Prime Minister James Marape summons head of Police and PNG Defence Force to his office

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has condemned in no uncertain terms "the use of force and breaking of the law" by members of the country's disciplinary forces in yesterdays PNGDF|RPNGC physical confrontation in Port Moresby.

He has also summoned the Police Commissioner and Defence Commander to appear before him this morning at 8.30 to provide an explanation.

He returned from East New Britain yesterday and heard the unwelcome news.

He said: "I am appalled at the news that members of our two disciplinary forces have resorted to the use of force and breaking of law to resolve a law and order issue.

"Police and soldiers are supposed to be the most disciplined of people, yet it is very disappointing to see such breakdowns happening and continuing.

"Not just as the Prime Minister but as the Defence Minister, I am directing all soldiers involved in this altercation to immediately withdraw to your barracks, and for the Commander and commanding officers to immediately restore order at Taurama Barracks.

"Most of you soldiers are hardworking; you put your body on the line. Do not allow the ill-discipline of a few and the ill response of police to allow a resolvable situation to get out of hand.

"I have called for joint police and military investigation into this matter.

"My Government has never tolerated this behavior and going forward, we will not entertain it in any way. Matters of genuine concern have to be handled lawfully. This is the only way.

"Disciplinary actions such as these involving alcohol and acts of public disorder warrants discharges from both the police and the military. It will be most unfortunate for hardworking Defence and police officers to be discharged.

“Hence, I call on all soldiers and police personnel to exercise restraint at all times and may incidents of such nature be handled maturely and lawfully," said PM Marape.

Source: Press Release

Sirinumu ecotourism project establishes ablution block

     By BIG PAT

Sirinumu Dam, the very source of life sustaining water and power generation for Port Moresby, shifted into another gear last Thursday, November 18, 2021.

The landowners opened a new ablution block at the dam site for their Sirinumu ecotourism project to cater for local and foreign visitors to their inland lake area.

While Ministers and Governors invited for the launch did not attend due to Parliament sitting, the event went ahead with NCD Tourism, Central Province Tourism, PNG Tourism Authority, Australia Pacific Training College, Trade and Industry, local pastors and chairmen of lancos embracing the villagers.

Sirinumu Development Company chairman Steven John congratulated the Sirinumu Ecotourism Cooperative Association for securing the support of the NCDC and Central Province Governments to fund the rehabilitation of the ablution blocks.

He said these amenities are necessary for visitors to use when they venture to Sirinumu.

John also called on both NCDC, CPG and PNG Power to upgrade and fix the road so ecotourism can flourish in Sirinumu and surrounding areas.

“We have a very safe, cool and quiet environment up here in the Sogeri mountains, ideal for tourism,” he said.

“But the roads need to be upgraded for Port Moresby city dwellers to come up here.”

Central Sogeri landco chairman Arua Soge said Sirinumu is the lifeline of Port Moresby and surrounding areas.

Despite the government and the city using their water and power, the local people do not get much in recompense.

He said Sirinumu offers local and international visitors the best ecotourism activities.

He said that while there is Kokoda Track, Koitaki Country Club, Varirata and Crystal Rapids nearby, Sirinumu has a whole package of activities.

“We will be encouraging home stays, there is water-based activities, fishing, swimming, boating, and you can go bush trekking, bird watching or just come and mingle with our people on market day,” he said.

“We grow the best garden green produce out here.”

Chairman of the Sirinumu ecoforest project Inara Moio told his people that they have the biggest inland lake in Central Province and they must use this body of water to foster ecotourism activities.

Moio thanked the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority for supporting his people’s ambitions.

A mouth-watering lunch packed with local food ended the day on a high note.

Police downplays a hostile attack as confrontation

There was a confrontation between a couple of PNGDF personnel and Police this morning in front of the Boroko Police Station in the National Capital District.

This stemmed from an incident last Saturday which involved an off-duty PNGDF member.

An official complaint was lodged at the Boroko Police Station by the PNGDF member yesterday where he alleged misconduct by certain members of the NCD Police.

The Divisional Commander for NCD and Central Assistant Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jnr had directed yesterday that the complaint be facilitated by a Commissioned Officer to ensure urgency with prioritising and dealing with the complaint.

This morning the soldier turned up at the Boroko Police Station where he was taken to the Police Station Commander.

PSC Boroko was already in the middle of assisting the complainant put together his statement when a confrontation erupted between certain members of the PNGDF and a lone Police unit.

The five members of the police unit were outnumbered and were disarmed and their weapons and the Police issued vehicle was taken off them and driven away by the soldiers .

Soldiers and Police sustained injuries during the confrontation.

No one was shot as widely speculated in the social media.

A soldier who was left behind was apprehended and later handed over to the Military Police by senior police officers .

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Statement from Divisional Commander NCD & Central Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Wagambie Jr:

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We have met with senior officers and NCOs of the PNGDF this morning.

I commend Lt Colonel Aruma, Director Land Operations, Director Military Police Major Dorpar, all the senior officers, NCOs and members of the PNGDF who responded quickly and positively to the incident at the Boroko Police Station.

My officers and I were at Boroko Police Station where we met with the PNGDF heirachcy to ensure the situation was contained and did not escalate.

I assure the members of the PNGDF that the complaint registered by one of our soldiers from an incident over the weekend is being dealt with. I have given directives for the complaint to be transferred from PSC Boroko to Internal Investigation Unit Boroko. The previous incident leading to the soldier laying a formal complaint is being investigated by Internal Investigations Unit.

We have a very effective Internal Investigation Unit. Since taking office in late 2019, my management team and I have given full backing to Internal Investigations to ensure all reports of misconduct by Police are thoroughly investigated.

The fact that while the report was being taken, a confrontation ensued outside the Police Station is uncalled for. As members of the PNGDF, discipline must be exercised at all times.

The PNGDF has a very colourful history which we are all proud of. We see the PNGDF as our strength, not only for external security but for internal security back up when the need arises.

Therefore whilst this is being looked into, I will also appeal to the PNGDF leadership to ensure units are kept intact and for necessary action to be taken on those who assaulted and commandeered a Police allocated vehicle.

Two wrongs do not make a right and as disciplined offices we must all work within our codes of conduct.

I want to assure members of the public, PNGDF and police personnel, that the situation is now under control.

Police and PNGDF hierarchy have met and we have resolved to have this incident dealt with at the earliest.

I have respect for the PNGDF and the members who serve in it.

What happened today does not reflect the Military as a whole. This was from individuals who acted alone without the knowledge of their command element. This incident must not tarnish the reputation of the good men and women of the PNGDF.

I thank the PNGDF senior officers and Military Police for ensuring the police vehicle and one firearm was returned to Boroko Police Station.

We will continue to work closely with our counterparts.

All Police units are performing normal daily operations.

The Police and PNGDF must ensure cordial relations exist for the benefit of the country.

Authorised for release:

Anthony Wagambie (Jr) QPM DPS

Assistant Commissioner

Divisional Commander NCD/CENTRAL

Violence eating up our budgets says Powes Parkop

Violence Against Women And Girls - Still A Big Issue in PNG

It  will only end if one has self respect for oneself.

This was the message Governor for NCD Hon Powes Parkop gave to city residents who took part in the Remember walk to end and STOP violence against women and girls this morning.

"We are all wearing red today to promote this. When we approach a traffic light, red means to STOP and so, we must STOP violence against women and girls," said Governor Parkop.

He said even after 46 years of Independence, we as a nation still have this struggle of ending violence against women and girls.

"We must be seen to be a livable city being healthy, wealthy, smart and a wise country as this is part of achieving our 2050 vision for our PNG. And part of this great challenge includes respecting women and girls and allowing them to be free and to go as far as they can in achieving whatever dreams, visions and goals they aspire to achieve," said Mr Parkop.

He added that bad habits, low value systems, behaviour and attitudes need to change in order us to move forward in achieving our goals.

COVID 19 has also given us the opportunity to go back to our communities and preach this message.

"This time we change our approach. Rather than gathering in huge numbers because of the 'niupla pasin' protocols we are adhering to, we can go back to our communities and create more awareness for them to change their attitudes, behaviour, live better lifestyles, to promote cleanliness and hygiene living and particularly to STOP violence against women and girls," Parkop said.

"Respect yourself and you will be able to respect others and in this case to respect women and girls. It's starts with each individual."

He further added that the next parliamentary budget, will also include funding at all levels of the government at the national, local and community levels to fight against gender based violence.

"The tourism industry, business investors and opportunities and security issues, will never change for the better in PNG,  unless we change ourselves. We can never use all the money coming into our country from the rich minerals resources we have, because this money is diverted time and time again to providing security and engaging the police, CIS, defence and to other stakeholders that we need to give more attention to in order to STOP violence against women and girls," said Mr Parkop.

He said that much of the exported minerals income to the country was supposed to help SME's, education, health, law and order and the church, youth and women's programs, but rather we are using to  STOP violence in all its forms.

"Violence against women and girls has been going on for too long in this county and it must STOP now," Parkop said.

Source: Press Release

Electoral roll update fraud surfaces in New Ireland says provincial administrator

Papua New Guinea goes to the polls in June 2022 with writs to be issued in about April 2022.

During elections issues of people not having their names registered on the electoral roll have been rampant.

The Electoral Commission- the body which conducts the elections are endeavoring to register voters.

While in New Ireland, Provincial Administrator and Chairman of the Provincial Election Steering Committee Lamiller Pawut has raised serious concerns that there are individuals and political parties in the province attempting to circumvent the accepted process of registering voters by the Electoral Commission.

"Agents from certain political parties in New Ireland Province have gone to the Electoral Commission office in Port Moresby with complete rolls of voters in the Council and Wards for entry into the master database of the common roll," he said.

 Pawut said this is criminal and outright act of lawlessness against the State and people of New Ireland and the Electoral Commission cannot allow greedy and power-hungry people to erode the democratic process in the coming 2022 national elections.

He claimed that the national elections in New Ireland in 2017, for the first time, was overshadowed with alleged corrupt practices and political interference in the updating of the Common Roll and conduct of polling right through to the counting of votes.

 

Mr Pawut called on the new Electoral Commissioner to carefully screen the performance of middle managers and junior officers at head office and the provinces that deal directly with the Common Roll updates of the master database.

 

He said New Ireland Province has pioneered the Village Record Book that will become the official tool for updating the overall population and eligible voters for entry into the Common Roll once the MOU is ratified and signed between the Commission and the New Ireland Government.

 

He has called on the people of New Ireland to act smart and reject any attempts by unscrupulous agents to take away their constitutional rights as free citizens with guaranteed rights to choose their leaders during the elections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hear the "last man standing" talk to veteran TV journalist John Eggins

 

With the passing of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare in March and Sir Pita Lus in October, there appears to be the only one "last man standing" as pioneer politician for Papua New Guinea in Sir Julius Chan- New Ireland Governor.

The country has transitioned in time, now advancing with technology and more university graduates.

A few points to note.

But the stories of our founding fathers political careers and political maneuvering even against Australian rule are priceless to listen to and learn from.

Papua New Guinea should be able to hear from "The Last Man Standing" video documentary that renowned and veteran TV journalist John Eggins is producing and will be broadcast on the oldest TV station EMTV in December 2021.

Eggins and his crew featuring news director Sincha Dimara and camera man Allan Terry were in New Ireland in the last fortnight traversing the length and breath of New Ireland dubbed the Bilas Peles video documenting developments in agriculture and infrastructure, various other changes, cultural events and dinning at locally acclaimed restaurants like Niu Lodge.

Eggins and Sir Julius had an exclusive interview  at the New Ireland Legislative Assembly. 

The interview sets the tone for the entire feature commentary on the last man standing.

Eggins who is currently based at his home in Mt Hagen was engaged by EMTV to carry out the last man standing interview. 

He expressed heartfelt gratitude at how  his team were treated by the New Ireland Government during the filming in New Ireland.

 

Both Eggins and EMTV’s News Director Sincha Dimara said it was vital that PNG’s History through the eyes of our forefathers must be recorded and kept as reference for our future generations.

 

“We are very grateful that one of our last remaining founding fathers, Sir Julius Chan was kind enough to let us into his world these past few days. Its been an overwhelming experience seeing him in action and looking at all the impact projects he has implemented during his time as Governor. Even at 82 it’s amazing how sharp his mind is still is. He is definitely a man of his own calibre,” Eggings said.

 

The “Last Man Standing” Special Edition is anticipated to be aired in December on EMTV.

 Look out for Promo’s on EMTV for specific timings.

Fokker jet services by Air Niugini to beautiful Madang resumes today

Air Niugini says it will resume Fokker jet services to Madang today.

This follows the resumption of jet services to Wewak last week.

The resumption of Fokker flights follows the completion of runway maintenance works by the National Airports Corporation (NAC).

The airport runway upgrade work commenced early this year and Link PNG has been operating to Madang airport using smaller Dash-8 aircraft.

Passenger numbers were restricted to as few as 20 at times because of the shortened runway.

For a period of time in July/August the runway was closed to even Dash-8 size aircraft.

Air Niugini General Manager Commercial Dominic Kaumu said “the last months of restricted operations at Madang has been inconvenient for both our customers, business houses in Madang, and the airline.

"However, we understand runways must be maintained to the highest standard and we are pleased the works are now complete and we can resume our Fokker 100/70 jet services into Madang airport”.

Air Niugini operates nonstop jet services up to twice daily between Port Moresby and Madang, and additional services will be scheduled throughout the peak period if there is demand.

Air Niugini appreciates the travelling public’s patience and understanding on these matters.

It says safety is always of paramount importance in its operations.