Think big and wisely when choosing leaders

Source: The National, Wednesday 21th March 2012

THE decisions we make at the polls will affect our political, social and economic destiny for the next five years and beyond.
The awareness and education must intensify in the remaining months leading to the election in June.
The kind of government we have next will depend on the kind of lea­ders that we, the voters, choose.
As a democratic society, people of all walks of life will be exercising their freedom to compete for the 109 seats and among them, there will be black sheep.
It is up to the voters to screen and analyse all the candidates, both on party lines and as individuals, before eliminating them one by one until the best three are left.
Out of the three, we must prioritise in order of our preferences before we actually take up positions in the queue at the polling stations.
We do not have to screen all candidates, but select the best five and screen their education qualifications, work experiences, religion, visions, aspirations as well as their social, economic and political backgrounds.
People have to be wary of so-called master sanaps, who are poli­tical rejects that break election rules out of desperation.
They are the ones that accumulate arms and instigate election-related violence and tribal wars that result in the destruction of innocent lives and property.
For us to develop and advance in politics, not only must we elect the best leaders but we must also change our corrupt and traditional practices.
We must put aside our family connections, clans and tribal links, our feuds and rivalries, our personal grudges and immediate personal wants and needs.
We must do away with our wantok system and the kisim na givim or get-and-give habits.
We must refuse cash handouts from candidates because bribery deludes our minds and makes us stumble in our choice of leaders.
We must stop enrolling ghost names and do away with so-called campaign houses, which are no­thing more than brothels and gambling dens.
If we do not change our mentality, we will continue to depend on Australia and other foreign agents.
It is up to us to change for the better.
The opportunity to elect leaders comes once every five years and we cannot afford to abuse it.
The decisions that we make in June will affect our well-being, and that of our children, communities, electorates, provinces and the country as a whole for the next five years and beyond.
We must think big, think national and act saliently.

Francis Níi
Kundiawa 

Link Kandep first, Polye

Source: Briefs, The National, March 13, 2012

I refer to the Works Minister’s recent proposal to build a four-lane Highlands Highway. I urge him to fix the ring roads in Kandep first before upgrading the Highlands Highway. He must build the Mendi-Tap-Kandep road, Kandep-Lai Valley road, Kandep-Margarima road and the Laiagam-Kandep road.

Muniah Ker-Momde, Wabag

King Solomon’s treasure in Enga

Source: yutok, Post Courier, October 13, 2010

This is an invitation to any interested Hydrocarbon and Minerals prospecting and exploration company that Tundaka in Kandep electoratate Enga Province the home of DPM Don Polye is sitting on gas and oil, gold and diamond.
This place has a long unique history and has a cave there and it’s only accessed by a certain tribe that lives around there.
Apart from these people, any animal including humans who go near this area normally dies or suffer mental illness.
This place is the source and heart of oil and gas that is now found in Tari and gold in Porgera and Mt Kare. It is also the source of all the river network system in the country, Fly river, Strickland river, Purari river and Sepik river. We the landowners of this place kindly invite you to come to this place to see for yourself.
This is not just mere talk but real. It contains more and even bigger than current gas and oil in Tari or Gulf and gold in Porgera and Mt Kare.
We suspect the missing King Solomon’s treasures and mine is in there. You are most welcome there.

Tundaka Asples.
Hohola Suburb POM

Uni graduate says thank you

Source: Highlands Post, Post Courier, January 16, 2012

A UNIVERSITY student in Enga Province has set history to formally host a graduation ceremony celebration of achievement in his village.
Stanley Amos Langap of Wage Local level Government Council in Kandep District acknowledged those that contributed to pay for his school fees including the Enga Provincial Government and Porgera Gold Mine.
The party was held at his Longop village in Kandep District last Friday and attended by Enga Governor Peter Ipatas and his people.
Mr Langap told his people at the small gathering that his graduation ceremony was to celebrate his achievement with his family members, relatives, community including minor and major sponsors.
It is believed that such ceremony may be the first of its kind in the Enga Province or in the Highlands region and the country as a whole.
Mr Langap has set a phase in Enga Province for other students in the future to follow his footstep and do the same.
Mr Langap is one of the students that benefited from Mr Ipatas’ government policy from primary school to university.
He said it was good to acknowledge the Enga Provincial Government for introducing the policy that benefitted many students and he was proud that he was one of them that benefitted from the policy, adding without the policy he do not know whether he would have come this far or not.
Mr Langap is a final year Bachelor of Science, major in chemistry and biology and will graduate in March 30 with a degree.
He said the purpose of the celebration was to acknowledge those that contributed both in good and bad times to raise him so that they would feel proud because their hard work was not wasted.
Mr Langap said the National Government was now adapting Enga Provincial Government policy to introduce free education this year and the National Government must credit Mr Ipatas for his wisdom and foresight in developing the human resources of Enga.
Enga Governor Peter Ipatas told the people that he was proud to see Mr Langap for hosting such graduation celebration party in his village and invited those that helped him to come so that they could be acknowledged.
Mr Ipatas further said Mr Langap was one of the products of his government education policy and this was a big pleasure for him because his government policy had worked out.
He said many students had benefited from the free education policy but not one of them had come back to the province and honoured their families, communities and government.
Mr Ipatas urged other students to commit themselves to give more time with their education study hard because there was no ending in education.
He also pledged K50, 000 for Langop Primary School, an ambulance for Langop Health Centre and handed over a Toyota 10-seater land cruiser for Kandep district education services through Enga Children’s Trust Funds

Please vote wisely in the 2012 national elections

Source: The Weekender, Post Courier, February 03 - 04, 2012

We see what our MP has done for us the past five years. . . nothing! It is too late to talk about what our MP hs achieved. My advice for this elections is think about who you want to choose to be your mandated leader beyond this year. Choose wisely by voting capable people who can bring about tangible development to your door steps. Obura/Wonenara desperately needs educated man and women to be given a go. We are living in a booming technological world where the right people must be chosen for the right job. Please, vote wisely in this general election because your life is in your hand.

Credit should go to MP Joseph, not Polye

sourec: yutok, Post Courier, March 7, 2012

I REFER to a Stephen Kikala’s letter (PC 15/02/12) commending the Member for Kandep Don Polye as being the proponent of the multi-million kina Mendi-Kandep Road Project. Kikala got his facts all wrong.
He is writing out from the blues or conveniently using this road project to lure votes for Mr Polye in the coming elections. The people of Kandep do not know who Don Polye has been representing in the National Parliament for the last 10 years as there is nothing tangible to show for in Kandep. He held senior portfolios like the Acting PM, Deputy PM, Works & Transport and now Treasurer but he has deliberately ignored this vital road linking Mendi and Kandep. The people of Mendi and Kandep are no longer fools.
The proponent of this road project is the first-term member for Mendi Open, Isaac Joseph. Three years back it was only a “paper road project”. Mr Joseph contributed K3 million as a counterpart funding – the main pre-requisite to accessing the funds. Leaders who put upfront counterpart funding are given priority to access these ADB funds. I was then the Projects Coordinator for Mendi Open. We had sleepless nights and walked in and out of the ADB Offices just to get this road project off the ground. We wrote several letters to Mr Polye to share the cost of the counterpart funding because the road would run through his home village but never received any response.
All credits are in order and due firstly to the O’Neill-Namah Government and Mendi Open MP.
George Kowi, Lake Popol

K480m road funding welcome news for Kandep

yutok, Post Courier, March 06, 2012

PEOPLE of Kandep have been recklessly neglected by politicians for the past 10 years while serving their own interests. The Laiagam — Kandep road has become dangerous to the people of Kandep. The road has never been upgraded for the last 10 years, putting the public and the travellers at risks. People have to push their trucks and PMVs through the slippery roads, bare and rundown bridges.
There was an announcement of K100 million funding through ADB during Somare-Polye regime in 2010 to upgrade Laiagam-Kandep road but it was diverted elsewhere for some reasons known to themselves with people celebrating in vain.
I thank the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Mendi MP Isaac Joseph and Works and Transport Minister Francis Awesa for taking this initiative to fund the Kandep-Mendi road. The announcement of K480 million projects through ADB funding has made the service-hungry people of Kandep extremely excited because it will link up services.
Tokap, Kandep

Tribe urge to stop attack on travellers

Source: The National, Wednesday 07th March 2012

A LEADER of the Yoponda Melep Karange tribe has urged members of the rival Yoponda Laima tribe to stop attacking innocent travellers on the road.
The two tribes at Walya in Wapenamanda district, Enga province had been fighting over the ownership of land where a checkpoint was located on the border with Western Highlands province.
The fight started last year and continued into this year resulting in the deaths of nine people.
Stanley Pingina of the Melep Karange tribe, based in Western Highlands with some of his tribesmen, said in Mt Hagen yesterday the fight was over.
Pingina said he and his cousin Win Kungil from Laima, had an argument over the land and fought.
He said it resulted in the killing of nine people and damage to property worth millions of kina.
He appealed to neighbouring tribes such as Yakuman Kumbaskam, Min and Yambarain Pausa, who allegedly helped Kungil and his tribesmen during the tribal fight, to feel free to travel into Mt Hagen and back.
He said what had happened early this year was in the past.
On February 27, he slaughtered 12 pigs and spent K17,000 of his own money to thank his people who helped him.
Pingina said during the ceremony at Tambul district, witnessed by the peace and good order committee and police officers in Mt Hagen, he declared a ceasefire and discouraged his people and supporters from attacking their rival tribesmen.
He told his men to allow them to move around freely.
He appealed to the rival tribes not to set up roadblocks at Walya and attack his tribesmen or innocent Western Highlanders travelling on the road.
Pingina said they were innocent people who had nothing to do with their fight.
He urged them to allow the peace process to take its course so they could resolve the matter

bemobile and Digicel draw battle lines

Source: The National, Wednesday 07th March 2012

By BOSORINA ROBBY

DIGICEL says contrary to what bemobile is saying, its off-peak rates are already at 79 toea.
“The 79 toea is Digicel’s off peak rate (per minute) for off-net calls to Telikom and bemobile,” it said in a statement yesterday.
“These rates apply from 8pm to 8am everyday and whole day during the weekends.”
The issue of off-net call rates was raised by bemobile in an effort to get its competitor to reduce its off net rate from its current K1.70 per minute.
bemobile’s chief commercial officer Alan Barry said last week that compared to bemobile’s 79 toea per minute off-net rate, this was anti-competitive and monopolistic in practice, leaving an uneven playing field.
He said because of the high of-net rates, bemobile had written a submission to National Information and Communication Technology Authority (Nicta) in January last year to hold a public inquiry, looking specifically at the off-net calls and SMS from Digicel to customers of bemobile.
bemobile proposed that Nicta should recommend that the Communications Minister make a retail service determination (RSD) that imposed a cap of 99 toea per minute on the retail price that Digicel may charge for calls to bemobile customers.
It also suggested a separate cap of 25 toea per message on the retail price that Digicel may charge for SMS messages from Digicel customers to bemobile customers.
Nicta found that the evidence provided by bemobile in support of its claims against Digicel was not compelling and did not warrant a public inquiry.
However, having drawn an issue to Nicta’s attention, the agency undertook a preliminary examination of its own and concluded that there were matters that warranted being tested and considered further through a public inquiry process.
This was issued in November last year and closed last December, after receiving feedback from bemobile, Digicel, Telikom and the public.
Preliminary results led Nicta to reach the following tentative conclusions:
g The relevant market is the market for off-net call and SMS services by the retail customers of the mobile network operators (even though the complaint that initiated this inquiry related only to calls from Digicel to bemobile customers);
g There is a prima facie case that Digicel had SMP in the relevant market;
g There is no prima facie case of either anti-competitive cross subsidy or predatory pricing by Digicel in the relevant market;
g Nicta had insufficient evidence to form a view on whether or not Digicel was engaging in excessive pricing (that was, pricing in excess of costs and a reasonable return that may constitute an abuse of SMP); and
g Nicta had insufficient information to form a view on whether or not Digicel is engaging in anti-competitive price discrimination.
Digicel CEO John Mangos said this week Digicel continued to participate into this ongoing enquiry with NICTA, but it seemed that bemobile was unaware of the facts around the pricing and the consultation which they were currently taking part in.
“It should also be noted that bemobile charges K2 per megabyte for data which is up to 10 times the industry average in PNG,” he said.
 “And bemobile has received considerable concessions from Nicta with regard to network rollout, which represented a massive reduction on their commitment to invest in PNG.
“Digicel has already completed the most-stringent rollout obligations as attached to its licence from Nicta and continues to invest in new areas for voice, SMS and data.
 “Real value and commitment is bringing communications to areas which have no communications and Digicel continues to focus on this.”

Polye’s removal raises questions

Source: The National, Wednesday 07th March 2012

THE recent demotion of Don Polye is the beginning of Peter O’Neill’s downfall because he paved the way for O’Neill’s appointment as prime minister.
With numbers, Belden Namah successfully moved to have the prime minister’s office declared vacant due to Sir Michael Somare’s absence.
He then nominated O’Neill as prime minister and was duly installed.
These leaders from two of the greatest parties, PNG Party and the T.H.E. Party are the very pillars on which the current government stands on.
This is a wakeup call now for them to be cagey of O’Neill as their coalition poses a political threat.
Even before Polye’s de­motion, most of Na­mah’s decisions were re­jected, reversed or rescind­ed by O’Neill.
Yanjop Siaa Kelya
New Zealand