Author wants more PNG books written and read

By ALPHONSE BARIASI - The National

AN author and mother of two from Northern has just published a collection of poems following her success in writing more than 20 children’s story books.
Caroline Evari says the poetry in Nanu Sina: My Words is divided into four themes: Conflict (fear, doubt, anger, worry, disobedience); relationships (love, heartache, violence, regret and loneliness); hope (the future, persistence, determination, struggle and survival); and family (advice, mothers, siblings, children and a celebration of life).
“My main message portrayed in the book is freedom of expression through writing,” the mother of two boys says.
“I find that when it comes to expressing themselves, most people find it difficult. One way of expressing yourself is through writing and I find poetry to be an ideal platform for me.”
Evari plans to publish several other books soon.
She draws her inspiration from her experiences and surroundings.
She says a lot of students today are spending more time on their phones than in reading books.
“As a result, there is less interest in reading or writing and I see that the literature level is decreasing. If you go on social media such as Facebook, you will find a lot of grammatical errors, this itself is a reflection on the country’s literature.
“Papua New Guinea is land of oral story tellers, we should be producing great writers too.”
Evari is the last of six children born to Alphonse and Margaret Evari from Northern. Her dad is a retired mechanic who was once the workshop manager for the NCD Parts and Services.
He retired in 1997 to contest the national election and the family moved to Musa, in Northern.
“There weren’t many schools in the village so even though I was supposed to be in Elementary 2, I ended doing Grade 5 in one year and spent the rest of the year in the village being an ordinary village kid,” Evari says.
“In 2001, my dad brought me over to Moresby and I was enrolled at the St Peter Channel Primary School in Erima in 2002 where I did Grade 5 and completed Grade 8 in 2005.
“I then passed to Mariaville Secondary School to do Grade 9 in 2006 and completed Grade 12 in 2009.
“I was accepted to do Science Foundation at the university in 2010 and after completing the third year in Computer Science in 2012, I decided to look for employment because my family could not send me back to complete my final year.
Evari developed a liking for poetry when she was 15 years old.
Nanu Sina: My Words is not her first published work. She had writer four children’s illustrated story books already.
The winner of awards under the Crocodile Prize competition, she recommends aspiring PNG writers to try entering it.
“This is a good platform for increasing interests in literature. The competition currently has prize awards for four categories: Women in writing; children’s writing; essay and journalism; and heritage writing.
“The prize for each category is K5,000 and I would like to call upon a potential sponsor for a “Schools Writing” category to get schools to compete. This is another way of generating interest.”
Evari has also embarked on a voluntary journey called “The NCD school talk series” as part of her book promotion drive.
“I will be speaking to students about:
My journey and experience as a Papua New Guinean writer;
The importance of writing and publishing as a Papua New Guinean; and
The platforms available for aspiring writers.
Evari encourages PNG writing because she says there are too many foreign materials in this country, including reading, writing and learning materials.
“Western culture is taking over and soon our culture will disappear completely.
I have been advocating for the need to preserve our heritage through writing and publishing. We need to instill in our next generation the importance of preserving our languages, traditional values and ways before it is too late.
“There is also a need for PNG authored books to be placed on every library in this country. We need our children to be reading our own stories.
Stories that are of relevance to our ways and those that they can resonate with and pick out practical lessons from.
“A country without literature is a country without identity. Hence, we need to take ownership of literature in this country.”
Evari has spent six years working as a team assistant with the World Bank Group PNG Country Office.
She has been writing since she was seven years old and has authored more than 20 children’s story books with the Library for All.
Her first four books developed into picture books are Zuki The crocodile, Old Mulga And The Pawpaw Tree, Zach And His Toy Truck and Let’s Go Up To The Mountain.
Evari is a contributing author to the My Walk to Equality anthology the first ever of writing from Papua New Guinean women. She has also written for the Crocodile Prize competition and spillwords.com and maintains a blog titled Every Battle on wordpress.com, Facebook and Instagram.
Her mission is to inspire a generation of aspiring writers to preserve our heritage through writing and publishing, produce reading, writing and learning materials relevant to PNG culture, traditions and surrounding, and one day have PNG authored books in libraries throughout the country.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/author-wants-more-png-books-written-and-read/

BAKI CLAIMS HE WILL CHALLENGE HIS REMOVAL

By Byran Kramer - Kramer Report Facebook

At 2pm today, the former Commissioner for Police, Gary Baki staged a press conference at the Police Headquarters to announce that he will be applying to the Court for a restraining order against the National Executive Council (NEC) on its decision on Friday July 5, 2019, to revoke his appointment as Acting Police Commissioner and appoint Mr. Francis Tokura in his place.

NEC also appointed Joanne Clarkson as Acting Deputy Commissioner - Administration and Peter Guiness Acting Deputy Commissioner - Operations replacing Mr Raphael Huafolo and Mr Jim Andrews respectively, whose term expired on 4th July 2019.

Baki released a press statement titled: "Acting Commissioner Baki to seek restraining order against Government on appointments".

With due respect to the former Commissioner, the title of his press statement is misleading on account he is no longer the Acting Commissioner. In fact he is no longer a member of the force and should not have staged a press conference at Police HQ in Police uniform.

Mr Baki read out his 8 page statement to members of the press, to which I note the main issues below and provide my response.

Baki stated "Why did the government not follow due process and appoint them as substantive Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners instead of in acting capacities?"

"All appointments whether temporary or substantive shall be made by the Head of State, acting with and in accordance with the advise of the National Executive Council given after consultation with the Public Service Commission and any appropriate Permanent Parliament Committee, which in this case is the Permanent Parliament Appointments committee. It may take about two weeks to a month for due process to be observed so that substantive appointments can be made instead of acting."

"So the Police Minister and the Government is playing with the lives of careers of police officers."

My Response:

Am I playing politics with the lives of career Police Officers?

Hardly, it is more a case of their career expired/retired by operation of law.

Baki confirmed in his press statement that his contract expired on 7th May 2019, while the contracts of Deputy Commissioners Jim Andrews and Raphael Huafolo expired on 4th July 2019.

Section 91 of Police Act states Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners shall retire in accordance with the terms of their contracts. In this case all three contracts expired giving effect to the vacancies in office and need for urgent acting (3 month) appointments.

Mr Baki claims that when his contract expired on 7th May 2019, he was reappointed Acting Commissioner on 8th May 2019 by O'Neill Abel Government.

He rightly stated above that "all appointments whether temporary or substantive shall be made by the Head of State, acting with and in accordance with the advise of the National Executive Council given after consultation with the Public Service Commission and any appropriate Permanent Parliament Committee. This is provided for under Section 193 of Constitution.

So did Baki's appointment as Acting Commissioner follow due process by being in accordance with Section 193 of the Constitution?

Short answer is No.

In a meeting with Baki, following my appointment as Minister for Police, I requested he provide documentation supporting his appointment. He explained he submitted an application for re-appointment to then Minister of Police Jetla Wong.

However due to political impasse around the same period Mr Wong failed to submit his application before NEC.

I then asked Mr. Baki that if NEC did not meet to approve his acting appointment then which authority appointed him. He stated that he was appointed by the former Public Service Minister Elias Kapavore as the NEC delegate. However Minister has no such powers.

I then sought the advice of the Attorney General's Office who confirmed that Mr. Baki's purported Acting Appointment was illegal, therefore he was illegally acting in office.

State Solicitor also made the point that Mr Baki is 62 years of age and therefore disqualified for appointment.

This view is also consistent with advice provided by Public Service Minister, Wesley Nukundj in his letter to me dated 26th June 2019.

"Prior to the expiry of his (Baki) appointment on 7th May 2019, he had indicated that he wishes to seek re-appointment for another term. However,... as per the records, Mr Baki is now 62 years old, and since his contract has expired and with the current law in place Mr. Baki has reached the current retirement age of 60 years.. ," the Minister said.

So while Mr. Baki is claiming to still be Acting Commissioner and that he will be applying to the Courts for a restraining order against the NEC's recent appointment for failing to follow due process, I'm very much interested to see what his response will be when questioned by the Court on his standing as well his own acting appointment and the fact he no longer qualifies for the position.

My office will be carrying out an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his purported acting appointment on how he was illegally appointed and the effect of the illegal decisions made since 7th May, 2019.

Another disturbing issue is that many of the statements made during Mr. Baki's press statement were both false and misleading. For instance he claimed the Police Act 1998 states the retirement age is at 60, but in cases where necessary, the Police Commissioner can be allowed them to serve until 65.

This is false, the legislation is clear the retirement age is 60.

Baki said he informed the Minister that if the Government did not wish to consider his reappointment then he recommended that it considered one of the two deputies, Mr Huafolo or Mr Andrews for the job to allow for stability and continuity. Both Huafolo and Andrews have also exceeded the age of 60 and therefore also disqualified for re-appointment.

Baki goes on to claim the action by the Police Minister in writing to him to cease office as Acting Commissioner of Police without a cabinet decision is political interference in the running of the Constabulary. The irony about this statement is that he was never appointed by NEC (cabinet) therefore he was not even the Commissioner or a Member of Constabulary following his retirement.

The central issue is whether the recent acting appointment of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners followed due process?

Short answer is Yes.

During the recent appointment discussions, Mr. Guinness’s age being 61 disqualified him from being appointed as Deputy Police Commissioner Operations. I have since discussed the issue with him and a new appointment is expected to be announced by mid this week.

Mr. Baki's claim that Mr. Tokua's appointment goes against the spirit of that Bougainville Peace Agreement and compromises the Bougainville Referendum is absurd and ridiculous. Under the Constitution, there is only National Police Force. If anything Mr. Tokura's appointment adds to Marape Steven Government’s commitment to rebuilding trust and reconciliation with Bougainville people.

As Head of Police Force, Mr. Tokura is now best placed to ensure the Bougainville Referendum receives the full attention it deserves.

A further issue raised by Baki that all applicants would be screened by the Police Commissioner, who then submits a shortlist of candidates to the NEC through the Police Minister for its consideration and decision is not entirely correct. The appointing authority is NEC upon recommendation made by the Police Minister.

Unfortunately, there was no Commissioner as Mr. Baki retired on 7th May 2019 while both Deputy Commissioners retired on 4th July 2019 leaving three vacancies. So to ensure stability I consulted a number of Members of the Force to identify three of the most qualified, neutral and respected members of the Force to be appointed in acting positions for just 3 months so that a proper assessment of each of Assistant Commissioners for Police may be afforded fair opportunity to apply for the substantive position.

I thank Mr. Baki for the service to the State however it is time to move on and allow the next generation of senior ranking officers to be afforded the opportunity to serve our country in the highest office of Police Force.

Kramer condemns Baki

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK - The National

POLICE Minister Bryan Kramer, pictured, has accused Police Commissioner Gari Baki of protecting “corrupt politicians” by sitting on their files and not investigating them in the past four years.
He was responding to Baki’s statement yesterday that he had the files of 40 MPs on both sides of the House to investigate.
Kramer said: “He has been sitting on the files and protecting corrupt politicians. And now he wants to investigate them.
Where was he all these years? He has those files all this time. “In fact there were more complaints against MPs during his time in office and he has been interfering with and frustrating investigations. He had four years to do that.”
Kramer said Baki should have delegated the investigations of the MPs to other qualified senior officers.
“There are other police officers who can investigate these MPs for alleged fraud or alleged official corruption,” he said.
He said investigation into the 40 MPs “will still proceed”.
Kramer also defended Francis Tokura’s appointment as acting Police Commissioner “in the best interest of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea”.
“His appointment was on merit and to provide stability for a peaceful outcome during the referendum,” he said.
Baki however claimed that the change in police leadership was to “protect those in power”.
“We have investigation files on some 40 MPs in Government and Opposition,” he said.
“This includes a good number of ministers in cabinet. Will the Government give us the support and cooperation to prosecute these cases?.” He said the constabulary was only as good as political masters.
“The issue is political will, determination, genuine desire to fight corruption and support for the constabulary,” Baki said.
He said he and his two deputy police commissioners were preparing to exit the police service.
“We are not fighting to hold onto office. But we want to see the police force and officers protected. We want to see the police force free from political manipulation and interference.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/kramer-condemns-baki/

Tribunal to look into alleged misconduct

Posted by The National

Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, pictured, has appointed a Leadership Tribunal to look into allegations of misconduct in office by Maprik MP John Simon.
Sir Gibbs made the appointment following a request by Public Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin on Sept 7 last year, under the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership.
He said the allegations were related to “some funding” but would not disclose information on the nature of the allegations until they were put before the tribunal.
“I’m required to announce the appointment of the leadership tribunal.
“The allegations are related to some funding but that is not for me to tell you now as it would be properly put before the tribunal.”
Sir Gibbs appointed Justice Nicholas Miviri as chairman to be joined by magistrates Michael Apie’e and Nancy Lipai.
“I’ve served the concerned leader already of the establishment of the appointment of this leadership tribunal,” he said.
“The leader is now aware of that.
“He signed the documents of the allegations that have been made against him.
“The members of the tribunal have also been informed together with the public prosecutor of this appointment of this leadership tribunal.
“It’s my duty to appoint that under the Organic Law.”
Meanwhile, Simon declined to make any comment on the matter referring questions to his lawyer Phillip Tabuchi from Young and Williams.
Tabuchi told The National that he could not make any comments because the tribunal date had not been set.
He would only make a comment once the tribunal had started.

Go to this linkl for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/tribunal-to-look-into-alleged-misconduct/

Row over top post

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK - The National

POLICE Minister Bryan Kramer, on legal advice from State lawyers, has instructed Gari Baki to vacate the police commissioner’s office as his contract had expired in May.
He has appointed Deputy Commissioner Francis Tokura, currently the Bougainville Police Service commander, to be the acting police commissioner.
Tokura will be assisted by assistant police commissioners Joanne Clarkson (administration) and Peter Guinness (operations).
Kramer said Baki’s contract had expired on May 7 thus “he was illegally in office” as there had been no gazettal notice authorising him to act in the position.
“I got the advice from the Attorney-General’s office (last) Thursday and that made me instruct him to leave the office (last) Friday,” he said.
He informed Baki in writing.
“My letter to him was based on the advice I got from the Attorney-General’s office. The advice was that there was no existing appointment (to let Baki continue as commissioner),” Kramer said.
“Former Police Minister Jelta Wong never extended his (contract in an) acting position. Baki himself told me that the National Executive Council had never reappointed him. He made reference to some gazette notice which I’m not aware of.”
Kramer also welcomed Baki’s plan to take the matter to court.
“Even he goes to court, that would not put him back in the office,” he said.
“He is over the (retirement) age and he is no longer a member of the force.”
Kramer said the terms for deputy police commissioners Raphael Huafolo (administration) and Jim Andrews (operations) expired on July 4.
“He (Baki) himself issued the notice that both his deputies’ contracts have expired.”
Meanwhile, Baki plans to take the matter to court.
“The reason for my decision is because as far as the senior police leadership and I are concerned, due and established processes for appointments were not followed by Police Minister Bryan Kramer (in the appointments of Tokura, Guinness and Clarkson),” Baki said.
“At the outset, let me state for the record that this action is not intended in any way to discredit the three officers who have been appointed in acting capacities.
“They are experienced police officers who are more than qualified to occupy these offices.
This action is taken to protect them as well as the other senior officers of the constabulary.”
Baki questioned why the Government did not appoint Tokura, Clarkson and Guinness to substantive positions instead of in acting capacities.
“All appointments whether temporary or substantive shall be made by the Head of State, acting with and in accordance with the advice of the National Executive Council given after consultation with the Public Service Commission and any appropriate Permanent Parliament Committee, which in this case is the Permanent Parliament Appointments Committee,” he said.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/row-over-top-post/

Gulf gets K3mil LNG payment

By LUKE KAMA - The National 

FINANCE Minister Charles Abel, pictured, presented a development levy of K3.9 million from the PNG LNG project to the Gulf government in Kerema on Friday.
The payment to Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta was a replacement for an earlier government cheque issued by the Finance Department but was refused by the bank due to insufficient funds in the account.
Abel, former deputy prime minister and treasurer, said there was so much money coming into the country from the extraction of the oil and gas, particularly the PNG LNG project, but all the money was not factored into the national budget every year.
“These monies are tied to Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd and these are some of the legacy issues that I have been talking about for change in the previous government,” he said.
“We need to have that money factored into the annual budgets so that we are able to finance projects and programmes and deliver much-needed services to our people.”
Abel said the former prime minister Peter O’Neill had done a lot of good things for the country, but at the same time he did a lot of bad things too.
“But we must not dwell on the past,” he said.
“We have a new government, a new, young and vibrant prime minister in James Marape and I stay committed to support his visions for the good of our people and our country.
“Because as a leader, I have always maintained that what I do at the national, provincial and in my district is to ensure our people are served well.
“That’s all I want and I have no other interest for myself or whatever.”
Abel reiterated that the Papua LNG project was very important for the people and the country that would generate enormous benefits and it was very important too that all stakeholders and project partners worked together to ensure the project came to fruition.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/gulf-gets-k3mil-lng-payment/

Outpouring of support in plea for survival of PNG literature

By KEITH JACKSON - PNG Attitude

NOOSA – A huge number of friends of Papua New Guinean literature - authors and readers from around the world - have signed a manifesto drafted by Phil Fitzpatrick asking prime minister James Marape to commit his government to provide support and recognition for PNG writers and literature.

This morning 150 people had shown their support, with many not only signing but offering reinforcing comments for the Marape government to consider.

The manifesto is the centerpiece of a petition organised by Caroline Evari that will be handed to Mr Marape and other senior politicians in the PNG parliament in an effort to provide home-grown literature with a solid foundation.

The manifesto seeks to stimulate meaningful, tangible and scaled up governmental and institutional support for PNG creative writing by influential people who will understand, endorse and support investment in literature as a transformative force in PNG society, education, culture and nation-building.

The truth is that the renaissance of PNG literature that began in 2011 is running out of steam and is in danger of stalling.

“Without an indigenous literature, how can Papua New Guineans know their own history and tell their own stories?” asked former kiap, senior Australian health bureaucrat and PNG Attitude commentator, Chris Overland.

“The creation of a body of indigenous literature is a prerequisite for the nation to be able to discover and define itself as something greater than its constituent parts,” Mr Overland said.

And writing from Barengigl High School alongside the treacherous highlands road that runs to Mt Wilhelm from Kundiawa, principal Roslyn Tony said, “we need our own home grown literature to keep the past and present alive in pen and paper”.

I visited Barengigl in March 2017 and told an audience of the entire school that their new principal, Ms Tony, just had an essay and a poem published in a book, a Papua New Guinean book.

I then extracted from my bilum a brand new copy of My Walk to Equality, which was to be launched in Port Moresby a few days later, and presented it to a delighted Ms Tony.

The school gave a Chimbu yodel that reverberated back and forth among the surrounding lofty mountains. The  new principal had been published in a book, the book was here in Barengigl and this was cause for excitement and joy. 

We also heard from Chimbu social welfare advocate, Philip Kai Morre, who said:

“Having books in schools is important to increase intellectual ability. Books transmit knowledge and wisdom. The education department needs to buy books produced by local writers.”

I couldn’t agree more. Those books exist (Pukpuk Publications has alone published over 50) but getting them into schools, libraries and people’s hands is an extraordinarily difficult and costly task.

“I support this manifesto,” wrote Richard Dinnen from Cairns, Mr Dinnen was the ABC’s PNG correspondent from 1999-2001.

“More than any nation, Papua New Guinea needs to develop written story-telling," he said.

“It frustrates me how little there is about PNG in books and literature. You have great stories, and PNG people are great story tellers. Do it now. For your country, your children, your future. Tell your stories - develop a thriving literature.”

From Port Moresby, author Baka Bina wrote:

“Gavman mas sanap wantaim yumi long kisim olgeta rait bilong mipela.” [The government must support us by purchasing our works]

“Ol man igat stori i dai isi isi igo na ol yanpela bai nogat moa stori long rit na kisim save bilong mipela yet long Papua Niugini.” [The people with the stories are gradually dying and younger people don’t have the stories that will give knowledge to us Papua Guineans]

“Sapos dispela tingting long noken givim tingting na sapot long ol lain bai rait holim pain na stori bilong mipela, mipela bai lusim pes na luk olsem ol mahn nogat hausman.” [If there is no support for authors and our stories, a significant amount of our culture will be lost]

“History is stories. Writers write stories. A nation is invisible if its stories are (perhaps) being written and yet not available to be read. Writers and readers together imagine a nation," said friend of PNG literature, Wendy Glassby.

And Francis Nii – the prominent Papua New Guinean author, editor, publisher, commentator & literature advocate – wrote:

“Literary excellence is the key to unlocking the hidden treasures of life. We as writers and publishers are solving the writing and production issues. But schools do not have funds to buy books and do not get them unless they are made available free of cost.

“There is a disappointing lack of support both from the government and aid donors to supply PNG-authored books.

“Stories are part of our culture; books are repositories of our culture. What is it that the authorities don't understand? A nation without literature is a people with lost identity.

“Can the current government, under prime minister James Marape, embrace national literature and PNG-authored books in his government's mission of making 'PNG the richest black Christian nation' by giving PNG authors and their work special recognition and supplying their books to schools around the country?”

Social commentator, journalist, author and self-described traditionalist, Daniel Kumbon from Enga, said he feared “so much of PNG’s rich traditions will be lost if not recorded down in whatever form”.

And former vice-chancellor of the University of Technology, Dr. Albert Schram, now living in Verona, Italy,  said:

“Writing is thinking, and reading is feeding the mind.

“We all have an interest in supporting PNG literature, which will help forming confident citizens with a strong sense of identity.

"Those type of citizens will be able so successfully interact with the rest of the world, and not become its victims.”

“This country needs to invest in its own literature,” poet Caroline Evari told us. “Instead of diverting money into foreign material and making the rich become richer overnight, let’s invest in our own writers and authors.

“Let’s encourage the publication of our stories, cultures, traditions and languages as a way of preserving our heritage which will soon disappear. Most importantly, let’s fill our libraries with PNG authored books and have a bookshop that is dedicated to publishing and selling PNG books only.”

And finally, to end these extracts of the many comments received at PNG Attitude, my great friend Corney Korokan Alone, a public affairs commentator who describes himself as “a thinking and patriotic citizen of beloved Papua New Guinea advocating for a better educated citizenry”, said:

“I firmly believe that we will create a smart, healthy and wealthy Papua New Guinea, an economic powerhouse that is driven by confident, professional, patriotic, tenacious and altruistic entrepreneurs, educators and role models in every space who are community centered.

“In doing so, we will lift up others along the way with that ladder of opportunity.

“To do that, we must articulate our own destiny. Tell our own stories clearly. PNG-born artists and writers who are able to differentiate the fluff and falsehoods that gets pushed down and absorbed without questioning and second thoughts. We must see that clearly and chart our paths.”

Exactly.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/07/over-100-voices-speak-up-in-plea-for-more-support-for-png-literature.html