News 09.2014.1
10.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Angry landowners close Buka airport
ANGRY landowners shut down Buka airport yesterday, disrupting scheduled flights in and out of Bougainville and holding the travelling public to ransom.
Landowners from nearby Ieta village, under the leadership of Rungunahana Incorporated Land Group chairman Herman Tugen, stormed the airport at around 9am, forcing the cancellation of flights in and out of Bougainville. The landowners overturned luggage trolleys, parked their vehicles on the runway and sent a message to the authorities of the airport’s closure.
Mr Tugen ‘s followers are demanding the National Lands Department in Port Moresby send their ILG Certificate and have their agreed K5 million compensation deposited into their account. The Landowner group is wracked by an internal dispute and divided along clan lines.
Vice-chairman of the group Raymond Hakena said he was extremely disappointed with the airport’s closure. He was to have arrived in Buka yesterday in preparation for the clan reconciliation. "As a member of the executive I’m not happy," he told the Post-Courier.
"This is an in-house matter and closure of the airport is illegal under the Public Utilities Act recently passed by the National Government. And I don’t know why the police are not standing firm within the rule of law to let justice prevail for such behaviours," he said.
However, he said that he wanted to reconcile with all the clans and executive members but the closure of the airport was sabotaging the reconciliation which was one of the requirements by the Lands Department in order for the K5 million cheque to be released to the landowners.
The local police hierarchy, Bougainville Chief Secretary Chris Siriosi and village met to negotiate lifting the travel ban. Mr Siriosi said he would not be involved in any negotiations with the clan members of the ILG but said it was their land and they had to solve these issues once and for all.
He said landowners should negotiate with their constituency member Cosmas Sohia who has the mandate to deal with those issues. ‘’I have no power and authority to be involved so I want all the clans of Ieta village involved to have round table talks and prepare for a reconciliation," he said.
He said when there clans are reconciled the payment for land compensation shall be made. Mr Tugen will continue negotiating with his clan members and the other chiefs on the status of the airport runway.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Zealand International
Angry landowners shut down Bougainville airport
Angry landowners shut down Buka airport in Bougainville yesterday, disrupting scheduled flights and holding the travelling public to ransom.
The Post Courier reports that landowners from nearby Ieta village, under the leadership of Rungunahana Incorporated Land Group chairman, Herman Tugen, stormed the airport at around 9am.
The landowners overturned luggage trolleys, parked their vehicles on the runway and sent a message to the authorities of the airport's closure.
The Landowner group is wracked by an internal dispute and divided along clan lines.
The vice-chairman of the group Raymond Hakena told the Post Courier he was extremely disappointed with the airport's closure.
He was to have arrived in Buka yesterday in preparation for the clan reconciliation.
10.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Mass recruitment part of new Act
By ANTHONY KAYBING
Bougainville will now advertise senior positions within its public service as part of its restructure under the new Bougainville Public Service (Administration and Management) Act 2014.
All departmental head appointments will be made by the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee which consists of:
- The President John Momis,
- The Speaker Andrew Miriki;
- Church’s representative Bishop Tim D Arthur;
Women’s Representative Mrs Hona Holan; and Bougainville Lawyer Mr Hubert Kikira. As for the purposes of appointing the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner the Bougainville Constitution requires that two National Government officers are added, these are Secretary of the Department for Personnel Management Mr John Kali and the PNG Electoral Commissioner Mr Andrew Trawen.
The Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee the Administration will shortly contract an executive recruitment firm to assist the committee process the departmental head appointments.
The firm will manage an open, transparent and merit-based recruitment process for the 14 departmental head positions, the two deputies in the Department of President and BEC and the urgent appointment of an Electoral Commissioner.
The timetable for the positions of Chief Secretary, Electoral Commissioner, Secretary of the Department of Administrative Services and Secretary of Treasury and Finance is:
- In the week of Monday September 8, the start of two weeks of advertising for all positions.
- Friday September 26, applications for these four positions will close.
- Friday October 10, the shortlist will be set in consultation with Mr John Kali.
- In the week of October 20, interviews will be conducted.
In the week of November 3, or earlier if the interviews and paperwork is completed, the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee will meet to consider independent panel’s recommendations and to make the appointments.
The timetable for the remaining departmental head positions is:
Friday September 12, all positions descriptions for the remaining 11 departments and two Deputy Chief Secretary positions will be completed.
- The week of Monday 15 September the start of two weeks of advertising for all positions.
- Friday October 3 applications close.
- During October the recruitment firm will carry out referee and qualification checks and prepare the short lists for all positions.
- Interviews will take place in November and early December.
From time to time the Administration will make announcements on the progress of the recruitment process.
All enquiries about the recruitment process will be directed to the contracted recruitment firm.
This is important to ensure all applicants are treated fairly and evenly.
10.09.2014
Source: Bougainville24
The travelling bush carpenters of Kupe
By Leonard Fong Roka
If there was a comparison of educational output per village in the North Nasioi Constituency the mountainous Kupe Village would score the lowest. This is not because these people are less intelligent, but because leadership through time neglected them and their existence has become as case of ‘what-I-have-is-what-I-got.’
Bougainville history remembers them for their land that hosted the first commercial gold mining operation between 1929 and 1937. The township of Arawa knows them because the Bovong River that cuts through the town has its roots in the Kupe Mountains.
Kupe is inaccessible by vehicles, but those rugged mountains, massive boulders, gorges, cliffs and wild rivers have nurtured a people that work hard to sustain themselves in their forgotten world.
Physical work and labour is the art of existence and through this work ethic their standards of living have greatly improved.
The entire village of Kupe has constant electricity supply from mini-hydro generators; all homes are semi-permanent and permanent and have a permanent water supply; the villages have retail outlets despite being inaccessible by vehicles.
Producing no graduate in the known universities of PNG they have a good number of their students graduating from vocational schools within Bougainville and technical colleges outside Bougainville. These graduates come out with nothing but a course or trade connected with house construction.
Pragmatism is their culture.
One such child of Kupe, born with pragmatism, is 24 year old Paul Sipura (pictured above).
Unsuccessful in securing a spot in a secondary school to do Grade 11 in 2007, Paul went to work at a carpentry company started by his older brother, who was a Tinputz Vocational College (now technical college) graduate. They built and maintained houses within urban Arawa and the surrounding villages.
In November 2012 the many self-trained carpenters of Kupe, offering small services to the Central Bougainville, area captured the leadership of the Australian Government-funded, Morobe-based, PNG Forestry Products pre-cut building projects that were erecting classrooms and staff houses across Bougainville.
A local agent of the Australian building project, Chris Korokoro, saw that the trained carpenters would not meet the project deadline and fired the Morobe-based carpenters to take on the Kupe men.
Paul Sipura, his brothers and their other village men were grouped into teams for each to conquer the first 20 primary schools in November 2012.
“In all these projects we constructed a 2-in-1 classroom, a staff house and an ablution block,” Paul Sipura said.
“That is uniform for all 20 primary schools.”
“The difficult part of our job is reading and understanding those plans,” he continued, “the houses were drawn up in Morobe and shipped here with the whole house drawn on paper.”
“We just joined them up and where we made a mistake we improvised, so we were perfect.”
For Paul Sipura, who never moved around Bougainville much, it was travel time under pay from Australian Government aid.
In November 2012 he was with his team of 5 carpenters. Between January and March 2013 his team was at Tonu Primary School in Siwai and in November and December 2013 his team was at Dikamo Primary School at Tinputz.
In January 2014 the Australian Government brought the Kupe men out of Bougainville for the first time in their lives.
Paul Sipura is still is engaged to team building in the Wakunai District and scheduled to tour out of Bougainville to construct buildings in East New Britain Province and New Ireland in 2014. His brothers and many other Bougainvilleans remain engaged in other provinces of PNG.
About 7 of the Kupe carpenters returned from West Sepik in July where they worked on two projects; another 5 Kupe men were posted in Port Moresby; another bunch were assigned in Simbu Province since late 2013, where sadly one of their mates died in work related accident.
“By travelling and working with professionals in the carpentry field our boys are learning,” Paul Sipura said.
“They are now better carpenters, who learn and work hard; that is why Australian Government officials inspected us at work and praised us Bougainvilleans a lot.”
The project inspectors, most of whom are Australians, tell the Kupe men that they are indirectly training them to help build Bougainville by establishing their own companies.
10.09.2014
Source: Bougainville24
Prof Jerry Semos – visionary academic leader – dies in Madang
By Keith Jackson
Papua New Guinea lost one of its most eminent academics today with the death of Associate Professor Jerome (Jerry) Semos (pictured), Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Divine Word University in Madang.
Prof Semos, from Bougainville, passed away in the early morning hours after an oustanding academic career.
He was awarded a doctorate from James Cook University in Queensland for a thesis on Natural Resources, Nasioi Society and the Colonial and Post-Colonial State in Papua New Guinea: The Mining and the Undermining of Resource Sovereignty and Resource Development in the Bougainville Copper Project 1963 to 1990.
He went on to become a lecturer, senior lecturer and head of department of the University of Goroka.
Recognised as a visionary leader, he was put at the helm of the university during serious student strife which led to a crisis at the institution. He headed the Centre for Melanesia and later was appointed pro vice-chancellor before moving to Divine Word University.
10.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Buka youths hail PM’s performance
By ROMULUS MASIU
YOUTH of Bougainville were all praises for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for its forward looking strategy after coming into government.
Spokesperson Francis Kaupa said in the wide network of social media such as the PNG Blogs and Facebook, that Mr O’Neill had been attacked and given names in and outside parliament for all the wrong reasons.
Mr Kaupa from Siwai, South Bougainville, said Mr O’Neill had gone through a tough political storm during the past 12 months, but he had found support in a solid team of leaders in parliament.
“Despite the mountains of pressure exerted upon him the leader has never lost focus of his mandate as the chief executive officer of a rapidly growing nation and the leaders of his Ialibu Pangia people.
“He said the PM had demonstrated toughness as a strong and tenacious leader and his ability to remain focused on his job and deliver impact projects to the nation was something people must acknowledge because we have never seen the country moved in a big way economically”.
“Our PM may have his own weaknesses but comparing him with many of our leaders both past and present, his performance rate is exemplary.
“We have a Prime Minster who is focused, who is addressing issues affecting all sectors of the economy.
PM’s performance rate so far is excellent and we see many new developments under his leadership,” Mr Kaupa said.
10.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Member supports students in South Bougainville
By SEBASTIAN HAKALITS
THE member for Baupake constituency in South Bougainville, Joseph Buia has decided to support students from his district.
He presented a cheque of K27,000 on Monday to the Institute of Accelerated Learning as payment for 22 students who are attending the school.
He said Bougainville had a lot of educated people but due to financial difficulties they could not continue their education.
He also said many students were leaving the region to attend schools in other provinces but the Bougainville government was planning more schools within Bougainville to develop its human resource.
In 2013 he also helped pay for the students school fees. This year’s cheque brings to K33,000 the money he has paid to institutions for students.
He has also paid for students who are in institutions outside of Bougainville and as a priority for education, he and his council of chiefs chairman Francis Kaum have secured K300,000 for students school fees for 2015.
10.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Tourists listen to local spin
By JACOB IENU
Paramount chief Nicholas Gioni explaining the processes of making tamatama, a local delicacy to tourists at Pokpok Island. Picture: JACOB IENU
KIETA international port witnessed yet again another tourist passenger liner. The vessel Caledonian Sky, a Swedish ship is registered in Nassau, Bahamas.
The vessel was in Manila, Philippines before entering PNG’s ports of Wewak and Bougainville’s Buka and Kieta ports.
Jane Wilson, the group expedition leader said the ship is carrying 60 passengers’ mostly Australian tourists. At Kieta the passengers where ferried across to the nearby Pokpok Island where they were met and welcomed by paramount chief Peter Garuai and his entertainment group. They were entertained by Uruna elementary school pupils with other arts and crafts also put on display.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TUIRUMA FESTIVAL DATES MOVED
BY JENNIFER NKUI
Tuiruma festival chairman Joe Maineke has revealed to New Dawn Fm yesterday that the dates for the Tuiruma festival to be held in Buin, South Bougainville have been moved to October 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
He said the dates for the festival have to be moved because of the lack of funding as funding was not received on time.
He added that after consultations with the chairmen’s’ of the COE’s, they moved the dates as it will also allow for the ABG president Chief Dr. John Momis and his office to be present for the duration of the festival.
Mr. Maineke wants to assure the cultural groups that the festival will now take place on the set dates as he has already received counter funding of K150, 000 from the office of culture and tourism with help from the president’s office which is much appreciated.
He is asking all cultural groups in South Bougainville, especially in Buin, Siwai, Bana and Torokina, and North and Central Bougainville to prepare properly for the festival.
He said this festival is one of the main events in our region and it is very important that we celebrate it with our cultural values.
He appealed to all cultural groups who will be participating in the festival to come with their good culture and to perform in our cultural value.
Mr. Maineke wants original culture meaning traditional costumes to be showcased during the festival saying if a group is not properly attired traditionally, the group will not be allowed to perform because you will downgrade our culture.
A total of 25 cultural groups will be taking part in the Tuiruma festival in Buin and from the 25 groups, 20 groups will come from each districts in South Bougainville while the other 5 groups will come from North and Central Bougainville.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
MAINEKE SAYS THANK YOU
BY JENNIFER NKUI
President for Bougainville Football Soccer Academy Joe Maineke thanks the ABG minister for sports Melchior Dare with his office, the office of the president and the office of the finance minister Albert Punghau for making funding available to host a very historic event.
The historic event was also a symbolic ceremony for the groundbreaking for the Bougainville Football Soccer Academy which took place last month at Manetai in Central Bougainville.
Mr. Maineke would like to thank the ABG, our government of today for recognizing this partnership impact project where we want to establish for us to have an institution that will nurture and bring up our players in football.
He said as president he is a public servant who will be available just to make sure that the project happens between PNGFA and FIFA.
He added that FIFA officials and their president David Cheung were present for the launching of the biggest project in Bougainville and they were very happy to be a part of this project.
Mr. Maineke would like to also thank the ABG finance minister Albert Punghau for the release of the funds and the ABG president Chief Dr. John Momis for approving the K1.8 million as counter funding to help with the project.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BURUNOTUI’S TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM
BY JENNIFER NKUI
Burunotui Girls Technical School is situated in an area that is isolated from services, especially roads.
School principal Judith Kisu however told New Dawn Fm that the location of the school is good because it minimizes problems for the school since it is an all girl’s school.
She said the main problem that the school now faces is transportation to and from the school by the staff and students of the school.
She added that the school has no school transport and with the 200 students, it is very difficult to transport them to and from the school.
Mrs. Kisu said because of this road linkage that did not come through, the staff and students of Burunotui Girls Technical School have to get transport from Buka Town to Hanahan and then to Karola.
From Karola, they have to get on a boat to get to Burunotui.
She explained that with 200 students, it takes the school’s small 19 foot boat to make 7 full loads to the school.
She added that because there is no transport from Hanahan to Karola, it makes it more difficult for them to get to and from school.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TARLENA STUDENTS TO GRADUATE BEFORE THE EXAMS
BY JENNIFER NKUI
Grade ten and twelve students who are attending Bishop Wade Tarlena Secondary School will be having their graduation tomorrow before their exams.
This was revealed to New Dawn Fm by the school’s board chairman Tony Tsora today.
He explained that this arrangement is unique but was done because the school’s administration is concerned about what happens after the exams when students over do their celebrations.
He added that the school did not have any graduation last year because there was a death that happened in a village near the school that involved a student.
Mr. Tsora said the school’s administration has already observed the students’ behavior after the exams and it seems that the students go out of hand with their celebrations.
He explained that this arrangement will be tried out tomorrow and if it works then they will stick to it but if it does not, then they will do away with it.
He added that students will be graduating tomorrow with their attainment certificates which will show that they have completed grades ten and twelve at Bishop Wade Tarlena Secondary School.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BOUGAINVILLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH LEADERSHIP
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville receives around K480 million every year which is quite a lot of money.
However, the ABG regional member Joe Lera has pointed out clearly that the island of Bougainville does not have any problem with money but the island has a problem with leadership.
This was revealed during the opening of two new buildings for Burunotui Girls Technical School last week, by James Hasunn, who represented the office of the regional member.
He said if leadership today is honest, leadership such as politics, leadership in government civil services, leadership in church, leadership in women, leadership in youths, if we all change our attitudes, then the island will see development in terms of infrastructure improvements.
He added that currently we do not see it because this K480 million that comes somehow disappears into thin air and no one knows where it goes.
He pointed out that if the K480 million is put together and used properly, the island will see very, very big benefits every year.
Mr. Hasunn further explained that the island only produces between K9 to K13 million a year and economically we are not sustainable but yet our future comes out in 2019, which is our referendum for independence.
He said and yet we will pursue the idea of independence when we only have between K9 to K13 million in internal revenue.
He stressed that if all our leaders drive their agendas in different directions what have we got for Bougainville?
He then stated that our future is gloomy if the leaders do not follow one set of vision and pillars.
Mr. Hasunn went on further to say that if we are not careful, our political journey which we will polling in 2019, we can only be voting for prosperity or voting for poverty.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
NEW CLASSROOM AND STAFF HOUSE FOR BURUNOTUI GIRLS TECHNICAL SCHOOL
BY JENNIFER NKUI
Burunotui Girls Technical School which is located at the border of Peit and Haku constituency now have a new two in one classroom and a two storey teacher’s house thanks to the Regional member for Bougainville Joe Lera.
The school as explained by the board chairman John Latu is an old school which was established in 1910 and was not operating well because of its location and other hardships faced.
He said this is the first time for a political member to support the school as it is mission run and that the school can be accessed only by boat as there is no road which can link it to the main roads on Buka Island.
James Hasung, who represented the regional member’s office during the opening of the two buildings, last week, said Mr. Lera has a vision and his projects are funded according to the ten pillars under his vision ‘To develop People to Build a Nation’.
He added that recently, the member sent his 2013 PSIP acquittals to Port Moresby and it was rated the best of the best acquittals ever sent by a member out of the 111 members of parliament.
He then explained that Mr. Lera’s projects are not his, he only funds the projects as these projects were identified by the Bottom up Approach Political forums.
Mr. Hasung said the project which was witnessed that day should not be opened by the member but should be opened by the people who identified the project during the bottom up approach forums.
He added that Lera believes that a leader cannot identify a project because he or she does not know whether the project is important.
He pointed out that the projects must be identified by the people because the people know what is important and is a priority for them.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TRADITIONAL HEALTH PROJECT
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The trainings which were conducted in fifteen Catholic run hospitals across the region have really helped people in the rural areas of Bougainville.
The trainings which come under the Traditional Health Project were conducted by the Bougainville Traditional Herbal Association in partnership with the Hahela Catholic Women’s Group.
Secretary for the Bougainville Traditional Herbal Association (BOTHA) Roselyn Tommy said many problems faced by pregnant women in rural areas are seen as normal which also makes them think that there are no solutions to their problems.
Speaking during a small gathering in Kubu last week, she added that as a facilitator during the trainings, she and her colleagues taught the training participants why it is important for pregnant women to go to clinics and how to keep pregnant women healthy in order for them to have healthy babies.
She stressed that despite the challenges faced by the team, the project was very successful.
Mrs. Tommy said the main aim of the project was to train women how to prepare for pregnancy or births, what mothers should do and not do, the effects of mothers having too many children and also of the problems faced by pregnant mothers during labour such as heavy bleeding.
She stressed further that what they did was give mothers in the villages the skills and knowledge they needed to help themselves.
She added that requests are still coming in for more training but due to lack of funding, the training is closed for this year.
Country director for Horizen 3000 Casten Klin, who was also present for the ceremony, said the main aim of the project is to give health service access to people in the villages.
He pointed out that the only way to help people who live far from the aid posts, especially pregnant women is to train women in the villages on how to look after pregnant women.
He added that most people live far from the aid posts or clinics and therefore the training given will help them to look after pregnant women who are going into labour.
The people who made up the Traditional Health Project team were project coordinators James Kowie, Ute Ochsenreither, BOTHA secretary Roselyn Tommy, Cecilia Kossin, Anna Havitien and Sr. Catherine Mona.
10.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
PARLIAMENT ADJOURNS TO TOMORROW
BY ALOYSIUS LAUKAI
The September session of the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s sitting was adjourned this morning after the Air-conditioning system of the house could not cool the chamber.
The session started at TEN AM for the September session and after the first item which was the question without notice, parliament was adjourned to 2 PM.
And after 2 pm the house then adjourned to TEN AM tomorrow to allow the ONSAIR Air-condition team to replace three old Split units which were out of order.
New Dawn FM which normally covers the ABG Parliament, was only able to cover the Question without notice session today.
Many members told New Dawn FM outside that the Air Conditioning of the House is an administrative matter for the Speaker and should have been fixed earlier.
09.09.2014
Source: EMTV
BUKA AIRPORT SHUTDOWN BY LANDOWNERS
Landowners have closed down the Buka Airport, causing disruption to all flights going in and out of Buka.
A reliable source from the ABG confirmed that the airport is being guarded by youths from the landowner group who took over the terminal and runway this morning.
Sources reported that the youths from the landowner group met last night and the decision to close the airport may have transpired from this meeting.
The Chairman of the landowner group is reported to now be in talks with the police in Buka, and the youths guarding the airport are alleged to be waiting for the outcome of these ‘talks’.
The exact reason for wanting the airport closed is unknownat the moment, but it is understood that the landowners have been prompting relevant authorities to look into addressing all outstanding landowner issues pertaining to customary land where the Buka Airport was built upon.
Sources revealed that the NAC and all airline operators have been notified of the indefinite shutdown of the airport.
09.09.2014
Source: The National
Japan funds classroom, teachers quarters
JAPAN will fund the construction of a classroom and teachers quarters at the Kawai Primary School in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
The Japanese Government, through the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects, approved the grant after the school submitted an expansion project proposal.
Japan’s ambassador to PNG Morio Matsumoto and the school administration signed the contract last week.
Matsumoto said the people of Koromaketo village, where the school was located, would benefit from the grant.
“I firmly believe that our grant assistance will help ease classroom shortages and run-down ones by providing a better learning environment,” he said.
Matsumoto said the new teacher’s house will provide better accommodation for teachers who held the key to improving the quality of education for the students.
“Education plays an important role in national development and in the well-being of individuals, families and communities,” he said.
“I am fully aware that the Government of PNG has been working with the AROB government towards an improved and effective delivery of basic education services as a priority for the human resource development in the AROB.”
09.09.2014
Source: The National
ABG implements Public Service Act
THE Autonomous Bougainville Government has implemented the Bougainville Public Service (Management and Administration) Act 2014 which will see the re-structuring of all departments.
President John Momis said the next six months would see major changes as senior positions would be advertised and permanent appointments made.
“Acting on the advice of the Bougainville executive council, I have signed the instruments establishing 14 ministries in the government,” Momis said.
Momis said it was a radical restructure intended to meet Bougainville’s current and future needs.
“Business as usual is no longer acceptable – each of the new ministries has a supporting department,” Momissaid.
The council has announced a number of acting appointments to head of departments until permanent secretaries are recruited.
With these changes, the divisions have been abolished, all chief executive officers (or acting CEOs) will retain their substantive positions attached to the relevant departments.
09.09.2014
Source: The National
Children on mission to help children
THE Kamaru International school in Buka has initiated the idea of “children helping children” during disasters.
It follows the pouring of ash from the Mt Bagana volcano (pictured) last month affecting families in Wakovi.
Students from Kamarau, an international education agency, contributed items to help children affected by the disaster.
The people in Wakovi were relocated to Gotana village.
School principal Yaking Haii could not give details of the items donated.
Mt Bagana, situated at the contour of the Emperor and Crown Prince Ranges south-west of Wakunai in Arawa, erupted on August 10 affecting 156 people from 32 families.
AROB disaster committee director Franklyn Lacey could not be reached for comment.
Red Cross disaster officer Aidah Kenneth said charity agencies and non-government organisations donated tarpaulins and rations.
They are still awaiting a response to a submission sent to the National Disaster Office in Port Moresby.
Kenneth said AROB government sent a team to assess the situation on August 13 resulting in the relocation of the victims.
09.09.2014
Source: PNG Attitude
After bloody hostilities, Tumpusiong & Koro people made peace
bx LEONARD FONG ROKA
IN late 1993, under a secret plan with people from the Bolabe area fed up with chaos under Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) rule, a convoy of four trucks loaded with PNG Defence Force soldiers and pro-PNG resistance fighters encamped at the strategic former Bolabe government station.
The local Nagovisi people from the surrounding villages of Sikoreva, Koro, Deraa, Dumaa and satellite hamlets were armed and organised into a massive temporary camp, the Bolabe Care Centre.
But not all the locals remained in the PNG government-backed centre. A handful fled to the neighbouring Panguna area or further into the Kongara area of central Bougainville.
As usual, after the PNGDF arrived at Bolabe troops shelled the Panguna area and the Tumpusiong Valley with mortar. Such tactics had no defined targets but was just reckless shelling using the pride of their Australia-funded weaponry.
The Tumpusiong Valley’s BRA leadership calculated that not all people are willing to fight against them even though they were under PNG control. So a patrol was despatched to Koro village to determine what arms the pro-BRA people had.
The patrol of about 14 men divided into two groups and moved a hundred meters parallel to each other. The main patrol penetrated the Koro village perimeter while the other group remained behind observing PNGDF positions.
The main patrol, with their elder my blood uncle John Ibouko, met some villagers and chatted with them over a session of betel nut. Rain arrived and the village men invited the BRA patrol to a shelter where they stood laughing.
But, despite this calm interaction among clansmen and relatives by marriage, there was an underlying tension. The Sikoreva ridge was under the control of two opposing political groupings, and there existed a will to kill.
The same Koro villagers who were engaging the Tumpusiong BRA men secretly sent a messenger to the Bolabe PNGDF camp and the PNGDF hastened towards Koro.
As the PNGDF troops approached, another team of six armed villagers were deployed towards the Sikoreva ridge to set an ambush along the possible escape route of the BRA men.
They did not realise that another BRA party was buried along those paths waiting for the main group to return.
The main party, including my uncle, were busy telling stories with the wolves in sheep clothing. Other Koro villagers left one by one giving various excuses like fetching some or getting more betel nut.
As the BRA group’s last ‘friend’ left, a heavy blast of gun fire rocked them. They darted away not knowing who had been hit.
Meanwhile, the pro-PNG resistance fighters were heading towards the ambush position. The BRA spotter party mistook them as BRA men. But they heard one of the fighters tell his men to keep alert, for if they missed the PNGDF they would run into BRA.
The BRA spotter party then captured and disarmed them and headed back to the Tumpusiong Valley without a second thought for their comrades who were under attack.
In the main BRA party, my uncle lost his nose to machine gun fire and another BRA man got his hand nearly chopped off at the wrists but they were all heading for home.
The BRA spotter party were now marching their prisoners to Panguna where they would be imprisoned or killed by the BRA. As they were climbing the gravel dump slopes at Panguna mine, one of the captives fled, rolling down the steep slope. His minder missed him with a round from his shotgun.
As they argued about the escape, a messenger sent by the returning BRA patrol reached my hamlet with news of my uncle’s injury.
The remaining captives were brought down on to the massive sedimentation wasteland of the Kavarong River, ordered to dig their own grave and were all shot dead.
In 1998, with the peace process, my Tumpusiong people and the Koro villagers began peace negotiations at community level. Acknowledged and admitted was that, between 1994 and 1996, the Tumpusiong BRA lost seven men and the Koro pro-PNG fighters lost 14 in all the killing and counter-killing of ourselves.
My Tumpusiong people and the Koro people met at Jaba and reconciled. Later, my people dug up the five executed resistance fighters’ remains (pictured above) which were returned to their relatives.
With the peace between our two villages now established, we are greatly blessed. The Tumpusiong Valley has become the money-making home of the Koro people who run their retail outlets and pan for gold.
Tumpusiong men and Koro men partner in running businesses like transport operations and shops and there are also sporting activities between our two villages.
Activities to raise funds at Koro become a Tumpusiong event and vice versa.
Our two warring villages made their peace on truth, and that peace has sustained us and will advance our two communities.
09.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville youths praise O’Neill
YOUTHS of Bougainville have nothing but all praises for Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for the entire job well done since taking over the government.
Spokesperson Francis Kaupa said in the wide network of social media such as the PNG Blogs and Facebook, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has been attacked and given names for all the wrong reason in Parliament and outside of it.
Mr Kaupa from Siwai, South Bougainville said in fact the Prime Minister has gone through a very tough and tempestuous political storm over the past 12 months, but he has found solace in such a solid team of leaders in Parliament.
“Despite the mountains of pressure exerted upon him the leader has never lost focus of his mandate as the chief executive officer of a rapidly growing nation and the leaders of his Ialibu Pangia people.”
He said the PM has demonstrate toughness as a strong and tenacious leader his ability to remain focused on his job and deliver impact projects to the nation is something we people must acknowledge because we have never seen the country moved in a big way economically before.
“Our Prime Minister may have his own weak side of life, as a human being, but comparing him with many of our leaders both past and present. His performance rate is exemplary. We have a Prime Minster who is focused target driven and operates like a CEO of a corporate giant for the first time in our political history Prime Minister. Who is addressing issues affecting all sectors of the economy by Prime Minister you are on the right time. It is a harvesting time the people of PNG. PM performance rate, so far is excellent and we see many new development under his leadership,” Mr Kaupa said.
09.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Lack of leadership a problem for Bougainville
MONEY is not the issue in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, says Mr James Hasunn from the Bougainville Regional MP’s office.
Mr Hasunn said lack of proper leadership is the main problem preventing many tangible developments taking place in the region. "If all leaders change their attitude then this island will see a lot more developments," said Mr Hasunn.
Mr Hassun said this during the recent opening of a new classroom and staff house at Burunotui Vocational School in the Peit constituency of Buka. These infrastructures were funded out of Mr Lera’s PSIP funding allocation.
Mr Hasunn also stressed on Mr Lera’s vision – develop people, build the nation. He said if all Bougainville leaders do not share a united vision than Bougainville will continue to depend on others for sustainability. "Economically we are not sustainable.
"We cannot be independent when our internal revenue raised is only around K8 - K10 million annually," Mr Hasunn said. "If all leaders have different visions then what have we got? The future is gloomy for us.
"Leaders, if we are not careful, during the referendum we will either vote for prosperity or for poverty." Mr Hasunn also called on Bougainvilleans to vote for leaders who have a vision to develop Bougainville. "We must vote good leaders. "If we have good leaders, then we will see many developments taking place in Bougainville," he said.
09.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Technical school gets new facilities
By WINTERFORD TOREAS
Members of the North Bougainville leaders forum cutting the ribbon for the classroom opening. These leaders are responsible for proposing these projects during their bottom-up forum.
STUDENTS and staff of Burunotui Vocational School in the Peit constituency of Buka recently became proud recipients of a new double classroom and staff house.
These buildings which costed about K200,000 to construct and complete was funded through Bougainville Regional MP Joe Lera’s provincial support improvement program (PSIP) fund allocation.
These projects were identified and approved by North Bougainville leaders during their bottom-up forum hosted by Mr Lera to allocate his PSIP funds towards approved projects. Funds for this projects were given to the Bougainville diocese development section to manage and coordinate while local contractor Sorong Builders was awarded the contract.
Even though the school is only accessible by outboard motor or canoe, the opening of these new infrastructures signifies the elevation of the school to new heights in terms of development.
Guests present to witness the dual opening ceremony include officers from the Regional MP’s office, senior Bougainville education officers, staff from the diocese development section, school board of governors and chiefs from the area.
Manageress Judith Matari while delivering her welcome remarks thanked the Regional MP and those who had played a part in the successful completion of the projects.
Mrs Matari was also very emotional while giving a brief outline of the daily struggles that students and staff endure daily, before challenging the government to continue pumping funds towards improving the infrastructural standard of the school.
Mr Lera’s officer James Hasunn congratulated the staff and students for taking ownership of these properties.
09.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Villagers get water supply
BY WINTERFORD TOREAS
PEOPLE in the Selau/Suir district of North Bougainville, especially those living far off from a reliable water source, will soon have access to clean water for drinking and cooking.
This follows a recent decision by the North Bougainville Joint District Planning and Budget Priorities Committee (JDP&BPC) to allocate funds towards the construction of a water supply project in the Suir area.
North Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi said the committee had decided to allocate funds towards this course after seeing that many areas in North Bougainville do not have access to clean water for cooking and drinking.
One of the areas that will greatly benefit from this project is Selau constituency.
Currently many people there especially those who do not have access to clean and safe water source always rely on rainwater.
Once all their tanks run dry they will start looking for clean water to meet their daily needs.
Mr Atoi, who is also the chairman of the committee, said the first phase of this project will involve the piping of water from a water source in the Suir area towards Kokopau town in the northern tip of Bougainville.
“If we see that this is successful, then we will pipe water to Buka town and the other surrounding villages,” said Mr Atoi.
He said a reputable contractor, GMT Automation Ltd, has already been identified to carry out the feasibility studies for this project.
He commended the company for taking the bold move in accepting the challenge to conduct these studies.
Mr Atoi, who is a staunch promoter of the agriculture sector, said the water supply project will also contribute to the development of this sector in Bougainville.
GMT Autonomation Ltd representive, Michael Lihai thanked Mr Atoi and the district committee.
09.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Medicial supplies arrive
BY ROMULUS MASIU
MEDICAL supplies for Bougainville have arrived and are being distributed to health centres and aidposts throughout the region.
Thirty-four health centres along with aidposts throughout Bougainville will be beneficiaries to the National Government’s free health care policy introduced by the O’Neil-Dion government since taking office in 2012.
Panamaseier Resources Pacific Company Limited, contracted by the national Department of Health to distribute the medical supplies throughout the NGI region, have shipped in eight containers of 3575 medical kits for 143 health centres and 3993 medical kits for 363 aidposts throughout the New Guinea Islands region which includes Manus, New Ireland, West New Britain, East New Britain and Bougainville.
Panamaseier RPCL NGI project manager John Asengo Agigo said the health centres will get 25 medical kits each while the aidposts will receive 11 cartons of medical supplies.
In the NGI region Manus has 13 health centres, New Ireland, ENBP and WNBP have 32 health centres respectively while Bougainville has 34 health centres that will all benefit from these medical supplies donated by the O’Neill-Dion government.
Mr Agigo said other companies have also won tender to do distribution for the other regions in the country.
He said the procurement of the medical supplies has been done by Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd for his company to do the distribution for NGI.
Bougainville’s provincial health facility manager Nathan Birio said the timing is right for the government to donate medical supplies to health centres and aid posts as most of these facilities are without supplies.
09.09.2014
Source: Bougainville24
Mobile computing lab boosts police training in Bougainville
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has opened a mobile computing lab to boost the skills training of Bougainville’s law and justice sector officers.
Delivered with Australian Government assistance, the lab will help the ABG to train approximately 500 law and justice sector officers in computer skills by the end of 2015.
The lab, which is currently located in Buka, was opened on 29 August 2014.
Twenty recent Bougainville Police Service recruits will be the first to use the lab as they undertake basic computing and workplace documentation training in the lab.
“Australia works in partnership with the Autonomous Bougainville Government to invest in people having the right skills to provide services to the people,” said David Bloch, Australian High Commission First Secretary.
“Skills development complements our joint investments in infrastructure and the investments from national agencies.”
The computer lab continues Australia’s IT support to Bougainville’s law and justice sector. Australia has previously provided a 16 person desktop lab used by agencies including the Bougainville Women’s Federation and the Sisters of Nazareth.
08.09.2014
Source: EMTV
NEW AROPA AIRPORT TO BE OPENED IN DECEMBER
STORY AND IMAGE SOURCE: EDWARD KENAI
What was once the scene of fighting during Bougainville’s 10-year long crisis, abandoned and covered with bush, will now soon be the site of the new Aropa airport.
This was made possible through funding received from the Special Intervention Fund (SIF) through a commitment made by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill in 2011 to the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville which saw the signing of an MOU on March 19 between the National Airports Corporation and the Autonomous Bougainville government under the leadership of Acting Chief Secretary Mr Chris Siriosi.
The Aropa project is comprised of three separate scopes of work with contracts being awarded to three different companies by the NAC Board with the pavement contract having been awarded by the Bougainville Supply’s and Tenders Board.
The project entered into its construction phase in the first week of September and is expected to be completed in November 2014.
The Aropa airport is located in Kieta, Central Bougainville and was once occupied and expanded by the Imperial Japanese in 1942, becoming the target of allied air bombing from mid-1943 to mid-1944. Soon after the World War 2 ended the airport become one of Bougainville’s main airports.
Both the National Government and the ABG have committed K35 million and K15 million respectively towards the Aropa airport project.
Preparations are now underway for the opening of the Aropa airport come December, with many enthusiasts seeing it as a timely Christmas gift for Bougainvilleans.
08.09.2014
Source: Bougainville24
Vice President pushes grassroots education
By Timothy Poroda
The Vice President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), Patrick Nisira, has launched a program to support the development of the future Bougainvillean workforce.
Nisira, who represents his people in Halia on Buka Island, is aiming to deliver permanent three-in-one classrooms to all elementary schools operating in the constituency.
The Halia Elementary School Infrastructure Development Program is prospering with the eight buildings erected already.
With a referendum on future autonomy and independence due between 2015 and 2020, Bougainville could need more educated people to work in the public and private sectors.
The ABG now has a challenge ahead of the referendum and leaders within the region are pushing to develop the future human resources of the region within their own constituencies.
The hope is that this investment in grassroots education will motivate the children to have enthusiasm for learning environments.
Vice President Nisira also challenged the teachers to carry out their duties faithfully as professionals.
He extended his thanks to various stakeholders for helping with the program, including national North Bougainville National MP, Lauta Atoi, for possible funding to the program.
08.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TOURIST BOAT ARRIVES
By Aloysius Laukai
A tourist boat Caledonian Sky just arrived in Buka today for a six hours tour of Buka island before they leave for KIETA this afternoon.
08.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Buka awaiting another Tourist Boat
By Aloysius Laukai
BUKA is waiting for another Tourist boat to arrive by midday today.
According to the CEO for the Bougainville Tourism office, LAWRENCE BELLEH Bougainville has been attracting more tourists into the region as the region accelerates its tourism activities to promote Bougainville as one of the best tourism sites in the world.
MR BELLEH says that with the increasing number of tourists coming into the region his office is working to make sure that shows are scheduled and promoted so that tourists can see more activities during their visits.
He told New Dawn Fm that the Bougainville shows will start with the TUIRUMA festival in Buin, the Rheeds festival in KIETA, the Cocoa show in Tinputz and the Upe show in Wakunai plus the Bougainville Mona show that would be the main Bougainville show.
He thanked New Dawn Fm, Bougainville tours and Colin Cowell for helping to promote Bougainville overseas.
Picture of the Buka passage taken from Kuri village resort today
08.09.2014
Source: The National
Bougainville launches road safety drive
SEVERAL fatal road accidents in Bougainville have led to police conducting Road Safety Awareness there.
Australian High Commissioner to PNG Deborah Stokes joined the Bougainville government and police in inspecting a road safety campaign last Monday.
The awareness Stap Gut: Draivwantaimhamamas or Stay Safe: Enjoy the Ride’involved road stops, community awareness sessions and school visits to raise awareness.
Stokes, who was visiting Buka for a meeting with the ABG, viewed progress on the Bougainville Women’s Federation Information Centre, its kiosk and public amenities at the Buka Market that is being built in partnership with the Australian government and Bougainville’s regional MP Joe Lera.
08.09.2014
Source: The National
Hold ‘referendum now’
By GABRIEL LAHOC
NOW is the right time to hold the proposed Autonomous Region of Bougainville referendum, Vice-President Patrick Nisira (pictured) said last Friday.
He said that while addressing the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s political referendum summit in Lae.
Apart from Bougainville’s political and administrative representatives, stakeholder representatives from various government and international agencies attended the meeting.
Nisira said since their discovery by French explorer Louis de Bougainville and until the annexation by England and Germany in the 1900s to becoming a Mandated Trust Territory of New Guinea with the backing of the United Nations and then into a province of the State following independence, there was always resentment and non-acceptance of different forms of forced political systems.
“Referendum is one of the pillars stipulated in the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA) in August 2001,” Nisira said. “Without it, there would not have been any peace as we know it today in Bougainville and PNG.”
“So in this sense, the recognition and acceptance by the PNG government of the desire by the people of Bougainville to determine their own political future paved way for peace, thus the referendum itself becoming an instrument of peace.”
The Organic Law on Peace Building in Bougainville called for a referendum to be held no sooner than 10 years and no later than 15 years after the signing of the BPA and allowing an interim ABG until the people decide through a referendum process.
Nisira said under that process they had to get the mechanisms of legal, administrative, financial, logistics, civic education and international participation right as well as identifying political options through consultation.
The key principles include strengthening peace and unity between ABG and PNG government and international partners, joint agreements on process and joint oversight of implementation under coordinated programme activities.
08.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
ABG parlt to debate vital bills
BY WINTERFORD TOREAS
THE Bougainville House of Representatives will convene tomorrow to debate two important bills. Speaker Andrew Miriki said these bills include the Bougainville Standard Time Bill 2014 and the Laws Validation Bill 2014.
“The purpose of the bill (standard validation) once passed by the House will fix Bougainville Standard Time and for related purposes,” said Mr Miriki. The purpose of the laws validation bill once passed will conclusively fix the dates on which several specified Bougainville are taken to have commenced and for related purposes, he said.
“In the meantime, I would like to inform members of the House and the people of Bougainville that the House will debate on the important businesses before the House. “These businesses include the private members’ notice of motion and three committee reports. These are the outstanding businesses from the previous meetings of the House.
“I would like to urge all the members of the House of Representatives, as legislators, you must attend this September meeting and participate in the proceedings of the House,” said Mr Miriki. “It is very important, and therefore I remind all members of the House to bring copies of the report.”
08.09.2014
Source: Bougainville24
Tourism a sustainable industry for the future
By Junior Karatapi
People throughout Bougainville are exposed to the world of tourism with the many visitors to the island and there is growing interest in the development the tourism industry across entire region.
There is a sense that tourism can be a big industry and a sustainable source of income, which has few negative externalities, such as destruction to the natural environment.
Tourism to Bougainville is tied to its unique culture and natural beauty so the industry would aid in the preservation and promotion of local culture and environmental conservation.
Bougainvilleans don’t have to look too far to see examples of how to utilise natural resources for tourism. Other islands in the Pacific, such as Fiji, have well established tourist infrastructure. It is now up to putting in hard work to raise the standard so that more people from outside can enjoy every moment spent on the island.
On the ground, Zhon Bosco Miring’ona is promoting tourism with his famous Bougainville Experience Tours. He is trying to convince local people to the world of tourism so that they are really aware of what the tourism is all about.
There are a number of websites, such as www.bougtours.com,that contain information on the sites and activities that one can expect from Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
The island has a great potential for tourism with its great diversity of culture, natural beauty and historical significance. Torokina, on the West coast, has a great potential for surfing activity and has World War II war wrecks. In Wakunai District of Central Bougainville there is a cave, which is known to be one of the largest in the world.
The tourism industry has been boosted by some outside help, such as New Zealand’s Volunteer Service Abroad and others that have made contributions to regional development.
07.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Recruitment of Departmental Heads
Anthony Kaybing
Bougainville will now advertise the senior positions within its public service as part of its restructure under the new Bougainville Public Service (Administration and Management) Act 2014.
All departmental head appointments will be made by the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee which consists of:
The President Hon John Momis, GL, MHR
The Speaker Hon Andrew Miriki
Church’s Representative Bishop Rev. Tim D Arthur
Women’s Representative Mrs Hona Holan
Bougainville Lawyer Mr Hubert Kikira
As for the purposes of appointing the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner the Bougainville Constitution requires that two National Government officers are added, these are Secretary of the Department for Personnel Management Mr John Kali and the PNG Electoral Commissioner Mr Andrew Trawen.
The Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee the Administration will shortly contract an executive recruitment firm to assist it and to make the departmental head appointments.
The firm will manage an open, transparent and merit-based recruitment process for the 14 departmental head positions, the two deputies in the Department of President and BEC and the urgent appointment of an Electoral Commissioner.
The timetable for the positions of Chief Secretary, Electoral Commissioner, Secretary of the Department of Administrative Services and Secretary of Treasury and Finance is:
1. In the week of Monday 8 September the start of two weeks of advertising for all positions.
2. Friday 26 September applications for these four positions will close.
3. Friday 10 October the shortlist will be prepared in consultation with Mr John Kali.
4. In the week of 20th October interviews will be conducted.
5. In the week of 3 November, or earlier if the interviews and paperwork is completed, the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee will meet to consider independent panel’s recommendations and to make appointments.
The timetable for the remaining departmental head positions is:
1. Friday 12 September all positions descriptions for the remaining 11 departments and two Deputy Chief Secretary positions will be completed.
2. The week of Monday 15 September the start of two weeks of advertising for all positions.
3. Friday 3 October applications close.
4. During October the recruitment firm will carry out referee and qualification checks and prepare the short lists for all positions.
5. Interviews will take place in November and early December.
From time to time the Administration will make announcements on the progress of the recruitment process.
All enquiries about the recruitment process will be directed to the contracted recruitment firm. This is important to ensure all applicants are treated fairly and evenly.
07.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BIO-CHEMISTRY ANALYZER MACHINE FOR BUKA GENERAL HOSPITAL
BY JENNIFER NKUI
Chief executive officer for Buka General Hospital Dr. Cyril Imako has revealed that the Buka Hospital will soon have its own bio-chemistry analyzer machine thanks to the member for North Bougainville Louta Atoi.
He explained that the purchase of such a machine was made possible by the member when he allocated K305, 000 to the hospital.
When given the opportunity to speak during the donation ceremony yesterday, he explained that the machine or bio-chemistry analyzer can test all body parts of a human being including the kidneys, the liver, the intestines, the heart but not the blood.
He added that for the first time the machine can also test for cancer and that means all sorts of cancer.
Dr. Imako said the donation will benefit the people of Bougainville saying the hospital is now getting a lot of help from the national members which is very much acknowledged.
He added that such help is not an end in itself but is the beginning of more things to come.
07.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
AGRICULTURE, THE ONLY WAY FORWARD
BY JENNIFER NKUI
Member for North Bougainville Louta Atoi strongly believes that agriculture is the only way forward for Bougainville to build its economy.
Speaking during the donation ceremony at Bel isi Park yesterday, he explained that mining can come later because it has so many issues attached to it.
He said while the ABG is sorting out these mining issues, we must look at agriculture as the only way forward for us to recover our economy and to sustain our livelihood.
He added that agriculture alone can set the foundation for us to address issues such as food security, improve our livelihood, create wealth within our communities, create employment opportunities and more importantly create revenue within our region.
Mr. Atoi explained that the main purpose of Daniel Chun-pu Hu’s visit to Bougainville was to kick start the program of food security which is a very big issue in Bougainville and especially in the Atolls.
He said farmers in Bougainville need to get training through this program so they are aware of the new technologies that Taiwan will introduce to us so they can produce not only quality crops but in quantity as well.
He added that he has built this tie with Taiwan so they will help Bougainville improve farming methods with their advanced agricultural technology and expertise.
He then stated that we must build stronger ties with such countries so they can help us to produce our own food.
07.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TAIWAN TRADE MISSION DONATES TO NORTH BOUGAINVILLE
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The Taiwan Trade Mission representative Daniel Chun-pu Hu donated five sets of solar-powered LED street lamps, two tonnes of rice, one used Mitsubishi pickup truck and two dozens of presbyopic glasses to North Bougainville yesterday.
Giving his remarks during the donation ceremony, he pointed out that Taiwan is a trustworthy development partner of Papua New Guinea as they are following the guidelines of PNG’s Medium Term Development Goals and the 2050 vision.
He said the mission understands why PNG has listed agricultural development to be one of the key objectives to ease dependence on agricultural imports and to develop a semi-commercial agricultural production model to cope with the expanding domestic market and improve production skills of farmers and increase their income.
He added that in PNG technical assistance, training and agricultural extension system is not well organized and lacks horizontal connections and there are also insufficient government extension officers to support farmers with technical advice.
He explained further that due to PNG’s cultural and geographic diversity it is also difficult to promote agriculture.
Mr. Hu said subsistence and small holder farmers are reluctant to improve their skills and production plan thus rendering outputs to be inadequate to meet market demands.
With these mentioned situations, Mr. Hu’s mission has decided to extend their assistance in promoting economic development and enhancing capacity of local farmers to contribute to food security and eliminate poverty.
Starting from 2015, the Taiwan Trade Mission will have a new training program to help PNG and Bougainville farmers to organize themselves to improve their production skills and capabilities.
Mr. Hu then urged all Bougainville farmers to keep in touch with the office of the member for North Bougainville Louta Atoi if they are interested in obtaining an opportunity to empower themselves with advanced agricultural skills and knowledge.
07.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
VILLAGE WOMEN EMPOWERED THROUGH TRAINING
BY JENNIFER NKUI
Women in the most rural areas across the region of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have been empowered through the Traditional health Project training.
The training which was facilitated by both the Bougainville Traditional Health Association and the Hahela Catholic Women’s Group was a one week training which was done in a total of fifteen Catholic hospitals across the region.
The trainings were attended in total by twenty-two males, two hundred and fifty females, sixteen nurses, two health extension officers and one midwife which bring the attendees total to two hundred and ninety-one.
The trainings under the Traditional health project was started in mid 2013 and was completed this year after funds allocated for the project were exhausted and used up for the first phase of the project.
During a short ceremony today, project coordinator Ute Ochsenreither explained that the main aim of the trainings was to train traditional village birth attendants.
She said the trainings will continue but will now come under a new name as Voluntary Pregnancy Attendant.
Topics covered during the training were safe motherhood, family planning, healthy living and immunization.
The participants of the trainings were presented with a certificate and a bucket each which contains soap, gauge, gloves, umbilical cord clamp, scalpel, plaster and a clean dried nappy.
These as explained by the project coordinator is for safe and hygienic delivery in the case of emergencies.
She said babies come at any time so it is important to have such equipments close by for safe delivery of babies if mothers do not make it on time to the clinics for delivery.
She added that the most important thing to know about the project and trainings is that they are not encouraging women to deliver babies at home but are encouraging and educating them on the importance of delivering a baby in a hospital or clinic.
06.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougaainville
Acting Departmental Heads
by Anthony Kaybing
The Autonomous Bougainville Government has started implementing the Bougainville Public Service (Management and Administration) Act 2014 which will see the re-structuring of all departments in order to meet Cabinet’s service delivery and economic growth priorities.
ABG President Chief Dr. John Momis who signed the instruments to begin the process on the 3rd of this month said the next six months will be a time of major change as all senior leadership roles are advertised and permanent appointments are made.
“I am very pleased to announce that acting on the advice of the Bougainville Executive Council I have today signed the instruments establishing 14 ministries in the Momis/Nisira Government,” Dr Momis said.
Dr Momis said that it is a radical restructure that is intended to meet Bougainville’s current and future needs and that Cabinet agrees that things have to change within the Administration of Bougainville.
“Business as usual is no longer acceptable, each of the new ministries has a supporting department,” Dr Momis added.
Acting under the authority of the recently passed Bougainville Senior Appointments Act 2014 the BEC has also made a number of acting appointments to the departmental head positions.
These are appointments until substantive Secretaries are recruited, but for no longer than six months. The acting appointments, effective as of the 3rd of August 2014, are:
- Mr. Puara Kamariki Secretary for Administrative Services
- Ms Brenda Tohiana Secretary for Treasury and Finance
- Mr. Kearnneth Nanei Secretary for Justice
- Dr. Anthony Pumpara Secretary for Health
- Mr. Michael Meten Secretary for Education
- Mr. Ephraim Eminoni Secretary for Police and Corrections
- Mr. Steven Burain Secretary for Mineral Resources and Energy
- Mr. Bernard Tzilu Secretary for Technical Services
- Mr. Herbert Kimai Secretary for Community Government
- Mr. Peter Nomoreke Secretary for Primary Industries
- Mr. Lesley Tseraha Secretary for Community Development
- Mr. Albert Kinani Secretary for Commerce and Tourism
- Mr. Andrew Dovaro Secretary for Lands, Physical Planning, Environment and Conservation
With these changes the current divisions are abolished, all current Chief Executive Officers (or acting CEOs) who have not been appointed to an acting departmental head role will retain their substantive position attached to the relevant department.
For the purposes of appointing the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner the Constitution requires that two National Government officers are added, these are National Secretary of the Department for Personnel Management Mr. John Kali and the PNG Electoral Commissioner Mr. Andrew Trawen.
05.09.2014
Source: PNG Loop
Rapid progress on long term Mining law
by Sebastian Hakalits
For seven years the mining department of the Autonomous Bougainville Government has worked to develop a policy framework for the long term mining law to meet Bougainville’s very special needs.
Last week international experts and their Bougainville team conducted a workshop for the Autonomous Bougainville Government cabinet and senior Bougainville Public Services officers to brief them on the ‘long-term’ and detailed draft act and regulations to give effect to the ABG’s previous decisions on the mining policy to give them a best-practice law.
The region is the only place in the world where a local rebellion over mining issues has shut down a very large mine of 25 years.
And for the past week international experts have been in Bougainville working with the Bougainville team on the draft act and regulation and together they have agreed on many adjustments.
Team leader, Jeremy Weate and senior expert, Professor James Otto have assured cabinet they will now make changes to the draft act and regulations with the final draft to be delivered to the ABG in the first half of November.
Acting President of the ABG, Patrick Nisira and Mining Minister, Michael Oni expressed satisfaction with the rapid progress.
Both said the policy work began in 2007, and included many stakeholder workshops in the region and the ABG’s aim was a new law to truly meet our special needs and follow the world’s best practice.
“In 2013 a team of the best international experts were engaged to assist the Mining Department with funding from the World Bank to finalize the Mining policy and early this year. They have been working with the Bougainville Public Service counterpart team in which a draft policy document was developed after detailed consultation with the ABG cabinet that was approved in June,” they said.
‘’Since then the first draft of the detailed and new ‘long-term’ Bougainville mining act has been completed,” they said.
Both said the draft ‘long-term’ act builds on the foundations of the Bougainville Mining (Transitional Arrangements) Act passed by the ABG Parliament on Friday 8th August 2014, for instance, it confirms ownership of minerals by Bougainville’s customary landowners where it provides a framework making small-scale mining by Bougainvillean’s legal and maintains the abolition of the Bougainville Copper Agreement and the SML created by it, and all exploration licenses held by BCL since the 1960’s”.
“It also deals with many things that were not covered by the Transitional Act. It makes detailed provisions on landowner resettlement, preference for LO’s in mining employment and contracts, free equity for LO’s in mining project, waste management and mine closure and land rehabilitation”.
‘’Two years ago we were happy to wait for the ‘long-term’ act, but then we got worried about back door deals that were being made by unscrupulous outsiders with small groups of Bougainvillean’s without any ABG checking or approval’’, they said.
‘’We also faced possible action by the National Government to take majority ownership of BCL, so we moved an interim mining law as quickly as we could to deal with these problems’’, they said.
The next step for the ABG will be to conduct public awareness and consultation about the ‘long-term’ draft act that is aimed to be finalized and passed by late this year or early 2015.
05.09.2014
Source: The Economic Times (India)
Narendra Modi has stirred up hopes globally, feels Sam Walsh
by MEERA MOHANTY
Rio Tinto Chief Executive Sam Walsh says the whole world is looking at Prime Minister Narendra Modi with great expectation, as is the mining giant that has patiently waited nearly two decades now for an iron-ore lease in Odisha. In India, ahead of Australian PM Tony Abbott's visit when the two nations are expected to sign a civil nuclear deal, Walsh tells Meera Mohanty about his India projects and problems Rio faces here. Edited excerpts:
Are you looking forward to exporting uranium to India?
We can't speculate on what the prime ministers will do during the visit.
There is a considerable optimism about the new government led by Modi. Do you see tangible signs of change?
Certainly expectations have been raised, share market has improved. It is a bit like in Japan when Prime Minister Abe was appointed. The initial impact was a far more buoyant feeling about the economy, but then the hard items have been delivered. I am already hearing stories about how Prime Minister Modi is making a difference - holding people accountable, he is pushing and driving his ministers, it's good.
How exactly can he help your interests in India (a diamond project in Bunder, Madhya Pradesh and an iron-ore venture with Orissa Mining Corporation signed in 1995) - policy changes in mining or granting you a lease in Odisha?
There are a range of issues. Obviously, the approval issues are very lengthy but also the tax regime for project is very stiff — adding up to 62% — that is way above of projects elsewhere in the world. So, this is quite a major issue for encouraging the development of resources which India needs. Both Odisha and Bunder projects are on the government's priority list. Secondly, I will use this visit to speak to ministers, and hopefully the Prime Minister about our projects.
It might seem hugely frustrating to us, but are such long incubation periods normal for companies like yours?
I suspect we are past that. Odisha is 19 years (since an initial agreement was signed). Bunder is 11. We have to mine where God puts the resource, and he must have a sense of humour because he puts them in some very strange and remote places. Our policy is to invest in tier-I deposits, both of these are tier-I. We want the projects to be low cost and expandable and again both of these projects fit that. So it is worth waiting to get these resources.
Are there other sorts of opportunities in India — acquiring mines up for auction in Karnataka for example?
We have an expression team which is here. Unfortunately, some items have been in for approval for three years. We would consider if we find tier-I deposit.
Your partner in Odisha project, OMC, doesn't want you anymore?
I am not sure that's exactly right. There are issues that we have to resolve but we are working through those. The point is that we are currently importing iron ore from Australia and Canada that doesn't make sense. You shouldn't have to do it. We would much rather supply the iron ore from the Odisha mine that is what we would really really like to do. Of course, if we can't then we will supply from Australia and Canada.
At $87 a tonne for iron ore, and given India's very high inland freight costs in India, this is a great opportunity for you to sell iron ore to India.
India is highly prospective. Hundreds of millions of people will move from rural environment into the cities and that urbanisation and industrial isation process will need steel, will need coal. That's a good outlook for our business. The world cannot develop without the raw material that my company supplies, whether it's copper or aluminium, or iron ore, coal, industrial mineral or even diamonds.
So, Rio Tinto is no longer selling off its diamond business?
I personally like the diamond business. I was very pleased when Prime Minister Abe visited, his wife got to see our pink diamonds (at its Argyle mine in Western Australia). My wife showed his wife the diamonds which was nice. It is getting harder and harder to find new diamond pipes. That is why Bunder is so important.
Aluminium prices have also done well recently...
Aluminium has increased by 20% in the last three months, but also premiums for immediate delivery have stayed high at $400 a tonne.
What about the copper mines in Papua New Guinea - do you still retain claim?
The Autonomous Bougainville Government has converted the mining lease to an exploration lease. We are going to review what exactly we will do with the project. It was project that we mined up until 1988 when there was the Bougainville revolution and there was lot of violence and we exited at that time. We have not been back since.
05.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
ABG opens mobile computing lab
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) today opened a mobile computing lab to boost the skills training of Bougainville’s law and justice sector officers.
Delivered with Australian assistance, the lab will help the ABG to train approximately 500 law and justice sector officers in computer skills by the end of 2015.
Twenty recent Bougainville Police Service recruits will be the first to use the lab. The recruits will undertake basic computing and workplace documentation training in the lab which is currently located in Buka.
Australian High Commission First Secretary, Bougainville, David Bloch said: “Australia works in partnership with the Autonomous Bougainville Government to invest in people having the right skills to provide services to the people.”
“Skills development complements our joint investments in infrastructure and the investments from national agencies.”
The computer lab continues Australia’s IT support to Bougainville’s law and justice sector. Australia has previously provided a 16 person desktop lab used by agencies including the Bougainville Women’s Federation and the Sisters of Nazareth.
05.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Foreign envoys visit Bougainville
By Winterford Toreas
Mr Matsumoto (left) and Mr Hu being accorded the traditional welcome ritual at the Buka airport.
THE heads of two foreign missions are currently visiting the autonomous region of Bougainville. New Japanese ambassador Mario Matsumoto and outgoing Taiwanese trade mission head Daniel Hu arrived to a rousing welcome at the Buka Airport yesterday.
While welcoming the two leaders, Bougainville minister for education John Tabinaman said their visit was special and will continue to strengthen ongoing relations. He hoped Japan and Taiwan would heed his call to continued technical aid as well as help in other areas to Bougainville.
Mr Matsumoto said although it was his first visit, he hoped it would enhance the cooperation and relation that Japan and Bougainville share. Taiwan head of mission Hu, who is on his second and final visit, said he was checking progress on the progress on the joint venture projects funded by the Taiwanese government and administered by the office of the North Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi.
Mr Hu returns to Taiwan next week while Mr Matsumoto and his officer will visit the 15 bridges between Kokopau and Arawa funded by Japan. He will visit Arawa today and return to Port Moresby with Mr Hu tomorrow. The 15 bridges that were built between Kokopau to Arawa make travelling easier for the locals and it is safer during heavy rains.
05.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Medical supplies reach NGI region
By Romulus Masiu
MEDICAL supplies for Bougainville have arrived and are being distributed to health centres and aid posts in the autonomous region. Thirty-four health centres and aid posts will be beneficiaries of the free health care policy introduced by the Peter O’Neill-led Government in 2012.
Panamaseier Resources Pacific Co Ltd, contracted by the Health Department to distribute the medical supplies in the New Guinea Islands, has shipped in eight containers of 3575 medical kits for 143 health centre and 3993 medical kits for 363 aid posts in Manus, New Ireland, West New Britain, East New Britain and Bougainville.
Panamaseier RPCL NGI project manager John Asengo Agigo said the health centres will get 25 medical kits each while the aid posts will receive 11 cartons of medical supplies.
In the NGI region Manus has 13 health centres, New Ireland, ENBP and WNBP have 32 health centres respectively while Bougainville has a total of 34 health centres that will all benefit from these medical supplies.
Mr Agigo said other companies have also won tender to do distribution for the other regions. Procurement of the medical supplies has been done by Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd for his company to do the distribution for New Guinea Islands, he said.
Bougainville’s health facility manager Nathan Birio said the medical supplies were arriving at the right time because supplies were low in most health centres and aid posts.
05.09.2014
Source: Bougainville24
The post-crisis revitalisation of Buin Secondary School
By Zilpah Maurua
Buin Secondary School in 2013.
Buin Secondary School has been gradually improved after years of closure during the Bougainville Crisis. The school has some of the best facilities in the region and many students have transferred from other schools to get access to the best educational facilities.
The crisis bought with it a great destruction to many innocent people of the island of Bougainville and their property. Private and public property including schools and the health facilities were destroyed during the decade long conflict.
Buin Secondary School is a public institution located in the Lukakai Constituency within Buin District, South Bougainville. Buin Secondary was closed down during the crisis and it is currently the only secondary school in the South Bougainville.
Buin Secondary circa 1977.
In 1999, after the crisis the school the school reopened as a high school and then became a secondary school in 2007. New staff houses and classrooms were built in 2010 to deliver education to the students. The school provides education to the people in the Buin and Siwai regions.
Prior to 2010 there was little development seen at the school and they were still using the old and rusty classrooms. There were no rules or regulations in placed to guide the students, who resultantly lived their own way and there was a lack of available teaching staff.290-buin-high-school
The first renovation of the old classrooms was done in the late 2010 and work was also started on a new computer laboratory. By 2011 these were completed and the school started educating students in the basic use of computers. Three of the old classrooms and a double building, which was to become the girls’ dormitory, were also renovated.
In the period during the Christmas holidays in 2012 nearly all staff houses and all the other buildings were improved. The renovations continued and the assembly hall was the last building to be completed during 2013.
All developments completed between 2010 to 2013 were done under the supervision of the board of management and the Principal of Buin Secondary School, Mr Tony Malamo from Aku village in the Buin District.
04.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Mobile computing lab boosts police training in Bougainville
By Dfat Public Affairs Office
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) today opened a mobile computing lab to boost the skills training of Bougainville’s law and justice sector officers.
Delivered with Australian assistance, the lab will help the ABG to train approximately 500 law and justice sector officers in computer skills by the end of 2015.
Twenty recent Bougainville Police Service recruits will be the first to use the lab. The recruits will undertake basic computing and workplace documentation training in the lab which is currently located in Buka.
Australian High Commission First Secretary, Bougainville, David Bloch said: “Australia works in partnership with the Autonomous Bougainville Government to invest in people having the right skills to provide services to the people.”
“Skills development complements our joint investments in infrastructure and the investments from national agencies.”
The computer lab continues Australia’s IT support to Bougainville’s law and justice sector. Australia has previously provided a 16 person desktop lab used by agencies including the Bougainville Women’s Federation and the Sisters of Nazareth.
04.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
HIGH COMMISSIONER WITNESES ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN
By dfat public affairs
Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Ms Deborah Stokes, on Monday joined the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and Bougainville Police Service in an inspection of a new road safety campaign for Bougainville.
Ms Stokes, who was visiting Buka for a meeting with the ABG, also viewed progress on the Bougainville Women’s Federation information centre, kiosk and public amenities in Buka Market, being built in partnership with the Australian Government and Bougainville’s Regional Member, Mr Joe Lera.
The Bougainville Police Service is conducting ‘Stap Gut: Draiv wantaim hamamas’ or ‘Stay Safe: Enjoy the Ride’ operations involving road stops, community awareness sessions and school visits, to improve road safety in Bougainville following several tragic and fatal motor vehicle accidents.
Ms Stokes joined Senior Constable Albert Gonu to inspect the Bougainville Police Service conducting the first of three regional traffic operations on Monday 1 September in Buka.
“It is important that everyone in Bougainville is aware of the road rules and drives safely. Road safety is important to community safety. It is everyone’s responsibility”, said Assistant Commissioner for Bougainville Police Service, PAUL KAMUAI.
“Drivers who drive too fast, who drive while drinking, or who carry too many passengers put their passengers, other drivers and pedestrians at risk. They cause unnecessary pain to families and to the community”, Ms Stokes said.
“It is good to see the Bougainville Police Service working with the community to improve road safety.”
The operation involves 20 new probationary constables who arrived in Bougainville last month. These new recruits recently finished induction training which included computer training and are committed to keeping the community safe and in good order in Bougainville. Many of the new recruits will soon be heading to their new posts at police stations in Central and Southern Bougainville.
The BPS ‘Stap Gut: Draiv wantaim hamamas’ traffic operation will continue in Buka until 13 September, and will operate in Arawa from 14 to 27 September and in Buin from 28 to 11 October.
04.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
SHORT COURSES FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The all girls’ Bougainville Technical School, which is a branch of the Kimbe Technical School, will be running short courses for working class people when the school buildings are completed.
This was revealed to New Dawn Fm during an interview with former Bougainville education secretary Tony Tsora last week.
He said the short courses will be run for a period of six weeks during the Christmas holidays.
He added that the short courses to be offered will be computing, accounting and others.
Mr. Tsora said the curriculum for the short courses have been prepared already and will be run at the all girls’ Bougainville Technical School in Kokopau.
He is calling on all working class people and business men and women to enroll for the short courses.
04.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
SURGICAL OPERATIONS IN BUKA GENERAL HOSPITAL ON HOLD
BY JENNIFER NKUI
All elective O and G and surgical operations at the Buka General Hospital have been put on hold due to water shortage.
The chief executive officer for Buka General Hospital Dr. Cyril Imako told New Dawn Fm today that only emergency cases will be put through to for operations.
He has also urged all patients to bring their own water when they come to the outpatient because there is no water at the hospital.
Dr. Imako then appealed to all health centres in the region to screen their patients carefully before referring them to Buka hospital.
New Dawn FM understands this could change as Buka town had heavy downpour today.
04.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
AKOITAI ON ABG’S NATIONAL MP’S
BY JENNIFER NKUI
Former national mining minister Sam Akoitai who was invited to speak during the Bougainville seminar at the University of Papua New Guinea last week is encouraging the National MP’s to raise their issues in the ABG chamber.
The National MP’s who are members of the ABG have been discouraged by Mr. Akoitai to run to the newspapers with their issues saying the newspaper did not vote for you.
He said the people who voted for you are in Bougainville and it should be wise for you to make your issues known in the ABG House of Representatives.
Mr. Akoitai also stated that the mouthpiece of the ABG in the National government is our four members.
He said if the National government is making a mistake or is not fulfilling its commitment in the Bougainville Peace Agreement, this will clearly show that they are not being guided by our four members.
When expressing his views, Mr. Akoitai pointed out that it was unfortunate that the National MP’s were not present for the seminar.
He then revealed that he wanted to see all the members of the National Government and ABG members to come together, hold hands and to work together.
04.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville president refutes claims
By ANTHONY KAYBING
Autonomous Bougainville President John Momis has refuted claims that his government has undermined the resolutions of the Joint Supervisory Body meeting held this year in Kokopo.
A letter in the Post-Courier’s viewpoint section published yesterday claimed that the Bougainville Executive Council was endorsing unplanned projects outside of the JSB resolutions.
The letter, written by someone using an alias, questioned the integrity of the ABG and the competency of its executive arm the BEC raising claims of mismanagement and corruptive practices. Mr Momis made assurances that all funding for the Bougainville Peace Agreement Awareness will remain untouched.
"The BEC will not interfere with any JSB Resolution as this comes into conflict with decisions jointly agreed upon by the ABG and the National Government," President Momis said. He said the funds will be used for the joint awareness program on the Bougainville Peace Agreement in programs jointly agreed with the National Government.
He said the ABG and the Bougainville Executive Council for that matter, not embarking on some quest to undo the laborious task of reaching consensus during the JSB meetings on development issues on Bougainville.
President Momis said the K1 million allocated for the Bougainville Peace Agreement awareness from the Special Intervention Fund will be used according to resolutions and will not be deviated from its set prerogatives.
"The ABG always has the best interest of the people of Bougainville at heart and pursues with foremost integrity the will to do more for our people despite our incapacities," President Momis said.
04.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Labour, Industrial services vital
BY SEBASTIAN HAKALITS
THE Department of Labour and Industrial Relations (DLIR) is aiming to become a vibrant and dynamic organisation to promote industrial democracy, human resources development and social justice at the workplace through the delivery of effective and efficient labour administration services.
The department’s provincial labour officer in Bougainville, Stewart Kotsin said the organisation will also establish a system that contributes to maintaining sustainable industrial relations between employers in both government and non-government sectors. He said the core principle that underlines the department’s objectives is to create and maintain harmonious industrial relations to set and enforce terms and conditions of employment opportunities.
He said the department also strives to bring labour and employment services much closer to the people in the rural centres.
And it is entrusted with the responsibility of administering, labour, employment and industrial relations services of the country as outlined in various legislations.
The department has programs that extend right down to the people at the rural areas to prevent the right of the indigenous from being abused when it comes to labour and industrial relations.
Mr Kotsin said as Bougainville is developing, it is engaged in many little activities and larger activities in the private sector that involve employment.
“Many of these activities use machineries and labour that requires appropriate compensation with better work standards to be emphasised on,” he said.
“Training institutions are popping up and child labour is also evident with occupational health safety (OHS) not a paramount importance to the current contractors and the huge influx of non-citizens into Bougainville,” he said. Mr Kotsin said as an autonomous province, Bougainville will need to step up in making sure its population are being given fare labour and industrial services.
He said Bougainville can benefit a lot from the labour and industrial relations fees as the sector is also a high revenue making section for the government in areas from penalties for breaching labour standards, services such as trade testing, plumbing licenses, employment agency fees and so just to name a few.
“Most importantly, Bougainville can benefit a lot from work permit revenue as this area alone earns the PNG Government about K50 million annually as Bougainville sees many non-citizens coming for various employments in which it can make millions towards its annual budget,” he said.
Mr Kotsin said the Autonomous Bougainville Government is respected for its role in making fair decisions according to the needs of the people as it is the highest policy making body in the region.
He said the ABG is tasked to support initiatives and the peoples wishes where programs are appropriate.
“It is therefore important for a memorandum of understanding to be gauged between the ABG and DLIR for cost sharing and others,” said Mr Kotsin.
He said the minimum wages rate (MWR) for workers that was at K2.29 has now been raised up to the new rate of K3.50 effective as of July 2.
“Those struggling organisations can apply for exemption within three months but that has lapsed and to transit to the new MWR, the first 12 months, the government has put the MWR at K3.20 and the next twelve months it will be up to K3.36 and after 24 months it will then settle on the new rate,’’ Mr Kotsin said.
04.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Students honour the missing through poetry
BY ROMULUS MASIU
THE International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) based in Bougainville celebrated the International Day of the Disappeared through school-oriented activities like poem writing and poster competitions.
The International Day of the Disappeared falls on August 30 every year.
This year Bougainville ICRC field officer in Arawa, Bordger Bakere, organised a school poem writing where Arawa town schools were encouraged to write stories of missing persons or those who disappeared during the 10-year Bougainville crisis.
Schools involved were Tupukas, Arawa, Peter Lahies, Sipatako, Bairima, Rorovana, Metonai and Arawa Secondary Schools.
Mr Bakare said 400 poems and posters were submitted and four winning poems were chosen by a panel of ICRC officials and education officers.
“This is the first time ever we’re celebrating the event, International Day of Disappeared since setting up our office in 2011 in Bougainville,” he said.
“Two activities we’ve chosen to mark the day through churches prayer day and school’s poem and poster competition.”
Mr Bakere was speaking to students of Tupukas Primary School while honouring one of the poem category winners, Adellah Imba of Tupukas Primary School.
She wrote about people killed during the Bougainville conflict and their bodies, spirits were yet to be found and reburied in a proper manner.
The other three winners are from Sipatako and two from Rorovana pPrimary schools. Each received shopping vouchers from Jayberth Stationeries.
All schools that participated were also given sporting equipment by Bougainville ICRC. ICRC is vigorously embarking on highlighting this issue of missing persons and also doing a nationwide awareness on this international event.
03.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Lera gets behind seaweed farming
BY WINTERFORD TOREAS
Mr Hasunn (right) presents the K100,000 cheque to Mr Kumul last week. Picture: WINTERFORD TOREAS
SEAWEED farming is fast gaining momentum in Bougainville with many people, especially those from the atolls, actively involved in the project.
This project started in 2011 with the allocation of K250,000 from the Australian Government through its aid agency program towards conducting the feasibility studies as well as the initial establishment of the project.
Part of this assistance was also used on the transportation of seaweed cuttings from Rarumana Island in Gizo, Solomon Islands to Carterets Island where the islanders, with the assistance of agriculture and commerce division officers, started the seaweed nursery.
Apart from Australian aid, the Autonomous Bougainville Government also contributed large sums of funding towards this project while the National Fisheries Authority assisted with equipment and materials to use in the project.
Last week, Bougainville Regional MP Joe Lera came on board with a K100,000 contribution towards the project.
The cheque was delivered on behalf of Mr Lera by his officer James Hasunn to the officer in charge of the project, Kenneth Kumul.
“Mr Lera will continue to support any livelihood project which will assist people in accordance with his pillar of creating a middle income earning society for Bougainville,” Mr Hasunn said.
“He is encouraging seaweed farming in areas that are not involved in farming cocoa and copra, especially our atolls islands.
“He doesn’t want any area to be classified as a disadvantaged area.
“So he is working towards doing something for everyone.”
When receiving the cheque Mr Kumul thanked Mr Lera for his financial contribution towards the seaweed project.
He said the financial assistance will be used to introduce this project to other areas in Bougainville.
“By the end of this year we should have all the islands in Bougainville covered,” said Mr Kumul.
The seaweed project coordinator said they have already made two exports of seaweed weighing about 230 metric tonnes to China.
“This year we are expecting to see an increase in the exportation of seaweed as many people are now getting involved in farming it,” Mr Kumul said.
He said eventhough seaweed farming is a new project in Bougainville, it is a high demand industry in the world.
03.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Torokina render safe operation faces setback
By WINTERFORD TOREAS
THE planned render safe operation, which involves the removal of war ordnances in the Torokina district of South Bougainville, will only eventuate if there is a development plan set up for the area.
That is the blunt message given by the Torokina constituency member in the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Steven Suako.
“In principle, yes we (the people) support the exercise. However we will only allow it to take place if we see that the Government has put in place development programs that will benefit the people,” said Mr Suako.
Mr Suako said people in his area have decided to take this stand after learning that the Government has continuously failed to honour many of its promises over the past years.
“We have been promised many good things in the past, for instance the Government said that we will be given a small ship as a gesture for our leading role in the weapons containment process as well as in the peace process.
“However years have passed and we are still waiting for the arrival of this promised ship.
“Apart from this, there were also other promises made by the Government but my people are still waiting to see the development of these projects. That is why we will not support this render safe exercise.
“Our stand is clear, we will only support it if the Government gives us a list of development programs earmarked to lift the standard of people in the constituency,” he said.
03.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Tuiruma festival on next week
By WINTERFORD TOREAS
BUIN town in South Bougainville will come alive next week with the staging of the three day Tuiruma festival.
The three-day event will be held from the August 9-11 at Buin district headquarters.
According to the chairman of the festival organisation committee Joseph Maineke, the festival, which will be opened by ABG President John Momis, will feature the participation of about 25 groups from throughout the Bougainville region.
“Traditional groups from, Buin, Siwai, Bana and Torokina will be showcasing their unique cultural practises during this festival. We have also invited groups from Kieta, Wakunai, Tinputs and Buka to also attend this show,” said Mr Maineke.
Some of the well known groups that will be participating in this year’s event include the Momoraka cultural group from Toitoi village in the Kopii constituency of Siwai, Baluaku contemporary band, Tugiogu cultural group and the Tuiruma war dancers from Buin.
The Momoraka group impressed a lot of people during the Bougainville Mona festival that was held in Buka and they will be out to showcase their traditional performance again in Buin.
Apart from these well-known groups, other participating traditional groups are also certain to make this year’s Tuiruma festival a memorable and success event.
Mr Maineke said preparations are on track and the traditional groups are all geared up to rattle Buin town, famously known by many as “cowboy town”.
“Though we as yet lack the funds to stage this show it will not distract us from successfully hosting the festival. The security situation in the area is fine and all people are welcome to come and participate in the celebration,” Mr Maineke said.
03.09.2009
Source: Bougainville24
Football academy construction underway at Manetai
Papua New Guinea Football Association
PNGFA President David Chung, ABG Minister for Community Development Melchior Dare and FIFA Director MA and Development Division Thierry Regenass at the Manetai groundbreaking ceremony.
It was an historic moment for the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville when PNGFA President David Chung officially put a stick in the ground to let work begin on the Emiovi Bougainville Football Academy at Manetai last Friday, 29 August.
Accompanying Chung was FIFA Director Member Associations & Development Division, Mr. Thierry Regenass, FIFA Development Officer, Mr Glen Turner with PNGFA Executive Committee Members.
Chung and his delegation including ABG Minister responsible for sports, Melchior Dare were welcomed at Manetai by ABG Minister for economic services Nicholas Daku who is the principle landowner of the area that will accommodate the academy and led on to the stage by Manetai Singsing Group.
Mr Chris Nawa, master of ceremony introduced and welcomed Chung with his delegation then Manetai Primary School student sang a welcome song for the guests.
President of Bougainville Soccer Association Joseph Maineke with his opening remarks acknowledged the guests and said this project is an impact project in Bougainville for the future of our children in football development and ask the people to look after the project until its completion.
Minister Daku also shared the same sentiment by appealing to his people not to interfere with the project because it will be for the future of our children while at the same time acknowledged his family for supporting him in providing the 10.66 hectares of land to FIFA for the future development of soccer in Bougainville.
FIFA Director Member Associations & Development Division Mr Thierry Regenass thank everyone and gave a brief on one of the priorities of FIFA, which is the utilization of soccer as a means of bringing other developments into an area and country as a whole.
He also recognised Minister Dare and Minister Daku for making the project and event possible and said this is a great example of partnership between football, government and people.
“When I travel to other countries in the future I will talk about this project because this is the way forward and how it must be made,” said Regenass.
Following that Chung gave a brief history about himself and Maineke before thanking Bougainville Provincial Government for agreeing in building the academy and Minister Daku in providing the land.
“In Papua New Guinea land is very important for us and we fought for the land but for Minister Daku to do that is because he has a big heart for his people,” said Chung.
To end the ceremony, the unveiling of plague and ground breaking by Chung, Regenass and Minister Dare.
FIFA allocate US$600,000 which is equivalent to K1.8 million while the Autonomous Bougainville Government will also counter fund this project with K1.8 million.
FIFA’s contribution will be sourced from the world soccer body’s Disadvantaged Countries Fund program.
03.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville academy launched
By JACOB IENU
BOUGAINVILLE on Friday witnessed the historic ground breaking ceremony of the Sports Academy that is to be constructed in Manetai in the Eivo-Torau Constituency, in the Panguna District of Central Bougainville.
It is the first of its kind in the ARoB and second built in Papua New Guinea. High ranking officials of FIFA & OFC, David Chung, President of PNGFA, President of OFC and vice president of FIFA and Glen Turner, FIFA Project Manager flew in all the way from Europe to officiate at the ground breaking ceremony.
Other high ranking PNGFA officials from throughout PNG attended. ABG members present were ABG Minister for DPI Nicholas Darku, ABG Minister for Sports Melchior Dare, and ABG Minister for Mining Michael Oni and ABG MP for South Nasioi John Ken and Central Regional Women Representative Joan Jerome.
David Chung in his speech said that with the establishment of the academy people in the Manetai and Bougainville as a whole are going to benefit. The establishment of the academy will boost all sporting codes especially soccer in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and Autonomous Bougainville Government and the National Government must assist anyway possible to boost sports in the region.
The sports academy has been funded by FIFA (US$600,000.00) and ABG will counter fund likewise for the total amount.
02.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Condolence message from the President
Condolence Message to the Families of Late Simon Kamai & Beverly Boison.
I would like to take this time to convey my deepest sympathies on the untimely loss of Wakunai District, Executive Manager Simon Kamai.
His passing signifies a great loss to the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville as well as the Autonomous Bougainville Government in which he served as the Executive Manager of Wakunai District
The late Simon Kamai’s contribution must be acknowledged with sincerity as he was a loyal servant of the public who had a great sense of humor and public relations. I know he worked tirelessly to unite the two Wakunai ABG Constituencies of Terra and Rau to ensure a cordial relationship existed between the constituencies and the District Administration. He’s contributions to encourage law and order in the Wakunai District as well as working closely with the ex- combatants to creating a safer and mature community.
I would like to pay tribute to this exceptional man, a true son of Bougainville who rose to take up the challenges in life and strove to lead in all mannerisms that upheld the integrity of Bougainville.
At this juncture I would also like to offer my condolences to another public servant, Beverly Boison who worked within the ABG Department of Finance. Ms. Boison was a dear friend to all who knew and worked with her in the Bougainville Administration.
On behalf of my family the Autonomous Bougainville Government and people of Bougainville, I would like to thank the families of these two people who tirelessly rendered their services to the people of Bougainville. I pray that the Almighty and Merciful God may grant them eternal rest and console their families during this time of bereavement. May they Rest In Peace.
Sincerely,
John L. Momis MHR, GCL
02.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
THIRD QUARTER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEETING
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The third quarter House of Representatives meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at 10 am at the Kubu House of Representatives Chamber.
This notification was made by the ABG speaker of the House of Representatives Andrew Miriki in a statement to New Dawn Fm yesterday.
He said the proposed date, time and place for the meeting was agreed upon after consulting the ABG president Chief Dr. John Momis.
He added that he has received two government Bills and these Bills have already been circulated through the pigeon holes of the ABG members of the House.
The speaker is urging all the members of the House to collect the two Bills so they can be prepared to participate meaningfully and effectively during the proceedings of the two Bills.
The two Bills to be debated and passed are the Bougainville Standard Time Bill, 2014 and the Laws Validation Bill, 2014.
Mr. Miriki explained that the purpose of the first Bill once passed by the House will fix Bougainville’s standard time and for related purposes while the purpose of the second Bill when passed by the House will conclusively fix the dates on which several specified Bougainville are taken to have commenced and for related purposes.
In the meantime, the speaker is informing the members and the people of Bougainville that the House will debate also on other important business which includes three private members notice of motion and three committee reports which were outstanding businesses from previous meetings of the House.
Because of its significance, Mr. Miriki is reminding all the members of the House to bring with them copies of the committee report titled ‘Final report on Issues Surrounding the Purchase of the Numanuma Plantation’ which the committee tabled during the June 2014 meeting.
The House will deliberate on this report during the September 2014 meeting.
The speaker has urged all members of the House of Representatives as legislators to attend this September meeting and participate in the proceedings of the House.
02.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TAIWANESE AMBASSADOR TO VISIT BOUGAINVILLE
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The Taiwanese Ambassador, his Excellency Ambassador Daniel Hu and Madam Hu will visit Buka from September 4 to September 5, 2014.
This was revealed to New Dawn Fm in a statement by the member for North Bougainville Louta Atoi today.
He said while here, his Excellency will hand over donated items from his mission to the people of North Bougainville.
He added that this ceremony will be held at the Bel Isi Park on Thursday, September 4 after lunch.
02.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BOUGAINVILLEANS MUST STAND BEHIND PRESIDENT MOMIS
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The people of Bougainville must stand behind the ABG president Chief Dr. John Momis and his government because that is the only way we can progress.
This statement was made by the former national mining minister Sam Akoitai during the Bougainville seminar at the University of Papua New Guinea last Saturday.
He said we have a government on the ground which is the ABG and whether you like it or not the president is our president.
He added that even if there are differences between him and president Momis, chief Momis is still his president.
Mr. Akoitai pointed out to the forum participants that there is no other government on Bougainville that the National government and the international community recognize.
He added that the only president that the international community understand and recognize is president Momis.
He said as an ex-combatant he has moved on but the problem with Bougainville today is we cannot forget the past.
Mr. Akoitai stressed that we must accept what happened because the past is past and we must use it to guide us to where we must go.
He pointed out that countries are becoming countries as a result of economic development because without economic development Bougainville can never be independent.
He said Bougainvilleans must understand this and stand behind president Momis to make sure what we got now was fought for as we could also miss the opportunity if we do not stand behind our president.
He then stated that it is very important that the National MP’s and the ABG work together.
02.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
LIVE SAFELY WITH ELECTRICITY AWARENESS
BY JENNIFER NKUI
A team from PNG Power Limited will be visiting villages this week; especially schools in the Tsitalato constituency to do awareness on how to ‘Live Safely with Electricity’.
PNG power officers Lester Hakalits and Steven Muri told New Dawn Fm that electricity does have its good and bad side which the people of Bougainville must be aware of.
They said the awareness will cover most of the bad sides of electricity because safety is a big thing.
They explained that there are so many things that users of electricity must be aware of when they are using electricity.
The officers said they will be targeting schools in the Tsitalato constituency because their local area now has access to electricity under the rural electrification project.
They added that they are running the awareness so people will be aware of the small safety rules.
The awareness will cover areas such as standard appliances (legal appliances), substandard appliances or illegal appliances, illegal connections, meter tempering and other safety tips.
The awareness will also advise the people as to what they should look out for when purchasing electrical appliances from stores, what they should ask for when purchasing electrical appliances from stores and what to do first before wiring a house.
It would also warn the people against purchasing certain electrical appliances from stores and what the people must abstain from doing to power lines.
The officers of PNG Power will be carrying out the awareness in schools in the Tsitalato constituency, Buka Town and Arawa Township.
02.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
CHAIRMAN SUPPORTS LERA
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The vice chairman of Wisai COE in Buin, South Bougainville is happy with the awareness that the ABG regional member Joe Lera is carrying out saying what the member is saying is true.
He said many leaders do not show true leadership because they are not trained to become members and that is why they do not do their job when they are voted in by the people.
John Kanepo told New Dawn Fm in an interview today that what the regional member told them during his visit to Kulula is true.
He pointed out that no other member has visited the Wisai COE and Mr. Lera is the first member to visit the Wisai COE just to clarify his position and explain to the people what is needed to be done in order for Bougainville to gain independence.
He then urged other leaders to work with the regional member to put universities and teachers colleges on Bougainville so Bougainvilleans will be educated here to help other Bougainvilleans.
02.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
GIRLS TECHNICAL SCHOOL TO START ENROLLMENTS
BY JENNIFER NKUI
The all girls’ Bougainville Technical School, a branch of Kimbe Technical School will be making enrollments soon.
This was revealed to New Dawn Fm by former Bougainville education secretary Tony Tsora last week.
He said this institution will give a second chance to students especially girls, who have been failed by the education system in grades 8, 10 and 12.
He added that these girls can be enrolled into the school to take up courses such as computing and be educated on demand driven activities so they can find employment later in their lives.
Mr. Tsora revealed also that a team will be arriving at the end of this month to make assessments on some arrangements to bring skills training as part of the big institution in Kimbe to Bougainville.
He explained that their coming is not to disturb what is already on the ground that the education division has already in place but to pick up off where the education system here rejects.
The technical school is located in Kokopau and is an all girls’ school because Mr. Tsora believes that when we educate girls, we are educating a nation.
02.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
WEAPONS, STILL AN ISSUE IN BOUGAINVILLE
BY JENNIFER NKUI
For the Bougainville Peace Agreement to be implemented, Bougainvilleans must first deal with the number one issue which is weapons disposal.
This statement was made by the former National Mining minister Sam Akoitai during a seminar which was organized by the University of Papua New Guinea Bougainville Students Association last Saturday.
He put out to the participants of the seminar that the National Government has strongly argued that it will give Bougainville autonomy and referendum but Bougainville still has an issue which is weapons.
He said the weapons issue is an issue which must be dealt with because ordinary Bougainvilleans fear the ex-combatants as they are still in possession of these arms.
Mr. Akoitai stated that as Bougainvilleans, we have an obligation and commitment to fulfill by disposing of these weapons.
He stressed that it is a constitutional requirement to get rid of those weapons because the Bougainville Peace Agreement states that referendum must be a free and fair referendum.
He said when we still have weapons; the international community will see that our referendum was not a free and fair one.
02.09.2014
Source: The National
Bougainville police to ensure festival is trouble-free
POLICE in South Bougainville will ensure that the Tuiruma Festival will be trouble-free, acting South Bougainville regional commander Sgt John Popui says.
He warned South Bougainville residents to stay out of trouble and not create any nuisance during the festival in Buin this month.
Police are working with the festival committee to ensure that people will feel safe and secure, he said.
Police officers will be in Buin town to monitor the event.
“It is a significant event because in these changing times, outside influences have destructive effect on our cultures and we would like to stop our tradition from fading away,” he said.
02.09.2014
Source: The National
Mona Festival to honour skills of ancestors
AUTONOMOUS Government of Bougainville Vice-President Patrick Nisira says the annual Mona Festival underway in Buka, is to remind people of how great seafarers their ancestors were.
“This is a time to celebrate, unite and display our cultures from each region – but specially to remember our past,” he said.
He said it was important to remember “how our forefathers, with their excellent navigational skills” used to travel from one island to another in rough sea.
While opening the three-day festival he said the historical Mona was a canoe which 10 people rowed. It was often used to travel along the coast of North Bougainville, Buka and the outer islands.
Nisira said the government was committed and would support similar events in the districts because they had the potential to promote tourism.
The festival will feature groups from as far as Siwai in South Bougainville, Panpipe dancers from Kieta in Central Bougainville, the Baniata Cultural Group from Selau, Tatok Bamboo Band from Pororan Island and the Polynesian Outliers of Mortlock.
Two Mona canoes arrived from Hanahan, in Halia, to cultural activities on the beach. The canoes were carried during a parade along the main road to Bel Isi Park where the opening ceremony took place.
02.09.2014
Source: Bougainville24
The many uses of a coconut tree
By Benjamin Heriberth Noibio
The coconut tree is a multi-purpose plant that is utilised all over Bougainville for medicine, fuel, food, construction materials and more. During the Bougainville Crisis importance of the plant was highlighted due to the lack of supplies coming in to the island and none was wasted.
The fronds of the palm can be used for building shelters and weaving baskets in different sizes, shapes, colors and patterns. Dried fronds can be used as firewood and burned to give light during the night. Their portability means that people can use them when they are travelling in the night.
The leaves can be removed to form brooms that are used for sweeping or used to build mats for sleeping.
The stem can also be used as firewood when it is cut into shorter pieces and left in the sun to get them dry and strong so that they can be used for cooking. They can be used to provide light, though they are not portable enough to be sifted around.
The stem was used as posts for building houses and, inside houses, it was used for building higher sleeping beds.
It can also be used to make spears for hunting wild animals and for steps in places where cliffs are common.
The juicy water and inside the coconut are both utilized. The juice can be used for cooking or a refreshing drink. The meat serves many purposes; it can scraped and squeezed to make oils for cooking, used in cars as a source of fuel, as an ointment, burned in lamps to provide lights, as a medicine for healing wounds and to remove rust from cars.
Many herbs can be taken from the coconut roots, which are either smashed or squeezed to get the water inside and given patients with diarrhea, stomach pain and fever.
Coconut has saved many lives, especially during the Bougainville Crisis as the reliance on its many uses was heightened. Today it is still the most important plant in the region and continues to meet the needs of the people.
02.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville School open staff houses
BISHOP Wade technical secondary school in North Bougainville recently witnessed the opening of its three new staff houses.
The buildings which costed K350, 000 to construct were funded through Regional MP Joe Lera’s provincial service improvement program (PSIP) funding allocation for last year.
Mr Lera (pictured) while delivering his address told the students and staff that Bougainville needed master key institutions that could produce professionals, human resource and the literate communities that were needed to move developments towards achieving Bougainville’s political future.
He said in order to achieve that pressing need for Bougainville as it journeyed towards achieving referendum his PSIP development focus had concentrated more on provincial or regional high impact projects that would bring about the desired master key institutions in the region and also continue with the improvements of basic government services like secondary schools, hospitals, law and justice or roads and bridges.
“I present these three new staff houses to Bishop Wade Technical Secondary School as my contribution towards improving teaching standards and also enhancing quality education in this institution,” said Mr Lera, before committing funds towards the construction of a computer laboratory for the school.
“That is to show that I am really concern about improving and ensuring quality education on Bougainville.”
Former principal and representative of the Bougainville Catholic Diocese, Bernadette Ropa acknowledged the regional MP’s contribution towards the construction of these staff houses, before adding that the provision of better homes would enhance upon the staffs teaching standards.
Mrs Ropa said Mr Lera’s contribution now marks him as the first politician to have allocated funds towards the school and that students should take pride by performing well in their studies.
Current principal Lucy Oata also commended Mr Lera for allocating funds towards the construction of these staff houses.
02.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Teachers get new houses
BY WINTERFORD TOREAS
BISHOP Wade Technical Secondary school in North Bougainville recently witnessed the opening of three new staff houses.
The buildings, which cost K350,000 to construct, were funded through Regional MP Joe Lera’s provincial service improvement program (PSIP) funding allocation for last year.
Mr Lera, while delivering an address at the opening, told the students and staff that Bougainville needs key education institutions that can produce professionals and literate communities that are needed to move developments towards achieving Bougainville’s political future.
He said in order to achieve that pressing need for Bougainville as it journeyed towards achieving referendum, his PSIP development focus had concentrated more on provincial or regional high impact projects that would bring about the desired key institutions in the region and also continue with the improvements of basic government services like secondary schools, hospitals, law and justice or roads and bridges.
“I present these three new staff houses to Bishop Wade Technical Secondary School as my contribution towards improving teaching standards and also enhancing quality education in this institution,” said Mr Lera.
He also committed funds towards the construction of a computer laboratory for the school.
“That is to show that I am really concern about improving and ensuring quality education on Bougainville,” he said.
Former principal and representative of the Bougainville Catholic Diocese, Bernadette Ropa, acknowledged the regional MP’s contribution towards the construction of these staff houses, before adding that the provision of better homes would enhance the teaching standards of staff.
Mrs Ropa said Mr Lera’s contribution now marks him as the first politician to have allocated funds towards the school and that students should take pride by performing well in their studies.
Principal Lucy Oata also commended Mr Lera.
02.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
PNG Power calls for cooperation by stakeholders
BY ROMULUS MASIU
Mr Melivala checks the power transmitter machines with Ephraim Eminoni (back to camera) at Arawa PNG Power Ltd compound. Picture: ROMULUS MASIU
PNG Power Limited has a special heart for the people of Papua New Guinea.
This was revealed by the company’s southern and New Guinea Islands regional manager Linus Melivala in Arawa.
Mr Melivala came to Arawa on an official trip to confirm Arawa’s new PNG Power asset manager Martin Itamai and also to check on the company’s operations in the former Bougainville Copper Limited township.
Mr Melivala’s maiden trip to Arawa and Bougainville was met with a complete power outage due to mechanical and electrical faults experienced by the three machines.
But he urged all stakeholders to work together in consultation and coordinated effort, describing the current power outage as an “abnormal situation”.
“PNG Power has a special heart for the people and profit is nothing compared to the services we’re delivering to our clients,” he said.
“The company has a special heart for the people of Papua New Guinea and we aim to provide an efficient and sufficient service delivery to our people.”
Mr Melivala said the company is willing to do any extension with Arawa town without any problem and also outline the interest of going inland to nearby communities adding that it’s a matter of coming to an understanding amongst all stakeholders.
Kieta district executive manageress Lucy Travetz thanked PNG Power Ltd for coming to Bougainville and providing that much needed service to the people of Arawa and nearby communities.
She emphasised more on team work that will drive the delivery of services to the customers as the administrations priority is service delivery.
“We have to work together as a team to provide services to the people,” Ms Travetz said.
02.09.2014
Source: Post-Courier
Nothing wrong with render safe operation
BY WINTERFORD TOREAS
THE sole purpose of the render safe operation that will be carried out by members of the Australian Defence Force in the Torokina District of South Bougainville towards the end of this year is to remove all remaining unexploded ordinances there.
That is the assurance from the vice president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Patrick Nisira (pictured).
Mr Nisira said the people of Torokina, including the women and the former combatants, had also praised this initiative because they want their area to be free from these World War Two remains.
“The women wanted all bombs removed as they were the ones greatly affected. They cannot freely do gardening and farming to provide food and cash income for their families,” said Mr Nisira.
He was making this clarification to clear the air over some misconceptions that certain Bougainvilleans have towards this operation.
He said consultations regarding this exercise are still being carried out before the actual commencement of the exercise.
01.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
HIGH COMMISSIONER MEETS BOUGAINVILLE LEADERS
By Aloysius Laukai
The Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, DEBORAH STOKES arrived in Buka for a few hours visit to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
She came with senior members of the Australian Defence Force to talk to the Bougainville leaders concerning the Operation Render safe in Torokina.
They were met on arrival by the ABG member representing the women of Central Bougainville, JOANE JEROME and officers of the Bougainville Administration.
MS. STOKES said that she was on Bougainville with her delegation to have quick discussions with the Bougainville leaders concerning the operation that should commence in October this year.
She met the ABG President, CHIEF DR. JOHN MOMIS, the vice President, PATRICK NISIRA the member for Torokina, STEVEN SUAKO and the senior officers of the Bougainville administration before returning to Port Moresby.
New Dawn FM understands that there have been some disagreements on the conduct of the operation by the member for Torokina and former combatants earlier which called for todays meeting.
MS DEBORAH STOKES being escorted by the ABG Chief Protocol Officer Philip Kiha
Pictured is Ms Deborah Stokes welcomed by an Australian soldier at the Buka airport this morning
High Commissioner welcomed to Buka by the Women's member for Central Bougainville JOAN JEROME
01.09.2014
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
ABG PRESIDENT ARRIVES
By Aloysius Laukai
The ABG President Chief DR. JOHN MOMIS arrived this morning from a three-week official trip which took him to China and Philippines.
The trip also included the launch of the MV CHEBU the commercial ship that should run between, Buka, Rabaul, Kimbe and Lae and back.
He also visited the second ship bought for the Atolls and the coastal areas of Bougainville, the MV RAPOIS CHIEF.
President Momis on his arrival said that he was happy that the two ships will be arriving soon to serve the people of Bougainville.
He said that he was also able to look at other business opportunities that Bougainville can go into to raise her own funds and to sustain the Bougainville Autonomy.
President Momis also mentioned attending a forum at the University of Papua New Guinea and organised by Bougainville students to discuss issues regarding Bougainville autonomy and the up coming referendum.
01.09.2014
Source: Bougainville24
Tradition Today: The Upe hat
By Ishmael Palipal
The Upe is a traditional hat worn by boys especially in Terra & Rau constituencies within Wakunai area, Central Bougainville.
The Upe is sacred and is allowed only in the ritual grounds, an area high up in the mountain forests where first born males are taken to be initiated into manhood. Ritual grounds can also be an area where performances are held on big occasions. The visit of a prime minister’s or president’s visit, is a suitable example in the modern context.
The ritual grounds in the mountain forest of Wakunai are very scared and tradition demands that women are not allowed to enter these grounds or even see the Upe initiated boys in the bush, be it intentional or accidental. The consequence of breaking this taboo is believed to be a curse on both man and woman, which can result in sickness or death.
Oral history tells two stories that explain how the initiation came into existence.
The first story tells that long ago a man was walking in the bush when he saw a woman holding an Upe hat which she acquired from a supernatural being and gave her knowledge.
The hat was so beautiful that the man demanded the hat from her and, having been refused, took the extreme step of killing the woman. He buried the Upe and the woman to hide his guilt.
Sometime later he retrieved the Upe hat from site and, in order to keep the secret of his possession, no woman was allowed to view the hat.
And so came about the secrecy of the Upe.
The second story tells that once lived a couple that one day they went out to the bush.
The husband told his wife to wait for him under a tree, while he went out to hunt for possums.
When he returned his wife was holding a beautiful ring-shaped object, which she had made from bamboo pieces while she waited. This caused a great deal of contemplation in him, but eventually he moved on.
Later, he and his wife moved out from the main village and settled in a small hamlet where they raised their first born son.
When the boy was grown enough, his father built him a haus-man and at the same time made him the ring-like hat – the very first Upe hat. Henceforth, the villagers that visited the family admired the boys hat.
They knew instinctively that the ring like object was of great importance and the custom of the Upe hat was adopted in the Wakunai area based on this significance.
At big occasions in contemporary Bougainville, where there will be many men and women working and visiting, special initiations are made to protect them from the outside elements from contradicting with their power and also to protect them from hurting others. This enables them to be seen by others as they perform. At all other times though they are hidden in the mountain forest away from the villages.
The initiation of Upe aims to prepare young males for their future lives as fathers, husbands, brothers, leaders and chiefs of their villages. The practise of Upe Initiation has significant ethical values and morals in it.
In the forest the young boys are taught many things in life. The guides and educators teach the young boys about such things as hunting, planting, catching, building, fatherhood, leadership, war, how to make weapons, responsibility, honesty, respect, bush medicines, different types of plants, animals, living things, non-living things, their purpose of existence and their uses.
This life in the forest is out of the normal but is very useful in the long run and the life of the community.
When the Upe Leader and helpers see that the boys are ready to be men they are initiated and return home to make a normal living. At this point many are now ready to be married and start a family so they can now fully utilise what they have learned during their time in the jungle.
The initiation produces resourceful, ethical, respectful, wise people in the communities.
These people are known to be healthy and good looking. Their skin looks smooth, nourished and shiny as they came out of the ritual grounds up in the mountain forest.
As soon as they are married, they produce healthy children with healthy lifestyles and remain monogamous.
Today, the people are now reviving the Upe Culture and want to keep it as a cultural norm.
There is now a push for the Rotokas eco-tourism industry to preserve the fauna & flora, culture & lifestyle, rivers, caves, mountains, forest and people.
My special thanks to Vincent Kommoru (@vkommoru via twitter) and the Rotokas Upe Cultural Group for contributing and allowing me to write a bit about this special scared culture.
01.09.201
Source: Post-Courier
Digicel notes record growth
Veronica Raguah Mose-Loi sealing the channel partnership agreement with Digicel PNG and BCEL by shaking hands with Kevin Woolmer, while head of Digicel Wholesale Channel as Anitha Glenda Niniku Salas looks on at the Arawa Women’s Training Center. Picture: JACOB IENU
SINCE its launch in 2007 Digicel has already invested over K1.5 billion and boasts a record of over 2.5 million subscribers in Papua New Guinea.
This was revealed by Digicel PNG head of wholesale channel Kevin Woolmer in Arawa during the weekend.
The Ireland-based mobile company now has 154 retail locations and 45 total distribution points throughout PNG.
Mr Woolmer was speaking at the Arawa Women’s Training Centre to business houses and interested stakeholders in Bougainville.
He travelled to Bougainville to launch and sign an agreement for a partnership with newly established local communication company, Bougainville Communication Enterprises Limited (BCEL).
Mr Woolmer said Digicel is a corporate international communication technology (ICT) company, adding that it has invested over K1.5 billion to date in the country.
“Digicel network covers 75 percent of the total population of Papua New Guinea with the erection and installment of towers across the country, especially in rural areas.
The company has rolled out 282 Digicel Foundation projects covering all 22 provinces with an expenditure of K30 million.
Apart from that Digicel employs over 900 staff,” Mr Woolmer said.
He also told those gathered that Digicel PNG is the leading mobile and ICT operator in PNG, adding that the company has brought world class mobile telecommunications and introduced many services to PNG including;
- 2G, 3G, 4G data services
- Easipay and Superfund balance checks
- Celmoni
- MZM-ATM, EFTPOS, vehicle tracking and
- Corporate brand networks and internet connectivity.
“In addition we have supported the local community throughout the country especially in building classrooms and helping in the health and sport sectors,” Mr Woolmer said.
He said the cost of construction of one tower is K1 million and urged all stakeholders to work together and to make the most out of the services Digicel is providing to the rural communities of Bougainville and PNG as a whole.
Mr Woolmer announced a exciting service that will be launched in November this year called DigiTV which subscribers will be able to watch different television channels, including EMTV, on their mobile phones.
01.09.201
Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville ICT business partners with Digicel
By Romulus Masiu
ASK just about anyone in Arawa town where the communication centre is and you will be pointed to the Bougainville Communication Enterprises Limited (BCEL) office.
BCEL is a community based organisation and is born of the initiative of two Bougainvillean women Anitha Niniku Salas and Veronica Raguah Mose-Loi.
Anitha, the daughter of late paramount chief of Arawa Raphael Niniku and is an educationist and has held notable influential capacities as regional education director on the ABG structure for education sector. Together with Veronica who has over 15 years of information technology and telecommunications background, with the support of their husbands Mathias Salas and Samson Vagi Loi, started operating in August 2013 as an internet cafe and business consultant business.
Since then, BCEL has assisted in establishing 87 SMEs in the central and southern regions with Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) registrations, business profiles, project proposals and professional correspondences. They remain strong advocates for more men and women to participate in SMEs to drive the economy forward.
BCEL rests on the two main benchmarks of empowering and educating and as a direct result works to encourage pride and confidence in the locals when dealing in businesses.
The channel partnership agreement with Digicel will provide ‘’unlimited internet’’ services starting in Arawa town. BCEL hopes to give small business owners, SMEs, schools, public and private entities and individuals the ability to improve their operations with reliable access to data and internet services.
Kevin Woolmer, head of Digicel PNG wholesale channel, was on hand to sign the agreement on behalf of the company, at the Arawa Women’s Training Center. He also had the opportunity to conduct an awareness of Digicel’s wide range of services since its commencement in PNG in 2007 to the local business houses and stakeholders of Arawa Town.
