Kapris escape report tells all

Source: The National, Monday 23rd April 2012

By FRANK SENGE KOLMA
CRIMINAL mastermind William Kapris and 11 others “walked out” of a jail system that had long ceased to serve its purpose of rehabilitating prisoners, a report into the January 2010 escape reveals.
Indeed, the “strictly confidential” report concluded that long periods of neglect, maladministration and a serious break-down in command and control had led to a situation where the jail system served as a “criminal recruiting and training ground” from where they escaped at will.
Single prisoner escapes occurred daily throughout the country and were not reported, according to the investigation report.
“The problems are now entrenched in the prison system to the extent that the concept of correcting and rehabilitating criminal behaviour has taken the backstage,” the report stated.
“Instead, our prisons have become training and recruiting grounds for organised criminal gangs. The situation is such that the biggest prison in the country, Bomana, is now referred to as the ‘Bomana university’ where young men jailed for minor offences are trained and mentored into hardcore criminals by the time they are released or break out.”
The report said crime syndicates had developed within the jail system involving Correctional Service officers, members of the police force and criminal masterminds such as Kapris which “threatens the disintegration of the entire prison system” and had placed the “entire prison system in serious trouble”.
“This had significant bearing on general law and order and national security of the country,” the report said.
The National Security Advisory Committee, which advises the National Executive Council and the prime minister on national security issues, commissioned the report on Jan 13, 2010, one day after Kapris and 11 others walked out of the separate confinement unit (not maximum security unit as is popularly known).
The report, entitled “Report on Investigations into the Bomana Prison Escape of William Nanua Kapris and 11 Others”, now formed part of a policy submission to cabinet to reform and build capacity in the country’s Correctional Service.
The escape itself was well planned and executed with assistance from within the jail and outside, the report revealed.
Indeed, the collaboration and assistance provided to Kapris seemed to extend to two previous escapes. And information contained in the report seemed to compromise the previous command structure (see above story).
Police, National Intelligence Organisation and CS’s own intelligence officers informed the CS command of an impending major jail-break but no preventative action appeared to have been taken.
On Jan 11, a day before the escape, a duty CS officer climbed the communication tower and turned off the communication jammer, making it possible for inmates to communicate by mobile phones with people outside prison. And it is plausible that Kapris did so.
On Jan 12, an epileptic fit by a juvenile inmate effectively provided a perfect opportunity for the acting security manager and several other critical officers to be absent from the SCU area where the escape was staged for several critical hours.
After the escape, police arrested and charged three CS officers with assisting in the escape.
The escape car (a blue Fifth Element Reg. No. BCE 451) was parked within the inner boom gate area close to the SCU exit gate at 10.30am. And, although the officer in charge of reception was informed of the suspicious presence of an unauthorised vehicle, no action was taken.
Helen Mark Kuipa, who was initially identified as Judy Nandape, walked from the car casually to the prisoners’ kitchen area and later walked straight to the outer gate.
She was allowed without question into the SCU area. The escape was triggered at that point.
The time it took for the escape was between 9.30am and 10.45am when the alarm was raised. But the planning took longer.
Twelve prisoners escaped as if to coincide with the date - Jan 12

Police warn locals against roadblocks

Source: The National, Wednesday 22nd Febuary 2012

AEPANDA and Lyamala villagers, in the Laiagam district of Enga province, have been warned not to disrupt transportation by setting up road blocks.
Provincial police commander Martin Lakari issued the warning yesterday after the villa­gers chopped trees down to block a 3km section of the Wabag-Porgera road, bringing traffic to a standstill on Monday.
Chief Supt Lakari said more than 100 policemen had to be called in to clear the roadblock between Aepanda and Lyamala.
Police, using axes, chainsaws and dump trucks needed nine hours to remove the trees from the road.
Lakari said the road belonged to the government and the villagers did not have any right to block it and cause inconvenience for road users.
They were proper procedures to follow if the villagers had any grie­vances with the Works Department on road improvement payments.
Taking the law into their hands would not help solve any problem and would create another problem, Lakari said.
The villagers had blocked the road to protest the prolonged delay by the Works Department in paying them for improvements to the road.
Lakari said the assessment on the improvements on the sides of the road were carried out by the Works Department when construction began two years ago, but so far no payment had been made.
He said the villagers held a secret meeting on Sunday and on Monday morning they chopped down trees growing by the roadside.
Police will now monitor the area and will arrest anyone setting up a roadblock.

Dealing with water woes

Source: The National, Friday 17th Febuary 2012

IT’S Monday morning. Josephine is awakened by her mother to go and fetch water at a main tap located not far from where they live.
Quickly Josephine runs to the main tap to fill two big containers with water to use to bath and make her morning tea.
It’s a daily routine for Josephine who lives in a settlement in Port Moresby to fetch water for the family to use.
“Living in a settlement is tough and one must be strong to put up with the challenges that come with living in a settlement.
“And one of those challenges is getting water because everybody used to get water from one tap and sometimes the pressure is low and sometimes there is no water at all,” said Josephine mother.
On Tuesday this week Eda Ranu facilitated a water vending seminar aimed at encouraging people especially those living in settlements to pay for the water they use.
Josephine’s mother was one of the many participants that attended the seminar and open forum the next day to learn more about the new concept Eda Ranu was going to bring into the settlements.
“I like the concept because it’s going to be organised and I know we will never have problems with access to water.
“At last we won’t be accused for using free water because now we will be paying for the water we  use,” she said. 
 Water supply in Port Moresby has come a long way. Archives tell of the system being built in 1950s. Since then the network from source to treatment plant to distribution system and to the customer taps has increased tremendously.
History also records that billing users was practiced until people’s attitudes changed dramatically during the transition phases of the city’s administration starting from ANGAU through to ward systems, city council and the interim NCDC days.
Lack of proper organisation and monitoring, breakdown of control and malpractices in management led to the collapse of bill collection and residents of NCD enjoyed free water during colonial days.
Port Moresby is home to people from different cultural backgrounds (800 plus different languages) that perceive, value and manage water differently.
Some even claim to own water because the source is on their customary land (60-70% of land in PNG is still customary owned).
Others claim to be landlords after occupying a certain piece of land over a long period of time and authorities are unable to remove them.
Meeting the grossly over populated national capital’s water and sanitation needs as a result of rapid rural-urban drift is a daunting challenge but one upon which Eda Ranu strives on to challenge itself to be innovative and consumer cost effective.
Chairperson of Association of Small Scale Water providers and founder Ms Elsa Meija from Philippines was the guest speaker at the seminar and open forum and spoke to water committee members about her experience in the water vending business.
Meija told the water committee members from the settlements about the water vending concept using the Philippines scenario.
Meija who started supplying and distributing water in 1997 to 50, 000 plus people in urban and rural settlements in the Philippines said the secret of water vending was total participation by the whole settlement community.
She said her company called the Impact Water Workers and Development Corporation (IWADCO) project impact areas were health, education and gender.
Meija said not only must the water vender go out and supply water and collect fees but must also assist the community with projects that will benefit the community.
Water vending in principle is retailing by contractors to consumers in selected communities arranged through a Water Vending Agreement (WVA) signed between the principle water supplier Eda Ranu and selected water vendor for a particular community such as a traditional village or a settlement within the city’s boundaries upon receipt of an invoice.
As a retailer the water vendor will pay Eda Ranu through the community.
The retailer will then put up a markup within the range as stipulated in the WVA and collect from consumers.
The water vendor will manage and be in total control of water consumed in the selected communities and enforce appropriate measures to ensure consumers comply with the conditions as set out in the WVA.
The water vending concept is a business venture and could be operated by an individual or a group.
The water vendor shall be a duly registered company with the Investment Promotion Authority with an operating bank account and an operating office and manpower with the appropriate plumbing skills to provide the services required by Eda Ranu.
 Eda Ranu CEO Billy Imar when opening the one day seminar in Port Moresby pointed out that one of their major challenges to date is Non Revenue Water (NRW) which accounts for about 60% of the total production or total inflow into the city’s supply and distribution system.
He said that minimising and maintaining optimum levels of water distribution after some NRW reduction projects and turning the NRW into revenue water is a gigantic problem that Eda Ranu faces everyday.
“Evident contributing factors are illegal connections within state leased properties and unbilled supply to settlements and traditional villages although there are laws in place to guide these.
“Currently enforcing the laws is a huge problem and an on going task of water mains disconnection is being carried out on an as reported basis particularly within sub divided areas with state leased titles.
“A project or a major exercise was started in December 2010 that ran only for a few months.
This was to have been implemented to cover an entire suburb of Gerehu however due to security reasons it has been put on hold,” said Imar.
The ever increasing problem of squatter settlements and illegal occupation of state land and customary land has put a demand on Eda Ranu’s services.
Imar said other customary land occupation involves land sale agreements between landowners and private individuals of which a remarkable increase had being noted in recent times.
“It generates a problem where there is no established regulation or policy to regulate such practices whereby the state or the authorities can enforce and facilitate whenever demand for basic services are requested by private individuals, a classic example of this is the Taurama Valley area.
“We do face some setbacks or hindrances in educating the general public (water awareness), Conservation Action Plan, under estimated future demand for water and lack of liaison and collaboration with government authorities to address the issues faced by settlements.
“Eda Ranu like other SOEs is looking at innovative ways to convert the non revenue water in peri-urban areas into revenue water in consultation with the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation programme.
“Eda Ranu aims to achieve its water and sanitation service targets as set out in the millennium development goals,” said Imar

Polye targets mind and heart

Source: Post Courier, January 17, 2012

By JOHNNY POIYA

Papua New Guinea has a very large unskilled young population that could become very destructive if left unchecked.
This is the area, Finance and Treasury Minister Don Polye’s new political party is focused on addressing with its top seven policies targeting a child inside a family home into an honest, law abiding, successful adult within a diversified economy.
Mr Polye made the announcement during the National Alliance Highlands bloc convention in Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands Province last Friday.
He said the party was looking at addressing normal day to day issues.
Though the party is already in place, it still needs to be named and registered during the party’s national caucus meeting in Port Moresby, tentatively set for next week.
Mr Polye said the aim of the party’s priority policies were to allow the country to move forward with the changing world and time with a good skilled population that would be instilled with good moral values.
The priority policies are: father; mother; childhood policy; skills development; housing; improved teachers and health workers salaries and conditions; law and order; improved implementation process; and creating a diversified economy.
Mr Polye, who has 24 National Alliance MPs now, is confident of scoring big after the elections to playing a major role in the formation of a new government with his new party.
He said the current free education policy was a strategy to achieve his skills development policy and it would remain.
He said the party’s major policies were targeted at addressing the human mind, and heart, which have been left aside for years.
“We are not perfect, but we should strive for perfectness. PNG is at rock bottom in the human index and we should look at ways to improve.
“The appalling development indicators are a sign of a bigger problem.
“There must be good governance.
“If we don’t do anything now to address the ever increasing unskilled young population, they can be destructive.
“But they can be constructive if we target them at the very early age.” Mr Polye said.

Mothers call for ban on alcohol

Source: Feature, Post Courier, January 16, 2012

Women Today...
By EVAH KUAMIN
WOMEN and children living in the Tent City — Bumayong area of Lae — have supported calls by their community leaders for a total ban on alcohol in settlement areas.
The group numbering close to 30 told this reporter that they had attributed the peaceful Christmas and New Year period due to the alcohol ban.
They reiterated calls to the provincial government to be serious in considering a total ban on the sale of alcohol in the settlement areas.
Chairman of the Ward Five law and order committee in Bumayong Sam Oyaya said they had spoken to a lot of women, especially mothers and young girls in their area who expressed their views openly about alcohol-related problems.
The group of women said the violence upsurge in the city in November last year had stemmed from alcohol related issues.
They said the three-month liquor ban and fighting zone declaration in the city had proved a relief to a lot of people with less or no petty crimes and other law order problems experienced, especially in the settlement areas.
They said that for settlement areas, people living there like women and children had had enough of alcohol-related problems and would like to live in peace.
One mother who requested anonymity said with the ban on liquor, they were able to experience a quiet and peaceful Christmas and New Year this year, compared with past years which were the worst.
“Some of the problems we have experienced in the past years have been domestic violence, assault, rape, wife beating and others, which are caused by people under the influence of liquor,” the women said.
They added that since the fighting zone declaration and alcohol ban, they had seen and experience a slight decrease in those alcohol-related problems.
They also said they have been able to experience a joyful and peaceful festive season, free from alcohol and other social problems.
The settlement areas they also mentioned should not be allowed by the provincial liquor and licensing board to sell alcohol any longer.

Population is a serious issue

Source: Weekender, Post courier, December 16 - 18, 2011

THE release of the world population report by the United Nations office in Port Moresby highlights a serious lack of policy on population by successive
Papua New Guinea governments. The rapid increase
in population over the years has brought with it many development challenges for PNG. It has brought a lot of strain on education and health services, youth unemployment, land availability in urban centres and even a sharp increase in law and order problems. The rise in ethnic violence experienced in Port Moresby and Lae among other urban centres is a direct result of this sharp increase in urban population resulting from migration from rural areas and provinces. The government’s lack of consistent policy direction on ways of controlling the rapid increase in population has resulted in the many problems that the nation faces today. The most recent outbreak of violence in Lae is a direct result of the huge increase in population
through urban migration that had given rise to squatter settlements all over the city boundaries. The increase in settlements which include settlements on State land, had brought about youth unemployment
on a grand scale, illegal trading on the streets in substances such as drugs, crime, prostitution, poverty,
diseases and many more social ills. The strain on education and health facilities is heart breaking. Urban clinics and the main hospitals are under extreme
pressure to cope with the ever increasing rise in patients seeking medical attention. This problem is compounded by the lack of adequate numbers of professional medical personnel to provide the necessary
services – as well as funds to run the services for the ever-increasing number of patients. In education, schools in and around the city are also having to cater
for more children than they were intended to have resulting in over- crowding in classrooms and lack of resources for the increased numbers of children. The problem in Lae is the same as in Port Moresby and other capital towns and cities in PNG. The current
services being provided by the government for the general public are simply not keeping pace with the rapid increase in population. The strain on funds and resources provided by the government for various
services is enormous and is not getting any easier. Everyone had hoped that the recent national census would provide some accurate data for future planning so that there is better funding and allocation of resources
for the various sectors in the future. Sadly the national census had been a complete failure and waste of resources. When the report is received it would not give an accurate estimation of the current population of PNG. It now means the government will have to wait for another 10 long years before another census is held to give the accurate data that is desperately needed for planning purposes. Papua New Guinea has a serious problem with the rapid rise in population throughout the country. It is a problem that must be addressed with urgency in order for the government and all state agencies to understand the seriousness of the challenges that the nation faces and how best to address those challenges to minimise the adverse effects
now facing the nation. It might be too late for the present government to do anything constructive before
the general elections next year but it is a subject that should be placed before the next government as one of its first priority areas of attention. Just about every sector of public policy is affected by population increases – health, education, law and order, land, employment,
business opportunities and more. It is obvious
from what we are seeing on the ground that planning
and allocation of national government resources for the various sectors of services are not keeping up with the rise in population figures

Highlands police on high alert

Source: Post Courier, Decemebr 16 2011
By JOHNNY POIYA

WThe police force in the Highlands is on high alert following the political turmoil in the nation’s capital.
Acting divisional commander Teddy Tei yesterday met with his provincial commanders in Mt Hagen and reminded them on the oath every individual officer took to serve the country and cautioned them not to take sides.
Chief Tei urged his men to perform their usual duties and not to get themselves tangled up with the government fiasco.
The PPCs who gathered for a conference with the acting police chief were withdrawn back to their provinces to prepare for any unrest that could be triggered by the political unrest.
“I am warning all police personnel in the Highlands to refrain from taking sides in the current political unrest. We took an oath to serve the country without fear, favour or ill-will and serve with our hearts,” Chief Superintendent Tei said.
He warned that any of his men taking sides would be severely dealt with accordingly.
“What happened with the government’s rank and file and the police hierarchy has nothing to do with police personnel down the line,” he said.
Throughout all the major centres in the region, there were heavy police presence and foot patrols to deal with opportunists taking advantage of the Waigani chaos.
Accept for a protest March in Goroka, the rest of the Highlands was peaceful.

Cops arrest five over compo demand

Source: The National,Friday 09th December 2011

POLICE in Enga arrested and charged five men on Tuesday for demanding compensation from the State.Provincial police commander Martin Lakari said the armed men from Pawas village, Wabag, threatened construction workers who were trying to uproot yar (casuarina) trees planted on the roadside. “The men said the trees were theirs and that the State must pay them before removing them,” Supt Lakari said. “This is nonsense as a notice was issued by the provincial administrator, Dr Samson Amean, provincial works manager Laim Moses and me on the Nov 10, stopping road improvement claims against the state,” he said.
He said the construction workers from Kayser Construction Ltd working on the 10km Wabag-Liagam road quickly alerted police who intervened and apprehended the men.
Lakari did not release the names of the suspects but said they would appear before the Wabag District Court.He said the men had been charged with one count each of unlawfully demanding compensation from the state, adding the punishment was K10,000 fine or two years imprisonment. “I have placed 21 policemen on the ground to deter further harassment of workers and further compensation demands,” he said. He urged locals to voluntarily remove their structures and food crops along the road and make way for construction.
Lakari said excessive and unnecessary compensation had hindered the delivery of vital government services in Enga and police under his command would not tolerate any demands for compensation against the State.

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?

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

Rogue cops cost K500m

Source: The National, Thursday 17th November 2011

By JUNIOR UKAHA
ILLEGAL and improper conduct of police personnel has resulted in claims against the state totalling about K500 million, acting Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga said yesterday.
He made the revelation during the launching of a new pocket-size booklet called the “Guide for police conduct and behaviour”.
“We have been (often) taken to court because of our actions,” he said at the police headquarters in Port Moresby.
He said the amount of claims was excessive for a public organisation with just under 5,000 personnel.
“For the 11-month period from Jan 1, 2010, to Nov 30, 2010, we saw 20 dismissals, 42 demotions and two transfers as a result of sanctions issued for misconduct-related offences,” Kulunga said.
“There were 325 serious disciplinary offence reports and 27 minor disciplinary offence reports for that period.”
Kulunga’s comments came as two senior police officers face charges in court in relation to assaults on their wives.
Of the two officers under investigation for assaulting their wives, police said they had not arrested Simon Bernard.
Director international affairs division Supt Tony Duwang said Bernard was dismissed from the force and had been on the run since.
Duwang said criminal charges would be laid once he was caught.
He said Bernard was last spotted in Kimbe, West New Britain, but they had yet to apprehend him.
He said Chris Tamari, a police inspector who abused his wife Artkeria Painap, would be dealt with as soon his files were ready.
Kulunga said most of the offences committed by the police officers related to the assault and ill-treatment of members of the public, the very people they had sworn to protect.
The guide for police conduct and behaviour was put together by the internal affairs division.
“This booklet basically provides a general guide for police officers on duty to ensure human rights laws and humanitarian principles are upheld under any and all circumstances,” he said.
Kim Gordon-Bates, head of mission of the International Committee of Red Cross, whose organisation helped publish the booklet, said it was created to improve the image and credibility of the police force to maintain human dignity and the rights of all people.
He said police officers had sworn an oath to serve and protect their communities and must be efficient, impartial, apolitical, and accountable for the benefit of society.
Deputy police commissioner (operations) Fred Yakasa said the booklet did not replace the police code of ethics but enforced it in a simplified way.

Drastic time called for drastic measures

Source: The National, Thursday 17th November 2011

AS a resident of Lae for past eight years, it was sad and sickening to see the lawlessness at Eriku and market going on for a long time without any intervention from the provincial government and police.
The people’s cries were highlighted in the media almost every day but they fell on our leaders’ deaf ears.
The victims were not only Morobeans but highlanders and others as well.
As far as I can remember, people have been calling to the government to step in when the problems started several years ago.
The petty crimes, harassment and rapes were not limited only to Eriku, market and bus stops but in other parts of Lae too.
Whenever there was a national issue, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge would be up there and using the Morobe provincial funds on those issues that did not benefit his own people while the poor Menyamyans were still paying more than K1,000 for hiring a vehicle to access basic services in Lae.
It was the same with the Kabwums, Wains, Watuts, Mark­hams, etc.
It is ironic Morobeans reside in squatters outside the city while outsiders are occupying the main centre.
Morobeans, fed up with lawlessness, decided to stand up and do whatever possible to make the national and provincial governments listen to their cries.
It was a sad state of affairs for them to do what they did.
At the end of the day, if I were the governor, I would have been ashamed for my actions, keep my mouth shut and look for ways to bring tangible development and implement strategies that will uphold the laws of the country.
Hita
Via email

Lae bans grog

Source: The National, Thursday 17th November 2011

By PISAI GUMAR
A THREE-month liquor ban will be imposed in Lae city from tomorrow.
Documents to validate the ban, announced last week by Morobe Governor Luther Wenge, had been signed.
The three-month ban will be imposed in the city and parts of the Huon Gulf and Nawaeb districts.
It comes after Morobeans took to the streets in protest against street vendors.
The provincial executive council moved to impose the ban after declaring Lae a fighting zone. The ban will be effective until Jan 31.“By virtue of powers conferred by section 27 of the Liquor Licensing Act (2003), Wenge imposed a liquor ban on all storekeeper licences on schedule A, except schedule B,” liquor licensing chairman Bill Singilong said.
Schedule A included all take-away stores and retailers in Lae district, Lae urban, Ahi, Labuta, Wampar and Salamaua local level government areas.
Schedule B included taverns, limited hotels, publican, restaurants, clubs and distributors.
“Schedule B is instructed to trade strictly during trading hours,” Singilong said.
Anyone found trading through the back door will lose their licences.
Meanwhile, Lae police metropolitan comman­der Supt Nema Mondiai urged people, especially youths, to do away with the illegal brewing of steam, coffee candy, trumpet flower drink and drugs.
“Homebrew and drugs are illegal and police will not tolerate people found intoxicated in public places,” Mondiai said.
Police patrols had been strategically positioned along the Miles, Kamkumung, Busu Road towards Bumayong and Tent Siti, Situm and Gobadik areas.
“The situation is back to normal and people should not fear police because police are here to enforce law, provide security and protect law-abiding citizens. However, for those who intend to break laws, the full force of the law will deal severely with them,” Mondiai said.
He assured the provincial education board
that police would provide security at various schools that were affected by the violence to ensure students continued classes

Riot aftermath

Source: Post Courier, November 15, 2011 

BUREAU STAFF REPORTERS

NEARLY thirty thousand children from 30 schools - starting from elementary, primary, high and secondary schools right up to colleges and tertiary institutions in and around Lae City are sitting at home wondering when they will be allowed to return to classes. And church leaders have urged all churches to pray for peace and reconciliation, forgiveness and unity amongst all groups in the city. The head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea Bishop Giegere Wenge this week led churches to prayer asking God for peace, justice, righteousness, reconciliation and forgiveness amongst people of all ethnic origins in Lae and the Morobe Province. The violence has forced all classes to be suspended for an indefinite period as a direct result. Health services at the Angau Memorial Hospital have also been drastically reduced to serious emergency cases only until the situation improves. For schools the direction issued to suspend classes was made by the Morobe Provincial Education Board (PEB) and provincial administration. Many children use public transport to travel to and from school and the unrest had led to the buses not operating forcing even workers to walk long distances to work. Many teachers and students live in settlement areas which pose a direct risk to their safety. Education authorities in Morobe are monitoring the situation so that if it does improve then schools might be asked to reopen early. Health staff as well as many government and private sector workers have also been affected by the violent situation with many forced to stay home. Angau hospital management had decided to restrict services only to serious emergency cases only. All other services including specialized clinics provided by doctors for their patients have been suspended until normal life returns. Many hospital staff such as nurses live in the areas worst affected by the violence and could not be picked up to get to work. For those reporting for work they have to work two 12-hourly shifts and management have appealed to them to do their best to help the patients until the situation returns to normal. The violence in Lae also forced all shops to close down and send staff home in fear of their lives. Shops slowly re-opened over the course of this week but with caution. People stood in long queues to get into shops and buy essential food items for their families many standing in the lines for hours to get into through the doors. Businesses have also re-opened but many with skeleton staff as most of the employees live in settlement area and places far away from the city. For them getting to work means driving through the risky areas. The Morobe provincial executive council is now dealing with the petition from Morobe youth which gave rise to the current
situation in the city. Street selling is now banned. It is a major point in the petition presented to governor Luther Wenge on the state of lawlessness in Lae.
In the petition the youths blamed the government for the lack of commitment in addressing the heightening and ongoing law and order problems in the city.
They pledged their willingness to work with the provincial government to fight crime in Lae. The youth petition also demanded the removal all illegal settlements on state and customary land. The provincial executive council has ordered that squatter settlements illegally set up on State-owned land will be removed. The youth have also demanded that all liquor outlets be closed down for an indefinite period because lawlessness that has been happening in the city was because of alcohol. Governor Wenge told the youths the government had already heard their cry and would act immediately into addressing all the issues stated in their petition. The violence that erupted in Lae was in the making for a long time. Frustration built up over that time on what the youth and the general public saw as the government and its agencies’ failure to address the law and order problem in the city. The result was that the industrial hub of Papua New Guinea came to a standstill for four days when these frustrated youths stormed the streets in protest over the continuous criminal activities at the main bus stops areas. Everyone was affected badly by the ensuing fear that gripped the city. The main shopping centers and commercial banks at Top Town, Eriku and Market closed their doors in fear of vandalism. Many families mainly from the Highlands region are now living in makeshift camps as a result of the burning down of their homes in the settlement areas. Lae is now quiet but remains tense. Provincial, local and community leaders with support from police have managed to restore normalcy to much of the city. The committee headed by former premier Joshua Hagai to enquire into the unrest is in the process of commencing its investigations.

Lae schools remain closed

Source: The National, Mondy 14th November 2011

ALL students in Lae will not return to classes today as expected by the Morobe provincial administration.
Although they had been urged to resume after the week of violence, many teachers from secondary schools in the city said they still feared for the safety of their students.
The schools in the insecure area of the conflict between Morobeans and highlanders, Bumayong, will definitely not resume, teachers said yesterday.
In another hot zone, Hunter, the Busu Secondary School’s deputy principal of academic Lupain Phillips, said the Grade 12 graduation scheduled for Wednesday had been deferred “until further advice”.
Late yesterday, Bumayong Secondary school teachers said they would not return to classes.
“The students feel that their safety is not guaranteed,” a teacher said.
“Added to that, the PMV buses are not running up this way.”
Primary schools in the surrounding areas including those at Telikom College and Tent City would also remain closed.
One of the major problems is that the  Grade 8 students should be sitting for their national examinations this week.
A teacher said that exams for all Grade 8s in Morobe should be deferred to next week, when the situation was expected to return to normal

Lae city slowly returns to normal

Source: The National, Thursday 10th November 2011

By PISAI GUMAR

THE situation in Lae city is getting back to normal after Morobeans pledged to lay down arms and work together with government authorities in restoring peace and harmony.
Businesses were yesterday operating, albeit, not fully. The people were going about their businesses as usual with PMVs returning to the roads.
Police were out in full force to see that the return to normalcy was smooth.
Industries, shops and banks resumed normal operations. Only schools remain closed until next Monday.
The automatic telling machines at Bank South Pacific and Westpac in Top Town were packed not only by city residents but also by rural people.
Government officers however were slow in returning to work. The divisions in the Morobe provincial government are yet to resume serving public servants, especially teachers and community health workers from rural areas.
Most people walked to work yesterday morning but caught PMVs back home after work.
The PMVs ran to and from West Taraka, Uni gate, Igam, Bumayong, Back Road and Malahang and a few operated along the Miles area.
The Busu Road from Malahang to Second Seven, which is where most of the rioting Morobeans reside, is still tense.
The markets at Malahang and Hunter were empty of garden produce sellers from the rural Nawaeb district.
Only the Lae Main and Chinatown markets operated, although not fully.
Other major shops including Food Mart in Top Town and Andersons at Eriku had opened for business

Governor Wenge a little too late on Lae issue

Source: yutok, Post courier, November 11, 2011

JJ Zoriong,
Kabwum/Wasu

AT last Governor Wenge is jumping up and down, running around calling a special PEC and declaring to the public that he wanted to sign the resolutions as soon as possible to get things rolling.
It seems everyone in Lae was calm and sorting themselves out from the chaos except Mr Wenge, who is rushing around, trying to build a bridge when the river has already washed three young lives away!
Mr Governor, you have just proved to the people of Lae and Morobe that you were never there.
The way you are acting clearly indicates to all as if you have just arrived in Lae from a space trip.
If you have some time to spare, after dashing around trying to collect the spilled milk, please browse through the past papers and read for yourself how many letters to the editors’ column in the two dailies called for you to act before this tragedy. It is about time you throw in the towel and stop pretending.

Everyone has failed on Eriku

Source: The National, Monday 07th November 2011

THE violence that erupted in Lae last Thursday, spilled over into Friday and was sustained in the settlements over the weekend was a long-time coming.
Do not take our word for it. Here is what the public has been saying in the letters section of The National for weeks.
Sh@Gz-Palace rep of Lae urged leaders of the Tutumang to shed light on how they are going to solve the problem on Nov 1.
“Let us do something about this before a state of emergency is placed on Eri­ku and that will be another story.” That “another story” may happen today.
Jake Ekaka of Port Moresby said: “Firstly, the culprits involved in these unlawful activities are a minority when compared to the vast majority of law-abiding citizens. Why don’t the good citizens mobilise and confront these few individuals? Resort to means and techniques that will drive fear into the hearts and minds of these anti-social elements so that they will think twice before carrying out their illegal activities.”
Concerned parent said: “Morobeans must stand up and eradicate these animals and all Lae workers should go on strike so the governor can see how unsafe it is for the people. I call on Luther Wenge to take a bus ride from town to Eriku and see first-hand how the city is like.” Good challenge that was never taken up.
Kalong Pulipilya of Lae suggested: “The number of police officers is not sufficient to control the city. Right now, they are stretched thinly. The street boys are aware of this and are capita­lising on the situation.”
Civilised person of Lae said on Oct 25: “On my way to work on board a PMV, I saw a group of youths robbing a young woman. On my way home in the evening, I saw a mother and her child being robbed. I call on the police to conduct foot patrols and set up a cop shop at Eriku.” There has been a cop shop in Eriku for a long time but, obviously, it is not visible to the people.
Iau Tar Tala Ngunm of Lae said: “I live in Eriku and I am sick of seeing petty crimes being committed seven days a week. The police need to do regular foot patrols. I suggest the authorities convert the public toilet into a police station as it is right in the centre of all the illegal activities.”
Mary in Lae said: “It is frustrating and scary for me as a woman to catch a PMV from Eriku to work. They are now grabbing shopping bags, bilums and stripping women of their clothes. I feel for us innocent women. I call on the acting police commissioner to do something about this.”
Diik3iiz said: “Don’t tell me the Lae metropolitan commander is not aware of what has been happening under his nose? It is time for a wholesale change of the Lae police. The men in blue, the governor and the Lae MP have been a letdown thus far.”
So it has been out there in the public domain for a long time before violence finally did erupt.
Without exception, the area of contention has been Eriku, that delightful little spot of historic significance, a cluster of supermarkets surrounded by residential developments, schools, club houses and playing fields.
There is no squatter settlement 2km in every direction from whence it might be expected that wayward youths might spring from.
Yet, this area has been the target of so much crime by a marauding mob which has grown so bold they refuse to budge from the area.
Many have been the call for action in this area alone but nothing happened until a frustrated public decided to take it upon themselves to protest. And as can be expected, that protest turned violent.
The police and the political leadership of the city must take much of the full blame for the riots of last week.
The new police commissioner and his minister yesterday could do or say nothing but admit that their commanders on the ground did not do enough.
The city government of Lord Mayor James Khay must shoulder part of the blame because law and
order within the city precincts are his responsibilities as well.
Problems often become problems only because those responsible neglect their duties repeatedly causing a simple matter to balloon out into a major issue.
As Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said yesterday, the police manpower shortfalls of today are the cumulative effective of many administration’s neglect of the force’s requirements. Nobody thought to increase the force’s strength in line with the growing population.
Likewise, a localised criminal problem in Eriku has become the entire city’s problem and now grabs national government attention and action, only because authorities on the ground, who are mandated to address the matter, have failed miserably to do so.

Locals target thugs, vendors

Source: The National, Friday 04th November 2011

By PISAI GUMAR and GABRIEL LAHOC

LAE city was torn by violence at noon yesterday when two separate incidents of rioting forced schools, government offices, banks and shops to close and public transportation to stop.
More than a thousand Morobean youths had decided to take the law into their own hands to bring back peace onto the streets of Lae and chased street sellers and pick pockets around Top Town yesterday.
In the process, they stoned PMVs and shops owned by highlanders.
They also pledged to return to Top Town today as a much bigger force.
However, the damage was mi­nimal compared to previous riots, which were often headed by the street sellers.
Word has already been sent to the predominantly Morobe settlements at Hunter, Malahang and Bumayong and the Miles areas for all Morobean youths to assemble peacefully at the provincial headquarters today and demand lawful action against street sellers and thugs.
The street sellers and thugs, who are mainly of highlands origin, were increasingly becoming belligerent and blamed for serious crimes like rape in broad daylight in public places.
The Morobe youths had gathered at the provincial headquarters at Top Town before noon and demanded an audience with Governor Luther Wenge.
While they were waiting to be addressed, a fire broke out at a shop at the Lae market and hundreds of their nemesis, the street sellers and pick pockets, rushed to the burning building, sparking a riot.
However, police were at the scene quickly and owners of shops and offices acted just as fast to close their doors, preventing any looting.
The angry youths were addressed by Deputy Governor Morokoi Gaiwata and deputy provincial administrator for corporate services Geoving Belong. Wenge and provincial administrator Kemas Tomala did not attend.
Despite the presence of police, who were easily outnumbered, the crowd
chanted anti-highlands sentiments.
Traffic flow into town from the market area and Eriku were halted, with buses turning away passengers to avoid the angry mob.
The Morobe youths also attacked Chinese shops in Top Town because, they said, the Asian entrepreneurs supplied the street sellers with DVDs and gadgets like mobile phones and flash drives, and sunglasses to sell to the public.
More than three hours after the uprising, police had to chase opportunists who went around Top Town attempting to loot shops.

Squatting needs a serious look

Source: yutok, Post Courier, Wednesday October 27, 2011 
SQUATTING in towns in Papua New Guinea is a major problem.
It an issue that needs to be addressed by governments both national and at the provincial level. It is such a major problem that it is causing problems not only for the town management teams but tradtional land owners where towns are built.
Towns are on piece of land acquired by the State. Improvement and developments means available Government land have been used up and settlers, whether by choice or neccessity, are forced to setle on land that is not their’s.
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use.
Experts suggest that there are one billion squatters globally, that is, about one in every six people on the planet. Yet, squatting is largely absent from policy and academic debate and is not often seen as, as a problem.
In many of the world’s poorer countries, there are extensive slums or shanty towns, built on the edges of major cities and consisting of self-constructed housing built without the landowner’s permission. These settlements may, in time, grow to become both legalised and indistinguishable from normal residential neighbourhoods, but they uusually start off as squats with minimal basic infrastructure.
Uusually there is no sewage system, drinking water must be bought from vendors or carried from a nearby tap, and if there is electricity, it is often stolen from a passing cable.
Squatters do not care and will often forcefully stake “their claim’’. It is now the case in Lae, Morobe Province where customary landowners again find themselves at loggerheads with settlers encroaching on their traditional land.
For years, there has been running battle with lopcals and setlers in Lae. Customary landowners, in the latest effort stave off settlers, have now put a stop to the seeling of portions of land belonging to them from Nine Mile to 14 Mile, along the Highlands Highway outside Lae city,. The reason; increased social problems. Yes settlements are havens for criminals and criminal activities because most of those that live there are the unemployed drifting into town ion the hiope of landing jobs for a comfortable life. It is also however true that there is now a large portion of the formal worforce, living in settlements.
Settlements provide a cheap accommodation, and in the face of huge rentals in all urban areas,workers are forced to there. They just simply can’t afford real estate rentals at the prices being charged, except for a privileged few who are lucky enough to have their employers provide or pay for their rent.
One thing is for sure, these settlements are here to stay. What we need now is a good government plan to look at how the country manages this mance, now and in the future.
We should look at all options such as building affordable housing and which can be sold off to tenants, or setting aside properly designated areas for urban settlements. Something has to be done otherwise we will conti9nue to see probelms such as is hapening in Lae continue and with more and more people moving into towns and the population expanding, municipal services as well will put put under extreme presssure and nasty confrontations continue