Intending candidate for Hela Regional seat, Francis Potape says social media is spreading false rumors in regard to the recent Supreme Court decision clarifying the eligibility of a person who has been convicted of an offence.

Potape told Inside PNG News, this decision has seen many jumping the gun by naming he and other candidates who are running for office in the 2022 National General Elections.

He said supporters of other rival candidates are posting on social media platforms stating that that he (Potape) and other former MPs’ are not eligible to contest for Public Office and that their nomination should be squashed by the PNG Electoral Commission.

The former Hela Governor said the particular post is being circulated a number of times with people who serve a particular interest in the political landscape.

“This actually concerns me. People do this because of their vested interest”, said Potape.

He called on his opponents including the general public not to post any publication if they do not have facts supporting details. Potape said the post has tarnished his name and has left his supporters in confusion.

“I have been cleared by the Supreme Court and have won my case. I returned to Parliament in 2015 and 2016. I then contested in the 2017 National Election for the Hela Regional Seat.

People are confusing the voting population.”

The former Hela Governor appealed to the general public to record any person publicly calling names of him and other candidates. He said he will take legal action against those going around and calling names during the campaign.

In other related concerns, Potape said corruption has thrived over the years in the Hela Provincial Government Administration. He said public money has not reached small communities. Potape said the current leadership has not delivered basic services to impact people’s lives but has been piggy-banking on impact projects by the National Government agencies.

“There is massive corruption in the Hela Provincial Government. He said as campaign continues, there are cheques continuously printed and are before the Ombudsman Commission to validate. He called on OC not to entertain these last minute cheques which he believes will be used to lure voters as polling looms.

“Hela has suffered enough, people are echoing for change in leadership. Hela needs a new leader, said Potape.

A police official says an investigation team has been dispatched to investigate and arrest suspects involved in the oil spill at the Kagamuga airport tarmac in Western Highlands Province.

WHP Election Operations Commander, Superintendent John Sagom strongly condemned the act saying it is an act of “terrorism” and vowed to investigate the incident thoroughly and arrest those involved.

“We will get to the bottom of this. I’m calling on the general public to come forward with any information that will assist the police arrest and charge those who are responsible for this act of terrorism.”

Commander Sagom confirmed that suspects entered the Kagamuga airport in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday) and spilled oil on the airport tarmac causing airline operators to suspend all flights into and out of Mt Hagen.

“Let me remind the people of Western Highlands of the wider implications of what has happened here. The rest of Western Highlands, the Highlands and PNG is bigger than Mt Hagen. Leaders have to be sensible and responsible. What is happening in Mt Hagen does not speak well for the local leadership if they are going to resort to such acts of terrorism, threats, force and intimidation to have it their way,” Sagom added.

He said a heavy presence of both Police and Defence Force personnel have been mounted around the airport vicinity and within the Mt Hagen township.

In addition, Superintendent Sagom said there was also a brief moment of concern in Mt Hagen town this morning (Tuesday) concerning a group of disgruntled members of the community living around the Kagamuga airport area who staged a peaceful protest march to Kagamuga airport whilst another group staged a protest march in Newtown along the Okuk Highway, blocking off commuters traveling into Mt Hagen town from the upper highlands.

The protesters aired their grievances over the appointment and handling of the Mt Hagen Open Returning Officer’s (RO) post, however was contained by swift response from the Police and PNGDF personnel on the ground.

Commander Sagom called on the leaders to respect the democratic process of the election and allow it to take its course. He further appealed to them to take control of the situation and work with the security forces to ensure such acts of terrorism do not occur again.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Lae MP, John Rosso demanded a public apology from the country’s leading Daily Newspaper, Post Courier over a report on its front page titled, ‘ MPs eyed ULP Leadership.’

The report stated that ULP’s General Secretary, John Avira confirmed to Post Courier yesterday that he received ULP leadership interests from Politicians including Pangu’s senior members, Deputy Prime Minister, John Rosso and National Planning Minister, Rainbo Paita.

In a media conference today (Tuesday, 7th June) in Lae, Rosso said Avira failed to clarify the report with him.

Rosso also confirmed that he hadn’t spoken to any Journalist from the mainstream media including Post Courier concerning the report published today, expressing his interest to lead the United Labour Party.

He said he and other Pangu members including Finschhafen MP, Reinbo Paita and Morobe Governor, Ginson Saonu haven’t approached Avira claiming their stance to lead ULP.

Rosso, a senior member of Pangu Party said Pangu respects ULP, which was formed by the late DPM and Bulolo MP, Sam Basil. He said Pangu also respects ULP’s stance with the decision of Rigo MP, Lekwa Gure to lead ULP.

He demanded that Post Courier publicly apologize to himself Reinbo Paita, Pangu and ULP.

He said if Post Courier fails to apologize he will take legal action against the Reporter, Editor and the Newspaper company.

Rosso also called on the Journalists and Reporters of the mainstream media and social media to be mindful of Journalism ethics and report without fear or favor.

Sam Basil Junior, intending candidate for Bulolo Open and eldest son of Late DPM and Bulolo MP, Sam Basil called on candidates vying for the same seat to be responsible and educate their supporters not to cause violence or discrimination against other supporters.

Basil Junior said all candidates including himself and his supporters must refrain from violence to allow a free and fair election.

Sam Basil Junior made this statement during a prayer dedication ceremony over his posters, banner and United Labour Party merchandise in Mapos village of Bulolo’s Buang LLG last week Thursday.

The ceremony was witnessed by over two thousand people including Sam Basil Junior’s biological mother Allison, a local woman from Buang.

Basil Junior who’s running under his late father’s ULP banner said the Bulolo Open seat is not anybody’s birthright, including the Basils’. He said he is exercising his constitutional rights to contest just like any other candidates.

He thanked his people from Bulolo and wished all candidates vying for Bulolo Open seat the best in this election.

James Sinclair was born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia on the 18th of April, 1928. The prolific author came to Papua New Guinea in August of 1948 as a cadet patrol officer.

He served successfully on many stations as a Patrol Officer, Assistant District Officer, Deputy District Commissioner and District Commissioner then retired in 1975 around the time of PNG’s independence.

During his service, James carried out extensive exploratory and appeasement patrols in Morobe and Southern Highlands Districts.

He opened Koroba station in 1955, the in 1956 he opened Kopiago base camp and also explored the then Uninhibited area to the Strickland River until the late 1958.

James later served in Wau, Finschhafen and Lae sub-Districts before he moved to Eastern Highlands in 1968.

He was the last Australian District Commissioner of Eastern Highlands District from 1969-1974.

James Sinclair retired in August of 1975 after the position was localized because of independence.

After retiring, Sinclair turned his hobby of writing PNG history into a full time job and have since published more than 30 books.

Sinclair published his first six books while he was still in PNG after his retirement in 1975.

His first book “Behind the Ranges: Patrolling in New Guinea” published in 1966 was an account of his early exploratory patrols in New Guinea.

His recent publication “Diwai”: A history of Divine Word University was the last book he wrote before he passed on in October of 2017 at the age of 89.

James was also awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1992.

In 1999 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from the Australian National University.

And in 2008 a companion, order of the Star of Melanesia (PNG).

Last Wednesday his wife Jan Sinclair presented several of his publications to Divine Word University’s Noser Library for research.

“I’m proud to give James Books” to Noser Library, and I thanked Sir Peter Barter for his support, without him I wouldn’t have shared all this stuff. I came to Papua New Guinea two years ago and found out that Divine Word Research Library didn’t have all of James books. So I thought IL go home and see if I have more books and fill in the gaps.

“When James was alive, he came to Madang saw the university’s Library and he came back and told me, I’m very interested in Noser Library and the Research Library and I would look more into it, so when I was looking for a place to send things to, this place seems obvious for anybody to research.”

Jan Sinclair didn’t just donate James books but two medals of Luluais and Tultuls.

Luluais are village chief or headmen in the New Guinea specially and Tultuls are more like an interpreter in the village.

James also sent some of his collection to the Australian National University, a public research university in Canberra. The collection includes patrol reports, station journals, district annual reports, old photographs including various other reports, reviews and studies and many more collections.

“The collections are kept in an underground archive at ANU, Jan said.”

Jan Sinclair was also in Madang to share some of his husband’s ashes, as they have long ties with Madang and as a closure for her.

“And so when we were touring his ashes my son said stop don’t you think some of his ashes should go back to New Guinea, we have long ties with Madang but for me it’s closure.”

THE Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air has released a new damning report against Australia’s plans to build a coal-fired power-plant in Lae, Morobe Province.

In a statement titled “Australian company’s coal plans are a pollution and health risk to local communities in Papua New Guinea”, the research organization says Air pollution is considered the largest environmental threat to human health.

While the rest of the world seeks to reduce dependence on coal power to meet the Paris Agreement Climate targets and ultimately phase out coal use by 2040, Papua New Guinea has plans to build its first coal-fired power plant with developments led by an Australian company, Mayur Resources.

The project has seen significant pushback from the local community, as the plant is expected to negatively impact the local community and its ecosystems.

The report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) quantifies one aspect of this: the health and economic impact of air pollution from the 52 megawatts (MW) proposed Lae Enviro Energy Park (EEP) coal-fired power plant, and the potential 200 MW expansion plan.

Coal is one of the major stationary emitters of pollutants such as Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter, and Mercury — a contributing factor to countries seeking to minimize their dependence on the fuel.

The report found that under a 30-year operating life, the cumulative air pollutant emissions from the 52-MW Lae EEP coal plant would result in approximately 30 avoidable deaths, 890 years of life lost, and 5,900 work absences taken due to sickness.

If the company expands the coal-fired power plant to 200 MW, health impacts significantly increase to approximately 115 premature deaths, 3,500 years of lives lost, as well as 23,500 sick days off work.

Such health impacts result in healthcare spending and loss of economic productivity.

Over 30 years, the report estimates that the cost of long term exposure to air pollution from a 52 MW Lae EEP would be equivalent to 10.9 million Australian Dollars (AUD), or K25.5 million.

The cumulative economic cost of a 200 MW Lae EEP plant expanded complex totals AUD 43.1 million (PGK 101.4 million) — more than Papua New Guineaʼs entire GDP in 2020.

All of these health and economic impacts could be completely avoided if Mayur Resources coal-fired power plant is not built, concludes the report.

The Author of the report, Isabella Suarez adds: “The conversation in many developing countries must be around moving from coal-to-clean.

She says Papua New Guinea has the opportunity to avoid all of this and move straight into capitalizing on its renewable energy potential.

Meanwhile, Samantha Kuman, Advocacy Officer at the Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (CELCOR) Inc, said the potential impacts of the Lae coal-fired power plant are not widely known in PNG because the public consultative process was hugely by-passed by Mayur Resources and the relevant state, provincial and district authorities.

She said this is a timely report which provides an expert analysis of the potential harm that can be inflicted on the city of Lae, its population and the surrounding districts and communities as well.

Dina Hopstad Rui, the Campaigns Director at Jubilee Australia, said this report serves as a reminder of the reckless behavior of many Australian extractive companies in PNG.

She said the world is moving away from coal, and an Australian company should not push it onto PNG.

“People in Australia don’t support coal in our own backyard ‒ 82% support a phase-out of coal fired power stations ‒ and we certainly don’t want to push it on our neighbors. ”