Governor for New Ireland happy with road progress

 

Returning from his weekend of custom at Nokon, New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan departed Huris in the morning on Monday but detoured to Lossuk, Lavolai, Bagatere, to Kaut road. Sir J  was thrilled that the entire trip took only six hours from Huris to Lossuk to Lovolai and Bagatere and Kaut and  onwards to Kavieng town.  “Just a decade ago, this would have been impossible by car.  It was only a walking track, and would have taken days at least to complete, if you could do it at all,” Sir J said.

 

The progress he saw was beyond his expectations because of very steep hills. The late Wally Lussick  as Regional member 50 years ago made numerous calls in the House of Assembly to link Bagatere on the west coast to the East coast of Tikana. “ As I drove through the labyrinth of junctions I can hear Wally’s voice. I know Wally is smiling from above to see this virgin rainforest now opened up for the people of Tikana. And Obed Boas who succeeded Wally would support this project as he was the MP who started NAKMAI Company which I launched 50 years ago.” said Sir J.

 

 

The road was originally called Chan road but will be renamed Bokap crossing after former Kavieng Open  member Daniel Bokap. 

 

In memory of these great leaders Sir J said he would  do everything to ensure the speedy completion of the project. Not only because this vital project links to the long forgotten people but will be a legacy project for the Deputy Governor and President of  Tikana . “For a long time I have been expressing my disappointment at the slow pace of the contractor MAYNIPS. But today I am amazed and more than satisfied at the current state and progress of the road works. Many could never  have imagined that a road of this quality could finally be built, and I commend local contractor MAYNIPS for taking on this difficult and challenging job,” said Sir J.

 

He gave his word that his Government would do everything to ensure the speedy completion of the project. “One thing I will not tolerate is the Gor Gor blocking of this important project for my people. Some people just don’t appreciate how difficult it is to fast track projects. We must work together to ensure it is completed for the benefit of all.”

 

Sir J also received the report of the road from contractor Greg Tobareng before making his way to Kavieng. Sir J is content that the work will be a legacy project.  He concluded by saying “This road is another example of the basic commitment of my Government to all the People of New Ireland.  I have said it many times before: The further you are, the more we care. I mean it. We stand proud that Bagatere is completed on time.”

 

Just like Kaut, Tome, Lokono and Panapai roads without the People’s Progress Party Government’s deliberate support these roads would still be village tracks.

 

New Ireland Governor’s School of Excellence Program to be Gradually Phased Out

 

A total of 27 students will be severely affected by the discontinuation of the New Ireland Government’s Governor’s School of Excellence Program.

 

This comes after Lihir Royalties that is the major source of funding have been transferred to the Namatanai and Kavieng District Authorities.

 

The implications for the students include their parents not being able to afford the International Standard Education School fees, Securing spaces in other NIP schools will be difficult as they are already full, safe and timely transfer of students academic record remains a risk, unless it is managed well by higher Authorities such as the head of the Department of Education and Provincial Education Board.

 

To help remedy the foreseeable implications the New Ireland Government during its Provincial Executive Council meeting on Tuesday moved to financially support the current batch of Scholarship students until they complete their Education at the OLSH International School.

 

The Governor’s School of Excellence was established in 2019. The program is part of the seven components of the New Ireland Government’s Free and Subsidized Education Policy. This program has two key components School of Excellence and Teacher Excellence Program.

 

The goal of the program is to increase the level of student’s academic performance  and teacher performance in the province. Which has been successfully achieved and ideally this Government wishes to continue these scholarships  but funds used for Education subsidies and other projects were transferred illegally over to the two District Development Authorities making it impossible to sustain budgeted projects and programs.

 

The Scholarships are offered to the top performing primary and secondary school students from the outer and more rural parts of the province to undertake the excellence program implemented or run in an international standard learning environment.

 

Updating the Provincial Executive Council, CEO for Government Subsidy Mactil Bais said “Since 2019 the New Ireland Government has gone way beyond its target by issuing 94 scholarships, almost 100% more.”

 

In 2020 nine pioneer scholars graduated with a grade 12 certificate. “ They all performed exceptionally well and secured placements in various Tertiary Institutions across the country.

 

New Ireland is now ranked one of the top five performing provinces with its grade 10’s ranked 3^rd  in the country and grade 12’s ranked 5th in the country.

 

This is a big improvement from its ranking of second last in the country 10 years ago.

 

NIP Media Unit

 

Picture Caption: Governor Sir J with Students from the OLSH Governors school of Excellence during a recent meeting at the New Ireland Assembly.

 

 

 

New Ireland Council of Elders Conference Venue Change

 

The annual Council of Elders Conference planned to be held for the first time at Boliu Secondary School in the Murat LLG from the 21^st and 22^nd of this month has now been changed to Kavieng.

 

The PEC, at its special meeting on 8^th October 2021, made decision to change Boliu as the venue due to the sudden change in the Covid 19 Protocols which has also affected the school examinations and other works necessary to hold this annual event.

 

The last Council of Elders Conference held at Lambom last year was very exciting and everyone was looking forward to holding the next meeting at Murat on Boliu Secondary school.

 

The Chairman of the Elders Council and Legislative Assembly Rep, Hon. Linson Aaron, regretted the sudden unexpected circumstances leading to the change of venue to Kavieng. 

Papua New Guinea pioneer aviator dies

Captain David Inau from Sapuain village in the East Sepik Province has died.

He had a colorful career in aviation.

He was inspired by Bishop Leo Arkfeld who and joined the military and went for aviation training at Point Cook in Victoria, Australia.

Inau made history flying solo on a military aircraft from Melbourne to Papua New Guinea.

When the military suspended him after a landing incident in Western Province he became a commercial pilot.

He used to fly the Caravan for Vanair owned by Garamut in Vanimo.

Once he landed in Green River along the hinterland from Vanimo.

There was a passenger in Moses Inau the late Inau was puzzled how they shared the same surname.

He then told Moses to just get on the plane.

Captain Inau was the lead on establishing the police Air Transport Wing and he flew the helicopter.

Some of his recent work were with the Accidents Investigations Commission as CEO and helping out with the Catholic Diocese in Vanimo.

Many aviators and everyone else who knew him are offering their consolences.

Rest In Peace Captain David Inau

West Sepik rural communities missing out on news and information

 It should be a matter of urgency that the Sandaun Provincial Government seriously considers the plight of our rural communities like the ones in the picture at Wanipe, Magleri.

They and many other rural communities do not receive news and information from NBC Sandaun, a newspaper or through the internet.

Facts: NBC Sandaun does not reach them. Their access to mobile communication is absolutely terrible.

So how could they participate in business or trade and ultimately know what happens around them and globally on a daily basis.

Post unavailability of SW radio transmission through the NBC, our people have regrettably accepted this regression to 'stone age'.

They only enjoy boombox and music powered by portable mini solar chargers.

WHAT SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT DO?

Install communication towers that they can have access to reliable voice and data for Internet and through the Internet they can have access to radio as well via an app

Many people in these communities have smart phones and the 'Wan Bang' ones. Telecommunication companies would certainly make money.

Install Digicel Play discs at every ward (community owned and managed by ward councilors) to be powered by solar and people have access to watching TV news and programs. This would be cheaper to roll out but logistics may triple the cost of set up

Establish a weekly provincial newspaper that captures content that is relevant to the province and distribute across. Logging roads have opened up access to travel across the once sparsely populated and dense virgin forest. 

The newspaper can be printed in Jayapura when the borders open. I suggest we call it the Sandaun Mail.

Sir Julius Chan speaks at EITI consultative meet in New Ireland

New Ireland vision for development is very clearly stated in the New Ireland Declaration

We are pushing for resource ownership through Mama and Papa Graun

We are firm to develop our human resources through our policy of Free and Subsidized Education

We are inspiring for excellence in education by establishing Secondary schools to Colleges and the New Ireland University.

In business and commerce we want to equip our entrepreneurs by providing finance through a more development oriented policy.

On the 7th September 2016 we declared the highest form of Autonomy for New Ireland.

Our desire for self-determination is compelling reason that you all work together with my Government and my people to reach our goal in the fastest and safest way.

In almost all gatherings I was asked to say a few words, I spoke about the need for our country to wake up.  

I said we had to admit honestly that we have serious problems and begin to deal with them. But I fear we have failed to do that, and my friends, I fear that time is growing short.

The problem is simple. The wealth of our country, the riches that have come, and continue to come every day, every year, from Mama and Papa Graun, have made foreign companies rich, have made some politicians rich, have made some businessmen rich, but have done nothing for the people from whose ground those riches originate!   Others get rich. Our people get poorer and more miserable.

We have wealth most countries of the world would kill for.  Our natural wealth is the envy of the world. But while we exported a million billion kina of wealth particularly from the extractive industry sector, what happened to our people?

This must end. My friends, I said earlier time is getting short. We must wake up. We have the tools.  We have the resources. For some reason we have lacked the commitment. For some reason we have been acting stupid.  It is time for us to get smart.

One thing we need to realize is that our diversity can be a strength. We all know that our country is the most diverse on earth. We all know we have 841 languages according to the last count, out of a total of about 7,000 in the world.   So we have one-thousandth of the world’s population, but over 12% of the world’s languages. There is no more diverse place on earth than PNG – Full Stop!

But to date we have let our diversity work against us. We are competing against each other. When one group of big men gets into Government everyone else suffers.The group the big men represent prosper, but everyone else suffers. Then later a new group of big men gets power and their group benefits – everyone else suffers.  

And this is tearing our country apart. Just look at Bougainville. Everyone but the landowners and people of Bougainville benefited from Panguna. And finally the people said “Enough!!”

More and more people in Papua New Guinea are beginning to say “Enough!!” We need to wake up.

America realized that if the central government, the national government was too strong then government would not be able to respond to the differences in the regions and states. So America gave the state huge amounts of power. California and Texas and New York made their own laws, collect their own taxes, operate their own education system and they do it in the ways that are best for their people. And the result? The result is that the country – America – is Stronger! It has made a strength out of its diversity.

New Ireland has all the tools it needs to be the best, the most progressive, the most advanced society in all of Papua New Guinea. And this is not mere conjecture, no idle claim!  We have already shown our pedigree.  

We have already shown our ability. Just look at our track record…..

Our legs have been shackled. Our eyes blindfolded. We have been forced to carry extra weight.  But still we have done amazing things. We have implemented Free Education, Old Age and Disabled, Roof Over Heads, Ward Level Projects, Solar Lights, provided delivery beds for our aidposts, wheelchairs for our disabled, walking sticks and crutches, subsidised bicycles, implemented a Water and Sanitation for Hygiene program and much more. 

We have already initiated and pushed for amendments to the Mining Act 1992 and the Lihir and Simberi MoAs to ensure fairer benefit sharing with the people whose land is providing the wealth. We will do the same with Solwara One if it ever come to life.  

There is no better time then now to navigate conditions – Finance, Environment safety of the work force and more equitable sharing of the super profit with over US$800 increase price of gold to offset the deficits and reduce our excessive borrowings instead of passing the burden of servicing these borrowings to the next generation.

Today’s literature on corporate governance is overwhelmed by notions of environmental, social and governance matters. Environmental matters like deforestation, pollution, climate change. Social matters like war, rights of workers in foreign factories, minimum hourly wages. 

And governance matters going from the boardrooms of publicly traded companies all the way through to the governance of various organizations and our own elected governments.

A long time friend quoted to me what Milton Friedman said: “The business of business is business. Therefore, the only person you really care about is the shareholder of your company. The sole purpose of a publicly traded company is to look after its shareholders.”

You the Directors of Papua New Guinea …….. the only sole purpose of your involvement in this game is to look after the shareholders – the people of PNG.

Your coming to New Ireland is an honour for us to air our little experiences. The Extractive Industries Transparency Commission will go a long way to keep everyone honest.

This is a world to share – if we do it right, there will be enough to go around. 

Now it is my honour to declare this gathering of important people charting the future of our Extractive Industries Transparency Commission Consultation Forum Open.

Vanimo desperately needs a market venue

 Vanimo needs a designated operational market venue with a roof for farmers to sell their produce.

The focus on food stuff should be organic agriculture and fishery products.

Compared to other regional centres like Buka and Kokopo, Vanimo doesn't have a designated market place.

The variety of market produce stacked at a current open air market at formerly government store is too few.

There is potential for agriculture development but market access has been a challenge.

Let's see this project come to pass very soon.

Since early 2000s there has been no proper market for vendors from Vanimo and now that there is road link to the hinterland areas, its imperative we consider building a proper market with toilet and shower facilities soon.