Malum Nalu

Telikom CEO suspended

2012-02-14T16:25:00.002+10:00

Minister for Public Enterprises, Sir Mekere Morauta, said today thechief executive of Telikom, Peter Loko, had been suspended pendinginvestigations into large-scale unauthorised contracts and commitments by thecorporation.

“Evidence obtained by IPBC during audits of all public enterprisesindicates that Telikom illegally entered into numerous contracts involving thepayment or receipt of more than K1 billion,” Sir Mekere said.

“Telikom was required by law to seek approval from the Treasurer inaccordance with section 45B of the IPBC Act. It did not do so.

“It is the CEO’s responsibility to ensure approvals aresought, which is why he is suspended.

"The investigation will also seek to establish whetherthe Telikom board was aware that the requirement for ministerial approvalsappeared to have been routinely ignored.

“These are very serious matters and require thorough investigation.

“People are entitled to know what happened to their money, and I willprovide details of the results of the investigation to Parliament.”

Sir Mekere said the failure by Telikom to seek approvals and to fullyinform the Treasurer of its financial dealings had placed Telikom in financialdifficulty.

It now requires very substantial public funding to save it frominsolvency.

“Let us be very clear – the operation of the national telecommunicationsystem and thousands of jobs have been put at risk,” Sir Mekere said.

He said the worst example of financial illegality was the unauthorised borrowingof K340 million from two banks, of which K200m has been drawn down.

Telikom is unable to repay the capital (it is repaying on the basis ofinterest-only) and is asking the Government to bail it out. The banks are alsoasking the Government to guarantee the loan.

Even worse, a Telikom document from some time ago statesthat the K200 million “...has not yielded enhanced revenues because the capexprograms have not been taken to their logical conclusion”. In other words, K200million of borrowed money has been spent, without the required approval, and withoutyet producing any revenue for Telikom.

“Too many public enterprises are flouting the law, with disastrous consequences for the nation,”Sir Mekere said.

“The law is there toprotect taxpayers’ funds and the national interest, and I will not hesitate topursue public officials and others who do not comply with the law.”

CPL group posts K21.86 million profit

2012-02-14T09:15:00.002+10:00

City Pharmacy Ltd Group, Papua New Guinea’sbiggest retailing network, has announced a profit before tax of K21.86 million, The National reports.

It is a 62.77% increase from theK13.43m it recorded the previous year.

It yesterday released its chairman’sstatement announcing the unaudited profit before tax.

Both its City Pharmacy and Stop N Shopstores recorded good sales growth last year.

“Our retail business continues to workhard to execute strategies that are improving the value and shopping experienceof our customers,” said CPL group chairman Mahesh Patel.

CPL group chairman Mahesh Patel

“The bottom line continues to growfaster than the sales.”

Patel added that the directors, afterthe board meeting last week, would be recommending a bonus for its hardworkingemployees and shareholders in their annual general meeting in April 2012.

CPL Group is PNG’s biggest retailingwork. It has established five strong retail brands - City Pharmacy, Stop N Shop,Hardware Haus, BonCafe and HomeMaker.

Itwill open during the first quarter of this year Paradise Cinema - PNG’s very firstmultiplex cinema which will be at the third floor of Vision City.

In2011, the CPL Group had a combined retail operations of 54 stores nationwide whichemploy over 2,000 staff of which 95% are Papua New Guineans.

Itsretail network spans health and beauty chains, grocery, hardware stores, coffeeshops and now a multiplex cinema.

PNG political legal fight adjourned

2012-02-13T15:31:00.001+10:00

From: AAP

February 13, 2012 2:34PM

SIR Michael Somare's son Arthur has vowed to continue the legal fight to have the O'Neill government turfed out of office after the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea adjourned for another week.
The court had convened today and was expected to issue more directions for fresh hearings on the constitutionality of parliament's move to legalise its decision to end the 43-year political career of Sir Michael, 75, late last year.
However, neither side, except lawyers for Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah, had filed documentation, prompting the court to reschedule its directions hearing until 10.30am (AEDT) next Monday.
"We have decided to hear all the applications who wish to be joined as interveners," Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika said.
Lawyers for the O'Neill government also raised the issue of Sir Michael Somare and his followers appointing heads of departments.

"They can wait for the Supreme Court reference, then they can go hell fire if they want to."The majority of parliament backed the decision to dump the former prime minister and approved it on the same day the Supreme Court ordered Sir Michael back to power.

That ruling sparked a political crisis in PNG, when there were briefly two police commissioners, two cabinets, two governors general and two prime ministers.

PNG will hold a general election in June this year.

The writs will be issued in late April, putting the government into caretaker mode.

Outside the court, Arthur Somare told reporters he would not give up the fight to have the government of Peter O'Neill thrown out, even if Mr O'Neill won the election.

"I do not care about my own election," Mr Somare, a suspended MP, said.

"I will pursue this to the end."

He said he wanted Mr O'Neill, Mr Namah and their supporters to serve "nine months and a day" for contempt of court for ignoring a Supreme Court order in December to return Sir Michael to power.

He said he wanted the sentence because convicts who served longer than nine months ere banned from running for parliament.

"Nine months and a day, that's the punchline," he said.

Bart Philemon to quit politics after 2012 elections

2012-02-13T12:09:00.003+10:00

ByMALUM NALU

Lae MP and Public Service Minister Bart Philemonsays the 2012 national elections will be his last.

Philemon, 66, from Butibam village in Lae, made theannouncement at his New Generation Party’s fundraising dinner at Vision City inPort Moresby on Saturday night.

New Generation Party leader Bart Philemon )centre) with Health Minister JamieMaxtone-Graham (left) and deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah.-Pictures by RUSSELSAIGOMI

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill stresses the need for good leadership as NewGeneration Party leader Bart Philemon looks on.

He told a full house crowd of business executives,public servants, politicians and others that after serving four terms since1992, 2012 would be his “swansong”.

“I could win this one or I could lose it,” he said.

‘It will be my last elections and my last term aspolitician.”

He said politicians owed it to the children of PapuaNew Guinea for a better future.

“Today’s children, tomorrow’s future,” he said.

“There must be strong and effective leadership.

“PNG is a country very much in turmoil.

“Hence, the branding, a ‘poor rich country’.”

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the currentpolitical chaos in the country was not doing any good for the children.

“Papua New Guinea is at a very interestingjuncture,” he said.

“We are going back and forth to the court house.

“The country does not deserve this.

“We need to provide a future for the kids.

“It is very important that we have political partiesthat have good principles, candidates that are outstanding.”

O’Neill said never had the need been greater forgood leaders with the current LNG and resource developments in the country.

“All these world-class developments will bring inwindfall to this country,” he said.

“This election is for the future of this country andfor the future of our children.”

The crowd was entertained by school children whospoke about the need for good leadership for their future and a Cuban musictrio.

Health Minister and Anglimo-South Waghi MP, JamieMaxtone-Graham, pledged K250,000 support to NGP from PNG Party.

Duma welcomes Shell to PNG

2012-02-10T09:55:00.003+10:00

ByMALUM NALU

Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma says thereturn of Shell to Papua New Guinea augurs well for the country’s hydrocarbonindustry.

Petroleumand Energy Minister William Duma speaking at yesterday’s Shell office openingat Petromin Haus in Port Moresby.-Picture by ROY SANGI of Petromin

“I’m very proud of what is happening today,” he saidat yesterday’s (Thursday) opening of Shell’s new office at Petromin Haus inPort Moresby.

“I’m sure it’s good for positive development of ourhydrocarbon industry.

“The government of Peter O’Neill sees theopportunity to offer incentives to companies who want to invest in thiscountry.”

Duma said Shell had not wasted time since entering intoa strategic alliance agreement on Aug 18, 2011 with Petromin to establish along-term partnership.

“Not even a year has passed and Shell is backagain,” he said.

“Shell, from what I know, has a very good trackrecord.

“I strongly believe that with Shell, we can gomiles.

“There are many areas out there waiting to beexplored.

“For Shell to come and open an office in the countrytells a lot.

“As the saying goes, ‘fortune favors the brave’.

I see a good future ahead for both Shell andPetromin.”

Home is where the heart is

2012-02-10T09:34:00.002+10:00

ByMALUM NALU

AT least, for onemember of Shell’s senior management team at the opening of the company’s PapuaNew Guinea office at Petromin Haus in Port Moresby yesterday PNG is a placethat he calls “home”.

Australian MarcGerrits, Shell’s vice-president exploration – Asia, was born in Angoram alongthe Sepik River and spent his early years in PNG before returning to Australiain 1977, where he completed high school and university to become a geologist.

Gerrits, who wasinstrumental in Shell’s return to PNG, admitted in an interview with The National yesterday that his heartwas still with PNG as that was where he was born.

“Your heart is whereyou were born,” he said.

:Marc Gerrits…’home is where the heart is’.-Picture by ROY SANGI of Petromin

“I was born in Angoramalong the Sepik River in 1964.

“My father was a doctorin Angoram.

“We then moved toPopondetta, Kiriwina, then Maprik and Wewak.

“My father was aleprosy and TB specialist.

“He was and is veryinterested in the culture.

“He is at the momentwriting a book on culture in the Maprik area.”

Gerrits said Shell hadbeen studying developments in PNG for quite a while now before deciding toreturn.

“We operate many gasprojects around the world,” he said.

“We work closely withgovernments and national oil companies for the people.

“That’s exactly what wewant to do here.

“We believe verystrongly in developing local talent.

“We operate very muchfrom a position of business principles.

“In terms of PNG, wehave a long working history here.

“We hope opportunitieswill emerge to do more.”

Asked about whatprojects Shell would be involved in, Gerrits said: “It’s still very early days.

“The ingredients aregood.

“Papua New Guinea isvery promising.

“We’re no longerinvolved in downstream here.

“There has been asignificant degree of success in PNG.

“We firmly believe thatthere’s more to come and I believe Shell is part of that bigger picture.”

Shell’s return a ‘vote of confidence’ in PNG

2012-02-10T09:16:00.002+10:00

ByMALUM NALU

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill yesterday (Thursday)assured investors that Papua New Guinea was an ideal business location, despiteall the bad press of late.

O’Neill made the assurance when opening a newrepresentative office for Shell, one of the largest energy and petrochemicalcompanies in the world, at Petromin Haus in Port Moresby.

He said the return of Shell showed that “there isbig investor confidence in PNG”.

“I want to investors and companies that despite ourpolitics, PNG continues to have investors coming in,” O’Neill said.

“We have in recent times seen that the economy isgoing very well.

“Our foreign reserves are at record levels.

“The economy of the country is very stable.

“We look forward to working closely with Shell andPetromin over the years.

“This is a huge vote of confidence in our country.”

Shell vice-president commercial –Asia, Ton Ten Have,said the company’s return to PNG was a natural follow-on from the strategicalliance agreement and joint technical study agreement signed between Shell andPetromin last August.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill…Shell return a‘vote of confidence’ in PNG.-Pictures by ROY SANGI of Petromin

Shell vice-president commercial –AsiaTon TenHave, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Petroleum and Energy Minister William Dumaand Petromin managing director Joshua Kalinoe raise a toast to Shell’s returnto PNG

Shell vice-president commercial –AsiaTon TenHave

:Shell vice-president commercial –AsiaTon Ten Have, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill,Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma at yesterday’s opening of the ShellPNG office

“Shell believes that Papua New Guinea isunderexplored,” he said.

“We are looking at staying here for the long term.

“The LNG industry is not one that’s here today andgone tomorrow – it’s here for the long term.

“It is one that is based on collaboration andco-operation.

“Shell is a big energy player in the world, and oneof the leading LNG companies in the world.

“We have been involved in some of themost-challenging projects the LNG industry has seen over the last 20 years.”

Ten Have said Shell would not be successful withouthaving the right people, as it did in countries like Malaysia and Brunei.

“We have been humbled by all the support you havegiven us in getting Shell back to PNG,” he said.

“We look forward to a long-lasting and successfulpartnership.”

Ten Have said the JTSA was on track to be completedthis year and Shell looked forward to working with Petromin to build a successfulupstream business in PNG.

Petromin managing director Joshua Kalinoe welcomedthe increased presence of Shell and added it would further facilitate forfuture opportunities in PNG.

“Shell is a world-class operator with a proven trackrecord in all parts of the upstream business,” he said.

“Together with Petromin, Shell will help PNG realisethe full potential of its energy resources.”

Shell and Petromin entered into a Strategic AllianceAgreement on Aug 18, 2011 to establish a long-term partnership.

The agreement includes a joint study of majorhydrocarbon basins in PNG and will enable the pursuit of mutually-beneficialupstream opportunities.

It also contains skills-transfer elements, whichwill see Shell holding technical skills training sessions for Petromin staff,and Petromin staff posted to Shell’s office in Malaysia on developmentassignments.

Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemicalscompanies, with around 93,000 employees in more than 90 countries andterritories, and helps to meet the world's growing demand for energy.

Sir Puka: Rice project will have major impact in Kairuku-Hiri

2012-02-08T18:48:00.001+10:00

Minister forAgriculture and Livestock Puka Temu has strongly defended the Central provincerice project, which has been the subject of much controversy lately.

He said this inresponse to criticisms in the media that landowners had been left out and notinformed about the project.

Sir Puka saidDAL, Central province administration and relevant government agencies hadconducted wide consultation and awareness for the project.

He saidgovernment officers had conducted extensive awareness and consultation with landownersand communities within Kairuku-Hiri district and would continue to do so.

Sir Puka said heand other MPs from Central province, including Kairuku-Hiri MP Paru Aihi, had apublic meeting with Aroa people at Pinu village last October and witnessed the supportof the people for the project.

He said therehad been overwhelming support from people attended meetings conducted by DALand its stakeholders at Bereina station and the villages of Bereina, Inauaia,Inaui, Agevairu, Pinu, Magabaira and Vanapa.

A land mobilisationteam comprising of officers from DAL and Lands Department also visited villagesin the Gabadi/Aroa, Roro and Mekeo areas.

A few villages are yet to be visited by theteam, however, there has been positive response from majority of the villagers,who want the project to go ahead.

Sir Puka saidlast month, the team visited North Mekeo area and spoke to people of Babagogo,Waika, Apanaipi, Piuga, Ameisaka, Inaujina, Egefa, Maipa, Akufa, Ioi and Imouga,who gave overwhelming support.

He denied claimsthat he was treating the landowners as “fools”, as one newspaper letter writersuggested.

“I have never inmy political life, regarded and treated any landowner as a fool, or someone onecan ignore in making decisions that require the use of their land,” Sir Pikasaid,

“Indeed, withthe Central Province Commercial Rice Project (CPCRP), it is because of this,and the need to have wider consultation and participation that we haveconducted extensive awareness and continue to do so for this project throughoutthe Kairuku district.”

He said the riceproject was a major impact project in the agriculture sector that this countryhad ever seen, and the Kairuku-Hiri district in particular was very fortunateto have this project.

“When doneproperly, this project will be highly beneficial to the local people, includingthose who are criticising it right now,” Sir Puka said.

“In fact, I amadvised that in a day, an average of four to five landowners and localvillagers visit the CPRCRP office in Port Moresby, to either follow up on theirILGs or to obtain more information about the project.”

He said so far,landowners had already registered with the CPCRP office 44 existing ILGs and 44new applications.

Of the existingILGs, 30 are those that were formerly under the Mekeo hinterland project, withseven collected and 23 pledged to be handed in soon.

Notification hasbeen received of more ILGs to be brought in.

Sir Puka saidawareness and consultations on the project were continuing, together with landmobilisation work which was now at the land investigation reports (LIR) stage.

In the meantime, DAL and the national projectsteering committee progresses the work on a deed of agreement that is acceptablefor the State before it is signed with the investor.

Sir Pukaappealed to landowners and members of the public who have genuine concernsabout the rice project to seek information from the CPCRP office at DALheadquarters and not to make misleading and incorrect statements in the media.

“I am alwaysavailable and willing to visit Kairuku-Hiri district to talk about the projectwith our people and will certainly do so after the DAL and the project team hasdone its work,” he said.

Let not those lives be lost in vain- let it be the catalyst for change

2012-02-08T17:54:00.001+10:00

By TAWIC NGALU

In the immediate aftermath of the MV RabaulQueens incident, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill saideverything would be done to establish the cause of the accident.

"We will leave no stone unturned,"he said.

"We cannot afford to continue to lose our people's lives. Seatransport is one of the most important forms of transportation in thecountry."

Whilst the fingers will immediately bepointed at the shipping operator and government officials within the regulatorybodies as being the main perpetrators – a fair chunk of the blame must fallsquarely on successive governments and society in general for allowing this tohappen again.

This incident yet again, highlights theappalling inadequacies of our public service and the ingrained willingness ofofficials from all levels of government to compromise public safety and wellbeing – of course for a “very, very” small fee – to bend the rules and continueto award operating licenses and permits, enabling rogue operators to run amok,and continue to ply their trade, with complete and utter disregard for the lawsof the land, sea and environment.

Successive governments have known of theseirregularities and malpractices within these regulatory organisations and ofrogue operators, but have continually failed to take heed, act on and take thenecessary measures, thus allowing these malpractices and corrupt acts toflourish into the thriving industry that it now is.

The Prime Minister needs to be held true tohis word.

No stone must be left unturned - a comprehensive incident report mustbe furnished within a specific time frame, complete with findings of investigationsinto the dealings of operators and the regulatory bodies tasked with ensuringthe safety and wellbeing of the traveling public.

Recommendation for immediate remedialactions must be implemented, and then a complete overhaul of corrupt systemsand processes, government officials and operators.

Based on the findings of thereport, an example must be made of all individuals, companies and organisationsfound guilty of wrongdoing and non-compliance.

Legal proceedings must beinitiated and the maximum penalty exacted.

It is a sad fact of our society – where thepublic debate and rhetoric is endless in the immediate aftermath of such atragedy, but lessons learnt are never taken to heart, in ensuring thatcorrective remedial measures are implemented on the ground by the relevantauthorities to prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy.

The news media - print, radio and TV alongwith social media network site Facebook and Twitter, is littered withdiscussion threads on the tragic sinking of the MV Rabaul Queens. There arenumerous views and opinions and possibly good suggestions which sadly, in alllikelihood, will never get taken up and acted upon because of the indifferencethat prevails – no one takes ownership.

There is an old adage “Evil triumphs whengood men do nothing” – and we collectively, as a people have been guilty on allfronts. We continue to accept and tolerate substandard services with not a careor whim. Our indifference, ignorance and cumulative non action have amounted tothe current state of affairs where deteriorating public services andinfrastructure is the accepted norm.

The legendary “Bonbon Ngara”, the sea serpentof the Vitiaz Straits, the nemesis of all ancient mariners along the Huon Peninsulahas again reared its ugly head to claim yet another vessel and to mock ourcollective incompetence.

Let not those lives be lost in vain- let it be the catalyst for change

National day of mourning must be held

2012-02-07T11:38:00.000+10:00

By REG RENAGI

It is with a heavy heart that I write this.
With eachpassing day, the authorities will gradually scale down their search tempo forsurvivors from the ill-fated passenger ship, Rabaul Queen that sank lastThursday morning until it is finally called off by either this weekend or earlynext week.
The total number of survivors remains at 246 and sincethen, only five bodies have been recovered in other coastal provinces far awayfrom the original sunken location.
It's now five days after the worst marinedisaster in our country,with hopes from families now fading fast for moresurvivors to be found alive this week.
The sunken coastal ship was certainly not suitable forthe current rough weather conditions.
It may seem also that it was not in anyway sea-worthy to ever sailed at all in the rough weather conditions at thetime.
The government must now hold a national day of mourningand later, a collective memorial service for all those 120 or so passengersonboard the Rabaul Queen who perished last Thursday.
This must be done to mourn the lost passengers andremember them in their final moments when the stricken vessel sank.
I also remember asking some people in authority lastyear regarding the APNG plane crash victims to hold a national memorial serviceto mourn for the passengers who perished in October 2011, but sadly did not getany feedback at all.
This will be the same unless we all make a lot of noiseso something gets done now about improving general maritime safety (likewisefor air safety) in PNG.
I praise our Lord God for the survivors and pray forall the passengers who lost their lives last Thursday.
May they rest in eternal peace. God bless them all.

7 children pray for mum’s return

2012-02-07T11:06:00.000+10:00

Story by GABRIEL LAHOC

SEVEN children – aged between 11 months and 15 years – are praying that their mother, who is missing at sea for four days, is alive and well.
Jean Rogers Nitia, 38, was a Rabaul passenger who is among the 100-plus still missing when the mv Rabaul Queen sunk in bad weather last Thursday near Finschhafen.
Two of the eldest children, Leroy Nitia, 15, and Christine Nitia,13, and 11-month-old Lillian were reasons why the mother left the other siblings in Rabaul and made the trip to Lae where they were being looked after by her brother Leroy Batia and his wife Loretta.
She wanted to make sure the two were enrolled in school which started this week – but she never made it ashore last Thursday.
Yet, Leroy and Christine have been praying daily for their mother’s safe arrival.
They have been joined by their uncle and aunt and other relatives at the Morobe provincial disaster and emergency service centre in Lae where they have been camped since last weekend.
Their prayers and signs of hope are a sharp contrast to the gloom and heartache shown on the faces of other relatives who also are missing loved ones.
Sister-in-law Loretta said: “Jean was a mother and father at the same time, who struggled to raise her seven children on her own and was on her way to Lae to help put her eldest son and daughter back in school.
“She is humble, open, easygoing and treats her sisters-in-law as real sisters.”
Loretta and her husband are praying, believing and expecting to see her alive. They refused to accept that she may have perished at sea.
Son Leroy was so devastated by the tragedy last Thursday that he stopped eating for two days but his aunt and family convinced him that was not what his mother would have wanted.
Jean last made contact with his sister-in-law through two text messages when she was waiting to board the ship at Rabaul and when they were leaving for Kimbe.
She, like many on board who were communicating with their families and friends, described the weather as bad and the sea rough.
Loretta said when she heard of the ship’s fate, she called her mobile phone but could not reach her. The phone was switched off.
When she called Starship, workers told her that the sinking was just a rumour and that she should not believe or be concerned about it.
The Batia family and the Nitia children would camp at the centre until they know of Jean’s fate.

Not all Buka passengers on manifest

2012-02-07T11:00:00.000+10:00

By ELLEN TIAMU

THE passenger list handed out by the owners of the ill-fated mv Rabaul Queen does not contain the names of the majority of passengers who boarded it from Buka, The National reports.
There were only six passengers listed as travelling from Buka, in North Solomons, although survivors confirmed that there were a lot more Bougainvilleans who boarded the vessel there because it was first port of call.
The ship sank last Thursday in heavy seas off Finschhafen, Morobe province. So far, 246 survivors had been brought to Lae by rescue teams.
Attempts to get the exact number of people from the shipping company who might have been on board have not been successful.
The company had closed its offices in Buka, Kokopo, Kimbe and Lae. It has refused to answer queries from distraught relatives, friends, survivors and journalists.
The manifest was released by the company last Saturday but did not have listing of people who got on the ship at Buka, the first port of call.
Only those who were travelling from the other two ports of call in Rabaul and Kimbe were on the list. The listing had 230 people travelling from Rabaul which was the second port of call, while 145 boarded the vessel at Kimbe. All these passengers totalling 375 were listed as bound for Lae.
The vessel was licensed to carry only 310 passengers.
Seasoned travellers who frequently use the inter-island shipping services said many passengers got on the boats at the last minute without purchasing tickets at the port of departure. But they pay at the port of disembarkation. Many who were on the boat could not have had their names on the shipping company’s official manifest.
This meant that many who are still missing would not have had their names on the shipping company’s official documentation and might not be accounted for unless they had alerted relatives, friends or guardians to expect them in Lae.
Adult passengers travelling from Buka to Lae pay K440. Those from Rabaul pay K350 while travellers from Kimbe pay K210 for the trip to Lae.
The provincial disaster office in Lae confirmed that the mv Rabaul Queen began its trip from Buka. The six people on the manifest included four adults and two children. It would have brought the “official” total number of passengers travelling last Thursday to 381.
Search in the provincial waters of Morobe is still continuing with teams stretching their area to the southernmost parts of Oro (Northern) and Milne Bay.
Four bodies retrieved so far – three adult females and a five-year-old boy – were found towards Milne Bay waters.
This has prompted search and rescue operations to also move into the area with two boats and a plane involved in the search

Hopes fading for survivors

2012-02-07T09:06:00.003+10:00

Authorities warned yesterdya that chances of finding more survivors from the sunken mv Rabaul Queen are slim, The National reports.
As they scaled back the search and switched to recovery mode, four more bodies were plucked from Milne Bay and Northern waters.
It is now feared that most of the 100-plus passengers still missing were trapped inside the coastal ferry which sank last Thursday in 1,500m of water off Finschhafen as it was heading to Lae from Kimbe.
So far 246 people of the estimated 351 passengers and 12 crew on board had been rescued and were housed at care centres in Lae. The bodies found in the water at the weekend and yesterday had also been brought to Lae.
The exact number who boarded the Rabaul Queen during its ill-fated journey from Buka had not been ascertained because of conflicting figures provided by all ports where it took on passengers.
As family members faced the harsh reality of starting to receive bodies of their loved ones:

Survivors and relatives of the missing petition the ship owner, Peter Sharp, to take full responsibility for the tragedy;
Condolences poured in from Buckingham Palace, the United Nations and Australia among others;
East New Britain committed K1 million to relief efforts;
West New Britain sets up a crisis centre in Lae; and
Bougainville President John Momis visits his people at the care centre

Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000+10:00

By JAMES LARAKI of NARI

INDIGENOUSknowledge (IK) can be broadly defined as a set of knowledge that localcommunities may have accumulated and use over generations in any givenenvironment.

Thisdefinition could cover all forms of knowledge; technologies, skills, practices,beliefs, and so on that may enable these communities to sustain theirlivelihoods.

IKis still intact among local communities in many parts of Papua New Guinea.

Usingsuch knowledge has made it possible for the local communities to live inharmony with their environment for generations and has guided them on how toutilise their natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Rural farmers from Huon district of Morobe provinceundergoing training in simple food processing skills at NARI Momase RegionalCentre - Bubia, supported through an imitative of Bris Kanda, a local NGO

Suchknowledge has been developed by people through experience and continued toaccumulate and use what worked for them.

IKis becoming useful, especially when dealing with issues like climate change.

Researchersand others concerned are now realising how local knowledge can enhancescientific knowledge while devising strategies to cope with climate changerelated effects.

Options are being exploredto integrate IK with external knowledge.

Mitigation and adaptation efforts arethe two options being pursued to address climate change. Mitigation effortsrelates to our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease the hugeamount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Adaptation efforts recognise the risksand the fact that the climate will continue to change. Adaptation efforts arelooking at ways to adjust existing or expected effects that climate change willhave in our communities.

Both actions are considered equallyimportant and challenging.

They require a significant amount ofattention, direct response, policies, plans and implementation strategies,across all levels.

Promotingthe use of renewable energy sources or planting trees on grass lands is amitigation act, while an adaptation action may involve sharing information sothat local communities can better respond and adjust to the likely effects ofclimate change.

Thisinformation needs to be relevant and easily understood and adopted for communitiesto participate fully in any efforts to mitigate and adapt to the likely effectsof climate induced stresses.

Adaptationand mitigation actions are required at community levels to ensure they are partof our efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Tothis, we must also take note of the existing local knowledge.

Manycommunities have already adapted to their environment.

Theyhave adapted to extreme conditions, and have developed ways to grow crops invery dry or very wet land.

Researchersare now also realising how this indigenous knowledge can enhance scientificknowledge.

Researchersare acknowledging that IK has provided communities with the skills andexperience of dealing with past and present effects of climate related andother stresses.

It is on this basis that efforts are beingmade to integrate IK into formal climate change mitigation and adaptationoptions.

Thisapproach is something that we can also consider for own efforts here.

Localcommunities in PNG may have preserved and apply traditional knowledge onmitigating and adapting to effects of natural disasters and other climaterelated stresses.

Wehave to look at the benefits of integrating IK into the formal climate changemitigation and adaptation strategies.

Integrating IK could add value to thedevelopment of sustainable climate change mitigation and adaptation strategiesthat are rich in local content and developed in conjunction with local people.

Wealso have to take the bottom-up approach to encourage local participation.

Communitiesshould be encouraged to understand the concepts and learn how to analyse and developways to cope with the changing conditions rather than providing them withready-made recipes.

Weneed to understand how communities and households interact and share ideas, andhow the intended beneficiaries develop the skills and practices necessary toforge their own path.

It is vital that the local communities shouldbe seen as equal partners in any efforts to addressing the likely effects ofclimate change.

Localactors should be encouraged to take the lead while efforts should be made to supporttheir efforts to take more responsibility in their efforts to cope with thelikely effects climate related stresses.

IK continues to play significant roles inlocal communities, thus efforts must be made to utilise existing knowledge andstrengthen them where required.

Theimpacts of climate change induced stresses vary from location to location (andcountry to country) depending on its natural and socio-economic conditions.

Thusit is important that we must make efforts to develop mitigation and adaptationstrategies locally taking into consideration existing local knowledge.

Pastexperiences and the socio-cultural background of communities should also betaken into consideration.

Itis also vital that these must be documented and shared with other communitiesthat are likely to face similar situations.

Whilewe note that IK alone is unlikely to provide all the necessary solutions, it isimportant this are integrated with scientific knowledge in our efforts to mitigateand adapt to the likely effects of climate change.

Variousstudies and efforts are being made by different organisations on the likelyeffects of climate change in PNG and we hope the importance of IK is taken intoconsideration and local communities are engaged in such efforts.

United Nations supports survivors of mv Rabaul Queen disaster

2012-02-06T19:06:00.000+10:00

The United Nations (UN) in Papua New Guinea (PNG)is greatly saddened by the loss of life in the recent sinking of the mv Rabaul Queen, and commends the searchand rescue efforts of the authorities.

The UN resident coordinator, David McLachlan-Karr,conveys his deepest condolences on behalf of the UN in PNG to the families andloved ones of those lost at sea.

“The thoughts and prayers of all UN staff arewith those Papua New Guineans affected by the disaster,” he said.

“Those who have lost loved ones, and thesurvivors, will have many dark and trying days ahead, but we want you to knowyou are not alone.”

Condolence messages were also sent from UNHeadquarters in New York and other offices around the region.

To assist the government of PNG in this reliefoperation, the UN has made a modest contribution of USD $21,500 to theSalvation Army to assist with the supply of non-food items to survivors.

The UN, as a humanitarian organisation devoted to thedevelopment of the world’s peoples, recognises the important work carried outby non-governmental partners such as the Salvation Army during these times ofcrisis, and believes it is best to support those already working on the ground.

The contribution is made possible through theEmergency Cash Grant scheme from the UN Office for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in PNG.

Five ships rescue 238

2012-02-06T11:39:00.007+10:00

By LARRY ANDREW

A TOTAL of 238 survivors were rescued by five foreign vessels and transported to Lae in the early hours last Friday including the 54-year-old captain from the Catarets, North Solomons, The National reports.
The Provincial Disaster and Emergency Services team together with police, Morobe provincial administration officials and a medical team from Angau Memorial Hospital had set up three processing points. One was at PNG Ports, another at the Angau hospital premises and the third at the disaster centre. Most of the survivors were treated for trauma.
The first vessel, mv Mol Summer, arrived with 116 survivors at 2400 hours and were transferred onto a PNG Ports pilot boat to be taken ashore. All port operations ceased at 2200 hours to stand by and assist.
The other vessels msc Carole had 53 survivors on board, Violet had 31, Zong He 29 and Cap Scott nine.
The last batch of survivors arrived later in the day.
Addressing family members and relatives last Friday, assistance chairman of provincial disaster and emergency services Patilias Gamato said this was a major boat tragedy and “some passengers are still missing”.
He said search and rescue would continue for another seven days.
Also present was Bulolo MP and National Planning Minister Sam Basil, who was handed a petition signed by the survivors calling on cabinet to appoint an independent body to investigate the maritime disaster.
They claimed the mv Rabaul Queen was not seaworthy and had taken on more passengers than was licensed to carry.
The petition also called for the Rabaul Shipping (owners of the vessel) to cease all operations forthwith until after the investigations.
Basil promised to take the matter to cabinet, assuring them that a thorough investigation would be conducted.

Search continues in Morobe waters

2012-02-06T11:35:00.002+10:00

By ELLEN TIAMU

PETER Sharp, owner of Rabaul Shipping Ltd, is expected to be in Lae this week to assist in settling matters relating to the sinking of the mv Rabaul Queen last Thursday, The National reports.
The vessel, which sank off the coast of Finschhafen in Morobe province, had passengers from North Solomons, Rabaul and Kimbe.
It was on its way to Lae.
Provincial disaster authorities in Lae said 246 people had been rescued while more than 100 were still unaccounted for when bad weather forced the search to be called off at 3pm yesterday.
Three bodies of female passengers were found at the border of Northern and Milne Bay provinces late on Saturday. They are now at the Angau hospital mortuary awaiting identification by relatives.
Morobe acting provincial administrator Patillas Gamato said the search would continue today especially around the islands of Morobe patrol post, Salamaua and towards Northern province.
Gamato is urging Sharp to quickly assist in the operation and investigation.
Relatives of those involved in the boat tragedy have been asked to form provincial or regional groups and come up with petitions that will be handed to the company lawyer in Lae today.
The national and provincial disaster offices urgently need funding to carry out their operations.
According to the provincial disaster office, they still need to check isolated islands along the coast to see whether any survivors had gone ashore there.
The provincial disaster office is appealing to people living along the coast of Madang, the islands and the Southern provinces to keep a look out for survivors.
Churches and civil organisations in the province are assisting survivors with churches allowing them to be temporarily accommodated in their premises.
Civil groups are supporting them with clothes, toothpaste and even mobile flex cards so they can call home.
While some of the survivors have been allowed to continue their journeys to other provinces, others remain at the care centres while some injured are still in hospital.
The captain of the ill-fated boat is reported to be in police custody at the Lae police station

Judges back Chief Justice

2012-02-06T10:06:00.002+10:00

JUDGES of the Supreme and National Courts have rallied behind Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia amid persistent moves by the O’Neill-led government to suspend him in relation to allegations of misconduct in office, The National reports.
It comes as the national government ignored a stay order, made acting appointments to top judiciary positions and set up a tribunal to hear the misconduct allegations.
The judges, in Port Moresby for the start of the legal year, issued a statement yesterday saying the two Supreme Court stay orders – one since last November and the second last Thursday – stopping the NEC-endorsed suspension must be complied with.
They said the stay orders must be enforced without question unless and until a court of competent jurisdiction sets them aside.
They said Sir Salamo must be accorded all the privileges and courtesies of the office of the chief justice, including free and unhindered access to his chambers.
Last Friday, armed policemen barred Sir Salamo from entering his chambers at the Waigani court house, forcing him to return home.
The statement, dated Feb 5, was signed by Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika and issued after the judges met and resolved to protect the Constitution, the integrity of the judiciary and the reputation of the courts.
They said that the stay orders granted by the court were not about individual interest but a decision to protect the interest of the judiciary.
The NEC last Thursday made a second attempt to sideline the chief justice but, like the November attempt, the order was stayed by the Supreme Court until further notice.
Sir Salamo will today officiate at the ceremony and church service to open the legal year which will bring together judges, magistrates and lawyers throughout the country.
Acting Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Moses Maladina said that the court order signed last Thursday by Sir Salamo to stay his own suspension was a gross abuse of power.
The proper thing to do was to involve other judges in signing and issuing the order, he said.
Maladina said the allegations of misconduct in office would be heard by a tribunal while the judicial and legal services commission had met and appointed Salika as acting chief justice and Justice Bernard Sakora as acting deputy chief justice.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said Sir Salamo’s suspension and the appointment of a tribunal to look into allegation against him were constitutional.
He said the government was dealing with the head of judiciary and he (O’Neill) was bound to follow the provisions of the Constitution and not to be seen to be placed in a position of conflict against the judiciary or its head.

Back to school mayhem!

2012-02-06T09:39:00.003+10:00

By MALUM NALU

Absolute back-to-school mayhem this morning as the2012 education year began.

Getting onto a PMV was a nightmare!

After much pushing and shoving, my seven-year-olddaughter Moasing and I were able to get on a PMV at Hohola, for her WaiganiChristian School.

People, people everywhere and not a PMV in sight!

The government should seriously look at revampingour whole public transport system

At Tokara, police, members of the disciplined forcesand lawyers are gathering for the start of the 2012 legal year.

The bus stops at Waigani are chock-a-block.

Moasing and I went to school, however, there was along queue with a notice advising parents that school starts on Wednesday.

We had to shove and push to get into a PMV for The National office.

She is with me in the office now and I hope her twobrothers had better luck on the first day of school.

All the time, our politicians and public servantscontinue to play their silly games!

Our children deserve better!

Prime Minister's position on suspension of Chief Justice

2012-02-05T19:14:00.001+10:00

Please click on below to enlarge and read

Court order signed by Injia is an abuse of power, says acting Attorney General

2012-02-05T18:56:00.001+10:00

Please click on statement below to enlarge and read

Abel: Probe cooperative societies

2012-02-05T12:40:00.002+10:00

By ANCILLA WRAKUALE

THE Task Force Sweep team should investigate alleged misappropriation of funds earmarked for three cooperative societies, a cabinet minister said, The National reports.
Charles Abel, the Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry has written a letter to the team to carry out investigations.
He said since 2007, K16 million had been provided in the development budget for cooperative societies in PNG.
However, the government had yet to receive full acquittals.
“There are reports of funds used to purchase the Dei Coffee Mill for K1.2 million in Western Highlands and former SPCA properties in Wewak, East Sepik for K9.2 million (K3.2 million purchase and K6 million special funding),” Abel said.
The other group he mentioned was the Women in Business which was allocated K5 million for a programme that was to be run by the department but was given to a company.
Abel said they would be monitoring the societies and investigations should make the societies more accountable and transparent

170 survive another shipping accident

2012-02-05T11:14:00.000+10:00

By STARZA PAUL

About 170 passengers were rescued late last Thursday in Magarida, Central province, after bad weather forced a ship to abandon its planned trip to Port Moresby, Sunday Chronicle reports today.
The ship, Kimbe Queen, also reported to be a sister ship of Rabaul Queen that sank off Finschhafen last Thursday morning, was en route to Port Moresby from Alotau carrying mostly students when the skipper forced the ship to take refuge at Walai Island off Kupiano.
Captain Tommy Joseph was reported to have slowed the speed of the ship and avoided a certain disaster that would have seen two major shipping disasters happening within a few hours of each other.
The skipper then navigated the ship safely into the leeside of the island.
Continuous bad weather has forced trhe ship to be stranded at Kupiano and the passengers are safe and well,
While most of the passengers have since travelled onwards to Port Moresby by road, about 27 still remain stranded with four crew on board awaiting company representatives to arrive from Port Moresby to refund their monies so that they can pay for their PMV fares to the city.

PNG needs Kevin Rudd's attention

2012-02-05T10:30:00.004+10:00

TheAustralian

February 04,2012

THE tragedy of the Papua New Guinea ferry disaster,with the loss of more than 100 lives, has brought home the closeness toAustralia of its neighbours.

Like NewZealanders, with whom we mourned after the Christchurch earthquake, Papuans arepart of the South Pacific family.

Given the recent leadership instability in PNGnamely Michael Somare's flouting of the supremacy of parliament, which dulyelected Peter O'Neill as his successor as Prime Minister it is unfortunate thatAustralia's relationship with PNG has been allowed to fade, reflecting adisengagement that began with independence in 1975.

Therelationship has not been helped by a self-lacerating sense of embarrassmentover Australia's colonial era in PNG, about which fewer and fewer Australiansnow know anything.

Leadership is needed to reinvigorate this relationship aneed underlined not just by the ferry sinking, but by the political crisis.

Such leadership must start from the top.

Kevin Rudd is an impressive, erudite andwell-connected figure in world diplomacy.

The Foreign Minister cuts a familiar figure at theUN, in Brussels and other distant places. And it's important that Australia iswell-represented when and where the big decisions are made. Gettingrelationships right in the neighbourhood is also a core task for an effectiveforeign minister.

And there are no short cuts.

Gestures of familiarity at international gabfestsare no substitute for putting the time in to visit regularly, to get to knowand to be known.

Chest jabbingand megaphone diplomacy do not work. Nor does strident interventionism,especially in a former colony where sensitivities naturally run strong.

Yet that is no excuse for standing aside, or forfocusing instead on secondary goals such as securing a temporary seat on the UNSecurity Council.

This weekend, Mr Rudd is in Munich for a securityconference.

Naturally, diplomats and diplomatic ministers canalways claim that they are working away "behind the scenes", subtly,of course, the odd whisper here or raised eyebrow there conveying apparentlyimportant messages.

When a neighbour such as PNG suffers the anguish ithas in recent months, our Foreign Minister should have been on the front footin a bipartisan way offering solutions, seeking to broker deals, being visible,leveraging off his familiarity.

Mr Rudd, however, was missing in action,engaged elsewhere