Policeman arrested for serious assault

 Police Media

A policeman in the National Capital District was arrested and charged on Wednesday, November 19, with four counts of being drunk in a public place, assault, resisting arrest and using abusive language.
Director of Crimes Chief Superintendent Peter Guinness said 24-year-old probationary constable Ludger Saingre and another policeman allegedly assaulted a young woman at the Gordon bus stop on November 7, resulting in her sustaining severe facial cuts and bruises.
Saingre was also charged for swearing at a senior policewoman after she attempted to rescue the helpless victim. The policewoman called for backup and the two abusive policemen were arrested by some detectives, but Saingre escaped at the police station and was rearrested on Tuesday,  November 18, at the Gordon Police Station.
Charges are also being prepared for Saingre's accomplice who is also attached to the NCD Beat Unit based at the Boroko Police Station.
 Guinness said that these were very serious disciplinary offences and as such recommendations would  be made for the member's dismissal from the Constabulary. 
Guinness said because of the constant reports of police brutality cases, instructions would be issued to all CID units to step up investigations into such allegations and ensure police personnel implicated in such crimes were prosecuted and terminated from the Constabulary.

National Budget at a glance – What the figures mean to the men, women and children, and the businesses of Papua New Guinea

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has welcomed the tabling in Parliament of the 2015 National Budget by the Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch.

In welcoming the document, the Prime Minister said the gravity and importance of the annual budget was appreciated by all members of the Government.

“The outcome of budget decisions have a direct impact on every man, woman and child in Papua New Guinea,” PM O’Neill said.

“For this reason the National Government must be careful, disciplined and forward thinking in each budget that we hand down.

“Spending must reach the people and improve their lives, and revenue must be raised in the modern world economy that continues to evolve and offer both increased challenges and opportunities.

“In recent years, the people of our country have experienced an improvement in health, lifestyle and economic opportunity that has never before been experienced in our country.

“Our Government will continue to manage the economic affairs of this nation in a way that that will continue to improve the lives of the men, women and children of Papua New Guinea.

“The Treasurer has commended the 2015 National Budget to the Parliament and the people of the nation.”

Fact Sheet Contents
·      Expenditure to be received by the people and invested in infrastructure
·      Government income is higher than expected
·      Managed return to budget surplus by 2018
·      Economic growth very positive and well above global average
·      Kina stabilising following beneficial time for exporters
·      Restructuring of employment with the evolution of mining projects
·      Inflation reducing and stabilising
·      Current account is moving into surplus
·      Ongoing funding with debt reduction

Expenditure to be received directly by the people and invested in infrastructure
·      Total estimated government expenditure for 2015 is projected at 16.1991 billion Kina.  This includes 9.2135 billion Kina in operational expenditure being spent directly on services used by the people of Papua New Guinea in 2015, and 6.9855 billion Kina invested in building capital infrastructure next year.
·      Operational expenditure is allocated for schools, healthcare, security, support to agriculture and SMEs and other government services.
·      Capital expenditure builds the infrastructure that continues to advance the national economy forward and also has the flow-on effect of stimulating business and creating jobs.

Significant areas of expenditure:-      Education expenditure of 1.9 billion Kina, including free schooling for our children, expanding access to universities and vocational training for adults.
-      Healthcare expenditure of 1.8 billion Kina to facilitate healthier and happier living and longer lives for the people of Papua New Guinea, particularly in rural areas.
-      Law and Order expenditure of 1.6 billion Kina to create safer communities.  This includes additional and better trained police, correctional services officers and military personnel; better equipment; and, a stronger independent judiciary.
-      Direct Funding to Provinces of 3.7 billion Kina to ensure money is spent on services and infrastructure for people at local level in a planned and transparent manner.
-      Infrastructure expenditure of 2.298 billion Kina to construct the roads, bridges, ports, buildings and other public facilities that will drive the national economy into the future.  This includes infrastructure for the Pacific Games that will have ongoing community usage and contribute to healthy living.

Government income is higher than expected
·      Total revenue and grants will rise to 13.9 billion Kina in 2015, which is 1.3 billion Kina higher than earlier estimates of 12.7 billion Kina.
·      This includes tax revenue estimated at 11.2 billion Kina in 2015, an increase of 1.5 billion Kina from the earlier revised estimate of 9.7 billion Kina.
·      The increased tax recipes include an additional 380 million Kina raised through improved and more transparent tax compliance measures.
·      Project grants are anticipated to reduce by 200 million Kina from 1.5 billion Kina to 1.3 billion Kina due to factors that include international partner decisions and currency fluctuations.  It is anticipated development support will continue to wind down alongside Papua New Guinea’s continued long-term economic growth.

Managed return to budget surplus in 2018
·      The budget will see a deficit of around 2.3 billion Kina in 2015 driven largely by the Government’s investment in national infrastructure.  This is planned investment in infrastructure that includes roads, airports, ports, schools, teachers and nurses colleges, and utilities that will be used by our people and businesses for decades to come.
·      Budget deficits are planned for 2016, with a balanced budget in 2017, which is one year earlier than anticipated, and aim for surplus in 2018.
·      Careful management of deficits and surpluses is sound economic planning particularly as this relates to infrastructure.  If the government did not build the infrastructure now, the economy of the future would not be likely to reach its full growth potential.

Economic growth very positive and well above global average
·      The national economy is expected to make significant growth in 2015 of 15.5 per cent.  Earlier projected 2015 growth occurred ahead of expectations in 2014, so reduced the projected 2015 estimate.
·      National economic growth is favorable compared to the global average as noted in the following table.

Economic GrowthPapua New Guinea
2014 - 8.4
2015 - 15.5

World (WB/IMF)
2014 - 3.3

2015 - 3.8

·      2015 will be the fourteenth year of uninterrupted economic growth for the nation.

Kina stabilizing following beneficial time for exporters·      The Kina depreciated by 8.3 per cent in 2014 compared to 2013, mainly due to higher foreign exchange outflows and a strengthening US Dollar.  The Government, in consultation with the Bank of Papua New Guinea and commercial banks, established measures to stabilize the Kina.
·      The positive news for the change in exchange rates is that this has benefited Papua New Guinea’s exporters enabling more competitive pricing in international markets.

Restructuring of employment with the evolution of mining projects·      Non-mining employment grew by 3 per cent to the end of the June quarter in 2014, though mainly due to the conclusion of the construction phase of projects, mining sector employment declined by 22.7 per cent.  This was anticipated and with the greater experience and improved skill sets held by many of these workers, they will be absorbed through growth in other government and private sector construction projects coming online in 2015.

Inflation reducing and stabilising ·      Inflation will be better than originally projected in 2014 and 2015.  The anticipated 6.5 per cent for 2014 has been revised down to 5.9 per cent.  Inflation in 2015 is anticipated to ease to 5.5 per cent and further reduce to average around 5 per cent for 2016 to 2019.

Current account is moving into surplus·      Papua New Guinea’s trade with the rest of the world continues to improve from a 3.9 billion Kina deficit in 2013, to 1.4 billion Kina deficit for the first half of 2014, to a projected surplus of 7.1 Billion Kina in 2015.
·      Improvement is being driven by the awaited full year of LNG and Ramu Nickle mine production, as well as a rebound in agricultural and other mining production.  This has been accompanied by a fall in foreign reserves from 6.8 billion Kina at the end of 2013, to 6.1 billion Kina in September 2014, and is expected to recover to 6.4 billion Kina by the end of 2014.

Ongoing funding with debt reduction·      Government debt is expected to fall by 228 million Kina to 14.26 billion Kina by the end of 2015.
·      The Government has a preference to raise funds from the domestic market and this will continue as a priority where this is possible, while also exploring options to expand the national investor base through a range of cost-effective financing options.
·      Managed debt is essential for the economic governance of any enterprise, but more important for government where the delivery of government services and infrastructure investment has direct impact on the livelihoods of families and viability of business around the nation.

Papua New Guinea government releases budget increasing funds for MPs electorates

ABC

The Papua New Guinean government has announced its $6.14 billion budget for 2015, with ambitious funding to electorates and a push to reduce deficit.

PNG treasurer Patrick Pruaitch said the budget, an increase by 7 per cent from 2014, identified major revenue sources within the mining, agriculture, and resource sectors.

He said there would be increases in taxes to finance the budget.

Deficit and debt levels including inflation are said to be well under control.

Professor Stephen Howes, the director of ANU's Development Policy Centre, said it was a significant budget for the Pacific nation.

"PNG has been in a very expansionary fiscal mode really for the last decade since the resource boom started," he said.

"But in this budget we see an increase in expenditure but only slightly more than the rate of inflation.

"So it is a very restrained budget."

However, Mr Howes said the one exception were some large increases to "district spending" for building schools and health clinics.

"It sounds good but normally in PNG if funds are allocated to the district that means they are control of the MP," he said.

"PNG has gotten into the practise of putting substantial amounts of funding at the discretion of MPs."

International Day for Tolerance

By U.S. Ambassador Walter North

On November 16th the world community will observe the 19th International Day for Tolerance. While we are reminded of the security and human rights implications of intolerance (which often takes the form of stigma and discrimination), this day also provides an opportunity to highlight the vital contribution of tolerance and acceptance to achieving important public health objectives and impact, especially those focusing on groups living on the margins of many societies.

The U.S. Government is proud to partner with the people and Government of Papua New Guinea to implement the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and help achieve an AIDS-free generation. In recent months and in collaboration with other stakeholders, we have worked hard to align our resources and programmes with both the Papua New Guinea government's priorities and PEPFAR's commitment to delivering the right things, in the right places, at the right time. This also involves careful planning to ensure that we are reaching the right people with urgently needed programmes, resources, and funding.

Here in Papua New Guinea, basic tolerance of all human beings is key to providing access to care for people who are at high risk of either acquiring or transmitting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is only by providing accessible prevention and care services to those groups who are most vulnerable that HIV will be controlled. Among other groups, this includes women and men who engage in sex either for money or for goods and services such as food, clothes, or school fees; men who have sex with men (MSM) or with both men and women; transgender persons; and women who have been subjected to rape or domestic violence. Current laws in PNG notwithstanding, programs and policies must recognise that eliminating stigma and discrimination is critical to ensuring that all people feel safe accessing HIV/AIDS care and treatment services. Programmes that treat people with dignity and respect will have the greatest impact.

When trying to achieve an AIDS-free generation, intolerance and hatred only create barriers that keep the most vulnerable from accessing essential services and thus lead to considerable loss of life. The PNG National AIDS Council also stresses the importance of stopping discrimination and being able to access services by making this year's World AIDS day theme: "Stop discrimination. Access to services is my right."

Tolerance requires treating everyone, even those who are different, with dignity and respect. This extends to all people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. As President Barack Obama recently declared, "the struggle to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons is a global challenge, and one that is central to the United States' commitment to promoting human rights."

On this International Day for Tolerance, let us affirm that all persons - sex workers, MSM, transgender persons as well as the wider LGBT community, and any group that suffers the negative health effects of discrimination such as persons with disabilities - should also be free to access and receive essential health services from providers who treat them with dignity and respect.

I call on all partners in our shared goal of controlling HIV in Papua New Guinea to practice tolerance in all aspects of service delivery. The goal of an AIDS-free generation will remain unfulfilled until every Papua New Guinean feels that he or she will be treated with tolerance and respect when seeking services to preserve health if already infected; to prevent infection of others; and to be free of the risk of rape or sexual violence.

Join me in reaching out in tolerance to everyone in need so that together, we may achieve that longed-for goal of an AIDS-free generation in Papua New Guinea.

# # #

Papua New Guinea beat Hong Kong in three-day match

CricketEurope
Andrew Nixon
13 November 2014

Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong have ended their series of matches in Australia with PNG winning the concluding three-day match today in Townsville.
With no experience of matches of this length in the Papua New Guinea side, with the exception of England wicket-keeper Geraint Jones, few would have expected them to have done as well as they did in their first innings. Openers Lega Siaka and Tony Ura put on 88 before Ura was out for 58.
Siaka went on to score 51 before getting out, before Assad Vala and Vani Morea put on 164 for the third wicket. Morea was that third wicket, getting out for 90. Vala was next out, just short of his century on 98. Geraint Jones failed with the bat, only scoring four, but Kila Pala scored 57 before the close of play.
Closing on 411-6, Papua New Guinea continued batting on the second morning. Captain Chris Amini declared once he'd brought up his 50 with the PNG total on 469-7.
Hong Kong's reply started slowly, with openers Jamie Atkinson and Waqs Barkat both out cheaply. Anshuman Rath, who turned 17 just last week, was their top scorer with 72 before he was the fifth man out with the score on 120. Kinchit Shah and Babar Hayat were the only other batsmen to go past 15 as Hong Kong were bowled out for 205.
Papua New Guinea opted not to enforce the follow-on and batted again. They were unable to repeat their first innings performance though, and had lost four wickets by the close of the second day, only scoring 58.
Things didn't go to plan at the resumption on the third morning either, as Papua New Guinea collapsed to 69-8. Assad Vala scored 40 from just 13 balls to help them get to 114-8 before their second declaration set Hong Kong a challenging target of 379.
Anshuman Rath and Aizaz Khan opened for Hong Kong in their run chase, but that didn't stop both openers again being dismissed cheaply. Jamie Atkinson, who has got County Championship experience, was able to score 63, but Hong Kong were unable to bat out the day for the draw.
Norman Vanua took 5-36 as Hong Kong were bowled out for 245, losing by 133 runs. Hong Kong will now prepare for their tour of Sri Lanka where they will take on Nepal in a T20I series and a one-day match before two three-day matches against local sides. Papua New Guinea's next action will be the East Asia Pacific T20 championship.
Papua New Guinea beat Hong Kong by 133 runs
Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville, 11-13 November
Papua New Guinea 469-7d (104 overs, A Vala 98, V Morea 90, T Ura 58, Nadeem Ahmed 4-114)
Hong Kong 205 (67.5 overs, Anshuman Rath 72, K Shah 38*, CJ Amini 3-34)
Papua New Guinea 114-8d (23 overs, A Vala 40*, Haseeb Amjad 3-35, Nadeem Ahmed 3-38)
Hong Kong 245 (71.5 overs, J Atkinson 63, Waqas Barkat 39, K Shah 36, N Vanua 5-36)

Xi to propose Pacific aid scheme, will not ignore Taiwan allies

By Ben Blanchard  /  Reuters, BEIJING

Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) will offer a broad aid package to Pacific island nations at a summit in Fiji next week, Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Zheng Zeguang (鄭澤光) said yesterday, adding that there is also room to work with six island states not invited to the meeting because of their ties to Taiwan.
The tiny states of the Pacific have been a source of diplomatic intrigue between Taiwan and China for decades, with each side accusing the other of using "dollar diplomacy" to win sovereign recognition.
China views Taiwan as a renegade province with no right to have diplomatic relations and over time, the number of states with ties to Taipei has dwindled to just 22, six of which are in the Pacific.
Xi will host the meeting of its allies in Fiji. The leaders of Fiji, Micronesia, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Niue will attend, Zheng told a news briefing.
Xi, who is to visits the region after trips to Australia and New Zealand, will give an "important policy speech" at the summit and announce "important steps" to help development, Zheng said.
"During the visit, China will sign a series of cooperative documents with the leaders, as well as business agreements. They will be in the areas of financing, education, training, infrastructure and such other broad areas," the deputy minister said, without elaborating.
While Taiwan's allies in the region — Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu — have not been invited to attend, this does not mean that China will ignore them, he added.
"China has all along had friendly interactions with the peoples of all the islands in the Pacific Ocean, and exchanges and cooperation continue to increase," Zheng said.
He also held out the chance of more benefits for countries of the region once they recognise China, rather than Taiwan.
"Under the framework of one China, relations in the future will develop even better. There is a lot of space for cooperation," Zheng added, referring to the 'one China' policy under which both sides acknowledge that there is only one China, with each having its own interpretation of what that means.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei said that they will be paying close attention to Xi's visit.
Taipei and Beijing have engaged in an unofficial diplomatic truce since signing a series of landmark trade and economic pacts in 2008.

Additional reporting by JR Wu in TAIPEI

‘51pc NBPOL stake ideal’

By MUHAMMED AHMAD
NEW STRAITS TIMES

SIME Darby Bhd will be satisified with having only a 51 per cent controlling stake in New Britain Palm Oil Ltd (NBPOL), which will allow it to secure control of the latter at the shareholder, board and management levels, says its president and group chief executive Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh.
He said the conglomerate was also willing to allow the Papua New Guinea (PNG) government to raise its stake in NBPOL to 30 per cent from 18 per cent upon conclusion of its takeover of NBPOL in a deal worth £1.07 billion (RM5.63 billion).
The acquisition is expected to be completed by December 19.
Sime Darby had on October 9 announced an offer to buy all of NBPOL shares through unit Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd as part of the requirement to obtain a minimum 51 per cent of the voting rights in the global producer of sustainable palm oil.
"The PNG government has expressed interest to increase its stake to 30 per cent, and I think this is good because we would like to work with the authority to grow the business together.
For us, 51 per cent (stake) would be ideal (for Sime Darby)," he said after the company's annual general meeting, here, yesterday.
On the offer price that is fixed at £7.15 for every NBPOL share, a 55.7 per cent premium over its two-month volume weighted average price, Bakke said: "We have itemised the reasons and justifications for making an offer at that price, and we see value".
Sime Darby had said in a statement recently that the acquisition would be funded through internally-generated funds and external borrowings and that the rise in gearing would be managed through tight control of capital expenditure and proceeds from future corporate exercises.
NBPOL has about 135,000ha of land in PNG, of which 80,000ha are planted.
The proposed acquisition by Sime Darby Plantation fits well with the company's strategy to expand its landbank. Post-acquisition, the combined landbank of the two companies will be nearly one million hectares.