Warakamb; PNG

Warakamb Valley is now Ruled by the devil

2011-07-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

The once beautiful warakamb Valley is now ruled by the devil. Dozens have died in a recent tribal fight, guns are everywhere, drugs are the norm, heresay, gossip and lies are part of the normal life. Sorcery and witchcraft, once never heard of in this part of the world is gaining momentum. Innocent victims are being mutilated and harrased and even burned alive. Where have we gone in the last 2 years? Where is WAECA? Will the valley be normal again? There are more questions to ask. Some may never be answered. In a just a little bright spot, 8 people recently got baptized at the Annal SDA church.

Easy win puts PNG in global Twenty20 playoffs

2011-07-07T17:10:00.001-07:00

Go PNG Go!!!

Papua New Guinea maintained their unbeaten run in the East Asia-Pacific Region Division One Twenty20, beating Vanuatu by a comfortable margin of 58 runs in the final in Port Moresby. The victory books PNG's spot in the Global Division One Twenty20 playoff in the UAE early next year, which will determine the two Associates or Affiliates to play in the 12-team World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

PNG elected to bat and got off to a streaky start when in-form opener Asad Vala was dropped by opposing captain Andrew Mansale. Vala, who had 344 runs in the tournament leading up to the final, and Tony Ura took advantage of Vanuatu's slip-up, adding 56 off 5.2 overs before Jelany Chilia got Vala to edge to the keeper. Ura stood firm though, putting on 47 runs with Chris Amini, before falling for 48. By then the platform was laid for PNG - with the scoreboard reading 103 for 2 in the 11th over - to push on to a big total. Mahuru Dai and Jason Kila provided the final surge, striking four sixes to carry PNG to 195 for 5.

The Vanuatu openers got the chase off to a steady start, but wickets in the fifth and sixth overs put PNG in front. From there on PNG picked up wickets regularly and kept the batsmen in check. Only Patrick Matautaava was able to inject some much-needed momentum into the Vanuatu innings, striking two fours and three sixes in his 36 off 18 balls. But when he was caught off medium-pacer Joel Tom - who was the pick of the bowlers for PNG, claiming 3 for 31 - in the 19th over, victory was already beyond Vanuatu.

PNG captain, Rarva Dikana said the win at home, especially in front of the sizeable crowd, was fitting. "It is a huge achievement for the country, especially considering all of the development work going on," he said. "I'm glad we could do this for everyone involved in cricket in PNG."

Ura, who was the second highest-scorer in the tournament behind opening partner Vala, was named Man of the Match. Tom and Matautaava, along with Fiji's Iniasi Cakacaka, were the tournament's top wicket-takers with nine wickets.

In the third-place play-off game, an all-round performance from Samoa earned them a 30-run victory over Fiji. Samoa were sent into bat and though they lost opener Sean Cotter early, a steady 43 from captain Geoff Clarke, followed by whirlwind knocks from Faasao Mulivai (67) and Pritchard Pritchard (28*), carried them to a competitive 172 for 3.

Fiji's chase started poorly when they lost opener Sekove Ravoka in the first over. A 58-run second wicket partnership between Joji Bulabalavu and Iniasi Cakacaka steadied the innings, but a flurry of quick wickets after that derailed their chase. They slumped from 58 for 1 to 68 for 5 and couldn't get going after that, getting bowled out for 142. Samoa's bowlers were steady with Cotter, the most successful, claiming 3 for 9 in three overs.

England v Papua New Guinea preview

2010-11-03T21:47:00.001-07:00

NRL.com Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:11:00

England names team for PNG clash PNG line-up for England match England v Papua New Guinea

Eden Park, Auckland

Saturday, 6pm NZ Time, 4pm AEDT

The first game of Saturday’s big double-header is all about pride for the English, while it represents a chance for the Kumuls from Papua New Guinea to ambush the red-and-whites and produce what would be a famous victory.

With both sides out of calculations for the Four Nations title in 2010 this becomes almost a ‘development’ Test of sorts, with both countries looking to build towards the next World Cup in 2013.

Both nations have lost matches against New Zealand and Australia in this tournament, although Papua New Guinea copped more of a hiding in the process.

England started OK against the Aussies last weekend and actually led 8-6 at one point before being buried under an Australian points avalanche before halftime. Going into the break 26-8 down meant their title aspirations were done and dusted early, although they battled hard in the second stanza to only lose that section 8-6, for a 34-14 overall loss.

It followed on from their 24-10 loss to the Kiwis in the opening week of the competition.

Papua New Guinea were humbled 42-0 by Australia in the first week before coming up against a rampant New Zealand last weekend. The Kiwis put 76 points past the Kumuls but in a promising sign the boys from PNG scored twice, in impressive back-to-back fashion in the second half, to rack up their first 12 points of the tournament.

They have named a similar team for this week although second-rower David Loko comes into the side at Johnson Kuike’s expense and Alex Haija has been left off the bench. His place will be taken by one of several reserves named.

Meanwhile England have named Harlequins’ Tony Clubb to make his Test debut at centre – incredibly, at just 23 he is the oldest player in their backline!

Huddersfield duo Kevin Brown and Luke Robinson reprise their club partnership in the halves, which sees Sean O’Loughlin move back into the pack. Darrell Goulding and Joel Tomkins are out with injuries sustained in last week’s bruising clash with the Kangaroos.

Watch out England: If the Lions think the PNG boys will just turn it up they’ve got another thing coming. They need to watch out for the monolith of muscle Emmanuel (Menze) Yere out in the centres.

The ‘jukebox’, as some call him, has a wicked left-foot step, making him a dangerous left-side centre who can cut back against the grain. He did this against the Kiwis to notch up his eighth Test try, the most in PNG history, and he has tallied those in just seven Tests. He had six tackle-breaks against the Kiwis and is set for even more against the brittle England outside backs.

The English will also need to watch hooker Charlie Wabo. His chip-and-chase set up the Kumuls’ second try against the Kiwis and now that he has a licence to thrill we could see more attempted trick plays.

Watch out Papua New Guinea: England may have struggled for rhythm and consistency in this tournament but there are still a few impressive players who will be more than a handful in their line-up.

Hooker James Roby would most certainly be at home in the NRL and his combination with Sam Burgess around the rucks is awesome. They combined for the first English try against Australia when Roby darted out from dummy-half close to the line and hit a flying Burgess who expertly ran into the hole. With more holes likely in the PNG defence this combination could be very deadly indeed.

Burgess was the only English player to gain more than 100 metres against the Kangaroos and he has shown his time in the NRL is proving very beneficial. He topped his team for tackle-breaks as well (with five) and made the second most tackles of anyone on the park with 37. Roby topped the list with 38.

Little halfback Luke Robinson is another to keep an eye on – he might be small in stature but he is big in heart and the Huddersfield Giant loves to take the line on if a chance presents.

Where it will be won: It’s all about completions in this match – but both teams won’t be playing a grinding style of game – so it will be about the ability to complete while playing high-risk footy.

For the Kumuls to pull off an upset they’ll need to throw the ball around and chance their arm. They won’t beat the English if they just go through the motions but if they can play some ‘calypso football’, as Andrew Johns said in commentary last week, they might just score enough points to make the English panic. They will need to complete much better than last week’s 50 per cent.

England will win if they control the football – but if they only complete at 57 per cent like last weekend, they might just open the door enough for the underdogs to pounce.

But in reality the attacking prowess we see in the English Super League should finally come to the fore here.

The History: Played 2; England 2, Papua New Guinea 0. These teams first squared off in 1975 when England prevailed 40-12 in PNG. A Lee Smith hat-trick proved the difference as England held on for a 32-22 win in the 2008 World Cup.

Conclusion: You wouldn’t put much of your hard-earned on the Kumuls to get the job done but it is their best chance of a win in this tournament and they almost took down the English two years ago.

England will probably finally shake off their funk and provide some attacking football so expect them to win by 24 or more. But we’ll say the Kumuls will score three times or more, making the game worth watching as when they score they do it with style.

And don’t forget how hard they hit… you just know a few Englishmen will be flying home with some big bruises!

Match officials: Referee – Shane Rehm (NZ); Sideline Officials – Daniel Caddy (NZ) & Paul Holland (Aust); Video Ref – Russell Smith (Aust).

Televised: Check guides.

* Statistics: NRL Stats.

New Zealand 76-12 Papua New Guinea

2010-10-30T01:51:00.001-07:00

As reported by the BBC.

New Zealand (46) 76

Tries: Perrett (3), Mannering, Smith (2), Sa'u (3), Hohaia, Waerea-Hargreaves, Luke, Nightingale, Manu. Goals: Marshall (8), Luke (2)

PNG: (0) 12

Tries: Yere, Nami. Goals: Tongia (2)

Sam Perrett (right) leaps to collect a kick for his third try of the match

New Zealand moved to the top of the Four Nations table with an emphatic 76-12 victory over an outclassed Papua New Guinea in Rotorua.

The Kiwis dominated the first half, running in eight first-half tries to lead 46-0 at the hooter.

Menzie Yere and Glen Nami crossed for the Kumuls to restore some pride.

But three-quarters Junior Sa'u and Sam Perrett both completed hat-tricks as the home side took their try tally to 14 and moved a step nearer the final.

The Kiwis broke the deadlock after just four minutes when Lance Hohaia spun out of a tackle before his sweeping pass exposed the visitors in the corner as Perrett crossed.

The Kiwis again profited from a left-veering attack, as Simon Mannering forced his way over before Jeremy Smith touched down twice in quick succession.

606: DEBATE

How did you rate the Kiwis' performance?

An astute Benji Marshall kick looked to have set up Nathan Fien for another four points but the St George Illawarra half-back was correctly ruled offside.

There was no respite for PNG, who lacked the size to trouble the Kiwis in the ruck, while their indiscipline in ball retention confounded their problems.

A low Fien's kick unlocked the Kumuls' defence and Sa'u raced through to apply the telling touch.

A rare attacking spell from PNG almost yielded a try but Jessie Joe Parker's touchdown was ruled to have crossed the end line.

The onslaught resumed at the other end, when Hohaia sold a dummy before releasing Sa'u for another try, while a superb offload from Jared Waerea-Hargreaves allowed full-back Greg Eastwood to cross.

Slack tackling was again evident as Issac Luke went over and captain Benji Marhsall landed his seventh goal to put the Kiws in front 46-0 at the break - surpassing Australia's 42-0 full-time score against PNG in Sydney last Sunday.

Within five minutes of the restart, Sa'u had his hat-trick - first, finishing off another fluid movement in the corner and then dancing through the tackles to race over as New Zealand again took advantage of the opposition's short condensed line.

The procession continued when Sa'u resisted the temptation to cross for a fourth, instead releasing to give Perrett his second.

Yere, one of the Kumuls' more solid defensive performers on the day, prompted the loudest cheer from the crowd when he stepped inside to wrong-foot the Kiwis' rearguard and, finally, get his team on the scoreboard.

Seemingly spurred on by that breakthrough, Papua New Guinea again put New Zealand on the backfoot and they were rewarded when hooker Charlie Wabo gathered his own chip-kick to send Nami on a 50-metre run to the line.

New Zealand reasserted their dominance in the final 10 mintues, however. Perrett collected a pinpoint Hohaia kick for his third before Jason Nightingale and Sika Manu both finished off more glorious passing play with ease.

The margin of victory equalled the Kiwis' previous biggest win over PNG - a 64-0 rout in 1996. However, a much greater test of their title mettle awaits Stephen Kearney's men when they face favourites Australia in Melbourne next Saturday, while PNG must now pick themselves up for their clash with England in Auckland on the same day.

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New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney: "It was a good result. Our forwards were outstanding and the wingers were strong. It was a pretty solid effort.

"We were a bit disappointed last week [in the 24-10 defeat of England] and I think we've taken some steps to improving. there are still some things we need to work on for next week [against Australia].

"I thought PNG dug deep and those two tries were like winning the World Cup for them back home."

Papua New Guinea captain Paul Aiton: "We're very disappointed. We just missed something that make us PNG."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Zealand: Hohaia, Nightingale, Kenny-Dowall, Sa'u, Perrett, Marshall, Fien, McKendry, Leuluai, Nuuausala, Manu, Mannering, Smith.

Replacements: Luke, Waerea-Hargreaves, Harrison, Eastwood.

Papua New Guinea: Tongia, Mark, Parker, Yere, Riyong, Nami, Aiye, Aizue, Wabo, Nightingale, Griffin, Kuike, Aiton.

Replacements: John, Pora, Tongap, Kolo.

Aussies flock Kumuls 42 - 0

2010-10-24T01:34:00.000-07:00

Australia have opened their Four Nations campaign with a predictable 42-0 flogging of an enthusiastic but outclassed Papua New Guinea at Parramatta Stadium.

On a wet and chilly day in Sydney's west, the Kangaroos led 26-0 at half-time and went on to record a comfortable eight tries to nil victory before a small but vocal crowd of 11,308.

Darren Lockyer's 59th minute four-pointer was his 34th in Australia colours, pushing him past Ken Irvine at the top of the list of all-time try-scorers.

The Kumuls were spirited and tough early, hitting hard in defence and showing plenty of intent.

They needed luck to play a big part if they were to stay competitive but five minutes in it deserted them.

Lockyer's cross-field kick struck the right upright, the ball not only staying in the in-goal but falling into the path of Billy Slater for a fortuitous try.

PNG kept dishing out the big hits but lack of discipline and poor ball control was not aiding their cause.

A spilt ball from a scrum win gave Australia possession and a few plays later the ball went wide for Brent Tate to cross for a simple try.

The Kangaroos had their third try by the 17th minute and it was again the result of some poor play by their opponents.

Fullback Ryan Tongia, signed by Cronulla from the Gold Coast midweek, was way too casual in getting to Cameron Smith's downfield kick and paid a hefty price.

Cooper Cronk gave chase and was rewarded when Tongia toed the sideline-bound ball back into his in-goal for the Australian to plant a hand on the pill.

Still the mistakes – and points - kept coming.

When Michael Mark, who started like a house on fire before burning out, made a hash of cleaning up a kick to present Willie Tonga with a simple try, it was 20-0 after as many minutes.

Brett Morris ensured the Australians kept pace with the clock with his side's fifth try on 25 minutes.

It was looking like a complete avalanche, with the Kangaroos at one stage dominating possession 73 per cent to 23.

But it didn’t immediately translate to points as the Kumuls dug deep and started forcing their hosts into error.

They kept Australia scoreless for the next 15 minutes to claim something of a minor victory.

Growing in confidence, the Kumuls then tackled their hearts out for the opening 15 minutes of the second half to keep the Kangaroos scoreless.

Smith finally snapped PNG's resistance in the 57th minute and Lockyer grabbed his record-breaking try two minutes later as Australia again got the scoreboard ticking over to make it 38-0.

Tonga grabbed his double in the dying stages to complete a comfortable but hardly impressive win for Tim Sheens' team.

In the curtain raiser, Samoa claimed Pacific Islands bragging rights with a four tries to one 22-6 victory.

Australia 42

Tries: Tonga 2, Slater, Tate, Cronk, Morris, Smith, Lockyer

Goals: Smith 5

Papua New Guinea 0

Crowd:11,308

Parting with the past: is Papua New Guinea poised to begin a new chapter towards development?

2010-10-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

A very good paper to read for people who have time.

Economic surveys

Pacific Economic Bulletin

Pacific Economic Bulletin Volume 25 Number 1 © 2010 The Australian National University

Jonathan Gouy, Joe Kapa,

Alfred Mokae and Theodore Levantis

Jonathan Gouy is the Director of Gouy Consulting Pty Ltd.

Joe Kapa is First Assistant Secretary of the PNG Department of National Planning and Monitoring.

Alfred Mokae is Assistant Secretary of the PNG Department of National Planning and Monitoring.

Theodore Levantis is a consultant for PNG Department of National Planning and Monitoring.

Papua New Guinea has entered its sixth year of solid economic growth. Understanding the constraints to growth and reviewing the changes that have taken place in the past few years shed light on this unprecedented outcome. A giant liquefied natural gas project has been confirmed, giving Papua New Guineans tremendous optimism that they are on an accelerating growth trend, but serious challenges remain. One relates to management of resource rents. Existing mechanisms are unable to cope, resulting in considerable fiscal instability. Another challenge is the economy’s capacity constraint. Shortages in skilled labour and urban property are examined in detail. Other issues explored are aid effectiveness and the declining importance of foreign aid.

Papua New Guinea is poised for economic development. The year 2009 was the fifth straight year to record non-mining GDP growth in excess of population growth—unprecedented for Papua New Guinea—and there was promise of a huge injection of funds from the recently confirmed liquefied natural gas project. If all the cards are played right and the forthcoming revenue windfalls are invested wisely, there is no reason to suggest that Papua New Guinea cannot emulate countries such as Botswana and Malaysia and become a middle-income country. There are, however, many bridges to cross and much work to be done to set Papua New Guinea on the right path. As much as Papua New Guinea has the potential for sustained and rapid growth, it is also possible that it could fall off the rails. One thing that can be said with confidence is that whatever was done in the 30 years before 2005 has not worked and Papua New Guinea will need to pursue a new development path.

This article looks at the current situation and the outlook for Papua New Guinea. Managing future resource windfall revenues and converting them into development will be crucial, so a key focus is the fiscal situation, analysed in the next section. This section is followed by an analysis of the constraints to growth, which helps to provide an explanation for the recent strong economic performance. An update on mining and petroleum developments is followed by a critique of the management of

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windfall revenues. This section is followed by a critique of donor activities in the context of the severe skilled-labour constraints in Papua New Guinea. Finally, a review is undertaken of the constraints in the urban property market.

Fiscal instability

When economic historians look back at the past few years in Papua New Guinea, they might ponder the magnitude of the various economic and fiscal forces at play that, overall, have resulted in only a mild downturn during the global financial crisis. The deepest recession in the United States since World War II, which has impacted adversely on Europe and to a lesser extent Asia, would normally have been expected to curtail Papua New Guinea’s growth very sharply—primarily through the commodity channel in this mining, oil and agricultural export-dependent economy. Real GDP growth in Papua New Guinea slowed as a result of moderating export earnings, slowing growth in government revenues and private consumption to 4.2 per cent in 2009.1 In 2009, these impacts put the brakes on the hitherto booming labour market, where the rate of formal employment growth halved from its heady 8 per cent pace in 2007 and 2008. GDP growth remained above its long-term trend, however, as the government embarked on arguably the largest unplanned fiscal expansion in the country’s history.2

The Asian Development Bank (ADB 2010) estimated that the budget deficit during calendar year 2009 was about 10 per cent of GDP. The official estimates show only a small deficit of 0.4 per cent of GDP (GPNG 2009). This is, however, a measure of the deficit in government finances and excludes the substantial draw-downs and expenditures from the trust accounts set up between 2005 and 2008 to accommodate the windfall revenues from the boom in minerals prices. The draw-downs—particularly those in the second half of 2009—were enormous: in the June and September quarters, they were about K1.5 billion, or about 7 per cent of GDP (GPNG 2009).

The flip side is that the financial budget outcomes between 2006 and 2008 vastly underestimated the true size of the surpluses because funds transferred into trust accounts were counted as expenditures in the budget. These additional appropriations amounted to 7 per cent of GDP in 2006, 9 per cent of GDP in 2007 and 10 per cent in 2008. These huge discrepancies between real budget outcomes and the appropriated outcomes are a major test for budget credibility. Policymakers will need to present a more accurate picture of public finances going forward. A more substantive policy concern than mere budget presentation and transparency is the destabilising effect on service delivery and the broader economy of uncontrolled rises and falls in annual government spending. Such volatility is not conducive to the business of providing stable public services and undertaking continuing public infrastructure investment and maintenance programs.

Unarguably, fiscal discipline has waned in the past few years and the budget papers make this point in several places. The government has transgressed its own fiscal rules in several ways, in addition to the murky presentation of the trust account draw-downs. The rapid pace of draw-downs violated the Medium Term Fiscal Strategy 2008–12 (MTFS) rules set only a few years ago. The MTFS suggests that 70 per cent of additional mineral revenue3 be used to fund one-off investment projects and 30 per cent be used to repay public debt. However, ‘the government has decided to allocate all of the expected AMR [additional mineral revenue] to fund major investment projects’ (GPNG 2009:40).

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Could one play devil’s advocate and argue that the draw-downs were a beneficial fiscal stimulus, a bulwark against the impact of the global financial crisis, whether they were planned in that manner or not? In short, no! Assuming any fiscal stimulus has a multiplier greater than 1, the relevant fiscal policy questions remain. Is the expenditure targeted, timely and temporary? The answers are probably ‘no’, ‘no’ and ‘yes’. Did the outlays expand the productive base of the economy or did they leak into sectors and activities where the economy was already operating at full capacity? It is difficult to say in a quantitative manner, but again the budget papers (GPNG 2009:10) provide some answers, noting that ‘inflation remains at uncomfortably high levels, driven by strong domestic demand and very high government spending from trust funds’. This statement suggests that at least some of the trust fund spending could have been inflationary, compromising real longer-term economic benefits. With detailed analysis of the spending from the trust accounts, it might be possible to counter this assumption, but the budget papers provide such limited detail about trust account spending that such an exercise is not possible. Hopefully, in time, closer analysis of this spending will reveal the proportion spent on infrastructure and capacity building.

The first step in navigating a way forward is to comprehend how this situation emerged. The core of the problem is the huge and unpredictable fluctuations in government revenue. This volatility is a result of volatility in minerals revenues, which is in turn due primarily to volatility in commodity prices. With revenues so difficult to predict, the PNG Treasury has invariably been very conservative in its revenue forecasts via ultra-conservative commodity price forecasts. The commodity price boom of 2005–08 was unforseen by most economists and the end result for Papua New Guinea was revenue far in excess of what had been predicted in the budgets (Figure 1). The additional revenue over that forecast in the budget amounted to an extraordinary K1.7 billion in 2006 and

Figure 1 Budget revenue forecasts and outcomes, 2004–08 (K million)

-1,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,00020042005200620072008Actual government revenueForecast revenue in Budget

Source: PNG Department of Treasury Budget Papers, various issues 2004–10

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K1.8 billion in 2007—amounting to 10.1 per cent and 9.7 per cent of GDP, respectively.

If the commodity price levels of early 2010 continue, there will likely be another massive, unplanned revenue windfall in 2010. In March 2010, the prices of the key revenue-driving commodities were about US$7,500 a tonne for copper, US$1,100 an ounce for gold and US$80 a barrel for oil. Compare these numbers with the 2010 budget forecasts of US$5,200, US$860 and US$67, respectively.

Existing fiscal arrangements did not provide for a way to deal with these unplanned windfalls, so supplementary budgets were rushed through and the trust accounts were born. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the fruits of the earlier Somare government years, when a concerted effort was made to shut down trust accounts, have been almost entirely undone with these parallel mechanisms now normalised in a budgeting sense. It is not that trust accounts were set up in bad faith; they were set up as a pragmatic approach to deal with the fundamental problem of wild fluctuations in revenues. This situation is set to become much worse when the liquefied natural gas project (discussed later) comes onstream about 2015.

Finding a solution is challenging, but clearly there needs to be some kind of bridging mechanism between minerals revenues and the budget to convert the unstable revenues into a more predictable revenue stream. Whatever is created will need to work in unison with any sovereign wealth fund created for saving revenues from the liquefied natural gas project. The issue of a sovereign wealth fund is explored later (Box 1).

Exchange rate management in the context of mining booms and unpredictable revenue streams will remain challenging, especially if revenues are robust and spent in tight domestic markets, creating upward pressure on inflation. The casual observer might wonder about the extent to which the property markets in Port Moresby, and to a lesser extent, other urban areas have been unsustainably buoyed by the large fiscal stimulus. Property price trends in Port Moresby—for which other long-term supply-side forces have probably been more important—are analysed later.

Can Papua New Guinea grasp the elusive growth?

Papua New Guinea’s poor economic growth performance since independence is well documented. The per capita average growth rate has been negligible, with economic growth of about 3 per cent a year barely matching population growth. What is worse is that the growth that has occurred has been channelled to small enclaves in the population, raising their living standards while the living standards of the broader population have languished, particularly in rural areas. Papua New Guinea ranked just 148 out of 185 countries in the United Nation’s Human Development Index for 2007 (UN 2009), while GDP per capita remained at levels of sub-Saharan African and other low-income countries more broadly.

There is, however, something contradictory here. Papua New Guinea recorded strong growth since 2005 (Figure 2): real GDP growth averaged 4.7 per cent between 2005 and 2009 and reached 4.2 per cent in 2009 despite the global recession. Official forecasts for 2010 suggest a surge in growth to 8.5 per cent, supported by investments in the recently confirmed liquefied natural gas project. One could explain the growth anomaly of recent years by pointing to the surge in prices for Papua New Guinea’s mineral commodities since 2005. This explanation is, however,

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inadequate. First, growth has been broad based, with growth in non-mining GDP averaging 5.6 per cent between 2005 and 2009—well above aggregate GDP growth (Figure 2). Second, there is no direct link between high minerals prices and the broader economy. Virtually the only benefit of high minerals prices that accrues to Papua New Guinea is through the increased taxes and dividends to the government. It is difficult to believe that the unprecedented, broad-based non-mining growth of 2005–09 could be explained by fiscal expansion.

There have been all manner of explanations offered for why Papua New Guinea has, in the past, been unable to find the elusive growth. Papua New Guinea has not been shy in implementing policy changes recommended by economists. For example, a popular theory in the first part of the 1990s was that an overvalued exchange rate was holding Papua New Guinea back (for example, AIDAB 1992). After considerable pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, the exchange rate was floated in 1995; but the opposite of what was supposed to happen took place. A large depreciation was followed by a period in which four of the next seven years recorded negative economic growth. Other theories related to tax and tariff policy. For example, Harden, Fallon, Cunningham and Duncan (1999) said that ‘the introduction of the VAT [value-added tax] and the tariff reform program…may well prove to be one of the most important economic policy initiatives since independence’. Tariffs were reduced in the 1990s and the goods and services tax (GST) was introduced, but the growth impact could hardly be described as significant. Labour market deregulation in the early 1990s was another perceived

Figure 2 Real growth in aggregate and non-mining GDP, 2002–10 (per cent)

-101234567891980s1990s2001200220032004200520062007200820092010Real growth (%)non-mining GDPgrowthGDP growth

Sources: Compiled by averaging across a range of data sources, including: PNG Department of Treasury Budget Papers (www.treasury.gov.pg); PNG National Statistics Office (www.nso.gov.pg); Bank of Papua New Guinea (www.bpng.gov.pg); International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook database (www.imf.org/external/data.htm); Asian Development Bank key indicators (www.adb.org/Economics); and UNDATA (data.un.org/Default.aspx).

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Table 1 Progress on binding constraints, 1975–2010

Issue

Progress, 1975–2004

Progress, 2005–10

Law and order

From Papua New Guinea being a relatively peaceful society in the mid 1970s, the law and order situation descended to tragically low levels, while police and legal resources to address the problem remained unchanged in real terms (Levantis 2000b)

Nil

Crime rates have stabilised, consistent with a growing economy and growing employment, but police and legal resources remain unchanged in real terms

Corruption

The problem deteriorated and became acute by the late 1990s. Papua New Guinea ranks among the worst 10 per cent of countries in the corruption category of the World Bank’s Governance Indicators for 2009 (http://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi/index.asp)

Nil

Improvements in systems and public financial management might have stabilised the problem

Skilled labour constraints

Primary and secondary education did not improve and the higher education system deteriorated markedly. Skilled labour shortages have put immense pressure on business costs

Nil

The deterioration in higher education looks to have abated, although funding in 2010 remains at just US$32 million. There are still no signs of improvement in primary or secondary education

Infrastructure

Nil

From independence until the mid 2000s there was little development of transport, electricity and telecommunications infrastructure, with much infrastructure deteriorating

National roads classified as being in good condition have risen from 900 km in 2004 to an estimated 3,000 km in 2010 (GPNG, 2010), and the telecommunications industry has been revolutionised with more than one million new mobile phone subscribers since 2007

Land

Nil

The land-tenure system—in particular, the linking of customary land to the formal market—was dysfunctional at independence and remained unchanged and dysfunctional in 2005 (National Land Development Taskforce 2008)

The establishment of a Land Development Program has seen important progress, with key legislative changes introduced in 2009. The program is continuing and the impacts are likely to take some years to be felt

Political stability

Political instability had become the norm in Papua New Guinea, with regular no-confidence motions and changes of government

Reforms introduced in the early 2000s have resulted in an unprecedented period of relative political stability with the same government in power since 2002

Exchange and interest rate stability

Until 1995, Papua New Guinea had a stable exchange rate and associated stability in interest rates and inflation. This changed after the floating of the kina in 1995, until 2002, when the Bank of Papua New Guinea began managing the currency again. High and volatile interest rates and inflation were the consequences

The exchange rate was managed within a 5 per cent band on the trade-weighted index (TWI) between 2003 and 2007. Since then, a shift towards stability against the US currency has resulted in greater fluctuations against the TWI

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panacea for growth that failed to live up to expectations (Levantis 2000a).

Fortunately, growth theory has moved on. Economists have come to terms with the futility of trying to explain growth in highly complex economic systems using single-variable economic theories and concepts. Instead, growth is considered in the context of the ‘binding constraints’ that exist in an economic system (for example, Commission on Growth and Development 2008; Hausmann, Rodrik and Velasco 2006; World Bank 2005). Taking such an approach leads to intuitive explanations of what has been holding back growth in Papua New Guinea.

Two surveys were carried out in the late 1990s and early 2000s exploring the impediments to business and investment in Papua New Guinea (Duncan and Lawson 1997; Levantis and Manning 2002). It is the private sector that drives growth, so such surveys should reveal insights into the binding constraints to growth. Their findings were consistent in that, at least until the early 2000s, growth was held back by law and order problems, corruption, skilled labour constraints, a lack of public infrastructure, land availability, political instability and exchange rate and interest rate instability.

We outlined the progress associated with each of these issues between 1975 and 2004 (Table 1) and in all cases there was either no improvement or some deterioration. This finding reconciles well with the poor growth performance for the period. In comparison, significant improvements have occurred since 2005 against four of the seven impediments (Table 1). Herein lies the explanation for the mystery of growth in the past five years.

It is notable that some of the key issues outlined in Table 1 correspond largely with what Stiglitz (2007) considers are the factors behind the rapid growth experienced in East Asia in the past four decades: rapid infrastructure development, political stability, price and exchange rate stability, and human resource development.

Stiglitz (2007) also attributes the successful growth performance of East Asia to ambitious and proactive planning. The PNG government’s Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan 2010–2030 (GPNG 2010) envisages average growth of more than 8 per cent a year for the 2010–30 period of the strategy. If this is to be achieved, rapid progress will be needed in converting income from the exploitation of Papua New Guinea’s rich gas and mining resources into investments to break down the first five constraints of Table 1. The good news is that the Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan 2010–2030 is aimed at achieving exactly this. Certainly, there are often gaps between plans and implementation, but the progress already shown in Table 1 provides cause for optimism. Papua New Guinea will need to avoid regressing on the two remaining issues in Table 1—for example, the implementation of the Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan 2010–2030 will no doubt depend on political stability.

A surge in mining and petroleum

In the early 2000s, there was much pessimism about the mining and petroleum sector and concern that a decline in the sector could lead Papua New Guinea into a protracted recession (for example, DFAT 2004). In the early 1990s, the oil fields of the Southern Highlands came into production, providing a tremendous boost to government revenues. The life of these fields was, however, limited, with production and revenues already at one-half their initial levels when the new millennium began. There was much promise that oil revenues would be replaced with that from

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a gas project in which a pipeline would be built to Queensland, but the project never eventuated. Of even greater concern at the time was the expectation that the giant Ok Tedi copper and goldmine was to close at the end of the first decade of the 2000s.

One decade on and the mood has shifted from pessimism to a gold-fever level of excitement. Securing the Exxon-Mobil led liquefied natural gas project has been pivotal to the emergence of this newly found optimism. To add to the fever, another large gas project led by Interoil is at an advanced stage of planning and stands a good chance of proceeding. For mining, the talk is now of a forthcoming boom.

The liquefied natural gas project

In December 2009, the much talked about Exxon-Mobil led liquefied natural gas project received its final go-ahead and was scheduled to begin production in 2014. The exploitation of Papua New Guinea’s vast gas reserves has been more than a decade in the making. The PNG government holds a direct stake of about 19 per cent, of which 2 per cent is held on behalf of provincial governments and landowners. An additional indirect stake is held through the government’s shareholding in the consortium partner, Oil Search.

At this stage, the project consortium closely guards projections of production and government revenues. Based on an early report, however, the annual value of output would, from the outset, exceed US$3 billion (K8.1 billion) a year and the government should expect annual tax and dividend revenue in excess of US$1 billion (K2.7 billion), rising to about US$1.5 billion (K4 billion) by the mid 2020s when the capital costs are amortised (Acil Tasman 2008). If oil prices continue above the assumed US$65/barrel, revenues will be much more than this. Significant revenues will also flow to provincial governments and to landholder groups.

There are three good reasons for excitement about this project. First, the project life is at least 30 years and it is expected the revenue flows will be sustained for this period. Second, in order to attract finance, the production and revenue projections are, by necessity, conservative. There is a large potential upside to production based on discovered reserves, and the pipeline infrastructure is being designed to allow new fields to be tapped. There is also potential for the emergence of a significant downstream processing sector.

The third and perhaps most significant reason is that the PNG government appears to have secured a good fiscal arrangement for the project. This is no mean feat. Government negotiators in developing countries are almost always outgunned at the negotiating table against the might and expertise of the mining and oil companies. As Stiglitz (2007:141) points out: ‘It is the strategy of oil, gas and mining companies to make sure the government gets as little as possible—while, at the same time, helping the government find arguments for why it is necessary for the government to receive so little.’ The PNG government has resisted pressure to provide concessions and has stuck to its guns in negotiations. Key to the strength of the PNG government’s negotiations was the ‘whole of government’ approach, with all key ministries engaged in the process. The outcome is that revenues amounting to about one-third of the value of production will flow to the government from the outset in about 2015. Moreover, the PNG government successfully negotiated the application of a new ‘additional profits tax’ for the project. This means that in times of high oil prices (to which gas prices are pegged) ‘super profits’ beyond a normal rate of return will be subject to additional taxation, thereby ensuring that such resource windfall rents are shared with Papua New Guinea.

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Curiously, and to reinforce the point made by Stiglitz, a similar tax previously applied to all mining companies in Papua New Guinea but was abolished in the early 2000s—just before the commodity price boom. Understanding what this has cost Papua New Guinea is difficult to determine. In view of the ‘super profits’ that have been earned during the commodity price boom, it is likely, however, that the mining companies have saved billions of kina as a result.

Things are not necessarily all rosy for the liquefied natural gas project as there are key areas of risk. First, there are the issues surrounding landowners. Establishing the rightful beneficiary landowner groups is a daunting challenge and inevitably there will be claims from groups outside the project area. Even when landowning groups are properly identified, there is the concern of converting income flows into investments for the social and economic benefit of the local communities. The recent experience of the Southern Highlands is telling. Despite the substantial income flows into the region as a result of exploiting its mineral wealth, the social and economic indicators show that the people there remain among the poorest in the country. In an attempt to deal with this issue, the government’s deal with landowners incorporates initiatives for investing in social and economic development.

The second key risk relates to how well the substantial revenues accruing to the government can be converted into investments for Papua New Guinea’s development. The endemic failure of developing countries to convert mineral wealth into development has given rise to the ‘resource curse’ literature. The resource curse is, however, avoidable. Botswana and Malaysia are examples of countries that have converted natural resource wealth into rapid and sustained development. The next section explores further the management of revenues.

A third risk is that delays in project implementation will push back the timeframe for profitability and the receipt of tax and dividend revenues. The ADB (2010) cautions that large liquefied natural gas investments in other countries have tended to slip. Consequently, the ADB expects real GDP growth in 2010 to be lower than government forecasts: 5.5 per cent, before rising to 7.7 per cent in 2011.

Crude oil

Since the first flow of oil at Kutubu in the Southern Highlands in the early 1990s, production has been in steady decline (Figure 3). This decline has abated to some degree with production from new, smaller fields. No doubt, high oil prices have helped sustain production in recent years by providing impetus to investment. Exploration activity remains strong, with 50 licences and 35 licence applications for petroleum prospecting and nine petroleum development licences at the end of 2009. Unless there are significant new developments, however, the outlook is for a continued decline in production of crude oil as a result of the depletion of reserves in the existing oil fields.

Mining

The global financial crisis has had an impact on the domestic mining industry, particularly the junior exploration sector, with many companies laying off staff and curtailing programs. Several industry players were lost or merged with others. There are, however, already signs of recovery as several smaller players have been successful in raising new equity and several more have completed deals that will result in significant additional exploration expenditure in 2010. Drilling programs

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have continued or restarted at most of the advanced exploration sites around the country, including Yandera, Frieda, Wafi-Golpu, Woodlark, Kainantu and Tabar, although programs at several of these locations are at a reduced level.

The commissioning of two mines is set to provide a boost to mining activity in Papua New Guinea. In mid 2009, the Hidden Valley goldmine in Morobe Province began production, with expected annual extraction rates of 250,000 ounces of gold and 4 million ounces of silver. The output could increase in future years with the equity holders undertaking significant exploration activity in the vicinity of the mine. By mid 2010, the giant Ramu nickel mine near Madang will begin production. Significantly, the mine life is expected to be upwards of 30 years. Annual production is expected to exceed 30,000 tonnes of nickel and 3,000 tonnes of cobalt, resulting in annual revenues of more than US$600 million (K1.6 billion).

The Ok Tedi mine generates substantial income for the PNG economy and is more than 80 per cent PNG owned through the majority shareholding of PNG Sustainable Limited and the PNG government’s 30 per cent stake. The mandate of PNG Sustainable Limited is to invest earnings from the mine in sustainable development, particularly in Western Province where the mine is located. The impending closure of the mine, in 2013, will have a significant impact. There has, however, been significant capital expenditure at the Ok Tedi mine (a tailings scheme, drainage tunnel and a second clean-up dredge), and a decision is expected shortly on whether to invest in an extension of the mine’s life to 2020 through a hybrid open pit/underground operation. Much will depend on the financial and environmental feasibility. If it proceeds, production for the period will be about half the current levels.

There are other good prospects for future growth in mining activity. At the Lihir goldmine a plant upgrade has begun, which will raise output to 1 million ounces a year from 2012. At prevailing gold prices, this will generate more than US$1 billion (K2.7 billion) in export revenue. A smaller goldmine at Woodlark Island in Milne Bay Province is expected to begin production in 2013. The Freida River copper and gold project in northwestern Papua New Guinea is anticipated to reach production in 2016, with a 20-year mine life. If this happens it

Figure 3 Crude oil production, 1993–2009, and projections to 2014 (millions of barrels)

01020304050199219941996199820002002200420062008201020122014Million barrels

Source: Unpublished data from the PNG Department of Petroleum and Energy, Port Moresby.

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will be a significant milestone for Papua New Guinea as the project involves one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold resources and is likely to be of a scale similar to the Ok Tedi mine. Copper reserves are estimated to be 7.5 million tonnes and gold reserves are estimated at 14 million ounces.

A current highlight of the PNG mining industry is its success in becoming a leading global player in the development of deep-sea mining. By 2012, a major deep-sea mine known as the Solwara 1 project is expected to begin production. Mining will take place 1,600 metres below the surface in the Bismarck Sea west of central New Ireland.

Another resource boom, another opportunity

For the foreseeable future, Papua New Guinea will be an extractives-dependent economy. The challenge for a government dependent on natural resources is to resist short-term temptations, progress reforms that benefit all and avoid the seemingly inevitable negative consequences on macroeconomic stability and governance of extractives projects. In this context, so-called sovereign wealth funds have become a fashionable suggestion for a mechanism to mitigate adverse impacts and possibly save revenues for future generations.

The budget papers survey the range of options for Papua New Guinea. Much of the debate has been focused on the mechanism rather than the policy intent of such a move. Arguably, given Papua New Guinea’s chequered history of managing mining and oil booms,4 the mechanism is a lesser concern than the fundamental policy questions about what such a fund would be trying to achieve. We try to return this debate to basics by asking a series of policy questions about the intent of a sovereign wealth fund for Papua New Guinea (Box 1). The answers to these questions should drive the debate and choice of mechanisms, not the other way around.

Foreign aid and the skills gap

The changing foreign aid landscape

Foreign aid is becoming increasingly less important in Papua New Guinea. During the 1980s, Papua New Guinea was heavily dependent on foreign aid, with grants averaging about 12 per cent of GDP (Figure 4). Foreign aid fell sharply in the 1990s, to less than 8 per cent of GDP by the close of the decade. By the end of the first decade of the 2000s, foreign aid as a share of GDP had fallen further to just 4 per cent of GDP. If one were to extrapolate this trend, foreign aid would disappear by 2020.

Since Papua New Guinea’s independence in 1975, Australia has been the dominant donor. In the first decade after Papua New Guinea’s independence, Australian aid made up 96 per cent of all aid, which grew steadily from A$233 million in 1975 to A$313 million in 1985. After 1985, Australian aid stabilised about A$320 million, until the latter part of the first decade of the 2000s. The ensuing sharp decline in Australian aid in real terms is the key reason for the decline in the importance of foreign aid shown in Figure 4.

Until 1990, 90 per cent of Australian aid was used in direct budget support, while the remainder was for activities outside the Government of Papua New Guinea’s budget circle. Concerns about accountability and effectiveness, however, led thereafter to the radical shift in the management of foreign aid to programmatic or tied aid. During the 1990s, program aid was phased in, and budgetary support was wound down completely by 2000. Papua New

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Box 1 Managing Papua New Guinea’s future liquefied natural gas and other windfalls: some initial key questions, rather than answers, for policymakers, civil society and donors

The economy-wide impacts of one-off windfalls, which have been experienced by many countries, have been analysed for a long period. The earliest analysis of the macroeconomic impacts of large resource projects identifies that, for governments, there are dilemmas in choosing the optimal use and distribution of these windfalls, especially how and to whom they should be allocated and what share should be preserved for future generations. The potential for loss of competitiveness that might be experienced by the private, non-resource export sector has always been a central concern. In most countries, the largest non-resource export sector is typically agriculture, with the added worry that this sector is generally the one on which the poor are highly dependent. The problems include a higher real exchange rate, making the non-resource sector’s exports more costly and raising the economic costs of its domestically sourced inputs. This is because the sector has to compete for labour and capital with the booming resource sector. In a much smaller number of cases concentrated in the Caribbean and Africa, plantation and industrial agriculture have been the booming sectors imposing costs on other sectors.

A second key group of potential impacts is those affecting governments and governance. Research has suggested that windfall resources make the job of earning revenues relatively ‘easy’ for governments, so that they do not face pressures to provide the services their taxpayers desire, or the incentive to focus on productive projects or undertake beneficial reforms. It has also been argued that large revenues from resource projects contribute to poorer governance. The consensus from the literature is that countries rich in natural resources experience slower per capita real income growth than those without. This potentially poisonous mix of macroeconomic, political–economic and governance impacts has often been described as ‘Dutch disease’ or the ‘resource curse’ (Sachs and Warner 1995).

Papua New Guinea, by virtue of its economic and social history since independence, is arguably a textbook case for all of these problems. Consequently, before precise mechanisms for managing resource flows are put forward, perhaps the most important question for policymakers to ask themselves is what their objectives are.

How would they transfer surpluses from mining and oil into other sectors, remembering that much of • Asia developed on the back of agricultural surpluses being saved and diverted into public infrastructure and social expenditures that rapidly expanded human and social capital (especially getting large numbers of children through primary and secondary school)? These educated children were in a position to take advantage of the opportunities that emerged in the export-oriented, labour-intensive manufacturing industries.

For any savings vehicle, is the primary purpose macroeconomic management (of inflation and exchange • rates) or averting poor governance? If it is about macroeconomic management, any mechanism should be invested primarily in offshore assets.

In practice, the governance of the MRSF was weak and more recently the PNG government transgressed • its own transparent fiscal rules. When it is time for the funds to be spent, what hope is there for other such mechanisms?

If governance has proved weak, why not bypass the government entirely and provide cash handouts of • surplus revenue in boom periods directly to households, just as shareholders receive cash from corporations that cannot sensibly invest profits? The good Alaskan experience with the distribution of dividends from its oil fund is perhaps the most prominent version of this approach.

How much should be saved and how much spent now? What is the implicit discount rate applying for • present and future generations? If Papua New Guinea is going to be mineral and oil rich for several generations to come, why is there any need to save for future generations? Should Papua New Guinea spend the resource earnings now to help raise people out of poverty?

What of sub-national governments? They are substantial and have the greatest direct role in providing • core public services to the poor, especially roads, schools and health services. If surpluses are to be spent in genuinely expanding human and physical capital across the country, should the focus be on helping the sub-national governments to save their windfalls properly so that they can invest prudently in their populations?

Following the experience so far with trust accounts, how can governments be encouraged to spend draw-• downs prudently or not draw down resources at all?

How can governments be prevented from spending too much of the windfall before it arrives, which • might be a problem for the liquefied natural gas project?

How can any draw-down arrangement be made consistent with fiscal rules.•

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Guinea’s other key bilateral donors—Japan, the European Union, China, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States—also provide program or project aid, while China, on occasions, provides direct budgetary support. The World Bank group and the ADB continue to provide concessionary loans for public investment.

The focus away from direct budget support to donor-led projects and programs has raised some interesting questions about aid effectiveness. The first point to consider is that the onus of accountability has shifted from the PNG government to donors. Against this, the transparency of Australia’s aid program is poor at best—as confirmed by a recent report by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO). The report states that ‘AusAID’s approach to classifying costs is not in line with conventional practice and reduces the transparency of aid program expenditure, and the agency’s accountability for costs that it controls’ (Australian National Audit Office, 2009, AusAID’s Management of the Expanding Australian Aid Program, available at http://www.anao.gov.au). For example, it is not possible to assess accurately the amounts being allocated to the direct provision of infrastructure and services, to technical assistance to fill the skills gap or to the commissioning of consultants for internal administrative purposes in the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). The ANAO report alludes to the existence of the last category, but there is no way of knowing to what extent such administrative costs are reclassified as technical assistance.

The skills gap

What is clear is that technical assistance makes up the bulk of foreign aid to Papua New Guinea, particularly from Papua New Guinea’s largest donor, Australia. That technical assistance is required at all is symptomatic of a skills gap in Papua New Guinea. The local workforce does not have sufficient tertiary and postgraduate educated people to meet the needs of

Figure 4 Declining importance of foreign aid, 1980–2009 (percentage of GDP)

0.000.020.040.060.080.100.120.1419801984198819921996200020042008

Sources: Derived from data obtained from the PNG Department of Treasury Budget Papers, various years, and UNDATA (data.un.org/Default.aspx).

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the PNG government. The upshot is that Papua New Guinea has become dependent on foreign donors to fill the skills gap—as happens in most of the world’s low-income countries.

The strategy of donors for dealing with the skills gap comes back to the issue of aid effectiveness. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to understand that the root cause of the problem is a lack of capacity in the higher education system, as well as in the higher secondary education system that feeds into it. Papua New Guinea’s higher education and post-year eight secondary education institutions are, however, somehow excluded from donor assistance. Donors are therefore addressing the symptoms without looking at the cause. The exception is the scholarship support provided to a select number of Papua New Guineans to gain postgraduate education abroad. The numbers are, however, insufficient to make significant inroads into the skills gap; and the deficiencies of the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors undermine the ability of the scholarship holders to take full advantage of the opportunities for overseas education.

In 2009, Papua New Guinea received about US$340 million in aid.5 Although lack of transparency means there is no way of knowing for certain, it is possible that the amounts spent on technical assistance have exceeded US$200 million (2.5 per cent of GDP). The official figure from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) database suggests US$168 million, but there are all kinds of classification issues. Regardless, contrast these numbers with the PNG government’s annual budget for higher education of about US$32 million.

The diversion of foreign aid to the direct filling of the skills gap and away from other areas in need of finance is not the only consequence of an inadequate higher education system. The limited availability of skilled labour presents a major constraint to business and investment (Table 1). When the engineers, accountants, lawyers and information technology specialists are not available in the local labour market, businesses are forced to recruit from abroad. The cost of skilled labour has become exorbitant—especially in the context of the high cost of real estate discussed in the next section—compromising the competitiveness of local businesses. Moreover, the hire of foreign labour represents a significant leakage abroad of domestic value added. Based on data from a 2009 employment survey,6 about K780 million was being paid to foreign labour—equivalent to 3.6 per cent of GDP (GPNG, 2010). It is reasonable to expect that most of this is transferred abroad—particularly when one considers that foreign workers paid by donors are generally exempt from income tax.

Making foreign aid work for Papua New Guinea

The objective of foreign aid under various UN charters is to build the economic capacity of recipients to take care of themselves and to participate in global development. A wide literature has emerged debating the practices and effectiveness of donors in meeting this objective. The general recommendations from the literature call for improvements in the institutional mechanisms such as governance, political regimes, domestic policies and macroeconomic stability so that aid can be channelled effectively to promote economic growth. In the international arena, major inroads have been made to reinforce aid effectiveness.

Since independence, Papua New Guinea has received about US$11 billion in grant aid and perhaps another US$15 billion in concessionary loans (data.un.org/Default.aspx; Department of National Planning and Monitoring n.d.). The data

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are, however, very sketchy and the lack of donor expenditure records points to one of the flaws in aid practice in Papua New Guinea, where donors have had their own program implementation units running in parallel with PNG government systems. Donor funding is reflected in Papua New Guinea’s annual budgets, although Papua New Guinea does not have any control over the real expenditure. Whatever good such resources might have delivered is clouded by Papua New Guinea’s poor social development indicators. Some authors have already given their verdict that aid has failed the countries of the Pacific, including Papua New Guinea (for example, Hughes 2003). The reasons behind the lack of impact could include lack of policy oversight, a disjointed development policy environment, donor-driven verses policy-driven programs and parallel systems. The situation has worried politicians and bureaucrats in Papua New Guinea, prompting a rethink in the way aid is delivered.

Papua New Guinea has now embraced the recent international framework for aid effectiveness—as outlined in the Paris Declaration and Accra Agenda for Action (AAA)—as the way forward for how donors operate in the country. Poor transparency and accountability at AusAID was no doubt a key trigger for Papua New Guinea being the world’s first developing-country signatory to the International Aid Transparency Initiative launched in 2008. Conforming to the new international agenda means that donors will be obliged to direct aid flows behind the Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan 2010–2030. Importantly, the plan will include a requirement for a significant reduction in technical assistance. For all of this to work, however, Papua New Guinea will need to build its institutional capacity to take control of the aid agenda in the country.

Why is property so expensive in Port Moresby?

One of the unexpected surprises that new residents and investors to Port Moresby find is the extraordinary price of unimproved and improved property in all categories. While consistent and comparable public data are not readily available, an array of anecdotal evidence (for example, ‘Port Moresby housing price boom leaves locals homeless’, Radio Australia, July 2009. Available from http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/200907/s2615666.htm [accessed February 2010]) suggests that prices are at a high level and that they have been increasing rapidly in recent years.

A central concern is the fact that housing in Port Moresby is increasingly unaffordable for most Papua New Guineans. Even those with formal sector employment are being forced to live in settlements. There are other adverse impacts on the economy and society, especially the upward pressure it puts on the prices of domestically produced goods and services. It is also a significant disincentive to invest and live in Port Moresby, which must impose constraints on investment, economic growth and development for the whole country.

A property affordability crisis

These issues have recently been given prominence at the policy level by the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission’s real estate industry review (ICCC 2010a), which puts forward proposals for expanding housing supply and improving housing affordability for ordinary Papua New Guineans. The ICCC considers that the PNG housing sector is ‘in crisis’ and needs urgent attention from the national government, by implementing its proposed reform package (ICCC 2010b). The thrust of these proposed reforms is

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geared around increasing the availability of land for housing and adopting measures to attract greater private sector investment in the construction of housing.

The crisis raises the obvious question of why land and properties are so expensive to rent and purchase. There have always been demand-side pressures from aid inflows, relatively rapid population growth, sporadic mining and oil booms and, more recently, the liquefied natural gas project, which will drive prices even higher in the next few years. These factors could partially explain the high price levels. On the supply side, however, it is not clear that there is an absolute land shortage in Port Moresby, given the abundance of undeveloped alienated blocks that can be seen throughout the city. If the customary land in the city was also alienated and marketable, this would of course help ease supply pressures; but this is a more challenging and complicated task to achieve in practice, as a range of analyses has long highlighted (for example, Lea 2001). The reforms to land laws catalysed by the National Land Development Taskforce could help expand urban land supply in Port Moresby and elsewhere, but this will not happen quickly and any impact on the housing stock will take some time to show. The outcomes of trials under way in several urban and peri-urban areas of the country using these new arrangements will be of great interest.

As there are no official data compiled on property prices, this survey presents some basic purchase and rental price levels quoted by Port Moresby real estate agents during February 2010. Explanations for the high prices on the supply side are considered, including land alienation issues and regulatory structures for land release and building construction, as well as the demand pressures. There is some consideration of whether the current price levels are sustainable, and some short-term and longer-term policy suggestions for easing the property affordability crisis are put forward.

Ideally, this survey should also consider price pressures in the other major urban areas. The ICCC (2010a) report suggests that the imbalance between demand and supply is largest in Port Moresby and, to a lesser extent, Lae. Given the problems with law and order in the peri-urban areas of Lae—driven partially by housing costs and insecure land tenure for the settlements—the inclusion of Lae in the analysis would be a worthwhile exercise; however, it is beyond the scope of this short survey.

Construction activity

There is a paucity of data on PNG construction-sector activity. The National Statistical Office’s Building Statistics (2000) suggested that annual dwelling completions averaged about 95 per annum during 1997–2000. Reliable GDP data on an expenditure basis are not available, so annual additions to the housing, commercial and industrial property stock cannot be readily assessed. The limited data do point, however, to something of a building boom in recent years. GDP estimates by industry show the construction sector accounting for 14 per cent of the economy in 2009. Construction was the largest industry contributor to growth during calendar years 2008 and 2009 (GPNG 2009). The government considered that the construction sector was operating close to full capacity during 2007, 2008 and 2009 (GPNG 2009).

Bank of Papua New Guinea employment data also support the view that the construction sector has been booming, with construction industry formal employment growing by about 80 per cent in the five years to the December quarter of 2009. For the same period, total formal employment grew by 33 per cent (Bank of Papua New Guinea 2010). The data do not separate out

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employment for the purpose of housing as opposed to that for industrial and commercial projects. Unfortunately, Bank of Papua New Guinea lending data are not available specifically for housing finance.

Property prices

There are no official data available to shed light on the realised sales prices, returns and trends in property markets. Ideally, there would be a price index compiled consistently over time that makes some adjustment for compositional differences of different property types. This would be compiled from sales data. The unique features of the property market mean that any index faces compositional problems. Every individual property is unique and property markets are thin at some points in the economic cycle but very fluid at others. Even point-in-time valuations are somewhat theoretical, since the entire housing stock could not be feasibly purchased and sold at any given price at one point in time by domestic purchasers only. Generally speaking, supply and underlying demand fundamentals should explain prices, but household confidence levels and the ‘animal spirits’ of investors are often better short-run explanations of price trends. These forces can wax and wane quite rapidly and unpredictably, as the recent experience in the US housing sector has shown.

To at least partially fill the information gap, this survey presents property prices quoted by a range of real estate companies in Port Moresby during February 2010. These data are not pretending to be complete or perfectly representative, but are intended to give some insight into the property affordability crisis presently afflicting many ordinary Papua New Guinean households and businesses. Data were collected for residential, industrial and commercial properties in the formal sector. Data were not collected for the settlements. On the advice of agents on broad price levels applying in different parts of the city, Port Moresby was split up into three zones

zone A: town (CBD) area, Paga Point, • Kone Dobu, Ela Beach, Two Mile Hill

zone B: Poroperena Villages, Hanuabada, • Koki, Badili, Gabatu, Sabam, Korobosea, Boroko, Gordons, Savannah Heights, Six Mile, Hohola and Waigani

zone C: Tokarara, Ensisi Valley, Morata, • Gerehu, Kila Kila, Rainbow Valley Estate, Seven Mile, Eight Mile and Nine Mile.

Data were collected for purchase and rental prices for housing. Rental prices for commercial and industrial properties were collected. This information was sourced from five real estate agents: LJ Hooker, Strickland, BoiBoi, Century 21 and Ray White. For housing, the data are based on a sample of 339 listed properties. The data presented represent the average of the range of prices quoted for each property type (Table 2).

The data collected showed that quoted housing property prices in Port Moresby were at extraordinarily high levels

two-bedroom dwellings in zones A, B • and C were selling for an average of K470,000

three-bedroom dwellings in zones A, • B and C were selling for an average of K872,000

in zone A, two and three-bedroom • dwellings were listed for an average of K1.9 million

for zone B, 210 one to three-bedroom • dwellings were listed for an overall average of K644,000

for zone C, the 71 dwellings of one to • four bedrooms in size were listed for an average of K348,000

the cheapest listed dwelling of • any form that could be found in zone C was a

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one-bedroom unit in Tokarara listed for K110,000.

As far as residential rentals are concerned, the picture is not much better.

In all zones, on average, one to three-• bedroom rentals were listed for an annual rental equivalent of K82,000.

In zone A, four-bedroom apartments • were listed for an average of K425,000 per annum rent and three-bedroom dwellings for an average of K178,000 per annum rent.

For zones B and C, one to three-bedroom • dwellings were listed for an annual average of K71,000.

In zone C, one to three-bedroom • dwellings were fetching K30,000 in annual rent.

The cheapest rental dwelling of any form • was a one-bedroom unit in Rainbow Valley, for K13,000 per annum.

Residential businesses are also not being spared the pain. For commercial and industrial property

in zone A, businesses signing leases now • are being charged K1,050 per square metre per annum

in zone B, businesses are signing leases • for K729 per square metre per annum

for the handful of properties in zone C • for which data are available, office space is leasing for K567 per square metre per annum.

While no data were collected in settlements on the rental prices applying there, anecdotal evidence from the real estate agents was that basic dwellings in

Table 2 Port Moresby prices for residential, industrial and commercial properties, February 2010

All zones

Zone A

Zone B

Zone C

Kina

Residential purchase

Average

820,000

2.1 million

716,600

418,000

Most expensive

3.8 million

3.7 million

3.8 million

2.2 million

Least expensive

110,000

875,000

157,000

110,000

Residential lease (K per annum)

Average

112,000

204,000

114,600

34,900

Most expensive

521,400

521,400

312,000

83,400

Least expensive

10,400

41,600

33,800

10,400

Commercial/industrial lease

(K per sq m per annum)

Average

789

1,050

729

567

Most expensive

1,500

1,500

1,000

650

Least expensive

400

750

400

450

Source: Port Moresby real estate sales data, 2010, Published and unpublished data of five Port Moresby real estate agents, provided to the author in February 2010.

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the subset of settlements where stable rental arrangements were possible were renting for K150 a fortnight, or K3,910 per annum, plus costs. If this is correct, such settlements are probably of borderline affordability for an entry-level or unskilled formal sector worker with a family to look after.

How plausible are these results?

There was a range of imperfections with these data and approach: the data were not measured over the course of one calendar year (seasonality could play a part), properties of different sizes were being compared and realised prices were likely to be lower than advertised prices. That said, the results unambiguously point to property being very expensive for a country of Papua New Guinea’s per capita income level. A house in zone C is unaffordable for most people in formal sector employment, let alone the majority of Papua New Guineans. Purchasing properties in the more salubrious regions of zone B is now out of the question, and the apparent prices of properties in zone A are so far out of reach they might as well be in New York, London or Tokyo.

When one further considers that the typical requirement for buyers trying to lend from financiers is to have at least a 20 per cent deposit (or 30 per cent if they do not have superannuation savings), accessibility for ordinary purchasers seems even more unlikely.7 In addition, the data represent gross prices and do not include other costs.

Prices understate true costs

Such other costs could be substantial. New purchasers will likely have to spend additional funds repairing their dwellings. As the ICCC (2010b) points out, the dwelling stock in Papua New Guinea is in a generally average state of repair, with many buildings constructed about 30 or more years ago. Solidly constructed dwellings are the exception rather than the rule, especially for stand-alone houses. For commercial property, the tightness of the market is confirmed by the fact that premium properties in a good state of repair and with all modern amenities—such as Deloitte Tower (K1,000 per square metre per annum)—do not rent for substantially more than older properties offering much lower amenity, such as Mogaru Haus (K900 per square metre per annum).

Renters face other costs in tight markets. The residential rental prices do not always include furnishings, brown and white goods and running costs. Renters in tight housing markets in any country inevitably struggle to motivate landlords to make essential repairs, for fear of being replaced by tenants paying even higher rents. The ICCC’s analysis suggests that, in practice, a lease offers renters little protection from this behaviour. Even for those who can afford a modest dwelling in Gerehu—one of the remotest suburbs—there can be substantial travel costs for workers making the journey to jobs in the town area.

Real estate agents indicated that the single most important feature of properties in Port Moresby was the quality of security provided. Units and apartments in compounds tend to fetch a premium, partially because they tend to be more secure by their nature and the fixed costs of security can be spread across several dwellings rather than one. Renters and purchasers in stand-alone dwellings or compounds with poor security face additional costs in terms of a higher risk of crime.

Housing rates of return

One way to assess whether the results are plausible is to assess rates of return. The sample size for this analysis is tiny by any measure since only 21 of the 361 residential properties for sale have published data

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for the current lease. For these properties, the average gross rate of return was 7 per cent per annum, which was lower than the typical 10 per cent return-on-capital benchmark. If this figure is correct, it points to some overvaluation in the market. A bigger sample size and additional data are necessary to draw firmer conclusions.

Explaining these prices

A range of supply and demand-side factors could help explain these prices. On the supply side, there is the well-documented limited growth in the supply of marketable, traditionally owned land. The ICCC (2010a) also points to large holdings of state lease land in Port Moresby held by state-owned public enterprises. It contended that these holdings were sizeable, but during its lengthy investigation process it was unsuccessful in fully identifying them and their magnitude from public enterprises or from Lands Department records. Nonetheless, it sensibly argues for their identification, release, auction and sale—and it is hard to think of any reason why this should not be possible.

Another possible explanation is that town boundaries for urban areas have been broadly stable since independence and governments have not been able to expand these boundaries to allow cities to grow naturally. Many of the settlers in Lae’s challenging peri-urban areas live on state land with uncertain tenure and this uncertainty in part explains the socioeconomic problems apparent. This constraint is, of course, intimately related to Papua New Guinea’s limited success in encouraging customary land to be marketed as land available for subdivision or commercial development.

The ICCC also argues that perhaps the most important explanation for the tight supply situation is the nature of state land release. In particular, the vertical-chain approach to developing land under urban development leases (UDLs) from the subdivision stage to home construction stage is undertaken with little transparency, it encourages developers to ‘sit’ on valuable land while they gather funds to further develop blocks and it locks out smaller building contractors.

The high costs facing developers encourage them to build properties targeted at the premium end of the market, rather than at ordinary Papua New Guineans. Government involvement in housing provision has been inefficient, has not even come close to meeting demand from public servants, let alone other groups in society and, since completions by the National Housing Corporation have been so low, this has had the effect of locking up otherwise marketable state land without the benefits of private sector development. Rezoning of land appears to happen relatively easily. Indeed, real estate agents consider zoning issues the least important of the constraints on greater supply. Marketability of land is considered to be the major constraint on supply.

There are some demand-side explanations for the tight housing and commercial property situation. As already mentioned, aid inflows and mining and oil booms have underpinned demand for premium properties. The liquefied natural gas project will no doubt add markedly to demand, especially during the construction phase. Port Moresby’s rapid population growth rate also continually raises demand across all property categories.

During the 1990s, macroeconomic volatility and uncertainty about the direction of political events dissuaded all but the most risk-loving developers from construction projects. After 2001, political stability emerged under the Somare government, and the mining and oil price boom kicked off in 2005. This boosted underlying

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demand, which galloped some way ahead of available supply. During 2008 and 2009 and into 2010, the property market in Port Moresby must have been driven to some extent by the draw-downs in funds from the trust accounts noted earlier.

A final demand-side explanation to consider is the role of financiers. Is it possible that excessive lending to consumers has driven demand? The evidence does not support this conclusion. Bank of Papua New Guinea lending data do not separately identify housing finance, but the fact that commercial banks continue to require a 30 per cent deposit and a lengthy credit and savings history suggests that PNG banks’ lending standards have not noticeably deteriorated, even during the mining and oil boom. Commercial banks’ housing and commercial property portfolios remain conservatively managed and their funding sources are primarily domestic rather than international capital markets. Other cashed-up domestic investors, such as superannuation funds, have been more active and exposed to the property sector. Many commercial buildings and higher-end rental properties are owned by corporate entities.

Is there a bubble?

The data presented on returns suggest that properties might be a little overvalued. Going forward, there is primarily upside risk to demand through 2010 and 2011, assuming some of the additional workers on the liquefied natural gas project become resident in Port Moresby and that the timing of this project does not slip. As that demand is unwound, there might be some market adjustment, but the mining and oil prices that bloat government revenues might be just as important. Given the tightness apparent in all parts of the market and the fact that the pressure is primarily on the supply side, it is difficult to envisage a sharp decline in prices occurring any time soon.

The real estate agents consulted note that many investors are expecting 10 per cent annual price growth. They probably will not be disappointed in the next few years, as supply slowly catches up with demand. This trend cannot, however, go on forever. In the long run, demand for housing should reflect underlying population growth rates and average new household formation rates. By definition, this game can be played out only between residents. Foreign investors might inflate property markets but only for limited periods. For example, a long-run study of the New York commercial property market from 1899 to 1999 found that, adjusting for inflation, commercial office property values were 30 per cent lower in 1999 than in 1899. It also found that within any decade, property values could move up and down markedly, but the long-term appreciation in commercial property was no greater than inflation (Wheaton 2006).

Policy recommendations

In dealing with this ‘crisis’, the most important things that governments can do to ease the supply and demand imbalances so that ordinary Papua New Guineans can more easily afford housing are

identify, gather up and auction available • state lease land held in all parts of the public sector in a transparent manner

reform the UDL process, in particular • auctioning UDL rights and allowing various models of developers, builders and subcontractors to emerge, rather than a large developer–builder model supported by the State

work closely with communities in • peri-urban areas, using the recent the land reforms to expand the supply of tradeable and developable land; to this end, the community-based trials under way in several places must be rolled out elsewhere if they prove to be a more successful approach

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6 Undertaken for the Department of National Planning and Monitoring and the Office of Higher Education.

7 Loan application information obtained by the author from Bank of South Pacific, Boroko branch, February 2010.

References

Acil Tasman, 2008. PNG LNG economic impact study, Unpublished ms, Acil Tasman, Brisbane.

Asian Development Bank (ADB), 2010. Pacific Economic Monitor, February, Asian Development Bank, Manila. Available from www.adb.org (accessed February 2010).

Australian International Development Assistance Bureau (AIDAB), 1992. The Papua New Guinean Economy: prospects for recovery, reform and sustained growth, Australian International Development Assistance Bureau, Canberra.

Bank of Papua New Guinea, 2010. Quarterly Economic Bulletin, December 2009, Bank of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby. Available from www.bankpng.gov.pg (accessed January 2010).

Commission on Growth and Development, 2008. The Growth Report: strategies for sustained growth and inclusive development, The World Bank, Washington, DC.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), 2004. Papua New Guinea: the road ahead, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra.

Department of National Planning and Monitoring, n.d. Unpublished data, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Port Moresby.

Duncan, R. and Lawson, T., 1997. Cost Structures in Papua New Guinea,

for settlers on state land, consider giving • or selling titles, to improve certainty and encourage more permanent dwelling construction, which will improve socioeconomic conditions in these areas and permit governments to provide chargeable services in a more formalised manner

reconsider the gazetted town boundaries • and whether, in concert with community-based trials under the lands reform, additional supply can be brought to the market

reconsider the role of the National • Housing Corporation (NHC) in providing dwellings and use the private sector for NHC developments to maximise the supply of affordable dwellings

consider the other elements of the • package of the ICCC’s proposed reforms, to expand supply and improve affordability.

Notes

1 The official estimate from the Department of Treasury is 4.5 per cent. The figure of 4.2 per cent is derived by averaging with the International Monetary Fund’s estimate of 3.9 per cent.

2 Economic historians could counter that the currency crisis of 1994, when foreign reserves were rapidly run down, constituted a larger deficit in the absence of an Australian government bailout.

3 ‘Additional mineral revenue’ is the portion of mineral and oil revenue that exceeds 4 per cent of GDP.

4 For example, the resource boom of the 1990s saw the failure of the Minerals Resources Stabilisation Fund (MRSF) and recently there was the failure to adhere to the principles of the fiscal rules in the MTFS and Fiscal Responsibility Act 2006.

5 Calculated from data reported in GPNG 2009).

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Institute of National Affairs, Port Moresby.

Government of Papua New Guinea (GPNG), 2009. 2010 National Budget. Volume 1: economic and development policies, Government Printer, Port Moresby. Available from www.treasury.gov.pg (accessed January 2010).

——, 2010. Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan 2010–2030, Government Printer, Port Moresby.

Harden, R., Fallon, J., Cunningham, M. and Duncan, R., 1999. The Economy of Papua New Guinea, Australian Agency for International Development, Canberra.

Hausmann, R., Rodrik, D. and Velasco, A., 2006. ‘Getting the diagnostics right’, Finance and Development, International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC.

Hughes, H., 2003. ‘Aid has failed the Pacific’, Issue Analysis, (33), Centre for Independent Studies, Sydney.

Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC), 2010a. PNG Housing and Real Estate Industry Review, Independent Consumer and Competition Commission, Port Moresby. Available from www.iccc.gov.pg (accessed January 2010).

——, 2010b. PNG housing crisis—needs urgent gov’t attention through reform package, Press release, Independent Consumer and Competition Commission, Port Moresby. Available from www.iccc.gov.pg (accessed February 2010).

Lea, D., 2001. ‘Resolving the complexity of land mobilisation issues in Papua New Guinea’, Pacific Economic Bulletin, 16(2):32–6.

Levantis, T., 2000a. Employment, Wages and Economic Development, Asia Pacific Press, The Australian National University, Canberra.

——, 2000b. ‘Crime catastrophe: reviewing Papua New Guinea’s most serious social and economic problem’, Pacific Economic Bulletin, 15(2):130–2.

Levantis, T. and Manning, M., 2002. The Business and Investment Environment in PNG: the private sector perspective, National Research Institute, Port Moresby.

National Land Development Taskforce, 2008. Land Administration, Land Dispute Settlement and Customary Land Development, National Research Institute, Port Moresby.

National Statistical Office, 2000. Building Statistics, National Statistical Office, Port Moresby.

Sachs, J. and Warner, A., 1995. Natural resource abundance and economic growth, NBER Working Paper 5398, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Mass. Available from www.nber.gov (accessed October 2009).

Stiglitz, J., 2007. Making Globalization Work, Penguin Books, London.

United Nations (UN), 2009. Human Development Report, 2009, United Nations, New York.

Wheaton, 2006. ‘100 years of commercial real estate prices in Manhattan’, MIT Center for Real Estate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge.

World Bank, 2005. Economic Growth in the 1990s: learning from a decade of reform, The World Bank, Washington, DC.

Teams for the Four Nations rugby league Test between Australia and Papua New Guinea at Parramatta Stadium on Sunday:

2010-10-21T22:26:00.000-07:00

SYDNEY, Oct 22, 2010 (AFP) - -
Teams (1 to 13):

Australia - Billy Slater; Brett Morris, Brent Tate, Willie Tonga, Lote Tuqiri; Darren Lockyer (captain), Cooper Cronk; Nate Myles, Cameron Smith, Petero Civoniceva; Luke Lewis, Sam Thaiday; Paul Gallen.

Reserves: David Shillington, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Anthony Watmough, Kurt Gidley, Darius Boyd, Matt Scott.

Papua New Guinea - Ryan Tongia; Michael Mark, Jessy Joe Parker, Emmanuel Yere, Elijah Riyong; Glen Nami, Dion Aiye; Makali Aizue, Benjamin John, George Moni; Rodney Griffin, David Loko; Paul Aiton (captain).

Reserves: Charlie Wabo, Nickson Kolo, Johnson Kuike, Larsen Marabe, Pidi Tongap, Alex Haija, Richard Kambo.

Referee: Shane Rehm (NZL)

PNG deep sea mining approved

2010-10-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

Papua New Guinea gives green light to deep-sea mineral minePlans for a new mine for ore that contains copper, zinc and gold.

Papua New Guinea's prime minister, Michael Somare, today licensed the new mine for ore that contains copper, zinc and gold, to be run by Canadian company Nautilus Minerals. Sited in the Manus Basin within Papua New Guinea's territorial waters, it will be near hydrothermal vents 1,600 metres below the surface.

Driven by rising copper prices around the world, Nautilus' Solwara 1 project will excavate 1.2 to 1.8m tonnes of high-grade sulphide ore a year.

Scientists are concerned about the scale of the mining. Paul Tyler from the University of Southampton and chair of the Census of Marine Life said: "Hydrothermal vents have a very distinctive fauna that is only found on hydrothermal vents so mining close to the vents could wipe out the vents or cause a large amount of damage in the surrounding area."

Nautilus says it has carried out extensive environmental research and impact assessments, and has conservation mitigation strategies in place such as moving organisms for later recolonisation. But Tyler said: "When you mine near a hydrothermal vent you change the flow of fluids through the sea floor. You might switch the vent off or create another one elsewhere – that might affect the distributions of animals around the vent." Deep-sea organism populations do not have resilience to disruptions and have slow grow growth because of limits in food supply and the cold water.

"These organisms catch, store and break down carbon that is removed from the atmosphere by shallow water organisms," said Elliott Norse, president of Marine Conservation Biology Institute in Washington DC. "The deep sea also harbours organisms that could be important to humans as anti-cancer medicines – but that we might not even know about yet."

The indigenous communities of Papua New Guinea are also against the mining operation, and have petitioned the government to prevent it.

However, one expert said the risks had to be put into the context of damage caused by other types of mining, such as excavating a mountaintop. Linwood Pendleton, the director of Ocean and Coastal Policy at Duke University, said: "Hydrothermal vents are naturally combustible habitats, they blow up, they become colonised, then the vents die and the ecosystems around them die, so if mining were done at a small scale and low frequency then it may fit very well into this chaotic system of destruction. Mining a mountaintop, once it is gone, it's gone."

It is unlikely that concerns will stop the mining project going ahead as no one from the international community can interfere in Papua New Guinea's territorial waters of the Bismark Sea.

Comment was not available from Nautilus Minerals

PNG not happy with BHP appointee Garnaut

2010-10-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

PORT MORESBY, Oct 20 AAP

October 20 2010, 12:44AM

The Papua New Guinea government has attacked the development group headed by Australia's climate change expert Ross Garnaut for failing to deliver improvements needed after BHP Billiton's environmental disaster at the Ok Tedi copper mine.

Professor Garnaut is chairman of the billion dollar PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) that is responsible for overseeing aid and income generating programs across PNG.

PNGSDP was set up by BHP Billiton after their Ok Tedi mine, in PNG's Western Province, caused devastating environmental damage to surrounding river systems in the late 1990s.

BHP Billiton divested its 52 per cent Ok Tedi shareholding and established the PNGSDP in 2002.

This month PNG Treasurer Peter O'Neill wrote to BHP Billiton, that picks three of the six PNGSDP board members, calling for Professor Garnaut and his team to be sacked for failing the country's most deprived.

Mr O'Neill told AAP there were growing concerns amongst PNG leaders and citizens that PNGSDP had achieved little after nearly a decade.

"Professor Garnaut is appointed by BHP and his tenure is a matter for BHP," he said.

"I met with Garnaut and raised these issues, he is fully aware.

"BHP needs to review the whole structure that's what we are encouraging them to do.

"The reality is the people on the ground are not satisfied. The potential of such a large program, it is not delivering.

"We also want to ensure there is new blood at board membership level that will create a new sense of direction for the organisation, we raised it with BHP, changes need to come."

It's worrying there has only been one new board member since 2002, he said.

BHP Billiton's spokeswoman said they are in "ongoing correspondence" with the PNG government.

"BHP Billiton is committed to ensuring that PNGSDP remains effectively governed for the benefit of the people of PNG and the Western Province in particular," she said.

"The performance of the company to date speaks for itself. This is clearly documented in the projects showcased within the company's public annual reports."

BHP is completing a board skills review as part of the recruitment process for a new board member to replace Jim Carlton who leaves at the end of this year, she said.

Professor Garnaut, who is also director of the Ok Tedi mine, said an independent review of the PNGSDP, undertaken by Harvard Institute of International Development director, Professor Dwight Perkins, has been made public.

"At various times, people in the PNG Government have proposed that they take over control of the assets of PNG SDP and upon consideration have dropped the proposals," he said.

"Such a takeover would require the agreement of BHP Billiton and the Independent State of PNG.

"Others can judge whether the PNGSDP directors have discharged their heavy responsibilities well and whether the current attempt to take over the assets of PNGSDP is at all related to the performance of the company."

Despite billions in international donor money yearly going to PNG, the Pacific island country languishes at 148th on the UN's Human Development Index, two places below Bangladesh and trailing 40 places behind Fiji.

Development in PNG is incredibly complex issue with a recent review of Australia's $457 million annual aid to PNG finding both sides share "widespread dissatisfaction" with the program.

By Ilya Gridneff, Papua New Guinea Correspondent

Kumuls on more than rugby league mission Wayne Heming

2010-10-17T22:41:00.000-07:00

October 18, 2010 - 3:19PM

As reported by AAP

They're the Four Nations underdogs, given no chance against rugby league super powers Australia, New Zealand and England.

But the always-smiling Kumuls, playing for the first time under Papua New Guinea's very own Wally Lewis - the ageless Stanley Gene - are in Australia to play for far more than glory.

According to rookie coach Gene, the Kumuls are playing for the future youth of a country besieged by serious social issues, tribal killings and crying out for leaders who can force a cultural changes so desperately needed following 35 years of independence.

Advertisement: Story continues below In a rugged, harsh country of almost 1,000 tribes speaking more than 800 different languages, PNG's government believes these young footballers can deliver hope and change for millions of young people.

Local and national governments and global multi-national mining companies have united to build a platform for reform.

Rugby league - a religion in PNG - is their vehicle to bring about those reforms.

Some of the current PNG squad come from tribes and ghetto settlements.

They're either unemployed or earn a few dollars a day to feed their families.

They're living the dream of every young kid in PNG, playing rugby league against the world's best.

But they've been made aware by their country's leaders of the bigger picture and the ultimate role they're expected to play in shaping their people's future.

Garoka-born Gene is an icon in the strife-torn PNG where young men in tribes arm themselves with knives, axes and guns.

Travel with Gene, even into the dangerous highlands, and you're safer than you would be in the company of the US President and his body guards.

That's the type of power some of these young Kumuls will have to educated and change PNG's youth.

Gene, (EDS: PRONOUNCED GENNAY) whose age has long been a mystery with estimates between 32 and 58, is extremely passionate about rugby league.

But he's more passionate about PNG and what he and hisband of young players can achieve not just on the playing fields, but within the communities of PNG.

"I want to develop these players, I want to develop junior players, make PNG players better footballers and better leaders for our country," says the well-spoken Gene who played close to 300 games in the UK and 26 Tests for his country.

"This is not just about rugby league.

"It's about violence against women, it's about drug abuse, it's about alcohol abuse, it's about HIV Aids," he says, watching his young players train.

"These are the kinds of issues I want to drive forward to these young kids so that they get a package in life, not just play rugby league."

Gene's vision is shared by PNGRL chairman Gary Juffa, who during the team's week-long camp in Ipswich before their opening game against Australia in Sydney at the weekend, outlined the mission they were on.

"These boys are future role models for our youth," he told AAP.

"They're leaders our younger generation will look up to.

"They carry the hopes of millions of our young people.

"This is about much more than rugby league.

"We're using this (Four Nations) to nationalise our country as a means to address a lot of social issues that affect our people.

"They (players) can return to their tribes and address issues like alcohol abuse, drug abuse and violence against women.

"You can't get a guy with a brief case to do that job.

"You have to know the villages, you have to know the ghettos and the settlements.

"People look up to players and will listen to the messages they spread."

PNG purposely picked most of their Four Nations squad from their local competition with the exception of Cronulla hooker Paul Aiton and Ryan Tongia, who played under-20s for Gold Coast Titans this year.

It's hoped Gene can mould them into the nucleus of PNG's 2013 World Cup side after which the players will become role models throughout PNG.

"There are so many rugby league players in PNG waiting for the door to open so they can display their skills to earn a living and make something of their life," said Juffra.

"Many of these young players come from areas where tribal fighting is continuous, it never stops.

"They'd like to stop that. They'd like to work against that, they'd like to get out of that.

"For these players, this is their dream, this is their way out."

Juffra said many of the players in the squad lived in rough and extremely harsh environments.

"They're walking around barefoot every day," he said.

"They have to be conscious of their tribal enemies who would kill them without hesitation if they were caught in the wrong place.

"If you go into the wrong area, you will be killed, no hesitation."

Australian players tell remarkable stories of touring PNG where fans are so fanatical that armed police and military use tear gas and rubber bullets to calm them down during Test matches.

"Rugby league is our No.1 sport in PNG. There's no other sport that comes close," said Juffra.

"It's a religion without a temple; it's a religion without monks, without spiritual leaders.

"That's what we're trying to do now, we're trying to put that in place because only then, can that religion really take off.

"If we don't do that, all it will be is a cult."

© 2010 AAP

Our new northern exposure

2010-10-17T22:38:00.000-07:00

October 18th, 2010

IT has a population of 6.3 million. It is one of Australia's two really large recipients of aid.

We are its largest trading partner. It is our 19th. It's about 400 times closer to us than New Zealand.

Yet for some reason our media and public discourse doesn't seem to rate the importance of Papua New Guinea.

For much of the 20th century Australia had responsibility for the administration of some or all of PNG.

Aside from the historical connection that establishes, at a human level it now means that almost everyone knows someone who has spent time in PNG.

Battles have been fought on PNG's soil which go to the core of the Australian identity.

With the exceptions of New Zealand and the UK, there is no other country in the world with which Australia has such a deep historical and social connection.

With that connection PNG deserves our attention. PNG deserves to be understood. And the bilateral relationship at a government level deserves all the public scrutiny that great matters of policy need.

There is much in this relationship that is worth talking about.

Australian aid in recent years has provided 539,000 primary school text books around the country. It has been part of a push which has seen an increase in the rates of primary school participation from 41.5 to 56.9 per cent. Sixty per cent of the program to combat the spread of HIV is funded by Ausaid with more than 6000 people having been supported by anti-retroviral therapy by the end of last year.

More than 2000km of roads are being maintained with the support of Australia, providing invaluable infrastructure. This includes the Lae-Goroka road: the busiest highway in PNG.

But, of course, the expenditure of $470 million in aid must come with an obligation to ensure that Australian taxpayers are getting value for money and that Papua New Guineans are seeing real benefits. Both governments have commissioned an independent review of our aid partnership which is an intelligent document that will ultimately see the spread of our aid narrow and a greater emphasis on grass roots service delivery.

We have agreed to consider an economic co-operation agreement - an important step to changing the paradigm of a relationship previously based on aid.

A sign of this change is PNG's resources boom and, in particular, the Exxon-Mobil LNG project.

This is a US$15 billion project that at the height of its construction will employ 12,000 people and increase PNG's GDP by up to 20 per cent.

In its own right, the LNG project has the potential to transform the country. Already it's transforming our bilateral relationship.

Australia has extended a $US500 million loan facility to the project: not as an act of aid but rather a commercial decision in the Australian national interest. Australian companies have won $A1.3 billion worth of contracts in the construction of the project with many more opportunities still to come.

A project of this size generates its own gravity. It needs, for example, the same number of truck drivers as there are in the whole of PNG. Thankfully, Exxon-Mobil appears to be approaching this with a view to training more truck drivers rather than simply poaching all the existing ones.

Yet it highlights that if the LNG project is not done right it could be as much of a curse for PNG as a blessing.

The resources boom has seen PNG's GDP grow by 5.5 per cent last year and an expected 7.5 per cent in 2010. These are numbers that would be the envy of any country in the developed world.

But it is essential for PNG that the growth in this wealth is translated into real prosperity for ordinary Papua New Guineans. It is a challenge which will be difficult to meet and in this regard Australia has a role to stand by PNG as a friend and to lend a hand.

PNG has an emerging economy, an emerging population and is already a significant emerging nation in the Pacific.

Australia welcomes this. It is in our interest to have another large partner to help us and the region assert our position in the world. And, as a close friend, we will stand side by side with PNG to help it meet its national aspirations.

With so much going on in our northern neighbour, now is the time for the Australian media to emerge with a rightful degree of attention to Papua New Guinea.

_ Richard Marles is the Federal member for Corio.

Goats for PNG

2010-10-14T20:00:00.001-07:00

Goats go to PNG

Friday, 15/10/2010 from ABC

A north-west Queensland goat producers in Australia says he's seeing an increasing demand from Papua New Guinea for live animals.

John Wharton, from Runnymead Station, says he'll export a few thousand live goats to PNG by year's end.

He first started running goats on his place seven years ago as a form of controlling prickly acacia, but says he's having a good live exporting year.

"I had a phone call last week about a possible order into New Guinea, a lot of goats out of Townsville, so that'd be good," he says.

"That's the sort of meat and the sort of animals they can handle too. They can't handle a lot of big animals like cattle unless they're set up like Indonesia is.

"They're talking four or five thousand, so it might be a bit different

Ryan Pini has won silver for PNG!

2010-10-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Ryan Pini has again put PNG on the world map by winning silver in his favourite event. Congrats. He is a true PNG man. Go for gold in London!

New Zealand defeat PNG in Women's soccer

2010-10-08T03:43:00.000-07:00

It was never in doubt but New Zealand can officially start planning for next year's women's football World Cup after emphatically clinching the Oceania Nations Cup title.

New Zealand made light work of Papua New Guinea in today's final, easing to a 11-0 win before a crowd of about 500 people at North Harbour Stadium's outer oval to qualify for Germany 2011, their second successive World Cup finals appearance.

Rosie White scored four goals before being substituted after an hour, while fellow striker Hannah Wilkinson scored a quick first-half double and Ria Percival, Ali Riley, Sarah Gregorius, Amber Hearn and captain Hayley Moorwood completed the scoring.

Riley, recently named rookie of the year in America's Women's Professional Soccer league, was a standout at fullback, though it was hard not to impress in such a one-sided contest.

New Zealand ended the tournament with 50 goals from five qualifying matches, while conceding none.

"We weren't sure how this would go today because PNG have pushed forward over the last two years, but so have we and we just play a much better brand of football now," New Zealand coach John Herdman said.

"You never take these things for granted and we certainly put a bit of work in to make sure we kept our standards."

Herdman, who coached New Zealand at the 2007 World Cup in China, said they had already started planning for Germany.

They will play South Korea and England at the Peace Queen Cup in South Korea starting on October 17, with an appearance at the Cyprus Cup early next year and a handful of matches en route to Germany in June.

Moorwood, a player at China four years ago, said the exuberant scenes after today's match showed just how much it meant to the team to have qualified.

"We wanted to not just win, but win well, and practice our habits that we want to take into big games," the midfielder said.

"It's a huge honour, being able to captain a New Zealand team which goes to a World Cup again. We're really excited and looking forward to the build up games."

New Zealand 11 (Rosie White 4, Hannah Wilkinson 2, Ali Riley, Ria Percival, Sarah Gregorius, Amber Hearn, Hayley Moorwood)

Papua New Guinea 0

Halftime: 6-0.

PNG hydro-electric plant to supply power to Townsville

2010-09-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

(From The Australian)
A MASSIVE hydro-electric plant in Papua New Guinea will supply power to Townsville via an underwater cable under a multi-billion dollar plan announced this morning.

The plant would provide about three times the baseload power of a coal-fired power station.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told parliament Origin Energy and PNG Energy Developments would sign a memorandum of understanding to work toward the green-energy project, which could connect to the north Queensland city by 2020.

The project would use a “running” dam of the Purari River in Papua New Guinea's highlands to generate electricity before transferring it through a pipeline and into the Australian national electricity grid.

Ms Bligh likened the project to the 1940s Snowy River Scheme.

“This project would mean our vision for stronger, greener Queensland could take a giant leap forward,” she said.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

“This proposal could generate 1800MW of renewable baseload electricity travelling via undersea cable to Weipa and could potentially plug directly into Townsville as early as 2020.”

The Queensland government has yet to contribute funding for the project, which has been studied by Origin for two years.

A feasibility study, including environmental, sociological and engineering, is expected to be finalised in 2012. The study will explore the environmental, sociological and engineering aspects of the proposal.

PNG would be able to use the additional baseload power to compete for industrial projects in their resource-rich country.

“This project would provide PNG with a reliable source of power for villages and rural communities and transform the economic development prospects of western Papua New Guinea,” Ms Bligh said.

“It is clear that this is an idea of national and international significance.

“Like any large project there are many hurdles and requirements to be met and many questions to be answered before it becomes a reality but this is a first step toward making Queensland the renewable energy star of Australia.”

The Queensland government will assist to identify the pipeline corridor and land tenure issues.

Origin Energy managing director Grant King said in a statement to the stock exchange the project would be the first to deliver year-round baseload renewable energy to mainland Australia.

PNG Culture 'valuable resource' - Foreigners must respect PNG culture

2010-09-08T02:57:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Cairns Post

AUSTRALIAN and other foreign businesses need to be more aware of Papua New Guinea's culture if they want to operate successfully in the country, a consultant has warned.

Cultural consultant Olive Tau Davis said too many foreign companies paid too little attention to cultural awareness.

"In too many quarters it is ignored or paid lip-service at best," she said.

"Many businesses believe it just requires the gift of the gab, friends in the right places, lots of money.

"Some foreign businesses in Papua New Guinea are conducted that way and with often disastrous results.

"A good cross-cultural relationship in its true sense is appropriate conduct built on sensitivity and awareness and a very well-informed understanding of customs.

"Successful relationships for international companies are founded on respect and courtesy, the ability to listen and learn and a willingness to put the benefit of your experiences into practice."

Mrs Tau Davis, a consultant with the Australia-PNG company MediaMark Ltd, said a glaring example was an oil-field construction company's dealing with landowners in the Southern Highlands, as part of the LNG project.

She said a group of land owners and their leaders wanting to present a petition were told to f--- off by an expatriate employee of an international oilfield construction company. "I don't know that the company, and especially that manager, has much of a future in PNG," Mrs Tau Davis said.

"No company can afford to be arrogant towards residents of a foreign land, nor can they plead ignorance of local customs."

Mrs Tau Davis said many companies did not have strategies for being culturally aware and responsible.

"I think that preparing yourselves and getting to know as many aspects of our culture and social values and protocols as possible should be as integral to any business as knowing the industrial relations laws," she said. "Cultural awareness is a cost, but it is also a very valuable resource a business asset.

"It can be the difference between business success and failure."

Lengthy Chile mine rescue operation underway

2010-08-31T02:56:00.000-07:00

from AFP - Amazing story of survival and rescue

Engineers were in the early stages of drilling an escape route Tuesday for 33 Chilean miners trapped deep underground, but officials warned their ordeal may last until Christmas.

Away from the men's families and the media, the giant, Australian-made "Strata 950" excavator will first bore a 33-centimeter (13-inch) wide pilot hole. This must then be doubled using a special drill bit to 66 centimeters -- wide enough to lower a rescue capsule down to pull out the miners one by one.

The process, which began late Monday, will be painstaking and delicate, and Chilean officials have warned the rescue operations could last up to four months. Even in the most optimal of conditions, the drill will only progress some 15 to 20 meters (50-65) per day.

After 26 days languishing in hot, dank conditions in the San Jose gold and copper mine 500 miles (800 kilometers) north of Santiago, some of the miners have developed fungal infections and body sores while others are showing signs of depression.
During the lengthy shaft drilling, the men will have to work in shifts around the clock to clear rocks and debris falling from above, all the time hoping the precarious operation does not cause another collapse.

"They will be helping us. They will be giving us clear information on the state of the mine," said lead engineer Jorge Sanhueza.

The final rescue will take place at night to protect the miners, who will be blindfolded, from the sunlight after months spent in near darkness. They will also wear specially designed protective clothing to protect them from thermal shock after living in extremely hot, humid and cramped conditions.

It will take three to four days as each worker must be painstakingly raised from some 700 meters (2,300 feet) below.

In conjunction with the drilling, a new phase of medical and food care began for the men, following a slow rehydration and nourishment program after they were discovered nine days ago.

The mission is "unprecedented in medical history," according to Health Minister Jaime Manalich.

The miners' heroic tale came to light when a note scribbled in bold red letters was found tied to a drill probe on August 22, by which time all hope for their survival was thought to have been extinguished.

A captivated nation heard how the miners managed to make 48 hours-worth of emergency supplies last an astonishing 17 days, digging into the ground to get water to keep themselves alive.

The US space agency NASA said it would dispatch a team this week to help efforts to keep the miners fit and healthy.

Expertise of how astronauts deal mentally and physically with arduous space journeys could help the miners cope during the long months ahead in their dark, subterranean world.

"The environment may be different, but the human response in physiology, behavior, responses to emergencies is quite similar," said NASA deputy chief medical officer Michael Duncan, one of the four-strong team.

Duncan will be accompanied by a NASA engineer, a psychologist and a second medical doctor.

Conditions for the trapped miners improved over the weekend as they were sent dry clothes, food supplies and games to occupy their time. Some received mats to sleep on to protect them from the damp ground.

Miner Johnny Barrios, the designated doctor among the group due to his brief medical training, gave his colleagues vaccinations against tetanus and will administer flu shots on Wednesday.

Smokers have been denied cigarettes, but given nicotine patches to help them cope with withdrawal symptoms.

Limited to one minute per miner, wives, mothers and fathers lined up on Sunday for their first person-to-person conversations with their loved-ones by telephone.

"To hear his voice was a balm to my heart," said Jessica Chille after speaking to her husband, Dario Segovia.

They tried to stay upbeat and the conversations were morale boosters for the miners, who until now have only been able to exchange written notes and group videos relayed through the narrow shafts.

"I didn't break down until I told him: 'Ciao, my little boy, we will see each other,'" said Alicia Campos, after speaking to her son Daniel Herrero. "He's not good, but not so bad either."

Some family members were clearly impatient that nothing could be done more quickly, after officials denied they had alternatives to get the workers out in as little as a month.

"It's a big shame that there is no other quicker plan because four months is a long time," Alfonso Avalos, father of stricken miners Florencio and Renan, told AFP

NRL chief to personally survey PNG team bid

2010-08-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

Updated August 25, 2010 07:40:49 from ABC news radio Liam Fox PNG correspondent

The head of Australia's National Rugby League will visit Papua New Guinea to examine the country's bid to have a team in the competition.

The NRL is followed fanatically in PNG and the national government is supporting a bid to have a local team in the competition by 2015.

The league's CEO David Gallop has accepted an invitation to visit Port Moresby early next year to appraise the bid firsthand. Mr Gallop says there are significant hurdles to clear before a team can enter the NRL.

Presenter: Liam Fox, PNG correspondent

GALLOP: Obviously they are very enthusiastic about the game in PNG and indeed their ultimate goal of having a team in the NRL. They are doing a lot of work in schools and around the development of junior rugby league. No-one could ever knock their enthusiasm and we want to keep monitoring the progress that they are making up there for something that is so important to the people in PNG.

FOX: And before I go into questions about what you think about the actual bid can I get you to outline for our audience what the NRL's expansion plans are in the next few years?

GALLOP: We don't have a set agenda, what we said is that in about 12 months time we will have another serious look at the question of expansion for our competition which is currently 16 teams. We've got opportunity to do new media rights deals in the next year or so and that will give us a clearer picture of the game's revenue and whether we should be looking at expansion.

FOX: Have you outlined any particular areas where possible expansion could take place, future teams?

GALLOP: Oh, there are a number of areas that have got their hand up and are working away at it and obviously PNG is one of them.

FOX: What does a potentially successful bid for a spot in the NRL need, what are you looking for?

GALLOP: Well, I guess it comes down to two things. You want a sustainable business model, a club that can keep its head above water and indeed be a profitable exercise and then you want to add something to the rest of the competition and enhance the competition, so that means that having the ability to play out of a good stadium which we know Moresby is going to have over the next few years and that will be part of what we will look at.

FOX: Overall, do you think from what you've seen so far, is a PNG-NRL bid realistic?

GALLOP: Oh, look I think it is not around the corner. It's probably still a few years off, but it's something that needs to be looked at seriously and you would never say never, because we know that the game is so popular up there.

FOX: But does it come back to what you said before one of the two criterias - a sustainable business model. Is that an area where you might have concerns?

GALLOP: Oh well, obviously the government has indicated a lot of support and we know that there's a lot of big companies up there that would also support the game. It's a matter of them continuing to work on that business model and also what work they can do to show that they would enhance the whole competition.

FOX: Do you think a PNG team would enhance the competition as far as that second criteria you mentioned, adding something to the game?

GALLOP: Yeah, it's a bit early to say at this stage, but obviously we look at things like the extent they can improve our media rights position and our areas where club sharing in revenue across the game.

FOX: So that wouldn't be particularly high then in PNG, would it?

GALLOP: No, but I think their conscience is out and they are considering how they could address that issue.

FOX: The PNG bid team here is attached to the time frame of 2015. Is that you've said it definitely is not a few years away. Is 2015 completely unrealistic?

GALLOP: Oh, I would not want to put a time frame on it. As I say, I think it's a few years off. Let's see how things progress over the next couple of years and we may be in a better position to form judgement then.

FOX: Given that, what's the purpose of them coming to PNG next year then, if it's a few years off?

GALLOP: Oh, because it is not only about whether they are ready to be admitted to the NRL. It is just to get a view of their development program. Obviously you've got the Kumuls playing in the Four Nations at the end of this year and we're interested in the game's development in PNG generally as well as their ultimate goal of having a team.

Gallop to consider PNG Rugby League expansion

2010-08-24T03:27:00.000-07:00

By PNG correspondent Liam Fox and staff (ABC)

Boom market...the NRL is hugely popular in Papua New Guinea. (AAP Image: Ilya Gridneff)

NRL chief executive David Gallop will visit Papua New Guinea to examine the country's bid to have a team in the competition.

Rugby league is extremely popular in PNG and the national government is supporting a bid to have a local team in the competition by 2015.

Gallop accepted an invitation to visit Port Moresby to appraise the bid first-hand.

He would not comment directly on PNG's chances but indicated 2015 might be too soon.

"It's probably a few years off but it's something that needs to be looked at seriously," he said.

"You'd never say never because we know that the game is so popular up there."

He says the possible expansion of the 16-team competition will be discussed next year.

Hung Parliament in Australia

2010-08-22T04:07:00.000-07:00

The Australian people have voted, and none of the major parties have been given the mandate to rule on its own right. A few independents and the greens will play a major role on who forms government.
The next two weeks will certainly be very interesting.

Qantas PNG flights hurting Airlines PNG

2010-08-17T23:01:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2010 - 1:09PM

AAP
(Airlines PNG could be in real trouble. The shareholders must be protected) The PNG Government must do something now, rather than make it too late if true.

There are concerns in Papua New Guinea that Qantas flights to Port Moresby are threatening the survival of PNG's second biggest carrier Airlines PNG (APNG).
The Australian airline entered into the PNG market in July hoping to capitalise on the country's $16 billion ExxonMobil-led Liquefied Natural Gas project.

A subsequent price war resulted in flights to Port Moresby from Cairns being cheaper than to Sydney.

Advertisement: Story continues belowBut since the Qantas entry, APNG has reduced its once daily Cairns-Port Moresby run to twice a week.

Qantas, which has a codeshare agreement with state-owned national airline Air Niugini on flights to Sydney and Brisbane, has declined to comment on how this has affected APNG.

But a government letter, sighted by AAP, says "(There is) grave concern about the recent entry of Qantas into the Cairns-Port Moresby route.

"The Qantas entry in its own right was forcing both national carriers out of the market and there could be removal of competition and higher prices as a result".

Meanwhile, several government sources have told AAP that APNG is seeking a merger with Air Niugini.

They said APNG and other private investors were lobbying to get a merger proposal through cabinet.

APNG CEO Geoff Toomey, a former Air New Zealand CEO and before that Qantas deputy CEO and chief financial officer, declined to comment.

APNG spokeswoman Danae Jones did not deny the merger push but said the airline would not talk about "speculation and rumour".

"Significant improvement in financial performance is expected for 2010," she said.

However, Air Niugini CEO Wasantha Kumarasiri said a merger was not under consideration.

"(Prime Minister Michael Somare) and our minister (Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare) have assured us they are dedicated to Air Niugini," he said.

A spokesman from the Prime Minister's Office also played down the merger talk.

"We hope sense will prevail," he said.

The merger rumour comes in the same month APNG marked a year since one of its planes crashed en route to Kokoda, killing all 13 people on board, including nine Australian Kokoda trekkers.

In 2008, the Cairns-based Wild family sold a 50 per cent stake in APNG through a public float on the Port Moresby stock exchange for an estimated 100 million kina ($A40 million).

John Wild remains the largest APNG shareholder with 47 per cent while his son, APNG chairman, Simon Wild, is also managing director of Wild family-owned Queensland-based regional airline Sky Trans.

Since the float APNG shares have dropped from one kina (40c) to 63 toea (25c).

In the APNG 2009 annual report Mr Wild blamed the company's 24.6 million kina ($A9.8 million) loss on the global economic downturn, the Kokoda crash and even the Icelandic volcanic eruption that grounded planes in the northern hemisphere.

For the same period Air Niugini declared a profit of 68 million kina ($A27.2 million).

© 2010 AAP

Landowner strike stops LNG project work

2010-08-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

Updated: 14:06, Monday August 16, 2010 (Sky news)

Angry landowners have gone on strike and stopped construction work on Papua New Guinea's massive Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project.

Work has stopped at the ExxonMobil-led LNG project's Kobalu base in Tari, Southern Highlands Province, after more than 100 locals walked off the job.

PNG's National newspaper reported workers hired by international contractor Red Seas Housing Services were complaining of poor working condition and unfair treatment.

Kobalu landowner leader Andrew Pulupe shut the base's gates at 3.30pm local time on Sunday and ordered Red Seas expatriate staff to vacate the premises.

The workers were building a storage facility and living quarters for up to 200 employees.

Mr Pulupe said the stop-work order would continue until the government and ExxonMobil addressed the landowners' demands.

Kobalu landowners want the government's promised business development grants and want ministerial commitments honoured regarding benefit sharing agreements for the LNG project.

A PNG government spokesman told AAP the matter should be resolved this week and would not cause any major delays to the LNG project.

'Most of the dispute is around the government's promise to provide 120 million kina ($A30 million) in seed capital to help the landowner companies undertake contracts with the PNG LNG Project,' he said.

'These have not been satisfactorily handled to date and have come to a head.

'We were close to resolution but the landowners have got impatient with the process.

'Discussions and negotiations in the next few days are likely to resolve the issues.

'It will not be difficult to settle the outstanding issues and it is not anticipated that undue delays will occur in the construction schedule,' he said.

Continual landowner disputes and security concerns could hamper the project, which is expected to double PNG's GDP with 30 years of gas sales to Asia.

The PNG government is in talks with the Australian government to help establish a sovereign wealth fund that would funnel LNG revenue into much-needed development infrastructure.

Energy giant ExxonMobil has a 33.2 per cent stake in the project and operates it via its subsidiary Esso Highlands Ltd, while Oil Search Ltd has a 29 per cent stake in the project and the PNG government owns 16.6 per cent.

PNG diplomat cautions Australian opposition on bilateral relations

2010-08-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

If the coalition wins government in the upcomming Australian elections on August 21, there is a possibility the relationship between PNG and Australia will return to the low days as when John Howard was Prime minister. Read more as reported on ABC radio Australia.

Australia's opposition says its promise to have a separate minister for aid, if it wins the August 21 election, is a measure of its commitment to the Pacific. It position, along with a separate aid ministry within the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra, was announced by Foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop during a debate with her Labor counterpart, the Foreign minister Stephen Smith this week. Most aid groups have welcomed the announcement.

But Papua New Guinea's High Commissioner to Canberra, Charles Lepani, says he doesn't see anything that's particularly aimed at the Pacific in the announcement. And he's cautioned the opposition not to risk a return to the lows the Australia-PNG relationship hit when the Liberals last left office in 2007.

Presenter: ABC's Canberra correspondent Linda Mottram

Papua New Guinea air price war

2010-08-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

Stephanie Harrington
Thursday, August 12, 2010
© The Cairns Post

THE introduction of a QantasLink service from Cairns to Port Moresby last month has sparked a price war between airlines.
Air Niugini has launched all-inclusive airfares from $175 one-way for travel from August to the end of October, making it cheaper to travel to Papua New Guinea’s capital city than Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in many cases.
The cheapest airfares to those Australian capital cities yesterday ranged from $169 from Cairns to Brisbane and up to $389 to Sydney or Melbourne with Jetstar.
Air Niugini is also offering triple loyalty points until the sale ends on August 31.

QantasLink, meanwhile, is offering one-way, all-inclusive fares from $248 and double points to frequent flyers on its direct service.

Airlines PNG is offering all-inclusive regular fares from $200 one-way on the same route.

Air Niugini spokesman Colin Lyttle said the "very aggressive" airfare was introduced to compete with Qantas- Link.
"We wanted to remind our customers we operate nine times a week in and out of Cairns," he said.

He said Air Niugini was considering adding another two services to the Cairns to Port Moresby route.

A QantasLink spokeswoman said the airline was "extremely pleased" with passenger numbers on its new direct service.
It operated 12 services a week from Cairns to Port Moresby.

"We began the service because there is a great demand from mining and resources business people based in Queensland and Cairns," she said.

There are now 23 return services from Cairns to Port Moresby each week.

Aspirin for infertility

2010-08-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

Simple aspirin being used to treat infertility

Aspirin is a very simple drug. But its uses are far too many with very minor side effects. Read how low dose aspirin can be used to treat infertility.

When you think of aspirin, you probably associate it with fever or headache relief, or for use as a mild anti-inflammatory. However, new research now shows that aspirin could play an important role in some women who are struggling with infertility. Aspirin is now being offered in conjuction with other medications to help increase the rate of pregnancy in women receiving certain fertility treatments. If you are having trouble conceiving, speak with your reproductive endocrinologist about aspirin therapy for fertility.

What is Aspirin?

Aspirin has been around for just over 100 years. More than 80 billion aspirin tablets are sold every year, typically to help solve minor aches and pains like headaches and muscle strains. Aspirin is actually created from a chemical called acetylsalicylic acid. This chemical works to reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting the action of Cox-2 enzymes in your body. Cox-2 enzymes produces prostaglandins, special hormones that cause pain. By preventing these Cox-2 enzymes from producing prostaglandins, aspirin can help to relieve your pain.

Aspirin and Infertility

Recently, it has been discovered that aspirin seems to help women experiencing certain types of infertility. In particular, it appears to increase the chances of pregnancy in women who have experienced recurrent spontaneous abortions, or miscarriages.

Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Aspirin

Some women who experience recurrent sponataneous abortions have extremely high levels of antiphospholipid antibodies. These antiphospholipid antibodies can cause your blood to become much thicker than usual, as they cause blood platelets to stick together. This can dramatically increase your risk for developing problematic, or even fatal, blood clots. Many women with increased antiphospholipid antibodies tend to experience multiple miscarriages because blood clots can develop around the placenta, depriving the baby of vital oxygen and nutrients.

How Does Aspirin Help?

Aspirin appears to help thin out the blood in women who are experiencing these problematic blood clots. When given in low doses, aspirin makes your blood platelets less sticky, allowing blood to travel more easily through the placenta to your baby. Asprin is typically given along with Heparin, an anticoagulant medication.

Aspirin Studies

Recently, a number of different studies have been performed on the use of aspirin to increase fertility. Women who had experienced multiple miscarriages and who were undergoing IVF treatment were given low doses of aspirin daily. Subsequent pregnancy rates were then compared to pregnancy rates produced by women who received no aspirin therapy. Surpisingly, more than 45% of those women taking aspirin during treatment became pregnant, while only 28% of those women not taking aspirin were able to conceive.

Recent aspirin studies also show that aspirin may be helpful in increasing pregnancy rates in all women. Aspirin appears to increase the activity of the ovaries, allowing them to release multiple eggs during ovulation. It also appears to increase blood flow to the uterus, allowing for a thicker and healthier uterine lining.

How is Aspirin Taken?

Aspirin therapy is taken orally in small daily doses. Also known as baby aspirin, low dose aspirin therapy contains between 78 and 81 milligrams of acetylsalicylic acid. If you are taking aspirin for infertility you should be under the direct supervision of a licensed health care provider.

Aspirin Side Effects

Aspirin therapy is still being tested for side effects and is currently only available when taken in combination with Heparin. Long-term use of aspirin is not recommended, because it may actually interfere with fertility. Long-term aspirin use appears to prevent a woman's eggs from being released from their follicles, inhibiting ovulation. Aspirin therapy should not be taken by women who are:

•allergic to aspirin

•experiencing gastric inflammation or bleeding

Critics see REDD over PNG carbon schemes

2010-08-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

By ILYA GRIDNEFF
August 6, 2010
AAP

Two carbon trade projects proposed for Papua New Guinea have been hammered by critics who list a litany of inconsistencies, dubious science, legal issues and concerns landowners will be ripped off.

PNG's pilot Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation' (REDD) schemes, which are part of the United Nation's framework for tackling climate change, are in the Kamula Doso forest, Western Province and April Salumei, East Sepik Province.

But documents obtained by AAP show the PNG government does not support the REDD projects and there is a scathing reaction to the Project Development Documents (PDD) that were submitted in July for verification and approval from the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) regulator.

Advertisement: Story continues belowThe Kamula Doso venture is led by Nupan, a company run by controversial Australian businessman Kirk Roberts, a former disqualified horse trainer who also ran a Philippines cockfighting business.
Mr Roberts, who is a self-proclaimed "carbon kingpin", has travelled extensively across PNG promising landowners if they stop logging their forests, millions - and potentially billions - of dollars will come via his carbon trade projects.

The April Salumei project is run by the Rainforest Management Alliance (RMA), which did not respond to emailed questions regarding their plans or who they were exactly.

No phone number is listed on RMA's website.

Stephen Hooper is the only name on the RMA site that also lists a connection to Earth Sky, an Australian company previously embroiled in PNG carbon trade scandals and operated by Queensland boilermaker Greg Corby.
The submitted comments to the CCBA show PNG's Office of Climate Change and Development Executive Director Wari Iamo is dead against both REDD proposals.

"The PNG government does not recognise and disavows any partnership, support, endorsement or any form of connection to the proposed projects," he wrote.

Dr Iamo includes legal advice from O'Brien lawyers which equates both schemes to an infamous Pacific land scam from the 19th century.

O'Brien states: "PNG requires extensive legislation to be passed by the parliament before it can implement any system to commercialise carbon sequestration.

"Both projects are legally untenable.

"Until the legal regime in PNG establishes a foundation for such schemes they are little different to a modern day version of the false prospectus for the Port Breton Colonisation Scheme issued by the Marquis du Reys and circulated through Europe in the late 1870s."
World Wide Fund for Nature's Matt Leggett raised concerns that communities within the project areas would suffer.
"The level of community consultation and understanding of the project in the region is insufficient to guarantee the project has ensured free, prior and informed consent of landowners," he wrote.

"The proposal does not adequately recognise or account for existing disputes over land tenure and landowner company representation in the region."

Forest carbon scientist, Sunil Sharma, who worked for Carbon Planet, the Adelaide-based company that recently went bankrupt after investing more than $1 million with Nupan, is also against the April Salumei plan.
"The threat to the forest in the Project Area is not convincing and the PDD contradicts itself."

The only support comes from Theo Yasause, the former head of PNG's climate change office, suspended and under investigation into his dealings with Mr Roberts, including falsely signing carbon deals for Nupan.

"April Salumei will deliver and open the eyes as the vehicle for future development," he writes

Businessman defends PNG water pipeline

2010-07-30T16:18:00.000-07:00

AFP

An Australian businessman on Friday defended his ambitious plan to build a $US27 billion ($A29.97 billion) pipeline to transport fresh water from Papua New Guinea to the Australian state of Queensland as feasible.

Fred Ariel said his Might and Power company had signed a deal with the PNG government to complete a feasibility study into the construction of a 3000km pipeline to supply farming and drinking water.

The plan would involve piping water from PNG's Mendi River south under the Torres Strait and through north Queensland into the Murray-Darling river system, a key source of Australian agricultural produce.

Advertisement: Story continues below"I estimate we could potentially increase the flow into the Murray by up to 40 per cent," said Ariel.

The issue has raised questions in Queensland, with the state's minister for natural resources Stephen Robertson reportedly sceptical about the proposal.

Ariel said he expected the study to be completed within a year, but that it would be another decade before any water was ready to flow through the undersea pipe which could potentially supply about 2000 gigalitres per year.

"I see this as a 2020 project," Ariel told AFP by phone.

The scheme would also involve the construction of six hydro-electric power stations, which would generate electricity for towns along the pipeline's route.

"We could sell electricity back into the grid, which would help towns like (Papua New Guinea's) Lae, which is running short of power," said Ariel.

Previous schemes have been dismissed as unfeasible, but Ariel said the sheer volume of water combined with the fact that the water was gravity fed, reducing the need for pumping, ensured it could be economical.

"There's your difference: altitudes and volumes," he said.

He said while he had strong support from PNG authorities, discussions were ongoing with Australian politicians. He told Radio New Zealand a scheme of this type was a matter of time.

"I think it's inevitable. We know that the engineering exists. We know the supply is there. We know that the demand is there. It's not rocket science to hook up point A to point B with a long hose," he said.

Ariel, well known in Queensland for his adventure tourism company, said the idea first came to him on a rafting trip in PNG in the early 1990s, and that he began working on the project when decreasing water resources became a major issue in Australia.

The idea of piping water vast distances is not unknown in Australia, the world's driest inhabited continent, with a plan for a pipeline to carry water thousands of kilometres across Western Australia to Perth mooted in 2005.

© 2010 AFP

Piping Mendi River to Australia

2010-07-29T19:07:00.001-07:00

Queenslander's pipe dream for PNG water July 28, 2010

AAP

A Queensland tourism entrepreneur's pipe dream is one step closer to realisation with the launch a feasibility study into piping fresh water 3000 kilometres from Papua New Guinea to Australia.

Fred Ariel, an adventure tourism operator and former owner of Fitzroy Island just off the Great Barrier Reef, wants to build a $30 billion pipeline from PNG's Highlands region to south-east Queensland.

PNG's Post Courier newspaper on Wednesday reported that Mr Ariel's Might and Power company had sealed a deal with PNG's government to start a feasibility study into the ambitious plan.

Advertisement: Story continues below"Water in the Highlands is abundant while it is scarce in Australia," Mr Ariel said at a ceremony in Port Moresby on Tuesday.

"This is history in the making for PNG and the (Southern Highlands) province."

He said the plan included six hydro power stations to generate electricity to supply many locations on the route of the project, including towns in far north Queensland, the Post Courier reported.

Mr Ariel said he had the backing of the Australian and Queensland governments.

However, in past the state government and Queensland Water Commission have questioned the project's economic viability.

Despite the huge construction costs and logistics involved, Mr Ariel has said it will be cheaper than building desalination plants or recycling water in Australia.

The plan proposes water from PNG's Mendi River will be piped south under the Torres Strait and through north Queensland into major river systems.

In 2007, a $5.5 billion plan to pump gas from PNG to Queensland was scrapped due to costs.

© 2010 AAP

Former PNG deputy fails to mount challenge

2010-07-20T02:46:00.000-07:00

The PNG government has survived another day, as reported by the ABC
By PNG correspondent Liam Fox

There have been tense scenes inside and outside Papua New Guinea's parliament amid speculation of a move to topple the prime minister.

Scores of heavily armed police patrolled the parliament precinct where the gates were closed to the general public and a large crowd chanted for the police to let them in.

Inside former deputy prime minister Puka Temu took a seat on the opposition side of the house with two other former ministers.
The trio defected from the government yesterday to a coalition made up of opposition MPs and smaller parties.

Mr Temu held discussions yesterday with opposition MPs at a resort outside Port Moresby.

Question time was tense with a lot of shouting and fist pumping but the new opposition group did not follow through with a threat to move a motion of no confidence against prime minister Sir Michael Somare.

In land fish Project for Kandep

2010-06-15T04:14:00.000-07:00

as reported by Patrick Talu of The National

A PROPOSED pilot aqua culture project in Kandep, Enga province, is projected to generate K4.9 million in income, at the same time supplying the entire country with abundant fresh water fish stock for propagation.

The project, however, has remained insufficiently-funded and could not take off.

Last year, the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) provided a seed fund of K100,000 under its project development after seeing its potential as a livelihood project.

However, other government departments and donor agencies to whom the fish project proposals have been submitted are yet to chip in to enable the project to start.

Project manager Benny Tapol Kelly said Kandep was one such district that had more than 20 largest lakes and four biggest rivers that had the potential and capacity to stock and breed big volume of fresh water fish.

Kelly said four pontoons, or 80 cages, will accommodate well over 240,000 fish at a time.

“The fish will be harvested twice a year and therefore, a total of 480,000 fish will be produced in one year.

Kelly told The National yesterday: “The fresh fish would be of high quality and with reasonable price tag.

“The fully-grown plate-size fish will be sold at local market.

“We have already identified markets such as the Porgera mine, Oil Search Ltd, current LNG project and other large businesses mainly in the Highlands,” Kelly said.

Double classroom for Marara community school

2010-06-04T03:32:00.000-07:00

By JOHNNY POIYA
of post courier

Mendi MP Pastor Isaac Joseph and Kandep MP Don Polye have a common interest in “killing two birds with one stone”.

The two MPs who share electoral boundaries have a common deterrent to development and delivery of services – tribal fighting over the years in the remote border areas.

While Mr Polye has dramatically changed Kandep from a backwater state into one of the most developed electorates in terms of infrastructure development, Pr Joseph has slowly changed the whole of Mendi by taking risks in funding and installing vital infrastructural services in some of the most notorious fighting zones in the whole of Southern Highlands Province.

Most of the schools, aid posts and other vital government installations between Kandep and Mendi were destroyed in tribal fights among the remote tribes 10 to 15 years ago. The two MPs have not only taken steps in reviving those run down facilities but have risked millions of kina in establishing new facilities like classrooms, health centres and other developments.

MP Joseph on the weekend opened a double classroom at the Marara Primary School. This was the first classroom to have been built after 15 years. Due to its remoteness, being on the border of Kandep and Mendi, it has seen no government services since Independence.

To celebrate this government service, people and singsing groups came from as far as Kandep, Magarima and Mendi. The classroom was constructed at a cost of K150,000.

Comments
Thanks to the hon MP for visiting the rural area and providing funding for the classroom. He has also promised more double classroom.

Mendi Kandep Highway to be upgraded at last

2010-05-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

(As reported in the national)

The Government�s long term solution is to build new roads from Southern Highlands to Gulf, Wau to connect the Hiritano and Highlands to Madang.

Renardet S.A Consulting Engineers will design, scope and build a management structure to effect the road maintenance and improvement program.

Under the ADB program, the Government will chip in K40 million as counter-funding while the donor puts in K80 million.

Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane signed the contract on behalf of the State with Renardet S.A Consulting Engineers led by executive vice president Dr Michele Colangelo at Government House yesterday.

The two contracts signed were for improvement, about K23 million and maintenance worth K19.5 million.

The ADB approved $US2.3 billion in May 2009 which will be drawn down and applied in three stages over seven years. The first stage which will take three years is for the trunk roads which will cost $US140 million.

Designated roads in the first stage are Laiagam-Porgera, Mendi-Kandep, Nipa-Magarima, Magarim-Ambua and Tari-Koroba.

The Highlands Highway is the lifeline of Papua New Guinea�s economy, serving the resource-rich Highlands region, the industrial port city of Lae and the tourist town of Madang which is also undergoing massive resource projects.

PNG DF is ideal for nation building

2010-04-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

Since is no foreign threat to PNG at the moment and even if so, PNG can not defend itself alone. Thus the PNG DF should be used for nation building. More men and women should be recruited to the PNGDF, discipline them, train them and they will built PNG infrastructure. It will provide employment for our young men and women also build the nation. The building of the Mt hagen Madang road is a classic example.

As reported by the post courier
By NIKINTS TIPTIP

THE alternative Highlands Highway from Western Highlands to Madang is underway with two kilometres of the road already covered with clearing and grading.

PNG Defence engineering battalion from Igam Barracks has already moved equipment to the site and work started three months ago.

In a meeting with stakeholders in Mt Hagen, detachment commander Lt Sarufa Eka said the road will run from Baiyer – Mika bridge - Iki – Simuga – Ruti Valley – Jimi River– Simbai – Ayom – Ramu River – Transgogol and into Madang.

He said they will cover about 37 kilometres from Baiyer to Jimi River which is within Western Highlands Province and then proceed with feasibility work towards Madang.

Lt Eka acknowledged the commitment of 17 councillors and leaders from the Ukni Meiwo tribes who signed on behalf of the community to allow the road to pass through without any compensation claims.

“They wanted the road so they could allow for services to reach their villages and communities,” Lt Eka said.

He said while the road was funded by the National Government, they also faced problems on the site including communication, lack of medical officers or a support vehicle, especially a troop carrier to load their cargo during the wet weather.

“We cannot stretch any further with medical staff, as we are down with manpower in these areas due to downsizing in the PNG Defence Force,” he said.

The National Government has allocated K20 million for the project but funding is yet to be expedited for the project.

Lt Eka said PNGDF was not only there to build roads but also help the community in other projects.

“We are not profit oriented and therefore the Government can utilise our skills by providing the necessary resources so we can build this nation with less cost,” he said.

Western Highlands provincial engineering manager Issac Kumbomong praised the PNGDF for providing the skills and manpower to build the road.

Mr Kumbamong said on behalf of Governor Tom Olga and the provincial government that they were committed and would assist wherever possible.

He said they had already allocated a ten-seater Landcruiser and K100,000 to the engineering unit. Mr Kumbamong said the Highlands Highway was the lifeline to the Highlands provinces and it was appropriate for other provinces to assist with resources to speed up the project

Enga plans for five star hospital

2010-04-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Another plan from the Enga Governor. Health is very important and he should deal with it quickly, instead of giving money to Mendi and Mt. Hagen Hospitals to serve the people of Enga.
The Old Sopas Adventist Hospital was the best, but we spoiled it. It is now water under the bridge. Can it be revived?
Plans for a five star hospital for Enga Province are underway with Governor Peter Ipatas already choosing the Mendi General Hospital as a model.

Mr Ipatas led a team of American doctors and builders to gauge information and have a look at the Mendi Hospital which was a five star grading last week after an external accreditation survey on hospital standards conducted by senior officers from other hospitals around the country.

He said the National Government over the years failed the Enga people by not giving them a good hospital to take care of their health.

“For Enga, reasons beyond me, the National Government failed to build a proper hospital. When you look at all services provided, health care is the number one service for our people,” Mr Ipatas said.

He said Enga would have a modern hospital equipped with state of the art facilities for its people.

When queried why the provincial government was not providing incentives to attract doctors, the Governor did not give a direct answer but said:

“Misappropriation is rampant yet people are getting away with it.”

Mr Ipatas said he had an agreement with fellow members of the Southern Highlands Province during the LNG Benefit Sharing Agreement signing in Kokopo that funding for the construction of the new hospital would come from the LNG’s infrastructure development appropriation.

“Our provincial team is looking into the new hospital and we already have a project manager from the United States. We are also getting ideas on the equipment to be used with the help of our American friends who are professionals in hospital buildings and medical equipment,” Mr Ipatas said.

Though he did not give a definite date when the building would start, he said the idea started in 1998 and the arrival of the American delegation indicated progress was underway.

Meanwhile, Mr Ipatas presented K50,000 to the Mendi General Hospital for the purchase of an electrocardiogram machine to diagnose heart diseases.

He said the money was a contribution to the hospital for the services it provided to the people of Kandep in the Enga Province.

Goat farming in warakamb taking off

2010-03-16T21:30:00.001-07:00

Goat farming is expanding in Warakamb, PNG. The first goats were introduced into the Warakamb Valley about 12 years ago. Since then, goat raising has expanded a lot. Previously, mainly the Adventists Pastors families were involved. Since then, ordinary Adventists and recently non Adventists have been involved. There are better houses for the animals, better care, and better use of the waste. The waste are used on vegetable patches, a good substitute for fertilizer. Currently, it is estimated that there is almost five hundred or more goats in the Warakamb valley. Villagers make use of the bigger male goates and keep the female ones for propagation. Eventually, people can use goats to help in farming, transport etc. For help with that or more information, contact info@waeca.com.

Warakamb is Ideal for Rural Electrification project

2010-03-16T03:04:00.000-07:00

The Warakamb valley on the borders of SHP and Enga is one of the best spots to try out the new technology for rural electrification. The Kamb river, which floods occasionaly but never dries up should be a good river to test the new technology using river currents to generate electricity. The power can be used to light the churches, the two schools and aidpost and health Center.

WAECA's Nicky Dick into Pilot training

2010-03-15T03:52:00.000-07:00

Warakamb's Nicky Dick has been accepted to do a commercial pilot training at the air base in Port Moresby. The MP for Kandep, Don Polye paid all his fees for the year. He had passed two of the entry tests with flying colours to be accepted. At the end of two and half years, he will graduate with a commercial pilot's licence. We urge the young man to work hard, be humble, fear God.

Meanwhile, another of Warakamb's sons, Stanley Malem has been accepted to do second year MBBS and his younger brother, Miseck will do arts foundation at UPNG. The two brothers are a blessing from the Lord. Stanley will join our group of 4 medical doctors, 4 dental surgeons and 6 nurses and one physiotherapy assistant, all from remote Warakamb.

Mr. Sop has also started law at UPNG this year. That will add to three the number of lawyers from Warakamb. We thank the Lord for the blessings. For a remote area like Warakamb to have all these professionals is a blessing and we urge all our elites to work hard, humble themselves and always fear the Lord.

Rural Electrification

2010-03-02T16:44:00.000-08:00

(As reported by the Sunday Chronicle)
PAPUA New Guinea this week became the first country in the Pacific region and the world to embrace and trial out a new and pioneering piece of Japanese electrical technology that is deemed to serve the bulk of the people nationwide through a simple and reliably affordable electricity system.
This new technology has never been used or exported anywhere else in the world since its invention and PNG is now the pioneering host of its trial and the eventual import for usage by the people.
The new product is the world’s first small hydro-power generation system called by the maker by the name ‘ Small Hydro Stream ‘ and is quite unique because the stream uses the movement of large mass of simple free flowing water current to spinning energy for power generation. It is manufactured by one of Japan’s rising technical actors, The Seabell International Cooperation Limited (SICL).
The biggest benefit of the system is that there is no need for dam construction because it is small machine( 2x2x2 m ) and conveniently portable where it can be moved from one location to another following water sources such as creeks, large drains, small streams and rivers where there is constant flow of water.
It can also be installed at sea to convert running water and waves into electricity that can generate approximately one to 10 kilowatts of power and can generate enough electricity to light up to 30 houses for over 20 year period.
The five kilowatts system is the world’s first invention of dual axis turbine, opposite rotation accelerating gear system form reducing friction loss with the mechanical parts always staying above water reducing risk-factors of durability and cost factors on manufacturing and maintenance. The technology is different from solar power, wind power or conventional type of head hydro power ( Yonki / Sirinumu type ) and only provides reliable new energy power generation by water current, a stable power for consistently 24hours in 365 days a year unless there is a mechanical need.
The advantage of the system is that the environment around the installation site will not be disturbed/harmed and the weather ( wind/sun ) has no effect on the operations because water is a renewable resource which is constantly available to generate electricity.
The presence of the technology in the country is the initiative of Education Minister, James Marape who searched the globe for the most reliable and affordable electrification for all educational institutions in the country.
In his hunt, he bumped into Dr. William Tongamp from Western Highlands province who is a post doctoral researcher with the faculty of engineering at the Akita University in Japan.
Dr. Tongamp then introduced Mr Marape to his close Japanese friend who happened to be, Nobuchika Ihara, the managing director for the Seabell International Cooperation Ltd, the manufacturer of the new hydro-power system.
From then on, collaborations among the three gentlemen started with Mr Marape representing the people of PNG with close assistance from Dr. Tongamp, our elite son.
After numerous negotiations, Dr. Tongamp brought Mr. Nobuchicka to his native village last year and the Japanese was stunned that his mother was still living in a grass thatched hut without complete electricity.
This particular visit to the one of the most remote parts of the world deeply moved the inventor of the world’s hydro-power who from then on made a solemn commitment to bring the hydro system to PNG first before the rest of the world.
In a press conference this week at the State Function Room in Parliament, Mr Nobuchicka Ihara presented the technology to politicians and representatives from the corporate, public and private sectors including the media.
Mr. Ihara told the conference in the presence of Mr Marape and Dr. Tongamp that his company plans to build a plant in PNG for creation of employment and also to supply smaller Pacific Island countries and neighbouring Asian region with electricity.
Mr Marape thanked Mr Ihara on behalf of the government and the people of Papua New Guinea for choosing our country for the trial of the first ever technology. He further stated that he went out looking for a technology that will meet our electricity needs and we have found one that is relevant, applicable and environmentally friendly that will compliment the Government’s rural electrification policy.
He said that as the Education Minister, he is excited about this new technology that can provide power 24hrs for our children to have access to library, internet and the world.
The Minister assured the country that PNG is about to see great changes in their livelihood through the tapping of the latest global technology. Otherwise, this piece of technology is believed to have large potential to become one of the major renewable energy sources on earth in the near future and Papua New Guineans should be proud because we will be the pioneering country on earth to use the technology.

Names raise more Questions.

2010-03-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

(Editorial, The National)

THE Papua New Guinea Parliament stands shamed.

Three of its members have been named as collaborators in plotting the controversial escape of high profile prisoner William Nanua Kapris.

And when the matter was raised yesterday during question time, the public gallery burst in applause, the Justice Minister was aghast and speechless and Parliament fell into silence.

Before Parliament rose, one senior minister in Arthur Somare gave notice that he will call The National before the privileges committee to name the MPs.

If so compelled, we will do so. Two of those named are ministers and one is an ordinary Member of Parliament, this much we can say for now.

It seems that these shameless individuals, not satisfied with the millions placed in their hands by Parliament, aided and abetted in at least three large robberies and the attempt of another. By their act they have also put their shroud of shame over Parliament.

This is a convicted man and a three-time escape artist who, we can say, is clutching at straws and most normally we would not give it much credence.

This newspaper only gave this story the prominence it did because the evidence he has offered the police are compelling right down to details of names and places, associations and amounts of money which have exchanged hands.

Some things revealed to police by this suspect comes out as truthful.

The question we ask is why these particular three politicians and not any other of the 109 Members of Parliament?

Why two ministers and an ordinary MP?

Why only three – why not four or 10 or even just one?

Another reason which gives the Kapris confession some credence is the fact that he was severely injured and could hardly walk at the time of his escape.

For a person who appears to us to be a rather clever individual in the manner he executed the robberies for which he is charged, we would have expected him to be many hundreds of kilometres away had he planned his own escape, not holed up in a quite obvious little guest house in Port Moresby waiting for policemen to pounce.

It was as if he had been given the guarantee from persons in high places that he was safe and nothing would happen to him.

And most compelling of all, why would Kapris choose to convict himself of the three robberies – Metals Refining Operation, the BSP Kerema branch and BSP Madang branch?

Until now, he has only been a suspect awaiting trial for these robberies. His actual jail sentence is for the crime of attempted murder of a policeman in Kimbe, which he committed as part of a gang when he was in high school and for which he was serving time, when he escaped from custody. While on the run he was alleged to have committed a series of other robberies, three of which have been pinned on him.

Only now, by his own confession he stands convicted of the MRO and the two bank robberies. He has admitted being there and having taken the money.

The only defence available now is that of coercion or intimidation and threats by police into making his confession.

The three politicians named know this fact themselves. They need only clear their names publicly whether or not Kapris is telling a big fat lie or walk down shame avenue into history and notoriety.

Until these men clear their names or are named and removed, Parliament will never be able to lift this shroud of shame off itself.

It is disgraceful conduct which will go around the world – politicians so motivated by greed for money that they would lower themselves to the level of common thieves to aid and abet in robberies.

There must be more to tell.

Just who or what is this “black bank” which allegedly “got rid” of the 13 bars of gold stolen in the MRO robbery? Or did it?

And the mother of questions: Why was Kapris sprung from jail? Was it so he should not tell his story at trial?

Or was it so that unconcluded business which needed Kapris’ personal authority and direction could be expedited?

Questions that warrant answers and which, now that he has spoken out, we are sure will make themselves known in due course.

Very Interesting indeed. Well done the National for the story.

Loma Linda University

2010-02-25T02:41:00.000-08:00

Just some information on Loma Linda University Medical center. It is one organisation that will help in setting up the new Hospital. Hopefully, there will be some thing in concrete pretty soon.

About Loma Linda University Medical Center

An outgrowth of the original Sanitarium on the hill in 1905, the present 11-story Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC) opened on July 9, 1967. With the completion of the Loma Linda University Children's Hospital (LLUCH) in late 1993, nearly 900 beds are available for patient care, including at Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus and Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center (LLUBMC). Loma Linda University Health Care (LLUHC), a management service organization, supports the many programs and services provided by our 400+ faculty physicians. LLUMC operates some of the largest clinical programs in the United States in areas such as neonatal care and outpatient surgery and is recognized as the international leader in infant heart transplantation and proton treatments for cancer. Each year, the institution admits more than 33,000 inpatients and serves roughly half a million outpatients. LLUMC is the only level one regional trauma center for Inyo, Mono, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

Our Mission

The mission of Loma Linda University Medical Center is to continue the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, to make man whole, in a setting of advancing medical science and to provide a stimulating clinical and research environment for the education of physicians, nurses and other health professionals.

Our Vision

Innovating excellence in Christ-centered health care.

New hospital for PNG?

2010-02-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

Medical experts arrive

By MAUREEN GERAWA

THE proposed world class hospital to be built outside Port Moresby is aimed at lifting the health care in the country and will not put pressure on the country’s existing health resources, including funds.

This is an assurance given by the United States partners in the project who are visiting the country this week to talk to various stakeholders in the $US500 million project.

Led by real estate developer Andrew Gerber, the group of nine people arrived on Sunday with the PNG ambassador to the US Evan Jeremy Paki. They began their visits to the Health Department, government officials and various institutions yesterday.

Each of these people are professionals in their own fields, but they have made a commitment to help uplift the entire country and the health care, not just for people in Port Moresby but also the health care facilities in other parts of the country, including the rural areas where the bulk of the country’s people live.

Team member and specialist in emergency medicine Dr Kelly Murphy has worked on the training of PNG medical officers in the past, especially in the rural areas and was awarded a PNG Independence medal. He said yesterday : “This is for real. We want to ensure a pregnant woman in a rural village is able to attend an antenatal clinic’’.

He said this when asked if this proposal would come to a reality for those who were not sure whether such a project would kick off, especially in light of many failed projects in the country.

Mr Gerber is working with this project as a volunteer and like others, is giving his own time and money to see our country go forward in the delivery of its health service.

He said yesterday that had it not been for people like the Secretary for the National Planning Department Joe Lelang he would not have got involved in the project in the first place.

He said Mr Lelang and various government officers as well as parliamentarians had given the team from the US a greenlight to go ahead and set up the project.

For a year or so, various team members including Mr Gerber have travelled into the country to work on the initial stages of the project.

A key component of the project will be on education and training of Papua New Guinea health work force, which the US partners in the project are ready to kick-start.

However, the team aims to ensure it works with the Health Department and its partners so that PNG’s health system does not suffer. For instance, if a hospital is to send a doctor to a US-based medical school, there should be someone on standby to replace him.

On questions regarding the funds for the new hospital, the team had assured that funds for the project would not be coming from the existing health funds.

The K20 million which the Government had put into the project was its show of commitment, but most of the funds for the hospital will be coming from outside the country, mostly through bilateral agreements and aid which this country has for so long not been able to put to good use.

The team will be meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Sir Puka Temu today.

New & Modern Hospital for PNG?

2010-02-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

By MAUREEN GERAWA (Post Courier 22/2/10)

A WORLD class, fully equipped modern hospital is to be built in Papua New Guinea in a partnership involving the Government, the private sector and not-for-profit organisations around the world.
It will be known as the Pacific Medical Centre (PMC) and will be located on 2000 hectares of land between Port Moresby’s Six-Mile area and Bautama in Central Province.
Plans are for the project to be launched in April. Construction of the hospital will take two years.
At the weekend, a team from the United States, including the key senior officials on the planned K500 million hospital, travelled to Papua New Guinea to meet with senior officials of the Department of Health, senior doctors and officials of the Port Moresby General Hospital and the University of Papua New Guinea to begin work on the Cabinet-endorsed project.
The overseas team includes specialist doctors from Stanford University Medical Centre, Loma Linda University Medical Centre as well as experienced hospital architects and engineers from hospital design firm, Fletcher Thompson.
Health Minister Sasa Zibe, when announcing the project on Friday, said he was fully aware of the criticisms that would be coming against this initiative but PNG had to move forward by setting higher benchmarks for its people to aim for rather than moving around in a circle as it had for more than 30 years.
“It will be developed as the nation’s first world class, fully serviced modern hospital and one of the Asia Pacific Region’s leading centres of excellence in providing first rate tertiary health care services, medical education, capacity building and training programs for local hospital administrators, doctors and nurses,’’ said Mr Zibe.
He said to show its commitment the NEC approved K20 million in November for the project, which will improve and revolutionise health care services, hospital administration, medical education/training and outreach programs for the people.
A key component of the project will be education and training which will begin in June.
“As part of the project, we will have hospital administration professionals trained in America where up to 50 graduates will be trained in a year over a three-year program,’’ he said.
“In addition to this, there will be doctors exchange and training programs in American and Canadian hospitals, training of 10 – 15 local doctors for up to three months resulting in between 70 – 90 trained medical professionals a year for the next three years.’’
He said the 300-bed hospital would initially be linked to all regional, provincial and district hospitals so that the people will benefit from this state-of-the art medical and teaching facility.
Cabinet has recommended the establishment of a project co-ordinating committee called the Pacific Medical Centre Co-ordinating Committee (PMCCC) under the auspices of the Ministerial Economic Committee to work with the team leader/project developer to co-ordinate the government’s participation in this project.
Mr Zibe said many people in the country die while still seeking funds to be able to travel overseas and get specialist medical help or even while sorting out visa related issues and by having a modern hospital, patients would not have to travel overseas for specialist care.
He directed Health Secretary Dr Clement Malau and his management team to incorporate this project into the National Health Plan and work with the project management team to facilitate its implementation because the country was in great need of proper infrastructure in the health sector.

Eating for Longevity, Foods to keep your heart, brain, and bones healthy.

2010-02-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

Source: By Peter Jaret
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Is there such a thing as a longevity diet? Increasingly, studies suggest the answer is yes.

Around the world, certain groups of people enjoy exceptionally long lives. Consider the lucky people of Okinawa: These Pacific Islanders have an average life expectancy of more than 81 years, compared to 78 in the United States and a worldwide average of just 67. Closer to home, members of the Seventh Day Adventists, who typically eat vegetarian diets, outlive their neighbors by four to seven years on average.

The residents of the San Blas islands, meanwhile, off the coast of Panama, very rarely suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease. Indeed, research shows that their rate of heart disease is only nine per 100,000 people, compared to 83 per 100,000 among nearby mainland Panamanians.

What makes these groups so fortunate? A growing body of findings suggests that diet is one of the important contributors to longevity and a healthy life. WebMD examined the research and talked to the experts. Here’s what’s on the menu of people who enjoy long and healthy lives.

Foods for a Healthy Heart
Most of us know to go easy on saturated fat, the kind found in meat and high-fat dairy products. Saturated fats have been shown to raise blood cholesterol levels into the danger zone. Just as important is what you should be eating. For heart health and longevity, you should eat:

Plenty of fruits and vegetables: Plant-based foods are abundant in fiber and many vitamins and minerals. Packed with nutrients, they’re also relatively low in calories. Studies consistently show that diets plentiful in fruits and vegetables help people maintain a healthy weight and protect against cardiovascular disease.

Whole grains: Like fruits and vegetables, whole grains pack a lot of nutrition into a low-calorie package. Grains like oats and barley are also rich in a long list of disease-fighting compounds.

In findings from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis published in 2009, researchers at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston reported that participants whose diets included plenty of whole grains and fruit cut their heart disease risk by almost half compared to those whose diets favored meat and fatty foods. Findings from more than 161,000 nurses enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study also show that whole grains protect against type 2 diabetes, a disease that in turn increases the danger of heart disease.

Nuts: For too long, nuts were banished from the list of healthy foods because they’re high in fat. They are. But the fat they contain is mostly unsaturated, which protects against heart disease.

Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate? That’s right. Researchers now think that high blood pressure and heart disease are exceedingly rare among residents of the San Blas islands because they eat chocolate, and lots of it. Components in dark chocolate called polyphenols are believed to lower blood pressure and improve the flexibility of blood vessels. In a 2008 study, researchers at the University of Aquila gave volunteers with hypertension 100 grams of dark chocolate daily. After 15 days, their blood pressure readings were significantly lower and their insulin sensitivity had improved.Foods for a Vital Brain
The basic advice is simple: What’s good for your heart and blood vessels is also good for your brain. That means eating a diet centered on fruits and vegetables, with plenty of unsaturated oils such as olive oil, and plenty of whole grains. Foods that may add extra protection include:

Blueberries and other antioxidant-rich fruits: Ongoing research at the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University suggests that foods especially high in antioxidants, including blueberries, grape juice, and walnuts, protect against age-related changes in the brain that lead to memory loss and even dementia. Dark green leafy vegetables: Collard greens, spinach, and broccoli are good sources of calcium.

Tofu: Look for brands made with calcium sulfate, which contain the highest levels of calcium. A half-cup contains about 250 milligrams of calcium. (Adult women should consume about 1500 milligrams a day, according to Heaney.)

Unfortunately, getting enough vitamin D turns out to be trickier than getting enough calcium. Although many foods are fortified with vitamin D, diet alone isn’t able to provide enough. Our skin converts sunlight to vitamin D; but with age, that process becomes less efficient. (During the winter months in most parts of the United States, the sun is too weak to generate vitamin D production.)

While experts continue to debate the optimal levels of vitamin D, Heaney recommends taking 1,000 to 2,000 international units (IU) a day in supplement form. Boosting vitamin D is particularly important as you get older, he points out, since the skin becomes less efficient at generating this crucial nutrient from sunlight.

Beyond Nutrients: The Joy of Eating
A diet abundant in nutrients is obviously important to longevity. So is enjoying what you eat-- and especially finding joy in sitting down to meals with family and friends.

Studies of centenarians the world over suggest that social connections and finding meaning in life are both crucial to longevity. The long-lived people of Okinawa say one reason they enjoy long and healthy lives is something they call ikigai, or “finding your reason to live.”

Fish: High in omega-3 fats, fish and shellfish have been shown to protect against irregular heart rhythms than can lead to heart failure. New evidence suggests that in addition to heart protection, the fatty acids such as DHA and EPA found in fish oil (and ALA found in flaxseed) may offer a defense against depression and age-related memory loss.

Low-salt foods: Researchers have known for years that less salt in the diet means lower blood pressure. Now new evidence suggests that keeping blood pressure down may also protect brain cells and decrease the risk of age-related memory loss and even dementia.

“High blood pressure can damage the vasculature that supplies the brain with oxygen and nutrients,” explains Tufts University neuroscientist Aron Troen, PhD. That may explain why people with chronic hypertension seem to be at higher risk of developing age-related cognitive impairments.

Coffee: A growing number of studies suggest that coffee has several surprising health benefits. Along with potentially lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, consumption of coffee may reduce the risk of age-related mental decline.

The latest evidence, from a Finish study of 1,409 volunteers published in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease in 2009, found that people who regularly drank coffee during their middle-aged years were significantly less likely to suffer dementia and Alzheimer’s later in life. Those who drank three to five cups daily had a 65% reduction in risk.

Foods for Strong Bones
Bone loss and osteoporosis are among the leading reasons for disability in later life. And once seniors become disabled, their health often declines in many other ways. Although some bone loss is inevitable as we age, eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D can slow the process and prevent disabling fractures. Among the top choices:

Low-fat dairy products: “The body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium,” says Robert P Heaney, MD, professor of medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and a leading expert on osteoporosis. “But adequate levels of protein are also necessary to keep bones strong.” For that reason, he argues, dairy products like milk and yogurt are the best sources of calcium because they contain the full array of nutrients needed for healthy bones.

Welcome

2010-02-20T02:03:00.000-08:00

Who are we?

WAECA stands for Warakamb Adventist Elite & Clergymen's Association. Warakamb Valley is a remote area located between the two Provinces of Enga and Southern Highlands in Papua New Guinea (PNG) Highlands. PNG is located just to the north of Australia. Our elites are involved in all fields, Ministerial, Medical, nursing, building, journalism, dentistry, mining and engineering and others. We have come together as brothers to serve a common need, to improve the lifes of our people; not only spiritually, but also physically and socially and economically. We are young christians helping out to the rural folk who have no means to talk for themselves. We speak out on issues affecting the valley, and remote PNG as a whole. We want to take a lead in important issues affecting our people and country. We are not a plotical group. We are non government and not for profit. See our postings on a wide range of issues, such as HIV AIDS, climate change, self reliance, law and order etc; in the remote PNG context. Also visit our website at http://www.waeca.com

WAECA students make progress.

2010-02-07T04:01:00.001-08:00

This year will see more WAECA students in tertiary schools. Newman Sop will do Law at UPNG this year. Micah Malen will do second year medicine and Nickie Dick has been accepted to do Aircraft engineering with civil aviation.
Three of our PAU students are doing well. Rosie and Sam will be doing thrid year Bachelor of Nursing and Sharon Dick is doing second year.
Joe kep is now during his residency as a maxillo dento - facial surgeon in Goroka base. We wish them all the best, and may God bless you.

New Health centre for Warakamb

2010-02-07T03:58:00.000-08:00

The new Warakamb health centre building is progressing well again after disruptions from the last Kandep bi election.

Hopefully, it will be completed by the end of this year. Let us hope that in the future, one of the churches most like the SDA church will be able to run it. The churches do a better job in the rural areas.

Sopas Adventist Hospital

2010-01-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

Fellow Engans, Adventists and other interested groups, individuals, a weblog has been created to gauge views and ideas on how the hospital and be re opened or other alternatives.

Ideas are most welcome.

US secretary of State - Hillary Clinton Visiting PNG.

2010-01-07T03:42:00.000-08:00

Clinton to visit Australia, New Zealand, PNG
(AFP)
WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will leave next week on a visit to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea that will touch on international security issues, development and the environment.

The chief US diplomat will be joined in Australia by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, for annual consultations with their counterparts on building relations between the longtime Pacific allies, officials said.

"Australia is one of our closest and most supportive allies in the world," said a State Department spokesman who asked not to be named.

"And our annual meetings are an important anchor of our regional security issues as well as global challenges such as non-proliferation and climate change," he told AFP in an email exchange.

Clinton will also visit Honolulu, Hawaii, where she will deliver a policy speech on "multilateral engagement" with the Asia-Pacific region and meet with the US military's Pacific Command, the department said in a statement earlier.

The January 11-19 visit marks Clinton's first trip to the countries since the inauguration a year ago of President Barack Obama, who has developed a close relationship with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Clinton will arrive on January 17 in Canberra where she and Gates will hold the 25th Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations with their counterparts Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Defense Minister John Faulkner.

They will "discuss key global and regional security challenges," the State Department said.

She will also stop in Melbourne, it said.

Clinton will meet in New Zealand with Prime Minister John Key, a conservative elected in 2008, and meet with veterans from the two countries at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, officials said.

The visit to the memorial is to honor "New Zealand soldiers who have fought with the United States shoulder to shoulder from World War II to Afghanistan," the State Department spokesman said.

Both Australia and New Zealand have contributed troops to Afghanistan, though there was no sign that either country will add more of its own forces to the US troop surge in the central Asian country.

Obama last month pledged an extra 30,000 US troops to bolster the 71,000 already in Afghanistan fighting a Taliban-led insurgency that has become more virulent and deadly over the past year.

Following the pledge, there were commitments of nearly 7,000 additional troops that US NATO allies and other partners announced at meetings in Brussels.

Australian Defence Minister John Faulkner welcomed Obama's announcement of reinforcements for Afghanistan, but stood firm on his government's refusal to go beyond the 1,550 already committed.

But Faulkner added that police training and civilian assistance would be increased, and that "the shape of (Australia's) contingent is always under review."

Seventy-one troops from New Zealand's Special Air Service (SAS) went to Afghanistan in September, the first such deployment since 2006. It has another 140 or so soldiers, primarily involved in reconstruction in Bamiyan province.

Clinton will head on January 14 to Papua New Guinea for meetings with government officials along with civil society. It will be the first visit there by a secretary of state since 1998.

"The secretary will convey our commitment to working with the Pacific islands on climate change, environment and conservation, renewable energy, sustainable fishing, HIV/AIDS, and women's empowerment," the spokesman said.

Our comments

This will be the very first time a US secertary of state will visit PNG.
PNG should grab this opportunity to showcase itself to the world.

Of interest to US will include:
1. Environment and climate change. - PNG has 1/3 of the world's remaining rain forest.
2. Fishing.- PNG has vast tuna resources.
3. HIV AIDs - Mrs H. Clintons husband Bill Clinton is the founder of the Clinton foundation, from which PNG draws funds to fight HIV AIDs.
4. Terrorism and security - PNG, being the largest country in the pacific with lot of lawlessness is prone to be used by terrorists as a launching pad to strike US and other western interests in the pacific.
5. PNG LNG projects. US and canadian multi billion dollar companies will be investing in PNG to export LNG to Asia. The US will aim to protect its intetersts.
6. PNG being a former colony of Australia, and being a stone's throw away from Australia, it has continued to neglect its former poor colony. AUS AID is just a name. Australian tourists rather go to Fiji or Vanuatu than PNG. PNGs problems are not Australia problems.
7. otther health problems. Infant and maternal mortality is some of the highest in the world. This is not of interest to Australia. (By the way, Australia's own people the aboriginal also have similar statistics)
8. PNG lacks development. With the new US democrats in power, perhaps bit of humantarian aid to PNG will be worth while.

These are our views only. What do others think?

Government of Papua New Guinea Signs InterOil's LNG Project Agreement

2009-12-23T05:08:00.000-08:00

WAECA's Patrick Talu is Environmental reporter of the year

2009-12-16T21:45:00.000-08:00

One of WAECA's sons, Patrick Talu has been awarded the environmental reporter of the year. The humble and hard working young man from Warakamb won the Environmental reporter of the year.
Congrats, Pat. Keep up the good work and continue to be humble and work hard.

Second PNG LNG approved!

2009-12-10T05:55:00.001-08:00

AAP

Papua New Guinea's national executive council has approved the InterOil liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

"The InterOil-led project will contribute significantly to the economic prosperity of the Gulf Province and Papua New Guinea in general," Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said in a statement on Thursday.

InterOil is headquartered in Cairns and has offices in Port Moresby and Houston, Texas.

Petromin PNG Holdings, which manages the state's oil and gas projects and falls under the prime minister's jurisdiction, will take up a 22.5 per cent interest in the project.

"I am very pleased that cabinet has given InterOil and Petromin the green light to develop a second LNG project for the country after two years of detailed negotiations between the state and the project developer," Sir Michael said.

The project targets a $7 billion LNG facility capable of producing approximately four million tonnes of LNG per year, a statement from InterOil says.

The first production of liquefied natural gas is expected at the end of 2014 or the beginning of 2015.

Exxon hands out PNG LNG contracts

2009-12-10T05:27:00.000-08:00

from PNN
The key contract for the 6.6 million tonne per annum liquefied natural gas plant was awarded to Japanese companies Chiyoda Corporation and JGC Corporation.

This includes the facilities for processing and treating natural gas, liquefaction, storage and loading.

ExxonMobil also awarded the contract for the Hides gas conditioning plant to a joint venture between CBI and Clough, while a JV between McConnell Dowell Constructors and Consolidated Contractors Group Offshore won the contract for support infrastructure.

The support contract includes the construction of a new airfield at Komo, the site of the project airport; about 21km of upgraded track with two new bridges capable of heavy load transport between Hides and the airfield; about 21km of fibre-optic cable along the same route; and the upgrading of up to 20km of road to support airfield construction.

SPIECAPAG will provide the project with onshore pipelines and infrastructure while Saipem won the contract for the offshore pipeline.

All contracts are pending completion of project sales and purchase agreements with buyers as well as finalisation of financing arrangements with lenders.

Meanwhile, Oil Search, which operates the gas fields that will feed the project, has awarded an engineering, procurement, construction and management contract to Aker Solutions for the construction of all facilities to deliver gas from the existing oil fields to the LNG Project.

The PNG LNG project is expected to cost about $US15 billion ($A16.6 billion) and will have a production capacity of 6.6 million tonnes per annum of LNG.

PNG LNG gets approval

2009-12-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Partners of the PNG LNG Project, today announced that the development of the project will proceed.
Peter Graham, managing director of Esso Highlands, said the project has received
approval by the co-venturers, pending completion of sales and purchase agreements with
LNG buyers and finalization of financing arrangements with lenders, expected to be
concluded by early 2010.
With this decision to proceed, the Papua New Guinea government and landowner
nominees have joined the project as equity participants.
"We are pleased to achieve the important milestone of securing the approval of the coventurers
to move ahead with our project," said Graham said during a ceremony at the
National Parliament House. "Pending completion of these sales and financing
arrangements, significant project activity will commence in 2010.” The project expects to
release information shortly regarding the approval of engineering, procurement and
construction contracts.
Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare presided over the ceremony, attended by Papua New
Guinea government ministers and governors. Somare said, “ExxonMobil and our other
private sector development partners have shown significant confidence in our nation.
Cooperation between the public and private sectors will create value for the Papua New
Guinea society as a whole and grow our economy in the future.”
The project co-venturers will continue to work with the Independent State of Papua New
Guinea and lenders to secure all the necessary environmental and social program
approvals which focus on specific management plans associated with the implementation
of facilities.
The PNG LNG Project is an integrated development that includes gas production and
processing facilities, onshore and offshore pipelines and liquefaction facilities with the
capacity of 6.6 million tons per year. Participating interests include affiliates of Exxon
Mobil Corporation (including Esso Highlands Limited as operator, 33.2 percent), Oil
Search Limited (29.0 percent), Independent Public Business Corporation (PNG
Government, 16.6 percent), Santos (13.5 percent), Nippon Oil (4.7 percent), Mineral
Resources Development Company (PNG landowners, 2.8 percent) and Petromin PNG
Holdings Limited (0.2 percent).
Media Contact: Miles Shaw
Phone: + (675) 323-2133 Email: miles.j.shaw@exxonmobil.com

PNG LNG FID Delayed - Breaking news.

2009-12-05T03:31:00.000-08:00

The PNG LNG FID has been delayed according to Project Finance Internationa (PFI). No reason(s) have been given by Exon mobil. Won't happen as planned for Dec 8. It will not happen before the end of this month. That means, after the end of this month, which could mean Feb or Jan. Look up this site for more details.

( PNG LNG FID delayed
The final investment decision for the US$15bn PNG LNG project that was scheduled for December 8 will now not be made before the end of the month. ExxonMobil did not provide an explanation but it is believed that the ECA funding agreements are still not in place.

The bank debt, however, is progressing better, with some potential lenders to the covered and uncovered tranches of the project debt having their allocations scaled back to some extent. The banking group consists of around 15 MLAs

Comment.
It was known for some time within the inner circles that the FID will not happen until about February 2010. Dec 8 was set to rush through land owner benefits agreements and fool the land owners.
Tangible benefits must be seen in the form of lasting infrastructure, schools, health facilities, agriculture, tourism, sports and religion and art and so on.

Royalties alone is not good enough. The people must be educated about such. Comments welcome

PNGRFL web site needs improvement.

2009-09-07T04:06:00.000-07:00

Has anybody tried looking up the PRGFL website? Rugby league is PNG's official national sport. It is loved all over the country, even in the villages. And it is hoped that one day, PNG will have a team in the NRL.
While it is encouraging to see a PNG RFL on the web, the site needs improvment. The front page certainly lacks vision, and the other menus certainly need polishing. Under rugby league news, I was hoping to read some PNG news, yet it linked to the BBC sport section. What a shame. There should be lots to report about rubby league in PNG. Some menus would include, PNG stars overseas, School boys rugby, Kumuls, Junior kumuls, PNG NRL bid, and so on. PNGRFL should think big and poor in some money for the website and get some professionals to do it. Just compare the the PNGAFL website. They have got a very good website.
PNGRFL has the money to do a better and updated website.

PNG's Will Genia is Wallaby No. 9

2009-09-06T03:30:00.000-07:00

PNGs Will Genia played well in Australias demolishing of South Africa. And from the way he took control, the number 9 jersey could be his for the next ten years.
He took control of the game and almost scored a try as well. The commentators mentioned his name many times during the game and praised him every time a made a break or made a kick.
He was denied a try in the second half. PNG is proud to have one of their sons playing for the Wallabies. The potential in PNG is there. We just need exposure, facilities and full committment.

From the way Will Genia played, the number 9 Wallaby jersey will be hard to give to someone else for the next 10 years.

Spice up with anti oxidants

2009-08-24T05:16:00.001-07:00

(From Record)
The term “antioxidants” is used to promote all sorts of products from processed foods and supplements through to face creams. But there’s no need to look to expensive foods and potions to get your antioxidant fix—they’re found naturally, packed into plant foods that are already in your fridge and pantry.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances found mostly in plants that stop the process of oxidation. Oxidation leads to the creation of free radicals,
which damage cells, including DNA. While the process of oxidation is natural and
a certain amount of free radicals is needed for our bodies to work properly, excess free radicals and the damage they cause have been linked to a range of diseases and certain cancers. Oxidation can also be accelerated by stress, smoking, alcohol and pollution. So antioxidants are compounds that help round up free radicals and stop them from causing damage. Many of the compounds found in foods are considered to be antioxidants, including some vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
How do you measure antioxidants?
In 2007, the United States Department of Agriculture published the antioxidant
activity of selected foods using a method called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity
(ORAC). Basically, the ORAC value for a food is its potential to round up and neutralise free radicals. The higher a food’s ORAC value, the higher its antioxidant activity. Spicing up the antioxidants in your diet. Interestingly, spices get one of the top scores in the ORAC database. While they are only used in small amounts in meals compared to other foods, their antioxidant activity is so high that even small amounts can provide a significant antioxidant boost to your diet. To give you an idea of their antioxidant capacity, the total ORAC value for one gram of cinnamon is more than seven times higher than the value for a small fresh tomato. Spices herefore are a great way of topping up the antioxidant content of a meal and
have the added benefit of reducing the need for salt to flavour recipes.
Antioxidant research
New research on antioxidants is constantly emerging. There are thousands of antioxidants found in plant foods that can contribute health benefits—and we are still learning about them. What we do know is that the greatest health benefits are likely to come from eating a wide variety of plant foods, as each food contains a different set of antioxidants that work together in unique
ways. For example, while pomegranate may be high in one type of antioxidant, broccoli
may be high in another. Researchers are also looking at how combinations
of two or more antioxidants in a food work together to create more powerful
benefits than if they were taken out of the food and consumed individually.
To get all the benefits of antioxidants, it’s essential to eat a wide variety of nature’s whole plant foods every day. And next time you want to add some extra flavour to your favourite recipe, head to the spice cupboard to give your meal an antioxidant boost!

The National Online

2009-08-19T23:11:00.001-07:00

I keep on trying to read some news from PNG. The national online usually has plenty of national news but has been out for a while. It has come under cyber attack. A google search of the site has the following page:

Home Nation Sports Business Editorial Letters Under Construction

This site is being Finalised and we should be back online in a short while.

Keep checking for updates or email us infor@thenational.com.pg

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Mateship in times of disaster

2009-08-13T04:57:00.000-07:00

Our hearts go out for those on the Kokoda plane crash and their loved ones. We would like to thank and appreciate the work of the PNG locals who were first to track their by foot, first to identify the crash site, first to built a clearance for a helipad and camp there day and night. Despite the rough terrain and bad weather, they are doing it for love and mateship. Money can not pay for the things they are doing. The Australian army has also put up all available resources to help with the disaster. The PNG police and army are also doing a great job. Despite limited resources, they are doing a great job. That is mateship. There was true mateship during the Kokoda battle in WW2, the tidal wave disaster in Aitape (The Australian army was first to be there) and we see it again during this tragic accident. Our spirit and mateship will never die away.

PNG pilots are some of the best in the world

2009-08-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

Flying in PNG is one of the toughest in the world. The terrain is roughh, yet so untouched and beautiful. PNG pilots are highly trained. All do their simulations in Australia. FFlying experience is mainly in PNG.
Becomming a pilot in PNG is tough, and only the best brains get there. Thus PNG pilots fly with Emirates, and all over the world.

Our heart goes out to the family of the female PNG pilot involved and her crew and all passengers in the Kokoda crash.

Kokoda crash - first bodies recovered.

2009-08-13T00:42:00.000-07:00

As reported on ABC
Local police have recovered three bodies from the wreck of the plane which crashed in mountainous terrrain near the Kokoda Track on Tuesday, the ABC has been told.

But bad weather combined with the rugged terrain is hampering efforts to recover more bodies from the wreckage of the Twin Otter, which went down with the loss of all 13 people on board.

Helicopters have been unable to set down at the makeshift landing area constructed just 15 metres from the wreckage and the bodies which have been pulled from the plane have not been removed from the crash site.

Nine Australians were among those killed when the Airlines PNG plane crashed in mountainous terrain in the Owen Stanley range en route to the start of the Kokoda Track.

Meanwhile the Australian company that owns Airlines PNG has denied one of the plane's pilots was inexperienced.

Press reports today say one of the pilots, Jenny Moala, had less than six months' experience flying twin-engined planes.

But Skytrans chief executive Simon Wild says that is not the case.

"Both pilots have been working with us since 2005 and have over 2,500 hours on the aircraft type," he said.

"Jenny is certainly well experienced for that operation, having flown it multiple times.

"We have a very vigorous check and training system by command pilots who have spent decades flying in those regions and on those types [of planes] - certainly some of the most experienced pilots in the world on those types of aircraft on that terrain."

Mr Wild paid his condolences to the families of those who died, but says the company has strict aviation standards and will work with authorities to investigate the tragedy.

"Not one of our planes will fly if it does not meet the required standards," he said.

"We are open and audited at least six times a year by the regulatory authorities, and probably another half a dozen times a year by the major multinationals, to ensure that not only do we comply to them, but that we exceed the required standards.

"We are certainly very much open to the assistance of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in investigating this incident.

"Certainly looking at accidents such as this we can improve the safety of aviation in PNG, certainly in this rugged terrain when very bad weather hampers the operation."

He says the airline will do "everything we can to assist the families and those involved."

Kokoda plane crash - No survivors

2009-08-12T02:29:00.000-07:00

It is confirmed there are no survivors. The cause s being investigated but is believed to be bad weather and rough mountanous terrain. The pilot was a PNG woman, and her co pilot was also from PNG. There were 9 Australians and a Japanese on board.

The bodies are now in the process of being retrieved. Our deepest symphaties to their loved ones.

May their souls rest in peace.

APNG crash site found - no movements at site

2009-08-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

Police are trekking through rough terrain to reach the wreckage of a light plane which crashed with 13 people on board near the Kokoda Track yesterday.

A rescue helicopter found the wreckage of the Airlines PNG Twin Otter in rough terrain in the shadow of the Owen Stanley Ranges earlier this morning.

But the head of Papua New Guinea's Civil Aviation Authority, Joseph Kintau, says there has been no sign of activity at the crash site and he fears the worst for the people who were on board.

"At this point in time there's no activity at the crash site, no movements," he said.

"We will be fearing for the worst at this point in time. We'll have to get the report from the team that's been dispatched."

Mr Kintau says rescuers will try to reach the wreckage as soon as possible.

Nine Australians were on board the plane when it crashed in stormy weather yesterday. They were eight tourists from Victoria and Queensland and a tour guide working for Melbourne-based tour operator No Roads Expeditions. All were on their way to walk the Kokoda Track.

This morning Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed that wreckage has been located north of the village of Isurava at an altitude of about 5,500 feet (1,700 metres).

"Consular officers have contacted all of the families of the nine Australians on the flight and in the last hour have advised them that a crash site has been located," he said.

He said PNG police officers had been dropped off near the site and were attempting to reach it on foot.

An Australian Defence Force Sea King helicopter with more PNG police and an Australian doctor is due to depart from Port Moresby soon and will attempt to land near the the crash site.

Meanwhile, a large crowd has gathered outside an aero-ambulance at the Port Moresby airport amid rumours that the bodies of those on board the flight might be flown in.

Among the crowd are several employees of No Road Expeditions - the company the Australians were due to walk the Kokoda Track with.

One of the missing Australians has been named as Bendigo man Peter Holliday.

His mother Liz Holliday told ABC Radio her son planned to walk the Kokoda Track with his cousin, in honour of their grandfather who served in World War II.

"I guess it's the same for everyone, anyone who's got anyone missing, it's just totally devastating. So your heart goes out to everyone, all the families of everyone who's got someone missing," she said before the plane was found.

Authorities believe at least three of the people missing on the flight are from Gippsland.

Moe resident Euan Comrie, Hazlewood North farmer Max Cranwell, and his daughter Leanne were flying from Port Moresby to the start of the Kokoda Trail.

Mr Comrie is the chairman of the Mo-Artz theatre, and is described as a talented actor and theatre director.

Mr Cranwell is a dairy farmer and life member of the Hazelwood North CFA brigade.

The plane was also carrying two people from Queensland's Sunshine Coast. They were named as Keith Gracie and June Canavan, a sports medicine doctor from Queensland's Sunshine Coast who was setting out to walk the Kokoda Track to raise money for a school in Tanzania.

The other people on board included three from Papua New Guinea and a Japanese national.

From ABC

APNG plane crash in Kokoda mountains with 13 on board

2009-08-11T05:26:00.000-07:00

From ABC
Authorities in Papua New Guinea believe a plane carrying 13 people including nine Australians may have crashed not far from a village in dense and rugged terrain.

The Government is sending military and civilian personnel to help, but Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says there are grave fears for the safety of the passengers.

He says local authorities have narrowed their search for the plane based on information from villagers

Airlines PNG flight CG4684 took off from Port Moresby this morning for Kokoda, but never made it to its destination.

Mr Smith said there were two Queenslanders and seven Victorians on board. He said their families had been contacted by officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

"We hold grave concerns for their safety and well-being," he said.

"This of course is an agonising time for these families."

Eight of the Australians made up a tour group heading to walk the Kokoda Track, and the other was one of two tour guides on board, tour operator No Roads Expeditions said in a statement.

Defence Force assistance

Defence Minister John Faulkner has announced Australia is sending military and civilian help to Papua New Guinea.

"It is believed that the general vicinity of the crash site has been identified," he said.

"Local search and rescue has already begun, however the aircraft is believed to have been lost in extremely dense and rugged terrain and weather conditions are extremely poor.

"Kokoda holds a very special place in the heart of all Australians, and we will do everything we can to aid this search and rescue operation."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd spoke to his Papua New Guinean counterpart, Sir Michael Somare, earlier today and offered the help.

The Government says HMAS Success, which has a Sea King helicopter on board, will be off Papua New Guinea by first light tomorrow.

A Caribou aircraft is already in Port Moresby and will also be available.

Senator Faulkner says a C-130 plane with an aero-medical capability and a fully equipped ground party will also be there by morning.

A maritime search and rescue plane and two Black Hawk helicopters are also being sent to Papua New Guinea.

- ABC/AAP

Dad touched many lifes

2009-08-05T00:21:00.000-07:00

By Newman Cuthbert (post courier)

Sir Albert Kipalan had a favourite saying he often repeated to emphasise a point on the importance of quality education to his children: “I would sell my underpants to give you a good education.”
As funny as it may sound, Albert Kipalan believed that the key to success for his children depended on quality education and how they as individuals could embrace education for their own successes and that of their children.
As a young boy Sir Albert himself would walk quite a distance from his Ieremanda village across a district boundary into the Sak valley to seek education.
He worked hard at his own vegetable gardens, harvested the crops and sold them off to pay for his own education. This determination he continued when he went on to Fatima high school.
Next week the Kipalan family will gather around his tomb at his farm just outside Port Moresby to remember their father on the first anniversary of his death.
He is buried on a small hill in front of his house at 8 mile where he often remarked: On that hill I would like you to build a home for me” He collapsed while he was visiting the bank to do business.
Among his children who will gather to pay trubute will be a doctor, her structural engineer husband, another daughter who is Dash 8 captain, her F100 captain husband, an encvironmental scientist, and a helicopter pilot son in-law.
Sir Albert was quite an orator and as member for Wabag and former Magistrate, he was passionate on issues of law and order, transparency and a man known not to go back on his words. If he supported a political group or an individual, it was for a long term.
He did not believe in spoiling is children with gifts and presents but always remembered their 21st birthdays.
From his three wives, Sir Albert fathered 11 children.
One of his sons Felix is the youngest person to hold a position of Environmental superintendent with Lihir Mines.
Rosemary Kipalan Jim is the doctor at Angau hospital while Bona is the only female captain on an Air Niugini Dash 8 and is married to F100 captain Esmond Yasi.
The other daughter Caspara’s husband Phillip flies helicopters .
From the comfort of his house he would look towards the front yard and say “That is where I would like to have my own house built”.
There was no dispute among his many brothers when the time came to decide where to lay him to rest.
He told his pilot son in-laws that Esmond Yasi would fly him on Air Niugini to Wabag and Phillip would take over from there and fly him in a helicopter throughout Wabag.
And that is how it happened.
He spelt out how he wanted the funeral to be ranged and slowly prepared his children so that they felt that he had not died, but moved on to another life and that they would also join him in time.
Early in life he had taken away the Wabag seat from the veteran Sir Tei Abal.
When Sam Abal was contesting the elections, Sir Albert returned to Wabag and told his people that it was now time to return the Wabag electorate to the son of the man from whom he had taken the seat.
One year has passed since the old man went away and on the occasion the family has wanted to say thank you to the many people young and old, important and simple, from the city and the settlements who attended to farewell Sir Albert.
They were taken back when people from the settlement, the highlanders, Koiaris and Goilalas and Keremas turned up to help in whatever way they could. They came and left as quietly as they had come and to this entire people the Kipalan family says thank you. As Esmond Yasi makes his landing aproach, the locals say they notice the wings of his aircraft dip.
Felix always takes the window seat when he come home on his break from Lihir.
“This way I can see the tomb as I come in and say “Hi dad, I’m coming home”
The family says he may have been their dad but he was also special to a lot of people that he touched.

Pacific islands forum in Cairns, Rudds welcome speech

2009-08-04T00:47:00.000-07:00

Pacific Islands Forum Leaders have started arriving in Australia’s northern city of Cairns for the 40th Forum which official opens on Wednesday 5th August 2009.

In his welcome printed in the Delegates’ Handbook, Prime Minister of Australia, Hon. Kevin Rudd, MP said:
“Australia is proud of its Pacific identity, underpinned by strong historical, sporting and people-to-people ties. We share maritime borders, harvest our livelihoods from fishing stocks and hold the same aspirations for a better future for ourselves and for our children. We look forward to strengthening these connections, and developing new ones, over the coming week.”

Prime Minister Rudd, who is the incoming Forum Chair said: “This year’s Leaders’ meeting occurs against a backdrop of transformation as the global economic crisis unfolds, and the international community looks afresh at its political and economic institutions.”

from PIF news.

“The Forum is respected internationally as the pre-eminent decision making body for our region, and it will be up to us to craft a response to the global crisis that provides a strong base for sustainable development in our region.”
Prime Minister Rudd also urged the region to take up the challenge of responding to climate change.

“The December meeting in Copenhagen of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change must advance a global solution that is comprehensive, effective and fair with support for vulnerable countries, such as those of the Pacific.

“It will be crucial that the nations of the Pacific Islands Forum come together as one and underline to international community the magnitude of the challenge our region faces.”

The Australian Prime Minister told his Pacific colleagues:

“The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meeting is our forum to ensure that the collective voice of the Pacific is represented unequivocally on the world stage and heard clearly by world leaders.
“I look forward to working with you to build opportunities for future generations so that they may be able to enjoy a secure and sustainable Pacific future.”

Kumuls only just beat Fiji in port Moresby

2009-07-25T00:26:00.000-07:00

The kumuls only just beat the batis in Port Moresby 14 - 2. The Fijians played a much better game this time. However tight defence saw by the Kumuls kept them scoreless, only scoring through a penalty. A huge crowd witnessed the game.

Kumuls thrash Fiji in Mt. Hagen

2009-07-23T03:04:00.000-07:00

The resident PNG kumuls have thrashed Fiji Batis 64-10 in front of a vocal home crowd. The kumuls were hard to stop. Although the crowd supported both teams, the Kumuls got most of the support as they were playing better footy.
The Batis tried their best but did not match the Kumuls style and ferrocity.
They blamed they loss on altitude, poor support and the tight security. However, one would think the Kumuls played a higher level of football. Go Kumuls!

Some better news of PNG from Europe

2009-07-17T23:14:00.000-07:00

PNG LNG: What could Papua New Guinea's pipeline project bring?. One of the better articles I read of PNG from overseas.
Chris Wright
Thursday, April 02, 2009
The exploitation of natural gas resources looks set to transform Papua New Guinea’s wealth profile and social structure. The
downside is the possibility that its undeveloped infrastructure and institutions will be unable to cope with rapid change. Chris
Wright reports.
Papua New Guinea’s pipeline to change
OCTOBER WILL BE be a big month for Papua New Guinea. It doesn’t sound much on paper: it’s the deadline for the final investment
decision on a liquefied natural gas and pipeline project. But it’s a project that will change the country dramatically – economically and
socially. In fact, it’s hard to think of another example anywhere in the world where so much, good and bad, might depend on a single
investment decision.
The project is known as PNG LNG, and it is an attempt to commercialize undeveloped petroleum and gas resources in the highlands
and western provinces of Papua New Guinea. The gas has to pass through a 470-kilometre pipeline across rugged terrain to a liquefied
natural gas facility 20 kilometres outside Port Moresby, the capital, for liquefaction. Once there, about 6.3 million tonnes of LNG product
a year will be loaded into tankers to be shipped to gas markets worldwide. ExxonMobil, with its Esso Highlands subsidiary as operator,
is the driver of the project with a 41.5% interest; also in there are Australia’s Oil Search (34%) and Santos (17.7%) and Japan’s Nippon
Oil (5.4%) among others, with the PNG state expected to join as an equity participant at a later date.
The numbers attached to this project are extraordinary in any context, but particularly so in an economically small country where 85% of
the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture. The development costs are put at between $11 billion and $14 billion, figures
confirmed to Euromoney by the Investment Promotion Agency (IPA). Once completed in 2013 or early 2014, the project is expected to
double Papua New Guinea’s approximately $12 billion GDP.
The consortium signed a gas agreement with the Papua New Guinea government in May and has since moved to what is known as the
front end engineering and development (Feed) part of the project – a sufficiently big step to persuade many observers that the project’s
development is now a foregone conclusion. "They are spending $400 million on Feed, so it would be silly to spend that kind of money
and not have the project go ahead," says Ivan Pomaleu, who heads the IPA. One foreign banker says he senses "100% certainty
among local people that it’s going to happen". But it won’t be until October that the deal is confirmed. "That’s basically the point where
we say yes, no or defer," says Pomaleu. "That’s the moment when we can say: ‘Yep, we have a project; no, we don’t have a project; or
we will have a project but not immediately’. It’s a big project and we want to be sure."
So big that those involved tend to use great understatement in describing it. "The scale [financially] will depend on commodity prices but
if it doubles our current GDP, that’s quite big," says Simon Tosali, secretary for the department of treasury. "It will be the biggest project
this country has ever undertaken in its 34 years of independence. So it’s going to be quite big."
The knock-on effects will be varied, and not entirely to the good. An increase in wealth on this scale obviously has enormous potential
for budget revenues and the ability to fund badly needed spending on schools, hospitals and roads, among other things. There’s also
the demonstration effect to consider: if a project like this is shown to be not only possible but practicable then a host of other
possibilities come to the surface in this remarkably resource-rich country. But there are real questions about Papua New Guinea’s
ability to cope with this sudden influx of money and development. "There is already a strain on all infrastructure: telecoms, security,
power, skilled labour," says one banker. "There are lots of business opportunities but the capability of the local market to provide that
support is already sorely tested." Foreign banks – there are three of note, the Australians Westpac and ANZ and the Malaysian
Maybank (Malaysia is the most active foreign nation in Papua New Guinea, particularly in such areas as forestry and palm oil) – should
stand to do remarkably well out of the development of Papua New Guinea, using their own global or regional networks to help serve the
multinational companies that are coming in. But it’s the on-the-ground presence, from the 7,500 construction workers required for PNG
LNG, to the hotels and schools they will need and the roads they will drive on and the power for their businesses, to the local
accountancy and legal professions, that are going to be under stress.
Absorbing growth
Pomaleu sees this clearly. "The doubling of GDP is almost a frightening prospect for us when you think about the possible implications,"
he says. "Everyone is quite aware of the Dutch disease [the sense that an influx of wealth from natural resources can actually be bad
for a country]. Our challenge as a country is to have the structures in place to be able to absorb the growth: the challenges it will have
on our existing capacity, and its demands on government services, infrastructure, everything we have." He mentions wharves, roads,
housing, airports, customs and immigration services. "The numbers that are being quoted we are excited about: we could use a few
more million dollars in our budget. But we have to have the capacity to absorb the growth."
And it could get bigger still. Towards the end of last year InterOil, a company with petroleum licences covering about 8.7 million acres of
land, started to talk about strong finds in its Antelope natural gas field. In March, it went further, announcing a flow of 382 million cubic
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feet of natural gas a day with 5,000 barrels of condensate a day – a flow test that set a new record for Papua New Guinea, and a figure
that InterOil believes to be a world record. It also believes the well contains the largest vertical hydrocarbon column head in any single
onshore field of its type. Now InterOil wants to build an LNG plant next to its refinery and start talking with potential stakeholders about
taking equity or setting offtake contracts.
Consequently, as Pomaleu puts it, "prior to December I thought we had one project. Now we have two." Development here is in a much
earlier stage, and Tosali speaks of it with some caution. "It’s being negotiated," he says. "We want them to prove their research." But
already build costs of $5 billion are being quoted and there is a real chance of PNG’s sudden windfall – and the associated drain on
resources and infrastructure – being magnified still further.
All this is happening in a country that, for various reasons, has not had the best reputation as a place to come to and do business.
There are clearly still big problems to be addressed and they start with security. Port Moresby regularly turns up in surveys from groups
such as the Economist Intelligence Unit as one of the world’s least liveable, and most dangerous, cities. Local opinions on the true level
of lawlessness vary: some feel aggrieved that this is the only impression foreigners have of Port Moresby; others feel that, despite a
recent improvement, the problem is intense, with gangs of what are known locally as raskols robbing and sometimes kidnapping with
apparent impunity. The consensus seems to be that it’s a place to be careful rather than to live in fear. But whatever one’s opinion of
the scale of the problem, there is no question that the costs of arranging security are a necessary consideration for any foreign
enterprise seeking to do business in Papua New Guinea.
Bureaucracy is a frequent complaint of foreigners too: not corruption necessarily but a certain stodginess of process that impedes
efficient business. Another complaint, reminiscent of Manila about 10 years ago, is power failures. "Everyone has to get a generator set
up to back up the main power," one foreign businessman says. "It’s not such a big deal, you get used to it, but it becomes another
cost."
Enforceability of contracts also gets mentioned, with the court system slow. "They say whenever you go to court there is a 51/49 rule,"
says one businessman. "There is never more than a 51% chance that you will win. But there is never less than a 49% chance that you
will lose. It is not the most predictable of systems." Here, development banks are involved in trying to improve the process.
There are, though, some major positives that should be put on the credit side of the ledger. First among them is relative political
stability. When Sir Michael Somare’s government lasted an entire electoral term from 2002 to 2007 and then got re-elected it was the
first time ever – in the country’s entire independent history – that a term had been served without the government being ousted or the
prime minister damned in a vote of no confidence. Few would bemoan a robust democracy but it is only with a sense of political
continuity and predictability that foreigners have begun to show more interest in getting involved.
"It’s a strong contributing factor to ensure that policy is stabilized," says Tosali. "When you have continuous change the system is
unstable. This is the only government that was there in the last term and has continued to rule." And so one begins to see long-term
policy being effected: a fiscal responsibility act, a continuous and more predictable attitude towards energy and resources, and the
implementation of five-year fiscal frameworks.
Also, Tosali rankles at the idea of Papua New Guinea as a difficult place to do business. "Papua New Guinea has always got a very
bad press overseas. People still ask if it is one of the hardest countries to do business in. But if you look at some of the laws currently,
especially in terms of the fiscal incentives we have for foreign investors in this country, it is very robust and very competitive. For a long
time we were being told our fiscal regime has not been the best, but in some of the latest reports we see it has improved quite
dramatically. We have changed a lot." Legal codes in the commercial sphere tend to be modelled on Australian approaches.
Bringing down public debt
Fiscal discipline will be vital as the money starts rolling in, and the best illustration of the present administration and central bank’s
ability to be prudent with it comes with some real achievements in the field of national debt. In 2002 the debt to GDP ratio stood at a
crippling 70%; it is now down to 30%. "I think that is a remarkable achievement we have made in the last five years or so," Tosali says.
The aim now, over the five-year medium-term fiscal strategy that runs out in 2012, is to get it down to about 20%. As the strategy
document says: "Bringing public debt down to near the 20% level would represent a major fiscal achievement. It would make it more
likely that according to the measure used by the IMF, PNG’s public debt would be assessed as sustainable." It would also likely improve
rating agencies’ assessment of sovereign debt, and in turn promote investor confidence.
Additionally, as commodity prices rose last year, PNG found itself, as Tosali puts it, with "so much money floating around in the system
the problem was how best to manage it." Indeed, while subsequent commodity price falls have clearly had an impact on the country, it
doesn’t look remotely like any other nation in the grip of a global financial crisis: it has been putting interest rates up, not down, most
recently to 8%.
While PNG hasn’t gone quite so far as some other commodity windfall nations – most notably East Timor, which is putting almost all of
its newfound oil and gas bounty into a sovereign wealth fund for the next generation and only drawing off replaceable quantities for
spending today – Papua New Guinea has tried to set a similar policy of sorts for its incoming revenues, and this will become more and
more important as more money comes in in future. From now on, once mineral revenues go above 4% of GDP, the additional income
over that level is then drawn off. It is then split 70-30 between public investments and paying down public debt. (Tosali had wanted the
whole lot for public debt, but this ended up being the compromise.)
Although that looks prudent, the country is still wrestling with problematic double-digit inflation that is surely only going to get worse as
the big projects get rolling. Oil price falls have brought it down a touch, from 13.5% mid last year to 11.5% at the end of December but
those are still worryingly high levels. "We are still very worried about inflationary pressures on the economy," says Tosali.
And although political stability, fiscal strength and simplification of business processes are all positive, there is still not yet much sign in
the numbers of growing foreign direct investment: in fact it peaked in 2004. This maintains the sense that Papua New Guinea is a
country in which things are about to happen from a foreign investment perspective, rather than one where they are already happening.
That said, there are also good signs of foreign engagement: both Australian airlines, Qantas and Virgin Blue, now run code-share
arrangements and other partnerships with local PNG airlines, while a particularly interesting deal came in a big Chinese investment in
Madang, in the country’s north. It’s a $1.4 billion nickel and cobalt mine that will employ 4,000 people; Chinatowns are now emerging in
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the wilderness. China is already the third most active foreign country in PNG and it might be that ventures with the People’s Republic,
rather than western nations such as Australia, is where the country’s future lies. "There has been a special effort on our part to
encourage Chinese investment," Pomaleu says.
For foreign banks, there is a lot of potential ahead. They tend to see four areas: advising multinationals before they come in to PNG,
through other offices; commercial business on the ground, helping international companies once they come in; the landowners’ groups,
very powerful in Papua New Guinea, which increasingly need banking services; and the retail side as more and more expatriates come
in. If law and order could be brought under control the country ought to have a burgeoning tourism industry too, with world-class diving,
hiking, scenery, surfing and the attraction of PNG’s stunningly multicultural nature (more than 800 distinct languages are spoken). "It’s
almost totally unexploited and it should be the tourism centre of the Pacific," says one expatriate. "Fiji’s got nothing on this."
So when October comes, the country will find itself at a watershed moment: continue as it was or take a big step forward that will at
once enrich the country and put it under substantial strain. There’s a lot to do. "We have our challenges in Papua New Guinea and I
would be the first to admit that," says Pomaleu. "But I also think we have addressed a lot of issues."
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WAECA a charitable oraganisation

2009-07-03T00:26:00.000-07:00

WAECA, which stands for the Warakamb Adventist Elite & Clergymen's Association is a not for profit organisation.(NPO) It was basically created to enhance a healthier and peaceful lifestyle in the Warakamb Valley.
Thus, it is a charitable organisation. It does not aim to make a profit. WAECA does not involve in political activities and it does not instigate violence. It aims to spread the gospel, educate, improve socio ecoonomic condtions and also fight poverty. The other aim includes care of the environment. WAECA since its establishment in 1998 has tried its best to provide some of the above. Main successes has been in the areas of gospel, health awareness, and environment and climate change.

PNG s Will Genia is Australian Wallaby's half back

2009-07-01T23:58:00.000-07:00

Papua New Guinea born Will Genia has been selected to represent Australia at Half back for the tri Nationals series. The 21 year old Queensland reds player was only selected today for the Australian Wallabies. Let us hope more PNGeans will make it into the ARU.
Already two of our young AFL players will be playing for the Gold Coast AFL team. They will enetr the AFL competition in 2011.

Latest PNG HIV/AIDS Statistics

2009-07-01T01:38:00.000-07:00

More women than men test HIV-positive
By ELIZABETH MIAE
FEMALES continue to dominate the number of reported HIV cases, according to the 2008 first half (January-June 2008) report on sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV and AIDS Surveillance.
The report showed that 24,769 cumulative HIV-positive cases were reported by the end of June 2008 of which 24,769 cases (45%) were males, 12,496 cases (50%) were females
and 1,227cases (5%) were unrecorded or unknown gender.
“A total of 1,559 newly-confirmed HIV cases were reported in the first and second quarter of 2008 out of which 911 cases (58%) were females, 617 cases (40%) were males and 31 (2%) were the sex was not recorded,” the report stated.
“The ratio of newly-confirmed HIV infections in the first and second quarter of 2008 was almost three females to two males.
“This is similar to the trend in 2007 where 57% of HIV infections were in females and 40% were in males.”
Females between the ages of 20 and 24 years had the highest number of newly-reported HIV cases between January and June 2008 (more than 250 cases reported in that period), compared to the males of the same age group who only recorded more than 50 cases.
“We are seeing more and more infections in young women every year and we are also seeing an increased number of cases in Madang and East Sepik provinces,” national surveillance coordinator of the Health Department Dr Urarang Kitur said.
Dr Kitur was speaking during his presentation at the HIV seminar hosted by the National Research Institute recently.

Tari to become center of activity

2009-06-23T05:08:00.000-07:00

With early works on the LNG projet already happening, tari is expecetd to become a hive of constructing activity. But Governer Agiru must set his visions straight. things for the proposed Hela city should include:
1. Modern Tari hospital.
2. International Airport.
3. Better roads.
4. Better Government offices.
5. better shopping complexes
6. better sewage and water facilities.
7. Better parks
8. Good sports complex/stadium
9. Tourist attractions including the famous Ambua lodge
10. Encourage Agriculture/fisteries/ reforestation
11. Hydro power (gas will finish)
12. Ecotourism
13. Animal husbandaries.

The list goes on.
These are things that will be left when the oil and gas are gone.

Enga Adventist Choire on DVD

2009-06-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

Enga Adventist Choire sung by singers from Porgera and Laigam is now out DVD. Very nicely layed out, very action packed and sung beautifully. Initially, I thought they were Africans, but it was my very own countrymen.
It is still being produced. ones out, they will be some of the best songs people have heard.

God bless.

LNG Project Deal

2009-05-25T03:50:00.000-07:00

It is good that the deal is done and sealed. Millions, if not billions of kina involved. Congratulations to leaders like Mr. Agiru who have negotiated hard. However, apart from those mentioned, are there going to be any fundings for schools, hospitals, existing roads, technical colleges and so on? What about agriculture, why not not a huge timber plantation along those roads. Why not huge oil palm platations? Why not use some of the bear grass land for animal grazing. Over 200 000 jobs could be created from and surrounding this project alone. Here is the rest of the news as reported by the national.

FIVE weeks of intense negotiations between the State and gas resource landowners and their provincial governments ended on Saturday with the signing of an umbrella benefits sharing agreement for the PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.
The agreement will land K20 billion in the hands of provincial governments and landowners over the 30-year life of the project and commits the State to certain important infrastructure and socio-economic developments in the provinces and specific licence areas.
Despite strong opposition from certain landowners, the State negotiating team was able to get everyone to sign the BSA in a marathon signing session which ran till midnight on Saturday and then continued yesterday at 1pm.
Head of the Southern Highlands negotiating team and the biggest party at the talks, Governor Anderson Agiru, said yesterday: “We have cut a good deal. This deal now sets new parameters and new benchmarks in State/landowner relations.”
Mr Agiru’s “good deal” includes:
* An additional 5% of State’s equity in the project, bringing provincial government/landowner equity in the PNG LNG project to 7%;
* Construction and sealing of a massive highway linking the Gulf of Papua
to the north coast of mainland PNG from Kikori, through Kutubu, Moran to Tari and Lake Kopiago and terminating in the Sepik;
* Sealing of the Kikori to Ialibu (Gulf-Southern Highlands) highway;
* A K100 million commitment to build the first phase of a Hela City Development at Tari and an undertaking to declare the future city as a free trade zone;
* Development by the Independent Public Business Corporation (IPBC) of an international wharf at Kikori under public private partnership;
* Commitment of K90 million for the first phase of the Tari International Airport;
* A further commitment of K90 million for a super highway between Tari and Komo;
* Relocation of the Mendi Airport;
* Building of a township at Kikori;
* Expansion of the Mendi and Ialibu townships; and
* Development of townships in Kutubu, Komo, Magarima, Koroba, Kagua, Nipa and growth centres at Angore and Nogoli (Hides).
The extra 5% equity and the 2% carried interest translates to over K20 billion over the life of the project, Mr Agiru said.
This will be shared by all affected provincial governments and landowners from Juha to Portion 152.
The State has also committed K1.2 billion over the next 10 years for infrastructure development in each project area.

Enga Women's Ministry convention to be held in Warakamb

2009-05-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

Above; Warakamb women rehearsh a march in 2006.

The Enga Adventist Womens Ministry convention will be held in Warakamb in June. Women from Kandep, Laigam, Porgera and Sirunki area and possibly some from Wabag will be attending the convention. Already preparations are under way. Some people are also expected to be baptised. The Annal han church has been proposed as the site. This site is ideal as there is water, fire wood and also lot of accomodation is available.
May there be blessings as this meeting is conducted. Women have done a lot to spread the Gospel in Enga.

PNGs Emmaus Wartovo making impact in AFL Tasmania

2009-04-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

Above, PNGs Emmaus Wartovo with East Devonport Football Club secretary In Tasmania.

The start of the N.T.F.L. 2009 Football Season for the East Devonport Football Club has been a good one! The Senior Team has won its first three games, showing that they will be good contenders for the Finals this Year. They have been assisted with Paupa New Guinean recruit Emmaus Wartovo, who has been in the Best Players for all three games. Emmaus’s exceptional speed, ball skills and goal kicking ability has proved to be a great asset for the East Devonport Football Club.
Emmaus’s good form so far this season, has him in contention to play in two representative games. If he performs well in the two games, he is likely to be selected in the Tasmanian U 23 side, which plays in a carnival in Adelaide in July. The best 25 players in this, carnival are then selected to play for Australia in an International game against Ireland, later in the year.
Emmaus has made lots of friends in his short time already at the Club. Emmaus is still adjusting to the 17 degree temperature and unfortunately he is to expect colder weather in the middle of the Season, with July and August temperatures to be around 12 degrees on a good day.
Since being in Tasmania, Emmaus has already experienced some good fishing, with a successful trip to Swansea on the East Coast of Tasmania. He has also mentioned that he can’t wait to see some snow and build his first ever snow man.
Emmaus is living with East Devonport Football Club identities, Peter and Pettina Borlini. He has settled in very well and is enjoying life in Tasmania.
Emmaus is pictured with Pettina Borlini who is the Secretary of the East Devonport Football Club.

Highlights.1. Best player on the field for all games he has played.
2. His club has been undefeated so far.
3. First on the list be selected for palyer of the year in the league.
4. To be chosen for a side to play in the representative game in Tasmania
5. Lot of media attention.
6. Liked by coach and senior football club officials.
7. Also a hot favouraite for supporters.
8. PNG team in Tasmania also supporting.
9. Has the right recipies to succeed.
10. Good ambassador for PNG.

Casava into ethanol

2009-03-21T04:51:00.000-07:00

(As appearing in the national in 08)

By SALOMINA DIMARA
THE Central province is set to become a major producer of an income earning product that can bring in millions of kina from a humble crop known as the cassava.
The 20,000 hectares of land for the cassava bio-fuel project is located along the Magi Highway beginning at Saroakeina and stretching all the way out towards the Launakalana station.
There is interest among landowners to extend the project across to the Abau side.
Changhae Tapioka (PNG) Ltd the developer of the multi-million kina cassava bio-fuel project is looking at exporting its first lot of cassava chips to South Korea in the next year to be processed onto ethanol or bio-fuel and the next five years will see the establishment of its own ethanol factory on the cassava estate.
Signboards along the highway advertise the project which has brought major infrastructure development into the Rigo district.
The first “Cassava Bio-fuel Project” signboard is located at Kwikila at the corner of the junction that leads to the provincial government offices and the road that leads to Kupiano.
The other larger one welcoming everyone is erected at the top of the Bannon Bridge where the mighty Kemp Welch River flows past Saroakeina village.
The third signboard is clearly positioned at the front entrance to the cassava projects nursery and multiplication site.
The cassava project has become very popular among the villagers, most of whom are engaged in subsistence gardening, fishing and hunting to survive.
Economic activities involve trade stores and the sale of garden produce and betelnut at Kwikila or in Port Moresby.
Changhae Tapioka (PNG) Ltd is set to bring about tangible economic developments and benefits to the Central province. With the new environmental trends for cleaner source of energy, cassava has been identified for the production of ethanol as an additive to petrol. The ethanol from cassava can also be used in the manufacture of liquors and spirits. Hence cassava is also emerging as a potential high value cash crop.
The Changhae Group in South Korea is one of the leading manufacturers and consumers of ethanol.
With a projected internal requirement of about 70,000 tons of cassava and capability to find markets for an additional 70,000 tons, Changhae Tapioka (PNG) Ltd is the gate way to international markets.
PNG has the right climate and soil condition for this particular crop and more local farmers need to be encouraged to boost the cultivation of cassava.
The PNG Government is aware of the potential of this particular crop and through its Green Revolution Policy has resolved to engage the private sector in a mutually profitable private/public partnership This is also consistent with governments policy on poverty alleviation and rural empowerment.
The Government is fully supportive of this project after the signing of an MOU in 2005 and since than have identified and made available suitable agricultural and industrial land for cassava cultivation and ethanol production which will be the cornerstone of the projects success.
Already 20,000 hectares of land has been acquired in the Rigo area for development of the cassava bio-fuel project and this has steadily been in progress since the ground breaking ceremony officiated by the Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare in Bore last year.
Operations have been progressing steadily and part of the company’s incentive to provide job opportunities, training, and community service has fallen into place. The company is currently developing its estate and nursery from the 100 hectares that have been allocated for this purpose from the 20,000 hectares acquired.
Over 40 staff are employed on the estate with more to join as the estate expands.
Also there to conduct hands on industrial training are eight students from the University of Technology in Lae, Morobe province.
The third year Agriculture Science students from different parts of the country were happy to be attached to the project and contributing to the pioneering of this agro-industrial project.
The students are on a three months industrial attachment at the project site.
Their training consists of project management (practical and theory) and research methods. In order to carry out their research the students were allocated blocks to develop.
“The project plan we chose was to engage in project management practices and as such four hectares was allocated to us to develop and manage,” said Enara Enara, team leader of the students.
Planting materials (cassava stalks) were also needed for their blocks and the students managed to obtain this from local villagers in Maopa and Gavuone where two of the students came from.
Awareness was done about the value of the crop and what benefits it can bring for the villagers with this new industry and the local villagers were willing to help by supplying the planting materials.
The company also assisted the students in purchasing basic food items such as bales of rice, flour, sugar, and packets of tea. These goods the students exchanged with villagers for cassava stalks.
“We were not expecting such gifts as this. All we wanted was to help supply the students with their planting materials as we know that the cassava project will bring a lot of development to the Central province,” said Lua Teru from Gavuone village.
The students managed to obtain 18,000 cuttings of cassava stalks totaling more than the target number of 16,000 which they had estimated to collect from the two villages.
They attributed this to the general interest of the villagers after learning about the cassava bio-fuel project.
The local village women also provided the students with valuable information on their gardening methods and the different varieties that were available, which also came in handy for the student’s research project.
“We were able to obtain 7 different local varieties, some with fast high yielding rate, effective planting methods from the local gardeners for fast germination, advantages and disadvantages of cassava with other crops and major diseases that affect most cassava along the Central province” said Enara.
Changhae’s nursery and multiplication site is basically to produce planting materials for the plantation and the students input into this project were welcomed by the company.
Travelling along the highway to the cassava plantation is easily accessible as it is sealed all the way except for the deteriorating condition of some of the bridges along the way which have been long overdue for repair.
Recently two of the bridges along the highway within the vicinity of Saroakeina were reconstructed by workmen from the cassava estate.
Equipment such as generator, oxy, power drill and grinder were provided to make the job efficient and by afternoon two of the bridges had their old rotting timbers on the railway replaced and bolted with new timber.
The first bridge usually a nightmare for the travelling public had its base bolted with timber on its iron as well as the cross sections at the bottom replaced with new timber.

* The writer is the Information Officer- Changhae Tapioka (PNG

Our comment
MPs who have heads could easily bring the investors to their own provinces Milne bay, Morobe, Madang, Sepik and all NGIs Provinces. Tapioka is easy to plant and propagate. PNG could easily become a leading exporter of cassava in the world.

Sagu is second female judge

2009-03-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

By JULIA DAIA BORE
REGINA Sagu (right) is PNG’s second national female judge, joining Justice Catherine Davani.
Ms Sagu was appointed acting judge for the National and Supreme Courts by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC).
Attorney-General Dr Allan Marat, chairman of the JLSC, announced the appointment yesterday.
Ms Sagu is from Sangurap village, Wabag, Enga province.
She attended the UPNG’s law school and obtained her degree in February 1985. She attended the Legal Training Institute in 1985 and was admitted to the Bar in 1987.
She served as a legal officer at the public solicitor’s office in Enga from 1986 to 1988 and served as a legal officer for the Enga provincial government from 1988 to 1990 before going into private practice.
She became a senior magistrate in 1994 and a principal magistrate in 1999.
She served as acting deputy chief magistrate in 1999 and 2000.

Conrats to Sagu. Job well done. from WAECA Elites.

‘52 SDAs face being sacked’

2009-03-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

MORE than 50 Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) church workers face being terminated if they do not work on Saturdays, Markham MP Koni Iguan told Parliament yesterday.
Mr Iguan, in a series of questions to Labour and Industrial Relations Minister Mark Maipakai, said the 52 SDA members work for Ramu Sugar Ltd and also reside with their families in that township.
SDAs throughout the world honour Saturday as a day of worship, prayer and rest.
However, Mr Iguan said last Saturday, the company issued a general notice to all employees to work on Saturdays.
“These SDA workers are now expected to go against their conscience and their religious beliefs to work on Saturdays.”
Mr Iguan said the management had indicated taking drastic action and severely penalise those who did not turn up for work on Saturdays.
“The action is in direct breach of the UN Convention on Human Rights Universal Declaration Article 18, allowing the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” Mr Iguan said.
Mr Maipakai promised to check the claims and report back to the MP.

PM leads team to SDA service

2009-03-16T23:13:00.000-07:00

(From the National)
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare and several MPs attended church service at the Korobosea Seventh-Day Adventist church on Saturday.
Sir Michael and the MPs, including Justice Minister Dr Allan Marat, Community Development Minister Dame Carol Kidu, Environment Minister Benny Allan, Fisheries Minister Ben Semri and Correctional Service Minister Tony Aimo attended the church service at the invitation of Education Minister James Marape, who is also a church elder at the Korobosea SDA church.
Mr Marape was also the preacher on that day.
The MPs started arriving by 10am followed by Sir Michael who arrived to a red carpet welcome and a guard of honour by the youth, pathfinders and adventurers.
They took part in signing hymns, giving offerings and then listened to Mr Marape preach about leaders being stewards of God. His sermon was based on Nehemiah 9:5-7 and verses 13-15.
He also recommended the book of Ecclesiastes to his colleague MPs to help them in their leadership.
Sir Michael and the MPs were treated to a luncheon of vegetarian food after the church service.
Sir Michael thanked the church for the service, adding, it was the first time to hear one of his ministers preach.
Other MPs who attended the service were Forest Minister Belden Namah, Foreign Affairs Trade and Immigration Minister Sam Abal, Central Bougainville MP Jim Miringtoro and Kerowagi MP Guma Wau among others.

It is good to have MPs who are God fearing. There are certainly some good MPs including Mr Marape and Dr. Puka Temu. PNG would have been ruled a lot more better if we had such people.

Coastal plants bearing fruits in the Highlands

2009-03-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

By ZACHERY PER (The National)
RESIDENTS of some of towns in the Highlands region are already noticing strange things happening to coastal plants they have brought to plant there.
Plants that normally grow only on the coastal areas are beginning to bear fruit in the Highlands.
This is believed to be a direct consequence of the effects of global warming.
Notable of some of the plants are betelnut, coconut and even palm oil.
A local resident of Kundiawa, Teine Kua was shocked and thrilled to see an ornamental palm oil tree he planted next to his mother’s house at Ega Street in town bearing young fruits.
According to Mr Kua he planted a seed he mysteriously found inside his trousers pocket.
“Until now, I cannot recall who exactly
gave me the oil palm seed,” he said.
However, after taking the seed he planted it near the house and after a few weeks noticed young shoots developing.
In the process he planted sticks around the area to allow for it to grow well and not being tempered with.
“Initially, I thought the plant was betelnut, but after some time I noticed that the leaves were different,” Mr Kua said.
He also mentioned of a bean seed he found in a pocket of a trousers he bought at a second-hand shop which he brought home and planted and later noticed the seed germinating and growing up to be a bean.
He called the bean “Jack and the Bean Stalk” because the size of the beans were big compared to the local varieties.
His elder brother Kawagle Kua already harvested a fully matured coconut at Barawaghi Works unit compound few years ago.

Better ways to curb the HIV/AIDs and TB Epidemic in PNG?

2009-03-05T01:31:00.000-08:00

Surely there has to be a better way of curbing the HIV/AIDs and TB epidemic. In medical terms, TB and AIDs are cousins. The more AIDS patients, the more of their cousins. Certainly huge public banners have not worked, public campaigns have not done much. This is because we, papua New Guineans like overnight results. The PNG AIDs council want to be seen to be doing something, so they go around publicising their little works. NGOs look for ways to get money from the National AIDs council. Even church run ones. Surely there has to be a better way of doing things. Some suggestions.
1. Start from square one - Start teaching kids from kinder or prep. Teach them about moral ways, and the fruits of doing evil things. Continue to nurture them as they grow up. The results will be seen in more than ten tto wenty years.
2. Start from the family unit. It should become the family unit's responsiblity to educate the young ones from birth. Teach them what is good and what is bad.
3. Improve education. Make basic education available free to all. An educated population will heed messages quite well.
4. Improve the economy and standard of living. The better the economy, the better the standard of living. People live in a healthier environment and there is less overcrowding.
5. Go to church. What ever their religious back ground, parents should bring their children to church. A God fearing population will behave appropriately.

Instead of looking for overnight results and looking for ways to spend money, we should start from birth, teach them, from the family unit, to larger societies. Educate the population, bring children to church and improve their socioeconomic status. These will lead to a healthier society.

These are our views. Comments are welcome.

House to bring in new law for climate office.

2009-03-05T01:15:00.000-08:00

By Harlyne Joku (from PNGs post courier)

Parliament has adopted a paper presented by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare stressing the need to set up the office of climate change as
a separate legal entity after much debate yesterday afternoon.
Sir Michael highlighted in his paper titled “Climate Policy Challenge and Responsibility” that PNG will control its own destiny in
climate change by setting up the Office of Climate Change as a separate legal entity.
He added that legislation would be introduced to Parliament which would enable the launching of the Office of Climate Change as a separate
legal entity.
“What shape and how that happens will be a matter for Cabinet and ultimately Parliament to decide on,” Sir Michael said.
He added that Cabinet had approved on February 11, the setting up of a board of trustees to ensure that PNG complied with international
treaty obligations relating to climate change and carbon trade issues.
And the board of trustees will ensure proper transparency and account-ability for funds approved by donors for climate change and carbon
trade projects in PNG.
“I can assure Papua New Guinea that my Government will not be party to selling away our people’s rights to their forest resources or park
carbon credit returns in trust mechanisms created in Singapore or Australia to be controlled by unknown persons who are not answerable to
the Government of the day.
“Papua New Guinea will control its own destiny in climate change. The trusts are important for ensuring transparency, audit compliance and
accountability.
“The overall aim is to ensure that the rural communities who own these resources benefit to improve the living standard which is part of
our aims to achieve the millennium development goals.
“The trusts will be taken up in the new draft legislation which will have community input before it goes to Parliament,” Sir Michael said.
Sir Michael said he has told the Office of Climate Change to consult all relevant stakeholders, which includes resource owners, provincial
governments, NGOs, other government agencies, business houses and entities with direct and indirect interests in climate change
projects.
“It is important for the Government to gauge community views, but ultimately the Government will govern for the long term interests of
this country,’’ Sir Michael said. “This Government will not pander to big businessmen driven by self interest or international
organisations coming in to rip the people off.
“Consultation is necessary to take into account community views,” the Prime Minister said.

Brief History of Warakamb Valley

2009-03-02T02:45:00.000-08:00

Introduction
There is no written history. But from what has been been passed on through the years, one can make out world events and make out some history.

The first Explorers/White men
The first explorers to the Highlands were in the 1930s. The first white man probably walked through the Warakamb Valley 5 or 10 years later. They were American. On noticing the beauty of the warakamb Valley, some decided to settle. Nobody remembers any names, but the locals all remember a Kon or white men. Nobody was killed.

The First Christians
The first Christians were not Adventists. They were Roman Catholics and Anglicans. They settled at Winja, Makep and Emda Manda. They set up cow paddocks, a school and others. They built very good houses, overlooking the Warakamb swamps. However, this was not to last for ever.

Trouble
The locals started doing nasty things to the white settlers. They left one by one and all were gone. The trace of them were only the tree they had planted. There was a big vacuum left.

The First Adventists
The frist Adventists arrived probably in the early 1960s. They settled at what is now the Walemtenges or Warakamb SDA church. They convinced and won the hearts of the locals and stayed with them

More Trouble
However, tribal fights started erupting. many young people went to war and not to return to the church. But the faithful few remained and kept the light burning, although, eventually it started to get cold. There cama time when things were just going down hill; spiritually, health and moral values and socio economic development.

The birth of WAECA
Around the 1990s, some of the pastors and missionaries who had gone from the valley to spread the world of God far and wide, started to return with their grown up children back to the valley. Coupled with some locally brought up elites, they formed what is now known as WAECA. They sat through long hours, day and night, in times of rain and sunshine, talking, debating arguing, to establish the foundations of WAECA.

Today
Many people respect WAECA. The Lord has blessed us. Satan is on the loose and trying to put us down, but Jesus defeated him by dying on the cross, then getting up again to go to heaven. With God on our side, we will strife to be better.

If you want to know more, contact us at info@waeca.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or leave a message in the guest book.

New Primary school for Warakamb

2009-02-24T01:59:00.000-08:00

This is good news for Warakamb.
A second primary school has commenced classes two weeks ago, starting from grade one. The once catholic church run Marara community school at Marara was closed due to constant tribal fights after just two grade six outputs. In its hey days, St. James Marara community school saw many of Warakambs children going to school. Today, many of these are professionals, including teachers, policemen, lawyers and doctors. If the school was still open now, there would be many more. The people have realized their mistakes and are willing to look after the school well. This was seen when everybody worked hard to complete the double classroom in just six days.
Already three teachers have started teaching in the school. Warakambs Winja community school will see the first grade 8s this year.
We wish the Marara and Winja primary school children and teachers are good 2009.

LNG projects set to lure more workers

2009-02-24T00:31:00.000-08:00

By PORENI UMAU (From post courier)
THE Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project to run from the Southern Highlands through Western Province and all the way to the nation’s
capital is predicted to cost between $US10 billion and $US13 billion.
This was revealed by LNG project director Dairi Vele last Friday night during a meeting with all business houses in Lae to explain the
scale of the project and how it would affect the people in Morobe Province.
Mr Vele said the project was so big that there would not be enough engineers.
He said already it was estimated that there would be 7500 jobs up for grabs with 20,000 people vying to take up the jobs.
He said this would cause an internal problem as there would not be enough national engineers, with the University of Technology producing
almost 600 engineers each year which was not enough.
This raised concern in the engineering department at Unitech because Mr Vele revealed that ExxonMobil was only concentrating on training
people at the Port Moresby Technical College.
He said generally the project would be very expensive in PNG because of the rugged geographic features of our country.
He said this project was one that drew world comment because it was the single largest corporate funding in gas history by ExxonMobil.
Meanwhile, businesses in Lae expressed concern that they would lose highly qualified workers to other companies coming into our shores
because of such a project.
One such businessman was Sir Bob Sinclair who complained that the workforce would be affected with companies coming in just to operate for
four to six months and taking their highly skilled workers who they had spent money and time to train to be specialists in their field but
would be lured by such companies offering high hourly rates.
Also PNG Power Limited was one that raised concerns on how the Government was planning to help with the power supply in Lae if such a
project was to take place.
Mr Vele said this was considered and that ExxonMobil would cater for its own electricity supply, which it was capable of doing with a back
power supply system.

First Pacific island Fruit Pickers arrive in Australia

2009-02-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

Above - Tongan fruit pickers arrive with much fanfare.

From "The SMH"
THE Opposition is calling for an urgent review of the Pacific Island guest worker scheme amid rising unemployment and with the summer harvest well under way.
Yesterday 50 Tongan workers arrived in Australia among the first of 2500 unskilled migrants from Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tonga promised harvesting work in Swan Hill and Griffith for up to seven months a year.
Since the scheme was announced last August, however, circumstances have changed. Unemployment is forecast to rise to 7 per cent by next year and bushfires have scorched farmland in Victoria.

The Opposition spokeswoman on immigration, Sharman Stone, said the plan, which was modelled on a similar trial in New Zealand, had been bungled from the start.
"This is an enormous embarrassment for Australia in the Pacific," she said.

"We have led these nations to believe there are 2500 opportunities to earn good money in Australia to send back to communities in the Pacific but instead we've had massive bungling and inefficiency."
The almond-picking jobs available for the first 50 arrivals are in Robinvale, a town of 2200 in Victoria's Swan Hill region. Growers in the NSW Riverina can also apply for temporary workers from overseas.

Dr Stone said that Australians, particularly those hurt in the economic downturn, should be first in line for jobs.
"Picking almonds at Robinvale may be just the sort of work our self-funded retirees may be looking to do," she said. "We really have to look at Australia's unemployed first."
The Agriculture Minister, Tony Burke, defended the scheme, saying Australians did not want the seasonal work.
"It never mattered what the unemployment rate was. The farmers have been complaining for decades about trying to get enough workers to pick the fruit," he said.
Mr Burke repeated the imagery of fruit rotting on trees to illustrate why farmers wanted the scheme. At that time, the Government said fruit pickers would arrive before Christmas.

The chief executive of Summerfruit, John Moore, yesterday welcomed the first workers but was disappointed they had not arrived sooner. "Finally something has begun to happen," he said. "Hopefully, in the future the workers arrive at an appropriate time in the season, not at the end."

Mr Burke and the Minister for Employment, Julia Gillard, admitted demand for overseas workers was less than expected. Only four growers from the designated trial areas had registered interest and demand was likely to slow.

Our Comments....
We in PNG are always the last in everything. With the current state of the economy, it seems there will be no chance for PNGeans to contribute to the PI fruit pickers concept. Even if the economy was OK, we doubt we would have had our chances.
Instead of fruit picking, PNG should:
1. Invest heavily in technical education - mining, engineering, and others. Export them to the world and have some for our economy.
2. Invest heavily in medical jobs - doctors, scientists, nurses, carers, pilots and keep some for PNG, some for the world.
3. Invest in Agriculture, agricculture, agriculture and agriculture. We will have fruits to pick then. Also, during this recession, agriculture will stand firm.
4. If our fruit pickers do not make, cop it in the head, we will work harder.

We already have record number of PNG workers in medical, mining and other jobs in Australia. Most are doing well.

WAECA; The Association

2009-02-20T23:34:00.000-08:00

Above Warakamb Women's Ministry running Sabath School in Aanal han church.

WAECA stands for Warakamb Adventist Elite and Clergymen's Association. (WAECA inc). It is a non Government, not for profit non political Association. It was founded by the early members and elites of the Warakamb Seventh day Adventist (SDA) Church mainly to spread the Word of the God and prepare the Valley for the second coming.

Warakamb Seventh Day Adventist Church is the only church serving the entire Warakamb Valley. It is part of the Kandep District, Enga Province, PNG. The Warakamb SDA church also looks after few small churches in Lai Valley District of the Southern Highlands Provinvce (SHP). Warakamb is sandwiched between two Highlands Provinces of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Enga and Southern Highlands Provinces. The Warakamb Adventist church is under the administration of the Western Highlands Union Mission. Papua New Guinea is a Pacific island nation, situated just to the north of Australia and east of Indonesia.

WAECA was first conceived in 1998 but got registered with the PNG Investment Promotion Authority (PNG IPA) in 2001. The founding members sat around a burning fire in a little hut on a rainy day, having been inspired by the holy spirit, discussed the founding values of WAECA. Today, WAECA is bigger and has been involved in the conversion of many rural people from living in bad ways to live peacefully, get bapatized and live as good Adventist Christians.

The Three Arms of WAECA - The Clergy, Elites & Associate.
The Association is made up of three main arms, The Associate, The Clergyman and the Elites.

1. The Clergy Arm
The Clergymen are the Church members of the Warakamb Seventh Day Adventist Church, the pastors both retired and current and the laymen. They are our most important group. They are the men on the ground to spread the word of GOD, and encourage fellow tribesman and woman to live with Christian values. Pastor John Kundapen is our current team leader for the clergymen. He co odinates the laymen and retired pastors in the valley and leads in preparing the valley for conventions.

2. The Elite Arm

The Elites are the students and those employed formaly in the public or private sector. Years ago, there were only a few. But with the Lord's blessing, we have many coming up. Our Elites are meant to be the main financial members. The elite team leader is Mr. Patrick Talu. Some of the elites are contributing to help pay for our laymen despite the financial hardships.

3. The Associate
The Associate arm oversees the other two and co odinates the whole Association.

The Current President is Pr. Kembol Kep. He is assisted by Mr. Simon William as treasurer and Eric Ungil as secretary for WAECA. The associate executive are the over all executive of WAECA. They make the final decisions. The vice presdients are Mr. Patrick Talu and Pr. John Kundapen.

For more information, contact us at info@waeca.com.

CASSOWARY ON MENU AT ENGA NEC MEETING

2009-02-19T03:09:00.000-08:00

The big bird is scarce delicacy in highlands

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, February 19, 2009) – ENGA Governor Peter Ipatas does not want to be outdone and has added cassowary meat to the menu for the NEC [National Executive Council] meeting in Wabag next week.

Cassowary meat, which is scarce and a delicacy in most parts of the Highlands, will dominate the meals for the duration of the NEC meeting.

A member of the organising committee told the Post-Courier that last year Enga came out in force to welcome the Cabinet and donated more than 50 pigs.

"This year, we would like to do something different ... we want the ministers who are so used to having pork or chicken or beef for meals to have cassowary meat,’’ he said.

The official said this was also to make the NEC meeting in Enga a memorable one and let them appreciate what Enga could produce and show its capabilities to welcome important people.

He said the province was well prepared for the NEC and everyone was looking forward to receiving them.

Cassowaries are scarce and most of them are caught in the thick jungles. Some are domesticated.

However, they are not as common as pigs and therefore are expensive and used in compensation, bride prices and other important occasions.

The ministers start moving in on Tuesday and the Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, arrives on Wednesday for the Thursday NEC meeting.

Should PNG give to NSW Bush Fire Victims?

2009-02-19T03:03:00.000-08:00

An anonymous person commented on this blog wether the PNG government should donate part of the 2 million promised to the Bush fire victims to the flood victims in WHP. Here is our response, and it is only our view. Other people may have their own views. FYI, the latest death toll now is 208. Our hearts go out to those who lost their loved ones and also to those who lost properties.

Hello Anon,
Thanks for raising the issue. We at WAECA feel that the government did the right thing to help the NSW bush fire victims. It is only a symbolic gesture, and the amount of money does not matter. Generally, Australians are arogant. But during times of disaster, they pull together and give, not only to their people but to others as well. We saw this in Aitape. The australian army were the first to be there, even before the PNG government knew. We also saw this in burns victims were medical staff came from all over Australia. Wether we gave &100.00 or $100 million, the symbolic gesture says a lot about what kind of country and people we are. The PNG government should have enough money to help the flood victims.

Flooding leaves 700 homeless

2009-02-18T02:26:00.000-08:00

(As reported on Australia's ABC)
More than 700 people in Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands province have been left homeless after a river burst its banks following weeks of heavy rain, local media has reported.

An estimated 25 hectares (62 acres) of land was inundated when the Waghi River flooded early Tuesday morning (local time), swamping vegetable gardens, cash crops and livestock, the National newspaper said.

The country's National Disaster Centre committed $58,000 to the Western Highlands provincial government to help more than 700 displaced villagers in the Dei region, it said.

Community leader Gabriel Nolai said the works department and two local construction companies were partly to blame for failing to build adequate drainage.

First Pacific Islander to serve as General Secretary.

2009-02-17T04:57:00.000-08:00

Leaders of the South Pacific Division (SPD) Executive Committee have elected Barry Oliver, the current general secretary for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific, as the new president for the region.

Laurie Evans, president of the SPD since 1998, announced his retirement at the November 13, 2007, meeting.

During his term as president, Evans oversaw a major reorganization of resources (reducing the number of administrative positions to free up money) during his term. He also directed a legal restructure that has seen the incorporation of the Sanitarium Health Food Company and Sydney Adventist Hospital, known as “the San.” Evans was known as a strong advocate for using modern technology, notably satellite television and video conferencing, to carry out the mission of the church.

Oliver has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific as a minister, evangelist, lecturer, and administrator. He is married to Julie, a teacher, and has three sons.

Oliver grew up as an Adventist in Goulburn, New South Wales. He attended Avondale College, the church’s Cooranbong, New South Wales-based, tertiary institution, completing a bachelor’s degree in theology. In 1973, the Olivers accepted a call to minister in southern Queensland. They cared for churches in Maryborough and Hervey Bay, in southern Brisbane, and on the Darling Downs during the next five years. Oliver was ordained as a minister in 1976.

PRAYING TOGETHER: From left, Barry Oliver, Lawrence Tanabose, retiring SPD president Laurie Evans, and world church president Jan Paulsen unite in prayer during divisional meetings in which Oliver was elected SPD president and Tanabose general secretary of the division.The church called Oliver to serve as district supervisor, evangelist, and university chaplain for the Port Moresby district of Papua New Guinea at the end of 1978. He transferred to Rabaul as president of the church’s New Britain/New Ireland Mission after one year. Oliver joined the theology faculty at Avondale five years later and completed his master’s in religion.

Oliver and his family moved to Andrews University in Michigan, U.S.A., at the end of 1985. He completed a doctorate in Christian ministry and mission with a focus on Adventist organizational structure. He returned to Avondale for nine years, and developed a field-based ministerial training program integrating theory with practice. He also pioneered evangelistic training that helped students prepare hundreds of people for baptism.

Oliver was elected general secretary of the South Pacific Division in 1997. He served for 10 years as the second officer of that church region.

A much-published author, Oliver has written more than 100 articles for church periodicals, including cover features for both Adventist Review and Adventist World magazines.

Replacing Oliver as general secretary, Lawrence Tanabose has become the first Pacific Islander to be appointed as an officer of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific.

Currently president of the Trans-Pacific Union Mission (TPUM), Tanabose and his wife, Rosina, have served the Adventist Church since 1974. He was elected TPUM president in 2005. Nearly 90,000 church members reside in the Trans-Pacific region, which includes countries such as Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands.

In his first year as president, Tanabose oversaw the formation of a single administrative structure for the church in the Solomon Islands. Previously, three missions—Eastern Solomon Islands Mission, Malaita Mission, and Western Solomon Islands Mission—cared for the 34,387 church members in 417 organized churches and companies in the Solomons.

Tanabose, 54, was born in Papua New Guinea to Solomon Islander missionary parents. He has served the church as a Bible lecturer, pastor, field evangelist, departmental director, and general secretary in the TPUM. As a representative for the Adventist Church, he has also worked closely with governments in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji.

He holds a diploma in administration and a masters degree in theology. He and his wife have a daughter and three sons. Known for his passion for evangelism and a desire to bring people to Christ, Tanabose still preaches evangelistic campaigns regularly.

World church president Jan Paulsen oversaw the nomination of division officers. A division president is also a vice president of the GC, and, as such, the recommendation of the SPD Executive Committee is submitted to the GC Executive Committee for ratification.

Paulsen expressed appreciation to Evans for his leadership. “We have worked closely together, and I have always appreciated Laurie’s experience and creative participation in the work of the global church,” he reflected. “And I think the work in this division has been looked after well.

“I am also extremely delighted with the recommendation that is now being brought,” said Paulsen in congratulating Oliver on his nomination.

Oliver said, “I have always been amazed at how I have been content working in a role and God has—seemingly out of the blue—moved me to a different place of service.”

He shared Julie’s reaction to the news of his appointment with committee members. “She said to me, ‘We’ve always believed that where the Lord calls and what He asks us to do, He will help us to do it. And this is no different.’ I will covet your prayers and I will pray for you.”

Oliver said he is excited about the possibilities and particularly the people of the church in the South Pacific. “We need to keep doing the things we’ve done well and find better ways to do the things we have not done as well as we could have,” he comments. “I want the church to be open to where God is leading us and to be ready and willing to go there. I would like to see the church utilizing its full potential, using the diversity in the church and our various gifts to further our mission together.”

Private Health Sector Mushrooming in PNG.

2009-02-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

Despite the current rescession in the developed world, PNG continues to enjoy modest economic growth. The private sector has seen it grow from the simple Mola's private hospital to many more today. The middle class in PNG is growing, and more big companies like the miners want better health care for their employees. Also see the report below.

The study, published in this month's online version of the Medical Journal of Australia, found that women giving birth in public hospitals had more than twice the rate of severe perineal tearing.

The study shows perinatal death was more than twice as likely to occur in public hospital births and so was the need for high-level resuscitation.

It also found more teenage women gave birth at public hospitals, while women aged 40 years and over chose private care.

Indigenous women who live outside metropolitan areas were most likely to give birth in public hospitals.

Public hospitals also recorded higher levels of self-reported pregnancy smokers and pregnancy complications such as diabetes and hypertension.

Induced labor, caesarean and instrumental births were all more common in private hospitals.

The report's senior author, Associate Professor Steve Robson from the Australian National University, says the study covered nearly 780,000 births over four years.

He says babies born in public hospitals were more than twice as likely to need intensive care.

"There were higher odds of the baby needing high-level resuscitation, there were higher odds that the baby would need to be admitted to neo-natal intensive care nursery," he said.

Associate Professor Robson says he was surprised with the findings, as there is a widespread view that the high level of medical intervention in private hospitals is not always good for women.

He says the study shows the outcomes for women and their babies appear to be better in the private system.

Our Comment.
The study is not a good one as private hospitals see rich healthy patients, and there is less work with more money. In PNG, doctors who work in the public, could do a better job if facilities were better.

Global Warming worse than Expected.

2009-02-15T02:22:00.000-08:00

The mountain in the background was 10 years ago full of hard wood. Today, it's mostly shrubs.

(From ABC)
From our experience, global warming is worse. Our tropical hard wood trees are dying, our area is becoming warmer, plants from the coasts are growing in our area, Malaria is now endemic in what was cool cold Warakamb.

Professor Field says that a warming planet will dry out forests in tropical areas, making them much more likely to suffer from bushfires. (AAP: Simon Mossman, file photo)
One of the world's leading experts on climate change says a Nobel Prize-winning panel of scientists seriously underestimated the reality of global warming when it published its report just over a year ago.

Professor Chris Field, a leading member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which released the report, says he and his fellow researchers did not have access to vital data.

Professor Field says that a warming planet will dry out forests in tropical areas, making them much more likely to suffer from bushfires.

He says recent climate studies suggest global warming could also melt permafrost in the Artic tundra.

These events would release billions of tons of greenhouse gasses that could raise global temperatures even more.

The report did not have data on emissions of carbon dioxide between 2000 and 2007 which show far more rapid rises than had been predicted.

These increases in carbon have been caused principally by the burning of coal for electric power in India and China.

He has told an American science conference in Chicago that global warming is likely to accelerate at a much faster pace and cause more environmental damage than previously predicted.

"Fossil emissions have proceeded much more rapidly than anticipated in any of the scenerios that were characterised in detail," he said.

"The consequence of that is that we are basically entering a domain of climate change that has not been explored by the models.

"We're on a different trajectory of emissions and therefore an unknown trajectory of warming."

Expat Teachers for Enga schools

2009-02-12T17:10:00.000-08:00

Warakamb (Winja) Primary school

By PHILIP KEPSON (From the National)
THE Enga provincial government’s quality education policy has been boosted this week with the recruitment of eight expatriate teachers.
The veteran educators are to teach in various schools in the province.
Five will teach at the Highland Lutheran International School at Amapyaka.
The others will teach in secondary schools in Pausa, Wabag and Kopen.
They are here largely thanks to the efforts of Enga Governor Peter Ipatas, who is spearheading the quality education policy.
Most of the expatriate teachers are from Australia.
Experienced teacher Robert John Thompson, who is from Perth, Western Australia, will take his new post as the principal of Kopen Secondary School.
His wife, Norma Alison Thompson, will be the school’s deputy principal.
Another experienced teacher, Greg Rolles, from Sydney, New South Wales, has been recruited to head the English department in Pausa Secondary School or Wabag Secondary.
Paul van Wezel, from the Netherlands, has been appointed as the principal of the Highland Lutheran International School.
The others recruited to be at the same school are Australians Merryn Perrett and Robert McCheyne, Englishman Niel Brown, Joseph Intal, from the Philippines, and Dr Todd Luedtke from the United States.
Mr Ipatas said his government would recruit more expatriates, as well as local teachers, next year as part of his drive to improve quality in education in the province.
The governor said more than 50 teachers from other provinces had also been recruited recently to teach in high and primary schools in the province.
The Enga provincial government has spent about K80 million on free education and quality education in the past 10 years.
An additional K5 million has been allocated to implement the quality education push in this year’s budget.“Enga has been last in everything and we are trying our best to try to pull ourselves up a bit with everyone else in the country,” Mr Ipatas said.

Our comment.
Our local teachers are as good. But what Mr. Ipatas is doing is very important. We still need effeiciency and administrative skills. Most elites for WAECA were thought by people not from our area. We got quality education.

Noken kaikai Buai, kaikai PK

2009-02-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

By MAUREEN GERAWA (from post courier)

PAPUA New Guinea’s favourite chew, the betelnut, is killing at least 2000 people a year and is responsible for many health
problems, according to the PNG Medical Society.
The medical society yesterday called for the chewing and selling of betelnut to be regulated.
Medical Society president Dr Mathias Sapuri said that Papua New Guineans must be made aware of the health hazards caused by
betelnut chewing.
Dr Sapuri said every year a lot of Papua New Guineans were dying from diseases such as mouth cancer, poor oral hygiene, cancer of
the throat, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), peptic ulcers (sores in the stomach) and inflammation of the gums.
He said these were diseases caused by betelnut chewing while rubbish from betelnut dumped around urban centres such as Port
Moresby was contributing to diseases such as tuberculosis.
The betelnut spits, he said, were also polluting the streets.
“Betelnut chewing is a major health issue. Our statistics show that mouth cancer is killing almost 2000 Papua New Guineans every
year,’’ says Dr Sapuri.
He says mouth cancer, which is killing both women and men, is like all other cancers and cannot be treated in PNG unless people
report early signs, something which is rare.
He urged policy makers, but particularly the Health Department to regulate chewing and selling of betelnut so that people should
not chew in public places like offices, public motor vehicles, schools and health facilities.
Similarly, he said the sale of betelnut should be in proper places where they should be controlled. “By regulating it, people will
take their betelnut and chew it at home,’’ he said. He said the PNG Medical Society commended the NCD Governor Powes Parkop and
the National Capital District Commission administration for imposing a ban on betelnut sales in public places in Port Moresby
but they needed support.
“If people argue that chewing of betelnut is a traditional practice, let them take their betelnut to the village. The problem is
that this practice is a cause of many health problems. It also has no nutritional value,’’ he said.
“After a person gets one to two minutes of kick (from chewing betelnut), it is over and he has wasted his money buying it.’’
Dr Sapuri said the sale of vegetables and other good food should be promoted as these foods develop the body rather than the sale
of betelnut and smoke, which were common commodities sold on the streets of Port Moresby.

Our comments.
1. Betel causes medical medical problems.
2.It is addictive.
3. makes people look unhealthy.
4. makes environment look awful.
5. There is no economic benefit.
5. there is no nutritional value.
6. Its just a waste of money.
7. Should be done away with for ever.

Climate Change office formed in Port Moresby

2009-02-10T02:26:00.000-08:00

from The National
A TASKFORCE has been set up to address climate change issues in PNG.
The group was formed last Friday.
It comprises officials from the National Forest Authority (NFA), Department of Environment and Conservation, PNG Power and University of PNG, as well as those from the departments of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs and Mining and Petroleum, and the office of Climate Change, and representatives from some non-governmental organisations. NFA managing director Kanawi Pouru told the gathering: “The role of the Climate Change office has to be clarified quickly so line agencies know where we stand on climate change.”

Start of Australian Academic year.

2009-02-09T03:21:00.000-08:00

Above, WAECA's JTU attending The Stella Murray's Primary.

Like PNG, The Australian academic year started this month. School kids from various grades started going to school from pre kinder all the way to prep and university. We wish all kids and parents a happy academic year.