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November 2023

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Climate Change

Mangrove Project for Hansa Bay Area

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Mangrove Project

Climate Change and the rise in sea level is very concerning, the devastation caused to the Coast line is inevitable. The rural population in Papua New Guinea cannot cope with the loss of their coastline and the threat to their eco system.

But what can Papua New Guineans do but take the lead in mitigating the effects of climate change? The Hansa bay area in Bogia District Madang Province is losing it’s coast line and the inhabitants are struggling to keep their marine eco system intact for future generations.

Hamex Rupia is from Southern Highlands Province but has built a livelihood and found a home in the Hanasa Bay area, along Bogia District in Madang Province. He has become a part of the community and he is one of the members in the community that has stood up to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

His organization, GTEN Fundraiser Network Inc, is leading the way in the Hansa Bay mangrove nursery and planting. He says communities have taken the initiative to start planting mangroves to help protect their coastline from the rising tides.

Mangroves provide natural infrastructure to help protect nearby populated areas by reducing erosion and absorbing storm surge impacts during extreme weather events. They are also important to the ecosystem as their dense roots help bind and build soils.

Hamex and his community through the GEF Small Grants funding administered by the UNDP, started a nursery of mangrove plants, up to 10,000 mangrove plants are at their green house, and are slowly maturing. Hamex says they will wait for the second part of funding before they can do transplanting of the mangrove plants.

The community has struggled to get a decent catch close to their coastline, and are hoping for changes when the mangrove project is in full swing. They hope more fish will come thanks to the Mangroves that will cover the coastline.

There are also war relics and burial sites from World War II, which the community say has been under threat by rising sea levels. Hamex said some of the war relics have been destroyed by the sea. The community sees this as a Eco Tourism project. Hamex added that the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority has funded restoration of some of the War relics in the Hansa Bay area.

Hamex says they look to benefit from changes in their eco system as well in future.

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Climate Change

Community Based Organizations get Capacity Building Training

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Capacity Building Training

Environment Conservation is important in the modern age, with the effects of climate change, due to the extractive industry, industrialization and population growth, our natural environment is kept under stress.

Despite the challenges faced by rural Papua New Guinea, there are concerned citizens who see the need to take part in environmental conservation efforts.

The (GEF) Small Grants program which is implemented by the United Nations Development Program. It provides grants of up to 50,000 USD, directly to CSOs and community-based organizations (CBO’s). This is for grantees to undertake local projects that contribute to the global environment while generating sustainable livelihoods.

Local NGOs in Papua New Guinea that receive these grants go through basic capacity building. Which includes training in leadership and project management. This will help these small Community Based Organizations to manage funding and also in future be well equipped to apply for further funding to sustain their projects.

The Capacity training for Southern, Momase and the NGI regions was held in Port Moresby. This was facilitated by Conservation Forum PNG, with John Ericho as the facilitator.

Whilst the patrons of these projects are experienced in their capacity to drive their projects forward, they still need further training especially in management and sourcing further funding for project longevity. That’s why the one week training held in Port Moresby was important.

John added that there was a host of successful projects. Which included, Carbon Trading, Mangrove Planting and Coral conservation just to name a few. These projects are run by community based organizations that involve the whole community working together.

The team even visited a site where there is a coral rehabilitation program. The project is called Hiri Coral and it is located in the Tubusereia area of Central Province along the Motuan Coastline.

John Ericho says he believes that it is the community themselves that are responsible for conservation. He added that they own the resources and decide how to use it and if whether or not they want to take part in environment conservation as well.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/carbon-trading-benefitting-communities/

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News

Oro Supports Trustee of PNG

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NORTHERN Governor, Gary Juffa is keen to have matters of Land Settlement Scheme (LSS) resolved with his support to the office of Public Trustee of PNG in Popondetta.

Juffa’s assurance to the officer of Public Trustee, David Nohoro was accompanied with keys to a Toyota Landcruiser this week in Popondetta.

Nohoro says there is a little over 1000 outstanding cases relating to next of kin accurate reissuance of estates of state including land, houses and plantations that have remained unattended since pre-independence.

“I am humbled that Gary Juffa has finally recognized our struggle and this vehicle accelerates our effort to adequately attend to pressing extension work in the field.

“We are an instrumental institution that has been overlooked by successive governments and if you study a lot of our law and order and or ethnic clashes – most are related to wrongful ownership to estates of state, especially land,” said Nohoro.

Nohoro further stated that the office function was decentralized in 2014 and the Oro provincial administration had taken full operation of its function. However, to date it has been operating on a recurrent budget of K10,000 annually.

Nohoro added that Governor Juffa has indicated to provide further funding support through his office starting next year.

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International

PM Marape in U.S for APEC 2023

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PAPUA New Guinea’s Prime Minister, James Marape is scheduled to meet with U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken this Thursday while attending the APEC 2023 Leader’s Summit.

Marape arrived in San Francisco at 4.45pm local time, with Climate Change Mitigation Issues, increased trade and commerce and security for the Pacific as three top issues he plans to speak about.

Prime Minister James Marape Arrives in San Francisco.

“APEC is the biggest block that PNG belongs to, and we value the link and opportunities that this forum provides for us. PNG is fortunate to have developed strong bilateral relationships with nearly half of these economies,” Marape said.

He will join 20 World Leaders of APEC economies in high-level discussions that have been preluded by senior government officials and ministers’ meetings on 11 – 13 November.

Under the theme, Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All, the 2023 Summit is desired to address economic-related issues like Sustainability, Digitalization, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Trade Facilitation, Energy Security, and Health.

Marape said PNG’s participation at the series of senior officials and minister’s meetings is important because it gives PNG the opportunity to discuss with economies and potential investors.

At the close of the Summit this Friday, the World Leaders should culminate in the adoption of an Outcome Document.

While in the US, Marape is expected to hold private sector meetings with the U.S Chamber of Commerce, Renew West, Source Global, ExxonMobil and International Development Finance Corporation.

APEC economies include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States of America, and Vietnam.

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Health

Optical Eye Screening

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by Frank Mogona

Kerowagi, SIMBU – Hundreds of people with disabilities are gathering at Kerowagi’s Mingende Station to seek eye-care and other specialist services.

This follows an outreach program by the Callan services targeting people with special needs in Simbu Province.

Optical eye checks in Simbu.

Callan services is facilitated by the locals in Mingende in partnership with donor partners from the Christopher Blind Mission in New Zealand and serves the six districts of Simbu province which are, Kerowagi, Kundiawa-Gembogl, SinaSina-Yonggomugl, Chuave, Karimui-Nomane and Gumine.

A former teacher from Eastern Highlands said Callan is doing a very important outreach that is reaching those in the rural communities.

He added that if they travel to Port Moresby for an eye check or eye cleaning, it will be too expensive for many taking into account accommodation, airplane fares and hospital fees.

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Crime

Police directed to track down man in viral video

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Police directed to track down man in viral video

Police in NCD have been directed to identify a man who was seen in a video circulating on social media poorly dressed in a police uniform and carelessly carrying a weapon around Downtown Port Moresby.

NCD and Central Police Commander, Anthony Wagambie Jnr, who gave the directive said the actions of this man whether or not he is a police officer is a total disgrace to hard-working members of the RPNGC.

“This is unprofessional and unbecoming. I have directed the Metropolitan Superintendent and his officers to find out who this person is and have him dealt with if he in fact is a serving member of the Constabulary.

Wagambie said when he first took up the position as Divisional Commander NCD/Central, he made it a point in his first parade that police would have no room for ill disciplined , unethical and unprofessional behavior from serving members.

“I also said I will make it my business to get rid of criminals in police uniform,” Wagambie stated in his social media post.

Since then the NCD Command made significant improvement, with quick attendance to public complaints, instilling command and control, and general operations. There is still room for improvement.

Wagambi said however, such actions by individuals become a hindrance to progress.

“I am seeking assistance from members of the public who may have witnessed this incident to make contact with us and assist us to identify this man. Let us help to make the Constabulary better by weeding out such.

There is no room for “Raskol , Mafia or gangster Police!”. We will get rid of them like others who have been previously dealt with, “ Wagambie said.

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Environment

ACT NOW! reveals evidence of illegal logging in ENB

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ACT NOW! reveals evidence of more illegal logging in new case study

ACT NOW! has released another case study report that reveals more illegal logging under the pretext of agriculture development.

This new report titled “A New Forest Grab” focuses on the Mengen agriculture project in East New Britain Province.

ACT NOW! says the report reveals how a Malaysian owned logging company, KK Connections, has used highly suspicious claims that will establish a forest plantation and agriculture projects to obtain a Forest Clearing Authority (FCA), which it is now using as cover to export thousands of cubic meters of round logs.

An FCA is only supposed to be used to allow the clearing of small, discrete areas of forest for agriculture or other land use changes, but satellite images analyzed by ACT NOW reveal the logging company in the Mengen area is roaming over a large area, selectively felling and extracting valuable timber with no forest clearance or agriculture planting.

The second report follows its first report, Ten Years Without a Crop, published last month in conjunction with Jubilee Australia.

The first report according to ACT NOW! revealed how another Malaysian-owned logging company, Global Elite Limited who has already sold US$31 million (115 million kina) worth of round logs from the Wammy FCA in West Sepik Province, but has not established promised palm oil or rubber plantations.

ACT NOW!’s Campaign Manager Eddie Tanago said to make matters worse, both reports highlight how the FCA logging operations have been approved by the PNG Forest Authority without the informed consent of a significant proportion of customary landowners.

He said just last week, Prime Minister Marape again reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the protection and sustainable management of our forest resources, yet the PNG Forest Authority is continuing to allow illegal logging across the entire country.

ACT NOW! Is calling on the PNG Forest Authority to cancel the Forest Clearing Authorities for both the Mengen and Wammy projects and to impose a moratorium on logging in all FCA areas.

In total there are 24 active FCA logging operations across nine Provinces which cover an average area of 61,849 hectares, the equivalent of more than 11,000 rugby fields.

Eddie Tanago, said: “FCAs are routinely being used as a loophole to authorize the theft of PNG’s forests. We call on the National Forest Board and PNG Forest Authority to extend the current moratorium on new FCAs, suspend logging in all existing FCAs and conduct a comprehensive public review of the projects”.

ACT NOW says it is also calling on the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Fraud squad to open investigations into these illegal logging operations as they are continuing under the supervision of Forest Authority officers.

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News

Do not work in isolation – disaster boss Mana urges provincial coordinators

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Provincial Disaster Coordinators urged not to work in isolation

THE Acting Director of the National Disaster Centre , Lusete Mana, has urged provincial disaster coordinators not to work in isolation but to keep in constant communication with their provincial administrators and the National Centre on issues related to disaster, emergency and imminent droughts.

Mr Mana made the call last Friday at the closing of a weeklong provincial disaster coordinators conference in Port Moresby at the Gateway Hotel.

He said two key issues raised in the recent and most conferences are financial and manpower constraints.

Mr Mana said the two same issues are always raised during conferences however, solutions must be found to address these issues.

“ The challenge is on us to send situation reports and keep in constant communication with our provincial administrators.

“ We cannot work in isolation – we must have good communication with our provincial administrators, give them updates and reports to receive a good budgetary support, Mr Mana said.

“ The roaming days are over. Now it is time for real business. We will not waste time. We have to go back and set our targets right,” Mr Mana said.

He thanked the UNDP for their support in assisting the Centre in hosting the conference.

Former Acting Director for NDC, Martin Mose said the recent conference was the best one he ever he had attended and the Chief Secretary for AROB Esther Usurup described the conference as a ‘fantastic time of learning’.

Esther Usurup, AROB Chief Secretary
Esther Usurup, AROB Chief Secretary.

Ms Usurup said provincial disaster coordinators must have a military mindset so they can effectively manage disasters in their provinces.

The National Disaster Centre Office formerly came under the office of Provincial and Local Level Governments but now is part of the Defence Department.

Twenty two Provincial Disaster Coordinators attended the weeklong conference with the objective of discussing how they could strengthen their local capacities to disaster risk reduction in line with the Government’s goal to ‘Leave No One Behind’.

All Provincial Coordinators gave thorough updates.

An update of the climate outlook and drought condition was also distributed at the conference in a report – PNG Drought Response and Recovery Plan 2023 to 2024 .

The National Disaster Corporate Plan 2023- 2024 , was also distributed to the provincial coordinators.

The NMSA Captain Krzyszt (Kris) Orlowski led discussions on important issues of response capabilities and preparedness to potential disasters. Issues of risk and hazard mapping, disaster data based and information system too were discussed.

Story by: Harlyne Joku

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Environment

Community Awareness on Climate Change

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Climate Change Awareness

The Change in weather pattern, where there is high rainfall in a short period of time and prolonged drought, has caused a lot of communities in Papua New Guinea to suffer. This is all attributed to climate change and the shift in global weather patterns.

Communities across the world including Papua New Guinea, are forced to adapt to this new weather phenomenon. Rural communities in Papua New Guinea often lack the capacity to mitigate the outcomes caused by Climate Change.

An initiative by the PNG university of Natural Resources and Environment, as part of their community outreach under the Kairak Center for sustainable rural development, is the Community Empowerment for Climate Change for farming communities.

The University is making sure that communities in East New Britain are aware of the adverse effects of Climate Change. So that they can make appropriate changes to mitigate and adapt to their changing environment.

Project officer Simon Nakaiban says communities need to understand that Climate Change is real and is affecting communities and livelihoods. He added that most in the community are slowly coming to terms in understanding the severity of the effects of changes in Global weather patterns. But some very remote communities still need to fully grasp the messaging of climate change.

Simon Nakaiban explained that as part of their outreach they focus on awareness on food security as one aspect of mitigating climate change. That means introducing improved variety of crops like Sweet Potato and Casava, which Nakaiban pointed out as being drought tolerant.

He also added that they are conducting surveys and collecting valuable data that will be shared among stakeholders. The center is working to make sure that some of their findings can help influence some of the policy decisions made at the bureaucratic level.

Related Story: https://insidepng.com/carbon-trading-benefitting-communities/

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News

JMart Supports 7s

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JMart Supports

JMART, a leading retail and community-oriented organization, is thrilled to announce its full-
fledged support for the YoungGunz team, through the sponsorship of three new sets of jersey’s for the Under 20’s, Senior Men’s and Women’s division.

The Youngunz are a 7’s team under the NGCB Blue Heelers Rugby Union Club.

The aim of this team is to provide an avenue for young individuals to engage in sports and develop essential
life skills.

JMART shares the same vision with the NGCB Blue Heelers RUC and is committed to the welfare and empowerment of the youth in Papua New Guinea by engaging in sports as an ideal way to living a positive life.

As a part of this exciting collaboration, JMART through this initiative believes that investing in our youth and keeping them engaged in sports can lead to healthier, more motivated, and well-rounded individuals. Justin Tan, Managing Director of JMART expressed enthusiasm about this collaboration,
saying, “JMART with support also from TrackPro are proud to support YoungGunz Jersey’s in their mission to empower our youth through sports. We firmly believe that by providing
these young individuals with the right tools and opportunities, we can help them grow, not only as athletes but as responsible and confident citizens.”

YoungGunz coach, Ase Boas, added, “We are thrilled to have JMART and TrackPro on board as club partners. Their support will meaningfully have a positive impact on our youths. What
our club promotes is more than just sports; it’s about instilling life skills, good values,
leadership, and self-confidence.”

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in promoting community engagement and youth development through sports.

Together, we are working to make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of young individuals in our community.

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