MOROBE: More than a dozen young men along the Miles area in Lae, Morobe Province, were caught and charged for consuming illegal alcohol (homebrew) and also being in possession of several harmful objects after a police task force squad and a response unit in the Lae metro command raided the 5 Mile area and caught them on New Year’s eve. -
READ STORY ON PAGE 7.
Search for long ‘lost’ sister finally comes to an end Search for ‘lost’ sister comes to an end for PNG-Malaysian brothers for PNG-Malaysian brothers.
- SEE PAGE 3
New Year celebrations were peaceful in Western Highla New Year celebrations were in Western Highlands & Jiwaka provinces, say police & Jiwaka provinces, say police.
- SEE PAGE 4
BY MIRIAM ZARRIGAA MAN wanted for several armed robberies in West New Britain Province has been killed in an exchange of gun fire with police in Kimbe.
The town came to a standstill as the police exchanged shots with the gang behind the Central Foundation, Section 10.
Provincial police commander John Midi confirmed the shootout however, could only say that the man identified as Stanley Andrew Sale, also known as Mulagistan, was killed. The deceased was beleived to be involved in several robberies in the province.
- CONTINUE ON PAGE 4
CHAIRMAN of the Manam Restoration Authority Ken Fairweather has resigned as the head of the one year old authority amid plans to resettle 15,000 displaced islanders.
MORE ON PAGE 3
ONE person is dead and two have sustained injuries after they were shot by criminals at Mutzing government station outside Lae.
MORE ON PAGE 6
Index
Asia.......................................24
Business.........................20-23
Classi eds ..........................27
Comics ................................26
Highlands Post ...................15
Home news....................3-9,12
Islands extra .......................18
Islands Post ........................17
Mamose Post ......................16
Paci c ..................................24
Southern Post .....................14
Sport ...............................32-36
Sudoku ................................26
The drum ..............................3
Turf Guide.......................28-31
Yu Tok .............................10-11
EDITORIAL
DEPUTY EDITOR
Jonathan Tannos
Ph: 309 1054
Email:jtannos@spp.com.pg
CHIEF OF STAFF
Lawrence Fong
Ph: 309 1016
Email: lfong@spp.com.pg
BUSINESS EDITOR
Mathew Vari
Ph: 309 1016
Email: mvari@spp.com.pg
SPORTS EDITOR
Dennys Iorere
Ph: 309 1068
Email: diorere@spp.com.pg
LEAD up New Year celebration awareness and police presence at Gerehu suburb in Port Moresby resulted in no major issues.
MORE ON PAGE 14
MOROBE Governor Ginson Saonu has appealed to Angau Memorial General Hospital to focus on patient care and let authorities deal with their grievances.
MORE ON PAGE 7
PM: Expanding Goroka in govt’s longterm plan
EXPANDING the township of Goroka is a long-term vision of the government, says Prime Minister James Marape.
MORE ON PAGE 8
PEOPLE living at the headwaters of Minj Mu in Anglimp South Waghi district of Jiwaka Province have harvested more than 300 pandanus fruit (karuka) and gave them to a local leader Gibson Molka Kum as Christmas and New Year gift.
MORE ON PAGE 15
A GROUP of students from Boana and Ukata Evangelical Lutheran church districts attending Martin Luther Seminary in Lae have spent two weeks in Kabwum district sharing the word of God and doing awareness on social issues.
MORE ON PAGE 16
WEST New Britain reported a quiet New Year celebration with only the shooting to death of a known criminal member reported by police.
MORE ON PAGE 18
LAE: Franco Nebas
Ph/fax: 472 4166.
Email: fnebas@spp.com.pg
KOKOPO: Poreni Umau
Ph: 982 9186. Fax: 982 9147.
Email: poreni.umau@gmail.com
BUKA: Romulus Masiu
Ph: 973 9188 Fax: 973 9170
Email: masiuromulus@gmail.com
MT HAGEN: Mal Taime
Ph: 542 2602 fax: 542 3039
Email: mal.taime@gmail.com
Mobile: 76725260/7285445
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Betty Bona
Ph: 309 1102 Fax: 321 3284
Email: bonab@spp.com.pg
PX uplifts 43,000 plus passengers in December
DECEMBER’S peak period did deliver the expected increased traffic for national airline Air Niugini as it expected more than 43,000 passenger traffic from its domestic and international travelling customers.
MORE ON PAGE 20
THE Asian Development Bank has cited improving government management systems as key to its continued funding through it active portfolio of 18 development projects in the country amounting to $1.71 billion.
MORE ON PAGES 21
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Ryan Morgan
Ph: 309 1044
Email: rmorgan@spp.com.pg
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Marie Oapaisa
Ph: 309 1106
Email: oapaisam@spp.com.pg
EDITORIAL ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Allan Sariman
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Email: asariman@spp.com.pg
DELIVERY INQUIRIES
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Email: bonab@spp.com.pg
Masiu puts 5G trial on halt amid debates
COMMUNICATION and Information Technology Minister Timothy Masiu has put the 5G trial on halt.
MORE ON PAGES 21
CAMERON Smith made history last season as the first player to reach 400 NRL games and the Storm captain is on the verge of another unprecedented achievement in 2020. The veteran hooker leads a slew of players, coaches and clubs that are set for rare milestones in the upcoming Telstra Premiership.
MORE ON PAGE 32
Australia’s bushfire smoke spreads to NZ
MORE ON PAGE 35
PENGEE: thedrum@spp.com.pg
CHILD ABUSE CONDEMNED
MAYBE it was the reporting but we are confused. A child lived for three years in terror in the village of Kaulan according to the article. It says 50 Kaulan villagers then marched to Kundiawa to raise funds for the girl’s treatment. In three years nobody in the village knew about the child’s plight? Bit hard to believe the villagers are not complicit in the crime also?
A MOTHER died while giving birth on New Year’s Eve, but her new born baby boy was delivered successfully at the Kudjip Nazarene Hospital in Jiwaka Province.
The boy was one of 10 babies who were born on New Year’s Eve, while another five other mothers were still waiting in queue to deliver.
Out of the newborn babies; nine were boys and only one a girl.
According to the deceased’s mother-in-law Margaret Daniel, they were waiting for a vehicle for too long at their Taimil village to go to Kudjip Nazarene Hospital for her daughter-in-law to give birth to her first-born baby.
A couple helped them to Kudjip, but unfortunately she died at the hospital.
According to the nursing officers, the mother died on arrival at the hospital emergency ward, but for-
tunately the baby boy was delivered successfully.
The nursing officers, with the help of the college of nursing students, gave hands to deliver the babies, including the infant left without a mother.
Sister-in-charge Sylvia Kaluwe thanked the hard-working nurses - Shirley Apwaks, Miriam Tepra, Rachael Kagl, Jesicca Simon, Merolyn Cedric, Nicole Kantil, Pauline Kindap, Nevertly David (GN 3) and Regina John (GN 3) for their tireless efforts.
Sr Kaluwe said it was a sad story for the families and relatives to lose a mother at the time of giving birth. She also said this was the first time to report such an incident and a first to have occurred on New Year’s Eve.
The Post-Courier was unable to get updates from other hospitals in the region.
ACT ON PLASTIC
THE ban on ones use of plastic must be acted on urgently. Our neighbours in Fiji and Thailand have taken the plunge and banned plastic bags use on Jan 1 (yesterday). Conservation and Environment Protection Authority must wake up now from hibernation and set a definite date for the ban to be enforced. The sooner the better
CAN’T AGREE MORE
CAN’T agree with PM more. Time to give some power back to the ward members and LLGs. This habit of MPs handing out DSIP cheques like lollies at public gatherings must stop. Some MPs are using it as a pretext to campaign years out from the next election. Dat wan hao?
CHASING WRONG PEOPLE
IN THESE tough times IRC needs to chase the real crooks in the society not the poor struggling individuals and small business. One GST rort they seem to ignore is the Chinese stores ringing up a genuine K120 sale as K20 sales and K100 cash out. It is a clear con to under-report sales and defraud the taxman. Maybe our new Deputy Commissioner could issue a public warning on this practice?
THE 2019 Christmas and New Year (2020) wish for two mixed Papua New Guinea-Malaysian brothers from Morobe has finally come true. After years of struggling to find their one and only long lost sister, the two brothers, Kawa and Vaikong Look Kok Toong, have finally found Juliana Look Kok Toong.
They said they owe this reunion to the Post-Courier newspaper for its notable reputation in reuniting families, mending broken hearts and giving hope to people through its stories.
It was a moment of truth for the Cantonese (Malaysia-Chinese) and Papua New Guinea (Morobean) siblings, who will never forget in their lives, and that is connecting for the first time after more than 25 years of being separated from each other.
The three siblings were separated when they were children and Juliana was taken away by their father’s family to live in Malaysia while the boys remained with their mother to Lae.
Since then, they lost all contact with Juliana until last week when the brothers were delighted to hear their sister’s voice for the first time in a telephone conversation.
Mr Look, in tears, said words cannot express how he is feeling today and would like to thank the Post-Courier for giving him and his brother new hope in life in finding,
locating and connecting with their sister.
“I always had faith that one day I will find my sister but it was a very difficult struggle. Acting alone and without our family support until the Post-Courier came along and made everything possible,” Mr Look said.
Juliana, in an email to the PostCourier, said she was surprised to receive the notice through social media after being informed of the news and how she could contact her brother.
Contacts were provided by the the Post-Courier office in Lae to Juliana, and she made the first call on Thursday during the Christmas period and spoke with her brother.
Juliana also thanked the PostCourier and the people who had assisted in one way or the other to get the information across to her, and is planning to visit her brothers in Lae soon.
“I am so happy and can’t wait for the good news,” she said.
Mr Look was all praise for the PostCourier, saying its consistent stories has paved the way forward to bring
happiness into their lives.
“I would also like to thank the Papua New Guinea High Commission in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Mr Philemon Senginawa, first secretary of the Papua New Guinea High Commission in Malaysia, who has reached out to the Post-Courier in Lae to assist us as well.”
He exclusively told the Post-Courier of his struggle with his small brother Vaikong, of their search for their sister over the years since their separation.
Late Mr Toong passed away on February 22, 1994, at the Kuala Lumpur University Hospital in Malaysia. Years later his wife Monica Sete died in April 7, 2018, at her home village in Wasu, Tewae-Siassi, leaving their three children alone and separated.
Mr Toong, who is a Malaysian, came to Papua New Guinea as a mechanical engineer and was working in the country when he met his wife Monica Sete of Morobe, got married and settled in Wasu, Tewae-Siassi district.
The family’s passport records reveal that they always travelled to and from Malaysia during holidays and their last trip was to visit their father at the hospital in Kuala Lumpur before he died.
“I wish my mother was still here to hear the good news and listen to the voice of her one and only beautiful daughter she has always longed for,” Mr Look said.
CHAIRMAN of the Manam Restoration Authority Ken Fairweather has resigned as the head of the one-yearold authority amid plans to resettle 15,000 displaced islanders.
Mr Fairweather has written to the provincial and local government department and government, including the Madang provincial administration announcing his resignation citing non-commitment by the national government and local political leaders.
“I have resigned from MRA because there are no funds. We are to resettle 15,000 people. In the 2019 Budget we got allocated K20 million and we got
only K3 million in the 2020 Budget,” he said.
“What can we do with that? I was appointed by the former O’Neill government, so it is only right this government appoints its own nominee, as maybe he or she has a better chance.
“And to fix Manam needs political support and effort from provincial government who are not actively supporting MRA. The political arena is the only place to fix the Manam problem.
“The Madang provincial government actively works against MRA so there is no support as well.
“I am sorry for the people and will try to help as a private person
as I had been doing ever since. And my resignation is effective date 1/1/2020.”
Mr Fairweather said he is a worker and not someone who sits and not a lazy man. And only K5 million received so far has not been substantive to execute and implement the programs they had released to settle the displaced islanders.
“And I have been fried on social media and anywhere like I am corrupt and chewed up the people’s money?
“I only said yes to chair this authority because they are my people and I felt sorry for them and I want to help but will do privately as I always have been,” he said.
I always had faith that one day I will nd my sister, but it was a struggle.
This group of children were enjoying This group of children were themselves in farewelling 2019 and themselves in 2019 and welcoming 2020 Inset: A 15-seater 2020. bus was rubbed all over with mud to was over celebrate the New Year yesterday celebrate the New Year yesterday.
BY MAL TAIME
THE New Year was welcomed peacefully in Western Highlands and Jiwaka provinces, police say.
Jiwaka police commander Chief Inspector Gideon Kauke commended the people for a peaceful celebration.
This is the first time for Insp Kauke to head the Christmas and New Year operations after he was appointed police boss in his own province.
Police began operations throughout the province with little logistical and resources provided, and Chief Insp Kauke commended his policemen and women for a job well done.
He said the operations would continue and end on Monday.
Many people planned ahead to
celebrate the New Year in different styles, but because of the heavy downpour it disturbed their plans.
The people packed Mt Hagen, Kudjip, Minj and Banz for shopping to farewell 2019 and welcome 2020.
Insp Kauke said the people celebrated the New Year in their own yards and did not cause disturbance to the public commuters.
Most vehicles did not travel because the owners feared something might happen resulting in damages to their vehicles.
He said there were reports of some minor incidents that occurred but the situation was contained.
The Post-Courier was unable to get New Year reports from the other Highlands provinces.
CHRISTMAS in the nine districts of Morobe was quiet and peaceful.
Morobe police commander Alex N’Drasal told the Post-Courier and thanked the people for making that possible.
He said most people in the province went for church services during the festive season.
“Most of them went to churches and did church activities and they assisted the police, ensuring that the community was conducive for them and also they assisted their leaders in the community, and I would like to thank them for that.”
As for road accidents along the major highways of Morobe, Mr N’Drasal said there were serious
accidents but none were fatal.
“There was no fatal accidents during Christmas operations along the highway, there was some serious ones but not fatal.
“All highways, Wau-Bulolo, NineMile Watarais, Busu mountain and towards Bukawa, there was no fatal accidents which is good because last year was about five fatal road accidents, and this year none,” he said.
Mr N’Drasal appealed to the people of Morobe Province to continue doing that during the New Year celebration so that it will be peaceful and quiet too.
“I appeal to the public to continue during the New Year celebration to keep it the same so that there wouldn’t be too much hard work for police.”
JIWAKA police have commended Kindeng leaders for apprehending a village councillor who killed a postgraduate university student.
Provincial police commander
Chief Inspector Gideon Kauke said the leaders played a key role to help police arrest the suspect, who they named as Sent Koip.
The leaders, including Thomas Wai, Dick Allen, Paul Kake and Peter Kip, worked around the clock to apprehend Koip and handed him over to police on Tuesday evening.
Mr Kake, speaking on the leaders
and Mr Koip’s behalf, passed condolences to the relatives of the victim, adding that the student’s killing was an accident and was not done on purpose.
He said victim, Stancy Poiya, was one of the assets for the Onbe tribe and Jiwaka Province as a whole, and they looked up on him. His death was a loss to all of them.
Poiya, a final year student at the University of Papua New Guinea, will have graduated this April, but unfortunately he met his fate and one of his immediate family members may receive his graduating certificate.
He said Mr Koip pulled the trigger and fired a warning shot to scare away a drunkard who caused disturbances at his trade store, but accidently shot and killed Poiya.
Mr Kake said Mr Koip was the only son of late Anglimp council president Koip Wamil, who had no police or criminal record and this was the first unexpected offence he committed.
He said Mr Koip had fled with his families after the accidental killing and thanked the police for showing their respect to the community and the tribesmen.
FROM PAGE ONE
“THREE men who were part of the gang who exchanged gunfire in the province have been identified; only one was killed after he was shot on both his legs, he was rushed to the hospital but died, other gang members were injured but managed to get away from the police.”
Several incidents also occurred not only in West New Britain, but in Central, East Sepik and the National Capital District.
In Central Province four men were arrested over a pack rape in Rigo district;
In East Sepik a child died alleged-
ly of fright when fireworks exploded at midnight on Tuesday; and Back in the nation’s capital a youth was arrested over an attempted car theft and a homemade firearm was confiscated.
In another case, Central police arrested four men over the pack rape of a young woman who was attending a church event in Rigo district.
The woman from Gulf Province was abducted on Saturday December 28 around 10pm and assaulted.
The crime was reported to police where Central Province criminal investigation division officers attended to the crime scene to pick up several suspects identified last
Sunday, December 29.
East Sepik police commander Albert Beli reported that an infant died allegedly of fright when fireworks exploded over the family home in Wewak town. “The mother was holding the child when they came out to see the fireworks, however due to the loud sound the child died in a case; what we suspect was shock of the loud noise.”
In another case, a man was attacked by youths along the Freeway and had a finger chopped off. He sought medical attention and police are investigating both cases.
Port Moresby police apprehended a youth who had in his possession
a homemade firearm and ammunition which he used to try and steal a parked taxi at the Erima traffic lights.
Acting ACP NCD/Central Commander Anthony Wagambie Jr confirmed the incident and the arrest.
Outside provinces of Hela, Madang, Northern, and Southern Highlands all reported a quiet New Year for their respective provinces.
Hela was also quiet, says provincial police commander Teddy Agwi, adding that the province had exploded in an array of colours as the province welcomed 2020 with fireworks.
Madang Province also reported
being quiet with only a few burnings of rubbish and tyres removed from roads in the province. Police were out in full force as they ensured the trouble-prone province was quiet.
In Northern Province, police commander Michael Welly confirmed that the New Year operations was quiet with extra men sent in from Port Moresby to assist the officers on the ground which Mr Welly was thankful for.
Southern Highlands Provincial Police Commander Martin Lakari reported that the province was quiet with Nipa also quiet after a tribal fight occurred before the New Year operations begun.
Acting ACP NCD-Central Commander Anthony Wagambie Jr
National Capital District police traffic officer-in-charge Joseph Salle raised these concerns while speaking to the media during the police New Year operations in Port Moresby on Tuesday.
He said although police continuously cautioned drivers about the threats and incidents caused by drink driving, people continued to be ignorant to advices and awareness’s given by police. “People are still careless of their lives, and it is about time their mindsets should change.”
“However, from the six to seven years I have been in Port Moresby I would say 2018 was the best year because the number accidents related to alcohol had slightly decreased, but had slightly gone high again in 2019. “People pretend to be considerate drivers in front of police, but once out of our site, they are uncontrollable.
“It also seems that many drivers these days communicate through their mobile phones to avoid police roadblocks.”
Salle said in most cases, people tend to hide or throw away their evidences when they see police road blocks, but after they get past the blocks, they go on and continue drinking while on vehicles, that in some cases result in accidents that cause fatal injuries, and sometimes to the extent of causing death.
“This is evident because on several occasions after we clear roadblocks, we find beer bottles, some still full and some partly consumed around the places where roadblocks were conducted.”
“A classic example happened at Erima some months ago, where a drunk driver crashed his car right in front of a roadblock. “
SEVERAL suspects have been arrested prior to the New Year with NCD-Central police providing much needed policing work which has been applauded by the NCD/Central command.
Acting ACP NCD-Central Commander Anthony Wagambie Jr has applauded the work of the police officers on duty.
“We are working on promoting effective policing in NCD and the Central Command and the Command will not tolerate any unlawful and disorderly behaviour.”
In Port Moresby on Monday, December 30, a young man was arrested at Erima traffic lights after he tried to hold up a taxi that was parked and waiting for customers.
Passing vehicles drove to a roadblock up ahead and alerted police officers who responded and arrested the youth.
They found a homemade gun and ammunition on him.
He was also believed to be part of a gang that was caught on dash cam footage attempting to car jack vehicles near the area where he was
arrested.
In another case, Central police arrested four men over the pack rape of a young woman who was attending a church service in Rigo District.
The woman from Gulf Province was abducted last Saturday, December 28, about 10pm and assaulted.
The crime was reported to police with Central Province CID attending to the crime scene.
They managed to pick up several suspects identified on Sunday, December 29.
However, the investigatio were thwarted by villagers led by their local ward member who attacked the detectives.
This led to the suspects escaping from the area.
On Monday morning, December 30, officers from the Central Province police rural response team were dispatched by provincial police commander Johannes Yapi to Rigo where the prime suspect and three other suspects were arrested and are now assisting officers to locate their accomplices.
PORT Moresby metropolitan commander Chief Superintendent Perou
N’Dranou says the quiet New Year celebrations in Port Moresby on Tuesday night was an outcome of an awareness campaign conducted five weeks prior to the festive season.
Chief Supt N’Dranou was speaking at a media briefing yesterday after police had finished their New Year
operations in the nation’s capital.
He said that the awareness campaign was conducted by police in partnership with the National Gaming Control Board (NGCB).
“Police had visited all hotspots such as settlements to give awareness regarding people’s safety over the Christmas and New Year.
“While NGCB, also carried out their awareness’s concerning peoples attitude towards gambling.”
According to Port Moresby police office-in-charge traffic Joseph Salle, police operations were contained by three main road blocks at Ensisi roundabout, Erima roundabout, and at Hohola Burns Peak.
Salle said there were also other minor road blocks set up where several hotspots where identified by different station commanders.
“We prioritised basically on keeping our business houses safe, and
also monitored the movement of those living in the settlements,” Salle said.
Meanwhile, there was liquor trading restriction and curfew conducted by police reservists at ATS settlement in Moresby Northeast.
There was also another curfew at Sabama, in Moresby South.
Mr Salle also said police worked by letting the public enjoy in whatever way they could, and after that they
would go in to clear the place.
“Our traffic chose not to attend.
“This is because in most cases, when we go in to attend to people who burn tyres, they tend to retaliate.
“So we just wait for them finish their business, and we go in to clear whatever debris that is on the road.”
ROADBLOCKS in the city were set up at three major locations to cut down on drink driving which have been the causes of accidents.
For Christmas and New Year, 1000 police men and women were working around the city as they kept the city safe and the roads clear of drink driving residents. Acting ACP NCD/Central commander Anthony Wagambie Jr said the purpose of the police operations was to ensure that
the city was trouble free.
“The metropolitan commander Chief Superintendent Perou N’Dranou and three zone commanders and Police Station Commanders have been conducting the police operations in NCD since the Christmas period.”
“In NCD roadblocks were set up at different locations to cut down on drink driving as we wanted to ensure all residents are safe.”
Mr N’Dranou said the response from the residents was positive with
many applauding the efforts of the officers at the road blocks. “While the residents responded well to the road blocks we were pleased many were complying with traffic laws, even the Governor of NCD Powes Parkop was pleased with the efforts of the police and the city residents.”
Mr Wagambie said the trialing of the sector patrol policing which was launched two weeks ago has seen increased police presence and quicker responses by the existing
zone response units. “They are well supported by our NCD dog unit, mobile squad, traffic units and suburban police stations so far it has been proving to be effective.
“Along the two major highways in Central Province, the provincial police commander has also been conducting a well-coordinated operations in the province,” Mr Wagambie said.
“The NCD/Central command will not tolerate any unlawful and disorderly behaviour.”
ONE person is dead and two have sustained injuries after they were shot by criminals at Mutzing government station outside Lae.
Morobe police commander Alex N’Drasal said the incident happened last weekend during an armed robbery at Mutzing government station.
Mr N’Drasal said six armed men hijacked a 10-seater vehicle hired by Umi-Azera LLG president and held up a Chinese shop at the station.
He said the president was with his friends driving around under the influence of alcohol when they were held up by the armed men.
Mr N’Drasal said the criminals drove to the Chinese shop and held up the shop assistant, grabbing a substantial amount of money before making their getaway on the vehicle.
While making their get a way, one of the money bags fell off the vehicle resulted to bystanders rushing to grab the bag.
However, the criminals open up firing at the bystanders killing one and injured two others before making their way towards Madang Highway.
Mr N’Drasal said the bystanders upon seeing that the police did not response quick to the death person by following the criminals, they were frustrated and decided to damage the police officers houses at Mutzing station.
“They even went to the extreme of stoning the district administrator’s house and office causing some damage to the building”.
He said a mobile squad 15 unit was deployed to Mutzing where they found the vehicle and brought it back to Lae.
“Police detectives are carrying out investigation questioning the UmiAtzera LLG president if he had any knowledge or identification of the suspects.”
Mr N’Drasal said they had received some information that the suspects involved in the crime resided in the settlements within Lae but they were still doing further investigations to identify the suspects.
“So far there are no arrests being made yet but the police operations are undergoing to identify the suspects involved in the robbery,’ said Mr N’Drasal
RESIDENTS mainly in New Year celebration hotspots like Gerehu were commended for adhering to police awareness messages and celebrating indoors without causing nuisance.
Police operation in the nation’s capital covered all the three electorates Moresby Northeast, Moresby Northwest and Moresby South.
In Moresby Northwest which is regarded as zone two and under the command of chief inspector Tobby Hamago experienced a peaceful and trouble free night of police operation.
Mr Hamago and his support manpower worked tireless inspecting vehicles, informing residents not to cause nuisance on the streets, liquor shops (tucker box) not to operate after hours, drunkards not to drink and drive around and most importantly ensuring police presence and safety.
“There is a big change compared to previous New Year celebrations
we experience. From myself being an Officer in the city for some time now I have seen a big change compared to tonight (yesterday).
“Law and Order is everybody’s issue to address. Everybody should be taking care of how we do things in our communities especially like when it comes to liquor shops operating after hours.
“Liquor shops have certain timings to operate. You cannot operate beyond 10 pm to midnight this are the type of shops when they are operating at such time they tend encourage people to buy alcohol,” said Mr Hamago.
He said liquor shops operating after hours were fronted up by his men and told to close up because there is no such thing as residents going around during midnight and giving excuses as looking to buy food.
“It is common when we visit tucker shops and we see drunkards congregating.
“We advise them (shop owners) to close their shop and later they can open up in the morning.”
If you have a story to tell, call us on 472 4683 or email: fnebas.spp@global.net.pg
THE New Year’s police operation in Lae was a successful one after several hours of hard work where police officers patrolled the streets of Lae City.
More than a dozen young men along the Miles area were caught and charged for consuming illegal alcohol (homebrew) and also being in possession of several harmful objects after a police unit with a task force squad and a response unit in the Lae metro command raided the 5 Mile area.
The same young men will be held responsible for the ongoing stoning of vehicles along the Miles four-lane on Christmas day and the days leading up to New Year.
Acting Lae metropolitan superintendent Chris Kunyanban said the most common issues faced every year during New Year’s are mostly drunkards in the city and stoning of cars.
Most of the drunkards caught during the New Year operations were charged and some were detained and released in the early hours of the morning according to the offense, Mr Kunyanban said.
A homemade pistol was also discovered along the back road by the police taskforce unit and the suspect was arrested and locked up at Malahang police station.
Sector response unit 104 and two other members of the taskforce unit also captured one suspect at Bumayong in relation to a stubbing of a young man before midnight while
his accomplices are on the run.
One of the police units had its windscreen smashed after responding to an ethnic clash between Chimbus and mixture of people up at West Taraka.
The front screen of the police troop carrier was smashed while trying to sort out the situation.
When both parties realised that it was their fault, they decided to call off the fight and contributed and buy a new windscreen for the police car.
Another two wsuspects ere picked up in the early hours of the morning, one of them was in possession of a bottle of homebrew and the other was in possession of a 3.08 calibre cartridge along back road. The two young men were taken to China Town to spend the night awaiting charges.
Mr Kunyanban thanked LCA for sponsoring the Lae police with fuel over the last couple of months and also each and every police personnel for the time and effort put into this operation to make this New Year a successful one.
MOROBE Governor Ginson Saonu has appealed to Angau Memorial General Hospital to focus on patient care and let authorities deal with their grievances.
Mr Saonu made this statement when receiving the petition by Angau staff last week regarding outstanding allowances and removal of the current chief executive officer (CEO) Grant Muddle.
He said unexpected situations occur during the festive season and those who will be affected will need medical attention and it is important for health workers to be at work to help them.
Angau staff confirmed services at the hospital was restored last Monday when hospital management facilitated payout of their outstanding
allowances of leave fares, overtime, off duty calls, gratuities, shift allowances, higher duty and national public based salary structure for 2019 allowances.
Reports from the hospital have confirmed outstanding allowances payments were being paid to hospital staff except for the allied health workers’ overtime allowances which is still pending and may have a negative impact on the performances of the workers at that section.
They claimed in their petition to Mr Saonu that Mr Muddle has caused confusions and is not complying with systems in place previously regarding entitlements.
“Staff core allowances of one off payment is currently in the process for payout while contract officers’ allowances, overtime allowances and on-call allowances are paid.
“The only remaining outstanding allowances are for anesthetic technical officers and is before the chief executive officer Grant Muddle waiting for his approval,” they said.
The staff thanked the hospital management for their quick response to their grievances adding that this was to have been sorted before the festive season but was delayed due to unknown reasons.
They appreciate Mr Saonu’s intervention during their one day stop work on December 26, 2019 to bring their grievances to responsible authorities for fair decision making and input.
“We are happy that Mr Saonu’s undertaking in this issue illustrates his desire for a win-win situation under the Morobe Provincial Health Authority,” they said.
BY NAEVETTONIA LUMBA DWU JOURNALISM STUDENTPEOPLE at Busu compound in Lae have started drilling the ground using a water borehole drill to construct a water well that will allow them to have access to fresh water. A water borehole drill or a water well drill is a machine that drills down and extract water from under the ground. Member for Nawaeb district Kennedy Wenge gave K50,000 as the first payment to the Busu community in October last year to buy a drill.
With the first payment of K50,000 the people bought the drill and started the drilling process of a depth of 30 metres.
Last week Mr Wenge did a second half of the payment, another K50,000 to the Busu compound community
leader Konny Wata.“The first K50,000 was to start the work and now the other K50, 000, this money is yours, your tax money.
“Every time you go and buy things in the shop the government is removing 10 per cent and this is your 10 per cent,” Mr Wenge said.
Mr Wata thanked the MP and Mr Kalo for the money and the support in making it possible for the Busu people to have fresh clean water this Christmas.
“The main pain and struggle for us the people of Busu compound is clean fresh water and I would like to say a big thank you to the member Mr Kennedy and the president of Ahi LLG Malcolm Kalo.
“With this cheque we will continue work until we are able to drink fresh water,” he said.
THE Country Party has called on the government and people of PNG to focus 2020 for better agriculture and business.
Country Party president Nelson Duwabane said as the people are focused on the festive season and holidays, the parliamentary wing and the executives of the Country Party ask the people to look beyond this new year on the better side of the next decade especially with emphasis on growing the agriculture sector and business opportunities.
He said the people must reflect on the challenges faced as a nation to improve our standard of living, and the importance of a strong regional and rural voice at the national level.
“For the country, it is important too, that we consider the risks of too much emphasis on social and welfare policies and recreational infrastructures that cannot generate wealth to underpin the economy and support social programs,” he said.
“As we move towards the midterm of election 2017, we must express confidence that the economy is growing, more employment and income earning opportunities are created and we should provide figures with certainty.
“For Country Party, we believe that the government must provide much needed and direct investment into agriculture and SME and make the rural areas attractive and that majority of our people have access to real government services.
BY BENJAMIN TABIEEXPANDING the township of Goroka is a long-term vision of the government, says Prime Minister James Marape.
Mr highly regards the Eastern Highlands provincial capital as an ideal place for business and investment which is complemented by the hospitality of the locals.
With the increase in the town’s population by people from other provinces and overseas coming in to live and work there, Mr Marape believes that the government’s vision
to expand the town would serve not only the Eastern Highlands and the Highlands region but PNG in general.
“We have long-term plans to expand Goroka town to Unggai and to Asaro, Mando, Lopi and Kama and to Bihute and Fimito to cater for the increase of population,” he said.
“The government will start the expansion of the township step by step and I want the Eastern Highlands provincial government to put contractors in place so we start sealing and upgrading all the town roads first.
“Eastern Highlands is blessed with good land that can contribute more to agriculture and large portion of land specifically in the capital Goroka, can accommodate more business houses and generate revenue.”
Mr Marape also challenged the landowners of Goroka to stand with the government in the vision of expanding the township.
The locals of Goroka took heed of the Prime Minister’s vision of rapid urbanization in Goroka with many supporting the initiative.
Mr Marape recognized Goroka as
home to major government institutions such as the University of Goroka, PNG Institute of Medical Research, National Sports Institute, Coffee Industry Corporation and several reputable NGOs like Care International, OxFam International and Save the Children to name a few.
Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu also announced that the K105 million PIP budget of Eastern Highlands for 2020 will also go towards projects that will contribute to the expansion of Goroka town
“In 2020, the Country Party will continue to advocate for grass roots to benefit right across PNG and will continue to provide a voice to our financial members, voters and supporters and those farming and rural industries.
“The Country Party including Chris Haiveta and Henry Ame and the executives, will continue to fight for support to the agriculture sector and more employment opportunities, tackling costs of living and to ensure better transport and communication infrastructures and support to deserving rural communities.”
THE SIMBU provincial health authority has tasked the newly-appointed acting CEO Dr Kiagi Guapo to update the financial status of the Sir Joseph Nombri Kundiawa Hospital.
The Simbu provincial health authority board has also asked for a
comprehensive financial report on the hospital’s functional grants, sourced from the national government and internal revenue collection and expenditure for 2018 and 2019.
Dr Kiagi was also directed to liaise with the provincial administration to furnish a report on the province’s health status which includes man-
TWO clergies have been accorded the highest honours in the PNG Logohu Awards for the New Year.
Methodist Church pastor in East New Britain and New Ireland provinces, Reverend Neville Arthur Threlfall and Catholic nun, Sister Raphaele Veuhoff, were accorded highest award of the Companion of the Order of the Star of Melanesia (“CSM”)
Rev Threlfall was recognized for service to education and the community as a Methodist pastor, and for his work on the revised translation of the Bible and a number of publications, including The Story of Rabaul, while Sister Veuhoff, was awarded for service to the community, education and the Catholic Church as a missionary of the Holy
Spirit Sisters in Madang and the Highlands region for more than 50 years.
The second highest award of Officer Of The Order Of Logohu (“OL”) was awarded to Molean Rolland Chapau, Kenneth John Dennison, Dr Goru Hane-Nou, Mrs Maureen Hill, Mrs Miriam Awaile Layton and Mrs Janet Roland Sios.
Nine were made the member of the Order of Logohu (ML) while 18 will be given the Logohu Medal.
Governor General, and Chancellor of the Orders of PNG and Principal Grand Companion of The Order of Logohu, Grand Chief, Sir Bob Dadae, announced the names yesterday.
The full list of the recipients of these award will be published in the two dailies
power, health infrastructure and assets.
In a letter to Dr Kiagi, (dated December 19) the health authority board stated that the checking of the books and the stocktaking of the workforce and assets was crucial for the Simbu health planning.
The SPHA board expects the acting CEO and his team to accomplish
the tasks within the transitional period.
The provincial health authority will be recognised as a fully-fledged body under the National Health Reforms after the three-month grace period lapses in mid April 2020.
The board was concerned that the Auditor General’s office has yet to certify audit reports on the
Kundiawa hospital for 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Fresh auditing would be carried out by professional accounts for 2018 and last year.
Dr Kiagi said he was confident of accomplishing the tasks, with his acting directors within the given timeframe for the board to have their reuest
THESE two young girls were part of the Catholic Bishops Conference’s (CBC) Christmas celebrations and office party last week in Port Moresby. The Christmas messsage was to share the good news of love, joy and peace and look to the new year with hope and dreams for a better PNG
GETTING the ratio or number of teachers and student right requires good number of high and secondary schools to cater for the increasing number of students every year.
In Western Highland Province, the government is building more high schools compared to other provinces and is targeting 50 high schools in the province by year 2030.
The Post-Courier has been following up on the number of high schools built in the province and interviewed politicians and sector heads in regards to the aim as to why the provincial government and education division is continuing to build more high schools.
For Paias Wingti, the Governor of Western Highlands Province, education is what he believes and has been the walk of his talk over the years.
He is known as the “Papa Blo Free Education”.
Mr Wingti said that he will see all alternatives when it comes to education, work, fund and support to see the best in the sector so that the Human resource of the province is resourced as he dreams.
“Education, education and edu-
cation, nothing must come in the way of our progress in the quest for the education of our children,” he said.
“We have built 16 high schools in six years, we have brought in the ALESCO payroll system at Port Moresby to Mt Hagen,
“The division will undergo a review of the teachers in the province, we are in dialogue with universities like the Pacific Adventist University to bring the campus up to where the Mount Hagen Park Secondary is and establish there and other universities to bring in their services, we are doing more.”
Mr Wingti said that his government in the province is focused more on education.
Deputy provincial administrator social sector Stanley Maip who has the education sector under him said as public servants they are to implement government policies and directions.
“Policy implementation over the years we have done a lot, and under the sector, education division is the division of interest, because lot has been done and it is the division that is the centre of attentions,” Mr Maip said.
He confirmed that four high
schools had been built in each of the four districts in the province for the last six years bringing the number of high schools in the province to 26 at the moment.
The DPA said that Tambul-Nebilyer district has the highest number of high schools.
Provincial education board chairman Lawrence Pena said the number of more high schools is to cater for number of students as well as polices, like the 1-6-6 and the filtering process were every grades students will be tested every year before they make it to the next grade.
“We have some interesting news for our person as far as education is concerned, we have more high schools than any other provinces in the country,” he said.
“We will tighten up things at the office for both the teachers and officers so that our kids get the best education.
“Plans are being executed and they are progressing well.”
Mr Pena said currently the province has 26 and by the end of next year they shall have 30 high schools.
Mr Pena said they have approved for four more new high schools and
are being built at the moment and shall be completed by the end of 2020.
“Vision for our provincial government for the education division is that that the province must have 50 high schools, this is the target we are aiming for and at the moment things are progressing well drastically.
“We will settle for 50 high schools,” he said.
“Western highlands is leading with the number of high schools in the country, we only have four districts but more high schools than other province have and that is one thing that our people must be proud of.”
He said the Governor Wingti is not easy on them on education and very supportive for that is his vision and dream as a leader of the day to give the best possible education of quality to the children and raise the standard of education in the province.
Mr Pena said that administration changes in the provincial education division concerning teachers’ selection, students’ performance are being done to complement high schools so that the developments visions of the sector are achieved.
Education division executive manager Nox Kiap thanked the provincial government for the support to his division and urged all his officers, teachers to work to the best of their abilities to produce results as expected.
“Teachers, inspectors, board of governors, headmasters and education officers, the task is simple, let us do what we can do and do more because we are the very people that will produce results of the support and priority given to the division,” Mr Kiap said.
He said that education is the answer to life for it is the life and priority of his leader Mr Wingti.
Superintendent of high and secondary schools Brandon Koldop said that grades 7 and 8 would go in as high schools starting next year, which is the 166 policy.
“We are working in our time and officers under the leadership of our governor Paias Wingti to give the best possible education of quality we can, I am urging the people of Western Highlands to embrace these changes and respect the developments, take ownership because it is their children’s future and it is our province,” Mr Koldop said.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 02, 2020
AS the New Year begins, let’s take our hats off to Prime Minister James Marape and his government for intending to solve the Porgera problem, once and for all. Too much is at stake to sweep the problem under the carpet – many have died unnecessarily through their illegal activities while developer of Porgera Gold Mine, Barrick (Niugini) Limited staff and property come under daily verbal and physical abuse from illegal miners and the locals.
The law and order situation there and at Paiam has reached a point where the government must take firm measures to restore order. The recent state-ofemergency was an obvious choice –and preliminary indications are that allabiding people and stakeholders want some semblance of peace and quiet, and civilised living.
Barrick Limited has taken the lead, pledging its support to the national government’s recent call out operations in Porgera, and towards finding a longterm solution to illegal mining and general lawlessness in Paiam and the surrounding areas.
Barrick gave the undertaking during the launch of the state-of-emergency operations. The operation involves the police mobile units and elements of the PNG Defence Force.
For Barrick it was a timely intervention from Prime Minister Marape to make the decision to send help to Porgera to deal with the law and order situation there.
If Barrick, other stakeholders and the people of Porgera take ownership of the security operations, get together and are committed they would not have to ask the government to declare another state-ofemergency in the area.
Support is already on the way from the
community sector. One group, the Kulapi community, bordering the Porgera special mining lease, has joined with Barrick’s illegal mining control unit on an awareness to stop illegal people from entering the mine illegally to look for gold.
It will succeed because those spearheading the campaign are community leaders. Importantly, they are employed by the miner and are equally concerned that the illegal mining of gold will affect mine operations and the landowners in terms of benefits and development.
Unfortunately for Kulapi, it is located outside the perimeter of the mine fence and is being used by illegal miners to gain entry to the mine site. They are adamant that any person who is not a landowner and does not have a genuine reason to live in Kulapi community must leave.
Porgera has been experiencing general lawlessness for many years culminating last week in a series of ethnic clashes which had caused deaths.
The people and leaders in Porgera must take ownership of their community in a lawabiding way and work with the Government and law enforcement authorities to ensure law and order in this town and surrounding regions is guaranteed.
While all signs point to success in solving the Porgera problem, eyes are also on how the police and Defence Force personnel perform their tasks given their recent track records of physical attacking members of the public. Daily newspaper accounts of these bashings of members of the public and destruction to public property have instilled the fear of mistrust in many people.
It is up to the discipline forces leadership to mould, guide and lead its members to a successful operation this year – bringing back peace to Porgera Valley.
PLEASE allow me space to express my views farewelling 2019 and how citizens needs to behave to compliment the government’s call to “Take Back PNG”.
The call is just a policy call, a higher vision if you like, for all institutions, agencies, corroborate society and the nation at large to realign institutional plans away from the conventional and traditional modus operandi in development in the last 47 years.
The country has stood tall among nations of the world and we have done well, but what we really need to ask is: why we lacking behind in all these development efforts and its international engagement as a nation. Papua New Guineans needs to reassess and individually check ourselves and ask: have we really changed given the long journey in time after independence? We should ask questions like, why is there no trust as a nation? Or why are we not trusted by our close neighbours? Is it only because of corruption? No, it can’t be! There are other reasons as well.
Some of these very basic question about
Letter of the day
WHILE the government is stabilised, at least for the next two years, it must, as a matter of urgency, restore credibility and confidence into the the bureaucracy.
A bureaucracy that has been riddled with political compromises by officials and politicians needs a shake-up!
That simply means, whether one likes it or not, if a certain officer irrespective of class and seniority, is implicated in an allegation of official corruption, the government must replace that person or, if the officer has not yet responded to the allegations he/she must be sidelined.
This is a must call on the government to take heed of advice to take radical decisions to sideline these officers and give them time to prove their innocence or otherwise, but not whilst they are still occupying the same office. It
makes no sense allowing an official implicated in official corruption whether it be criminal or otherwise be sidelined or removed to restore confidence into the institutions and for purposes of observing and adhering to principles of good governance.
In 2019, there were at least four department heads which were implicated: these were the Heads of the PNG Electoral Commission, Education, Health, Provincial Affairs and Inter-government Relations and couple of others, that have been questioned by police or have been actually arrested, charged and are now out on bail. Such persons should never be allowed to remain in office for good governance sake.
There is no point in allowing them there and continue to echo the ‘Take Back PNG Call’. These are no rocket scientists nor are they super intelligent human beings. It is an embarrassment to us (other bureaucrats) and advocates of corruption seeing such implicated officials continuing
to occupy office when their allegations has become a public information.
Why are these bureaucrats there? And, can the government explain to the citizens your reasons for keeping corrupt official in those positions? We no for fact that the general legal assumption is that ‘a person is not guilty until proven guilty’ can’t be used by irresponsible and corrupt bureaucrats has a corporate veil to hide and buy time. They have to be replaced or sidelined as a matter of urgency for this government.
I propose that, the government do up a standing cabinet submission for any bureaucrats who fall into such category to be sidelined immediately.
And,that is the advice the new Secretary for Department of Personnel Management and the Public Services Commission to should provide to the government.
THE government has recently been applauding itself in the support it is providing to SME business development.
This can be seen positively.
us as individual Papua New Guineans and other similar questions needs to be asked and we must give good answers. Answers that will transform this country!
As a citizen, I have generally observed that we are not trusted? Husbands don’t trust wives, and vice versa and neighbours or even tribesmen don’t trust each other!
Earning trust among ourselves seem a very tough task. The other basic thing that needs improvement among citizens is respect for our fellow citizens and of course the respect or the rule of law and its trust in its vested powers in the laws in enforcement.
In 2020, I urge every citizens to support the government by doing a radical shift individual attitudes. We needs to change our attitudes and love our citizens like we love ourselves so we, as a country can embrace the Prime Minister’s development call and take PNG to the next level. We just need to change our simple attitudes and improve in respect and trust of our fellow citizens.
OBSERVER
However, there are very big issues in the way of SME progress which the government is intentionally or unintentionally forgetting. First and foremost, most small and medium businesses are owned and run by semi-literate people who have never managed any businesses previously. These people must be assisted to grow and be successful.
Nowadays, even before they have started, potential business are told to register with Investment Promotion Authority to get approved. After that, they are told to get a tax identity number so that they can open a bank account and pay their tax. This means that the SMEs are being prepared merely to pay taxes and pay management fees to the banks.
In this way, SMEs will never succeed because before they have earned enough to grow their capital base and expand their businesses any little toea being raised by them will be removed from them by the banks and the Internal Revenue Commission through the payment of taxes. The SMEs will be stunted and never be allowed to succeed in this way.
For these reasons, I want to ask the government to give SMEs, a three year incubation period in which to pay no tax, grow their business and expand, As for the Investment Promotion Authority registration, they should be given only a three year probationary registration after which they can then register again to pay tax and whatever else the government wants them to do. Within the three-year period, they shouldn’t be required to have a tax identification number as they are on a three year tax holiday. Other incentives it can provide include less tax for every kina reinvested in their business and also paying them a bonus for every new employment opportunity created by SMEs.
A bigger business is able to pay a higher tax than a small-medium business which is struggling to grow and expand. Moreover, it can employ and pay a much higher tax than one which is struggling. Hence, the government must of-
fer some incentives to the SMEs so that they can expand and employ more people who will pay more taxes.
In the same light, the government should also offer some incentives to the banks to encourage them to invite/ open bank accounts to the SMEs because my experience is that it is really a big struggle for SMEs to open bank accounts at the existing commercial banks with some of the corporate suckers in there closing the door because they think that they(SMEs) may not make any money in their line of business. As far as I am concerned, banks are not experts in business but suckers of other people’s money and they should be proactive in encouraging SMEs to come and bank with them.
WOW, Wow! Who is more arrogant now?
You are right, leaders like Sir Julius Chan or John Momis are respected leaders and can speak for themselves. Well I did the right thing, a respected leader is always defended by his or her followers. And how so disrespectful when someone posts on social media and challenges the leadership qualities of such great leaders.
PNG Nationalist, please define the term ‘nationalist’ to Proud Bougainvillean. You call yourself PNG Nationalist and yet you say we are not on the same page on nationalism, so confusing.
In your previous post you wrote..’ 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement does not mention a referendum vote’. I responded by giving the three pillars of the peace agreement, which referendum is one of the three. And now you’re arguing greater autonomy is not in the 2001 BPA as an option for referendum vote. You are not clear on whether you are referring to the present ABG government or the options given in the referendum ballot paper. If the later, PNG Nationalist, BPA signed on August
This is the stretch of road at 9 Mile out of Port Moresby leading to Laloki. It has been in this state for a very long while. While it is a traffic hazard, it also contributes to air pollution for city residents living along the road. Many other problems are also arising from its poor state
30, 2001 in Arawa calls for Bougainville to have its own constitution, which in fact is talking about autonomy.
If you are referring to the options in the referendum ballot paper, yes there is none. Only one option discussed in the referendum, and that is independence. We both don’t know who came up with the idea of greater autonomy.
PNG Nationalist, what do you mean ‘the so-called three pillars of peace agreement were yet to fully realised’? Please understand that the different aspects contained in BPA are categorised under the three pillars; (1) the autonomy arrangement (2) the weapons disposal (3) the agreement to a constitutionally guaranteed referendum on Bougainville’s political future.
Yes, peace on the island was restored. The incident in Tinputz happened as a result of lack of proper consultations between the parties involved. It is so unfortunate to talk about peace when you yourself don’t have it. PNG Nationalist, tell us have you restored peace in the highlands where there is tribal fights every year? Port Moresby,
the gateway to PNG is a hub for all sorts of criminal activities.
I’ve been there for seven years, on one occasion at Gordons Buai Market I saw a man stabbed to death in broad daylight. Similar crimes are committed every year, pick pockets, robbers and beggars roam the streets of Port Moresby. Is this what you call peace? No place on earth will you ever find complete peace, incidents do happen!
PNG Nationalist, in our case there is no such thing as bygones, we are proud of where we came from, and this gives us a sense of purpose, a reason to keep going forward. Our history is important, it is so rude and disrespectful for someone to refer to it as ‘bygones’ Get it right PNG Nationalist, when I said ‘long fight for self-rule’ I wasn’t referring to the recent Bougainville crisis. The resentment over Panguna Mining operations was just a trigger to the already loaded demands for secession in 1960s.
This is a new year message to the developers, Oil Search and ExxonMobil. Kutubu Oil has been contributing immensely to the economic coffers of the country since 1982. And now the multi-billion kina LNG Gas. Since then, there is not much enough tangible development that took place. Landowners were overlooked, tricked, cheated and all the monies were siphoned. In reality, roads, bridges in the heart of the Kutubu Oil Project deteriorating, people are scared, vulnerable and in total shock.
Instead of Oil Search and Exxon Mobil take the responsibility to x those or even upgraded them up to useable standard, they fund all the monies to build Port Moresby City, sponsoring Kumuls and Orchids. Remember, Oil Search and Exxon Mobil, you are not extracting Oil and Gas in Port Moresby.
Concerned citizen
I nd interesting the Nationals article regarding the local fellow who wants to curb “Corporate Greed” This chap clearly has forgotten or is ignorant of the Law, or has no understanding of that long word called “Liability” any post made about anyone or anything can be considered defamatory and slanderous and be followed up with Damages claims and lawsuits against anyone who posts anything… Understanding all are innocent until proved guilty in a court of law is our Law here in PNG, and thankfully so. Anything before that the poster can be sued in a court and held liable. Anyone involved in the slander or making defamatory statements about any one or any company is Liable whether they believe it to be true or not!
Balimo Mangi Boroko, NCDWARIA or Garaina LLG in the Bulolo district of Morobe Province is only a name without any government office establishnent and buildings over the last 10 years and all its local level government ward members and public servants allocated to Waria have been hanging around Lae, Wau, Bulolo or elsewhere and collecting their fortnightly wages for doing nothing.
The people want an immediate explaination from Bulolo MP Sam Basil and district administrator as to why these practice has been going on unattended during the last 15 years resulting in few reported misuse and abuse of public funds being allicated to Waria LLG.
There is really no Waria LLG visible establishment of government buildings and offices, rural police stations and lock ups, and health services on the ground.
Why is it that the entire district public servants for Waria LLG, including the president, ward members and district public servants allocated to serve the rural population of Waria LLG roaming around doing nothing only to front up at the bank or ATM machine every fortnight? I appeal to our Member for Bulolo Sam Basil to look into this and address them before 2022 National Elections.
The people of Waria have block voted Sam Basil over the last three terms 2007-2017 and are still waiting to see the promised road constructions to reach garaina station. Waria or Garaina Tea was once on the shelves of many of our stores and supermarkets but its now lying iddle due to kack of better provincial road network.
SAMSON NAPO
I WRITE to firstly thank our Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu on his new year’s massage on page 4 of Tuesday’s Post-Courier in thanking and encouraging Morobe people throughout our nine districts to stand up and be counted in growing Morobe province to a next development level in both service delivery and economic developments.
Secondly, I wish to help our governor with these remarks. Morobe Province and it’s nine district and people will move forward and prosper if we put God Almighty first in all our political dreams, visions and development plans and conduct ourselves and all our activities and in doing the right things only and in fear of Him alone.
Thirdly, Morobe administration must start in 2020 calender year to remove some of our unproductive
and what I term as “deadwood” lazy public servants at both the provincial headquarters, nine districts and our 33 established local level governments.
We Morobeans must not continue to talk about implement national and provincial development aganda and plans when we continue to smile at ourselves and those so called ‘know hows’ each day? The fact is that many of these provincial public servants lack disipline and and forgot that they draw tgeir fortnights salaries from the tax payers money.
My suggestions to our good Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu and Provincial Administrator Bart Ipambonj is to put their foot down in 2020 calender year to identify these undisipline servants, remove and replace them now if we are serious about moving Morobe Province and its nine dis-
tricts forward.
Morobean are known hard working people and are ready to play their parts in developing our province especially in agriculture and fisheries, alluvial gold mining, coffee, cocoa, peanuts, chicken and piggery farmers, rice, corns, round cabbages, onions and the list goes on.
What Morobe Province and its people need is better and effective governments plan and development programes and effective public service machinary and above all better provincial, district and local level government field officers suport in supervison and encourgement in utilising our land to produce and sell to look after themselves and their family and help in the development of Morobe Province and the country as a nation.
Our political leaders should use
their provincial and district PSIP and DSIP annual budget funds to assist by targeting profitable SMEs sectors in terms of fundings assistance and put more money into infrustructures roads and bridges, walves and jetties and rural airstrips in order to connect the people from our nine districts with their provincial and district headquarters so that they can move freely in out daily to grow and sell their local produces.
I urge all Morobeans to work together and throw our support behind Morobe Governor and provincial administrator to move Morobe forward instead of spending time talking only, critising talking down Morobes development plans. and aganda. Let me sum up by saying ‘Morobe Provinces will move forward by Morobeans working as a “united building force”.
Morobean elites must come together in the way of an organised public forum to discuss and plan the way forward for Morobe and its nine districts by 2020. Morobeans cannot continue be be kings makers and be spectators on our own soil for too long.
Morobe’s land, forest and fisheries resources must be use to developed Morobe for the future generations and fight for better benefits for our landowners and creat a win win situation for both the developers and landowners. Morobe Governor and Provincial Administrator are our mouth piece only but we the Morobean people are the builders of our province. Developing Morobe province is everyone Morobeans business.
The foundation of a peaceful community is built upon respect, The foundation of a is built upon upholding God’s word and prioritising children’s education in the God’s word and children’s education in the family The Lakatu community had the longest ever dispute in Lufa family. The Lakatu had the ever dispute in Lufa.Lufa MP Moriape Kavori commends rival clans in a 19-year tribal ght in Lakatu village, Eastern Highlands Lufa MP Moriape Kavori commends rival clans in a tribal in Lakatu Eastern Province, for putting the feud to an end Province, for the feud to an end. PROUD BOUGAINVILLEAN SAMSON NAPO Picture: TARAMI LEGEI
at home. Job’s tears should be a lot easier to cultivate.
The seeds can be washed and the traditional method of giving it a shine is to polish with grated coconut and sun dry. It is not difficult to drill holes and wire them. The perfect needle for the drilling job is the spook of an old umbrella which you can cult with pliers and sharpen with a metal file. Many people use fishing lines to string them but I prefer natural fibre such as the string from galip that are used in some places of PNG for authentic bilums.
Job’s tears can now be found only in remote river beds growing in the wild. But here are some tips on how to grow a cop of Job’s tears.
Job’s tears is a grass and can be cultivated. It can be planted as ornamental grass because it is pleasant to look at and the leaves rustle in the wind. Butterflies are attracted to it, adding extra colour to your visual landscape. It grows best in full sun and moist, wet soil.
us in touch to see how John and Ellie are getting on.
The creative industry in the land of a thousand tribes, blessed with a country so rich in abundance is a sleeping giant that is slowly stirring
BY BARNEY ORERE borere@spp.com.pgTHE creative industry in Papua New Guinea is a sleeping giant. Just about anybody can get into it and if you are good with your hands, that’s all you need for selfemployment and income generation that is all too easy.
Throw that mobile phone away and spend real time thinking how you can improve yourself. Those soap operas you watch from the Philippines are not going to help you so don’t crowd your mind with unimportant things. Get real because here’s an industry that is opening up like a flower at the crack of dawn.
I wish I was good with my hands. But that is a gift God did not give me so what I have; I am willing to share and I’ll do that right here. The jewelries of Pacific people have always intrigued me. For instance, the spondylus shell is the source of different crafts around the world but in Papua New Guinea Milne Bay people make the red necklace known as bagi.
The spondylus bagi comes in red and beige and the shells are found in the drop of reefs where they make their home. They are not easy to obtain because you need to dive
WILD banana that produces the black seed and Job’s tear at right. Spot them in the pictures below. The woman to the left is wearing the red and beige bagi necklaces incorporating the banana seeds. Wild banana photographed at Pamenu Wapeu water-fall in Rabe,
in deep water. Then it takes skilled craftsmen to produced the beauty that is so attractive.
Within the Bagi chain you’ll find black banana seeds. Uncommon but maybe occasionally, Job’s Tears too. The two can also be made into rosaries. But rather than allow climate change to send these plants to extinction, I want to encourage you to cultivate them and be part of a growing industry. You just be the seed producer and the craftsman will buy from you. The craftsman in turn produces the necklaces which others will buy. When you create a chain, you create an industry.
And there are endless ideas such as making curtains or creating wall pictures with seeds or original concepts such as the seeds have never been thought of before; seed purses and handles for string bags or a mat to lie on for back therapy and so on. You think it up; I am not good with my hands.
You can add value to something that costs you next to nothing with the help of Mother Nature. But for Job’s tears seed and the black banana seed, I’d like to encourage you to try growing them. The wild inedible banana from which the black seed comes from can be cultivated in a forest area near a waterfall maybe. You can also try it closer
If you find it growing in the wild, especially in river or creek banks, you can try cultivating them in a safer area, close to home or in an old garden site. Speed up germination by scarifying the seeds, that is, scrape the seeds with a file or rubbing them with sandpaper then soaking them overnight in tepid water.
Plant them one-half inch deep in a warm sunny location. Keep the seeds moist until they germinate which may take several weeks.
Job’s tears grow about three feet tall and resemble corn plants. As they mature bunches of pearly, bead-like seeds emerge in continuous string from the stalk. The seeds start out green, then turn gray and then become shiny and black when they are ready for harvest.
The teardrop-shaped seeds have a hard, shining coat and a natural hole that makes it easy to string and perfect for people who make jewelries and rosaries.
One very good place to go and pick up new ideas and to introduce small hand-made power tools is Bali, Indonesia. We have electricity on the drawing board now so start getting ready to change your life. We need to introduce rice farming, the wheel and use of animals in transport and agriculture. Asia is just next door where we can learn from and change ourselves. But our people cannot just go there; their local MPs can take them there or send public servants who will pick up the ideas and teach our people.
If these ideas are not written into the criteria for funding, change the criteria! Rules are made by man.
CITY residents still need to change their attitude and mentality of celebrating New Year and even Christmas season.
It was a peaceful and trouble free
New Year celebration whilst hitching a ride with the Police zone two police patrols along Gerehu suburb.
One of the notable issue faced on the night was the resident’s especially at Toliman Street, Gerehu Stage 6 being ignorant to educate youths
LEAD up New Year celebration awareness and police presence at Gerehu suburb in Port Moresby resulted in no major issues.
According to New Year police operation Commander Zone two Chief Inspector Tobby Hamago when giving his zone’s situation report early yesterday morning.
“Alcoholis the main cause of problems we face during Christmas and New Year celebrations,” said Chief Insp Hamago.
“For about a month we did awareness in suburbs especially settlements going down to Morata and others.
“We did police patrols on Friday and Saturday nights.
“We conducted awareness at markets and bus stops, urging people to be cautious on how they consume and act under the influence of alcohol.”
He said they advocated on how city residents should behave when moving at night during the festive season to celebrate.
“We have seen from Christmas heading to New Year, there was quite a big difference compared to previous years.
“Not many accidents and also nil reports on accidents simply because of the awareness we conducted earlier,” he said.
Mr Hamago said he did not hear any reports on car accidents, road blocks and burning of vehicles through the police communication radio.
He said there were only minor incidents from other suburbs.
He said from his own observation, the police New Year operation along Gerehu and other zone two suburbs were more of a success.
“In my opinion, I see that it is a success in the sense that there is less number of people on the streets, less number of complaints received from people fighting, or youths roaming around the streets, burning of tyres and putting up road blocks,” said Mr Hamago
on refraining from burning of tyres, breaking bottles and barricading the road.
Starting from Ensisi roundabout police checkpoint, to June Valley and heading towards Gerehu suburb, residents celebrated the New Year indoors. Only few youths were out on the streets and causing nuisance and trying to disturb the peaceful and safe harmony of celebration.
The youths at Toliman Street in Gerehu Stage 6 went to the extent of provoking police personal by
throwing gravel and attempting to disturb residents with their noise pollution.
Gerehu suburb comes under the supervision of Zone two Commander Chief Inspector Tobby Hamago.
He said for him and his men it was quite a different scenario to see no major incidents, reports or disturbances throughout the suburb.
Chief Insp Hamago also highlighted the importance of how police carried out lead up New Year awareness and following through with police
presence on the streets to ensure citizens obey.
“It was evident that some parents are not advising or disciplining their children to become law abiding members of the community,” said Chief Insp Hamago.
He said the extent by which police officers go through working day and night to address law and order issues is what these parents fail to educate their children about.
Liquor shops operating after hours were told to shut down, drunkards
instructed to stay indoors in their premises and celebrate, youths attempting to cause noise pollution through playing loud music on boom boxes were also told to go home which resulted in a much peaceful and trouble free New Year at Gerehu suburb.
The efforts and commitment by Zone two police personals including the other zones in the nation’s capital is again commendable for a safe and peaceful New Year Celebration.
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POLICE are looking for a man who allegedly killed his wife and fled under the cover of darkness in Kundiawa last week.
The incident occurred at Kond village, 3km west of Kundiawa, at around midnight last Thursday.
Police believe the man, who is the husband of the deceased, could have hit his spouse on the head during an argument.
The woman, in her early 30s, was pronounced death on arrival at the Sir Joseph Nombri Hospital in Kundiawa.
An autopsy would be conducted on the body to determine the exact cause of death.
Meanwhile, police are still in pursuit for the perpetrator who is believed to be hiding in the mountains north of Kundiawa.
Police said the couple have been married for two years but do not have children.
Police have yet to release the name of the suspect.
Local peace mediators are working in collaboration with police to establish dialogue between the Enduga and the Naur tribes following the incident
A PREGNANT mother was among four others who sustained electrical burns at Kundiawa’s Yuai Market on Tuesday.
They were reportedly taking shelter from slight rain under a power pylon when they were electrocuted.
Eyewitnesses said one of the victims touched the wet metal post without realising that electric current was flowing through the rain water running down the post.
The man was electrocuted along with two other men and two women - one of them was about six months pregnant.
BY MAL TAIMEPEOPLE living at the headwaters of Minj Mu in Anglimp South Waghi district of Jiwaka Province have harvested more than 300 pandanus fruit (karuka) and gave them to a local leader Gibson Molka Kum as a Christmas and New Year gift.
The Gaime, Anjpa and Pongkambkanem people walked up the stiff mountains, which took several hours and harvested the karuka
nuts and gave them to Mr Kum as way of saying thank you for his efforts in helping the people.
Spokesman Ngunba Pare said the people harvested the karuka and gave them away to Mr Kum as a token of appreciation because he has helped them build a market, collected rubbish and provided transport to take them back to Minj Mu, especially when there is no PMV available late in the evenings.
He said Mr Kum has done a lot for
them and they had a plan to thank him, which they did.
Even though they wanted to give him more, the pandanus and four cuscuses was what they could give at this time.
He said Mr Kum had demonstrated leadership among their people, something that is not lost to them.
Village elder, Matthew Umbe also praised Mr Kum, saying the gathering may be small but it was significant.
Mr Umbe said karuka has high commercial value in their society and as such, it was an appropriate gift to Mr Kum.
Mr Kum was taken aback by the people’s show of appreciation, especially the fact that they had to walk a long distance to harvest the fruit.
“I am speechless and lost for words and what can I say?
“There is nothing behind me because what they had done is really breaking my heart,” Mr Kum said.
Bystanders rushed the victims to Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Hospital in Kundiawa (300 metres away) where they have undergone medical treatment.
The pregnant woman was hospitalised while the other four were treated and discharged in the evening.
Kundiawa urban authority workers have urged the public and town residents to avoid getting into contact with (both wooden and metal) power post in town
At a glance
GOTOMI people in Lufa district, Eastern Highlands Province, will launch an association this week.
Association chairman Kulup Jogi said the Gotomi Community Development Association will be the vehicle to bring in development.
“This association is our only hope that would bring in much needed services to Gotomi villages,” he said.
Mr Jogi said the sole purpose and the importance of having the association is to give confidence to funding agencies and developers.
“The launch will encourage funding agencies and developers that
we are prepared to own and operate any projects within the Gotomi area when it comes to basic services and infrastructure developments.
“Gotomi really needs a facelift as basic services such as proper health facilities are lacking. Our grey areas require improvement to our livelihood,” he said. The association will have a development plan in place for basic services such as education, road and electricity among others.
“Our development plan would indicate key priority areas for basic services,” Mr Jogi said.
“This development plan would be
presented to the invited guests during the launching and who knows, we might get some lucky feedbacks.”
Mr Jogi said preparation towards the launching are completed and the village people are looking forward to the big day.
“Our village people are excited about the launch. They know that the association would play an active role and bring in basic services to our villages in Gotomi,” he said.
He said this would be a significant development for the people of Gotomi as basic services such as health and sanitation, education, road,
proper housing, welfare of women and children are among others that will be addressed and developed.
“It is all about getting ourselves prepared and to be recognised by the district, provincial and national government including donor agencies so that basic services could be developed in Gotomi and our people can have access to basic services that has been lacking for many years,” Jogi said.
EHP Governor Peter Numu and the Mining Minister Johnson Tuke are aware of this launching and would be among many invited guests on the launching day
LAUNCH: Gotomi people in Lufa, Eastern Highlands are set to launch their community association.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the association is to show funding agencies that they are prepared to invite developers for development purposes.
DATE: The launch is expected anytime this week.
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A GROUP of students from Boana and Ukata Evangelical Lutheran church districts attending Martin Luther Seminary in Lae have spent two weeks in Kabwum district sharing the word of God and doing awareness on social issues.
They have now accomplished their mission trip of Christmas fellowship. The nine students stayed in remote YUS local level government. They talked about issues affecting family units and communities.
Group spokesperson Hans Gwaiko said they visited 30 villages in YUS and conducted fellowships with the people and after the fellowships,
they made awareness on family unit breakdown, sorcery, moral and ethics and cult practices.
Mr Gwaiko highlighted that influence of modernisation has resulted in family unit breakdown.
He said in a family, there is a father, mother and children so as members of a family; each member has a role to play to make a family unit stronger so they can live happily.
“If a member of a family is not performing his/her role, then we have social issues.
“We also explained to the villagers’ impacts of sorcery and how the government is trying to address this issue so as Christians, we must have
trust and faith in God,” Mr Gwaiko said. He said sorcery do exists but it depends on individual’s faith to overcome such deeds adding that the people believe in sorcery, then this can lead to fear and other problems.
Mr Gwaiko said having faith in God as the most powerful to differentiate between good and bad to make a decision.
“Moral and ethics really matters in the communities.
“This is shameful because as Christians, we are not supposed to act senselessly in public places but it is happening.”
Another issue is cult practices and this is a big threat to the Christian
life and the future generations.
He said the churches and authorities must step up and address this issue before it becomes a norm in the communities.
Villages visited by the students expressed gratitude.
They said this was the first time they received a student group that disseminated important message and information they were not aware of. The people said their LLG is remote and lacking information on the latest developments that is happening including other vital information does not reach them.
They want such awareness on different topics conducted in the LLG twice or three times a year.
TWO separate murder cases were reported in two districts of Morobe Province during the Christmas period.
Morobe police commander Alex N’Drasal said one involved a hardcore criminal killed by villagers at Omom Barang village in Siassi island, Tewae-Siassi district.
Mr N’Drasal said the other murder was cult-related in Pindiu, Finschhafen district.
He said the hardcore criminal was killed by villagers who got fed up with ongoing criminal activities committed by the deceased.
“Omom Barang villagers mobilised and killed the criminal who had been involved in so many criminal activities on the island.
Mr N’Drasal said additional police manpower was dispatched to the island early this month carrying a special operation to capture the criminal upon receiving reports from the villagers.
He said however the criminal managed to escape and was evading police during the operation.
He said when police left the island, the deceased returned and continued his criminal activities.
“As a result the entire community of Omom Barang village mobilised and apprehended the criminal and killed him,” said Mr N’Drasal.
He said police manpower on the island is not enough to cover the entire island.
“We have only two officers on the ground doing policing work and it is difficult for them to do their work effectively because the island is really big, he said.
Another cult-related murder case was committed at Pindiu village in Finschafen last week.
The villagers from the neighboring village went to Pindui and killed a man who was suspected of practicing cult.
Mr N’Drasal said the community leaders in Pindui is calling for the suspects involved in the murder to surrender but they are still on the run.
MORE than 30 police personnel marched the streets of Wewak town to welcome the new year at about 10am on Tuesday. The march started in town and ended at Caltex, escorted by police vehicles. A spokesman told the public during the march that it was the last day of the year so the police would like the public to celebrate the new year peacefully and safely so that everyone enjoys a smooth transition into the new year. Pictured are policemen and women marching through the town.
“The villagers in Pindui wanted to retaliate but the village leaders calmed them down and is waiting for police. The Morobe provincial government has helped by hiring a chopper will deploy the policemen down to Finschhafen to go and capture the suspects, arrest and charge them”.
A WIDOW has appealed to the Minister for housing and the Morobe MP to revoke the sale of a property owned by the National Housing Corporation (NHC) in Lae.
The property is a duplex building located at Cassowary road, which Salome Sangi uses to rent the property and live in it.
She then showed interest to buy the property however, NHC did not respond favourably but later informed her that she had to vacate the property because someone just bought it.
This disappointed Ms Sangi very much, who is a teacher at Huonville
primary school.
“I moved into the duplex in 2011 when it was unfit for human inhabitation, I fixed the property to its current state with my own pocket money.
“I spent about K7000 to repair the property by putting a fence around the property for security, fixed the sewage and drainage system, roof leakage; repaired the sink, bathroom, toilet, doors, walls, and windows,” Ms Sangi said.
In 2013 she wrote to the NHC twice showing interest in buying the property but was told by the housing commission that it cannot be sold because it is a duplex property.
Then in 2015 during Christmas she received word from NHC that
the property was already sold and at the same time they gave her the eviction notice.
“I was not happy about the decision of the housing commission because I’ve been serving the government through teaching for 36 years now and for Morobe province I’ve been teaching here since I graduated. I don’t know whether I wanted to cry or to die, it was like a hard slap to my face,” she said
The property was sold to a local businessman, Thomson Andoma in 2015 and in the same year the NHC transferred the title to him.
“Under the tenancy agreement Act they will have to sell to the current sitting tenant and give a certain period of time to pay and if I don’t pay
then they can sell it to an outsider.
“People have been waiting for years to get the title of properties and he just got it within months of that year, and it’s not like I don’t have the money to pay for it because I do.”
Ms Sangi took the matter to the district court then the national court; however, no good help came out of it.
“I now want our member and the minister for housing to look into how they sold the property and revoke the illegal sales of it because the papers I have here of the transfer of ownership looked like it was copy paste, forgery,” she said.
NHC acting provincial manager Matthew Limu said he was aware of
Ms Sangi’s situation through attendance of the court proceedings; however, the selling of the property was done by the former management. “The selling of the property was done by the former management. and I have no knowledge of how the property was being sold,” Mr Limu said.
At a glance
PROPERTY: NHC did not respond favourably but later informed her that she had to vacate the property because someone just bought it.
A HEALTH worker has come forward to raise concerns over Kipka Community Health Post not having proper medical equipment and standard delivery beds to assist pregnant women during delivery.
Officer in-charge George Tika who is a Community Health Worker at Kipka health post in Lassul-Baining LLG, Gazelle district, East New Britain Province, said the aid post has been facing a lot of problems with medical equipment that needs immediate attention by the relevant leaders and authorities in the province.
Mr Tika said the construction of the facility was a great help to the area which caters for the surrounding communities of Lan, Puktas, Kipka, Vunamarita, Warakindam
and Wara Pukpuk where people access medical services.
He said the health facility was opened last year and has been in operation for a year but is faced by many problems.
He said before the opening of the Kipka Community Health Post there was no proper instruments or equipment for surgery.
“It is big enough to cater for antenatal clinics and delivery of babies but no proper or standard delivery beds to do the job correctly and more professionally.”
He said they are currently using normal wooden beds to help women deliver their babies.
Mr Tika said they are doing their best in providing ante-natal services to pregnant mothers but also
encourage them to go down to Lassul for delivery.
“Because Lassul has the facilities and services available to cater for the pregnant women within the area,” he said.
However, with distance being one of the main issues, he said they do whatever they could to help pregnant mothers deliver with whatever equipment available and without any standard bed for delivery.
He said pregnant women who want to deliver can travel long distances to Lassul to access these services.
“It may take a day for these women to travel to the Lassul area depending on their geographical location,” Mr Tika said.
He also said most times pregnant women give birth at their village,
on the road side or even meet their death when trying to reach the health centre.
Mr Tika said he is the only health worker available at Kipka health post who gives his services because there are no other nurses or health workers available due to housing issues.
He said this is another issue that needs to be addressed.
He said the structure of the health facility requires one nurse and two community health workers to be available on site but to date nothing has eventuate due to housing problems.
Though being a male has not stopped him from helping many mothers deliver their children for a year now.
BY PORENI UMAU
THE Kokopo –Rabaul road along the coast is closed for now.
It means, the East New Britain provincial government would have to dig deeper in the New Year to find millions of kina to clear up the road.
While the provincial government would try to find a rescue package from somewhere to help with the clearing of the roads, the K98 million disaster funds remains outstanding, from the national government, promised by the former O’Neill-Abel government.
The money was promised in February 2019 to help maintain roads and helped those displaced by floods in Rapolo village in Rabaul. It is the beginning of another year and the promise has not been honoured to date.
On the eve of New Year, heavy rains came down in bucket loads bringing with it debris, slurry, mud and lava rocks and anything that lay in its path.
Many huddled in front of shopping centres from the cold and wet as they were left stranded. Floods flowed through the entire Kokopo town roads as vehicles negotiated to get out of the sudden flash floods for home.
The section along Karavi village bridge to Malapau and further to Ranguna and Woolnough was a no go zone. Logs, rocks, sediment and debris and excess water littered the entire section of the road.
Villagers from Barovon, Ialakua, Nguvalian, Bitatita and Raburua and further to Karavia were left stranded as the road was impassable.
A 10-seater troop carrier belonging to Anitua Security Services was unfortunate as it was caught in the flash flood and sank into the mud. The vehicle was abandoned by the occupants for safety.
The entire section of the road from Karavi bridge to Woolnough is a scene of the devastation with food crops destroyed, the vegetation washed away, logs and debris along the road. This road would remain close for the next few days until the government intervenes.
It means those villages after Woolnough would have to tough it out to find transport to Kokopo.
The only alternate road to Rabaul is the top road from Kokopo secondary school to Navunaram and down the Burma road.
BY GRACE LIMAIT is important that children find a safe place where they nurture their faith, love, care and protection.
Rabaul Archbishop Francesco Panfilo SDB said the gift of a child is a great blessing in deed but it also brings new responsibilities for mothers and fathers in particular but also for all the sisters and brothers and grandparents.
“In our own societies today many children live with their parents in settlements while many others are seeking refuge in emergency accommodations just as the holy family did on the first Christmas,” he said.
He encouraged parents to mold and accompany their children as their first Christmas just like how Joseph and Mary looked after Jesus.
Bishop Panfilo said when Joseph and Mary went to the temple to pray they brought Jesus with them in that way they not only thanked God for the gift of their child but they introduced him to the family of faith.
“All parents must do the same, accept your children as they are and continue and care for their spiritual and intellectual formation to enlighten their hearts and minds.
“This is one way of minimising or a solution to social issues in our societies and it requires the hard work and support from everyone,” Bishop Panfilo said.
“All Christian families must live and remain according to Jesus footsteps as it is the key to an effective layer apostolic and children must be nurtured in every way possible.
“Our thoughts must also be centered in the family into which he was born and also think about the families in our archdiocese that have welcome the birth of a child during this past year.”
He thanked all the priest and deacons, sisters and brothers, catechist, volunteers, for their working collaboration in 2019 and said without their generous service 2019 would not be a successful year.
poreni.umau@gmail.com
WEST New Britain reported a quiet New Year celebration with only the shooting to death of a known criminal member reported by police.
Provincial Police Commander
John Midi said the shooting occurred when police disturbed a gang trying to break into the Cen-
tral Foundation. He said the criminal was killed after he was shot in both his feet by the responding police officers who rushed the man to the hospital. The man died at the hospital.
“Other members of the gang were also shot and injured but managed
A HIKE in the crime rate in East New Britain Province is mostly related to the high use of drugs, mainly marijuana by youths.
This sentiment was shared by Sr Susan Gevia, a community leader at St Paul’s Lanusel Vunamarita in the North Baining, Gazelle district of East New Britain Province.
She said the two main issues now faced by the people of Vunamarita and surrounding areas is the high consumption of illicit drugs and homebrew by youths.
She also said youths involvement in such illegal activities have contributed to various criminal activities which include murder, rape, stealing and so forth in the area.
Sr Gevia said leaders in the area were not doing their job and this has forced her to take up the case to the police at Kerevat where some youths were arrested.
She said leaders should cooperate more in helping and supporting awareness being carried out on an-
ti-social behaviour and the related problems as a result of resorting to criminal activities and the negative impacts on their families and the community as a whole.
She also said by working together in carrying out awareness in the community to educate the youths about the dangers of the illicit drugs, it would help eradicate the problem.
“It’s about time leaders get out of their comfort zones to address these issues for the benefit of the community, as it only keeps bringing bad reputation into the area,”
Sr Gevai said.
POMIO MP Elias Kapavore has urged people in East New Britain and his own people in Pomio district to celebrate the festive season meaningfully.
In his end of year message, he said, Pomio district still has a lot of social issues and the ward members and leaders in the community need to work together with the district administration to address the issues.
“Next year we will establish reserve police in the small divisions in the district so that they will look after the people and also strengthen law and order at the ward level,”
Mr Kapavore said.
He urged his people to identify people or youths in the district to show interest so that he can arrange with the Police Department to conduct training in Palmalmal.
“There are policemen and women in the district, but these reserve police will be there to assist them in the entire district so that we will see change in our communities.”
Mr Kapavore said under his lead-
to escape.
“In the incident, two police vehicles were also damaged but no officer was injured.
“That was the only major incident reported in the province,” Mr Midi said.
“Otherwise I would like to thank
the majority of people of the province, and particularly Kimbe town residents for their wonderful conduct throughout the festive season up until today. The WNB provincial administration, district administrations and LLG administrations are to be thanked for their support
with youth programs and the decision to have a liquor ban, which have all contributed to the peaceful celebrations.” Police in Bialla also reported quiet celebrations with all rural commanders also reporting quiet celebrations in their respective areas in WNB.
ership they would start renovating police houses right across the LLGs of Pomio from Warangoi police station to Melkoi LLG.
“This is so that policemen and women will be committed with their work, because there are many issues and problems in the LLGs of Pomio,” he said.
He reminded the youths to stay away from trouble and not to engage in homebrew and marijuana or other things that would not add value to their lives.
“Do not complain, we will not blame or complain. Work together and find ways to solve issues,” he said. “Work together with community and church leaders so that we see changes in Pomio district. Let us stand together and pray. Pomio needs God.”
CONCERNS have been raised on the sale of alcohol by a liquor distributor in Buka.
The sale took place after the approved extension of a liquor ban in the aftermath of the referendum. The ban was extended by the Bougainville Executive Council until April 24, 2020.
Police have been conducting routine checks and surveillance on all liquor outlets and have confiscated a number of cartons of beer and have locked up people who have been under the influence of alco-
hol.
The distributor has been selling beer to anyone and not only guesthouses, hotels and restaurant owners, but liquor outlet owners as well.
The people have been saying this is not good for the region that has just gone through a referendum vote.
“Small beer outlet owners have been adhering to the liquor restriction, and it is not fair when the known distributor is selling alcohol to anyone.”
This has made the work of the police difficult as they are trying to enforce the law to promote unity and societal cohesion heading into 2020.
Acting chief secretary Thomas Raivet said: Despite all odds including under-funding, being under-resourced and under-staffed we have all achieved the sweetest outcome in the final referendum results and we have every right to celebrate this Christmas and welcome 2020 alcohol free.”
It’s about time leaders get out of their comfort zones to address these issues for the bene t of the community.Flash flooding in East New Britain has washed out more roads, this time the entire section of the road from Karavi bridge to Woolnough. It is just the beginning of a new year and already the provincial government is faced with yet another challenge. Pictured is a flooded section of the Malapau road. NATURE WASHING AWAY MORE ROADS
DECEMBER’S peak period did deliver the expected increased traffic for national airline Air Niugini as it expected more than 43,000 passenger traffic from its domestic and international travelling customers.
Airport lines from major distributing airports in major cities were packed as the mad rush to travel home, abroad, or within, for Christmas was underway.
“Between Dec 17 to December 30, PX (Air Niugini) anticipates to uplift 43,491 passengers on both domestic and international flights,” the airline said.
While the increased load also presented delays of flights, the airline said in response to queries from this paper on how the month progressed.
It affirmed nil changes/cancellations to its set flights throughout the country, apart from delays.
Flight delays were attributed to aircraft unserviceability, tech and cabin crew shortage (Fokker fleet), due to upgrades, extras flights, unscheduled overnights, sickness, and reaching maximum duty time limits.
stocks set
form Wall St in 2019 as markets shake tariff jitters
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China’s stock market has clawed its way from the bottom of the major global index rankings toward the top this year, with a 36 per cent jump in the main blue chip index set to trump the roaring rally in its Wall Street counterparts. Investors have largely shrugged off the economic damage caused by the Sino-US trade war and are chasing consumer and technology stocks, encouraged by Beijing’s stimulus and capital market reforms. China’s blue-chip CSI300 Index ended the last session of 2019 at an eight-month closing high of 4,096.58 points, up 36.1 per cent from the start of the year. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 22.3 per cent this year, closing the day at 3,050.12 points.
LONDON(Reuters) - European shares looked set to end the decade with a whimper on Tuesday as investors locked in gains after a record rally that was fuelled by optimism around trade and easing fears of a global recession. In a shortened session ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations, the pan-European STOXX 600 index shed 0.3 per cent. French, British and Spanish stocks lost between 0.4 per cent and 0.8 per cent, while Frankfurt and Milan bourses were shut for the year-end holidays. “While market volumes are predictably light, investors continue to strike a year-end cautionary tone as December optimism is gradually giving way to 2020’s uncertainty,” Stephen Innes, a market strategist at AxiTrader, wrote in a note.
False advert in reference.
A familiar jammed pack Jackson Airport domestic terminal in December, as passengers queue up to check in for their flights.
The airline provided awareness reminders to those who are have either booked already, their check in timings for the busy period.
“Our booking and check-in options make travel experience easier-book flights early, book online and pay later, prepay excess baggage, check-
AIR Niugini has released a statement advising the general public to be cautious about a false advertisement on social media for cabin crew recruitment training.
It stated an advertisement, which uses the Air Niugini Logo and a fake email account airniuginihumanresorce@gmail.com is false as the national airline is not aware of this.
“We appeal to the public to disregard this advertisement as it is not from Air Niugini and we strongly
advise the public to be wary of such false information.
“Furthermore, Air Niugini will not be liable for any commitments made by anyone in response to this advertisement.
“We also remind the public that all our cabin crew recruitment is done through our Human Resource Department before any training is conducted internally.
It said currently, there is no requirement for Air Niugini to recruit new flight attendants.
in online, check-in 2-3 hours before departure time.
“Also flight departure details are being sent via SMS Blast to phone contacts provided at time of ticket reservation,” it stated.
The airline did operate on Christmas day, however, with reduced
flights due to low passenger demand- the schedule flights 87 sectors were reduced to 77 sectors on the day.
It stated that further comparisons to the passenger traffic of last year would be done when the festive season concludes.
TELIKOM PNG Limited has said it welcomes the decisions by the Supreme Court in response to a media statement made and published this week.
This was in relation to more than 200 retrenched employees of Telikom PNG who have been battling their entitlements in court over the years.
Acting CEO of TPNG Amos Tepi, in a statement released this week as well, stated that Telikom PNG Limited is aware of the decision delivered by the Supreme Court in SCA No.96 of 2018- the matter of Nug Mamtirin and Others –v- Telikom PNG Limited & Others.
“TPNG is also aware of the media statement made by representatives of the PNG Communication Workers Union regarding the decision made in the Supreme Court.
“Telikom PNG Limited understands that the Supreme Court has in essence quashed a decision made in Telikom’s favor at the National Court and further ordered that the matter return back to the National Court for a rehearing.
“It is TPNG’s understanding that the Supreme Court has in no way made any orders relating to the substantive issues raised by the PNG Communication Workers Union.
“Telikom PNG Limited welcomes
the decision of the Supreme Court. The matter continues to be the subject of court proceedings and Telikom PNG Limited is committed to allowing due process to take place,” Mr Tep’s statement read.
The principal plaintiff, Nug Mamtirin, who is the national president of PNG Communication Workers Union (PNGCWU), with 271 other ex-employees who were affected by a redundancy exercise carried out between 2015 and 2016, instituted the court proceedings against Telikom for breaching the terms of an existing agreement and for underpaying their entitlements.
Following the decision The PNGCWU have called on the Telikom board and management to talk with them and settle the matter out of court.
TPNG outlined that “The new Kumul Telikom Holdings Limited Group Board is aware of these legacy issues and the recent developments.
“They are being briefed accordingly and are committed to ensuring due process is followed and the welfare of its staff are being addressed prudently,” Mr Tepi said.
THE Asian Development Bank has cited improving government management systems as key to its continued funding through it active portfolio of 18 development projects in the country amounting to $1.71 billion.
ADB country director David Hill said the improvements have been key to more projects being taken on.
“There is a big improvement in financial improvement of funds and I don’t think there is as much leakages,” Mr Hill said.
“We have been on the learning curve where some of the EA (executing agencies) have a better understanding of our requirements in terms of procurement or financial management and indeed how we function.
“So I think there has been efficiencies in working with us,” Mr Hill said when asked following the bank’s annual PNG year review ear-
IN its December Pacific Economic Monitor report, the Asian Development Bank, has indicated a weakening of tourism in the Pacific. This has been the case despite an increase from major tourists inbound to the region from Australia to major South Pacific destinations rose by 2.8 per cent (year-on -year) during the first 8 months of 2019.
“Although this still represents an acceleration from last year’s performance, growth slowed considerably during the middle months of 2019,” the report stated.
It stated also that Vanuatu recorded the most pronounced slowdown in the May-August 2019 period, despite the introduction in June of another regular flight service linking Melbourne and Port Vila.
“By contrast, the new twice -weekly flights between Brisbane and Apia have fueled a sharp acceleration in the number of Australian tourists visiting Samoa,” the report said.
“Australian tourism to the Cook Islands and Fiji also eased, but generally remained solid.
“However, the number of Australian tourists visiting
Tonga has dropped sharply in recent months, continuing a reversal from last year’s strong growth.”
It factored in heightened uncertainties regarding spillovers of a weaker global outlook on the Australian economy, and a measles outbreak in Samoa, appear to be causing travelers to postpone short-term tourism plans to neighbouring Pacific islands.
In New Zealand, tourism to the South Pacific is descending from last year’s peak.
“The number of tourists visiting Pacific destinations is now lower by 1.6 per cent (y-o-y) during January-August 2019,” the report said.
“New Zealand tourism is down across the board in the Pacific, with the largest decline recorded in the Cook Islands, followed by Tonga and Vanuatu.
“The New Zealand economy has so far been less affected by global head winds and outbound tourism to other destinations remains strong, indicating that the ongoing decline in travel to the Pacific is caused more by market saturation following recent years of strong growth.”
ly in December 2018, last month.”
He made reference to previous years and compared improvements in processing Multitranche Financing Facilities (MFFs) as effective enough to deliver more.
“For instance back in 2009, 2010, 2011, we had a bunch of new MFFs (Multitranche Financing Facilities), but they didn’t go well at first in terms of the speed at which the contracts are awarded and disbursements happened,” he said.
“But then as we moved on 2014 to now, the processing on these MMFs (Multi Tranche Financing), this is for the airports as well as the highlands roads, as well as the towns electrification.
“So the efficiencies on the government processes in implementing the programs has improved since 2014.”
When asked about direct support
into the national government budgeting processed around a three year US$300 million facility, which was the first of its kind that begun in 2018.
Mr Hill reiterated the loan is based around policy conditions and reformed in the health sector.
“That is based on a policy matrix and we have only done that now two years in a row 2018 and 2019, a US$100 million each year,” he said.
“Now that is tied to the government making certain reforms in the health sector about expenditures and so for 2019 and 2020 all the requirements were met.
“So that has allowed us to disperse US$200m. US$100m in 2018 and US$100m in 2019 and we have got one more year to go.
“So if they meet the next reform targets then we can do another US$100m in 2020.”
COMMUNICATION and Information Technology Minister Timothy Masiu has put the 5G trial on halt. After embracing its pre-launch, recently in Port Moresby between Bmobile and Huawei, this trial has stirred up debate in the ICT community regarding its health risks.
Following these debates, Mr Masiu has decided to ask Bmobile and it’s partner Huawei not to implement or start the trials until his department conducts an investigation and research into this new technology. He made the call shortly after he was thoroughly briefed regarding the implications of the 5G technology.
He said experts in the industry have claimed that the high radiation from this technology because it will be built metres apart on buildings and streetlights can easily cause tissue damage to all living things.
Mr Masiu said that while he wishes to welcome new technology he also understands that new technologies often come with its risks but if they are comprehensively researched and understood, it can harnessed to have excellent applications and benefits for the people.
YUAI, on the northern fringes of Kundiawa, is undoubtedly Chimbu’s major brus (dried tobacco leaves) market. Buyers and consumers from all parts of the province’s six district come to Yuai everyday to buy the stuff. Pictured is a woman seller holding out a bundle of brus to prospective customers. Brus takes up 42 per cent share of consumption of tobacco products in the country according to a recent illicit tobacco report conducted by FTI Consulting and PNGNRI. Words and picture by MICHAEL KOMA
PRESIDENT of the Farmers & Settlers Association, Wilson Thompson, is concerned about the government’s lack of commitment to appoint or fill in vacancies in the boards of various agriculture and livestock commodity boards including CEOs and also the appointment of a permanent department secretary.
In a statement, he pointed out that the agriculture sector was affected during the 2012-2017 term of parliament when the then minister kept waiting for a functional expenditure review and the proposed Agriculture Adjustment Act which were still in policy formulation stages when the Regulatory Statutory Authority (Appointments to certain Offices) Act and the various commodity board legislations required appointment of board members and chief executive officers.
“The Minister for Public Service needs to re-
view all the terms of the board members and the CEOs of commodity boards such as Coffee Industry Corporation, Cocoa Board, Kokonas Indastri Koperesen (KIK), Spice Board, Rubber Board, Livestock Development Corporation, Oil Palm Industry Corporation, Fresh Produce Development Agency, National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), National Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Authority (NAQIA), National Plantation Management Agency and Coconut and Cocoa Research Institute, Livestock Industry Corporation,” he said.
“Also, the Secretary for the department is required to give advice and direction to the industry and sector.
“Also the Secretary for DAL and CEO of various boards... must advice the Minister to advertise and appoint the new members of the various
Boards as their enabling legislation are still in force including the Regulatory Statutory Authorities (Appointment to Certain Offices) Act.”
Mr Thompson expressed concern that commodity boards have literally been left unattended to hence the industry agencies are operating without boards which might be causing lack of focus and governance issues.
“On the back of these issues, we therefore call on the two Ministers and Department of Personnel Management and DAL to undertake process of appointing stakeholders to all the Boards and also advice of where some of the functions are so that the sector can move forward rather than wait in confusion including policy direction,” he said.
“I request for all operators particular Bmobile and Huawei to stop any progress on the 5G trial while the department of communication and information technology will administer a thorough research on 5G technology,” he said.
“This is to to include potential health risks of 5G and there will be a close consultation and validation with the Department of Health.
“I request KTHL to work closely with my department to undertake comprehensive awareness to key stakeholders and the public on 5G technology for all to understand its proven benefits and risks.
“I also request Bmobile to revisit its original plans on completing rollout of 4G to the rural masses.”
Mr Masiu said he will also be writing to his colleague minister responsible for Public Enterprise regarding this matter.
He said moving ahead the ministry will focus on developing and implementing smart strategies particularly under the NICTA’s Access and Service Fund (UAS) to address the last mile and effectively increase connectivity to the population from 40 to 75 per cent.
“While I am stressing the importance to continously explore new technology, my primary obligation is to focus on unceasing quality connectivity for the rural masses,” he said.
AS MUCH as half of the world’s work is unpaid. And most of it is done by women.
This imbalance not only robs women of economic opportunities. It is also costly to society in the form of lower productivity and forgone economic growth. It follows that a fairer allocation of unpaid work would not only benefit women, but would also lead to more efficient work forces and stronger economies.
For these reasons, reducing gender imbalances in unpaid work is part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Examples of unpaid work include cooking, cleaning, fetching food or water, and caring for children and the elderly. These tasks are not counted as part of economic activity because they are difficult to measure based on values in the marketplace. Yet their economic value is substantial, with estimates ranging from 10 to 60 percent of GDP.
In our new study, we find that unpaid work declines as economic de-
velopment increases particularly because there is less time spent on domestic chores. Social institutions and values can constrain the redistribution of unpaid work by preventing men from sharing the burden at home.
Overworked and underpaid
It’s no secret that women disproportionately shoulder the burden of unpaid work. Less well understood is just how many more unpaid hours women put in than men on a given day. Women do 4.4 hours of unpaid work on average around the world and men only 1.7 hours. There are large differences across countries.
In Norway, the gap is small, with women doing 3.7 hours of unpaid work, while men contribute 3. On the other extreme, in Egypt, women do 5.4 hours per day of unpaid work and men only 35 minutes. In the US, women do 3.8 hours of unpaid work and men do 2.4 hours.
By not fully engaging women, the economy is misallocating resources, having women do low-productivity tasks at home instead of taking advantage of their full potential in the marketplace. It also misses exploit-
ing the complementarity between women and men in the workplace. The result is lower productivity and economic growth. This gender gap in unpaid work is not just unfair. It is clearly inefficient. Certainly, some unpaid work is done entirely by choice and the value to society of raising children for societies cannot be disputed. But more than 80 per cent of unpaid work hours are devoted to domestic chores aside from child and elder care.
Too often women end up shouldering those domestic chores because of constraints imposed by cultural norms, lack of public services and infrastructure, or absence of familyfriendly policies.
Women may also choose to stay at home or work only part-time if the wage in the market is too low and does not represent equal pay for equal work.
ENGINES OF LIBERATION
Policies can help reduce and redistribute unpaid work. In developing economies, measures to improve water supply, sanitation, electricity, and transportation are critical to free women from low-productivity
tasks.
UNICEF estimates that women spend 200 million hours per day worldwide simply fetching water. In India, women spend more than an hour every day collecting firewood. Better access to electricity and water and less expensive appliances helped boost female labour force participation in Mexico and Brazil. Expanding internet access to the entire population can help women take advantage of the gig economy and flexible work arrangements.
Governments need to ensure access to education and health care for women. Without proper human capital, women’s possibilities in the labor market are very limited. According to UNESCO, 130 million school-age girls are not in school. It is not only a matter of providing the services, but also guaranteeing their use.
Many families in Pakistan choose not to send girls to school because of security concerns. Enshrining women’s rights in law could help to reshape social institutions and values that prevent access to education and healthcare. Efficient and flexible labour markets help redistribute unpaid work.
Active labour market policies, like those in Switzerland, can facilitate job matching. We find that flexible work arrangements are associated with less female unpaid work and make for a better work-life balance.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Family-friendly policies also help. Many Nordic countries invest heavily in early childhood education and care, which allows for high enrollment and fosters women’s ability to return to work after giving birth.
Greater parity in maternal and parental leave policies can raise female labor force participation by smoothing women’s return to work and engaging fathers in care activities early on. Iceland’s parental leave policy is a good example: it sets the length of leave at nine months and earmarks three for each parent.
Reducing and redistributing unpaid work is an economic imperative. Governments must take decisive actions, and the private sector must join in to seize on the large potential gains.
Source: IMF
CANBERRA: As south-eastern Australia continues to burn amid the bushfire crisis, smoke has crossed the Tasman to shroud New Zealand, and Canberra has recorded unprecedented smoke pollution.
Canberrans woke up to a new year with air quality more than 22 times the hazardous rating.
Smoke from the NSW South Coast bushfires blanketed the capital overnight, with Canberra’s south the hardest hit.
The 1:00pm air quality index reading in the ACT’s southern station at Monash was 4,531 — more than 22 times the hazardous level of 200.
But the poor conditions did not stop at the border. Many parts of south-eastern Australia are also blanketed in smoke as fires rage on across NSW and Victoria.
In Batemans Bay, where hundreds of homes and structures are believed to have been lost, the concentration of smoke particles in the air was nearly double that of Canberra.
Goulburn, to Canberra’s north, also suffered poor air quality overnight with the air quality index hitting 2,075 at its worst.
NSW Health has set up special air quality monitoring stations in regional areas to monitor the effects of the bushfires.
But the impact is stretching beyond Australia, with those across the Tas-
NUKU’ALOFA: Tonga’s Meteorology Service says Tropical Cyclone Sarai has been downgraded to a low pressure system as it moves Southeast and away from the Kingdom. The Tropical Cyclone Warning for Tonga is now cancelled. The Fua’amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Center was officially deactivated at 12pm yesterday. Tropical Cyclone Sarai had caused minor damage on Tonga’s main island, Tongatapu, with some flooding in areas with poor drainage, fallen power lines, and flattened vegetation.
man also noticing heavy smoke.
The huge cloud of smoke generated from the fires has travelled some 2000 kilometres and blanketed New Zealand’s South Island.
Forecaster Tuporo Marsters from New Zealand’s MetServices said a strong north-westerly wind was blowing the smoke, which had reduced visibility to 10 kilometres in some areas.
“It’s appearing as an orangey haze across Christchurch and places like Timaru,” he said.
“It’s quite amazing.”
Mr Marsters said a cold front moving up the South Island was expected to gradually thin out the smoke-laden air.
Twitter user @getrochelle woke to heavy smoke over Port Chalmers in New Zealand, saying she could smell the smoke from Australia in the rain.
“Since the rain began the smell has become worse. If you have ever been in a burnt/smoke damaged building, that’s what it reminds me of out there today,” she posted.
In the ACT, other air quality stations recorded ratings of 3,359 at Civic and 3,399 at Florey.
ACT acting chief health officer Dr Paul Dugdale said the air quality was the worst ever recorded in the capital.
- ABC
SUVA: Fiji’s ban on single-use plastic bags comes into effect on New Year’s Day. Fiji’s government introduced plans to phase out plastic bags in January this year and the country joins the growing list of Pacific nations to do so. Marshall Islands, Vanuatu, Niue, Samoa and New Zealand’s bans are already in effect while the Pacific’s most populous nation, Papua New Guinea, joins them at the end of next month. In August 2017, Fiji introduced a 10 cent plastic bag levy to reduce plastic bag usage, and a year later the use of plastic bags had halved.
PAGO PAGO: Schools in American Samoa are due to reopen next Monday after being shut since 6 December following the country’s measles outbreak. The Department of Health reports there have been no new confirmed measles cases in several weeks. However, there are four suspected measles cases pending lab testing. That includes a two-year-old, who was admitted on Christmas Day. Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga said all schools and daycare centres should re-open next Monday, but all other restrictions of the emergency public health declaration remained in place.
Lilly stands in front of the canal, ready for work. Lilly says some people have found it hard to take her seriously.
ABC News: Amy Bainbridge
BANGKOK: It’s a sweaty Saturday morning in Bangkok, and while most 12-year-olds are winding down for the year, Ralyn Satidtanasan — or Lilly as she’s called — is getting ready to scoop plastic out of a canal.
“There’s so much single-use plastic in this canal alone, imagine how much there is in the ocean,” she tells the ABC on a boat in a canal in north-west Bangkok.
“It’s extremely shocking because if you think about it, this is just not even 1 per cent of what we’re seeing in the oceans today.”
Lilly is a regular at weekly Bangkok events organised by Trash Hero — a volunteer group that picks up rubbish at dozens of locations around the world. But it is Lilly’s work fronting up to retailers and the government, asking them to rethink their policies on single-use plastic, that has
seen her dubbed the Greta Thunberg of Asia.
From January 1 single-use plastic bags will be banned in major stores in Bangkok.
Lilly has been meeting directly with retail executives and government officials to drive the policy.
“I’ve been working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and 43 major companies that are trying to reduce and ban singleuse plastic bags in their stores by next year,” she says.
“We’re trying to push it even more for every company and every shop in Thailand to not use any single-use plastics at all.”
There was plenty of resistance in Australia when a ban on singleuse plastic bags was introduced by major supermarkets in 2018.
Lilly’s journey hasn’t been an easy one either.
- ABC
MANILA: The number of people killed by a powerful storm that pummeled the central Philippines over Christmas has risen to 50, authorities said on Tuesday (Dec 31), making it the nation’s deadliest storm of 2019.
Typhoon Phanfone’s destructive winds and heavy rains brought down flimsy homes and destroyed commercial buildings mainly in the central island of Visayas, affecting more than two million people.
At least 80,000 remain in emergency shelters and might have to stay until the New Year, given the scale of destruction.
“We’re sad that some of our countrymen are still in evacuation centres, but we assure them they will continue to receive support until they get back on their feet,” national disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal told AFP.
Five people are still missing after the storm, which also left 143
SYDNEY’S mayor has defended the decision to press ahead with the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display, despite calls it should have been cancelled due to the bushfire crisis.
Speaking earlier on Tuesday, Clover Moore (pictured) said the celebration would “give hope to people”.
Parts of Australia have been ravaged by bushfires intensified by high temperatures and months of drought.
A number of other fireworks displays across the country were
scrapped.
Critics of the Sydney display had argued that going ahead with it would send the wrong message. Organisers were urged to call it off and instead donate the money to farmers and the fire service.
But the fireworks went ahead as planned.
Ms Moore told a press conference that New Year’s Eve was an impor-
tant celebration that would “give hope to people at a terrible time”, but called for action on climate change.
She stressed the preparations for the event to usher in the new decade had begun 15 months ago.
“Many people have already flown in and paid for hotels and restaurants, travelling from all over the world to be here for tonight’s New Year’s Eve. It generates A$130m (£69m; $91m) for the NSW economy, powers our tourism industry, creates jobs and supports countless small businesses”, she said.
But she argued that the “compelling issue here is climate change”, and called on the government to do more to reduce global emissions.
“Cities around the world are doing their bit to address global warming; it’s our national governments that are failing us,” she added.
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro was among those calling for Tuesday’s display to be cancelled, saying it should be a “very easy decision”.
But Ms Moore said doing so “would have little practical benefit”.
- BBC
AUCKLAND: Christchurch mayor
Lianne Dalziel says the New Year will bring back difficult memories for the city, as it approaches the first anniversary of the mosque attacks.
On March 15, 51 people were killed when a gunman opened fire at the Masjid Al Noor and the Linwood Is-
lamic Centre in Christchurch.
Dalziel said the first anniversary of the terror attack would be an opportunity to come together and reflect on the enormity of how it affected not only the city but the country as a whole.
“I don’t think that anyone would have thought that such an act could
ever happen in Christchurch but actually anywhere in New Zealand, it’s been such a shock,” she said.
Dalziel said 2020 would also bring progress in the city’s post-earthquake rebuild, with the opening of the new $475 million convention centre in October.
“(It) is going to be again one of
those massive and dramatic impact moments for the city, there are already conferences booked for both the end of next year and all the way through 2021,” she said.
She believed the momentum in the central city’s recovery has picked up following the opening of the Riverside Market. - RNZI
injured. The death toll - up from 41 on Sunday - included three sailors who died after their vessel capsized, a policeman electrocuted by a toppled post, and a man struck by a falling tree. Typhoon Phanfone, locally called Ursula, was the 21st cyclone this year to hit the storm-prone Philippines.
Many of the storms wipe out harvests, homes and infrastructure, keeping millions of people in perpetual poverty. - Source: AFP/mn
SUVA: Fiji’s Emergency Operations Centre has indicated damage from Cyclone Sarai is extensive.
The storm battered large areas of Fiji for three days but overnight the system moved on.
It is now over Tonga, though it has weakened considerably.
The centre reports teams would be sent to the affected communities on Wednesday to fully assess Sarai’s impact.
It said it had reports of damage to houses across all four divisions, with some homes completely demolished by the cyclone.
The centre also said farms, as well as health and education facilities had also been damaged.
The Fiji Roads Authority, and power and water utilities, were continuing to work around the clock to restore services.
Fiji’s Maritime Safety Authority said marine clearance for all ships had resumed.
Aries March 20 – April 19
Tempting as it is to say a firm ‘no’ to those who insist you give them a hand, it’s not that simple. In fact, not only do they need your help, what you learn in the process will more than justify the time and effort required. But you won’t know that, until you’re actually involved.
Taurus April 20 – May 20
As a Taurus and a practical earth sign, you try to avoid getting involved in plans without being clear what’s involved. Yet with things moving so swiftly, you may have no choice. Just ensure that everybody understands this, and that as you learn more, you’ll have to rethink arrangements, possibly more than once.
Gemini May 21 – June 20
Although the past two months, since your ruler Mercury moved into the part of your chart that accents close alliances, will have had its challenging moments, you’ve also learnt a lot. While some of those insights are crystal clear, it probably won’t be until next week that you recognise the insights others offered.
June 21 - July 21
In the past you’ve agreed to plans not because you thought they were a good idea, but because you knew others were enthusiastic about them. You had concerns, but wanted to keep the peace. Be wary of compromises of that nature now. Stand your ground. You’ll soon be glad you did.
July 22 - August 22
By no means do confrontations bother you. On the contrary, you’d rather deal with difficult facts or face somebody who’s impossible, say what needs to be said, then move on. The problem is, somebody else is timid and fears the outcome. Proceed, quietly, then tell them when things are settled.
August 23 - September 22
Being both an earth sign and ruled by the clever Mercury, you’ve a knack for finding solutions, and swiftly, even for dilemmas others are struggling with. But certain of these have defeated you, at least thus far. Back off. All you need is the space and time to get a fresh perspective.
September 23- October 22
About two weeks ago, the Sun and your ruling planet Saturn moved into Capricorn, the latter for the first time in nearly three decades. Their joint influence will be informative, exciting and, occasionally, unsettling. For now, wait and watch. While you’ll benefit hugely from this, just how may not be immediately clear.
October 23 - November 21
Few things are more frustrating than situations that force you to make what you consider to be compromises. The real problem is, others don’t see what you’re being asked to do as worrying in the least. That being the case, forget about discussing it and, instead, figure out a way around the situation.
November 22 - December 20
It may be unusual that you take the back seat in controversial situations. But with both your ruler Jupiter and the usually forthright Mars in the most discreet and strategic portion of your chart, you’ve no choice but to be diplomatic. Strange as this seems, it will keep you out of otherwise pointless debates.
December 21 - January 19
There’s a fine line between others asking for your guidance or help and you being able to give it. This has nothing to do with whether you care about what they’re dealing with but, rather, whether your variety of insights would be helpful. If not, explain that, frankly and firmly.
January
Chatting about ideas is one thing, and can be as informative as it is entertaining. Still, with so much in transition, you’re urged to think carefully before you take what others say seriously. However sure they are of their facts, the actual situations in question could change, and possibly overnight.
There is no easy way to tell somebody you distrust them. But one particular individual seems bewildered that you aren’t telling them about certain potentially crucial information. Forget about explanations. Simply change the subject, and no matter how often they ask, and say no more. Eventually they’ll get the point.
This death notice is to inform the family, friends and colleagues of the passing of late Darrell Kondai Sakumai on the 19th of December 2019 at the Paradise Private Hospital in Port Moresby.
Mr Sakumai served at the Office of the Public Solicitor for 25 years as Deputy Public Solicitor for Crimes and Administration before resigning in 2008. In 2010-2013 he was Practice Development Advisor to the Public Solicitor to set up Wewak’s branch of the Office of the Public Solicitor. In 2013-2016 he was engaged with M.S Wagambie Lawyers at their Wewak Office then joined Will Tekwie Lawyers in 2017 to date before his passing.
Sincere condolences to Esther Rita Siwer-Sakumai and his children Robert, Daniel, and Marie, and his grand children Robert Jnr, Benjamin, Skylar, Roniel, Rosita, Joseph, Rita and Jones Smith.
Isaiah 57:1-2
“The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness.”
For information on arrangements please contact: 75924590 / 70640411 / 73471002
An exciting opportunity is now available for a Sales Executive within our Advertising Department.
Reporting to the Advertising Management, you will be responsible for delivering the highest quality of service to clients and achieving designated revenue targets for existing and new business.
In order to successfully represent the Post-Courier newspaper, candidates should satisfy the following:
Education
Experience & Knowledge
Skills/Attributes/Abilities
Human Resources
Email: humanresource@spp.com.pg
Applications close: Friday, 10th January, 2020. (Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for an interview).
CRICKET
Clive Lloyd, whose West Indies side dominated international cricket, has been knighted in the New Year Honours.
The Guyana-born batsman, now 75, has been honoured for his service to the game.
He captained the West Indies from 1974 until 1985 and played for Lancashire from 1968 until 1986, later settling in the Greater Manchester area.
Since retiring, he has coached West Indies and worked for the International Cricket Council.
The left-handed middle-order batsman made his Test debut aged 22 against India and scored 7,515 runs at an average of more than 46 in 110 appearances.
His former Lancashire team-mate Farokh Engineer, who also played for India, said the honour was “well overdue because a lot of his colleagues were knighted, so I am so glad”.
“He’s a great guy, he’s a character and we complemented each other and we contributed to Lancashire’s success,” said Engineer, who now works as a cricket pundit.
“I am delighted, he’s been my best friend. We played against each other, we enjoyed our cricket.
“We were the two overseas professionals at Lancashire – he was raw from Guyana and I was raw from India so we had to prove ourselves.”
Lloyd’s West Indies side went 26 matches without defeat and thrashed England 5-0 in what became known as the 1984 “Blackwash series”.
He also led the West Indies to victory in the first cricket World Cup in 1975 scoring 102 at Lord’s against an Australia side with feared bowlers Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson spearheading their pace attack.
Lloyd became a folk hero in Lancashire as a key player in the 1970s side that became known as the “Kings of One Day Cricket”.
Clive Lloyd is one of cricket’s true statesmen, says Jonathan Agnew, a BBC cricket correspondent .
He is obviously best known for his role in bringing the West Indies team together in a very factional part of the world.
He got them playing as a team unit, fiercely proud of their region, who were feared and respected. Yet at the same time he has been an absolute star for Lancashire. – BBC
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CAMERON Smith made history last season as the first player to reach 400 NRL games and the Storm captain is on the verge of another unprecedented achievement in 2020.
The veteran hooker leads a slew of players, coaches and clubs that are set for rare milestones in the upcoming Telstra Premiership.
Thanks to information supplied by official NRL statistician David Middleton, NRL.com has compiled the milestones to look out for next season.
Smith in line to break new ground ... again
Having confirmed he’ll continue into a record-equalling 19th season, Melbourne legend Cameron Smith needs just seven wins to become the first player to win 300 games in premiership history.
It would be a remarkable achievement given only 39 men, including Smith, have played 300 matches.
The 36-year-old boasts a 71.29% win rate after 411 NRL appearances.
Points-machine Croker beating the clock
Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker needs four points to become the first player to rack up 2000 before turning 30.
Croker will be 29 years and 184 days old when Canberra take on the Titans at home in round one, and if 2019’s form holds true, he should have ample opportunity to kick two goals or score a try.
Ex-Eels halfback Jason Taylor holds the mantle as the youngest player to score 2000 points, having reached the mark at 30 and 140 days.
Croker is set to become the seventh player to post 2000 points. Cameron Smith is on top with 2602 points and counting, but the Raiders centre could pass him.
Underrated Aubo to rule the roost
Mitchell Aubusson needs 14 appearances to pass Anthony Minichiello (302) and become the mostcapped Roosters player.
The 32-year-old one-club man debuted in 2007 and has established himself as the ultimate Mr Fix It, winning three premierships along the way.
If he features in the opening 14 matches next season, Aubusson will usurp Minichiello in the grand final rematch against Canberra at GIO Stadium in round 15. (The Roosters have the bye in round 12).
Jenko to bring up the ton at two clubs
Eels centre Michael Jennings requires 15 matches in the blue and gold to become the 28th player to record 100 appearances at two premiership clubs, having played 122 games for Penrith (2007-12).
The 31-year-old, who accumulated 71 games for the Roosters, is also only a dozen matches away from cracking a triple century.
Coaches prove they’re survivors
Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy will celebrate 450 games in round one
against Manly at Lottoland - becoming the fourth coach to the mark after Wayne Bennett (841), Tim Sheens (669) and Brian Smith (601).
And he’ll be just the second mentor to bring up the figure at a single club. Only Bennett, who coached Brisbane for 631 games across two stints, has spent longer with one team.
Fresh off guiding Canberra to the decider, Ricky Stuart will record his 400th game in round five against Penrith at Panthers Stadium.
Stuart also needs five wins to secure 200 NRL victories as a coach.
Manly mentor Des Hasler will be inducted into the 400 club when his Sea Eagles face the Rabbitohs at
ANZ Stadium in round 13.
To boot, Hasler will oversee his 250th match for Manly in round 19 against North Queensland in Townsville.
Three-time premiership-winner
Trent Robinson is already the longest-serving Roosters coach and he will become the first to break the 200-game barrier in round 16 against the Warriors.
Wests Tigers boss Michael Maguire, who needs four wins for 150 NRL victories, is poised to raise the bat for 200 games against the Bulldogs at Bankwest Stadium in round 24.
Meanwhile, Dragons coach Paul McGregor is on track to register his 150th versus Canterbury at ANZ Sta-
dium in round 13.
Club milestones aplenty
Wests Tigers will make their 500th premiership appearance in round seven against the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium.
Brisbane need six wins to claim their 500th victory since being admitted into the premiership in 1988.
St George Illawarra require 35 tries to reach 2000 total four-pointers as a joint venture, while Penrith need 53 tries to bring up 4000.
Reigning champions the Roosters are 310 points away from being the first club in premiership history to notch 40,000 points.
Melbourne will tally their 600th match against the Rabbitohs at Bankwest Stadium in round 20.
Newcastle will run out for their 800th premiership appearance against Manly at McDonald Jones Stadium in round 22.
Ironmen approach 300
Four players can reach 300 games in 2020 - Roosters utility Mitchell Aubusson (278 games), Cronulla’s Josh Morris (286), Parramatta’s Michael Jennings (278) and Newcastle’s Mitchell Pearce (276).
BASKETBALL: Momentum continues to build for the return of New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson.According to Shams Charania of Stadium, the team expects Williamson “to return to his first practice shortly after the New Year” and that both sides are “hopeful” the No. 1 overall pick will make his NBA debut sometime this month.
SOCCER: Manchester City must “work harder, play better, and pray” if they are to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, says manager Pep Guardiola.The Reds are currently 13 points clear of Leicester City at the top of the table with a game in hand. Reigning champions City are a further point behind, having lost two of their last five league games.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES: India will participate in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, reversing earlier plans to boycott the event over the absence of shooting as a medal sport.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had threatened to boycott the Games after shooting - which supplied 16 of their 66 medals at the 2018 Gold Coast Games - was dropped from the Birmingham programme as it is an optional sport for host cities.
TENNIS:Four-time Australian Open quarter-finalist Kei Nishikori has withdrawn from the season-opening grand slam, citing an elbow injury.
The Japanese world No.13 told Tennis Australia he’d be pulling the pin on the Melbourne Park event as well as the ATP Cup, the new international men’s team event starting in Sydney, Perth and Brisbane from Friday. Nishikori has not played since a third-round loss to Australia’s Alex de Minaur at the US Open in September, requiring minor elbow surgery in the off-season.
THE woman behind the Ward 3 Knights believes home-grown Simbu players have much to offer in term of playing stock for the national team, the PNG Orchids.
A bank officer by profession with BSP Kundiawa, Kenny Michael-Daing is passionate about promoting women’s rugby league in the Simbu province and can’t thank Governor Michael Dua enough for initiating the Governor’s Cup again. Her team that she personally sponsors are made up of what she calls ‘raw materials’ that are based
around premier hill are looking good to make the play-offs after finishing well in the pool matches.
She said they don’t have any big name players but through discipline and trust and a good coach in her husband in former Simbu Warriors captain Sonny Daing imparting his wealth of knowledge, they are strong contenders to take out the women’s top honours.
“It is quite challenging to manage your own team, but I believe that home-grown Simbu players have what it takes to be a PNG Orchid player. I spend my own my money to ensure these get that opportunity to expose themselves at the top level.
“We have the potential and this is the perfect opportunity for our women who have not been able to excel through formal education but may get that chance through rugby league to be someone.”
She further made special mention of her elder sister and role model in Elis Siki, who was behind the initial stages of getting women playing rugby league in Port Moresby.
Siki is now a Commissioner with the NCDC.
“I hope I can follow in her footsteps to also grow the women’s game in Simbu.
“I don’t getting anything out of this but I believe our women can
excel in rugby league and with the support of my good husband…I believe I can make a difference in my own special way.”
The Knights will be relying on key players in fullback Deggi Dai, nippy dummy-half Beverly Simon and hard running forwards in Posi Siune and Albina Koni to make their presence felt in the forthcoming Simbu Governor’s Cup play-offs.
Her husband in Sonny Daing said he is proud of his wife’s efforts to give women a second chance to excel in sports and knows that the road is not easy when trying to manage a club.
“I give my wife my full support as the coach as I believe in what she is doing.
“There is no financial reward for the family as we do it out of love for the game and how it can help shape the life of a young player.”
The couple also manage their men’s team which is called Ward 3 Cyborgs in the Governors Cup as well.
She lastly acknowledge the presence of John Ambane from the Port Moresby Rugby League, who has been very supportive of what they are doing as well by promoting and marketing the players through the mainstream media.
THE Townsville Blackhawks have signed Papua New Guinea international Moses Meninga for their 2020 season.
Meninga arrived in Townsville in mid-December, after representing his country in the PNG Kumuls side, which defeated England for the first time since 1990, alongside new team mate Kyle Laybutt.
Blackhawks coach Aaron Payne said Meninga ticked all the boxes for what he was looking for in a player.
“Moses is everything you would want from a player,” Payne said.
“Whenever we have played against Moses, he always stood out and was hard to contain.
“He’s very mobile for a someone
his size and plays big minutes in the middle. Moses has gained more experience from representative footy, so he’s going to be a real asset to our side.
“Already, we can see he is settling in well, and hopefully we can progress him to his next level of footy, which is NRL.”
Meninga said he was already enjoying his time in Townsville.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to play rugby league for the Mendi Blackhawks,” he said.
“Coming to Townsville, (it) was a big decision to leave my family, but since I’ve arrived, I have really enjoyed it and settling in well.
“I’m hoping one day my family will come over here and watch me play.
“My goal for next year is to give
my best and play my best footy consistently. The Blackhawks had a good season this year, so I’m excited to glad to be a part of this team to carry on from where they left off. Everyone has been really welcoming, and it makes it much easier to focus on training.
“I’m just really looking forward to see what 2020 brings.”
NETBALL: MANY villages in Abau district, Central Province celebrated the festive season in their own way. There was singing and sports activities that coincided with Christmas Day and the New Year celebrations. Some of these activities saw some of the villages organize themselves and challenge their city counterparts in friendly rivalry.
It was no exception for Lalaura village in the Abau district.
There were two sports – netball for women and rugby for men – competing.
In the A grade netball grand final, Warumana 16 defeated Taipuluka 7, while in the Under 21 division final Koketou 15 beat Warumana 8.
For the first time Lynn Kone Uvau, Kemana Tau and Ulice Rapilla had gone out of their way to host the tournament at Lalaura.
They had planned to host the tournament there because they wanted to bring all women and girls together to relax and enjoy the festive season.
The village has produced some of the best netball players who have gone on to represent the national team. However, they have not been participating for the past years and there were plans to take the game back to area in search of some potential talent.
“We must promote inclusive involvement in netball because netball, including other sports has now become a great tool for development and keeping the youths, including young girls and women free from violence,” Uvau said.
Despite not having the support from business houses and individuals, she was happy with the outcome of the tournament.
Uvau and Rapilla had sponsored the tournament with balls and cash prize for the winning teams and runnersup.
PNG Under 21 Pepes Coach Annie Iamo and former PNG representative Lydia Veali were invited to umpire at the tournament.
Whenever we have played against Moses, he always stood out...AARON PAYNE Townsville
COMMUNITY SPORTS:LIFE challenges and situations faced by youths living along the Tokua area of East New Britain province has made them to think positively this festive season.
This Christmas some of them have engaged in sporting activities to pass the time.
Tokua Christmas tournament organizing committee member Steven Dalir said he was happy with the initiative taken by the youths to step out of criminal activities and take up sports.
He said the youths over the years have gone through tough situations and had finally made the decision to put a stop to all negative attitudes and try to live the positive lives.
He added that the youths with the initiative of engaging themselves through sports, made their stand clear by cutting grass in the area and seeking a sponsor after all work was done as the festive period drew near.
Dalir said with the support of a local businessman Desmond Uriap Ningi the youths were able to secure a sponsor for the Christmas tournament.
He said Ningi had taken a bold step to help the youths during the festive season to ensure they were kept occupied rather than getting
themselves in some form of illegal activity that resulted in fights.
He said that this year’s Christmas celebrations were quiet in the Tokua area because most of the youths were focused on their games.
Ningi said it was the first time such a tournament was held within the area.
He added that he has plans of making the games bigger and better next year. He also commended the youths for taking the initiative for change. It also resulted in peaceful celebrations in the area without any major incidents.
- BY IAN MATHEW SOCCER BY CHARLIE DUMAVI UPNG JOURNALISM STUDENTAFTER securing the services of two players from Ecuador, South America, Lae City FC is currently in negotiations for the signing of former Hekari United FC and Lae City FC centre back Joachim Waroi from Solomon Islands.
The recruitment of the trio will definitely help boost the Lae franchise club’s preparations ahead of the OFC Champions League challenge next month.
The Ecuadorian players are Abdias Antonio Arirre Aguirre, a 20-year-old defensive midfielder and 19-year-old left winger and striker Gustine Icaza Vergara who are expected to join the team in Lae on January 16.
Talks are ongoing for the recruitment of Solomon Island international and former Lae City centre back Joachim Waroi.
Joachim is likely to join the club when negotiations are complete and transfer deals signed.
Lae City recruitment officer Edris Kumbruwah, who confirmed the
signing of the Ecuadorians, said the two will join the club this month.
“There are supposed to be three Ecuadorians joining us however, the other player was involved in a nasty car accident and will not make it,” Kumbruwah said.
Lae City FC head coach Peter Gunemba welcomed the overseas players and is expecting them to find combination with the local
talents prior to their OFC trip next month. “I am not underestimating our local boys but we want to see how the imports will contribute to the team,” Gunemba said. “Overseas players from other countries compete at a higher level and will boost the competition and the performances of the local talents.”
He said the problem the team will face with the overseas players, especially Ecuadorians is language barrier. Otherwise they all understand soccer and that is the positive sign. Moreover, he said bringing overseas players will also market local players to the world.
“We are not only bringing them here to play at the OFC only, we want to establish a network for the exchange of players,” he said.
“We want to create a pathway where we can also send our local players to the countries outside of the Oceania region.”
Lae City FC is complete with Nigel Dabinyaba and Emmanuel Simon in camp and is undergoing high performance training to prepare them for OFC Champions League challenge.
SOCCER: I AM proud to play with the Lae City FC and as a player, I am ready to defend my club’s title in the 2019-20 Kumul Petroleum National Soccer League competition, says 25-year-old Lae City FC forward Emmanuel Airem.
Airem said as a player in the defending champion team in Kumul Petroleum National Soccer League Competition, Lae City FC; he is looking forward to the kick off of the 2019-20 NSL season.
“Though KPHL NSL season is on break for three weeks after round two ended on December 21, preparations for 2020 is on going for me and as a team, Lae City FC, we took two days off for Christmas and are now back to continue with our training to stay fit and ready to kick off 2020,” Airem said.
He said some of the challenges, he faced as a player in 2019 when the season started was trying to cope with some of the new players in the
team because some of the experienced players were overseas.
Airem admitted that the team struggled through round one and two of the NSL season but by now as the Lae City FC is polishing up with their on-going training in camp, he is prepared for 2020 and Lae City is also ready to defend their title.
Airem gave his view on soccer in Papua New Guinea, saying that the standard of playing soccer in the country had dropped after soccer was under two factions – PNG Football Association and the FFPNG.
However, after ironing out their differences and coming under one roof, football is slowly building up again, so he thinks that there should be development programs for soccer (like the once Besta PNG program) which has produced a lot of good players in the country.
-BY MAXINE KAMUS DWU JOURNALISM STUDENT
