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

PNGIMR Pneumonia Colloquium Fundraising Dance, Coasties

This is a toksave to the General Working Class of Madang, that the PNG Institute of Medical Research will be hosting a fundraising dance on Friday the 9th of July at the Coast Watchers Hotel. The dance is to raise funds for the celebration of the 40 years of Pneumonia Research in PNG, which will be held on August 23rd to 26th of this year at the IMR's Headquarters in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province.

Dance:  PNGIMR Pneumonia Colloquium Fundraising Dance
Venue:  Coast Watchers Hotel
Date:     Friday, 09th of July
Time:     6pm-1am

All entries to the dance will be, by, tickets.

• Tickets are on sale for K50.00 (Double) & K30.00 (Single).
• Music by In-House DJ
• Pick-Up and Drop-Off will be provided
• Lots of Lucky Door Prizes too.

For more information and tickets, please contact, Mr. Hector Morris on phone: 422 2909 or 71337421.

15 die in Manam

Dr Sibek Bieb (seated left) talking to villagers on Manam Island on Sunday. Bieb is among a small team of health specialists from Madang dispatched to the volcanicn island.

By Malum Nalu, The National
FIFTEEN people from Manam Island in Madang have died from a mysterious disease.
However, Sir Peter Barter, who yesterday flew to the island on his helicopter, said last night the disease could be cholera although this was yet to be confirmed.
The deaths were initially confirmed by local councillor Paul Mabora from Bogia yesterday.
He said two children and 13 adults (five women and eight men) had died since June 17.
As Mabora spoke on the phone to The National from Bogia Hospital, the sound of weeping relatives could be heard in the background, as the mystery ailment claimed its latest victim. All victims were from Duguluba village on the volcanic island. Mabora said all victims, some of whom had fronted up at the Bien health centre on Manam and Bogia Hospital on the mainland, had complained of having initial symptoms of a cold sensation which started from the soles of their feet and began to work its way upwards to the upper part of the body.
By the time the cold feeling reached the abdomen and stomach of each of the victims, the feeling of hunger then became so intense and, by the time the cold reached the heart, the victim collapsed and was pronounced dead.
Of the 15 fatalities, 10 died in the village, three at Bien health centre and two at Bogia hospital.
Yesterday, a team of specialists from the Madang provincial health office and Modilon Hospital was dispatched by road to Bogia and then by sea over to Manam Island where they will be for the next two days.
Another small team was yesterday flown by Sir Peter on helicopter to the island to determine what the disease might be and how to prevent more deaths.
All the villagers living in Dugulaba were panic-stricken and were making their way to live with relatives in care centres on the mainland.
Dugulaba villagers had been living at Daigul care centre on the mainland until March this year when they were forced out by local landowners.
“We do not know what kind of disease it is. If it is cholera, you have diarrhoea but, with this disease, you have no diarrhoea.
“Your legs go numb and it spreads up to the heart and you die. The victims felt cold in their legs and the feeling spread throughout the body. They then say they feel hungry and then drop dead.”
Life for islanders on Manam is very hard with no water supply, and people drink water from wells which are contaminated with volcanic dust.

PAU wins debate title

By Kevin Pamba, The National

THE inaugural national youth debate on HIV yesterday involving students from the six national universities turned out to be an excellent exhibition of intellect there is at the campuses.
Pacific Adventist University defeated Divine Word University in the final to take out the inaugural prime minister’s Lahara scholarship price.
The scholarship will allow the wining team to spend their end of year working vacation with the National AIDS Council secretariat.
The debate, hosted by DWU, was dubbed as the first-ever intellectual discourse of its kind among students from the University of PNG, PNG University of Technology, University of Goroka, University of National Resources and Environment, Pacific Adventist University and DWU.
The exceptional delivery of some of the speakers in a packed auditorium of students from the host campus and other educational institutions in Madang and invited dignitaries had observers feeling assured in the intellectuals that were being moulded at the PNG universities.
For the older ones in the audience, the debate brought back memories of those great intellectual exchanges among the bright minds at the UPNG and Unitech campuses during the formative years of the nation in the 1970s and 1980s.
Dignitaries who attended felt satisfied and commended the initiative of the National AIDS Council (NAC) chairman Sir Peter Barter and called for more intellectual discussions among students and youth to advise future policies.
The dignitaries included Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane and his wife Lady Kaludia, Minister for Community Development Dame Carol Kidu, Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet, National Youth Commissioner Johnson Hebe, acting secretary for Health Paison Dakulala and David MacLauchlan, the UN country representative.
Sir Peter said the debate was a deliberate effort to include the future leaders to take ownership of issues affecting their country and be involved in decision-making and policy formulation.
Sir Peter declared that yesterday’s debate was the first of many that would follow every year and thanked all the sponsors for supporting it.
Director of the National AIDS Council secretariat Wep Kanawi said the five-year national HIV /AIDS strategy was on hold to include suggestions that come out of the debate.

Universities to attend national HIV debate

By BOSORINA ROBBY The National

STUDENTS from the country’s six universities will be engaged in the national HIV youth debate (NHYD) in Madang starting tomorrow.
Two teams each from Vudal University, University of Goroka, Pacific Adventist University (PAU), University of Papua New Guinea, University of Technology and host Divine Word University will compete in this debate.
The debate on HIV/AIDS is seen as an important cross cutting issue into all the sectors of the country and affects everyone, said PNG Eco Forestry Forum (PNG EFF) executive director Thomas Paka.
Paka said it was because of this that the organisation has come to assist the National AIDS Council Secretariat (NACS) and to show their appreciation for this undertaking.
PNG EFF chairman Kenn Mondiai, upon presenting the K2,000 cheque for the debate, congratulated Sir Peter Barter for this initiative as it gives opportunities to the youths to learn more about the virus.
He said this was also a show support from the NGO members of PNG EFF who are willing to assist facilitate NACS activities in rural areas where they were based.
Mondiai said this would also help those groups who deal with HIV awareness in their conservation programmes.
NACS provincial programmes manager Philip Tapo said the idea was for the youths to be involved in the HIV response as they know their own problems and are the better solution providers.
Tapo said since most HIV patients were youths, this event will get them to talk, research, debate and learn more about the virus and how they can stop this pandemic.
He said this positive event would be widely published and telecvised and should call attention to everybody to contribute to reducing the spread of HIV, which is now in rural areas.
The day event is expected to announce a winner by the evening to allow the teams to attend a field trip the next day. All teams will leave by Friday.
The winning team will become the Prime Minister’s HIV ambassadors for a period of 12 months, mentor the 2011 NHYD teams and be invited to participate in various HIV forums.
They will also be offered a four-week paid work experience Lahara Cadetship with the office of the director of NACS and work on projects of importance in Port Moresby or in the provinces.

Madang's Blazing Aftermath

Fire guts Madang landmark

By Kevin Pamba, The National

MADANG town’s landmark office and shopping complex, the Kagasten Building, was burnt to the ground last night. The fire, which started at the ground floor at about 6pm, gutted the entire building by 7pm.
Firemen and 20 student seamen from the PNG Maritime College could not save the building but managed to stop the fire from spreading to other shops, including the double-storey Papindo shopping complex.
A policeman at the scene said he suspected an electrical fault at a shop on the ground floor could have triggered the fire, which quickly spread to the other rooms.
It brought the entire two-storey building down within an hour.
The building housed two shops on the ground floor while the first floor had the Day and Night Surgery private clinic, office of the anti-HIV/AIDS group, People Living With Higher Aims Inc, among other occupants.
Police could not ascertain if there were people inside the building when it caught fire.

MADANG EMBARKS ON PNG SCHOOL BOYS RUGBY LEAGUE PROGRAM.

The Madang rugby league fraternity, primary schools and community experienced a hive of activities last week with the visit by Steve Malum, the Northern Zone development officer. His visit was in conjunction with the PNGRFL Junior and School Boys development program around the country and kicked started the Madang School Boys Rugby League Competition by conducting a series of meetings, coaching and training clinics with the Primary Schools whom have made known their interest. The attention caught the sports masters, parents, the local rugby league fraternity, supporters of the code and the MRL executive who have worked tirelessly in conjunction with the schools and the Northern Zone development officer Steve Malum, how significant it is get junior development programs off in Madang where the Madang public witnessed the first school boys trial matches on the weekend at the Ron Albert’s Park.
Credit goes to the three Primary Schools, Jomba, Lutheran Day and Kusbau for taking the initiative to participate in the Madang School Boys Competition. Madang School Boys Coordinator Joe Laia has appealed to the other Primary Schools to join in the development program, and is planning a series of meetings to elect an executive to move forward and manage the program in Madang, with support from the MRL executive.
Apart from that, Steve Malum finished of his visit in Madang by joining his counterparts and guests, the MRL President Philip Welia and executive, the Madang Provincial Administrator, Ben Lange and Madang Provincial Planner, Simon Simoi and Kainantu Bees sponsor, John Nato witnessing a trial match between Globe Madang Malabos and the Gateway Kainantu Bees. Both sides displayed some fine football regardless of errors, mainly due to the intensity of the game and pressure from the popular Madang vocal supporters. The Madang side defeated a courageous Kainantu outfit 16 points to 12 to come out victors. These trial matches are designed to prepare and improve the Northern Zone league centers representative sides prior to the Northern Zone Super 6 Conference Cup later to be held in July. The trial match ended with a feast later in the evening attended by team’s players and officials, sponsors, guests, MRFL and KRFL executives.