Ipatas beats poll petition

Source: The National, Wednesday July 17th, 2013

By PHILIP KEPSON

 

AN election petition filed against Enga Governor Peter Ipatas by a losing candidate was dismissed by the National Court in Mt Hagen yesterday.
This followed an objection to competency submission by Ipatas’ lawyer Paul Mawa two weeks ago.
Mawa told the court during the objection hearing that the entire petition was “structurally defective” and it should be thrown out as it would not make any improvement if was allowed to proceed to trial.
Justice Salatiel Lenalia said when handing down the decision that petitioner Sandy Talitia, who was the runner-up in the Enga Regional seat race, had failed to plead his allegations of illegal practice including omission of voters’ names and bribery under section 108 and 109 of the Organic Law and National and Provincial Government Elections.
Lenalia said it was not the role of the court to make corrections on defective petitions as election petitions were serious matters that tested the election victory of a leader who was chosen by the majority of the people through a secret ballot.
He added that it was the work of the lawyers of the petitioner to tighten up the material facts of the allegation to convince the court.

Prosecutor: Report on case wrong, misleading

Source:The National, Thursday July 11th, 2013

THE deputy police commissioner operations did not submit the 15-page letter that was tendered in the Mt Hagen District Court on Tuesday, prosecutor John Korowa said yesterday.
The letter was on the delay in serving the court summons on Treasury Minister and Kandep MP Don Polye.
Korowa said part of the report on the case as reported yesterday was wrong and misleading.
He said he submitted a two-page letter from police legal officer, Chief Supt Hodges Ete, on the legal opinion on the case to presiding Magistrate Jeremaiah Singomat as requested by the court.
He said the letter was not written by the deputy police commissioner operations nor did it come from his office as stated in the newspaper.
The case will return to the District Court on Aug 6.
The case came about after a police raid on Polye’s house at Avi Block, Jiwaka, on Oct 4, 2011 and found unlicensed firearms and ammunition in his house

Police top brass told not to meddle with court

Source: The National, Wednesday July 10th, 2013

 

By ELIAS LARI
Western Highlands district magistrate Jeremiah Singomat has called on the police commissioner, his deputy and other senior offices not to interfere with any case before the courts.
Singomat said this yesterday in the Mt Hagen District Court after seeing a 15-page letter from the office of the deputy police commissioner, operations, regarding the delay in serving a court summons to Treasury Minister and Kandep MP Don Polye for alleged possession of firearms.
The letter allegedly asked the court do away with the case but Singomat called on police not to interfere with the case.
“This letter has no author and dates so I do not know why the Police Department is so interested in it,” Singomat said.
“This is my court and my business and not a police matter so I do not want police to interfere with any case before the court.”
Singomat said police could not use such tactics to withdraw the case because once it was registered it became a court matter.
A police team had obtained a summons against Polye after searching one of his homes in Jiwaka on October 4 last year and found firearms and ammunition.
Singomat ordered police investigators Ronny Mitau and Michael Wells to write affidavits and explain why the case was not going ahead.
“The court does not happen that way where police using tactics to make this case go without judgment.”
Singomat said as long as he was in charge the case would go ahead until a judgment was made.
He asked why the summons had not been served on Polye, adding he would not allow police to withdraw the case.
“No man is above the law, including the police and political leaders, and once a case is registered it has to proceed.”

Two killed in league riot

Source: The National, Tuesday July 9th, 2013

TWO men are dead following a Sunday of violence between rugby league fans in Wabag, Enga.
Scenes of chaos erupted before the end of the match between the Enga Mioks and Lae Snax Tigers.
The Snax Tigers bus was burnt and several people were slashed with bush knives, with one reportedly in critical condition in hospital.
Tigers supporters, mostly from Wapenamanda where coach Stanley Tepend hails from, have blocked the Highlands Highway to Enga effectly cutting off Wabag town and the Porgera gold mine.
Air Niugini has cancelled flights into Wapenamanda and the PNG Rugby League have cancelled home games in Enga for the Mioks until an investigation is completed.
Wabag provincial police commander Philip Waliya said a man is in police custody following the fatal slashing of another at the game.
A mobile squad has been called in to monitor the situation.
Enga Governor Peter Ipatas, who was at the game, said the incident was isolated and was instigated by drunk supporters.
He welcomed the suspension of home games but urged that the investigation be carried out swiftly to establish who was at fault.
In a statement, Air Niugini said the suspension took effect yesterday and would remain until further notice.
“Our customers are advised to contact your nearest Air Niugini sales office or preferred travel agents to revalidate your travel arrangement.”
The airline said the situation was beyond its control.
“We will not jeopardise the safety of our passengers, crew and the aircraft.
“Safety is always of paramount importance in the operations of Air Niugini.”
Waliya said the deceased had been identified as a student attending Kompiam High School and who had been temporarily providing security during the intercity cup match at the Aipus rugby ground.
He said the suspect was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and entered the main gate when security guards stopped him.
Waliya said the suspect pulled out a bush knife out and chopped the security guard.
He said a fight broke among relatives and supporters and an old man from Wapenmanda who was providing driving and cooking services for the Snax Tigers was also killed.
Rlatives of the deceased retaliated and set up a roadblock in and out of Wabag.
Waliya said he had sent the police station commander and a mobile unit to assess and contain the situation.
Tigers coach Stanley Tepend is the only member of the Lae franchise who is still in Enga attending to the death and hauskrai while team manger Tim Rodgers and the rest of the team are back in Lae after flying out of Mt Hagen.
The match in Wabag between EPG Enga Mioks and Lae Snax Tigers was 30-6 in favor of the Mioks when the violence erupted and the game had to be called off.
Tepend, when contacted, echoed the stance by PNG National Rugby League general manager Hubert Warupis that what happened outside of the playing field was beyond their control.
Speaking yesterday by phone at the hauskrai of the deceased at Waps village in Enga, Tepend raised concern about the safety of Digicel Cup rugby league players and pointed out the lax security

Talita: Please maintain peace

Source: The National, Tuesday July 9th, 2013

 

By ELIAS LARI
THE people of Enga have been urged not to cause any problems or take the law into their hands as the election petition between Sandy Talita and Governor Peter Ipatas is yet to be finalised.
Petitioner Sandy Talita said in Mt Hagen the matter was before the court, which would determine the outcome.
He said in the meantime the road from Wapenamanda to Wabag would not be disturbed as he was from that electorate.
He said the same would happen when people from Wapenamanda travelled to Wabag.
“Ipatas and I are leaders so we do not want any of you to take this matter and act beyond our control,” he said.
“Maintain peace at all times.
“That goes to Ipatas’ and my supporters.
“We are not encouraging you to use the case to do anything.”
Talita said cooperating and allowing the law to take its course would end problems in a peaceful way.
Talita said what he and Ipatas were doing was for the good of the people and the province.
“I, as your leader, am appealing for peace at this time when the case is before the court,” he said.
“I know you will behave but it would be better if we take extra care and the court case ends in a very peaceful way.”
Talita said Engans had to take ownership of everything and maintain peace as he was exercising his freedom to challenge Ipatas’ election win in court.
“But that does not mean that people have to go and create problems here and there,” he said.
“I want us to maintain peace at this time and be law-abiding citizens.
“We must know that what we do will always paint a picture of our province and the people,” he said

Polye: Enga needs new leadership style

Source: The National, Wednesday 5th June 2013

KANDEP MP Don Polye says Enga needs a new style of leadership to address lawlessness because tribal fights are caused by an “Engan political leadership culture”.
He said in a statement yesterday the province wants a “new style of leadership driven by admiration, result-orientation, modernisation, collectivity, humility, conscientiousness, principles, progression, democracy, respectfulness, professionalism and quality-orientation” to address lawlessness effectively.
“The former, which has decayed our moral standards, is the one that is motivated by jealousy, egoism, militant and pugnacious, narrow-minded, suppressive, belligerent, undemocratic, unadaptive, and destructive mentality.
“Enga needs that change in all sectors and levels of leadership,” he said.
He thanked Governor Peter Ipatas for addressing the much-publicised tribal fight between Akul-Mas-Torom and Kamberip tribes in Marient area of his electorate which started last August after his election victory.
He urged Ipatas to facilitate a meeting between him, lawyer Alfred Manase and other rival candidates as a follow-up to the peace treaty.
He said although there were more than 15 tribal fights in happening in the province using high-powered guns, the fight in his electorate had attracted the attention of the provincial government and others

Ganim praised for well documented budget plan

News	Friday 31st May 2013

By PHILIP KEPSON

WABAG MP Robert Ganim has been praised for coming up with a well documented budget of K10 million for his District Services Improvement Program funds.
Enga Provincial Administrator Dr Samson Amean told a provincial management team last week that it was the first time for him in the last five years to see Mr Ganim and his Joint district planning and budget priorities committee coming up with a budget plan which had realistic priorities on spending the DSIP funds.
Mr Amean said he was particularly happy with the Wabag MP’s allocation of funds in line with development targets of the national government’s vision 2050 and various medium term strategies. He said the province would go a long way if all districts did the same. “I am happy that the MP for Wabag has come up with a well documented budget plan that reflected the aspirations of the national government’s long and short term plans,” he said.
He said it was the role of the district administrators to advise the MPs on procedures involved in coming up with plans on using public funds, to ensure that the small people in the villages were the ultimate beneficiaries.
Dr Amean’s comments were made in light of public speculations that many MPs in the country were coming up with shopping lists on spending the DSIP funds, without following proper procedures in terms of holding correct meetings to consider vital spending guidelines.
It’s understood that service delivery and project implementation programs in at least one district in the province has come to a standstill because the particular MP has not held his first meeting since he was elected to office to allow for the district treasury to expand funds earmarked for this year.
A district senior public servant, who did not want his name mentioned, said the acting district administrator for that district was still waiting for the MP to go home to organize the operation of the district, while other districts and provinces in the country were ready to undergo their second quarterly budget review.
Governor Peter Ipatas raised concerns two weeks ago about at least one MP’s decision to engage Western Highlands Provincial authorities to administer road redevelopment programs in his district. He told a gathering in Wabag that it was only proper for leaders to utilize public finance procurement process in Enga to carryout projects in the province.

Smoking kills millions worldwide

News	Friday 31st May 2013

By KOLOPU WAIMA

ABOUT six million people in the world die each year from tobacco related diseases.
These deaths are now shifted from developed to developing and low income countries including Papua New Guinea. About 50 percent die prematurely at the age of 30-69 for tobacco. These is the productive age range, which means there is a loss in productivity that can adversley affect socio-economic development and lead to poverty.
Health Secretary Pascoe Kase said unpublished surveys conducted in PNG showed 44 percent of adults smoke cigarettes. The male population has the highest rate at 60 percent.
The world youth tobacco survey in 2007 for ages 13-15 indicated that 47.7 percent of this age group used tobacco products, where 55.4 percent were boys and 40.3 percent girls.
Mr Kase said another study on smoking prevalance conducted in NCD and Manus provinces showed children started smoking at the tender age of eight years.
He said this was underaged smoking, and children beginning to smoke at these ages are likely to face one or more of the tobacco related health problems in the next 10 to 15 years if not stopped now.
The Secretary said that PNG youth and adults have the highest tobacco consumption rate in the Pacific.
Yesterday, schools in NCD, celebrated World No Tobacco Day, which falls today.
Ororo Primary School celebrated with students performing dramas and reading poems. Seven Cee (7C) student Kissie Kaika got the attention of all the students, teachers and parents when she read a poem “what’s the use of smoking? Smoke and you never stop. Smoke more and live less your life on earth”.
Most of the students expressed themselves in placards that smoking kills millions of people and as a young people with an unknown future, they will not smoke as smoking kills

Alcohol smuggling rife in Hela, SHP

News	Friday 31st May 2013

POLICE in the new Hela Province are fuming and wondering at how huge quantities of liquor can evade check-points and be smuggled into the neighbouring Southern Highlands province despite a liquor ban and heavy check-points in place.
Acting Hela provincial police commander Insp. Peter Buka raised this concern in Tari yesterday after his men confiscated more than 500 cartons of liquor that included OP Dark Rum 500 ml bottles, white can Export Lager, SP Brown beer bottles among others over the past two weeks during a special police operation along the notorious Ambua section of the Highlands Highway between Margarima and Tari.
Mr Buka said since the operations began early this month, every day and especially at early hours of the morning, his men from Margarima, Tari, and Koroba police stations, assisted by Tari based police mobile squad 09 unit, have seized cartons of beer illegally smuggled into the Hela province from the neighbouring Southern Highlands and Enga provinces.
Mr Buka said there are two liquor check-points at Kaupena on the border of Southern Highlands and Western Highlands provinces, but still these huge quantities of liquor could evade these check-points and get into Mendi and then into Tari.
He said most of the smugglers interrogated have told them that they are bringing the beer from a large hidden bulk store and wholesale supplier of beer in Mendi.
Mr Buka said some of the liquor are is smuggled in from the back road at Tambul and Upper Mendi into Mendi town for re-distribution into Tari and Hela where the price is K15 per bottle or can of beer and K100 for a OP Dark Rum bottle.
“Because of the high demand and high selling price at the LNG projects sites in Tari, Nogoli, Komo and Hides, smugglers are working day and night, coming up with all sorts of tricks and means and ways to smuggle beer in. But when they are caught, they will be sorry.
“Let me warn others in this illegal liquor smuggling trade to stop from now onwards as my men have all the intelligence and the network required to gradually pin them all down,” Police Inspector Buka said.
He said most of the smugglers are using the liquor ban imposed in the two provinces to make huge profits by smuggling in alcohol without any regard and respect for the ban imposed by the two provincial governments.
Insp. Buka also questioned whether the role of the liquor ban monitoring agencies of the two provinces are effective

First Landing at Komo Airport in Hela Province

Source: Unknown

Photos below showing the first landing of airplane at Komo airport in Hela Province