroka Secondary School, Goroka mobile clinic, National Sports Institute/showground development totalling K20 million and K10 million committed to Goroka Base Hospital.

"We also appreciate the K0.7 million grant to the Goroka Show committee, based on short, medium and long-term plans submitted to the national government.

"The EHAS is optimistic that we will be involved with the various stakeholders in the upgrade of the showground to facilitate the aspirations of the Goroka Show.

"There were many tourists from Europe, USA and Australia who appreciated and commended the Goroka Show Committee for the event."

Goroka MP’s “shameful”

By MALUM NALU

 

Highlands Farmers & Settlers Association vice-president Jonah Buka has described as "shameful" the actions of Goroka MP and Environment Minister Thompson Harokaqveh in not releasing K700, 000 allocated to the Goroka Show Committee by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.

Harokaqveh has not made any explanation since the matter was discussed on talkback radio in Goroka last week as well as reported in The National.

Buka said close to 100,000 people witnessed when O'Neill – who grew up in Goroka - gave K700, 000 to Goroka Show and K20.7 million to other projects such as National Sports Institute ground upgrade, Goroka roads, mobile clinic, and Goroka Secondary School.

"The people of Eastern Highland were beating their drums and kundus when the Prime Minister made the commitments," Buka said.

"For Minister Harokaqveh to pick the cheque from hands of rightful recipients and get his members of the Goroka Joint District Planning and Budget Priorities Committee (JDBPPC) to endorse the change of name of the cheque to Goroka District is illegal and fraudulent.

"The actions of Minister Harokaqveh and members of his JDBP&PC amount to intending to defraud the Goroka Show Committee of K700, 000 and I call on police to investigate and charge them under appropriate laws of PNG.

"The actions of Minister Harokaqveh have tarnished the name of the Prime Minister and he should be reprimanded for that.

"The district administrator and district officials must give the cheque to the show committee or to make a counter cheque from the provincial treasury to make good the Prime Minister's commitment and goodwill.

"Goroka Show has commitment to settle service providers such as security, police and other service providers and must be given the money.

"For three years, the committee has settled its bills on time and now the uncalled actions of the minister have put everything into disarray.

"People are still waiting and it could cost the show committee additional expenses, which the minister should be held responsible for."

Buka congratulated chairman Gideon Samuel, his deputy David Seine and other members of the Goroka Show Committee for organising the 2011 Goroka Show which he said was biggest and most-colorful ever.

Motorcyclers thrill at Bulolo show

BULOLO District in Morobe staged its first ever cultural show on the Sept 16-18 coinciding with the country’s 36^th Independence anniversary celebrations. 

Thrilling the crowd at the Bulolo Show.-Pictures by PETER BOYD

The event was staged in Mumeng Town.

Traditional singsing groups from the six LLGs of Bulolo, Mumeng, Buang, Watut, Biangai and people from other parts of Morobe who live in Bulolo and Wau like the Kabub singsing group took part.

Bulolo MP Sam Basil meets rider Daniel Hargreaves and others as show committee chairman Stanley Komunt, of MMJC (centre) looks on

Bulolo’s own sons and PNGs famous artists Lister and Amon Serum performed live to entertain the show goers.

Other entertainment included a string band competition, greasy pole climbing, inter LLG tug of war.

The highlight of the day was without a doubt a visit from Morobe Motorcycle Club riders who stopped halfway through a two day fun race from Bulolo to Edie Creek and back to Lae.

Waterfall near Buang on Snake River

The large crowd was witness to a display of wheel stands, jumps and riders riding without too much skill or control. 

The invitation to participate in a race at Independence weekend was extended to the MMC several months earlier by show chairman Stanley Komunt and it proved a great success.

Ploughing through a quagmire

The 'fun' race started with a small but enthusiastic group of riders in Bulolo on the Saturday who rode to Wau via PNGFP tracks and overnighted at the Wau Adventures headquarters, home to Tim and Danielle Vincent. 

Crossing the Snake River...hoping not to fall

The first day’s easy riding determined the starting order for the grueling second days riding. 

Day two saw local favourite and PNG'S No.1 bike Rider Daniel Hargreaves take a commanding lead in the first of the days special stages, a savage hill climb to the summit of Mt Kaindi at 7800ft and back to Wau. 

Rider about to crash near summit of Mt Kainti, at 7800 ft, outside Bulolo enroute to Hidden Valley

This section took its toll on riders and bikes with several riders crashing and Tim Vincent of Wau Adventures, PNG'S Premier Adventure Tourism Company, suffering badly bruised ribs - forcing him to pull out of any further racing.

Ow! That hurts!

Leg two was the reverse of the first day’s course from Wau to Bulolo and convincingly won by Suzuki rider Michael Schulz with a clear gap to Hargreaves, who was unable to maintain his first afternoons pace.

A steep descent

A short third leg from Bulolo to Mumeng saw the riders cross the line within a minute of each other, the tarmac riding not being to anyone's liking as the thought of crashing on tarmac was enough to deter anyone from risking life and limb - all riders knew that the last section of 94km from Mumeng Station to MMJV Headquarters at 9-Mile Lae would require all their energy and attention. 

Riding in fog is an unbelievable experience, the forest is dead quiet except for the bikes' sound

Thirty minutes were spent entertaining the crowd at the Bulolo Show and taking advice on the route ahead from MP Sam Basil, one of the few people who had actually driven down the Snake River to Buang and Gabensis.

The route chosen followed the Snake River past Buang, Wagau and onto Gabensis on the Bulolo Highway - a distance of 65km, and finishing off with a 30km road stage.

Village people close to Wagau - experiencing a motorbike for the first time in their lives

The only problem was that so much fun was had at Mumeng entertaining the crowd that riders lost track of time and were very late leaving Mumeng. 

Heavy fog and fading light slowed the bikes to a crawl for over an hour past Buang and Wagau.

Drops on either side of the overgrown track were vertical and deadly and any thoughts of racing were set aside with safety of riders paramount. 

Several of the bikes had no lights and this meant extra care needed to be shown.

What should have taken two hours took five hours and at 8pm the bikes arrived at MMJV headquarters with riders exhausted having commenced riding at 9am that morning.

Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Samuel Basil officiated at the show which was attended by over 3, 000 people.

Basil thanked the show chairman Stanley Komunt and his committees and all the sponsors for making the event a success.

Major sponsors:

1. Bulolo District - Joint District Planning & Budget Priority Committee (JDP&BPC) – K85,000 in cash
2. Morobe Mining JV (MMJV) K20,000 in kind
3. Hornibrooks NGI Limited – K5,000 in cash
4. Bank of South Pacific (BSP) – K3,000 in cash
5. Island Mobile Hirecar
6. Lae Biscuits company
7. ArmSec Limited
8. Digicel PNG
9. NBC Morobe
10. Zenang Chicken
11. Bulolo District Administration