Gabagaba village ICT Facility launched

A step in bridging the digital divide in PNG

The Minister for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Hon Timothy Masiu, unveiled the Gabagaba Village ICT Facility today, marking a significant step towards bridging the digital divide in rural Papua New Guinea.

The inauguration of this state-of-the-art facility was met with enthusiasm from the local community, who expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to access the digital world.

The Gabagaba Village ICT Facility is part of the Smart Village project, a global initiative, now introduced to PNG through the Government. The project aims to remote areas with the rest of the world. 

This project focuses on providing essential digital services to underserved communities, and it was made possible through a collaboration between the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) and Gabaspot, a local entrepreneur.

One of the key challenges facing such projects is ensuring long-term sustainability. To address this, the facility was designed and built by local entrepreneurs, ensuring that it remains a vital resource for the Gabagaba community for years to come.

Mr. Kone Kula, Director of the Universal Access Service (UAS) at NICTA, emphasized the importance of bringing communication services to areas with limited access. He encouraged the community to take care of the facility and highlighted the various opportunities in the ICT ecosystem.

CEO of NICTA, Kila Golu-Vui, underscored the impact of the project, which will benefit over 6000 people in the Gabagaba community.

“The intention is to extend the signal to other nearby villages as well,” Mr Gulo-Vui added.

He commended the CEO of Gabaspot Mr. Guise Vere’s passion for making the project sustainable and ensuring that harmful content is filtered from the network, especially to protect children.

Minister Timothy Masiu expressed his deep honor at being part of this initiative, stressing the importance of embracing the Smart Village concept to keep in pace with global technological advancements.

He highlighted recent collaborations at the Pacific ICT dialogue and the signing of the Lagatoi Declaration as steps toward introducing digital services at the grassroots level.

Minister Masiu added that the government is committed to harnessing the power of technology to uplift the lives of all Papua New Guineans, regardless of their geographical location.

CEO for Gabaspot Mr. Guise Vere announced that the facility would be known as the “Gabaspot Digital Hub.” He also revealed plans for digital training programs to empower the local community, emphasizing the long-term significance of this endeavor.

This facility is the second of its kind launched by NICTA, with the aim of serving the local population.

The Gabagaba Village Connectivity Facility boasts 16 computers, equipped with an e-library to benefit students who can use the resources free of charge. To combat frequent power outages, the facility is equipped with a solar power system, a standby generator, and servers powered by an inverter. 

Additionally, Mr. Vere, a key figure in the project, has introduced an affordable token-based Internet cafe system, making local internet access more accessible.

Mr Vere is a person with disability, and the government aims to be inclusive in their collaborative efforts in connecting the rural communities of PNG. 

The launch of the Gabagaba Village ICT Facility marks a crucial milestone in Papua New Guinea’s journey towards digital inclusion, offering the local community access to the benefits of the digital age while fostering sustainability and responsible internet usage.

Hon. Peter O'Neills qualification to question the election of James Marape queried

 

A full Supreme Court bench comprising five judges have concluded hearing a Supreme Court reference filed by Ialibu Pangia MP Peter O'Neill at 5.20pm yesterday 

 

The bench comprising Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, his deputy Ambeng Kandakasi and other judges Ereke Kariko, Panuel Mogish and David Cannings have reserved their ruling to a later date.

 

In this supreme court reference Mr O'Neill was asking the high court to provide a legal opinion on whether the election of Prime Minister James Marape on August 9 last year was proper and constitutional.

 

 One of the main issues raised before the five judges was whether a gazettal notice of meeting of Parliament published on August 1^st, 2022 was proper. 

 

Through his lawyer Ron Webb Mr O'Neill also asked the court to declare section 63 of the OLIPAC law unconstitutional as it does not support section 50 which allows citizens to take part in an election. 

 

This argument particularly concerns the non participation of other MPs whose writs were not returned yet and ultimate denying them the constitutional right to vote for a Prime Minister or be nominated to contest.

 

The argument was that only 83 writs out of 119 were returned when Parliament was called.

 

The high court will have to offer an opinion whether having 83 writs was sufficient to call a meeting of Parliament and elect a Prime Minister.

 

Mr O'Neill through his lawyer Ron Webb while asking the high court to declare section 63 of the OLIPAC unconstitutional has prompted the Supreme Court bench to ask O'Neills lawyer whether his client had benefited from this OLIPAC law in the previous elections 

 

 

O'Neill's lawyer said this supreme court reference was about what happened in this parliament and not in previous ones.

 

The Peoples National Congress Party through lawyer Davis Steven endorsed Peter ONeills arguments adding they were concerned about the processes leading to the first sitting of Parliament being unconstitutional.

 

 Lawyer for the Attorney General Levente Jurth had a strong contention against Peter O'Neills application.

 

Other five intervenors endorsed the arguments by the Attorney General's lawyer.

 

Among interesting opposing arguments were that Mr O'Neills application through section 18 was not of personal interest concerning Constitutional matters and he failed to plead how he was directly affected in anyway. 

 

He should have files through sect 19 because the issues were of public interest, but then only constitutional office holders can use sect 19.

 

The Attorney General's lawyer also argued that Mr O'Neill did not clearly plead how he has suffered personally in any way and reliefs he was after were not stated .

 

The bench had prior inquired why Mr O'Meill did not indicate reliefs sought in the application book.

 

The bench said it was fundamental.

 

They only heard O'Neills lawyer asked the court for reliefs during submissions yesterday.

 

 The Attorney General's lawyer had asked the court not to entertain O'Neills application.

 

Peter O’Neill’s lawyer Ron Web says his client has sufficient interest in the constitutional matters.

 

The Supreme Court bench has reserved its ruling to a later date.

Attorney General briefs out legal representtation

 

The State Solicitor General’s office will not be representing the Attorney General Pila Niningi during the Supreme Court reference filed by the Opposition Leader Hon. Joseph Lelang.

The supreme court reference filed early this month as a Sect 18 reference seeks the high court’s interpretation whether the recent signing of two Defence Cooperation Agreements with the United States in May were constitutional.

Issues of legal representation from the Attorney General who wants to be an intervener arose on Monday when a private law firm lawyer and state lawyers appeared to represent the Attorney General.

But on Tuesday a state lawyer informed Justice Derek Hartshorn that the Solicitor General’s office would not be representing the attorney general, Pila Niningi as they have briefed out the matter to Mel and Hennry Lawyers.

While the issue of representation is quite settled, Lawyer Dane Mel from the brief out law firm has to make an application for the supreme court to accept the attorney general as an intervenor in this reference.

He had asked for an adjournment for 14 days but Justice Hartshorn declined it and moved the hearing date to Friday at 9.30am.

Mel had told Justice Harshorn they were unable to sight the court documents in order to make and file their case.

Brendan Lai who represents the Opposition Leader Joseph Lelang had taken issues that the delays with legal representation were in house matters for the Solicitor General’s office.

Lai wanted the application for the Attorney General to intervene to have been moved on Tuesday or be dismissed for want of prosecution.

The matter is now settled to be heard on Friday 9.30 am.

 

Bougainville chocolate festival starts in Buka

 Tuesday 26th September 2023

CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL UNDERWAY

The annual Chocolate Festival is underway.

This year’s three-day event is being hosted out of the Hutjena Oval on Buka Island, under the theme ‘Innovation and Information Sharing to Empower Farmers’.

A float promoting the event was staged yesterday, starting at Haku Constituency leading all the way into Buka Town.

The 5th Chocolate Festival already promises to be bigger and better, with close to 100 participants already booking a space to celebrate the event.

Vice President and Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Patrick Nisira, the Minister for Technical Services Joseph Mona and the Ministe for Police and Correction Service John Bosco Ragu, as well as representatives from the Australian and New Zealand High Commissions are slated to grace the opening today.

Among events to happen within the festival are a chocolate competition, awards for best cocoa blocks, school quiz and debates, seminars to highlight new skills and techniques to cocoa farmers, an open visit to the Department of Primary Industries Chocolate testing facility at Kubu and cocoa games.

The major event is the cocoa sampling of beans from across the region.

Doctor James Butubu of the Department of Primary Industries, says over 33 samples have been received from farmers across Bougainville and 15 have so far passed the test of beign good samples that can be converted to producing chocolate.

Doctor Butubu further says, Bougainville remains one of the biggest producers of cocoa in the country, over 150-thousand tons annually, which equates to between 120 and 150-million Kina.

The Chocolate Festival is hosted by the Bougainville Partnership Program of the Australian High Commission, but there’s already a submission to the Autonomous Bougainville Government to take ownership of the event.

The ABG is eyeing the industry for downstream processing to boost quality among farmers while at the same time generate internal revenues through encouragement of cottage industries.

*NBC Bougainville News

Lae biscuit eyeing overseas export

 

The Lae Biscuit Company based in Lae, Morobe Province and proud manufacturer of several biscuit brands that identify with PNG is aiming to sell its products overseas.

 

On the eve of the country’s 48 independence, the company received international accreditation as a Food Safety System Certification 22000.

 

This accreditation is issued by S-A-I Global and this accreditation helps Lae Biscuit to meet international food industry requirements.

 

Company General Manager, Edwin Elmer Wong, says in a statement the company takes great pride in being the first PNG-owned company to be given the Food Safety System Certification 22000 certification.

 

He says from a statement that being accredited means from the supply of raw materials to line production and finished products, including the up-skilling of manpower to deliver the end product they have to be food safety conscious.

 

Wong says it has been a progressive process since the opening of the state-of-the-art Lae Biscuit Company factory completed in October 2017.

 

In 2021, the Lae Biscuit Company along with 10 other food manufacturing companies in Papua New Guinea, met internationally recognized and approved food safety and control measures when awarded the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point or  (HACCP) certification by the Papua New Guinea Certification Services through the National Institute of Standards and Industrial Technology (NISIT).

 

Lae biscuit says that process took the Company three years to achieve the HACCP certification.

 

Lae Biscuit Company Chairman, Ian Chow, in acknowledging the achievement by the company, said this is such a milestone accomplishment. He thanked the managers and staff for working tirelessly behind the scenes and putting together all requirements to achieve the Food Safety System Certification 22000.

 

In the 2023 Australian NRL season, Lae Biscuit Company was able to get an advertisement on the Sport Shorts of the Cronulla Sharks players.

Judge says there is no such thing as a licence to kill as he sentences a police officer to jail

A policeman has been sentenced to 15 years in jail at Bomana with hard labour for the murder of a young man at the Gaire Fish Market, Central Province.

 

When sentencing the police officer Japhet Muka from Jiwaka, Justice Panuel Mogish said indiscriminate killings by members of the police force involving State issued firearm is prevalent and immediately calls for a strong deterrent sentence as a form of deterrence.

 

Justice Mogish said there are many case precedents involving police officers charged with homicide offences involving the use of state issued firearms.

 

In all those cases, he said the Courts have treated this as a special aggravating factor warranting a custodial sentence.

 

The court heard that on Friday 26^th March 2021 between 7pm and 8pm, the accused police officer was at Gaire Fish market along the Magi Highway.

He saw the deceased who was drunk and behaving disorderly.

The accused Japhet Muka called the deceased over to him. At that time, Muka was sitting inside a police vehicle.

As the deceased came close, he opened the car door. The car door hit the deceased and caused him to fall onto the ground.

The deceased got up and ran to the opposite side of the road.

The accused police officer then got his police issued firearm and discharged a shot in the air and toward where the deceased was running.

Unfortunately, the deceased was hit on the head with a bullet from which he died.

The accused police officer was returning to  Port Moresby from Hula after escorting the body of the father of late judge Jim Wala Tamate.

Justice Mogish said the aggravating factors far outweigh the mitigating factors.

He said courts have consistently reminded law enforcement officers not to flout the law in the discharge of their constitutional duties.

These remarks have gone unnoticed by a minority of the police officers.

Justice Mogish said imposing 15 years jail term with a reduction on pre-remand time is intended to act as a stern reminder to police officers and other members of the discipline force or security guards in other private security firms.

They must exercise a high standard of duty of care to those around them when in possession of firearms.

 

He said there is no such thing as a license to kill.

 

They must exercise restraint in the use of these weapons against anyone.

 

Only in extreme circumstances can be excused or justified in discharging their weapons. One such circumstance is where a police officer acts in self defence where his life is in imminent danger.