Asian Cheap Labour Tactic at Work - Madang

 By Naith N. Lati



 This is Kris from Enga and he is married with 5 children and lived in Madang for more than 10years. He started working with Mamosa Development Ltd (100%Asian Own Company)since 2000 as a shop guard and became one of the utility employee of the company as years passed by. Told me that may have left the company due to poor working terms and conditions of the company but due to his low literacy level being one of the major obstacles to secure a new job, he remained loyal to the company till now. He is the driver, the yard clearer and general labour of Mamosa properties in Madang. I have never discussed with him about his per hour rate and will find out soon as he does more than what is expected and delegated.

One thing that pissed me today and why I interviewed him was, I saw him with bush/grass knives clearing undeveloped land owned by Mamosa. He told me the one man/director/

owner is 'trying to kill me with work'. He has been working on 4x Undeveloped areas covering some hectares with bush/grass knives just cleaning. I saw him working at the undeveloped land at Kupiaru next to 4Square Hostel and stopped by to find out why in the most pressing heat is this highlander doing.
The logical item missing here is so disgusting to comprehend. Its within Madang township and a million Kina company is allowing his employee to sweat in the heat with grass/bush knives. How much does it cost to purchase a petrol powered grass cutter or hire out a tractor/lawn mower to do this work??

I view this as a punishment not an employment and deprivation of rights to work in conducive environment.
Otherwise, this is clear indication of slavery and abuse of our vulnerable people working with Asians in Madang and PNG.

In regards, I will write a letter to the owner of Mamosa Development Ltd to make his work environment conducive by providing him the right tools to work.

SME Summit in Madang a Great Success

By Christoper Papiali

The SME Summit in Madang was a great success. Many of our Papua New Guineans engaged in SMEs felt it was worth coming. There are an estimate of 66,000 SMEs out of the 7 million people. There have been 23 resolutions passed during this 3 days summit and the Prime Minister received and accepted the resolutions with answers. This government is very serious on SME Sector and Hon. Richard Maru, the champion who is spearheading this drive is in the right direction. In this summit many SMEs called on the government to seriously look at the Reserve Business Activities allocated ONLY for Papua New Guineans and the Prime Minister said his government will revise and revisit each reserved business and announce. The law is already there and we can not wait for another year to revisit this very critical area of business because PNGeans have been derived their opportunities. This summit called for National Content Legislation whereby all resources (renewable and non renewable) should be properly monitored to derive maximum profit and revenue to grow the economy. As discovered the MRDC MD highlighted that currently PNG does not have a specific legislation to control its resources. The PNG LNG project was rushed without identifying maximum benefit that should go towards LOs and the state and the developer will get 99% benefit. In this summit, serious questions were raised regarding the high unemployment rate and the no. of high school leavers, almost 66% not engaged in formal sector and even moving on into high education. There is an urgency to establish Foreign Investment Review Board where all foreign investments should come under the microscope of this board and provide direction on what best investment practice and business plan so that they comply with our laws without any overlapping of business activities. Further, the Minister for Trade and Industry is very optimsitic on establishing SME Development Corporation with a view to establish SME Corporation Act, where the PM should automatically become the Chairman of this council. There is no Social Security System in place where our retired public servants, the elderly and others could get continuous assistance and sustenance from. As shared, this country is experiencing massive economic boom but much of what is taking place is not translating down to the actual living standards of everyone particularly in the rural areas. So the SME sector has to emerge, become so aggressive in keeping our economy balance and move towards attaining robust economy like that of Malaysia and Singapore. Could we wait another year to discuss SME sector? This government can not dump the 23 resolutions reached during this summit and to do so would be a cowardice act and seriously it would be intolerable action that any legitimate government can take. The time has arrived for all SMEs to rise to the occasion and champion the growth of PNG economic sector that should slowly lead to political stability. I am more than confident that one day, all PNGeans will rise to the occasion and claim ownership to their resources so that together we could change the face of this great country.

Govt committed to back SMEs

Source: 

The National, Thursday July 4th, 2013

 By GYNNIE KERO in Madang

THE NATIONAL Government will revive the reserve list of businesses for Papua New Guineans to support and grow the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says.
O’Neill made the pledge when addressing more than 400 participants at the closing of the three day SME summit in Madang yesterday.
He said there were several factors such as law and order and infrastructure which affected doing business and growing the country’s SMEs.
“However, the Government is committed to support SMEs.
“We need to take ownership of the issue. We need to participate in SME and grow our economy,” he said.
O’Neill was presented with the Madang declaration and communiqué on the last three days of discussions and recommendations.
Some of these resolutions include the decisions to:

• Amend and expand the Reserved Activity List;
• Recommend to the Government to develop a National Content Legislation for all sizes and sectors, inclusive of all state sponsored projects, state – joint ventures or State agreements;
• Recommend to the Government for business and entrepreneurship skills to be incorporated into the general school curriculum as a core subject such as maths, science and English;
• Recommend to the Government to establish training in business and entrepreneurship facilities for school leavers, persons in the SME sector and all other citizens who are not in the formal education system; and
• Recommend to the Government to develop and adopt a standardised national diagnostic assessment tool, based on the Malaysian model, for measuring and developing capacity and competency of SMEs.

In responses to the 21 recommendations, O’Neill said “the Government is committed to the changes or reforms happening in the country including the SMEs”.
“We need a change in culture of bureaucracy – your government is behind the SME.
“The Government will revive and expand the reserved activity list within the context of the matrix attached hereto as schedule A in 2013;
He said the National Content Legislation for all sizes and sectors is a good model PNG could adapt and put in review.
Meanwhile, O’Neill said the Government was also concerned about the level of unemployment in the country.
“The Government is concerned on the number of school leavers and by next year, we will make it compulsory for children to attend school from Grades 1-12.”

Apologies

A long apology to the followers of Madang Info Line. Its  been quite some time since its last post. Madang Info Line has been offline due to circumstances beyond. Thus, to the many viewers online looking for latest news stories about Madang and the Momase as well as PNG, Madang Info Line is back ONLINE.. Please visit regularly for latest information and news stories from Madang. We hope to provide you with the best possible news update. Thank you for your time and come here more.

Madang police to be deployed

By ROSALYN ALBANIEL-EVARA, Post Courier

POLICE personnel in Madang will be deployed into the districts starting this week in preparation for polling and counting the province’s top Superintendent Anthony WAgambie (Jnr) says.
Supt Wagambie said all officers had been slotted into the various districts last week during a briefing and are set to leave this week for the polling stations they have been assigned to.
He said for the 2012 National General Elections they had only been assigned four hire cars and one motorised dinghy in which to carry out their operations. This he said was a big cut to the previous elections but was quick to add that this would in no way hinder him and his officers from ensuring that the elections in the province are “fair, free and safe.”
“…We will do our best to ensure the elections are free, fair and safe for the people of Madang with whatever resources we have,” he said. He said of the four vehicles that had been assigned to police, one would be used by the Rapid Response Unit, the other in the Madang Open electorate while the other two, to Usino/Bundi and Bogia districts. He said Madang police were also expected to take delivery of a boat issued by headquarters adding that this would further boost the work of police not only during the election period but for its normal operations.
He said the boats had already left Port Moresby and are expected in Madang on Tuesday.
The PPC said he was pleased to report that campaigning in the province had been progressing very quietly with no major incidences being reported.
In making these comments he commended all candidates and their campaign managers for this achievement.

Ballot boxes yet to be moved to remote areas

Source: 

The National, Thursday June 21st, 2012

SOME ballot boxes and election materials in Madang are still awaiting transportation by helicopter to the remote polling stations, according to returning officer Adolf Duagha.
Duagha said it would need a miracle to move the materials from Madang to the four LLG areas before polling on Saturday.
The Electoral Commission had signed a K13.7 million contract with Heli-Solutions to transport election materials and officers.
The helicopters were used to transport the election materials to the Middle Ramu area.
Heli-Solutions has hired an five helicopters from an Australian firm.
A company source said the aircraft were currently in Wewak.
It needed the finer details from some of the provinces on where they should be flying.
“Despite the EC saying that they are ready, they are not yet ready, including in Madang,” said the source.
Madang also has a shortage of fixed and rotor wings. Islands Airways, the sole company to charter planes in the Middle Ramu area, is fully booked out.
Duangha said boxes for the four LLGs - Arabaka, Kowon, Simbai and Josephstaal - were going to be a problem as most roads were inaccessible.
“My major problem is Josephstaal. The only airstrip is overgrown and pigs forage there,’’ he said.
“There is no road access despite funding made available last year by the sitting MP Ben Semri. I cannot see any road and will have to depend on choppers..
 “It is the middle of the week and I need a miracle.”
Middle Ramu has 30 polling teams: 10 in Arabaka, eight in Josephstaal and six each in Kowon and Simbai.
There are 41 police officers allocated to the area.
Preparations for other districts are on target.
For Raicoast, there are 36 polling teams - seven for Naiudo, Naho Rawa and Astrolobe Bay and 15 for Saidor, the biggest in area.
Returning Officer Jimmy Aspel confirmed that all ballot boxes, fuel and the logistics had been sorted out. But he was not too sure about security arrangements.
“There will be police escorting the boxes to polling stations but whether they will be there depends on if and when their allowances are released.
“We will not wait for them. They will have to catch up”, he said.
For Usino Bundi, returning officer Steven Biko said he was confident of ensuring that the election would be conducted in a free, fair and safe manner.
He said helicopters were needed to move ballot boxes into remote areas of the three LLGs - Gama, Usino and Bundi. 27 polling teams will be on the ground - 15 for Usino and six each for the other two.

Madang officials told they could not vote

Source: 

The National, Thursday June 21st, 2012

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
POLLING officials in Madang were yesterday surprised after being told that they could not vote in the general election.
Madang Open district returning officer James Apimia spilled the bad news to polling officials gathered yesterday at the Yomba Hall.
When asked by one of the officials if they could use postal voting since they would not be at their polling stations, Apimia said the electoral commission had done away with the system.
He said the postal voting system allowed a lot of foul play and double or triple voting and had to be scrapped totally.
“Postal voting is no longer an option considered by the Electoral Commission as previous experience of the misuse of our own privileges was rife,” he said.
Insp Wesley Tetanga, the security commander in charge of the elections, said one only one police officer would be allocated to each polling station.
This is despite the assurance by provincial police commander Anthony Wagambie Jr that police were all set for the elections.
Tetanga could not clarify whether it would affect the 97 locations in the four local level governments.
He said most of the police officers would be deployed to the remote Usino Bundi area.
 

Building illegal

By ROSLYN ALBANIEL-EVARA, Post Courier

MADANG’S Director Lands and Physical Planning Francis Irara says the development taking place adjacent to the Kalibobo Lighthouse is illegal.
Authorities from the Madang Urban Local Level Government have also stated likewise and have since issued a stop work notice to the person concerned.
Last week residents were taken aback to see a two-metre picket fence being erected on Section 8, Allotment 14, which is the block of land between the famous Coastwatchers Memorial Lighthouse otherwise known as the Kalibobo Lighthouse and the Governor’s official resident.
The development had caused quite a stir among residents who had demanded to know who was responsible and who had given the person the nod to do so.
Local reporters found out that the person concerned was John Simi a small businessman from the East Sepik province who had claimed the portion of land not to be reserved and that he had obtained it “fair and square”.
Mr Irara when approached to comment on this development also verified that the land not to be reserved but a residential area.
He stated that Mr Simi had gotten the approval for this property from the office of the Secretary of Alienated Land.
He said given its current status anybody could apply for ownership and if provincial authorities wished for it to be made restricted then it would have to apply to have it zoned as such.
“…because this has not happened anyone can own it,” he said.
However, Mr Irara stated the development to be illegal and questioned the permit for development 025/12 that Mr Simi had in his procession to allow him to progress this development.
He said for any development to take place there were processes and documents which had to be produced before this could happen.
Tantamount was the nod from the Lands and Physical Board which had not met yet to approve this development.
He said for Mr Simi to be able to go ahead with this development he would have to produce a copy of the land title to verify him as the legal owner of the property, Physical Planning approval and Building permit.
The latter two he questioned as the board had yet to meet.
Meanwhile officials from MULLG yesterday also confirmed that a notice of stop work had been issued to Mr Simi and will remain until all processes have been complied with.
Meanwhile, Mr Irara also made known yesterday that Madang did not have a Provincial Land Policy.
He said the only policy in place was the National Land Policy.
He said because of this authorities continued to be caught unaware of developments such as the one now being questioned at Kalibobo.

Manam Islanders flee

By ROSALYN ALBANIEL-EVARA, Post Courier

MORE than 200 Manam Islanders in Madang province have fled to mainland Bogia following increased volcanic activities over the weekend.
Paul Mamburau a councilor from Dugulava said yesterday morning that Manam had been experiencing increased activities resulting in lava flow and heavy ashfall from the volcanoe since last week.
He said the activities had intensified on Friday resulting in the villagers mostly from Waresi and Dugulava leaving the island for fear of their safety.
He said some 400 plus villagers were still on the island awaiting further notice advice from the Rabaul Volcanic Observatory.
He said the islanders who had left the island over the weekend have moved to Potsdam Care Center in the Yawar Local Level Government area. It is understood that the volcanic activities have since receded but that the people have been placed on high alert.
Attempts to talk to disaster officials in Madang were to no avail as most are out on election duties.
Attempts also to speak to RVO in Rabaul were also not successful

O’Neill stole government from Sir Michael Somare, says Agiru

Source: 

The National, Friday 08th June 2012

SOUTHERN Highlands governor Anderson Agiru has told a political rally in Madang that Peter O’Neill and Belden Namah “stole the government from Sir Michael Somare”.
He said they had to breach the constitution to do that and the people must question them for their action.
The leader of the People’s United Assembly was speaking at a rally for his candidate William Banjoe at Laiwaden Oval. His other candidate is Anton Kulit who is contesting the Sumkar open.
Agiru said the actions of the O’Neill-Namah regime to usurp power in Aug 2, 2011, seriously questioned the integrity of their leadership qualities.
He said the people must not believe in their “sugar-coated” policies of free education and free health care which were unsustainable.
“Nothing is free in this world. We introduced subsidised education in Southern Highlands when I first came to office in 1997,’’ he said.
“But we stopped it.
“Parents became lazy and children did not perform in schools.”
Agiru said although O’Neill was a fellow Southern Highlander, “I did not support him because they broke the constitution”.
 “In my life, I fear two things: one is the constitution and the other is God,” Agiru said.
He said because of the politics, “Southern Highlands leaders are divided and Hela leaders are divided”.