National Broadcasting Corporation is on life support

 The National Broadcasting Corporation is on life support needs immediate help to ensure it functions at an exceptional level.

 

Minister for Information and Communications Technology Timothy Masiu said this prior to NBC’s new board members took oath of office this morning.

“Let’s not deny this fact,” he said.

“Various organs of the NBC body are either failing or non-functioning and has been on decline for the past years.”

He challenged the new board chaired by Pius Tikili, business man behind the successful Mapai Transport to resuscitate the NBC.

They board has to watch over these three major projects during its three year term.

Mr Masiu noted staff realignment exercise, nationwide asset review and register and the analogue to digital TV migration project.

“I am certain that the incoming board will further deliberate on these and other past projects and initiatives,” he said.

He was a former NBC broadcaster and board member.

“Under my watch there will be clear demarcations of roles and responsibilities of a minister, board and management will be sustained,” Masiu said.

A point managing director Kora Nou also echoed.

“The demarcation are to be clear if we are to move NBC forward,” he said.

The board members are chairman Pius Tikili, his deputy Emil Tenoa and members Zinnia Dawidi a lawyer by profession and the only female, Pastor Babani Harry and Timothy Tala.

The Upe votes

We had protruded into a hamlet setting from our track with less than five houses, surrounded by few odd betel nut trees.

Teua women, top naked and in their grass skirts and betel nut stained red mouth very striking against their natural black beauty danced.

Teua women dancing

Men wore a lace decorated with scented leaf on it around their necks and blowing the conch shell and kaur (wind instrument made from bamboo) producing a charming bass sound.

We were told to stand in line across the track entering the hamlet.

From left to right, I can’t recall whether it was Jeremy Miller or Ben Bohane but I vividly remember Wayne Coles-Janess was on my left and I was on far right as we stood.

John Sisiesi, a local and the assistant returning officer, told us it was a welcome gesture.

Far beyond 20 metres, the Bougainville flag is hoisted on a bamboo mast and not far from it, a polling booth has been set.

People danced around the flag

The boundary set by green leafy coconut fronds.

The women dancing were holding bamboos as long as a metre and the top end had some leaves folded beautifully like a squared paper and shutting the hollow top.

Some women came close to each of us and placed the scented lace around our necks.

And with a surprise the next group removed the leaves covering the hollow top of the bamboo and they tipped it down to our feet, there came out water from a tap.

Our shoes and pairs of socks were wet.

I wasn’t prepared for this. I knew though in Buka it’s called the Tsutsu or the washing of feet to welcome a person who first visits a place.

I could sense a feeling of contentment and peace among the community- the day they have been longing and waiting for has finally arrived, the day to vote in a referendum for Independence from Papua New Guinea.

With a wet feet, we pulled video and photography gears out-it’s time to capture whatever we can because we will be there for less than 30 minutes before we leave.

We moved to the centre place where the Bougainville flag was hoisted and the men, women and children danced around the flag.

A man was dancing and blowing the Kaur and every time he comes to my side, he would wave at me.

I recognized him as Martin Sibo, 53, year old betel nut trader I interviewed him in Buka a week prior.

We caught up soon after and I gave him a packet of noodles and biscuit and a pop drink sachet.

Martin Sibo

He told me, “God bai lukautim wokabaut bilong yu.”

( God will protect you in your journey back)

While the dancing was going on, the Upe were in the forest.

They were supposed to dance and show off their liveliness and ability but we were informed that the sun was already up and high and they couldn’t perform.

And if they did, women were to be secluded in their homes. They are forbidden from seeing the Upe.

Information was passed to the Upe and with their teacher Sam Manu, their protruded from their hiding in line.

They wore the Úpe headdress, one of the designs found on the Bougainville flag, bare top, but they wore sports shorts and holding wooden javelins- beautifully decorated. It indicates a weapon traditionally crafted.

The Upe

One of skills an Upe should muster after spending about three years in the forest going through various initiations is to be able to go to war or protect his family.

The Upe were given special preference. Those who were 18 years went through the polling booth and voted but those who were ineligible on passed though the Bougainville referendum polling booth,  a sign of embracement and endorsement of the referendum vote.

Before they voted, their teacher Sam Manu told us through an interpreter that the Upe initiations and training promotes successful and happy societies and they existed hundreds of years ago.

He wanted the government to recognize and fund them-a deed he believed is a token of appreciation for having their design on the Bougainville flag.

Manu and his Upe students retreated into their jungle college after they voted.

For me and the Australian journalists, it was an experience seeing the Upe after hearing and reading about them.

We had a chat with the people there under a shelter.

Their area is regarded as the neglected backwaters of Bougainville.

They want a road to connect with Buka so that their cash crops, subsistence farming produces and the green gold ‘betel nut’ can be transported to markets.

As it is, using the sea costs a trader: K60 return passenger boat fare to Buka. K10 to pay a carrier to carry a bag of betel nut to the coast, almost two hours walk. Another K10 is needed to get the bag on a boat.

Martin Sibo and his betel nut in Buka

Health, education and telecommunication were their priority needs as well.

It was history the Upe took part in a political vote, the people were excited and like many rare moments in Bougainville the, referendum vote was a period of feasting and celebration.

The Upe in polling booth

It was historical, momentous, and we hope the story and plight of the Teua (Kunua ) people is heard and they are included in development planning, budgeting and delivery of services.

We bid them farewell and trekked back to our truck, then drove to our boat and arrived in Buka, after lunch sailing past high seas before Saposa Island.  Reflections over a lunch and a cold drink at Reasons Restaurant and Bar ended our reporting adventure.

New Ireland develops model tourism village

New Ireland has a first tourism model village.

The provincial government has recognized Lossuk Village in Ward Seven of the Tikana Local Level Government area as the First Tourism Model Village.

Governor Sir Julius Chan says developing tourism village concepts endeavours to address social ills that mostly cause law and order issues.

Acknowledging that half the population are young people, he said immediate attention of the government is to contain abuse of alcohol, illegal home brewed alcohol which described as poisonous, and marijuana.

The concept will enable the village to tap into the economic benefits of tourism, agriculture, fisheries and forestry through the village planning committees in wards.

At the the local level governments level they will develop small businesses in communities to sustain and empower themselves with the youth population taking the lead.

The New Ireland Government assisted with K10,000 to construct ten VIP toilets which were completed by the youths and launched two days before Christmas last year under the New Ireland Government’s WaSH project.   

The Lossuk Tourism Model Village concept is based around the traditional New Ireland hausbois’ but includes a central meeting house and eight hausbois constructed through sweat equity valued around K50,000 by the youths.

The provincial government has directed the New Ireland Tourism Authority and the provincial administration to rollout the project to the remaining nine LLGs in the province.

The Hausboi at Lossuk is also captured in the design of the new Provincial Assembly building which is currently under construction.  

The provincial government has appointed Hon. Demas Kavavu who has been closely involved in the establishment of the Cultural and Tourism villages to involved in the roll out of the concept.

Logistical costs a challenge for betel nut trade in Bougainville

Betel nut can be a lucrative business for most west coast Bougainvilleans from the Kunua district.

But logistical challenges are costing them a lot and the little they could earn selling betel nut in Buka has been able to just keep them a float.

Evelyn Sinat,39,  and Martin Sibo,53, are two among hundreds of betel nut traders who travel into Buka daily and they are suppliers of the famous huge betel nuts from Bougainville.

Martin Sibo,53, and Evelyn Sinat, 39.

Sibo is married with four children and he traded betel nut in the last 18 years just to make ends meet for his immediate and extended family.

The whole trade has been somewhat little rewarding but he had been content, this was able to sustain him day by day.

He said he sells a bag at K80 and his return boat transport cost was K60 apart from the cost of each bag at K10.

Sinat does betel nut trade occasionally and said if demand was high and supply was low, she could sell a bag for K100 or worst K50.

When we spoke to her, she had seven bags.

She said the retailers at Buka bargain with them often and most times they lose, going back to their remote Kunua disappointed.

Married to Kavieng, Sinat said there were betel nut plantations high in the mountains of Kunua, in the middle lowlands and on the coast.

Transport to Buka though is really a pain.

She accounted they also pay carriers K10 to carry a bag of betel nut from the inland about 2 hours walk to the coast before catching a boat to Buka.

From betel but she was able to pay for school fees.

Her plight is for the government to afford them reliable and less expensive transport to markets and really develop her region.

They needed apart from road and good sea transport, mobile communication, health and education services.

New Ireland Completes Election for LLG Presidents

New Ireland Province is the first in the country to complete its LLG Elections with the last two LLG's Murat and Nimamar swearing in their Presidents on Friday 9th August.

The confirmed President's are as follows:

Kavieng District

Lavongai LLG – Mathew Makapa

Tikana LLG – Sammy Missen

Kavieng Urban – Sikal Kelep

Murat LLG – Edwin Maigen

Namatanai District

Tanir LLG – Felix Kaltubim

Konoagil – Issac Tosel

Matalai – Augustine Topi

Namatanai – Joshua Takin

Nimamar LLG – Stanley Tunut

Sentral NIU Ailan – Ben Sakbua

Attending the swearing in of the Murat LLG President in Kavieng, Governor Sir Julius praised the work of the Provincial Election Steering Committee led by Provincial Administrator Lamiller Pawut, Acting District Administrator David Lens, Autonomy Director Ricky Fugonto and Director for Legislative and Executive services Ao Ure.

( l to r )  Ricky Fugonto, Ao Ure, David Lens,  

Lamiller Pawut and r Sir Julius Chan.

Sir Julius also commended CEO's and Directors of the New Ireland Government for going beyond their job descriptions and taking part in the running of the Elections.

"We do things not because it is easy, but because it is difficult. We have proven to the rest of PNG that we can run one day polling successfully, on time and on a budget of half a million. I applaud you all for making these elections a success. You can be proud that you did it during your time," said Sir J.

The New Ireland Province is now aiming to replicate the one-day style polling during the 2022 National Elections.

At the same time the NIPG is adamant on taking up the responsibility to update the common rolls to stop occurrences of names missing during future Elections.

Sir J called on all the newly elected presidents to play leading roles at the LLG level along with all the Ward Members so service delivery can be felt in the community.

The New Ireland Government has allocated K200, 000 for all Local Level Government's and a further K30, 000 to individual wards with the exception of Tanir, Konoagil, Mussau and Lavongai who will receive K40, 000 because of their Geographical locations. This goes in line with the NIPG's policy of " The further you are the more we care."

The New Ireland Government is spearheading a number of High Impact projects through out the Province this includes the Unity Trans Island road, which will be officially opened on the 15th of August. Work on the 32 km Mussau ring road is progressing with its completion set for December and there are road works on the West Coast Kabunut to Palabong road and on Tanir.

Sir J also reaffirmed his vision of turning Boliu High School into a secondary school, which would allow for Seventh Day Adventists from other provinces to attend.

" To Govern is to choose, and the wealth of the people must be in the hands of the people," said Sir J when explaining that his Government had now engaged a Robin Hood style of leadership to take back funding from the National Government and hand it back to the people, thus the mission for Greater Autonomy.

 -New Ireland Provincial Government Media

Government to address issues of unattached officers on pay roll

Govt to address issue of Unattached officers on pay –roll 

The Minister for Public Service Honourable Westly Nukundi Nukundj has initiated the process of fixing the ongoing issue of Pay Roll over –run that has been a concern for past and present Governments. Last Friday (26 July 2019) the Minister demanded answers from the management team of the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) regarding positions and pay for all government departments and state services agencies.

He said the government’s biggest worry is that there are 6070 plus unattached officers on government pay roll and that amounts to 260 to 270 million kina every year.

“We want to find out where the cause is. What the Government aims to achieve is that one person gets paid for doing one job for one position(PPP). The Government is emphasising on the PPP concept, that is what we want to achieve”, said the Minister.

The Minister said it was not as if the Government is trying to cut down on the number of public servants however, it is seeking answers as to why we have unattached officers and in which particular departments and agencies. And if they are not participating in effective service delivery, why are we still keeping them on pay roll.

“I want the management team to furnish the following information before close of business of Monday the 29th of July 2019. A list of all unattached officers who are on government payroll in all departments, provincial governments and State Services Agencies,” said the Minister in a memo.

Minister Nukundj said all this information should be categorised into those that are over the age of 60 and due for retirement and those that have been suspended for over 3 months.

“There are also instances where two or more people are being employed under one position and that is another category. It should also be categorised into those who have been medically unfit for over 3 months and the number of positions approved against current numbers employed, “said the Minister.

Minister Nukundj also wanted to know the number of new recruits in government departments and agencies not on government payroll.

He said the Government was not necessarily trying to reduce cost but rather establish a number that is effectively performing its duties against a position that the government pays.


He asked DPM to furnish this information for all the different categories for each department and state services agency.