Government to recall Parliament to discuss Women's Seats

                                               By Jonathan Tannos - Post Courier

THE Government may have to move to recall Parliament for a special session before the November 16 Budget session.

Indications at this stage are that it will do so to pass the proposed 22 reserved seats for women candidates and its Supplementary Budget which are top of the priority list at this stage.
The Supplementary Budget Bill will total about K533 million and indications are that its 2011 budget is likely to achieve the K8 billion mark. The proposed K533 million supplementary budget was announced last week in the Highlands and Morobe by Finance and Treasury Minister, Peter O’Neill.

No recall of Parliament for women's Reserved Seats

Source - The National

The government has no plans to recall Parliament early to pass important outstanding legislations such as the bill to appoint women representatives to Parliament.

Planning Minister and leader of government business Mr Paul Tiensten said there was no point in recalling Parliament when there was no guarantee of numbers to support the bill.

"Unless I know that there is support from the Opposition, and I know we have the numbers on the floor, the Government will recall Parliament and introduce the bill.

"We cannot introduce the bill and not have the numbers (to pass it)," he said.

Tiensten suggested, with some sarcasm, that the womenfolk should start lobbying with parliamentarians to get the number for the government to introduce the bill.

This will disappoint many women leaders who had spent a lot of time and resources campaigning throughout the country, listening to people and garnering support for the bill.

Pontoons with logging equipment at Oro Bay

Pictures by Adelbert Gangai

The pictures were taken last Sunday at Oro Bay. A new mystery pontoon with a tug boat has berthed along side the first one. There is no equipment on the new arrival and Mr Gangai says he is still investigating its origin and purpose and will keep us posted. 

 

Gangai say, "As far as the landowners are concerned the project is a no go! The pontoon and its cargo should be confiscated and the Managing Director (named company) arrested for trying the laws of this country. The land titles are cancelled and the FCA is suspended. This foreigner has no respect for our laws. He should be charged by customs and deported.

Anglicare gets top marks

Source - The National

Anglicare StopAIDS has received high praise from the UNAIDS executive director and under general secretary to the United Nations (UN) Mr Michael Sidibe during his visit to the Centre last week.

Mr Sidibe said; "Life demonstrates that when a woman is in charge of an organisation, you are making a difference".

He commended Anglicare's director Dominica Bessie Abo for providing all the necessary services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) and the less fortunate with life skills, care and counselling and treatment.

"You are recreating life and restoring dignity for people, which are a blessing from God; " Sidibe said.

He was taken on a tour around the centre's various facilities including the new STI (sexually transmitted infections) clinic.

The new building is named "Begabari" which means place of peace in my language. (Begabari is in fact the name of my village and has been taken to be used in the city's Anglicare village at Waigani by the Anglican Church).

Barge sits idle at Oro Bay

By John Pangkatana - Post Courier

The barge, Cathy 15, seized by PNG Customs officials in Oro Bay last week will not move until Customs and National Forestry Service officials have completed their investigations.

Southern police commander Inspector Jerry Frank said the barge in Oro Bay would not move until implications surrounding its alleged link to logging with the customary landowners are resolved.

Cricketers head to overseas clubs

When businessman and philanthropist Sir Brian Bell passed away recently, many remembered him as having left a significant legacy. And so he has. One example is the announcement made this week that 14 young PNG cricketers will have places in Australian cricket clubs - thanks due mainly to the Brian Bell Future Star Scholarship 2010-2011.

The selected players are :- Rarua Dikana (Bentleigh Club - Melbourne), Kila Pala (Airport West Club - Melbourne), Loa Nou (Box Hill Club - Melbourne), Jason Kila (Box Hill & Coles Sharks - Melbourne, Pipi Raho (Dhoutta Stars - Melbourne) Mahuru Dai (Broadmeadows - Melbourne), Sese Bau (Bentleigh - Melbourne), Tony Ura (Broadmeadows - Melbourne), Hitolo Areni (Broadmeadows - Melbourne), Lega Siaka (Dhoutta Stars & Coles Sharks - Melbourne), Raymond Haoda (Norths Club - Brisbane), Asad Vala (Ginniderra Club - ACT), Jack Vare ( Ginniderra Club - ACT) and Norma Ovasuru (TBC Club - Tasmania).

The Brian Bell Future Stars scholarship program is designed to select Papua New Guinean cricketers with great potential who will benefit from exposure to elite competition and coaching  in another country.

Loggers turned back on their way to Sinapa, Collingwood Bay

                                              Eye-witness account from Tufi:

 "Last Monday a group of eight Malaysian men landed here at Tufi. They headed down to the wharf where they first bought a load of supplies in Cyril's trade store, and then made arrangements with a small boat to take them down the coast to Airara. A hired little dory, owned by locals who fish for the resort, would have been filled pretty much to the railings with goods and all and would have been quite a sight when it took off.

From what I hear, the Malaysian men had made a deal with a Sinapa landowner to start logging in the area. The land owner, who is a long time Port Moresby resident then turns out to be from Airara, and wouldn't under any circumstances, have rights to make decisions above the chiefs & leaders of the villagers living in the area. To me it sounds like he fooled these Malaysians quite profoundly, and that he had better kept his head down when they returned to Port Moresby. Because that's what happened!