Sweet cash out of insects - Honey

Source: The National, Friday 25th November 2011

THE people in the Highlands earn their income mostly from harvesting and selling coffee and garden crops. But recently they have turned to a new product to generate income - honey.
The honey business is not new in PNG; it has been operating for over thirty years after honey bees were introduced into PNG, but farmers have not been consistent in honey production.
The Department of Primary Industry (DPI) went into honey production in the early 1980s and marketed it under the Highlands Honey banner. It stopped producing after a few years due to lack of government support.
But a new breed of serious minded honey producers are sprouting up. When these local enterprises are in full operation, they will contribute enormously to boost the country’s economy and the nations’ coffers.
One such company is Helping Hand, which produces, sells, and markets its product under the Mountain Honey label sold in local stores and supermarkets in Goroka.
Helping Hands managing director, Kelly Inae, is not new to honey. His interest in honey began in high school when he read a book about the fascinating way bees produce honey.
Inae is now a leader with the New Life League Mission church. Inae loves the Lord but has always felt that he is not called for the mission field. This he has told church leaders when they approach him to go into full time ministry.
Some years ago Inae was serving on board the missionary vessel MV Doulos. When the ship was bombed in the Philippines, he was one of the casualties. He was badly hurt, medical doctors thought he would die but by a miracle of God he lived. During his recovery period in hospital, Inae thought long and hard about going into fulltime honey business when he returned to PNG.
When he returned, he did not go into honey business as planned, but continued to serve God in the church. As the ministry he was running prospered, he was again approached by the church leaders to go into fulltime ministry. He told them his heart was still in bee farming and honey production.
He, however didn’t go into honey business immediately. He spent much time researching. His research revealed that for the honey business to prosper, sustainable measures must be taken to maintain continuity in production to meet consumer demands.
He started his business in 2006 with no initial capital, the only asset he had at that time were his intangible resources. As he was looking for a place to set up office, a friend from Germany donated a small honey-processing machine.
When the machine arrived from Germany, he installed it in a workshop along Fimito road, the present location of Helping Hand office, and home of Mountain Honey.
He soon began to harvest honey from his eighty beehives, processed, bottled, labelled and distributed to the shops in Goroka town.
Apart from honeybee farming and honey production of honey, he promoted and made awareness to local villagers and churches, teaching them to go into bee-farming as an alternative source of earning income, apart from their usual coffee and vegetable crops.
The churches saw this as an alternative means of earning income (apart from their tithes and offerings) to finance their operations, so they, and the villagers wholeheartedly took up bee farming. The local farmers would harvest honey and sell them direct to Helping Hand who would buy them at K9 per kilo. This is current buying rate although it fluctuates at times. They can harvest some for personal consumption too.
Inae and his staff conduct training for villagers on various aspects of bee farming, from beginners to advanced stage of bee farming. The beginners start at the introductory stage such as working with thousands of bees, identifying different type of bees and materials needed to farm bees before they do the advanced stage.
Farmers are taught how to construct beehives using basic tools with village materials. They are also taught how to carry out basic maintenance of the beehives.
Helping Hand constructs boxes and sells them at their workshop along Fimito road. They also sell queen bees specially bred by their expert staff with bee colonies.
Inae and his staff also train inmates at Bihute jail so that upon their release, they can go home and go into bee farming. He said his goal is to empower people to be economically viable through skills training (and logistic support), particularly in bee farming. At present he is working closely with the EHP’s provincial DAL office, and other government depts (DAL, Education Dept, Forestry), NGOs and CBOs towards achieving his goal.
If you are a group interested in bee farming and want to know more, contact Kelly Inae at Helping Hands, P. O. Box 1617, Goroka, EHP. Digicel: 71258799. Email: helpinghandhoney@gmail.com

CPL turns grass into paper

Source: The National, Thursday 24th November 2011

By YEHIURA HRIEHWAZI

A NEW simple techno­logy that turns “kunai” grass into paper is here and is capable of putting money straight into the rural people’s pockets.
It is a “first” for PNG and the Pacific region, according to City Pharmacy Group, which has pioneered the invention at its headquarters in Gerehu, NCD.
It will officially launch the technology at the Waigani Central Stop & Shop Supermarket car park. It has been quietly trailing paper production for several months.
The kunai grass paper making project was spearheaded by Mahesh Patel, chairman of CPL Group.
The company was working at and creating a niche market for its finished grass-turned-paper products.
“Papua New Guinea imports tonnes of paper from overseas to meet the ever increasing demands of consumers, which is costly for the country.
“For the first time in the Pacific region, CPL Group, PNG’s biggest retailing group, has initiated a local PNG paper production by way of using PNG’s natural resource - kunai grass - which grows everywhere and is very eco-friendly,” the company said yesterday.
“CPL’s vision for the project is to focus on using PNG’s natural resources to assist the local people mainly in the villages and outskirts of cities to generate additional income to sustain their livelihoods. 
“Kunai grass is not considered valuable in the country ... it is not of much usage except for its use in the traditional huts in some places,” CPL said.
“There is a hidden multi-purpose value in the grass which is not yet known.
“The latest findings and invention supported by CPL will be of historical importance in making a successful achievement in the region.
Not only will it promote PNG as a pioneer in using the latest simple technique to produce the paper based materials, but also promote the country as the leading paper producer in the region, and in the world one day with economic gain globally,” CPL said
The company said the project aimed to involve local people and assist them to start and operate micro-enterprises in their own local settings using kunai grass.
Technical expertise brought in will train and pass on the knowledge and skills to replicate this project at the micro level (rural villages), which will enable them to sustain and improve their lives from revenue generation.
“This paper project is unique in that it uses simple and eco-friendly materials and technology.
“In doing so, it contributes to preservation of trees and general environment throughout the country,” CPL said.
The paper production process involves boiling of the grass and then put through a grinder to produce pulp and then it is separated from the water through a filter mask.
After that, the pulp is mixed with CMC water (sodium salt or carboxymathyl cellulode) which smoothens the pulp and mixture and strengthens it before it is transferred into a paper frame and levelled to required thickness/weight and sun-dried for two hours to get paper.

Treacherous crossing

Source; The National, November 24 2011

By PORENI UMAU

DRESSED in red striped shirt, tucked in blue Levis denim jeans with brown leather dress shoes protecting his Erave nurtured feet, he cut out a city figure, found in high places in Port Moresby.
This was emphasised with a dark spectacle, perched on his forehead with the handles embracing two ears, on the edges of a neatly trimmed hair dressed over a round head.
Nason Yawake comes from Imane village, Aiya Local Level Government area in the Kagua district, Southern Highlands Province. Yawake is a heavy equipment fitter at Lihir Gold mine and on his recent break, he helped take a dead relative home. Yesterday, he came to the Post-Courier to extend the cry of his people, who have been denied better services since Independence.
People from the same area like Yawake take the plane from Port Moresby to Mt Hagen and travel by road to Kagua. An agonising three hours walk to Imane awaits to test your city tickled feet and pot bellied frame. It is a very long tough walk through tough terrain and the fast flowing icy Erave River, that claimed many pigs, destroyed coffee and food gardens and even claimed many lives as it meanders and flow past many villages in this part of the country.
VILLAGERS cross the mighty Erave three times at different sections but their only source of linkage, the three foot bridges, to the warmth of their homes have been disjointed and the arch mesh net wire structures have been damaged by the tough weather and different weights they have supported.
When transporting his dead relative over these three footbridges, Yawake was hit with emotion at how his people have to risk their lives to get home or access services. These three bridges were built by the people and have been there for over 36 years. He brought the cries of his people calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and in his own words, ‘PM O’Neill, you are from Pangia, please feel sorry for the last Kewapi people’. Yawake appealed to the PM to look into the plight of his people, who need three decent, safe and secure new footbridges.
He looked me in the eye and smiled and as we parted, a firm handshake, stronger than the three faltered footbridges over the Erave River, indicated that at least he brought the cry of his people to Port Moresby. Outside the midday Konedobu heat, he said he was glad he had conveyed the hearts’ cry of his people.

Agiru votes for a split SHP with heavy heart

Source: The National, Thursday 24th November 2011

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

IT did not show on his face but deep inside, Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru was a torn man.

Parliament yesterday approved the splitting of his beloved Southern Highlands province into two – with Hela to become a province of its own next year.

Agiru has been passionate in uniting and developing Southern Highlands, a province richly blessed with natural resources and is a major revenue earner for Papua New Guinea.

In the 2007 election, he was running second to the late Hami Yawari when the counting for the Southern Highlands provincial seat got under way.

He scored extremely well in all the electorates and came flying home when his Hela ballot boxes came through.

When the vote was taken yesterday in parliament to accept the Boundaries Commission report which meant Hela was now a different province, Agiru voted with a heavy heart as a strong advocate of a united PNG.

He described the vote in parliament as a

great divide.

“The great divide has torn me apart as well. Some of my good friends live on the other side in Southern Highlands and I am a Hela man,” Agiru said.

However, he thanked Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare for making the Hela dream come true.

“When the government demanded from the Hela people for gas, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare said he would deliver Hela.

“The decision today (yesterday) to allow Hela to move on was a decision taken by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Southern Highlanders will take note of that.”

Agiru said Hela and Jiwaka provinces were born on the same day.

He gave his commitment that Southern Highlands and Hela would grow as sisters, saying brothers had fights but not sisters.

“There will be an

equitable distribution of wealth between the two sisters,” he said.

Agiru said the decision was made by Southern Highlands members during the Umbrella Benefits Sharing Agreement in Kokopo that Hela, with its vast petroleum resources, would give ex-gratia to Southern Highlands.

“What belongs to Hela will continue to advance the development of the Hela people.”

In the meantime, Agiru will be governor of both Hela and Southern Highlands until the 2012 general election.

Dangers of mobile phones

Source: The National, Tuesday 22nd November 2011

TECHNOLOGY, like every­thing else, brings along with it all the advantages and the shortcomings.
Take the mobile telephone, for instance.
It has created instant communication through the length and breadth of formerly mostly inaccessible Papua New Guinea.
In so doing, it has created an instant link up of good as well as bad information, welcome as well as unwelcome information if you like.
Many townites and city   sleekers do not answer calls from numbers they cannot recognise, fearing the call might be requests for money from some family member.
Those who owe money suffer nightmares when the phone starts ringing. And there are the extremes.
Fourteen-year-old Seri Erara, a community schoolgirl of Hanuabada in Port Moresby, is dead now for the simple reason that she did not answer her father’s frantic calls when she did not turn up at home after 7pm.
Unbeknown to him, she had been picked up by a schoolfriend’s aunt to spend last Thursday afternoon at Gerehu.
When she did finally turn up after dark, the enraged father whipped her literally to death.
Was her phone charged? Did she lose it?
Was it on silent or did she deliberately refuse to answer her father’s call?
We are none the wiser and shall never know
as she is silenced forever with the answers.
One victim of an innocent gadget that, not too long ago, meant nothing in our communities but, today, seems to dominate our every waking minute.
Not too long ago, a policeman was arrested and charged when it turned out that he had been recording on his mobile phone his sexual tryst with a colleague’s wife in Kokopo, East New Britain.
The husband needed to make a call and his unsuspecting colleague loaned him his phone with the incriminating evidence in the phone’s memory. And the rest is history.
Many more domestic fights are initiated and
marriages torn up because of some incriminating text message left undeleted
on a phone.
Many more violence and social upheaval will result yet as a result of this simple innocent machine.
Theft or open snatching of phones will now have overtaken purse and wallet picking if somebody is keeping a record.
Mobile phone bills are now some of the biggest expense items in many a home.
Children’s education is affected as they can now play computer games or chat or text discretely without the teacher ever finding out. Communication at home is affected as children and even parents tend to stay on the phone to their friends, colleagues and class friends.
Fearing parents’ refusal, children are today stealing from their parents to buy phone cards.
Pornography is easily accessed via the mobile phone and then transmitted, with or without the permission, to others.
This will result in young, innocent and inquisitive minds getting drawn to these depraved pastimes and, from there, to loose moral and all that entails.
It will spread to heavy and addictive gambling.
Already, the games that the phone companies are running are attracting a lot of following.
We have no information but we can be certain that there is now way the mobile phone companies can keep track of or prevent children from playing these.
It is only a short leap to addiction.
Inexpensive K59 phones do all the work that K2,000 phones can do but people crave the expensive items.
Much of what expensive phones offer are rarely, if ever, used but people still want the expensive items.
The era of gadget desirability is here and all and sundry is sucked in, whether or not they can afford it seems immaterial at the moment.
It is time that everybody gave some thought to the proper use of the mobile phone. What exactly is its use and is it being used for that purpose?
Or, is it being abused?
Does the government have any role in this, particularly where children are concerned?
It requires a group or think-tank to be formed to look into the effects of this technology upon a population such as PNG has and, particularly, upon children

Downstream processing for kaukau

Source: The National, Tuesday 22nd November 2011

By JOEL G. WARAMBOI

SWEET potato (kaukau) is widely grown in Papua New Guinea and is an important staple crop.
A high proportion (more than 80%) of the rural population grows it either as a minor or major staple crop. Production has increased over the years and, especially, since the devaluation of the PNG currency in 1997.
Current annual production is about three million tonnes with 75% produced in the highlands. It is less important in the lowlands where the land is subject to inundation.
While sweet potato remains a subsistence crop, mainly for home consumption as food and animal feed, a significant amount is sold each year. These are sold locally and at urban markets in Madang, Lae and Port Moresby. And consumers have a high preference for sweet potato, provided that price and quality is acceptable.
While the crop has vast potential, its current use and consumption in the country is in the form of boiled or roasted tubers and usually fed fresh to livestock, especially pigs.
The potential of sweet potato in food security and global well-being has been well recognised with studies performed on its various properties to underline processing, utilisation, functional, nutritional and health importance. While these potentials have been explored elsewhere, Papua New Guinea has made no attempts to explore these options, particularly in terms of downstream processing and value addition.
In the past, some research and product development work was done at the University of Technology into products like flour, chips, crisps and composite bread. Recently, NARI successfully released sweet potato-based feeds (silage) for pigs.
Experiences from Vietnam and China have shown that the crop could be utilised for livestock production where it constitutes 70% of pig feeds.
Past and current research and development work on sweet potato suggest that it has the potential to be a commercial crop. On-farm processing of sweet potato could form an additional income-generating activity where a constant supply of the fresh tubers and demand for processed products is secured.
With appropriate policy and investment, there is potential to transform it from its currently under-utilised status to a commercially viable one.
New research by the author on flour, starch and processing properties of sweet potato since 2009 at the University of Queensland is generating valuable information that could trigger industry development of the crop. Under this study, selected PNG and Australian varieties are being processed into ready-to-eat pasta (noodle-like) products using extrusion cooking technology.
The studies have indicated that sweet potato can easily be extruded by controlling processing conditions like moisture content, screw speed and temperature to produce high quality nutritious products. These studies are also generating vital information on process engineering, energy input, flow properties, cooking characteristics, nutrient retention and product quality as well as protocols for cultivar selection, unit operations and flour milling.
Sweet potato processing is increasingly being commercialised in many countries in Africa, Asia and the United States. While these countries are using advanced processing facilities, PNG could use low-cost extrusion equipment.
Such equipment are available, costing A$10,000 (K24,000) with production capacity of 30kg/hour. These equipment have successfully been used in rural communities in Vietnam, China, Peru and Kenya to make noodles, pasta, vermicelli, flakes, crackers, puffs and other products.
Besides extruded foods, these communities have also used sweet potato flour for substituted biscuits, bread and scones while fresh tubers have been processed into chips and crisps.
Currently, fresh sweet potato tubers are sold at around K2 per kilogram in the open markets in PNG. Although there are no statistics, rough estimates indicate that, if processed, the dry flour could cost as low as K0.80 per kg, providing a cheaper product compared to wheat flour. This means retail margins can be relatively good for entrepreneurs.
Processing not only increases the utilisation and consumption but also fetches premium prices if sold, increases cash income opportunities and reduce handling for growers. Sweet potato processing technologies are relatively simple and can be adopted easily through farmer cooperatives and women’s groups at farm level.
Generally, there appears to be a strong and all-year round demand for processed products. Changing food habits, increasing urbanisation, adapting to climate change and increasing population are all positive factors that can make food processing a viable option in PNG.
We should also take a stock of what and why the industry has not developed over the years.
If past investment options (if any) have not worked, what other models and options can we try?
How about setting up an organisation specifically mandated to drive development in this sector? It is about time, that the food and agriculture sector takes this course to revolutionise its potential.
Until and unless this is done, crops like sweet potato will continue to be treated as a poor man’s crop.
Downstream processing and value addition has the potential to benefit en mass, raise the economic value and create market demand for local crops. It will also improve food security and cash income levels, increase trade and replace/substitute imports, thereby contributing to broad-based economic growth and improvement in the living standards of ordinary people.

Missing K96m found in NSW bank

Source: The National, Thursday 24th November 2011

ALMOST K100 million owned by a state-owned enterprise has been siphoned off to a bank account in the Australian state of New South Wales and a police investigation is underway to recover the money.
Former public enterprises minister Arthur Somare and former Motor Vehicle Insurance Ltd (MVIL) manager director Dr John Mua are implicated.
The money – about K96 million – was the proceeds of the sale of 530,105,100 shares in Bank South Pacific which were owned by MVIL.
Public Enterprises Minister Sir Mekere Morauta announced details yesterday, saying he had ordered the recovery of the money.
“The sale, to an Australian company called Nominees Niugini Ltd, is now the subject of a police investigation.”
He said MVIL sold the shares when under the control of his predecessor Arthur Somare and the former Independent Public Business Corporation (IPBC) management.
According to Sir Mekere, proper processes had not been followed, and the sale was in breach of Section 45B of the IPBC Act and Section 110 of the Companies Act.
The sale was not approved by the IPBC board, as required, and there was no shareholders’ resolution approving the sale, as required, he added.
The new IPBC board has instructed MVIL to rescind the sale contract, called an equity monetisation contract agreement while starting legal proceedings against MVIL and Nominees Niugini.
“The money is being held in an account owned by a company called Woodlawn Capital, at the Commonwealth Bank in Lismore, New South Wales,” Sir Mekere said while calling on Mua to help recover the money.
“Dr Mua would save the nation a lot of money by assisting us in the recovery of the K96 million and its return to IPBC.
“For the nation to recover the money through court proceedings would be expensive and time-consuming. I would like Dr Mua to help us avoid this.”
Sir Mekere said this when announcing NEC’s endorsement of changes to the MVIL board, adding that no Public Enterprise chairman would be an executive chairman.

RH Foundation gives BAHA K50,000 to help fight HIV/AIDS

Source: The National, Thursday 24th November 2011

By SHIRLYN BELDEN

THE Papua New Guinea Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS (BAHA) received a K50,000 boost from the Rimbunan Hijau Group of Companies yesterday.
Rimbunan Hijau, through its charity arm RH Foundation, presented a cheque for the amount as a gesture of continuous support for the work of BAHA. 
BAHA general manager Caroline Bunemiga received the cheque from the RH Foundation legal officer, Pia Dometa.
She thanked the foundation and said the donation was timely as they were preparing for the World AIDS Day on Dec 1.
“The longest supporter of BAHA is the RH company and BAHA is grateful to have its continuous assistance.”
She said other corporate companies must recognise this effort and support BAHA.
The money will be used for operational purposes.
RH Foundation is the major sponsor of BAHA, having sponsored it for over three years now.
The foundation said the assistance was to support BAHA with its mission to educate and help business enterprises develop and implement policies and programmes that promoted the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
RH HIV/AIDS programme coordinator Janis Eryl Jandayan said the assistance was intended to disseminate information on the control of the disease, promote healthy lifestyles and awareness about the effects of HIV/AIDS in the country.
BAHA is the key organisation that represents the PNG private sector response to HIV/AIDS by facilitating information sharing, permitting economies of scale in the development of workplace HIV/AIDS products and services and creating a strong front for public policy debate and advocacy

Give health and education a priority

Source: yutok, Post Courier, November 24, 2011

THE United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) four and five say that by the year 2015 all nations which are signatories to the MDGs should “ Reduce child mortality” and “ Improve maternal health” in their respective countries.
In the Pacific, all countries have done well except Papua New Guinea- the largest island nation in this part of the world.
It may be argued that none of the smaller island nations have the size of the population that PNG has and that may be a justifiable reason.
But the fact is that successive governments in PNG have not been consistent in implementing the MDGs – let alone making a start since signing the accord with other world leaders in New York.
Our public health system has continued on a downward trend for decades and yet very little has been done to stop the downward deterioration.
Despite political rhetoric by governments over the years, the reality out in the bush everywhere is one of despair. Health centres, aid posts, even main hospitals are barely staffed, lack many essential medical drugs and equipment, no access to take emergency cases to hospitals and operate in total isolation with no back up support even from provincial health services.
If there is one public policy area of Government that needs to be urgently addressed now it is the public health policy. The system that was set up to deliver basic health services to the majority of Papua New Guineans in the rural areas – as well as thousands in the urban centres – is simply grinding to a halt.
Thousands of newborn and babies under the age of five years have yet to be vaccinated against various diseases either because of lack of the vaccines or because of denial by health staff.
The Angau Memorial Hospital children’s clinic is closed and children cannot be treated for all kinds of sicknesses. Mothers taking their babies there for vaccinations are told to go somewhere else for the vaccines. Those arriving at urban clinics are told there are no vaccines.
Health authorities in Morobe and Lae in particular need to wake up from their long sleep and see what is happening to the children.
Out in the remote areas, the situation is worse but there is no way of knowing the truth about the extent of the problem.
Our story yesterday about mothers using torches to light up the labour ward at the Gusap Health Centre in the Madang Province highlights the extent of the crisis in the remote areas.
Motherhood is supposed to be safe. The Department of Health and the United Nations Office in Port Moresby launched a big campaign years ago to promote safe motherhood in this country. But what positive outcomes have come out of that campaign? Zero!
What a shame. Maternal mortality is a serious health issue in PNG and yet little is being done to reverse the current trend. Mothers are dying when they are not supposed to be. Even their babies are dying when they are not supposed to be.
The Department of Health at the national level appears to be in perpetual management crisis at the very top and that is not helping the situation on the ground for this country. Health and education need to be placed before the National Executive Council and Parliament for closer scrutiny because both hold the key to the future of this country. Without Government giving health and education of our children a top priority, PNG will remain a nation of poorly educated and unhealthy population, unable to meet the challenges of nation building.

Reduce income tax rate, Polye

Source: The National, Monday 21st November 2011

Treasurer Don Polye will be presenting his first budget tomorrow.
I appeal to him to raise the threshold of personal income tax.
The treasurer has said it will be a record budget and a very balanced budget.
At the moment, the threshold is very low. Those earning K7,000 per annum and above are taxed. This means anyone earning K270 per fortnight will have to pay income tax. The threshold should be raised to at least K20,000.We are taxed 35% of what we are earning a year. This means for every K100 we earn, we are taxed K35.This is too high and is daylight robbery. This is more than a third of what a poor employee earns.The working class people are the slaves of this country.What makes it even more painful is that the taxpayers’ money is squandered by politicians and their cronies.Something is not very right. PNG is blessed with abundant resources and the government is collecting huge sums of money from these resources.We have been having surplus for almost 10 years. Funds have been diverted to so many trust accounts that their whereabouts are unknown.
On many occasions, funds were diverted to highly dubious pro­jects and nothing meaningful has come out from them. I appeal to the treasurer to lower the personal income tax rate to less than 25% beginning from the 2012 Budget and beyond. Mr Treasurer, you will be remembered forever for this good deed.
When the tax is lowered, our take-home pay will be higher and we can use this to improve our living standard.

Dr Jacob Kisomb
Sopa village, Mendi

Tips with measurable outcomes

Source: The National, Wednesday 09th November 2011

IN the past fortnight, I had a handful of people telling me that they enjoyed the items in this column.
They included a former school teacher, a school counsellor, a guidance officer, a newspaper staff and an accountant, most of whom are parents.
I met the former school teacher from Buka, named Lawrence, when I visited a relative who came from Manus to attend the same workshop as Lawrence.
He says he buys The National and makes sure he gets his Wednesday’s copy for this column.
That is a big compliment, Lawrence.
The school counsellor told me that his students appreciated the exam tips that I had written in the past few weeks.
It is my hope that what I write here is not just another piece of reading material but also provide tips that will have measurable outcomes.
The student who puts into practice the tips provided to study mathematics will see a change in her marks.
From a “C” student, she can work her way up to the “B” and “A” bracket of students.
And the worker who works on her attitude and ethics may find herself being promoted or given more responsibilities in her field of work.
All of these are relevant to the modern times as well as to cases in PNG. In another way, the tips are PNG-made but gleaned
from many sources.
In the coming weeks, I will discuss topics on career choices and job performance.
It is my wish in this section to give you tips and thoughts so that you can strive to better yourself.
The newspaper worker said he cut out the item on Steve Jobs and stuck it on his wall because the item had touched him.
I told him that he was not the first to say that and it would be my wish to continue to motivate people like him until they achieved what they wished for – academic success or employment progress. 
The tips are not all originally mine; some of them were given to me by good teachers – in the school room and outside it – and those tips had measurable outcomes.
The good news for you, if you like reading Learn and Live, is I am in the process of compiling items shared in this section in a book form.
I will let you know more about the plan later.
For comments and suggestions, you can email me on: thukahu@thenational.com.pg.

Health study completed

Source: The National, Monday 21st November 2011

TEN researchers from Papua New Guinea’s Divine Word University, Pacific Adventist University and the PNG National Department of Health are completing a data analysis and scientific publishing workshop in Cairns, Australia.
The month-long workshop ended on Friday and was hosted by James Cook University and funded by AusAID.
It is designed to help the researchers prepare and present their findings for publication.
The workshop has been run as part of a joint project on which the three universities collaborated in investigating male circumcision as a possible way to reduce HIV transmission in PNG.
“Working together on this important health issue, and sharing our findings with communities in Papua New Guinea, has been a highly successful collaboration,” JCU researcher Dr David MacLaren said.
“Our PNG colleagues have guided the investigation of contemporary and traditional circumcision practices in Papua New Guinea, and whether male circumcision would be an acceptable approach to reducing HIV transmission.
“As part of our contribution to the partnership, JCU is running this workshop for researchers who want to boost their success in a critical part of life as an academic: Getting your work published in scholarly journals.”
The researchers are investigating a number of topics, including the different types of circumcision, acceptability of infant and adult circumcision, religious views on male circumcision, and leaders’ attitudes towards male circumcision.
The workshop has included sessions with JCU and visiting academics on subjects including: analysing quantitative and qualitative data; choosing the right journal for your publication; and scientific writing for publication.
“Working with statistics is one of the areas the workshop participants wanted to focus on,” Divine Word University’s Dr Clement Manineng said.
“The HIV and male circumcision study has involved interviews with more than 860 men and 510 women, and has produced a lot of data for analysis.
“Our aim as researchers is to have manuscripts published in this important area,” Rachael Tommbe, from Pacific Adventist University, said.
Papua New Guinea has more than 90% of all the cases of HIV in Oceania

O’Neill Govt intact

Source: News, Post Courier, November 21, 2011
By SIMON ERORO

Political and mind games are already in play as Papua New Guinea awaits the December 9 Supreme Court decision on the validity of the Government.
Just 18 days before the verdict is handed down, the old regime under Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, has come out in one of the weekly papers stating its claim.
Interestingly enough, Sir Michael’s son Arthur has come out and claimed that they have the numbers in anticipation of the verdict.
However, the Government yesterday said that the “Somare camp numbers rising to 59 as reported in Sunday Chronicle” was completely false.
Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS Jamie Maxtone-Graham told the Post-Courier before boarding his flight to Kuala Lumpur to attend the water and sanitation conference that the government had 70 votes and was still intact.
Mr Maxtone-Graham said the country must be reliably informed that the recruitment exercise by parties in government after the change of government has placed the government comfortably with 80 MPs.
The national president of the People’s Progress Party (PPP), Brown Sinamoi has denied reports that PPP is part of a cabinet lineup by the previous Somare government in anticipation of the December 9 Supreme Court decision on the validity of this government
Mr Sinamoi strongly condemned this and said the two PPP MPs who are ministers in the current government — Mining Minister Byron Chan and Education Minister Theo Zurenouc — are intact with the government (See separate story on P5).
Leader of National Alliance Party and Finance and Treasury Minister Don Polye also said NA party was solid in government and their numbers are still intact. He blamed the media for publishing speculations.
National Planning Minister Sam Basil also condemned the report yesterday and joked about the desperation by one or two MPs in the former regime who cannot accept defeat.
Mr Maxtone-Graham said the government was solid and they know very well that the article on Sunday Chronicle was completely untrue.
“Report if you have visited their camp — not just speculate,” Mr Maxtone- Graham said.
“This report was crap because our numbers are intact and this will be shown when Parliament sits...we are ready and with such a big number, we can do anything on the floor of parliament for the good of the people of this country.
“We can pass the outstanding Constitutional Amendments and suspend the Standing Orders. “There are so many moves up our sleeves.
“What we can do in the best interest of the country is to make sure this government continues.
“The government is for the people – it’s a popular government the country has had for a very long time since Independence.
“The people of Papua New Guinea do not want to see a change of government,” the Minister said.
Mr Maxtone-Graham, however jokingly said what those young MPs in the previous government should be doing is to elect an Opposition Leader which the country does not have right now.

Make sure money goes to right places

Source: yutok, Post Coyurier,November 21, 2011
Minister for Finance and Treasurer Don Polye will hand down a record K10 billion national budget for 2012.
It is a budget he tagged as “Building the Foundation for Economic Growth and Prosperity.”
Mr Polye says it will be a “balanced” budget.
While we welcome the budget for the election year, we must emphasise the importance of the Government ensuring that monies from the budget reach the priority development priorities that will benefit the people of Papua New Guinea.
This year’s budget – especially the Development Budget was a total disaster with millions stolen denying the people of much needed development.
Millions of kina allocated to improve education services for the future generations never reached the schools, millions of kina allocated for other areas have never reached the people who needed the money most and the story goes on.
The administration of the national budget under the previous Government – many of the members are in the current Government – was a disgrace, a total national disgrace and shame.
How on earth could a Government possibly allow millions of kina of development funds approved by the National Parliament simply disappear under corrupt circumstances?
Treasurer Don Polye and National Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam basil have a huge task on their hands to ensure that every toea under the 2012 budget goes directly to areas earmarked and approved by the Government.
There will be a lot of catching up to do as funds under the 2012 budget may not be enough to complete all the unfinished work left undone this year due to the theft of the funds from the Department of National Planning.
But if the Government ensures funds are spent in areas they are supposed to be spent then progress will be seen in education, health, infrastructure and other key development priority areas.
It is election year and the temptation to use the budget as a weapon to get votes must be resisted at all costs. This is not the time for playing politics with the people’s money. The ordinary people of PNG have suffered long enough.
All they need now is for schools, health facilities, roads and bridges and law and order to be fixed. These are the minimum priority areas of development and must be adequately funded for the sake of the children of PNG.
PNG is entering into an exciting era with huge revenues from the gas project about to flow into the Waigani coffers. How those funds are handled and spent will determine the future of this country.
Used wisely and with care, funds from the LNG projects can potentially propel PNG into a bright, prosperous future.
The onus is on the Government of the day to ensure that there is no corruption in the Government system that will siphon off the billions of kina intended for development. The experience of this year and previous years gives us little comfort about the safe keeping of the people’s money.
All any Papua New Guinean will want is for the present Government to keep a very tight control on the budget and ensure funds are directed strictly to the priority development areas and not into the pockets of corrupt politicians and civil servants.
Papua New Guinea has been repeatedly described as a land of milk and honey but a poor population. Where have all the people’s money gone?

Goldminex drills for gold at Liamu

Source: The National, Monday 21st November 2011

By YEHIURA HRIEHWAZI
GOLDMINEX Resources has announced to the Australian Stock Exchange that it has begun a 4,000m diamond drilling programme at its Liamu porphyry copper-gold prospect, 120km east of Port Moresby on the Owen Stanley Ranges, to “test highly encouraging surface sampling results”.
Goldminex was advancing its exploration programme in the area in a farm-in arrangement with one of the world’s largest mining companies Vale, a Brazilian diversified mining multinational corporation and one of the largest logistics operators in Brazil.
In addition to being the second-largest mining company in the world, Vale was also the largest producer of iron ore, pellets, and second largest of nickel.
Vale also produced manganese, ferroalloys, copper, bauxite, potash, kaolin, alumina and aluminium.
In the electric energy sector, the company participates in consortia and currently operates nine hydroelectric plants.
The company is listed on stock exchanges of São Paulo, New York, Paris, Hong Kong and Madrid
Goldminex had identified ten prospects within Liamu to date and the programme would consist of six deep diamond drill holes focused on geochemical, geological and geophysical targets in the Movei, Nesei, Iyiowai, and Unebu prospect areas.
The holes will provide an initial indication of the potential of these prospects to host economic-grade, gold-rich porphyry style copper mineralisation.
Goldminex chief executive officer Sandy Moyle said: “we are excited to enter this phase of drilling, which we hope will add a third dimension to the very encouraging surface exploration results already returned from Liamu.
“Although this drilling will only test a small portion of the targets, it will enhance our understanding of this large mineralised system, which has the potential to host a significant porphyry copper-gold deposit.”
Previous surface geochemical highlights over the Liamu area included the trench results: 81.5m at 0.17% copper and 0.58 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (open) including 45m at 0.21% copper and 0.72g/t gold.
Under the farm-in agreement, Vale may earn a 51% interest in the tenements by solely funding US$20 million of project expenditure over four years.
Goldminex was currently operating the Liamu project.
After Vale earned a 51% interest, Goldminex PNG may elect to retain a 49% interest by contributing to project expenditure on a programme basis or dilute.
The ongoing drilling would continue into the March quarter of next year.
Goldminex was also involved in exploration work in the Angoram, area of East Sepik province

League AGM in jeopardy with Highlands leagues case to be heard today

Source: The National, Monday 21st November 2011

THE 19 Highlands rugby league associations have challenged the validity of the PNGRFL AGM and will be heard by Justice Ambeng Kandakasi at 1.30pm today.
The matter which went before Justice Kandakasi last Thursday was adjourned to today to enable all parties in the proceedings to be available for the hearing of the urgent application filed by the Highlands leagues.
It sought to nullify the requirements and notice of the AGM and its failure to comply with the PNGRFL constitution and the initial National court orders.
Highlands leagues spokesman Sandis Tsaka said the legal proceedings arose from the failure of the interim board to respond to its petition with regard to the new requirements introduced by the interim board which were unconstitutional.
“Further to these, contempt proceedings have been filed against the PNGRFL interim board for failure to comply with the National court orders to be heard by Justice Murray at 1.30 pm tomorrow.”
Meanwhile as of the close of business last Friday, only three nominations had reached the PNGRFL office.
Current interim chairman John Numapo and Eric Kuman have been nominated for the chairman’s position while former Kumuls coach Bob Bennett was nominated for the deputy chairman’s position.
PNGRFL acting general manager Ivan Ravu said he was in the process of confirming properly affiliated leagues through bank statements for the AGM scheduled for Saturday in Lae.
The affiliation fee was raised by the interim board this year to K1,500

Empower people, CPAs urged

Source: The National, Monday 21st November 2011

By ANCILLA WRAKUALE

ACCOUNTANTS have been challenged to share their knowledge and skills with ordinary people to empower them in wealth-creation and to improve their lives.
Managing director of Agro Marketing and newspaper columnist Tiri Kuibakul said this at the joint annual conference for Practicing Accountants (CPA PNG).
Kuibakul spoke on “empowering ordinary Papua New Guineans to create wealth through business and financial management training”.
“The accounting fraternity needs to design and deliver simple training programmes to enable ordinary people to make money,” he said.
Kuibakul said this would enable the people to become active players in economic development, instead of being passive spectators and beneficiaries of handouts.
He said despite increased economic growth, majority of the people were yet to see real tangible changes in their lives.
Kuibakul said human development in PNG was still low according to the social indicators by the United Nations Human Development Index.
He said development was about raising people’s living standard and not about building new fancy office complexes.
“PNG is a resource rich country filled with cash-poor people,” Kuibakul said.
He said despite increased economic growth, the benefits had not trickled down to the majority of the people thus increasing the gap between the “have” and the “have-nots’.
Kuibakul said after 36 years of independence, 105 of businesses were nationally-owned while the remaining 90% was dominated by foreigners.
He said the idea of giving money to relatives will not work as they would continue to ask for money.
They should be empowered with ideas and information so that they could be able to make money and improve their living standards, Kuibakul said.
The conference themed “wealth creation, management, sustainability” ended last Friday with more than 1,000 participants.
It was the first time for CPA PNG to have five international speakers

Accident raises road concerns

Source: Post Courier, November 21,  2111

By PORENI UMAU

TWO children are in critical condition and on life support after a 25 seater PMV bus they were travelling in was involved in a nasty collision with a big highway truck yesterday afternoon as Idubada bend.

The children, one three and 11-years-old were among 13 other passengers from Baruni and Tatana, on their way home from Port Moresby. There were no deaths in the accident. The accident occurred between two and three o’clock in the afternoon.

The victims include six children and seven adults with the rest from Tatana Dr Sam Yockopua director of Emergency Department said that the two children sustained severe head injuries and were in life support and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He said that they received CT scans and were waiting for ICU care and neurosurgical intervention. He said that the other passengers sustained minor injuries, cuts and broken bones while the driver had both legs smashed from the knee down on impact. He said the five who sustained minor injuries were taken to the Pacific International Hospital with their medical fees to be covered by a local company from the village. He said that only the seriously injured were admitted at the Port Moresby general Hospital.

Dr Yockopua said that the injuries from the accident showed that the accident involved was caused by high speed. He said that the bus was a new one and the driver was not drunk. He also challenged the government and companies involved in the LNG project to look at building a road purposely for heavy trucks or open up the road. He said that the road designed was purposely for little vehicles as it was very narrow. He said that such trucks should have their own road instead of using the same road which runs through Hanuabada and further down the coast. He said that such heavy trucks travelling at high speed, posed danger to simple villagers and children who access this road. He said nasty accidents would happen in the future if the road was not upgraded.

PNG lacks economic independence: PM

Source: Postc Courier, November 18, 2011

By TODAGIA KELOLA

PAPUA New Guinea’s challenge now is to be economically independent, says Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
Speaking in Rabaul yesterday during the launching of the Mataure Rabaul Microfinance Limited (MRML), Mr O’Neill said the country has had political independence, among other things, but he questioned if that had changed the lives of the ordinary people, adding that only a few people had benefitted.
He said the 2012 National Election was far more important than previous elections as it should ensure that PNG had economic independence so that by 2014, the country would have enormous wealth.
“…..but if we continue to elect irresponsible governments or if we continue to elect corrupt governments, we will miss that opportunity,” he said.
Mr O’Neill said that PNG must learn from previous projects in the country which included world class mines such as the Panguna mine in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and the current Ok Tedi and Lihir mines.
“The revenues that we have got from these mines have been mismanaged as such that we don’t even have any money now,” he said.
He said that was why the Government was trying to make sure the little resources that it got money from to make up the budget was distributed evenly around the country.
Mr O’Neill said PNG must learn from the mismanagement of revenues from resource projects over the years and the Government believed strongly that they must make sure that they put a law around the management of these funds.
The Prime Minister said the Government would be setting up a fund management law in the next session of Parliament.
He said it was important that PNG had to have a law to manage funds and reports could be made every three months.
Mr O’Neill told those who gathered at the launch yesterday that he had nominated former PM and Kokopo MP Sir Rabbie Namaliu to head the fund.

Budget date rescheduled

Source: Post Courier, November 18, 2011
By JONATHAN TANNOS
HANDING down of the 2012 Budget has been deferred by a week from next Tuesday due to printing problems.
This is according to the Finance and Treasury Departments who yesterday informed all government agencies, media, accounting firms and audit companies of the postponement.
It is understood last minute changes were made by the O’Neill-Namah government to warrant the re-printing of the budget despite passage of an original finalised expenditure bill.
Finance and Treasury Minister, Don Polye, will now hand down the budget on November 29, 2011 which is largely predicted to be passed overwhelmingly by Parliament.
Members of the former government are understood to be supportive of the budget which is based on their original strategy of maintaining balanced expenditure, development and revenue raising programs.
Of priority will be maintenance of the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) which is considered the Members’ “slush fund” based on the need for Parliamentarians to be seen to be doing something for their electorates.
This year’s DSIP budget totalled K870 million of which next year’s total amount will be maintained.
DSIP is considered an “intervention program” necessary to bring in development outside of the cumbersome bureaucratic system which mainly does not work for rural community development.
Of priority mainly is the “Free Education” policy of the government which will be the single biggest expenditure for the 2012 budget.
Key assumptions though will be based on recognition of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project as the single and most impacting driver of the economy for the next 30 years.
The Government has already committed to establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) from funds derived from the LNG project to address the downside macroeconomic risks associated with large scale project which will mainly include mining.
The development budget thought is expected to be K5 billion which is an increase of about K1 billion from this year’s expenditure based on unfulfilled commitments by the government for major infrastructure projects around the country.
It is expected that taxation laws are not going to be radically amended but improvised for complex technical areas.
The Government though is expected to move away from making radical changes to housing rentals which are currently uncontrolled due to pressure from real estate companies.
It is understood real estate rentals will not feature prominently in the budget.

Politicians destorying PNG

Source: Post Courier, Novemeber 18, 2011

The Decision to suspend the Chief Justice (CJ) by O’Neill Government will go down in our political history as an “attempted assault” on the Constitution and fabric of our democracy. It was utterly madness for our political leaders to contemplate such an action which could have easily created a “Major Constitutional Crisis” in the country.
What’s wrong with our political leaders? Haven’t they done enough to wreck most of our institutions? The entire public service is heavily politicized so are the constitutional offices such as Police, Defence and CIS. As a result all these institutions are crippled - and rendered ineffective.
The Judiciary is the only institution left protecting the fabric of our democracy from the whims of the politicians. The recent event is clearly an attempt to bring the Judiciary under their control. This would easily lead us into the same path as many African countries did.In quest for political power, political leaders destroyed institutions and fabrics of their democracy. Thus these countries became “failed States”.
Today, those countries in Africa are struggling to get on their feet. Once a certain culture is created changing it takes time and many sacrifices. Many of our political leaders are well educated and know better not to let PNG entangled in such insanity.
Sadly, the Decision to suspend CJ boils down to an act of madness, desperation, greed and quest for power. It wasn’t for the country’s interest or for good governance.
How will CJ’s suspension serve the country’s interests? There is no logic at all. No amount of excuses/reasons offered will justify their action. The damage done to CJ himself, the Judiciary and the Constitution is enormous and will be remembered for a long time.
For what is worth, it was a decision designed to serve their self interests. Those political leaders; (in Government) knew precisely what they were doing and its adverse consequences. Did they care, Not at all, it seems. Nevertheless they misjudged the authority of our Judiciary, which is clearly stipulated in the constitution. The decision by the Judiciary to halt this political madness is a huge relief. Our hope has been restored – it proves the nation’s constitution and democracy are very much alive.
A question asked by people now is - where were our three most respected leaders: Sir Mekere, Bart Philemon and Sir Puka Temu?
They are seen as pillars of good governance, accountability in leadership and protector of integrity of our constitution and laws. They must come out and explain their stance to the people. Their continued silence however leaves a lot to be desired.
How about Sam Basil, the firebrand young leader who has been vocal on issue of respect for law and integrity of Government whilst in Opposition?Just seeing him at the press conference makes people wonder, whether such people are for real or not.Perhaps a lesson or two to be learned and not be fooled in the future. The Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill has more explanation to do than what he has offered. He is the Chief Executive of the country, not Belden Namah. Any decision, whether minor or major is always vetted by the Chief Executive according to state protocol. Was the suspension of CJ made in his full knowledge and endorsement too?
Whatever it is he is fully accountable for his Government’s decision and he must set the record straight. He should not let his Deputy Belden Namah to shoulder the full responsibility of his Government’s decision.
Some political observers believe Belden Namah was made a sacrificial lamb. He was seen as a threat by many in the current and former Government. Could it be a set-up to destroy him and PNG Party before 2012 General National? If it is then, politics has become ugly and nasty.
Not a healthy sign for this young Nation. Put that aside, both Peter O’Neill and Belden Namah had so much going for them. They were seen as the emerging leaders of this country. Both talented and attractable to ordinary people for their frankness and desire to fight for the welfare of the ordinary people.
Whatever the outcome of the Supreme Court reference filed by East Sepik Provincial Government on the election of Peter O’Neill as Prime Minister, they will be Winners going to the General Election.
Now all that is thrown away with just one madness. The question is why? Both O’Neil and Namah must now know the people will not easily forget – and forgive them for their attempt to interfere with the independence of the Judiciary and the Constitution.
In finality, this should be a “wake-up” call for the people. Should we continue to just stand and watch the Political Leaders destroying every fabric of our institutions and democracy - and risk the future of our children?

Show time for Legends

Source: The National, Friday 18th November 2011

By KEVIN TEME

PORT Moresby residents will have the opportunity to see the former National Rugby League stars in action for during the Ela Motors Legend’s of League match tomorrow.
Most will want to see how great players like former Manly five-eighth Cliff Lyons can recapture some of that brilliant instinctive play against his peers on Lloyd Robson Oval.
It will be an historic moment when PNG hosts for the first time an NRL legends match that was the idea of the PNG NRL Bid and aimed at promoting rugby league to the masses and showing the NRL that PNG is capable of hosting big matches.
Lyons is one player whose name and playing style would have won many fans from the late 1980s to the 1990s.
The spritely 50-year-old is a familiar face to local fans having represented Australian in 1991 during a tour of the country with games played in Goroka, Lae and Port Moresby.
“I am happy to be back here and it’s a great opportunity for PNG and it’s good for the future of the game,” Lyons said.
The former New South Wales player (1987-1991) can not wait to run out tomorrow and is looking forward to a good show with the other stars he had played along side and against.
“It’s good to catch up with my old mates and before I came I had sore leg after a game of touch footy but I am okay now and I’m looking forward to the game,” he said.
“It should be an entertaining show, not so much of a brutal showdown like what you see on TV but it will surely make your weekend an enjoyable one.”
With 34 legends assembled in Port Moresby the weekend’s action is expected to draw fans, particularly, those of the older generation who will remember the exploits of several of the former NRL stars such as Lyons, St George Illawara flyer Nathan Blacklock, Melbourne Storms lock Scott Hill and utility Matt Geyer, Newcastle Knights fullback Robbie O’Davis, Brisbane Broncos Julian O’Neill and Cronulla Sharks trio David Peachey, Les Davidson and Martin Lang.
The match will follow a State of Origin theme which will see the Bisley New South Wales Blues take on the SP Queensland Maroons.
By KEVIN TEME
PORT Moresby residents will have the opportunity to see the former National Rugby League stars in action for during the Ela Motors Legend’s of League match tomorrow.
Most will want to see how great players like former Manly five-eighth Cliff Lyons can recapture some of that brilliant instinctive play against his peers on Lloyd Robson Oval.
It will be an historic moment when PNG hosts for the first time an NRL legends match that was the idea of the PNG NRL Bid and aimed at promoting rugby league to the masses and showing the NRL that PNG is capable of hosting big matches.
Lyons is one player whose name and playing style would have won many fans from the late 1980s to the 1990s.
The spritely 50-year-old is a familiar face to local fans having represented Australian in 1991 during a tour of the country with games played in Goroka, Lae and Port Moresby.
“I am happy to be back here and it’s a great opportunity for PNG and it’s good for the future of the game,” Lyons said.
The former New South Wales player (1987-1991) can not wait to run out tomorrow and is looking forward to a good show with the other stars he had played along side and against.
“It’s good to catch up with my old mates and before I came I had sore leg after a game of touch footy but I am okay now and I’m looking forward to the game,” he said.
“It should be an entertaining show, not so much of a brutal showdown like what you see on TV but it will surely make your weekend an enjoyable one.”
With 34 legends assembled in Port Moresby the weekend’s action is expected to draw fans, particularly, those of the older generation who will remember the exploits of several of the former NRL stars such as Lyons, St George Illawara flyer Nathan Blacklock, Melbourne Storms lock Scott Hill and utility Matt Geyer, Newcastle Knights fullback Robbie O’Davis, Brisbane Broncos Julian O’Neill and Cronulla Sharks trio David Peachey, Les Davidson and Martin Lang.
The match will follow a State of Origin theme which will see the Bisley New South Wales Blues take on the SP Queensland Maroons

Survey exposes rural poverty

Source: The National, Friday 18th November 2011

By SALLY POKITON
UPNG journalism student

A SURVEY has shown that 73% of people in rural areas are illiterate, men have an average life expectancy of 52 years, while 23% walk for four hours to the nearest health centre, a doctorate researcher with the Australian National University (ANU) says.
Researcher Cate Rogers said the survey conducted last year with 262 families representing 1,726 people in the Yelia area of Obura-Wonenara district in Eastern Highlands, showed that rural poverty still existed despite the much talked about LNG project that would generate billions of kina for the country.
This was revealed at the ANU and CARE international launching of the report, Rural poverty in remote
Papua New Guinea, at the National Research Institute in Port Moresby yesterday.
Rogers said the integrated community development project baseline survey showed a vast majority (72%) had traditional child births, with no trained birth assistants present while children under five were estimated to have a mortality rate of 191 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Rogers said the findings showed a literacy rate of 27% was almost 30% below the national level of 56% and 17% below the Eastern Highlands provincial level of 44%, according to NRI.
“76% earned less than K100 from coffee sales due to their location and the distance travelled to sell their produce,” Rogers said.
She said women, on the other hand, had a higher average life expectancy of 65 years.
Obura-Wonenara district administrator Erinu Kasong said rural people were being neglected.
He said the government and partners should go into a joint effort to address the issue of poverty in rural areas

Aini applauds review of Employment Act

Source: The National, Friday 18th November 2011

By SHIRLYN BELDEN
THE Employment Act of Papua New Guinea is in its initial stage of review to promote better working standards in the country.
Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations Martin Aini yesterday opened a review convention saying the review was long overdue and needed to be updated to meet the expectation of the growing workforce.
The lack of review has resulted in workers and employees having limited knowledge of their rights and obligations at work because there were no proper policies and regulations in place to govern their welfare in the public and private sectors.
“The reviewing is timely. The government is focused on the employment issue and aims to implement efficient and effective measures to deliver to achieve the goals and targets of the Millennium Development Goals 2010-15,” Aini said.  
The Act was passed in 1978 and has been in use since.
There are discussions on policy priorities by partners, workers and employers to gauge views and opinions as the starting point of reforming the Act.
The conference participants were urged to take into account in their discussions the rural workforce which has not been considered enough in the Employment Act 1978.
Representatives from the department had partners from the International Labor Organisation, Office of Justice and Attorney General, Employees Federation, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council and workers unions in the review conference.
The ILO as the review technical consultant facilitated the convention. Facilitator Caroline Boyd said the convention was also the opportunity for PNG to ratify the four governance conventions important to the functioning of the international labour standard system in PNG.
They are the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947, Labour Inspection (Agriculture) convention,1969 and Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976.
PNG had so far ratified only the Employment Policy convention, 1964.
The conference ends today at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby

Police in Enga to monitor land case

Source: The National, Friday 18th November 2011

ENGA police are closely monitoring a dispute over a land between two brothers which has resulted in the death of a man.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said the fighting at Waliya, the boom gate between the Enga and Western Highlands, was under control.
Lakari said anyone trying to take advantage of the situation by blocking the road in the Waliya section of the road in the Wapenamanda district would be dealt with by the police.
He denied a report that many people were killed during the fight over the ownership of the land.
Lakari said so far only one man was killed when the two brothers fought over the ownership of the land.
He said the conflict between two brothers over the land in which the boom gate was situated had already been dealt with.
He said when the contract to provide security at the boom gate was awarded to Vin Kunjil, his brother Michael Apetau wanted to benefit from the contract too.
Lakari said people took sides and started fighting although not all the tribesmen were involved.
He said there was no other fighting in the Waliya area and he engaged his officers to monitor the Waliya section of the road on a 24-hour basis.
He said the road was free for people who wanted to use it and police were monitoring the situation closely.

New charges for Tiensten

Source: The National, Friday 18th November 2011

By JACOB POK

MEMBER for Pomio Paul Tiensten has again been arrested and slapped with further charges of misappropriation of public funds from the Department of National Planning and Monitoring.
This time, he faces three charges relating to a K3.4 million project funding which he allegedly diverted to his family company when he was the national planning minister.
Tiensten is out on another K5,000 bail imposed on him by the Committal Court yesterday, which now placed his bail at K10,000.The Pomio MP was charged with one count of misappropriation, one count of official corruption and one count of obtaining money by false pretences.
He was arrested and charged by members of the Task Force Sweep soon after he made his first appearance at the Waigani District Court yesterday for the earlier charges.
He was interviewed at the fraud office and later taken to the Boroko police station.
Police alleged that in 2009, Tiensten, while the minister for national planning and monitoring, used his position to cancel a cheque payable to a Mesu Investment Ltd and redirected the cheque to Tolpot Services Ltd, a company which he was both a shareholder and director of.
He allegedly diverted the money under the false assertion that Tolpot Services had been appointed by Mesu Ltd and Karalai Plantation as project manager of the approved rehabilitation of the Karalai Plantation in Pomio, East New Britain.
It was alleged that the cheque was deposited into the company account at the ANZ Bank in Kokopo, East New Britain.
It was alleged that Tiensten and his family benefited from the funds.
Chairman of Task Force Sweep Sam Koim said as a matter of law, Tiensten was innocent until proven otherwise by a court of law

Court orders Tiensten to surrender passport

Source: The National, Friday 18th November 2011

By SAMUEL RAITANO
MEMBER for Pomio Paul Tiensten was yesterday ordered to surrender his passport to the Waigani District Court Registry.
The order came as he made his first appearance in court yesterday on charges of misappropriation, conspiracy and abuse of office.
District Court magistrate Cosmas Bidar told Tiensten his bail conditions were that he must surrender his passport and not to interfere with state witnesses in NCD or elsewhere.
The charges against Tiensten fall under section 92 of the Criminal Code Act.
Court documents say that in March at the Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Tiensten as the then national planning minister in the ousted Somare-Abal government, had applied to the use of others, a sum of K10 million.
The state money meant for Air Freight Subsidies in the 2011 budget was given to the airline company, Travel Air. It was alleged that at the same time, Tiensten conspired with Travel Air owner Eremas Wartoto and former secretary of the department, Ruby Zariga, to have the money paid to Travel Air.
It was alleged that Tiensten had directed Zariga to carry out the payment while he (Tiensten) knew well that the airline company was not operating at that time.
Tiensten is alleged to have had, as the minister, corruptly entertained a private business and had issued directions that seemingly abused powers of the public office.
Yesterday, the police prosecutions sought to impose three bail conditions.
However, the court permitted two conditions and they were to have the district court registry safe-keep Tiensten’s passport and to prevent him from interfering with state witness in NCD and elsewhere.
The condition sought to have Tiensten report to the court registry
once a week was irrelevant

Unanswered phone call ends daughter’s life

Source: The National, Friday 18th November 2011

A 14-year-old school girl was beaten to death by her father last week after she failed to answer his phone call after school.
A police report said the school girl from St Michael’s Primary School arrived home after 9pm, which enraged her father, who took out a power cord and allegedly whipped her with it.
National Capital District metropolitan commander Supt Joseph Tondop said the 36-year-old father from Hanuabada village was in police custody.
He said although the man had been concerned about his daughter when she did not return home early from school and tried to discipline her, he had no reason to kill her.
Tondop said medical examinations revealed “excessive force” had been used, resulting in her death.
Tondop said police detained the man over the weekend while investigations continued.
Tondop said in another incident, a Southern Highlands youth was killed by a mob that attacked him.
He said a 19-year-old suspect from Ialibu had been detained for
leading the mob that killed the youth from Kagua.
Tondop said a security guard manning a building in downtown Port Moresby was questioned by police after trying to steal electrical appliances worth more than K4,000 inside the property.
Tondop said the 19-year-old security guard from Kompiam, Enga, had been guarding the seventh floor of the building.
He said when the suspect learned he was being monitored by CCTV; he damaged the camera as well.
And, a former member of parliament has lost more than K40,000 worth of property including his personal car when thugs torched his vehicle last week.
Tondop said the former leader from the highlands was at the front of the Parliament House after 5pm when five unknown suspects held him up and took his car, a Toyota Camry.
The thugs took the vehicle to 8-Mile, near the power station, and torched the vehicle.
Meanwhile, a nine-year-old boy was sexually molested in the bushes of ATS, near the Jackson International Airport last week.
The Grade 1 pupil from Eki Vaki Elementary School was lured towards the bushes with a K10 note by a man from Gulf and abused.
When the victim refused, the suspect assaulted the victim, who then, fearing his life, did as he was told.
Tondop reiterated his call for parents to be vigilant about the whereabouts of their children

Jiwaka question to be decided in court

Source: The National, Friday 18th November 2011

By JEFFREY ELAPA

THE proposed law to create a Jiwaka province will be challenged in the Mt Hagen National Court on Monday, on the eve of the Parliament Budget session.
Anglimp local level government council does not want parliament to pass the law which is on notice paper to be dealt with after the passage of the 2012 National Budget.
The National Court originating summons No. OS 865/2011 was filed on Wednesday.
It seeks to restrain the Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters, Wake Goi, from tabling the National Boundary Commission report which sets out the Jiwaka provincial boundaries until section 37 and 38 of the enabling legislation had been complied with.
The respondents in the case are Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen, who is the chairman of the Electoral Boundary Commission, the
PNG Electoral Boundary Commission, the state and Goi.
Principal plaintiff and Anglimp council president Elvis Lo, accompanied by Cr Samson Dupai, travelled to Port Moresby yesterday to serve the originating summons on the respondents.
He said the council wanted parliament to postpone the creation of Jiwaka province until at least 2013 because of disputes among councillors on the proposed provincial boundaries.
Lo said they had decided to go to court because their pleas to relevant authorities had fallen on deaf ears.
They are asking the court to stay the proposed law until 2013 when Jiwaka has in place its own administrative infrastructure and headquarters.
The main concern is to remain part of Western Highlands leading into general election next year.
Lo and Dupai told The National last night that the Jiwaka region was different from the rest of Western Highlands in terms of culture, language and geography. The population is 52,000 which qualified them to form a separate province.
They said political interest should not dictate their future, adding that they expected members of parliament to defer the proposed law when it came before the house