It is not too difficult to work out that Papua New Guinea and Fiji are using different surf boards but are catching and riding the same wave.
The military regime in Fiji could not have found a better time to announce the decree which places the future of Fiji Times in a critical position, than the same hour when PNG was making a mockery of the parliamentary democracy.
This was the same hour when PNG was blatantly misleading parliament to entertain a motion that merely sought the consent of the house for candidate for the Governor General’s post and turning it into an actual vote unbeknown to the members.
It seems that in the confusion they all forgot that this case could well be a clear breach of parliamentary privilege and the mover of the motion and its seconded should be referred to the parliamentary privileges committee for misleading parliament.
But the privilege that you and I have for which we cannot be referred to that same committee is this and the fact that we are able to pen our views on any subject without being gagged and regulated against.
And this is where I am led to openly express a profound feeling of guilt for not speaking out enough for our colleagues in Fiji especially at the Fiji Times at their hour of need.
I can only imagine what it must be like for fellow journalists and staff of Fiji Times in a delicate balancing act between the ethics of journalism and trying to pull together to uphold the principals of free press while at the same time trying to explain to their children that that Bainimarama is giving them the rope to hang themselves.
We in the news business in PNG have come close to that situation but I suppose to make any moves against the Post-Courier or The National would cause a public revolt and you and I know that we too have friends in high places.
But I have absolutely no idea as to what has prevented us from speaking out for our colleagues in Fiji.
Bainimarama’s focus has been on the most-powerful firepower in the free world and that is the press.
He has now resorted to a military tactic where he is up against a superior enemy and finding that he cannot match them fire for fire, he is cutting off their supply line.
Rupert Murdoch is just as able a commander as Bainimarama himself and Murdoch has not fired his first shot.
This fight is also our fight and we have not engaged you.
If the Fiji Press cannot speak out, we should be that mouth piece.
Papua New
Guinea is currently experiencing an
unprecedented level of mineral boom with so much hype of the economic gains
that has the potential to transforming the socio-economic conditions of the
country.
Inevitably, comes with the developments in the extractive
industries sector, are landowner related concerns and issues, which have
similarly attracted much debate in recent times than ever before.
Concerns over resource ownership, mining royalties, equity
participation, and benefit sharing and related issues have taken from the back
burner to the forefront as more and more resources owners are aware of their
rights to gain maximum benefit from their land, sea and environment.
This has been particularly so following the experiences of
Misima gold mine in Milne province, the forced closure of the Panguna mine on Bougainville as well as currently operating Ok Tedi and
Tolukuma mines.
Experiences of Misima and Panguna mines, not exactly the
same, have many similarities and provided customary landowners, local
communities and their provincial governments some valuable lessons.
Concerns of landowner benefits, equity participation,
Special Support Grants (SSG) to provincial governments and the National
Government not honoring its commitments and obligations in signed Memorandum of
Agreements (MOA) with provincial governments are still pressing issues to be
resolved.
Since the gold rush day of Bulolo, Eddie Creek and Koranga
in Morobe province in the early 1920s, customary landowners PNG-wide have been
crying foul over poor treatment by miners over royalties, preferential
employment and business opportunities for local communities , equity
participation, tax credit schemes and benefit sharing arrangements.
These issues will continue to be hot potatoes as long as
mining activities continue in PNG.
Whist there is much excitement and fanfare with promises of
much economic gains from PNG’s huge mineral resources, the National Parliament
is yet to deal with a motion initiated by New Ireland Governor and former Prime
Minister Sir Julius Chan that seek some revolutionary changes to the Mining Act
1992.
One of the underlying objectives of the motion is that Sir
Julius believes that in these fast-changing 21st Century times, law makers need
to review the laws relating to resource exploitation.
Another is that Papua New Guinea should not allow
itself to be raped of its vast natural resources by multi-national corporations
under outdated laws and regulations.
Instead, Sir Julius proposes appropriate changes in resource
laws in line with the true wishes and aspirations of the people on whose lands
these vast natural resources are found.
The over-orchestrated myth by some people including
politicians that PNG’s current laws governing the extraction of mineral, oil,
gas and resources are sufficient is absurd and a total nonsense.
Why?
Because, in general, the existing laws do not favour the
resource owners.
It disadvantages the
resource owners, making them minor recipients of benefits from resources
derived on and in their customary land.
Not only the landowners miss out, but if benefits are
reaching them, sometimes it takes months and even years for promised goods and
services to arrive.
The National Government had failed in some instances to
honor its commitments to provinces where it has entered into agreements with
commitments of Special Support Grants and other funds for the provinces.
Lihir Gold Mine in the New Ireland
province is a classical example.
Since the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
between the National Government and the New Ireland Provincial Government in
1995, the former had failed over the years to fully honor its commitments as
per the MOA.
The fact that Waigani failed over the years to fully honor
its commitments has resulted in the people of Lihir and New
Ireland province in general missing out on infrastructure projects
and socio-economic benefits generated by those projects.
That MOA specifies for among others the National Government
to allocate each year major infrastructure grants, SSG and major infrastructure
projects.
The major infrastructure projects include an international
airport, an international seaport, a modern well-equipped hospital at Namatanai
and major redevelopment and sealing of the Bulminski Highway.
To date, none of these projects have been undertaken since
the signing of the MOA in 1995.
As well, the New Ireland
people through their provincial government have missed out on a lot of
opportunities.
National Government owes the New
Ireland provincial government over K400 million in outstanding
infrastructure grants.
Divide that by 15 years from 1995 when the MOA was signed
and find that the province has been missing out on up to K26 million annually.
If all the grants were paid on time and if use properly,
imagine what New Ireland province would be like now, or for that matter
provinces where major resource development projects are taking place.
Considering these and other outstanding cases, the motion by
Sir Julius, when passed by parliament will not only resolve the outstanding
claims or entitlements of the NIP, but also for existing as well as new
projects in the country.
It is over one year this month that Sir Julius gave Notice
of Motion for the comprehensive review of the Mining Act 1992 to transfer all
natural resources ownership to landowners.
The motion, seconded by Bulolo MP Sam Basil, in whose
electorate the new HiddenValley and Wafi gold
mines are coming up, is to move for the National Government to review the
ownership of minerals as part of a comprehensive review of the Mining Act 1992.
The review calls for among others:
• Review the
decisions by the State to reduce the rate of Special Support Grant (SSG)
calculations from 1% to 0.25% and demand the state to immediately restore the
1% special support grants (SSG) will full compensation to be paid to affected
provinces retrospectively to the date of the Governments unilaterally, without
consulting the stakeholders or invoking settlement of dispute under Terms of
the MOA;
• SSG
calculation be increased from 1% to 10% of annual FOB sales revenue and that
SSG be given untied;
• The principle
of derivation revenue (5%) paid to provinces be applied also to mineral
exports;
• The rate of
mineral royalty payment be increased from 2% to 5% of annual FOB sales revenue;
• The 10%
equity option offered to Provincial Government and the landowners be fully
carried by the State;
• The supply
and procurement of goods and services from within PNG be transferred from
within the province where the mining operation is located so that GST to the
provinces is maximised;
• Tax credit
scheme be supplemented with more favourable arrangements to enable linking
infrastructures to be established right from day one of the mining operations;
• Mining
companies contribute at least 10% of the value of further expansion costs not
originally planned for that many prolong the payment of corporate tax;
• Mining
companies committed to support infrastructure as recommended by the Provincial
Government and this commitment must from part of the mining contract;
• National
Government immediately settle all
outstanding MOA by 30 June 2009; and
• Amendment
to the Mining Act 1992 and transfer all natural resources, (Timber, Fish and
Underwater Mining, Oil and Gas), ownership to resource owners with clear and
agreed sharing formula.
Sir Julius has made a statement outlining the reasons why it
is imperative for changes in the relevant laws to transfer all the resource
ownership to the landowners.
This week, when asked about his motion, Sir Julius expressed
concern that for some unexplained reason, the motion cannot be listed for Parliament’s
deliberation.
“It is an important motion and should be brought forthwith
without unnecessary delay so that we debate, discuss and reach some decision.
It’s very important considering the increased activities nationwide in
extractive industries sector,” he stressed.
Rudd the blubberer, all for himself – with nary ever a tear for the four Australians killed in roof spaces because of that mad batts scheme which still starts fires and which was signed off by Rudd, Gillard, Swan and Garrett.
What was in that mysterious fourth letter to Rudd allegedly from Garrett?
Gillard and Swan after doing over Rudd with a little help from friends and enemies are continuing on their merry way and if voters are suckered in by the second most-famous redhead in Australia come the election, then please, no whingeing when she reveals her real policies for changing the face of Australia forever.
Bill Shorten and his mates detest Gillard but such is the Labor way that for as long as it suits them, Gillard can stay where she is.
Shorten is very capable and ambitious and it is no secret that he regards himself as the next PM.
Tony Abbott has promised that he will never let the mining super tax see the light of day but if the industry is conned, then it too can cop whatever happens in the future.
How the hell will Gillard resolve the ‘illegals’ issue?
Blame levelled at funding and logistics shortfalls
THE 2010 national housing and population census, scheduled to start in two weeks time, will probably be deferred to next year, census director Kit Ronga said yesterday, The National reports.
Ronga cited various logistics problems, including funding, as contributing to the need to defer it from July 11 to a later date although much of the preliminary work had been done.
This is on top of the more than K40 million already expended to update Papua New Guinea’s population.
“We want to defer the national census to next year but full details would be announced after our meeting with National Planning and Monitoring Minister Paul Tiensten.”
Ronga, acting national statistician Joseph Aka and members of the finance committee are expected to meet with Tiensten tomorrow to finalise a new counting date.
“Funding is not the only worry, there were many other pressing issues which had forced us to reach this decision,” Ronga said.
He said one of the reasons was that provinces were not yet ready for the census, although awareness and workshops had been conducted to prepare provincial census coordinators on how the census will be conducted and the expected outcome.
“Funding remittances from the Department of Finance and Treasury to provinces to carry out house listing and council ward mapping exercises have not been forthcoming.
“The process has been very slow and, hopefully, Tiensten would clarify this.”
Ronga said while funding was available, the challenge was how to make it available to provinces to carry out the listing exercises.
Ronga said: “Our case is not an isolated one, previous census exercises experienced similar problems with the release of funds.”
He said that more time was needed now, not the six months that had been allocated, to prepare for the July 11 start.
“We have been very optimistic about the census this year but it seemed we have been too ambitious in our approach towards the project.
“We did not expect it to turn out this way.”
The government allocated K107 million for the National Statistical Office to conduct the nationwide population and housing survey this year.
This allocation included additional funding for 2011 and 2012 to ensure the successful completion of the census.
According to Ronga, a total of K66 million had been made available for the preparations and the actual census this year.
Two-thirds of that money had been spent while the remainder had not been released by Finance and Treasury, he added.
The national census is conducted at 10-year intervals since Independence – in 1980, 1990 and 2000.
The deferral would mean that the government would miss out on important updated facts and figures it needed to plan properly for the people.
It would also mean that vital information and statistics for reviewing and updating implementation strategies for Vision 2010-50 would not be there when needed most.
THE National Alliance will not force its leader, Sir Michael Somare, out of office because of pressure from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the opposition, party president Simon Kaiwi said yesterday, The National reports.
The prime minister has, in recent times, faced a number of calls from prominent individuals, NGOs and the opposition to step down over a number of issues.
Some commentators and writers of letters to the editor had used the resignation of Kevin Rudd as prime minister and leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to renew their call for Sir Michael to step down.
But Kaiwi said the party would follow the law in deciding change in its leadership, and this would not happen at the whims of others.
He said just like what happened with Labor, a change of leadership at NA would also be decided by the party and, at this stage, the party still supported the leadership of Sir Michael.
“This government is adhering to the principles of democracy as stipulated by the PNG Constitution on the process of electing leaders to Parliament and the subsequent formation of government that follows.
“Sir Michael fulfilled all these criteria that saw his re-election as prime minister in 2007.
“Therefore, his removal from office will follow the processes stipulated in our Constitution and not by manipulative NGOs and the opposition outside of our democratic processes,” Kaiwi said in a statement.
He said there were rules that guide the conduct in PNG’s democracy and any change of government must follow these procedures and processes.
“If we abuse these processes to remove duly-elected leaders, we can hold ourselves responsible for the type of anarchy that may result.”
He welcomed Julia Gillard as the new ALP leader and first woman prime minister of Australia.
“The National Alliance and its coalition partners strongly supported the representation of women in Parliament and are happy to see that Australia now has, for the first time, a woman prime minister.
“The National Alliance continues to support women candidates during the general elections and, recently, despite the unsuccessful outcome through its support behind the vote to nominate women to Parliament.”
RESOURCE landowners from the multi-billion-kina PNG liquefied natural gas project areas yesterday clashed with security guards after they were denied entry into the umbrella company for LNG structure discussion in Lamana Hotel yesterday, The National reports.
The first commotion occurred at the hotel’s main gate after a drunk landowner was refused entry and the second was by a group of uninvited people demanding food in the hotel.
According to Esso Highlands Ltd, operator of the LNG project and a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corporation, the meeting was for selected Hides landowners.
“Those invited were the chairmen and selected chief landowners to discuss how to structure the Hides Development Company which has been nominated to be the PNG LNG landowner umbrella company,” an Esso spokesman said.
“The landowners had mistaken the disbursements of the structure meeting for the business development grants distribution, resulting in the clashes,” he said.
Governor Anderson Agiru, when receiving the grants from the prime minister early last week, said the K60 million of business grants would be distributed to the different landowner companies and associations at the project sites and not in Port Moresby.
“The funds are seed capital for businesses and not memorandum of agreement funds to be misused,” he said.
Hotel staff told The National in the second incident, more than 20 landowners forced their way into the Balcony where the meeting was held and demanded food without meal cards.
The waitresses said they were intimidated, harassed and threatened by the landowners to be given meals.
“The angry landowners almost threw plates at us after we refused to serve them meals because they were not listed as guests.
“The rowdy and angry bunch of landowners swore at us and told us that ExxonMobil would never pay them any toea for their work so they should serve them meals,” a waitress said.
Another waitress said the landowners’ attitudes were unacceptable and that the waitresses were so humiliated by their actions.
“We have never experienced such attitudes and we were so frightened.
“Fortunately, security guards managed to control the situation,” she said.
However, security guards manning the main gates said the confrontation instigated by a drunk landowner was brought under control by policemen and women who were called in to help.
More than 100 men and women fronted the hotel entrance but they were refused entry as they were not invited for the meeting.
A few landowner groups claimed they had been sidelined in the structure discussion and left out in the meeting.
Broiler chickens being put through a trial at
the NARI feed testing facility in Lae
By JANET PANDI of NARI
In any commercial poultry
enterprise, be it broiler chickens, ducks or layers, 70-80% of the cost of
production comes from feed.
Feed is the major constraint faced by
smallholder broiler farmers in Papua
New Guinea. Compounded (mixed) feed is expensive and in most instances there may be no
feed mill or mixed feed is not readily available.
Currently, commercially produced
broiler feeds are expensive because most of the ingredients used in the
formulation are imported from overseas.
Smallholder broiler farmers have
been paying the high price of commercial broiler feeds.
The approach of using locally-available feed resources
for cheaper and low density feeds will lead to less cost of feed needed to grow
broiler chickens in PNG.
This would
reduce input costs and improve profitability of this enterprise as there are
adequate supplies of resources such as fishmeal, cassava, sweet potato, fresh
coconut and corn, which could form the basis of the feed industry throughout
PNG.
Additionally, mini and micro feed mills could be established to make
diets in areas where local feed supply is plentiful.
Adoption of the feeding system is considered a
solution for the viability of village broiler farming in PNG which is a
potential method of supporting smallholder poultry operations in other areas of
the Pacific region.
NARI research has developed
alternative feeding strategies that are efficient, productive and profitable
for small scale broiler farmers.
Four alternative feeding strategies
have been investigated for broiler feeding:
1.Using the concentrates to bulk up with local feed resources such as sweet potato
or cassava;
2.Diluting or blending of the commercial finisher
with local materials in the finishing stages;
3.Complete ration formulation using locally
available resources, and
4.Choice feeding.
Formulation of feed is a complex procedure
as different feed ingredients must be blended together. Each feed ingredient has
a given nutritive value, and inclusion of one will affect the nutritive value
of the other.
There are many factors that
affect the capabilities of birds to digest and absorb nutrients; however, the
fact remains that chickens eat to meet their energy requirement and will eat
more if the feed is low in energy and will eat less if the feed contains more energy
than is required.
This is true provided all other factors are
conducive.
Formulation of broiler diets using local ingredients is possible provided
the diet that is formulated meets the nutritional requirements of these birds
in their different stages of growth, such as starter and finisher phases.
Feed
ingredients are mixed according to a special recipe to provide a balanced diet.
Often, only
very few suitable ingredients (feedstuffs) are produced in the country and most
are imported.
In PNG, some of
such resources that have potential to be used in formulating feed are fish
meal, copra meal, palm kernel meal, brewery waste, wheat bran and rice bran.
But these are largely inadequate for
formulating a high quality, commercial poultry diet especially for broilers and
layers.
Synthetic amino acids (lysine and methionine), minerals
and vitamins must be included in these formulations in order to have a well-balanced
feed.
Local resources that can be used as ingredients in least
cost or lower density diets are classified below:
Energy sources: Mostly grains such as corn (maize), wheat, barley, oats and rice. Alternative energy sources include cereals
and milling by-products such as wheat and rice bran, roots and tubers such as
cassava, sweet potatoes, fruits and by-products such as banana and plantain,
papaya, and other miscellaneous products such molasses (by-product of sugar
cane industry) and fats (palm oil, coconut oil, animal fats).
Protein sources: About 20% of a poultry diet needs
to be protein and some of its sources are legumes such as soybeans or soybean
meal (cooked or heat-treated), leguminous
forage, field peas and beans. Alternative sources are copra meal,
palm kernel meal, brewers’ and distillers’ by-products. Most of these alternate
protein sources are poor in two essential amino acids, methionine and lysine,
and would often require synthetic amino acids to be included. Animal protein
meals include fish meal, blood and bone meal and dairy by-products.
Mineral Sources: Needed at 3-4 % inclusion rate in diets. Important mineral sources
are yeast (also have B-complex vitamins), green fodder (also contain B-complex
vitamins, vitamin A), alfalfa meal, dairy by-products (whey, buttermilk), brewery
wastes, animal by-products and milling by-products (bran, middlings). Limestone
or oyster shell, bone meal and salt are also very useful. Scavenging poultry may get their trace
minerals from wood ashes.
Vitamin Sources:
Ideal sources are commercial premixes.
Under warm and wet conditions of much of PNG, the
formulated feed must be properly stored and must not be kept for more than a
month.
A recent
poultry survey (2003) in Morobe, Madang and Eastern
Highlands indicates that broiler chicken farming in these regions
(small-scale) provides additional income for families. Most farmers raise
broilers out of their own initiative despite high feed and travel costs. But demand
for live birds is high and there is a community agreement over prices. These farmers
expressed concerns over prices of feeds, limited access to information and lack
of assistance from government systems. Survey respondents welcomed extension
and advisory services on low cost and alternative feed options.
Research by NARI using a feed testing facility resulted in the
availability of a database on apparent metabolisable energy values of some
common ingredients found around the country. These values have been combined
with other chemical composition values from literatures and are available at
NARI. Training on feed formulations can also be conducted and skills passed on
to facilitators or trainers and farmers to utilise the knowledge to be creative
and innovative in formulating their own feeds using local materials.
The PNG smallholder broiler
chicken production has a gross value of AUD$6.7million per annum and
profitability can be increased with reductions in feed costs through greater
use of local feed resources.
The feature story by Harlyne Joku "Hope for dying Ok Tedi River ...” Weekend Courier, Saturday, June 26, 2010 pp. 20-21 is a very one-sided
report.
I would have thought Post-Courier would have been a leading light but not so.
Perhaps the funding for the trip and the discussions with the polluters may have overly swayed the reporter and the Post-Courier.
Several clarifications must be made to the story.
1. Law on Mineral Resources Authority is unconstitutional. MRA is operating illegally. MRA is also collecting illegal tax in illegal production levy from the miners including Ok Tedi mine. Post-Courier has not shown how it wants news readers to believe its story when it has not shown how ethical journalism is to their receiving payment for the trip and discussions only with the polluters. Lot of people know truth about Ok Tedi mine. All the journalist could have done was see one and ask.
2. Big dredging operations are not new. What would have been new are how much beneficial impact the dredging operations have meant for the river, off river water bodies, food sources and on lives of people who rely on the river, off river water bodies, and resources for living.
3. Dredging operations is primarily to serve Ok Tedi's interest. The sedimentation on the river bed is making Ok Tedi's copper barges having difficulty navigating the Fly River.
4. BHP Billiton has not gone away yet. They are still at Ok Tedi. They are there through PNG Sustainable Development Program. And PNGSDP is not a PNG company. It is a Singapore-based company holding BHP's 52% interest for the benefit of PNG. PNG only owns 30% in Ok Tedi mine.
5. Environment management has never been a serious matter for Ok Tedi mine at any time. Not even now. Law has been used to protect Ok Tedi mine since its tailings dam collapsed in 1984. Acceptable Particulate Level (APL) was the first environmental regime. It resulted in higher copper level in fish stock in the Fly River. Sedimentation saw huge areas under water longer than normal causing dieback.
6. Legislation was used to continue riverine tailings and waste disposal. Let us be honest and truthful so that we can be judged by our readers fairly and justly.
Muruks player Roderick Puname (with ball) being sandwiched in a tackled
by Rangers Samuel Maniat (right) and Francis Ray. – Nationalpic by AMOS
KAKA ANDAWE
Hooker Baine gets Muruks home with last-gasp try By PETER PIA
MENDI Muruks edged Masta Mak Rangers 10-6 in round eight of the bemobile Cup in Lae yesterday thanks to a last-minute try to hooker Andrew Baine, The National reports.
In the other games, Port Moresby Vipers beat Lae Bombers 20-10, Mt Hagen Kuris zilched Simbu Warriors 30-0 and Rabaul Gurias rode roughshod over Enga Mioks 44-10 in the 2009 grand final replay.
Baine scored the match winner in the 76th minute after both sides were locked at 6-6 for most of the second half . The Lae-based Muruks were first to score in the opening 40 minutes when halfback Joshua Molsi jinked his way through several defenders from 30m out for a brilliant solo effort. The try was converted by Kiwa Kili for a 6-0 lead to the home side. The Muruks, with representative prospect Norbert Kembo and Jackson Undi at the helm, matched the Rangers in the ruck and the game soon turned into an arm-wrestle. Muruks play-makers Kili, Molsi and Baine combined to send Undi over the line only to be denied by a try-saving effort from Rangers’ Nathan Anjo, that dislodged the ball. Rangers forwards began to muscle-up as the game progressed with hardworking Johnson Kuike, Francis Ray, Simon Young, Aaron Mulunga and Anjo gaining yardage and asserting themselves in defence. Anjo controlled the Rangers surges effeciently from his dummy-half role but the Port Moresby franchise lacked the finishing touch in the backline with several scoring chances gone begging. Rangers’ rookie winger Michael Keith came close to scoring in the latter stages of the half when running off a Mulunga short ball only to be pushed into touch and the score remained 6-0 to the Muruks at the break. The tempo increased in the second half when both teams exchanged some hard hits in defence. The visitors eventually found the tryline in 60th minute when five-eighth Mark Mexico put up a bomb which bounced fortuitously for substitute Samson Ene to score out wide. Samuel Maniat successfully converted to level the scores at 6-6. Rangers created more chances when forwards Ray, Mulunga, and Anjo broke the Muruks defence at different stages but were let down by a disjointed and complacent backline. Luckless wingers Joel Ambrose and Keith’s efforts from the dummy-half only highlighted Rangers’ lack of coordination in attack. Muruks made the most of their opportunity with Baine’s individual effort.
The word of Christ was brought to Papua New Guinea in the 19th century.
Evangelists came armed with an ideal, both institutional and individual, which meant commitment to the task in hand above any other.
A task of conversion of a society and its fundamental belief-systems to a radically-different view of mankind’s origin, of the human race’s place in the world and the cosmos, and of individuals’ responsibilities, one to another.
Soon after the initial impact of the early missionaries another foreign force devoted to the imposition of new ways of social management and interaction arrived.
But these men were not driven by a long-term philosophy or objective.
The first colonial governors were driven by a simple imperative; a political one, primarily.
To occupy and to claim sovereignty.
Followed by a secondary concern for sources of trade and the management of what might follow.
The indigenous social-management systems which the foreigners, missionaries and governors alike, encountered were geared to the daily survival, within a situation of competition, of hundreds of mutually-antagonistic micro-societies.
To that extent the system worked well, but the level of enmity shown to outsiders would not permit of any assumption of sovereignty, of rule, without recourse to force, or at least of a demonstration of force.
This was accomplished simply by the aggressive or the defensive, or simply by the demonstrative deployment of the multi-chambered firearms which the newcomers possessed.
The existence of peace within society was thus procured.
Within this altered situation new ideas grew and spread.
Nevertheless, more than a century later, in 2010, kastom tumbuna or its remnant ideals and attitudes are still manifestly present in all sorts of ways.
In particular in terms of continuing tribalism- with its echoes of racism- so deeply imbedded that people often describe themselves as being “ of mixed Madang/East Sepik parentage” etc., etc.,. For heavens sake!
Are people so ashamed of their native country that they shy away from identifying as citizens of it, and instead cite the provinces in which their parents were born?
This feeling of being a member of a restricted ethnic group rather than a citizen of an independent constitutional national commonwealth has resulted in the confused, jealous and distrustful, and thus largely incoherent and weak society which exists in PNG today.
Is this because PNG’s modern leaders have never been able to empower the nation and drive it to any peak of widely-recognised achievement in social development or in living-standards, resulting in some sense of national pride?
Is this why league football, the only international arena within which PNG has demonstrated any continuing level of talent and success, is almost a holy icon to the ordinary people of this nation?
Such an indecisive, weak society will never push and empower the triumphant raising of the democratic and independent nation of PNG as an exemplary developing peoples’ commonwealth where honesty and positivism governs the life and the rights of the multitude.
But we do have a thriving, ambitious and largely-dissatisfied middle-class in PNG; a class consisting of the wage-and-salary earners, the professionals of all types, and the entrepreneurs in all areas of business from big to small.
These people, many of them in their 'fifties today, remember the sort of education and medical attention they received as kids forty years ago, and look at what is now available to their own children and grandchildren; services often to be paid for first, and then found to be wanting in performance and result.
These people are potentially the source of the emergence of a loud, unified and informed voice in the electorate.
A voice sounding from a great many throats across the nation, and a voice which by virtue of its issue from the educated members of each family, each clan, each community is a voice which will be respected, listened to.
A voice whose recommendations and evoked desires and principles will be taken up across the country among the villages, among the settlements, among the illiterate and the impoverished of each and every province as well as among the educated and aware.
As I’ve said before, its time for the re-emergence of the LLGS as an effective community-based control over district resources, over planning and over the restoration of basic health and education systems in the provinces.
But it’s also now time for a leader to step up and adopt the middle-class of PNG as his or her own constituency.
I was of the view that you needed to do a small amendment to the PNG constitution to enable a Governor General to run for a second term.
The wording of Somare motion that the house resolves to have Matane continue in the position I thought is actually seeking parliament’s endorsement of Matane’s nominations one of the candidates for the post.
Only after parliament agreed to that motion by Somare which was seconded by Temu that the house should move to the second part of the voting process which is the exhaustive secret ballot.
Australia is only about 50km from its top end to our Western end, and less than 48 hours earlier they showed us clearly and without any reservations that public opinion on their leaders, government policies and the principals of democracy is an important consideration for those in power.
They made the changes in the party room and took it to parliament to make the announcement for the good of all Australians.
They did it for the good of the country and brought home that age old message that government is the people and by the people.
Isn’t there any body within the party room of the ruling coalition that has any consideration at all for this country or are they all in the game together?
For too long we have sadly allowed the principals of democracy to be compromised by a political group of individuals who have absolutely no intention to part with the privileges they enjoy and GG’s reelection indicates that even Matane wants to hold onto his little kingdom within the comforts of the palace on the Konedobu hills.
We in the media should open the forum to discuss democracy and good governance.
We need to address what constitutes a dictatorial government and authoritarian rule and open up debate on whether those elements have been deliberately allowed and legally manipulated to undermine the constitution and all things constitutional in PNG. .
If the tone of Ano Plala’s statement saying there should be no more debate on the environment policy amendments is in fact removing our rights to freedom of expression, how far do we have to look?
The way all this is unfolding, I wonder if we will have a general election in 2012.
If the value of the Kina does not change between now and after 2012, we are what the world is really saying about us.
GOVERNOR-General Sir Paulias Matane has been “appointed” to a second term in office under very controversial circumstances in Parliament last Friday, in an act likely to be challenged in court, The National reports.
Parliament was a scene of chaos and confusion, with conflicting advice from the speaker and the prime minister as to how PNG’s 9th governor-general was to be appointed.
In an orchestrated move, the government succeeded in moving swiftly to appoint Sir Paulias, using section 87(5) of the Constitution, arguing that the absolute majority secured for Sir Paulias meant that the exhaustive secret ballot vote was not required.
Members who were supporting the other candidates were up in arms, and there were exchanges of shouts and abuses, bringing the whole Parliament House into a state of confusion.
The members watching from the public gallery, incensed by what they believe was an abuse of parliamentary democracy, shouted down the chambers resulting in an exchange of words between the public and MPs including Works, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Don Polye and Community Development Minister Dame Carol Kidu.
It all started after Speaker Jeffery Nape announced the names of the nominees – Sir Makena Geno, Sir Pato Kakaraya, Sir Paulias and Ronald Rimbao.
He then said since Sir Paulias was being proposed, section 87(5) of the Constitution required Parliament to determine by two-thirds absolute majority vote of 73 members the eligibility of Sir Paulias for re-appointment for a second term.
Members were surprised when Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare moved a motion for Parliament to resolve that Sir Paulias be supported for a second term as governor-general.
Confused, Enga Governor Peter Ipatas raised a point of order, asking the speaker to clarify the prime minister’s motion.
But the speaker, without clarifying, ordered the vote to proceed, even though Ipatas interjected again that the prime minister’s motion was not in line with the process the speaker had explained.
Other point of orders and interjections were rejected by the speaker.
The eligibility vote was taken by open ballot where MPs were required to stand up to vote, which resulted in an 84-13 in favour of Sir Paulias.
The speaker then informed Parliament that Sir Paulias was eligible for appointment as governor-general for a second term, prompting East Sepik Governor Peter Wararu to raise another point of order.
Wararu said there was confusion in what the speaker was saying, as section 87(5) was clear in that no person was eligible for appointment as governor-general more than once unless the Parliament, by an absolute two-thirds majority, approves the appointment for a second term.
Wararu said taking that into account, the speaker needed to make a ruling.
Nape suspended the sitting for lunch to make a ruling, taking into account Wararu’s point of order.
The speaker reconvened the House at 3pm and declared Sir Paulias as elected.
Polye was confused, and raised a point of order, asking Nape to clarify whether Sir Paulias was elected or became eligible to contest.
Nape stated that he was elected, drawing shouts from Morobe Governor Luther Wenge that “democracy has been hijacked”, and Ipatas, shouting, “why are you hijacking this House”.
Leader of government business Paul Tiensten adjourned Parliament to July 20.
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has appointed Angoram MP Arthur Somare the acting Finance and Treasury Minister, The National reports.
Government insiders told The National the prime minister signed the instrument for the appointment of Somare last Friday, and a public announcement on this change is expected this week.
This portfolio became vacant after incumbent Patrick Pruaitch was suspended from office because of his referral to a leadership tribunal over allegations of misconduct in office.
Pruatich is challenging his referral in court, and the case is pending.
There has been a lot of jostling and lobbying for this job since Pruaitch vacated it, and a number of ministers and backbenchers were hoping the job would go to them. But, insiders said, the job had to remain in the Momase region under the Kokopo Agreement that the National Alliance and its coalition partners agreed to after the general elections.
“A number of eligible and qualified candidates have missed out, but that is the nature of these political agreements,” an insider said when confirming the appointment of Somare.
Somare will double up as Public Enterprises Minister as well.
But the appointment raised eyebrows in some circles, with Somare also confronting misconduct allegations of his own.
The public prosecutor last week asked the chief justice to appoint a judge to head a leadership tribunal to inquire into allegations of misconduct in office which were referred in 2006.
Somare continues to hold office because he had taken out an injunction against his suspension, and is challenging his referral in court.
A MT Hagen-based newspaper journalist was shot dead, allegedly by a relative, at his village outside the city on Saturday, The National reports.
Police are investigating the death of Sent Timbi at his Ogugulben village at about 7.30pm.
Police said the man who pulled the trigger of the self-loading rifle was on the run after firing three shots – the first in the air, the second at a house showing videos and the third at Timbi.
He was killed instantly after the bullet penetrated his chest and went through the village store that he was standing beside.
Timbi’s immediate family of the Yamka tribe were confused and shocked, saying they did not know the motive behind the killing but were helping police with their investigations.
A relative Pang Pawa said the father of an 11-year-old boy was gunned down as he was talking with his tribesmen in front of the shop.
According to Pawa, the suspected gunman had called Timbi twice on Saturday night, telling the journalist that he had a problem with his employees at his coffee plantation and needed Timbi’s assistance to solve it.
He said Timbi was a devout SDA who had just returned home from church service and was making his way to the video premises, about 300m away, when the suspect drove towards their ceremonial ground close to the video site.
Pawa said three shots were then fired, the third being the fatal one which also went close to wounding the storekeeper inside.
Timbi’s body is now at the Mt Hagen General Hospital morgue.
He started his journalism career as a stringer with The National in 2007 before joining the Post-Courier last year.
Pawa said the family would allow justice to take its course.
Late yesterday (Saturday) another medevac was undertaken by the Melanesian Foundation helicopter piloted by Sir Peter Barter in Madang (pictures below).
Gideon Ningende, a young man aged about 30, was cut badly on the neck with a bush knife following an argument at Watung Village near Saidor.
He was rushed to Saidor Health Centre, stabilised then taken by helicopter to Modilon Hospital.
His condition was serious but provincial health Adviser, Markus Kachau met Sir Peter and rushed the patient to the emergency ward.
"We need to expose these medevacs which occur numerous times a week in order to get some funds to purchase avgas for the helicopter," Sir Peter said.
Former Madang Governor Sir Peter Barter tonight confirmed
that 15 people had died on ManamIsland from an
unconfirmed disease, believed to be cholera.
Dr Sibauk Bieb, the co-ordinator
for operations of the cholera taskforce in Madang was flown to Dugalava and
Bien on Manam by Sir Peter in his helicopter, where it was confirmed that 15
people had died and several more remained at Bien health centre, which is now downgraded to an aid post.
Dr Sibek Bieb
(centre) talking to villagers on ManamIsland yesterday.
“Dr Bieb was advised that a family of four had visited
Dangale village last week and upon their return to Dugalava No.2, they got sick
and within three hours they were dead,” Sir Peter said.
“All those dead are from Dugalava and Dr Bieb feels that
those who have become ill have probably contracted cholera as it appears all
the people affected are people who may have handled the bodies of the
deceased.”
The people in villages on Manam were quite hungry.
Sir Peter was told
the gardens were not producing and the only food they had was banana, which the
people claimed were very dry.
All the rice given to them had gone complained, a mother of
four from Dugalava No. 1.
Sir Peter flew to Bogia to where Dr Bieb advised the staff
of Bogia health centre not to send any more bodies back to Manam and arrange to
have them buried in Bogia.
“He (Dr Bieb) also advised the staff to practice caution
themselves when handling those that were sick and bodies of those who had
died,” Sir Peter said.
“Before returning to Madang, further stops were made at MalalaHigh
School, Asurumba and Mangem care centres to
advise the people from Dangale and Dugalava of the situation and advise that a
further medical team was on the way to Bogia and warn them not to take any
further bodies back to Manam.
Dr Sibek Bieb (right)
meeting with Manam islanders at Asuramba care centre on mainland Madang
yesterday.-Picture courtesy of SIR PETER BARTER
“It is expected that Dr Bieb will make a full report to the
provincial health office and National Disaster Office so that action be taken
to stop any further spread of the sickness that will be most likely diagnosed
as cholera.”
