Inside PNG

Morobe’s Education Provincial Program Adviser, Keith Tangui has warned teachers that sexual relationships or abuse towards students is a crime under the Teaching Service Commission Act and they will be terminated if found guilty.

His warning follows an incident of students allegedly attacking a teacher at the Wasu Secondary School, in Morobe’s Tewai Siassi District, over rape accusations against the teacher.

The Morobe Provincial Police have reported that on the 17th of this month, the teacher (male) was allegedly attacked by some students at around 2-3am in the early hours of the morning.

Morobe Provincial Police Commander, Superintendent Jacob Singura said the teacher was trying to rape a female student at the school’s basketball court when two male students caught him in the act. The teacher then attacked one of the students when he realized that they had seen him.

“The two boys ran to their dormitory and alerted other male students where they came back and allegedly attacked the teacher by chopping him on both shoulders,” Singura said.

Morobe’s Education PPA Mr Tangui said while the incident is a police matter now, the Provincial Education Division is also required under the TSC Act to present a report to the Provincial Education Board.

“My Deputy has already visited Wasu and is yet to present a report, as soon as it’s done, we will present it to the PEC.”

“Teacher’s suffering at the hands of the community is due to several reasons and those reasons will be spelt out during the investigation,”Tangui said.

Mr Tangui has cautioned teachers to be very careful in their conduct as committing such an offence toward a student is a serious crime and will result in termination.

Meanwhile the Provincial Police are still investigating the matter and have since arrested four suspects alleged to be involved in attacking the teacher.

Business

PM Launches and Commits K50million to Credit Guarantee Corporation Limited

Market failures and imperfections such as information asymmetries, inadequacy or lack of recognized collateral, high transaction costs for small-scale lending, and perceptions of high risk, all of which lead to lack of access to credit for MSMEs.

Despite adequate liquidity in PNG, financial institutions are often reluctant

to lend to SMEs and when they do the high interest rates charges becomes a barrier for SMEs.

These are some of the reasons highlighted by the Acting Governor for Bank of Papua New Guinea, Benny Popoitai for the need to create the Credit Guarantee Corporation Limited.

The entity was launched today by Prime Minister, James Marape.

Credit Guarantee Corporation Limited (CGC) is an entity established by the Bank of Papua New Guinea with the aim of assisting Micro, Small to Medium Enterprises.

The establishment of CGC was approved by the National Executive Council in 2018, under the Medium Term Development Policy III, to address the lack of access for credit and capital for micro small and medium enterprises in the country.

The Bank of PNG has taken the lead to do the preparatory work and incorporated the CGC under the Company’s Act 1997 on 5th January 2022.

The launch today of CGC is to support it as a legal entity that will support the Government’s policy to develop and grow the MSME sector in order to create new employment, achievement sustainable economic growth, and fair and equal distribution of wealth through majority citizen ownership of business activities.

The CGC will support the MSMEs by working with and through participating financial institutions to provide credit guarantee to financial institutions as a credit risk mitigation to lenders to absorb a portion of their losses on their loans made to MSMEs incase of default to encourage them to lend to MSMEs.

BPNG Chairman, David Toa said the establishment of the CGC is necessary to correct inefficiencies evident in resource allocation in the financial intermediary process of the financial institutions.

“The establishment of the Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) brings renewed hope into the MSME sector that has been struggling from the combined lack of basic infrastructure and skill sets that are necessary elements for their growth,” Toa said.

The CGC is a partnership between BPNG and Kumul Consolidated Holdings.

Prime Minister has committed K50million from BPNGs dividends to be held back for CGC.

“I want to encourage the financial institutions to fully utilize the services of the

CGC.

“When small businesses do not have sufficient access to financial products and services, they may be deprived of the opportunity to grow their business, and as a

nation, we lose from the benefits of their potential contributions to the economy,” Marape concluded.

Sport

Sports Precinct – Opportunity for Usino-Bundi People

The newly opened Jimmy Uguro sports precinct at Walium in the Usino-Bundi district of Madang Province is accessible to all and can cater for all sporting codes.

Local MP and Minister for Education, Jimmy Uguro said, people can utilize the sports precinct and create opportunities and contribute to sports development in the province.

He appealed to his people to take care of the facility as it cost the district over K2million.

Young men and women were also challenged to use the opportunity to take part in sporting activities in order to expose their talents.

“Stop holding up vehicles, and stealing from people. The sports precinct was built to help you, young people expose your skills and export it to the outside world. There is money in sports. The facility is there to help you make money out of it, so make use of it,” said Minister Uguro.

The Jimmy Uguro sports precinct was opened by Prime Minister James Marape two weeks ago and witnessed by sports Minister Wesley Raminai.

To mark the opening of the precinct, Prime Minister James Marape launched the Prime Minister’s Cup tournament with four sporting codes taking part in the tournament. The codes included Rugby 9s, Volleyball, Basketball and Soccer. A total of 184 teams for women and men took part in the tournament.

Madang Governor, Peter Yama who was present at the event committed K150,000 to the tournament while the Sports Minister also committed another K100,000.

Meanwhile, Minister Uguro said the Prime Minister’s cup is a start for more sporting competitions to be held at the precinct.

He officially closed the tournament yesterday.

Sport

Kapuls Say Thank You

PNG Kapuls Team Manager, Joseph Ealadona on behalf of the players, management team and the coaching staff thanked the country for showing support during the Oceania FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers in Qatar.

The NGCB sponsored side bowed out of the qualifiers against Solomon Islands in the semi-final.

Despite being a placed in a tough pool, Kapuls showed determination and played their best to reach the finals, something the country should be proud of.

Ealadona has also confirmed that PNG Kapuls will play a friendly match against Vanuatu on Thursday in Doha, Qatar. Vanuatu pulled out of the OFC Qualifiers after majority of the players were tested COVID-19 positive. Vanuatu has since been cleared and requested for a game.

PNG and Vanuatu who are part of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) are taking this opportunity to also unleash some of their debutant players.

Kapuls Coach, Marcos Gusmao said he will be using this opportunity to play the many young debutants and others who did not take part in the tournament to see how PNG measures up against Vanuatu .

Meanwhile all MSG countries have rallied their support to Solomon Islands in the OFC grand-final against New Zealand.

In the meantime, MSG leaders have agreed to revive the popular Melanesia Cup, endorsed by the Oceania Football Confederation.

News

Implementation of New Price Measure

Baby Formula, Rice, Flour, and Sugar are amongst the 26 goods and services identified by the National Government where there will be some control over their retail prices.

The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) as the Government Agency responsible for Price Control Measures says the new price measures is to prevent price gouging in light of inflation due to increase in fuel prices.

ICCC Commissioner, Paulus Ain said this is pursuant to the National Pandemic Act 2020 with the current price measures expiring on the 16 April 2022.

“The ICCC including provincial Business Development Officers will be inspecting shops throughout the country to ensure these measures are followed,” said Mr. Ain.

Meanwhile CEO of PNG Manufacturer’s Council, Chey Scovell has described the call by the national government on the removal of Goods and Services Tax on selected essential goods as a rushed decision.

But ICCC on the other hand says if a business breaches these measures, it will be fined close to K10,000.

Politics

Namatanai Airstrip and Projects Commissioned

After years of shutdown the Namatanai Airstrip in New Ireland has been re-opened following an upgrade of the airport facilities.

Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey represented Prime Minister James Marape to commission the airport and its facilities last Friday.

“I stand in awe to see these services ready to serve people in this part of the country.

“Please do not politicize these projects but respect and use them to benefit,” said Ling-Stuckey.

The Namatanai Airport upgrade cost K2million with most funding from monthly Lihir Mining Royalty payments by Newcrest Mining Limited.

Meanwhile Minister for Civil Aviation and Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt said despite stiff political opposition to prevent the opening, it was a success after all these years.

Schnaubelt said there is no time for politics but to start deliver and ensure people benefit from funding earmark for development.

“We are focused on delivering services to the doorstep”, said Schnaubelt.

“It’s not about me but the people”, he added.

Other projects announced and commissioned include K3.7million for heavy equipment, K5.5million for a 1Megawats Biomass Power Generation project, K2million for Namatanai Fire Station, K2million Flight Training Centre, K4million Hydrogen Solar Power Project for Namatanai Hospital.

Other projects include Housing Scheme, Transmitter for NBC and a counter funding for Namatanai District Court Housing.

The occasion was also attended by Minister for Lands John Rosso, Minister for Health Jelta Wong and Minister for Fisheries Dr Lino Tom.

The people of Namatanai concluded the day with dancers from different LLGs and live entertainments from music legends Sir George Telek and King of Pacific Music Pati Pots Doi with choir groups from Tavui and Matupit in East New Britain.

Education

New Manam High School Underway

Work on the construction of the new Manam high school has already started at Potsdam care centre on the mainland of Bogia District last Friday.

The new high school will occupy 8.4 hectares of land. Yabu LLG President, Kenny Boli, says the school was initiated to accommodate Manam students and the host communities.

This is to address the limited number of spaces for students at the Holy Spirit High School.

Boli further noted that the construction of the new school was also due to too many clashes by different factions at Holy spirit high school.

Thus, the project was an initiative of Yabu LLG with a funding allocation of K50 thousand kina and support by the Bogia District Development Authority with an additional K100 thousand kina.

The new high school once completed will benefit close to 500 students.

Phase one of the project was community clearing, phase 2 was land scaping by Madang works department, phase 3 was survey and phase 4, construction.

The construction of the new high school is also a reminder to the PNG government’s continuous neglect on the internally displaced Manam islanders living in the carecentres.

It’s been 18 years since the major eruption that resulted in the evacuation of islanders from Manam to the carecentres on the mainland.

The internally displaced persons are still waiting on the PNG government to resettle them to Andarum in the hinterlands of Bogia District.

News

Bench hears ABG Acting Chief Secretary’s appeal

A three-man Supreme Court bench today heard a substantive appeal filed by Autonomous Bougainville Government acting chief secretary Shadrach Himata.

The appeal filed by Himata, through lawyer Simon Dewe, seeks to challenge a National Court decision from August 11, 2021, in Buka that ordered the reinstatement of director, strategic planning and policy coordination Nancy Warkia, to the Bougainville Public Service, with all her entitlements be reimbursed.

The appeal that was heard by judges Thomas Anis, Iova Geita, and Teresa Berrigan was filed on grounds that the trial judge erred in law when he granted orders to stay the decision of Mr. Himata that dismissed Ms. Warkia from office, pending the determination of her appeal to the public service commission.

This was on grounds that there was no substantive proceeding heard prior to the court making those orders, when it also had the matter adjourned to the registry.

Mr. Dewe told the court that the refusal of leave, effectively disposed the judicial review proceeding, and also the rights of the plaintiff to apply for a judicial review.

He said the court’s intervention in issuing those interim orders, were outside the currency of a pending proceeding, and without judicial basis.

Ms. Warkia, through lawyer, Desmond Aigilo, submitted in response that although leave was refused, the court still had the power under section 155(4) of the constitution and Order 12, Rule 1 of the National Court Rules, hence given the circumstances prevailing at the time, the court had exercised its inherent powers to make those orders where it did on August 11, 2021.

Mr. Dewe, in response to Mr. Aigilo’s submission argued that the courts inherent powers under s.155(4) could not be relied on, as it could protect the primary right of a party, when being invoked.

“In this case, the primary right of the respondent, to apply for judicial review, was disposed of when leave for judicial review was not granted.

Also in response to the application of Order 12, Rule 1, Mr. Dewe, submitted that Order 16 Rule 3(8), specifically restricts the court from granting any interim relief’s prior to a grant of leave.

The court is expected to hand down a decision later this week.

Politics

Court Grants Bail For Moresby Northwest MP

By Inside PNG 27/03/2022

A National Court bail of K10, 000 was granted by the Court in Port Moresby for Moresby North-West MP, Lohia Boe Samuel, following essential changes in circumstances on the co-accused Fabian Hera’s police statement.

In the first application, Justice Teresa Berrigan refused bail because the only material presented in court was the statement of alleged facts. “I refused bail on the last occasion because the alleged offence involved a serious assault and the use of an offensive weapon. The alleged facts pointed to a deliberate if unplanned shooting by the applicant using his own weapon,” said Justice Berrigan.

On the second bail application, the court heard that co-accused Fabian Hera has since changed lawyers and swore on an affidavit deposing that it was him who had unintentionally shot the deceased who was holding the weapon at that time.

Without going into the details of the alleged offence, bail was granted on grounds that the Constitution allows for bail if the change in circumstances is relevant to the ground of refusal on the initial bail application.

Mr. Samuel is represented by private lawyer Edward Sassingian.

Education

Salamaua High School Normalcy

By Inside PNG 27/03/2022

Newly appointed Principal of Huon Gulf’s Salamaua High School in Morobe, Norman Apul told Lae media that the High School has taken radical steps to bring normalcy back to the school, especially with the school facility, curriculum and teaching and learning.

Mr Apul said under his leadership, they are prioritizing the welfare of the teachers and students and teamwork is paramount to achieve the school’s aim of academic excellence.

Salamaua Provincial High School is a boarding facility in Morobe with rundown dormitories, classrooms and teachers’ houses. Last year, the students burnt down two classrooms. The school currently has no electricity and lacks logistics support to travel to Lae and back for operational runs. Some male students are currently using their condemned ablution blocks as rooms.

The school also needs a health facility to access health services.

There was no support from the District over the past years.

The school has a population of almost 700 students and 22 teachers, including 15 who are currently on campus. Seven teachers are still in Lae due to no accommodation.

The school was established in 1995. It is located in Kela Village, Salamaua, South-West of Lae City. It is an hour’s travel from Lae by boat.

According to the School’s Principal, Mr. Apul, over the past six weeks, the school renovated and maintained a boys’ dormitory, few teachers’ houses and staff room.

He said they would continue to maintain the other dormitories for both the male and female students.

The school administration has also built new toilets for the staff and two duplex staff houses. They still need money to build new classrooms, dormitories and teachers houses in order to suit the standard of a level 7 High School with 1000 students.

Apul said Huon Gulf MP, Ross Seymour made commitments to maintain the run down school facility and to rebuild the two dormitories that were burnt down.

Seymour also pledged support to pay for the students’ parental component fees.

Meanwhile, the School’s Principal, Mr Apul with the support of his Deputy, Joseph Kupesan called on the District, Morobe Provincial Government, parents and the Education Division to support the school with financial support in order to build more facilities so they can reach their aim in getting a secondary school status by 2024.