Duo play starring roles in Nabasa win

NATIONAL Soccer League players Neil Hans and Mclaren Buran played starring roles to help Nabasa beat their neighbours, Diwai 4-2 in round 16 of Madang Soccer Association competition.
After a short recess, Nabasa built on their reputation to teach the  Divine Word University students a lesson.
Nabasa scored the first goal in the opening 10 minutes when Madang Fox representative player Buran dribbled past three lazy Diwai defenders to score.
Diwai’s two goals came from penalties caused by Nabasa defenders.
In other matches, Mimlon FC thrashed NCD 9-0. The boys from PHD Compound showed no mercy on the NCR boys belting them with the highest score line recorded in Madang soccer.
Souths upset competition leaders Momase 2-0 while a combined Tusbab Blue Kumuls hammered Sigma 6B United 4-1.
Meanwhile, Momase still lead the premier competition with 25 points followed by Nabasa 19 and Airlink 19, while in the women’s division, Tusbab are on 31 points followed by Momase 26 and Airlink 23.

DWU launches solar power

THE Divine Word University in Madang has taken on a “green university” initiative by investing in solar power, which was launched by businessman and former politician Sir Peter Barter last Sunday.
The solar power project was the highlight of the university’s 14th foundation day anniversary, the day the government declared Divine Word Institute as a national university.
Under the solar project, phase one would include the installation of solar-powered street lights.
Archbishop of the Madang Catholic archdiocese William Kurtz celebrated the occasion with the university and blessed the street lights.
Sir Peter said DWU was on the right path to invest in solar energy to help combat global warming-induced climate change.
He said other tertiary institutions and the rest of PNG should follow the lead by DWU and invest in alternate energy from fossil fuel.
“Solar power equipment does not come cheaply, or easily.
“It is through hard work, dedication and commitment,” Sir Peter said, and commended the efforts of DWU president Fr Jan Czuba and project coordinator Fr Philip Smith.
Fr Czuba said solar power street lights at the Madang campus were part of a three-year project that would cover all DWU campuses.
He said the project was trialed at the university’s Coronation Drive property.
The university’s concern for the environment began with the launching of its “paperless university” policy three years ago.
Fr Czuba said the university would continue to upgrade its campus facilities and grounds to ensure it promotes nature and the natural environment.
Student Representative Council president Kathleen Tokilivila praised the university, saying the students were proud to be studying in an institution that had developed innovative ways to serve the public.

Pundari happy with Madang visit

MINING Minister John Pundari said he is happy to have met Rai Coast landowners in Madang last week to listen to their views on Ramu NiCo’s deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) system which is subject of National Court hearing this month.
Pundari said in a statement that although the people expressed their frustrations and concerns on the DSTP, lack of government commitment in the project, especially in fulfilling the memorandum of agreement (MoA) socio-economic development programme (SEDP) commitments, the Land Titles Commission hearing and the promised Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) independent report on the DSTP, the people from the coastal pipeline area to Basamuk refinery site fully supported the project.
“They have clearly expressed that they need this project to see some form of development taking place in Rai Coast district,” he said.
The minister was also concerned that there were a lot of misleading information being circulated and people were misunderstanding of the whole DSTP system.
He challenged the NGOs and anti-DSTP groups to come with their facts, data and scientists and debate the issues concerned for the good of our people.
“To this date, no one has come forward to the national government and clearly explained the consequences of DSTP and outlining the possible alternatives with scientific backing.
“The only thing the government has received so far is the tongue and media lashing but no concrete evidence from the anti-DSTP groups.
“There are two existing mines (Lihir and Simberi) and one closed (Misima) that use the DSTP system.”

Madang to host two sports events

By HENRY MORABANG, The National

MADANG will have a busy sporting scheduled next month with the PNG Football Association and the PNG Netball Federation staging their respective championships in the tourist township.
Madang has accepted the honour to host this year’s National U20 men’s tournament from Sept 8-12 while netball will stage its championship from Sept 28 to Oct 3.
PNG Netball Federation secretary Julianne Maliaki-Leka said this week that so far 15 associations had confirmed to take part at the netball championships.
She said the netball championship will also coincide with the annual general meeting. High on the agenda is the election of new executives. The current term of PNGNF executives headed by Emily Taule ends after the championships.
In soccer, newly-elected president of Madang Soccer Association Conrad Waduna confirmed from Madang that his association would host the U20 soccer championships.
He said the organising committee was in place to see the visitors enjoy the true spirit of Madang Pasin Kagin.
The tournament is sanctioned by the PNG Football Association.
The tournament will see the cream of youth footballers from member associations vying to take the title away from last year’s inaugural winners and hosts, Madang.
PNGFA general secretary Dimirit Mileng said only member affiliates were eligible to attend by selecting a side to represent their association.
Other associations who are not affiliates of PNG Football Association are not eligible to attend.
Teams that are not from member affiliates but were officially invited by the secretariat office will attend the tournament.
He said teams from member associations and invited teams should fill a nomination form and submit together with the deposit slip of the nomination fee.
The deadline for submitting the nomination form is Aug 30.
All forms should be faxed to 323-2591 or 475-1399 and if you have problems getting through these numbers call the secretariat on 7622-9484.
The team nomination fee K500 and must be paid into account no. 1000 146 403 in any branch of BSP bank.
Mileng said the deadline for payment of nomination fee is Aug 27 at close of business.
PNGFA will not accept nominations after the deadline.
He added that the team managers were directed to assist with sending a name list of 20 players and four officials to Madang Soccer Association on fax 422-3698.

Tuna cannery suspends 400

ABOUT 400 workers of fish processing company, RD Tuna Cannery in Madang have been suspended by the company.
The action by the company followed a strike on July 22 over the minimum wage rate of K2.29 an hour which, the workers claimed, the company had not honoured.
RD Tuna Cannery’s failure to apply the minimum wage, which came into effect this year, did not go down well with the disputing members of the workforce who opted for industrial action.
Yesterday, the company confirmed that 400 production workers had been placed on preventive suspension.
It said that on July 22 the production workers on night shift just sat down and refused to work despite explanation and pleas of the management to report to work.
“As a result of their mass action, we sustained losses,” RD Tuna Cannery said in a statement, adding the reason of the mass action was the delayed implementation of the new K2.29 an hour minimum wage rate.
“In compliance with the Minimum Wages Board Determination, RD Tuna Cannery has implemented the rate of K1.14 per hour and 26 weeks later, RD implemented the mandated rate of K1.72 per hour.
“However, on the implementation of the K2.29, RD opted to exercise a provision in the determination given to sector/employers with provision for partial wage payment to include payments for housing,   transport assistance etc.”
RD Tuna Cannery said that on Oct 12 last year, it filed a position paper with the director of the National Tripartite Consultative Council seeking, among others, a consideration as “cash wage” the cost of transportation which RD spends to pick up and drop off the workers which was about K120,000 a fortnight or K3 million a year and the cost of meals which RD  provides  the workers at K3 a head a meal.
It said that although the NTCC acknowledged receiving the position paper, it failed to notify the cannery about the status of its claim within 26 weeks as required in the determination.
“As a result of this delay the workers resorted to this industrial action,” RD Tuna Cannery said.
“Just like the implementation of K1.14 and the K1.72, RD has committed to comply with whatever the decision of NTCC on our petition.”
In a meeting between the RD Tuna Cannery management and the Labour Department, the labour provincial officer in Madang declared that the workers did not comply with the requirements of conducting a legal strike under the PNG labour laws and regulations and considered their strike action to be illegal.
 RD currently employs about 1,000 workers in the production area.  With the suspension of a portion of its workforce, RD is taking alternative measures to ensure that operations were not hampered.

Lae wins back some lost pride

By HAIVETA KIVIA, Post Courier

LAE won back some lost pride by winning the Northern Zone rugby league championship, beating Madang 22-4 in the finals on Sunday at the Lae rugby league ground.
The U19 Northern Zone title was a Kainantu District affair, when little known Tomerizah rugby league upstaged their more fancied opponents to lock horns with their Kainantu cousins in the final.
But their effort to win the title on their debut at the zone level was stalled by Kainantu 14-4.
In the senior finals, Lae which is the leading rugby league affiliate of the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League in the Northern Zone, brought pride back to the league.
In recent years, Lae has played second fiddle to much smaller leagues like Ramu, Madang and Kainantu for the zone title.
Over the weekend, a new team made up of youngsters and experienced hands made sure the title was brought back from Ramu sugar township of Gusap to the Morobe capital.
Ramu were the title holders but were bundled out in the semi-final by Lae.
Lae began its title campaign in the finals on a bright note, with its forwards led by skipper Killon Nagan, Desmond Lavong, Daniel Mukale and rake Peter John taking play deep into the Madang territory.
The ball was swung from the left side of the field to the right and a two-man overlap was created and five- eighth Mark Mexico sent centre Trim Isaac in for the first of his two tries.
Mexico was a menace in the Madang defence every time he had the ball, setting up play and making big metres up the middle.
In fact the Lae right side attack led by Isaac and winger Saifa Allan fed off Mexico very well and came up with all of the side’s four tries. Allan also scored a double.
Fullback Dondon Kari converted two of the tries while halfback Alfie Nime converted one.
Saifa was next in for the first of his two tries when he raced down the flanks and stepped in past the Madang defence to score under the uprights and Kari converted to lead 10-0.

Court finds man guilty of double murder

By JULIA DAIA BORE, The National

THE National Court in Madang has found one Seth Ujan Talil, who was indicted on two counts of wilful murder under section 299(1) of the Criminal Code, to be guilty on both counts.
The court however, reserved its decision to a later date following submissions on sentence by the lawyers from both sides.
Justice David Cannings, handed down the decision last Thursday, saying Talil was charged with the wilful murder of two brothers, Gunai Dodo and Gulali Dodo, at a mediation gathering at Gonoa village in the Madang district on Jan 19, 2006.
Cannings said: “I consider that the state has proven beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had a common intention with other persons – evidenced by the group attack and the severity of the wounds suffered by the deceased – to carry out the killing on those present at the gathering who were suspected of killing a schoolgirl.”
The judge said there was no evidence that the accused at any stage withdrew from the attack.
Talil had also denied having any intention of killing anyone at the gathering.
However, Cannings said there was  no evidence in any way that proved he withdrew from the intention of killing the suspects.
He said: “All elements of section 8 (of the Criminal Code) have been established by the state. The accused is, therefore, deemed to have committed the offences of wilful murder.”
Cannings said the state relied on sections 7 and 8 of the Criminal Code to argue that the accused should be seen to have committed the offence in respect to each of the deceased.
 

New HQ for PNGIMR in Madang

By MAIVO LAFANAMA DWU journalism student, The National 

THE Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR) will have a new K15 million state-of-the-art research facility and headquarters in Madang.
The facility will feature laboratories for different diseases, staff housing and a residential activity area.
“The tender and awarding of the contracts for the construction of the facility will be out at the end of the year,” PNGIMR director Prof Peter Siba said at the groundbreaking for the facility last Friday.
The facility in Jomba will be located close to other important institutions such as the Modilion General Hospital, Luthern School of Nursing and Divine Word University (DWU).
DWU’s Br Andrew Simpson said the facility would enable students and PNGIMR in doing quality research into emerging diseases.
The land for the facility was awarded to IMR two weeks ago following a lengthy court battle with the landowners.
Siba thanked the Catholic and Lutheran churches for the use of land in their present location in Yagaum, Mugil and Alexisafhen in Madang.
PNGIMR has other branches nationwide.

Madang fire results in all lose for NGO

By ROSALYN EVARA, PNG Post Courier

DRESSED in a grey polo shirt, shorts, thongs and clenching his mobile phone in one of his hands, he walked into the office, looking forlorn.
I knew exactly why, as I knew the organisation he worked for occupied one of the offices in the complex which had been razed by fire early Wednesday evening last week.
Drawing up a chair, he sat down, took a deep breath and said, “we’ve lost everything and are now reduced to nothing”, but in the same breath added, “our files may have been destroyed but the vision is still there. All we need is help.”
Joe Egu, founder of a non-government organisation called People Living with Higher Aims, a group made up of people living with HIV/AIDS, said he and his staff had lost everything.
“We lost everything, our three desktop computers, files and the unfortunate thing is that we did not keep any back-ups,” he said. “The staff including myself are still at a loss, I have been walking around today like a zombie.
“While our files may be destroyed, the vision is still there and that is why I am here to see you to get you to help me, get help so that we can continue the work we have been doing,” he said.
Anybody willing to help can contact the administration officer Scholar Chapok on 71600594 or Mr Egu himself on 73845422.

Firefighters lack proper resources

Source: ROSALYN EVARA, Post Courier

A vital service in PNG is being neglected in light of other development projects . . .

SO MUCH attention is being given to getting projects and other developments off the ground but so little to the agency which will be cleaning up should anything go wrong.
This was one of the stark observations made by PNG fire chief Isaac Silas while in Madang last week for the Pacific Islands Fire Service Association’s Fire and Emergency Services executive forum.
Mr Silas said with so many developments taking place not only in the country’s mining and petroleum sectors but also in the other economic sectors, an increase could also be expected with the associated hazards.
He said the Fire Service was there to help mitigate losses but that as it was officers throughout the country would not be able to respond adequately as they lacked specialist training and resources for today’s challenges.
“In the case of Port Moresby and some of the country’s major centres we have a lot of high rise buildings that are now towering in the skies. This will require specialist training and equipment.
“In recent years the role of the Fire Service not only in PNG but globally has expanded to include emergency services.
“A recent incident in Goroka where fire officers were also called in to assist in an emergency operation there should serve as a wake-up call of how much we are lacking,” he said.
Mr Silas said while the PNG Fire Service did receive budgetary and added support from the Government this was still not enough.
However he added that maybe the PNG Fire service would have to take it on itself to try to rally more support from the stakeholders.
“In saying this I would also like to urge provincial governments and even local business houses to look at assisting the local fire stations in their communities.
“The Manus Provincial Government has realised the importance of this agency and recently made it its business to provide funding support and maybe this is something other provinces could duplicate,” he said.
These sentiments were backed by Mr Silas’ South Australian metropolitan colleague Grant Lupton. Mr Lupton said unlike the developments in the past, those of today encompassed new technology, materials and even chemicals.
He said all of these would require specialist training and resources on the part of the fire officers to be able to respond should anything go wrong.
Meanwhile, the meeting in Madang last week saw a total of nine Pacific nations being represented at the Pacific Islands Fire Service Association meeting.
Hosted by the PNG Government through the PNG fire and Emergency Services it was sponsored by the Australiasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) and AusAID.
The week-long meeting was held with the aim of making the member countries safer and resilient to fire and other emergencies.

PMIZ hits a legal hurdle

Source: Act Now PNG

Controversial plans for PNG’s first Special Economic Zone, the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang, have hit a legal hurdle.
Although the government had negotiated a $180 million loan from the Chinese government to fund the building of the industrial park, that loan is in breach of PNG law. This is because under the loan agreement one particular Chinese company will get to build the park and 70% of the loan monies have to be spent on Chinese goods and services. This breaches PNG laws that require open and competitive bidding process that includes at least 3 companies.
Of course the government is attempting to use its tried and  tested approach to inconvenient legal hurdles by drafting emergency legislation that it will bulldoze through Parliament to secure an exemption from the competitive bid requirement.
It is also understood that the wider Special Economic Zone law that the International Finance Corpoartion (part of the World Bank) is writing is close to finalized and will be presented to PNG government in the coming week or so.
The law will be based on Yemmen's SEZ law, which is reportedly the most 'efficient' and based on what the World Bank regards as 'global best practices'.
The SEZ law will allow companies to operate tax free within the zones, avoid any import or export duties and ignore PNGs minimum wage regulations.

UPDATE ON THE MADANG PROTEST MARCH

Source: Act Now PNG newsletter

George Ireng, the very brave young man behind the Ramu mine anti-marine tailings disposal campaign, yesterday, led a peaceful protest march in Madang against the governments draconian amendments to the Environment Act

.

Despite attempts by the Governor, Arnold Amet, and PNGs Attorney General to make the police stop the protest

, people defied the orders based on their own legal advice

and the police made no arrests.

This is the first successful peaceful protest in direct resistance to the Environment Act amendments.

Oro is set to proceed with its own March on the 19^th of July and other centres will follow.

Here are some text updates sent direct from the streets of Madang during yesterday’s protest:

9.30am March is ON - 500 DWU (Divine Word University) Students turned up bright and early - many many many other people too apparently - but I am just so proud of those kids from Divine Word - it is so GREAT that they have an interest in having a say about THEIR future - people have just been so - oh well what can I do to change things - and these kids are standing together - HEROES !!!  

10.30am So the protest started at the Oval and the Governor turned up and said that's enough now, all go home - so the good protesting people of Madang turned around and started the MARCH towards the provincial government building - police have kindly diverted traffic.

11.00am As the protesters got up to the courthouse, police had blocked the road on the Governor's Orders (??) and are not allowing the protesters to march the extra 500m to the Provincial Government Building where the march is to end. Peacefully. Why? Is someone trying to provoke the protestors into pushing thru the barriers to make the final 500m and get arrested in the process?? Don't bite, people of Madang - see thru this tactic ! 

11.15am Incoming news - Police decided to remove barriers - so people have marched that extra 500m to Provincial Government Building and speeches are now taking place. Marchers and Madang police, I salute your composure and maturity in peacefully resolving the situation with the barriers.

We will have photos and media reports up on the ACT NOW! website tomorrow. 

As Juan posted in a comment on the ACT NOW! website

just a few hours ago, and as Georgs Ireng and the people of Madang have shown today:

What we need is the people, we are the ultimate power on which this nation has its foundation. Togther, if we stand, we will bring the long awaited Change

For now, we congratulate everyone on their efforts so far and we wish you all a peaceful evening