Betel nut vendors allegedly shot, injured in police pursuit

Posted on The National

POLICE allegedly shot and injured three betel nut businessmen in a car at the 9 Mile Puma service station on Friday.
Thirteen policemen from Central allegedly drove into the station to arrest the four men inside a 10-seater vehicle at 10pm.
Lawrence Tengen told The National: “I quickly drove off because we feared the police will harass us and seize our money without any good explanation.
“They chased and started shooting at us.
“We managed to escape but bullet pellets hit my head while I was driving and my brother, Joshua Pius was injured in his right hand.”
Provincial police commander Chief Supt Johnenes Yapi said he was not informed of the incident and “I will ask my officers about it”.
“I will give a full detail of the case when the investigation report is ready,” he added.
Tenge said it was their usual routine to be in the area waiting for PMV from Gulf to be escorted to the 8-Mile Gerehu betel nut wholesale market.
“Betelnut sellers and producers have this business relationship on selling betel nuts in Port Moresby,” he added.
Both the injured were admitted to the Port Moresby General Hospital. Another victim of alleged police abuse, Thomas Pape, said he was also beaten up by the same officers when he drove into the service station.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/betel-nut-vendors-allegedly-shot-injured-in-police-pursuit/

O’Neill’s stay order extended

By TREVOR WAHUNE - The National

A STAY order on a warrant of arrest for former prime minister Peter O’Neill, pictured, has been extended because the State is yet to file affidavits in support of its submission to have the warrant executed.
The stay order was granted on Monday on Tuesday Oct 15 and the case adjourned to last Friday.
Justice Nicholas Miviri on Friday extended the order after Solicitor-General Tauvasa Tanuvasa failed to provide evidence to support his submission that O’Neill’s application to stay the arrest was an abuse of process.
Tanuvasa told Justice Miviri that O’Neill did not apply to the district court to stay the warrant because “before leave for judicial review was granted there was no interim injunctions to be granted before this court”.
He also submitted that the application for interim injunctions on O’Neill’s arrest was prematurely brought to court because it was filed as a civil proceeding although the matter was criminal in nature.
Tanuvasa also argued that the interim stay orders were not sought in O’Neill’s statement.
“There were only restraining orders. The plaintiff must plea the remedy they seek. Their orders were not pleaded in the first place,” he said.
But Tanuvasa did not cite relevant laws as evidence to his submissions when questioned by the court.
Justice Miviri said “the matter holds the liberty of a person on the line, and I need to be properly assisted”.
He told Tanuvasa that if the court was to lift the stay order, there should be laws before him to support that.
Meanwhile lawyer Greg Sheppard who appeared for O’Neill said his client was not given notice of the submissions raised by the state, and that the solicitor-general by having no evidence, might have no basis.
“The state had time to file evidence since the last sitting (Oct 21).”
Justice Miviri adjourned the matters to Oct 31.


Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/oneills-stay-order-extended/

Widow gets life insurance

Posted on The National

THE widow of the late Sgt David Hale who was gunned down in Hela while on duty has been assured her eight children will be looked after by an insurance scheme called Police Legacy.
The message was relayed to her by Assist Comm of Police (human resource division) Sylvester Kalaut.
Kalaut, who looks after the welfare and general well-being of police officers, visited Cellina David and her family in Tari last weekend.
He was accompanied by Hela police commander Chief Inspector Ignas Augwi and deputy provincial administrator Eddy Yuwi.
He passed the police force’s gratitude to Sgt Hale for “serving the police force and the country, working under very difficult and treacherous circumstances” for 23 years.
He also gave the widow life insurance entitlements and haus krai contributions from the insurer and the late Hale’s comrades.
Kalaut started the insurance scheme in 2016 which covers more than 7,000 police officers in the constabulary.
He said they acted quickly in Hale’s case because of the “circumstances surrounding his death”.
“The constabulary has a scheme called the Police Legacy, which will cater for the school-aged children of the deceased police officer,” he said.
Kalaut hailed Hale as a “true hero killed in the line of duty”.
Sgt Hale is survived by his widow and eight children.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/widow-gets-life-insurance/

Namah to PM: Act on Hela

By JEFFERY ELAPA - The National

A POLICE officer injured in an ambush in Hela was yesterday evacuated to Port Moresby, as the Opposition urged Prime Minister James Marape to quickly address the violence in his Hela province.
Oil Search Limited assisted in the medical evacuation of Constable James Kobol from Tari yesterday.
Kobol was injured in an ambush last week at the Tokoyo Bridge in Hela.
He was airlifted from Tari Hospital on an Oil Search helicopter to Moro where he was transferred to an Oil Search-chartered Link PNG flight to Port Moresby.
At Jackson airport, Kobol was met by Oil Search staff who transported him in St John Ambulance vehicle to the Port Moresby General Hospital.
Rick Loveridge, Oil Search senior vice-president medical and health services said: “We were happy to assist Constable Kobol and take immediate action upon receiving a request from Hela Governor Philip Undialu.”
Marape, the Tari-Pori MP, was in his province last week to attend the funeral of police officer Sergeant David Hale who was shot the week before.
He urged his people to stop the violence and learn to peacefully co-exist.
Yesterday, Opposition Leader Belden Namah accused Marape of failing to address law and order issues in Hela.
He said the recent attacks on police officers should prompt Marape to “take back Tari and Hela from lawlessness”.
Namah called on Marape to resign because the crime rate in Hela and the country had “spiralled out of control”.
“He does not know how to address the law and order situation in the country.
He can’t (even) control it in his district and province,” Namah said.
“He cannot defend his lack of leadership following the mass murder of innocent people, the gunning down of Sergeant David Hale last week and the chopping up of another policeman in Tari on Tuesday this week.
“The prime minister has all the resources at his disposal but cannot control law and order in his own district and province.
“What hope is there for the rest of the country?”
Efforts to get a comment from Marape yesterday were unsuccessful. Namah said Marape should arrange for a special security force operation “to flush out crime” in Hela and arrest the “senseless killers”.
“Enough of the empty rhetoric about talking back PNG and making PNG the richest black Christian nation in the world,” he said.
“He must show leadership and go back to his people and stop the senseless killings and frequent murders.
“He has failed his people of Tari-Pori and Hela,” Namah said.


Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/namah-to-pm-act-on-hela/

Marape tells people in Tari-Pori to protect public servants

Posted on The National

PRIME Minister and Tari-Pori MP James Marape told people in his district yesterday to protect public servants including police officers who were there to serve them.
He arrived with a government delegation to attend the funeral of policeman Sergeant David Hale who was killed last week.
Marape met the relatives of the late officer at the Pai police barracks.
He passed on his condolences.
Today, he will address the people of Tari-Pori and Hela in Tari town.
He told the people at Paipali village yesterday after arriving at Komo not to harm policemen and public servants and to respect the law. He said the police officers must be respected.
Marape was accompanied by Minister for Inter-Government Relations Pila Ninigi, State Enterprises Minister Sasindran Muthuvel, Hela Governor Philip Undialu, Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari, secretary for National Planning Koni Samuel and Works secretary David Were. The delegation flew into Komo and drove to Tari.
He was happy that they could inspect the road condition from Komo to Tari.
Marape wants the road from Mendi to Tari and into Komo and Koroba to be sealed.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/marape-tells-people-in-tari-pori-to-protect-public-servants/

O’Neill’s arrest stayed

Posted on The National

THE National Court yesterday issued an interim stay order on the arrest warrant issued by a lower court against former prime minister Peter O’Neill until Monday when the case returns.
Justice Nicholas Miviri granted the interim stay after O’Neill’s lawyer Greg Sheppard filed an application in the National Court at Waigani yesterday.
Acting Police Commissioner David Manning said they had obtained the warrant of arrest from the district court last Friday based on the “weight of evidence” detectives investigating an official corruption allegation against O’Neill came up with.
The warrant was to have been served on O’Neill on Tuesday but Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Operation Donald Yamasobi said O’Neill could not be located in Port Moresby.
Sheppard told the court that the stay application was sufficient because O’Neill would likely suffer “irreparable damages” caused by a “defective” warrant of arrest.
“The warrant is defective in the sense that it would pose an imminent threat to the constitutional right of the plaintiff particularly his freedom,” Sheppard said.
He said he understood that police were going to execute the warrant yesterday afternoon “unless it is stayed”.
“There is no delay on the part of the applicant in seeking this matter.”
Justice Miviri granted the stay after Sheppard argued that O’Neill was relying on a section of the National Court rules and a section of the constitution as the basis for his application.
Miviri said “the motion for interim stay is granted pending the hearing of the substantive hearing”.
The stay order gives both parties five days before the case is called on Monday for a direction hearing.
O’Neill is questioning the merit in obtaining the warrant of arrest in relation to the official corruption allegation against him.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/oneills-arrest-stayed/

SIMBUS WILL STILL SERVE YOU

By Apa Samuel Kagl

It has brought to us much tears. He served with pride and dignity and have sadly befallen in the hands of our fellow brothers.

He has dedicated more than a decade of his active life in service to you but you have send him home like this.

Today you treat us like this but tomorrow we will still serve you. It's your way and we understand you. But one day you will appreciate us.

We are servants and true servants, we will continue to serve, even if you kill us today, our sons will continue to serve humanity throughout this land at all level.

It's not about power, guns nor material wealth. It's about the honor, dignity and love in serving humanity.

We are Simbus, we will serve still. Revenge is not in our gene. Forgiveness and peace is our kind. Love is our message of service.

Simbus will still come and serve you tomorrow.

Thank you son of Simbu for laying your life in line of service to humanity.

Salute 


Rest In Peace Surgent

Fix Hela first: Namah

By REBECCA KUKU - The National

OPPOSITION Leader Belden Namah yesterday told Prime Minister James Marape to first sort out the “violence” in his home province of Hela before trying to “take back PNG”.
In a diatribe directed at government policies on law and order, Namah questioned Marape in Parliament what he planned to do “to take back the towns from warlords, criminals and trigger-happy police officers”.

Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat (left) and Opposition Leader Beldan Namah at a media conference in Port Moresby yesterday. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI

In particular, Namah highlighted during a “Questions without Notice” session the July 8 massacre in Marape’s Tari-Pori district in which 24 people including children and two pregnant women were killed.
Namah asked Marape if he had visited his district since the killings and whether the perpetrators had been arrested.
He said the incident was reported here and overseas, with Marape later issuing the warning to the criminal elements: “I am coming for you”.
“Can the prime minister tell the country now if any arrests have been made?” he said.
He told Marape that if he wanted to “take back PNG”, he must first take back Tari-Pori and Hela.
Marape in reply said Tari lacked police manpower, with only 60 officers to look after more than 400,000 people.
“For a place like Tari, you do not need community police. You need operational police and prosecuting police,” he said.
“As prime minister, and because it happened in my electorate, I cannot be greedy by mobilising resources to attend to that one matter as law and order issues are prevalent in the country,” Marape said.
He however gave Namah a pat on the back as the opposition leader, and reminded MPs on the government benches to heed advice from the other side.
“We are a democracy which requires our Opposition to be at work. And he (Namah) is just doing what he is supposed to do which is very good for the country,” Marape said.
“For those of us on this side of the house, let us not take personal offence when they raise matters of public importance. I am happy he is promoting Tari in a better light for me. So let me also commend him on that.”
Marape said the July incident was still under investigation. He thanked the families of the women and children killed for refraining from payback killings and allowing police to deal with it.
Namah also took a swipe at Hela Governor Philip Undialu and Defence Force commander Brigadier-General Gilbert Toropo for their roles during a gun-surrender ceremony in the Komo-Margarima district of Hela. Namah condemned Undialu and Toropo for celebrating with locals after the surrendering of guns.
“Why are we celebrating when we are supposed to be arresting them for being in possession of these guns? What is the bigger message?
“Are we saying that you can kill with those guns then come back, surrender them and we will celebrate?” he said.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/fix-hela-first-namah/

Undialu hopes to end fighting

By REBECCA KUKU - The National

Hela Province is host to a number of many natural resources projects that benefit Papua New Guinea.
The current biggest project, includes the PNG LNG Project source area of Hides, Angore, Kutubu, Moro, Moran and Mananda oil fields.
But despite its beauty and its resources tribal warfare continues to ravage their land as families are left homeless, children fatherless and women widowed at an early age as law and order issues continue to rise.
Cassie Kamuni is a 19-year-old widow with two young children aged three and one. Not only was her husband killed in a tribal fight but her father and two brothers as well.
“When I was 15 years old, they came in the night and killed my father and two brothers, my mother took us and we ran away back to her village.
“Without a father and brothers to stand up for us we were left defenseless, so my mum gave my hand in marriage to an old warrior who already had three wives, I was to become the fourth.
“But that is our way of life, one of his daughters is the same age as me, and we became friends.He was kind to me.”
“Though there were times when his other wives, older than I would attack me and beat me, we later became good friends and they loved my children and treated them as they were their own.
“But soon the tribal warfare began again, my husband left with his men after two weeks word reached us that he had died in battle.”
Cassie has gone back to her mother’s village but now with young ones to care for.
“All my husband’s worldly things were shared amongst the older sons; my children and I were given nothing.”
“We are now left at the mercy of my mother and her people to care for us,” she says.
Cassie says tribal fighting robbed her ofa normal childhood.
“If my father was not killed, I would be in high school now, but now I am a mother and again tribal fighting has robbed my children of a father.
“Such is the way of life for us, but it is how it has always been,” she says.
Hela Governor Philip Undialu says that Cassie’s story is just one of the many untold stories of his people.
“I can honestly say that tribal fighting has caused many damages, destructionand claimed many lives in Hela.
“Tribal fighting unlike the earthquake which just happened and is over, continues on a daily basis. Every day homes are burnt, people killed and it is an obstacle that we face every day.
“There areno actual figures, but I can say that there has been too many lives lost in tribal fights,” he said.
Undialu said that they have started holding peace mediation talks and called for the surrender of firearms but it would take a while.
“Though Hela is a resource-rich province in terms of oil and gas deposits, not everyone is benefiting from the extraction of these resources.
“That’s why, our focus is on building the welfare of individuals and that we can achieve through driving the agriculture sector and agribusinesses.”
Undialu said that the provincial government has started creating more job opportunities for their people in the hopes that warriors would lay down their arms.
“The provincial government in partnership with the LR Group from Israel established the Piwa Agro project at Tari producing around 8,000 chickens per month and Koroba Agro in the Koroba-Lake Kopiago electorate producing around 11,000 eggs per month.
“When you look at the benefits of these agribusinesses, they are generating a fair bit of income into the community.
“For instance, we have more than 30 local workers for Koroba Agro and if they are paid K350 per fortnight, you are looking at around K10,500 plus injected to the village every two weeks.
“In a month, it’s more than K20,000 put directly into people’s pockets.”
Undialu said the same was done for Piwa Agro and the price of eggs which used to be K1.50 each is now 70 toea.
“Our focus is to improve the welfare of our people and we hope to achieve that by investing more in the agriculture sector.”
He said the total investment made to establish the chicken farm was around K20million and the provincial government owns 80 per cent whilst the LR Group owns 20 per cent.
“Our next target is Wigman coffee and that will be the biggest agribusiness we will drive in the province with the aim to train around 5,000 farmers and plant around 15million coffee trees.”
Undialu hopes that with all these job opportunities people will start laying down their arms.
He said they were working on helping their people to become independent and also provide some stability in their lives so that people would have something to protect and will lay down their arms.
“We will also be providing materials for building homes for those who willingly surrender their firearms.
“If these people have permanent homes and jobs they will lay down arms because they would not want a tribal fight that would probably end with their homes being burnt.
“At the moment the homes are made of bush materials so they have no care; they can easily rebuild them again, but if we give them a stable home, they will want to protect them knowing it would not be easy to rebuild again if they get burnt down in a tribal fight,” he said.
Undialu said they were doing their best to address the issue within the province through their society context but also needed support from the National Government, non-governmental organisations, churches and other partners to address the ongoing tribal fights.


Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/undialu-hopes-to-end-fighting/

Buai off police radar

By REBECCA KUKU - The National

POLICE have more important public safety and security issues to deal with daily than chasing buai vendors off streets and public places, says Police Minister Bryan Kramer.
He told The National that it was “just not practical” for police officers to be treating as a priority the enforcement of the ban.
“Police (should) be focusing on ensuring public safety, including running operations and addressing major crimes,” he said.
“Minor crimes can also be addressed. But it’s just not practical for police to be enforcing the betel nut ban policy.”
Police teams on foot or mobile patrol duties often clash with informal market vendors selling items such as buai on roadsides, confiscating the popular fruit and other items they can get their hands on.
Kramer told The National that the top priority for police officers was to provide safety and security to the people.
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop earlier told The National that the 2013 betel nut ban policy had been amended with City Hall regulating it.
“But Parliament passed laws to make it illegal to sell betel nut in public places at the beginning of this year. It does not apply only to Port Moresby but to the rest of the country as well,” he said.
“Currently, the NCDC has not been enforcing the betel nut ban as we are waiting for the magisterial services and police to synchronise our effort before we start enforcing the ban again.”
Parkop said Parliament had amended the Summary Offence Act to have the buai ban policy become law, meaning that people would be prosecuted for selling betel nut in public places.
“Once the NCDC Magisterial Services and Police synchronise, NCDC will than start enforcing the betel nut ban. And people will then be arrested, charged and prosecuted in court for selling betel nut in public places,” he said.
Meanwhile, a police officer appeared in the Waigani Committal Court charged with murder in relation to an incident on Sept 16 in which buai vendor Peter Pamben was killed.
Constable John Selan Lavona, 40, from Rombucho village in Manus was charged with one count of wilful murder before Magistrate Cosmas Bidar.
“There are also other officers involved and yet to be arrested and charged. These are allegations made against you but investigations are yet to be completed,” Bidar said.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/buai-off-police-radar/

Send these primitives back home. But where is home? What is home?

By Nelson Himugu - via Facebook

TARI! TARI! TARI! KKK!

Many of us grew up in POM. We have friends, families, jobs, education in POM. Its been years now. We love this city we call home now. Yes we are from Hela but you people do not care that Tari is just one of the many districts and villages in the province. Tari just kamap big nem tasol lo bagarapim.

Home is where the heart is. But our heart bleeds everytime we think of home. Tribal fights, no law and order, poor education standards, poor health service coverage, poor road conditions and coverages, no fire station, no dependable electricity and water supply, no business opportunities, no employment opportunities, poor public service mechanism and the list goes on. How can our people strive in this kind of environment? Where the Government and the Developer playing divide and rule tactics to rob us of our natural resources wealth. A hostile, volatile environment. Will you? Put youselves in our shoes. We lost fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, friends in the very place we call home. We have become refugees in our own country.

We as Papua New Guineans have all the right under the sun, in this beatiful country of ours to live our lives to the fullest, and to the best of our abilities as mentioned and enshrined in the constitution by our forefathers for our great nation. We have all the right to be here just as you, no matter the circumstance, job difference, employed or not, educated or not, men, women, children, black skinned, white skinned, soft hair, fuzzy, who gives a shit. At least theres clothes on our back, food on our table and a place to rest our heads. Money doesn't grow on trees. You must struggle.

"Send them home. Charter planes, hire buses, hire boats and ships, just kill them all." WOW, PNG vs PNG. Then fellow Papua New Guineans ask them also to provide an aid in billions of Kina to these provinces so they can build better schools, health systems, airports, roads, bridges, law and order, create jobs, business opportunities, everything a provincial town needs. Better incentives so that this people don't come. Because we, well off Papua New Guineans are bleaching and scrubing our skins white and do not care about other black poor people of this country.

Lives were lost, people were injured. Laws were broke. Life is precious. Law brings peace and order. Only God makes life and for us, just once. Its very precious to God, but to us?

Condolences to the family of deceased. To the injured, wish you a speedy recovery. Taris please respect others and keep the peace. Let the Law do its job.

God bless PNG.

Group claims police demanded money, calls for investigation

Posted on The National

A GROUP of people living at Erima in Port Moresby claims the clash with police officers which led to the death of two people began after the officers had demanded money and liquor from them.
Spokesman Roy Hela Amburi called on acting Police Commissioner David Manning and Police Minister Bryan Kramer to carry out a thorough investigation.
He identified the two killed as Tarali Kopaya, 20, from Tari-Pori in Hela and Tamiabe Tigili, 18, from Komo-Margarima in Hela.
Amburi said at around 7.20pm on Thursday, five police teams drove into Erima from three directions and stopped at a small trading shop in Erima. He claimed that they demanded money and liquor.
“The police officers swore at the public and demanded the storekeeper to come out and give them money and alcohol,” he said.
He alleged that the police officers in the vehicles were “drunk”, with some in civilian clothes carrying guns. Amburi said after a while, the police officers broke into the small trading shops and fired a warning shot.
“Then they opened fired on the community from 7pm to 9pm, not caring that there were people living in the community. We saw them shoot one of the young men but we could not help him or get him to the hospital as they kept shooting.”
He said some people watching the rugby league clash between the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters were drunk too and tried to defend the people.
Amburi said when the police officers realised that the two men were dead, they abandoned one of their vehicles and moved to the bridge side of the road.
“One man from Milne Bay who was in his house having dinner with his family was shot by a stray bullet, while an old man was shot in the back. Two teenagers, aged 14 and 15 were shot in the leg. Another man was shot in the knee and another on his thighs. So far, six are injured and two are dead. We want the officers involved in the shooting to be immediately arrested.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/group-claims-police-demanded-money-calls-for-investigation/

Unrest in city

By REBECCA KUKU - The National

TWO men were shot dead and others injured during a clash between police and residents of a settlement in Port Moresby over the weekend, disrupting traffic and damaging a few passing vehicles.
Police Minister Bryan Kramer, acting Police Commissioner David Manning and National Capital District police commander talked to the people yesterday morning to calm the situation down, and managed to persuade the relatives of the two men to allow traffic to flow again on the main highway.
“We promised them that we will undertake a full investigation into the incident, and deal with everyone involved. If any member of the Constabulary has broken the law, he or she will be dealt with severely.
“There are reportedly two deaths so far and I do not wish for more deaths or injuries to occur nor do I want to see more damage done to both public and private property.
“I am appealing for calm and common sense to prevail while the investigation gets underway. The situation is still tense and details are sketchy at this point in time.”
Some locals claimed that a group of police officers had started the trouble on Thursday evening when they allegedly demanded money and liquor from shop owners. The officers had gone to the area to investigate complaints that certain shops were involved in bootlegging.

The officers were met with resistance and a fight broke out.
“Police reinforcements were called in to contain the situation. In the process two members of the Erima community were killed and members of the commuting public were attacked by Erima settlers on Saturday and again this (yesterday) morning,” Manning said.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/unrest-in-city/

PM Marape condemns violence in City

By Tonny Maben - via Facebook

Prime Minister James Marape condemns violence in Port Moresby and call for people not to take law into their own hands. Our citizens must learn to restrain from violence at all times.

With violence brewing from many of our city settlements our government proposes the following to ensure our peace loving people in the settlements and city suburbs to live peacefully and co exist in modern PNG.

Our cities and urban areas have become areas where people from all parts of our country migrate into and to control lawful living, we will require all residents of cities to have a registered identification number through our National Identification program that will be linked through the census next year.

And working with lands department and city municipals we will require all people in city to register their address of residence so we account for all who lives in our cities and towns country wide.

Our settlements in hearts of town and cities will be looked at, with a priority to convert to planned suburbs and title preferences to those who have SMEs and are in employment of any form.

Our government will put in a low cost house loan scheme for proper housing to employed Papua New Guineans and working with lands and urban departments we will build proper planned residencies for proper identified people.

We will also start a program to identify people flying into Port Moresby and those towns accessible by air like Kokopo, Wewak, Lorengau, Kimbe, Kavieng, Vanimo, Daru, Buka/Aropa, Alotau and Popodetta.

From next year we will require all citizens and users of transportation mode in our country to have identification cards and upon boarding, they must indicate their place of residents.

After 2020 census , we will link all our citizens to national identification system that will link to our national government’s educational assistance schemes, free health programs or SME assistance schemes etc.

In the meantime PM Marape condemns violence at Erima settlement and says a special team lead by Police Minister to establish what triggers these violence.

If police are in the wrong , people must not use violence to seek justice but resort to justice system to address injustice. “ if my people from Tari are involved, and l will not hesitate in embarking on a program to send those who not in school or employment or SME sector back home.” PM Marape says.

Rainbow calm

By REBECCA KUKU - The National

A VISIT by National Capital District and Central ACP Anthony Wagambie Jr to the angry community of Rainbow in Port Moresby yesterday appeared to have appeased the family and relatives of the betel nut seller killed there on Monday.
Police have been accused of killing Peter Pamben, 33, from Enga after policemen from the Rainbow market chased him to the Port Moresby National High School where he attempted to jump over the fence but was caught and allegedly beaten to death.
Witnesses told The National that Pamben got caught in the sharp ends of the fence and was calling out for help when he was allegedly pulled by the officers. In the process, his stomach was ripped open but the officers kept assaulting and kicking him as he pleaded for help until he died.
Doubts emerged yesterday whether police had acted in their rights in trying to stop betel nut traders doing their business in the capital city.
NCD Governor Powes Parkop told The National that he was not aware of any operation during the anniversary long weekend to curb betel nut vending or any other vending.
He clarified that the 2013 Betel Nut Ban Policy was amended to allow betel nuts back into the city, and city authorities were now only regulating it and controlling it. “However, Parliament has also passed laws to make it illegal to sell betel nuts in public places already at the beginning of this year and this does not apply to the National District Capital only but the country as a whole,” the governor said.
“But currently, NCDC has not been enforcing the betel nut ban as we are waiting for Magisterial Services and police to synchronise our efforts before we start enforcing the ban again.”
Parkop said Parliament had also made amendments to the Summary Offence Act so the betel nut ban policy was a national law, meaning that people could be prosecuted for selling betel nuts in public places.
“Once the NCDC Magisterial Services and police are synchronised, NCDC will start enforcing the betel nut ban,” he said.
“And people will then be arrested, charged and prosecuted in court for selling betel nuts in public places.”
Parkop said that he had not been briefed yet about the incident and did not know who was involved so he preferred to wait for a report from police before any conclusion could be drawn.
Wagambie said investigations into the death had started.
Pamben’s family, friends and relatives gathered outside the Boroko Police Station on Tuesday to protest and called on NCD Metropolitan Supt Perou N’dranou to have the policemen responsible arrested immediately.
Wagambie visited the outraged party who had gathered outside the Stop and Shop Supermarket at Rainbow yesterday morning to listen to their demands.
He was there with Chief Insp Toby Hamago, Mobile Squad One commander and other officers. “Investigation has commenced over this incident and the matter will be thoroughly investigated.
“CID Homicide Detectives, who are also here, will start investigating the incident and eye witnesses must come forward and work with the CID.”
Wagambie also urged the people to not close the Stop and Shop Supermarket as it was not responsible for the death and the supermarket was there to provide services for the wider community.
He appealed to them to stop selling betel nuts at the bus stop area as petty crimes such as pickpocketing, drug dealing, bag-snatching and public nuisance were rife there.
“It is also illegal to sell betel nuts at public places,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rainbow was calm as normalcy seemed to have been restored.


Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/rainbow-calm/

Buai seller killer

By REBECCA KUKU - The National

PAPUA New Guinea’s 44th Independence Day anniversary celebrations on Monday were marred by violence when a buai (betel nut) seller was allegedly battered to death by police in Rainbow, Port Moresby.
Relatives and friends of Peter Pamben protested outside the Boroko police station, calling on National Capital District (NCD) Metropolitan Supt Perou N’dranou to have the cops involved in the killing arrested immediately.
The killing has turned the market area into a “ghost town” with people fearing unrest. The Stop & Shop in front of the market was also closed.
Boroko police station commander James Wafihambu met with the relatives yesterday and listened to their grievances.
Wafihambu told them that N’dranou declined to meet and had asked him to tell them to follow procedures and allow the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to probe the incident.
“I cannot speak on your behalf but I will bring your appeal to his attention again,” he told the relatives. Evans Arlo told The National that his brother, a bachelor, was allegedly killed in public and in broad daylight by policemen who had arrived at the market to chase away betel nut sellers.
“Peter was chased by the policemen from the market to the Port Moresby National High School gate, where he was caught and (allegedly) battered to death by the police.
“They then, (allegedly) emptied his pockets and stole his money,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter if he was a buai seller or not. He did not deserve to die like that.”
Arlo said they were protesting outside the police station to demand the immediate arrest of those responsible for Peter’s death.
“We are appealing to N’dranou and the good Police Minister Bryan Kramer to please have those involved arrested immediately.
“Too often, we have been (allegedly) assaulted, beaten, harassed and robbed by policemen,” he said.
Arlo also called on NCD Governor Powes Parkop to review and reconsider the betel nut ban policy that had already claimed too many lives.
“The country is going through tough economic times, and many people depend on their betel nut tables to make ends meet in the city.
“Why are policemen beating up men and women for selling betel nuts? Betel nuts are also being sold in police stations.
“Even in police barracks, policemen’s families are selling betel nuts,” he added.
Arlo said they would continue to protest outside the police station till the perpetrators were hauled up.
“We have already lodged police reports and spoken with the Gerehu police station commander, and we are now in Boroko. Policemen are not above the law,” he added.
Peter’s family members, relatives and friends said they would continue to protest outside the police station till arrests were made and investigations conducted.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/buai-seller-killer/

Koim challenges staff

Posted by The National

Acting commissioner general of the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) Sam Koim says he has limited time and would like to make it count.
Koim, in his address to IRC staff in Port Moresby yesterday, said he was not there with a one-size fit all solution.
“I know that this great organisation has progressed well over the years under the leadership of then commissioner general Betty Palaso and commissioners Dr Alois Daton and Pauline Bre,” he said.
“Many of you have contributed to this progress so you should be proud,” he said.
Koim said the new level had posed new challenges, which were many and may not be solved overnight.
“The compliance rate of nine per cent last year, underreporting of K18 billion and an uncollected debt of K5 billion requires our undivided attention urgently,” he said.
“I do not see these figures as a problem, but an opportunity to make a difference.
“Imagine, by this time next year, we increased the compliance rate by 50 per cent, detect and reduce under-reporting by 50 per cent, recover 50 per cent of the outstanding debts, and prevent further under-reporting and uncollected debts accumulating.
“That is the difference I mean here.” Koim said whether one is a janitor, process clerk, auditor or assistant commissioner, everyone had a part to play to make it happen.
He assured the staff he would fight for the employees and for IRC.
“In return, can I count on you to fight for the making of this difference?”
“If it is to be, can it be up to you?
“Can you be the one to take the first step to see the difference?”
Koim will be visiting each division to learn of their work.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/koim-challenges-staff/

Law & order must be nambawan priority of government: Ipatas

By DANIEL KUMBON - Posted on PNG Attitude

WABAG - If there is one thing Enga governor Sir Peter Ipatas wants to see happen in Enga Province, it is to see his people prosper in a peaceful environment.

He would like many tourists to come annually to events like this Friday’s Enga Cultural Show or to major sporting events like the recent rugby match between Easts Tigers and PNG Hunters in the Queensland Intrust Super Cup completion.

The promotion of tourism is now one of the major policies of the Enga Provincial Government and it aims to promote peace in the province and enable the people to tap into the lucrative tourism industry.

Governor Ipatas has personally involved himself in bringing in visitors like birdwatchers and people who wanted to see how traditional salt was made at Mulisos Yokonda Salt ponds near Sirunki.

He said one reason why he was forced to resign from Peter O’Neill’s PNC-led government three months ago was because he felt the government was not seriously promoting peace in the country by addressing the dire law and order situation.

Now, he is satisfied that prime minister James Marape has appointed a most capable police minister in Bryan Kramer who he believes will transform the police force to support the new government’s pledge to take back PNG.

Sir Peter shocked many people when he joined an unprecedented exodus of resigning members and senior ministers especially as many impact projects had been established in Enga by the O’Neil – Abel government.

Among these multi-million kina projects were the Enga College of Nursing, Enga Provincial Hospital, Sirunki Agro Project, Wapenamanda Airport, Tsak Road, Philikambi Sub-district office, Tuition Free Education policy and the upgrading of the Togoba – Wabag road.

O’Neill had regularly visited Enga to officiate at groundbreaking ceremonies or to open completed projects like the main administration building at Enga Teachers College which was named after him.

“Yes, O’Neill’s service to Enga was A1 but I resigned to take back PNG and promote peace and unity in my province,” Sir Peter told an enthusiastic crowd of over 500 UPNG Enga students in May, a couple days before Marape was elected the eighth prime minister of PNG.

“Enga is a volatile province where law and order should be the number one priority of any government.

“Many people die every year in gun battles, cold blooded killings, armed hold-ups and other serious crime which impeded development.

“Any government can build multibillion kina projects but if underlying social problems like law and order was not tackled head on, the reality is that these projects can be reduced to ashes and the funds and time spent becomes wasted effort,’ Ipatas said.  

He said the Royal PNG Police Constabulary was weak, under-resourced and the police personal poorly trained to conduct proper investigations to track down criminals and effectively prosecute the perpetrators.

Even as he was speaking in Port Moresby, the Highlands Lutheran International School, one of Enga’s iconic educational institutions was smoldering in ruins after a series of arson attacks perpetrated by unknown arsonists.

On 5 May, the school lost a classroom in a fire believed to be deliberately lit by arsonists.

Two days later on 7 May, the principal's residence was burnt down at 2.30 am. The principal and her children who were fast asleep at that hour were rescued unhurt but in total shock.

After that on 14 May, the girls’ dormitory was set ablaze at midday.

Boarding students from the Enga Teachers College who also resided there lost everything they owned and left only with the clothing they wore and the books and pens they held in their hands.

Last year on 16 October, the school lost the main office complex, adjourning classrooms and the library was razed by a fire

It is very hard to put a monetary figure to all the destruction incurred by the school.

Ipatas was concerned that not one single suspect was ever arrested by police.

He said he had to make a move to install a new government to save PNG from total disaster, safeguard the livelihood of ordinary people and secure the future of all students as future leaders of PNG.

“If elected leaders did nothing to take back PNG from corporate theft, poor governance tribal warfare and deep rooted corruption than PNG as we know it will never be the same,” he said

Ipatas said O’Neill had chronically failed to listen to his advice on how to address serious national issues like law and order so prevalent in the country.

He said two years ago, he had advised O’Neill to make formal requests to the Australian government so their federal police could come and help us control the escalating law and order situation in the country.

He claimed our own police wanted allowances first before they could do anything and were of no help in the fight against crime.

Ipatas felt his 21 years of hard work in building infrastructure and other developments in Enga would go down in one day of tribal warfare in which people used high-powered guns to kill each other and destroy property.

Last year, police did not arrest any suspect in a tribal war which saw over 10 men killed and destruction to property worth millions of kina which occurred right in the heart of Kandep town.

The Enga Provincial Government allocated enough funds but the police had failed miserably to make any arrests – the cause of which was over a woman who had been seeing two men.

“Who in PNG will fix our law and order problems if we politicians turn a blind eye on the biggest threat to development and peace – law and order. We do not have freedom so we have to address this issue and allow our people to live peacefully,” Ipatas said.

Sir Peter has been a politician all his life – 18 years in local level government and 22 years in provincial and national level politics.

He has the experience to clearly see that law and problems can very easily wipe out everything the government or individuals have accomplished.

He said one way to safeguard lives and properties was to ensure government departments like police and statutory bodies like the Ombudsman Commission were allowed to operate independently free from political influence.

The government will have to strengthen these institutions by allocating more funds and resources to enable them to effectively uphold the rule of law.

“I am happy I played a part to install the new Marape- Davis government which already seems to be wining the confidence of the people,” he said.

“I know Enga will gradually change. More visitors will come when there is peace and unity among the people.”

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/08/law-order-must-be-nambawan-priority-of-government-ipatas.html

New PNG Police minister to target Paladin, UBS

By Angus Grigg, Lisa Murray and Jonathan Shapiro - Financial Review

Papua New Guinea's Police Minister, Bryan Kramer, has pledged to investigate links between controversial security contractor Paladin and former prime minister Peter O'Neill, while calling out investment bank UBS for its "fishy" dealings in the Pacific nation.

The outspoken Mr Kramer, who was a surprise appointment to the cabinet of James Marape last month, said Mr O'Neill must be held accountable for corruption and decay during his seven years in power.

He described the former prime minister as the "centre point" of patronage networks in PNG and said one avenue of investigation was any ownership links between Mr O'Neill and security firm Black Swan, which was purchased by Paladin for an undisclosed sum in July last year.

“That is what I want to establish, to see if there is any clear lead between Black Swan and Peter O’Neill," Mr Kramer told The Australian Financial Review during a visit to Sydney.

Black Swan has been continually forced to deny any links with the family of Mr O'Neill, even as it won lucrative government contracts, including being the main security provider at the APEC regional forum last year.

The security firm was set up by Australian Brian Kelly and a relative of Mr Kramer, PNG-Australian businessman Francis Kramer. Bryan Kramer was a director of the firm until 2012. Mr Kelly was listed as the sole owner when Paladin purchased the firm. Apart from the APEC contract, Black Swan has also worked for local company Remington Technology, which is part-owned by Mr O'Neill.

Paladin's purchase of Black Swan came less than a year after it was awarded federal government contracts now worth $532 million to provide refugee services on Manus Island in PNG. Paladin was awarded these contracts without an open tender, a deal that has been the subject of heated questioning in Senate Estimates, is being investigated by the Auditor-General and is the subject on an internal audit by Home Affairs.

Mr Kramer was in Australia with Prime Minister James Marape, who during his week-long visit held talks with his counterpart Scott Morrison, took in a rugby league game, visited a school and gave a speech at the Lowy Institute.

"Now is the time to tackle the cancer of corruption that has taken hold, using the power of prosecution and all other means that we have at our disposal," Mr Marape told Lowy on Thursday evening in Sydney. Mr Kramer, as the newly installed Police Minister, is responsible for investigating corruption and has vowed to deliver some "real hits" within three months.

In addition he has pledged to run his own investigation into the so-called UBS loan affair, which saw PNG borrow $1.2 billion from the investment bank in March 2014 to purchase a 10 per cent stake in the ASX-listed Oil Search.

PNG is estimated to have lost around $420 million on the deal after Oil Search shares fell sharply on the back of a drop in oil prices. "The whole deal from day one was bad … you don’t borrow [money] to invest in the stock market,” Mr Kramer said.

PNG PM James Marape watched a rugby league game with Scott Morrison. AAP

He said UBS, which put the deal together, should have been wary about entering into a rushed transaction, which was not approved by Parliament and was rammed through cabinet.

“The likes of UBS, these international bankers, they should have the experience to understand something that appears like a red flag transaction,” he said. “Any ordinary person in the banking industry would say this smells fishy, this entire arrangement." At issue is whether UBS either ignored or failed to ask sufficient questions around the legality of the transaction.

The Ombudsman Commission of PNG found the state solicitor was given 28 volumes of documents at midnight on the eve of a special cabinet meeting convened to approve the loan.

It found this was insufficient time to “give legal clearance”. However the state solicitor did have time to rule that parliamentary approval was required for the loan, under section 209 of the Constitution. This was never sought, which has thrown into question the legality of the deal.

In its report, the Ombudsman noted 14 of cabinet’s 33 members were not present to approve the loan, while Treasurer Don Polye resigned before the meeting in protest. “So it will come down to what they ought to have known … what the lawyers ought to have known, what UBS ought to have known,” said Mr Kramer.

The UBS loan and the transactions which followed PNG's purchase of the Oil Search stake will be examined by a Commission of Inquiry, announced by Mr Marape soon after he came to office in late May.

Mr Kramer said he would run a "parallel" investigation to the Commission of Inquiry, which will have similar powers to a royal commission but is yet to be convened or have its terms of reference settled. 

In an effort to ensure an independent Commission of Inquiry there is a push to appoint an Australian judge, with commercial expertise and PNG experience, to oversee the investigation. Mr Kramer said he was in favour of appointing an Australian judge, who could be seconded to PNG as part of Canberra's aid program.

"The perceived fairness of having someone from the outside would be a step in the right direction, the better option,” he said. "It would be the best way forward, assuming a foreign judge would take that position.”

Go to this link for more: https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/new-png-police-minister-to-target-paladin-ubs-20190726-p52b36