Bulolo Live

Basil calls for unity on Indonesian military jet incident

2012-01-21T14:26:00.000+10:00

Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Sam Basil today urged the nation to remain united over the Indonesian military jet incident involving the Falcon jet.

“No nation, however large or small, however rich or poor, however large or small its army, should be allowed to intimidate, coerce, manipulate and dominate another,” Basil said.

“That is one of the pillars that hold up the United Nations and the basis upon which Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah raised the issue on the November 29, 2011 incident.”

Basil was referring to the much-publicised issue on an intercept by two Indonesian military jets on the Air Niugini-managed Falcon jet.

Namah and his business partners together with Minister for Police ohn Boito and Basil were on-board as well flying over Sulawesi in the Indonesian air space when the incident happened.

“I am urging Papua New Guineans not to be swayed by malicious and untrue suggestions that the Falcon jet was carrying US$250 million," Basil said.

"That is a red herring – a mere diversion from the real issue.

“The Falcon jet was chartered by the Bewani oil palm project and was ferrying business partners in the project which included Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah, Minister Boito and myself.

“I was there because the trip offered insights into oil palm project management which is useful in the light of the Tekadu oil palm project in my Bulolo electorate as well as the Markham Valley oil palm project in Morobe generally – not to mention that as National Planning and Monitoring Minister I would sooner or later have to deal with oil palm-related issues.

“As a commercial chartered aircraft, all of us were subject to the rigorous checks required under customs, immigration and civil aviation laws of the various countries where we landed.

"That includes declaration if any one of us was carrying more than the equivalent of K10,000 in cash which we all complied with.

"“With the kind of portfolio held by Boito and my own strong stance in fighting corruption shown in the Investigative Task Force Sweep, why would we be a party to money laundering or any kind of illegal activity for that matter?

“If there was the slightest sniff or suggestion of money laundering or illegality of any kind, I personally would have distanced myself from the trip.”

The Bulolo MP added: “Spearheaded by Mr Namah, we formed the new O’Neill-Namah Government that wants to see issues like lying over shares one holds, resisting and delaying legitimate Ombudsman Commission processes through the court system, unexplained missing Taiwan dollar-for-Ddplomacy funds, breaking multitude of PNG, Solomon Islands and international aviation laws highlighted in the Defence Force Inquiry into the Julian Moti Affair and extensive waste of funds in the Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance with no one charged or prosecuted to date.”

Basil said that the Deputy Prime Minister, a national leader of Papua New Guinea hasdexpressed concern based on what was observed and the reports of the pilot and co-pilot on the incident involving the two Indonesian military jets.

A diplomatic note has given to the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia who have in turn responded suggesting discrepancies in dates approved when the Falcon jet would be using Indonesian air space and as justification for the actions of their military jets.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, as executive head of Government has accepted the response subject to clarification on the dates and assured the Republic of Indonesia on the importance of amicable bilateral relations between our two countries.

Basil said that he personally finds the Indonesian Embassy response shallow and wanting.

Referring to the Occurrence Report - O471-11 Apparent Intercept by Military Jet Aircraft over Indonesian Airspace by Captain Christopher Smith, Basil said that the Falcon jet despite being on course and on altitude was given a traffic alert on their traffic collision avoidance system and a resolution advisory which caused Captain Vincent Kipma to disengage the autopilot. He had to make a steep climb “to avoid a collision”.

Following the “bizarre confrontation”, Captain Smith radioed Ujung control asking if they had the Falcon jet’s overflight permit which was issued on November 27, 2011 and valid for seven days.

The report states: “After several minutes, they responded with an affirmative. A phone call was then placed to Universal Weather from the flight phone explaining the engagement and to check the validity of the Overflight Permit.

"They acknowledged that it was valid and said they would follow up with Indonesia on their end.”

Basil concluded: “I agree there is a discrepancy.

"Someone is not telling the truth – and the truth as a way of sipping out despite best efforts to cover up – even by nations.”

Basil levels charges against Morobe leader

2012-01-18T17:14:00.002+10:00

BULOLO MP Sam Basil has levelled serious corruption allegations against his Morobe Governor Luther Wenge during debate on the National Anti-Corruption Strategy statement in parliament yesterday, The National reports.

Basil, who is National Planning Minister and deputy leader of PNG Party, made the allegation against Wenge who is in government ranks.
Last week, PNG Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah went on national radio calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to resign.
Wenge, who took the floor to debate the issue, alleged that corrupt people included politicians and public servants.
Basil raised a point of order, then, pointing fingers at Wenge, said that the governor was involved in corrupt dealings with land sales in Lae.
Wenge denied the claim, adding that those pointing fingers should be investigated to see whether they were clean.
During debate, Wenge said that corruption had become a part of PNG life from small people, to churches, public service and members of parliament.
He said he supported the statement from the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, adding that it would be a huge task in tackling corruption but at least a start had been made.
Wenge said when politicians choose their own district administrator because the person had contributed pigs to his election gathering that was corruption

Basil spotlights Sir Arnold’s legal inconsistencies

2011-12-05T09:20:00.002+10:00

National Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil has called on former Chief Justice and Governor of Madang Sir Arnold Amet to stop “preying” on judges’ ‘emotions and opinions’.

Basil said that Sir Arnold should realise that he was no longer on the bench as the chief justice but a politician and a member of the opposition.

“His continuous media circus is not only contemptuous but subjudicial to the pending Supreme Court decision on the validity of the events of August 2 in Parliament,” he said referring to Parliament’s declaration of vacancy and election of Ialibu MP Peter O’Neill as Prime Minister.

“Let the judges do their job and stop preying on their emotions and opinions,“ an incensed Basil said.

“The insinuations that he is portraying through the media pre-empts the outcome of the Supreme Court decision and such does not paint a good picture on the independence of the judiciary.

"He talks as if the judiciary is in his steal pocket.

"That is contemptuous and subjudice.”

Basil, Bulolo MP, said that Sir Arnold seemed to enjoy conducting trial by media with full page advertorial in the newspapers, setting out his legal arguments as he did it over and over again.
“It is surprising that he has all of a sudden become the self appointed guardian angel of the Constitution,” he said.

“Some one should look back and see that not too long ago, the following happened:

He allowed the nomination of Sir Paulus Matane as the Governor General at the eligibility vote stage, directly breaching the Constitution which was later nullified by the Supreme Court, and had a senior statesman in the likes of Sir Paulus walking off the public life disgracefully;
He was part of the Somare-led Government’s unexplained adjournment of Parliament sittings, yet said nothing about the Constitutional requirements as affirmed by a majority Supreme Court ruling of which he was the sole dissenting one;
He was a part of the Cabinet that delayed and frustrated the appointment of two medical doctors on the medical condition of Sir Michael Somare for more than three months. Effectively the country was without a permanent chief executive officer for more than three months but Sir Arnold would not arise to defend the spirit of the Constitution;
He even attacked the judiciary just to protect the former kitchen cabinet ministers who were suspended by the Supreme Court pending their leadership tribunal. Now he is becoming the best buddy for the judiciary, making representations as if he had secured the Supreme Court decision in his favour;
He was the controversial legal advisor to the previous government, protecting and advocating the cause of corrupt politicians within government, which was the cause of frustrations that led to the change of government. His controversial advice and the heavy reliance on it by the former Prime Minister and Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare cost the old man his political career, loss of the Prime Ministership and finally the dishonourable dismissal from Parliament. Basil added: “May I remind him to check his hands whether it’s clean before crying foul at the current O’Neill/Namah Government that is trying to address the immediate needs of our people that had been neglected by the previous government. “We respect the judiciary to make its own decisions and we as Government will manage the consequences. The judges are Papua New Guineans and they live in Papua New Guinea. Please leave them alone to do their job.”

Sam Basil reflects on the ‘oppressive’ 9 years under National Alliance

2011-11-22T18:00:00.001+10:00

National Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil today called on Papua New Guineans not to be quick to forget nine years of oppressive, manipulative and back-stabbing regime under National Alliance.

Basil said that the people must not allow National Alliance Party to think they are suffering from memory loss or amnesia on their antics while in power.

"Their nine-year reign was an oppressive, manipulative and back-stabbing time for MPs aligned with them.

"It is common knowledge – and well-documented in press publications and broadcasts, parliamentary Hansard and court files just how twisted and evasive their regime was," Basil said.

"Start with the Julian Moti case in which directions from the Prime Minister's Office resulted in breaking multi-laws – domestic as well as international."

"Look at the way NA swept under the carpet allegations of PNG Cabinet Ministers' involvement in the Taiwan diplomatic scandal in which money changed hands.

"Look at how they kept manipulating the Speaker to gag debate on pertinent issues in Parliament and their bulldozing of then Attorney General and Justice Minister Dr Allan Marat to sign off on a legal and highly technical heads of agreement on gas – a new industry and venture in PNG.

"Millions of kina has been paid out to appease landowners in the gas wells and economic corridor without following proper procedures.

"Note also the way NA MPs tried to delay facing Leadership Tribunals through the courts only to find that their delays had no substance and the then Prime Minister was found guilty of misconduct in office."

Basil said that with that kind of track-record in governance, what sort of regime can PNG expect if they are returned to power.

"Look at the way they have been panting for power since they were thrown out: instead of forming an effective opposition and keeping the O'Neill-Namah Government accountable and transparent, they are going around calling themselves Ministers still," Basil said.

"I feel sorry for those who might want to re-join NA after breaking ranks with them to join us to oust them from power. You may be courted now but you will be mercilessly and drastically struck down if they secure power."

Reiterating his earlier comments, Basil said: "MPs and political parties who joined wih Peoples National Congress and PNG Party to form the O'Neill-Namah Government are not blind and deaf.

"They know and are mindful of the reasons they broke ranks with an NA-led regime. No great transformation has changed any of the key NA players behind the mooted change.

"They are the same and the same fate awaits any naïve enough to empower them.

"The gap has been created for the new generation of leaders to take this country forward. One or two steps back will only allow the old guards to repeat their old ways of doing things.

"If Sam Abal cannot be the Opposition Leader then I call on the likes of Francis Potape, Isaac Joseph, James Marape, Fidelis Semoso or other young and vibrant leaders from the Opposition to take control just like what we did when we were in the opposition.

"The world doesn't end with the old guard. We young, vibrant and visionary leaders must prove our worth and rise up whether in Opposition or in Government. We owe it to our voters back home to perform to the best of our ability."

Basil decries neglect of Opposition

2011-11-22T17:51:00.001+10:00

National Planning and Monitoring Minister Hon Sam Basil today called on Wabag MP and former acting Prime Minister Sam Abal to take the reins of the Opposition immediately.

"If Mr Abal does not assume the chair as Leader of Opposition, I am challenging the young MPs to take up the challenge and assume the positions instead of leaving a unhealthy vacuum in the highest democratic institution of the nation," Basil said, reiterating his call from yesterday.

Basil's call follows a chaotic disarray among ousted former Government Ministers and MPs today when Speaker Jeffery Nape ousted Pomio MP Paul Tiensten as a parliamentarian.

The lack of coordinated approach by the ousted MPs who were in Government previously was evident as they looked for direction and leadership.

"These MPs are neglecting their duty to ensure that we have a vibrant democracy in which the Government-of-the-day is daily held accountable for decisions that are made," Basil said.

"The neglect in duty while Pomio MP Paul Tiensten was evading the strong arm of the law without any leadership guidance is the reason why he missed three Parliament sessions which resulted in his disqualification as a Member of Parliament."

Basil said: "We, young MPs who were in the Opposition for four years, were served well by our veteran MPs in New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan, Moresby Northwest MP and (now) State Enterprises Minister Sir Mekere Morauta and Lae MP Bart Philemon who is now Public Service Minister.

"They provided stability of leadership and groomed us to know our duty as Members of the nation's supreme law-making body of Papua New Guinea – the Parliament or Legislature.

"It is now time for MPs in their third or second term of Parliament and are in the Opposition to wake up, snap out of their hangover of power and positions and perform their routine and necessary duties as legislators.

"Abal is a seasoned MP. Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare saw fit to give him the acting Prime Ministership on a golden platter. Now it is up to him to show Papua New Guinea the credentials that Sir Michael saw.

"As I said yesterday the world doesn't end with the old guard. We young, vibrant and visionary leaders must prove our worth and rise up whether in Opposition or in Government. We owe it to our voters back home to perform to the best of our ability."

Motorcyclers thrill at Bulolo Show

2011-09-23T15:58:00.000+10:00

BULOLO District in Morobe staged its first ever cultural show on the Sept 16-18 coinciding with the country’s 36^th Independence anniversary celebrations.

Thrilling the crowd at the Bulolo Show.-Pictures by PETER BOYD

The event was staged in Mumeng Town.

Traditional singsing groups from the six LLGs of Bulolo, Mumeng, Buang, Watut, Biangai and people from other parts of Morobe who live in Bulolo and Wau like the Kabub singsing group took part.

Bulolo MP Sam Basil meets rider Daniel Hargreaves and others as show committee chairman Stanley Komunt, of MMJC (centre) looks on

Bulolo’s own sons and PNGs famous artists Lister and Amon Serum performed live to entertain the show goers.

Other entertainment included a string band competition, greasy pole climbing, inter LLG tug of war.

The highlight of the day was without a doubt a visit from Morobe Motorcycle Club riders who stopped halfway through a two day fun race from Bulolo to Edie Creek and back to Lae.

Waterfall near Buang on Snake River

The large crowd was witness to a display of wheel stands, jumps and riders riding without too much skill or control.

The invitation to participate in a race at Independence weekend was extended to the MMC several months earlier by show chairman Stanley Komunt and it proved a great success.

Ploughing through a quagmire

The 'fun' race started with a small but enthusiastic group of riders in Bulolo on the Saturday who rode to Wau via PNGFP tracks and overnighted at the Wau Adventures headquarters, home to Tim and Danielle Vincent.

Crossing the Snake River...hoping not to fall

The first day’s easy riding determined the starting order for the grueling second days riding.

Day two saw local favourite and PNG'S No.1 bike Rider Daniel Hargreaves take a commanding lead in the first of the days special stages, a savage hill climb to the summit of Mt Kaindi at 7800ft and back to Wau.

Rider about to crash near summit of Mt Kainti, at 7800 ft, outside Bulolo enroute to Hidden Valley

This section took its toll on riders and bikes with several riders crashing and Tim Vincent of Wau Adventures, PNG'S Premier Adventure Tourism Company, suffering badly bruised ribs - forcing him to pull out of any further racing.

Ow! That hurts!

Leg two was the reverse of the first day’s course from Wau to Bulolo and convincingly won by Suzuki rider Michael Schulz with a clear gap to Hargreaves, who was unable to maintain his first afternoons pace.

A steep descent

A short third leg from Bulolo to Mumeng saw the riders cross the line within a minute of each other, the tarmac riding not being to anyone's liking as the thought of crashing on tarmac was enough to deter anyone from risking life and limb - all riders knew that the last section of 94km from Mumeng Station to MMJV Headquarters at 9-Mile Lae would require all their energy and attention.

Riding in fog is an unbelievable experience, the forest is dead quiet except for the bikes' sound

Thirty minutes were spent entertaining the crowd at the Bulolo Show and taking advice on the route ahead from MP Sam Basil, one of the few people who had actually driven down the Snake River to Buang and Gabensis.

The route chosen followed the Snake River past Buang, Wagau and onto Gabensis on the Bulolo Highway - a distance of 65km, and finishing off with a 30km road stage.

Village people close to Wagau - experiencing a motorbike for the first time in their lives

The only problem was that so much fun was had at Mumeng entertaining the crowd that riders lost track of time and were very late leaving Mumeng.

Heavy fog and fading light slowed the bikes to a crawl for over an hour past Buang and Wagau.

Drops on either side of the overgrown track were vertical and deadly and any thoughts of racing were set aside with safety of riders paramount.

Several of the bikes had no lights and this meant extra care needed to be shown.

What should have taken two hours took five hours and at 8pm the bikes arrived at MMJV headquarters with riders exhausted having commenced riding at 9am that morning.

Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Samuel Basil officiated at the show which was attended by over 3, 000 people.

Basil thanked the show chairman Stanley Komunt and his committees and all the sponsors for making the event a success.

Major sponsors:

Bulolo District - Joint District Planning & Budget Priority Committee (JDP&BPC) – K85,000 in cash
Morobe Mining JV (MMJV) K20,000 in kind
Hornibrooks NGI Limited – K5,000 in cash
Bank of South Pacific (BSP) – K3,000 in cash
Island Mobile Hirecar
Lae Biscuits company
ArmSec Limited
Digicel PNG
NBC Morobe
Zenang Chicken
Bulolo District Administration

Inaugural Bulolo Show a success

2011-09-23T14:11:00.001+10:00

The Bulolo Show held over Independence long weekend was first of its kind after many years without such a show.

It was initiated and supported by the Bulolo District, Joint District Planning & Budget Priority Committee (JDP & BPC) under the chairmanship of Bulolo MP and National Planning Minister Samuel Basil.

Stanley Komunt was appointed as show chairman and supported very well by deputy chairman Tony McHarets and Mumeng local level government president and Morobe provincial mining chairman Mathias Philip, Mumeng LLG manager Samuel Philip, and Bulolo district administrator Tae Guambelek.

Bulolo District staged its first-ever cultural show on Sept 16-18, 2011 coinciding with PNG's 36th Independence anniversary celebrations.

This important event was staged in Mumeng Town.

This location was chosen as it was convenient for tourists or visitors from Lae and other parts of PNG to travel to and fro from Lae and also local people from Wau, Bulolo and Watut to come down.

There were traditional singsing groups from the six LLGs of Bulolo - Mumeng, Buang, Watut, Biangai and people from other parts of Morobe who live at Bulolo and Wau.

There were other entertainments such as string band competition, greasy pole climbing, inter-LLG tug-of-war, motor cycle show, and many more.

Bulolo's own sons and PNG's famous artists Lister and Amon Serum performed live to entertain the show goers.

The event started with the flagraising ceremony on Sept 16, followed by the cultural show the next day.

On Sept 18, there were two greasy poles, tugs-of-war, greasy pig chase, motor cycle show and handing out of prize money.

Guest-of-honour was Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Samuel Basi.

It was attended by Bulolo district administrator Tae Guambelek, Mumeng LLG president Mathias Philip, Buang LLG president Stephen Sep, Wau Rural LLG manager John Yawa, MMJV general manager David Wissink, BSP Momase regional Manager Mark Kamuja and Bulolo BSP staff.

A notable presence was former Markham MP, Andrew Baing.

There were well over 3, 000 people who attended the three-day event, with lots of positive comments.

Basil, when closing the show, announced that his JDP&BPC would continue to support next year and the years to come. T

He also acknowledged and thanked show chairman Stanley Komunt and his committee, as well as sponsors for making the event a success.

Major sponsors:

1. Bulolo District - Joint District Planning & Budget Priority Committee (JDP&BPC) – K85, 000 in cash

2. Morobe Mining JV (MMJV) K20, 000 in kind

3. Hornibrooks NGI Limited – K5, 000 in cash

4. Bank of South Pacific (BSP) – K3, 000 in cash

5. Island Mobile Hirecar

6. Lae Biscuit Company

7. ArmSec Ltd

8. Digicel PNG

9. NBC Morobe

10. Zenang Chicken

11. Bulolo District Administration

Basil hits back at Abal

2011-09-06T10:34:00.001+10:00

"I can't believe former acting prime minister and Member for Wabag Sam Abal would sink so low as to verbally place the Grand Chief on a collision course on the floor of parliament by suggesting that Sir Michael would take the Prime Minister's seat in parliament," he said.
"Firstly, there is only one head of the legislature, which is the Speaker of the National Parliament, Jeffery Nape.
"Sam Abal was there when the new Prime Minister Peter O'Neill was elected in parliament. The instruments of appointment were signed by the Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio.
"Why has Abal, knowing all this, attempted to direct Sir Michael to a chair already occupied by O'Neill?
"That is pre-emptor of the Supreme Court case and should amount to contempt both of
the court and of the national parliament," Basil said.
"What I fail to understand is just what sort of family, friends and associates would drag a weak, struggling, old man who many respect as the founding father of the nation in their political power games.
"Why can't they all appreciate that whatever the Supreme Court ruling is, the bottom line is that 70 MPs against 24 voted in O'Neill as the new prime minister on Aug 2 in parliament and will do so again if required."
Basil intends to refer Abal to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee for his comments on the chair to be occupied by Sir Michael.
He said the comments threatened the decorum and dignity of parliament.

Basil hits back at Abal

2011-09-06T10:28:00.000+10:00

NATIONAL Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil has described as irresponsible and unbecoming comments by parliamentarians determined to usurp power by using Sir Michael Somare, The National reports.
"I can't believe former acting prime minister and Member for Wabag Sam Abal would sink so low as to verbally place the Grand Chief on a collision course on the floor of parliament by suggesting that Sir Michael would take the Prime Minister's seat in parliament," he said.
"Firstly, there is only one head of the legislature, which is the Speaker of the National Parliament, Jeffery Nape.
"Sam Abal was there when the new Prime Minister Peter O'Neill was elected in parliament. The instruments of appointment were signed by the Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio.
"Why has Abal, knowing all this, attempted to direct Sir Michael to a chair already occupied by O'Neill?
"That is pre-emptor of the Supreme Court case and should amount to contempt both of
the court and of the national parliament," Basil said.
"What I fail to understand is just what sort of family, friends and associates would drag a weak, struggling, old man who many respect as the founding father of the nation in their political power games.
"Why can't they all appreciate that whatever the Supreme Court ruling is, the bottom line is that 70 MPs against 24 voted in O'Neill as the new prime minister on Aug 2 in parliament and will do so again if required."
Basil intends to refer Abal to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee for his comments on the chair to be occupied by Sir Michael.
He said the comments threatened the decorum and dignity of parliament.

Basil in Alotau

2011-08-30T13:52:00.001+10:00

National Planning Minister Sam Basil (right) arrived in Alotau, Milne Bay, yesterday for the provincial consultative meeting. He was met at the Gurney Airport by Kiriwina-Goodenough MP Jack Cameron. Officials attending the meeting included area managers, district administrators and council presidents and public servants. The meeting was opened yesterday by Alotau Mayor Gita Elliot with Basil giving the keynote address.

Government will ensure LLGs are equipped, says Basil

2011-08-30T10:40:00.001+10:00

THE national government will ensure that local level government wards in the country are given necessary machinery and vehicles to facilitate the delivery of basic services, National Planning Minister Sam Basil says, The National reports.
He said last week in Kokopo, East New Britain, the government would focus on rural areas which currently lacked basic services.
Basil said LLG managers needed to have bulldozers which they must operate and maintain for at least 2,000 hours, and use them during bad weather to repair roads.
"This way LLGs can fix their roads and open up the market for people in rural areas," he said.
He said LLG managers must each have a police car and an officer who could train 10 locals as reservists to help monitor law and order in the communities.
Basil said police presence must be maintained in rural areas in light of recent land and social problems.
He said an ambulance should be stationed at the LLG level to help those seeking health services
Basil said the VSat system was important to provide communication so that LLGs could be hooked up to a fax machine and access internet to submit reports to the provincial and national governments when needed.
He said a tractor would allow the LLG to plough the land for agricultural use.
Basil said all these could be operated on a user-pay basis but the government must provide these equipment and vehicles so that people could enjoy better services.
He urged parliamentarians to wisely use the K20 million they received from the government on sustainable projects.

Bulolo Show on next month

2011-08-29T21:12:00.001+10:00

By RIGGO NANGAN

THE new location of the flood-devastated sub-district headquarter of Mumeng , which is at the Zenag chicken farm land area in Bulolo district, will be the centre of attraction when the six local level governments (LLG) in the district will stage a cultural show during the Independence weekend next month.

A committee has been set in place to organise the show which is expected to lure cultural groups from as far as Waria LLG and the neighboring Menyamya district, who will be participating to show their culture.

The Buang yam culture will be one of several other cultures from the district that will be exhibited. Traditional string bands without the use of musical instruments like the factory -amde guitars and ukuleles, should astonish everyone.

On the commercial side of things, one of the highlights, if all goes well, will be a cross country motor cycle jaunt that will see riders taking off from Lae through the unattended short cut road to Buang from the turn off at Gabensis village.

Organising committee chairman, Stanley Komuts, says companies operating within the district as well as Lae, have been given the opportunity to display their products if they so wish.

Komuts said the formal Independence activities will held on Independence Day , which is Friday , September 16 while Saturday and Sunday will be occupied with cultural show exhibitions and the presentation on Sunday afternoon.

He said gates will be free of charge and every cultural group, string bands and singsing groups will be rewarded for taking part.

The Bulolo cultural show, if successful, will become an annual event in the district in the years to come.

Basil wants natural resources to be processed downstream

2011-08-26T15:13:00.001+10:00

MINISTER for National Planning Sam Basil says all natural resources in the country must be processed downstream and the final product exported, The National reports.

Speaking at the opening of the National Development Forum hosted by the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council at the Parliament House State Function Room, Basil said renewable and non-renewable resources must go under downstream processing onshore so that the country benefited from it.
"When we have downstream processing here, we will add value to our export commodities and maximise economic returns and benefits back to our country," he said.
"And most importantly, it will create employment, transfer skills and technology to Papua New Guineans and spin-off benefits apart from main revenue gain from the resources."
Basil said the traditional role of the government was to create an enabling environment for indigenous people to empower themselves and own and control the bulk of economic activities in their country.
He said for too long foreign-owned corporations had been ripping off the country's natural resources, leaving nothing for Papua New Guineans.
"Now there is a policy change under the O'Neill-Namah government whereby the indigenous people will have the upper hand in any resource development so that the bulk of the rural majority can see some changes in their living standards," he said.
Referring to the exports of round logs, he said they had the potential to collect billions of kina if they could be processed here.
"We need a policy shift to have a downstream processing in the country so that all our natural resources can be processed here so that we maximise the benefits," Basil said.

National Planning plans visits to LLGs

2011-08-17T10:31:00.001+10:00

By ALISON ANIS

THE Department of National Planning and Monitoring is carrying out a consultative programme targeting all local level governments (LLG), Minister Sam Basil says, The National reports.
Basil yesterday announced the consultations process would begin on Monday in Alotau, Milne Bay.
"This is the first time we will be consulting with the LLG managers in all four regions to see how we can work with them to improve service delivery and basic infrastructure," he said at a media briefing at Vulupindi Haus.
Basil said district and provincial administrators were invited to join the meetings planned for this month but the key people during consultations would be LLG councillors and managers.
"These are the people who truly represent the grassroots and people of the country," he said.
"We believe that all LLGs and districts in PNG must have the resources and must be empowered to look after themselves," Basil said.
He said his team would be visiting Kokopo, East New Britain, on Aug 24-25 to talk to LLG managers from the Islands region, including the Bougainville Autonomous Region.
Basil said on Aug 26, the department would meet with Highlands LLG heads in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands.
Consultations with the Momase group would be held in Madang on Aug 29.
Basil said the aim was to bring tangible development at LLG level and see improvement of services delivery to the people.
"One way to do that is through public-private partnership (PPP) with government agencies, business houses and other credible organisations to see that rural people have direct access to services such as transport, electricity, communications and technology such as provided through the installation of VSat."
Basil said it was the dream of the new government to see that people had access to health, education and that the overall social welfare was improved.

Bodies of chopper crash victims found

2011-08-12T12:01:00.001+10:00

CIVIL Aviation authorities yesterday confirmed that an Australian pilot and his two Papua New Guinea passengers were killed on Monday in the helicopter crash in the Bulolo district of Morobe province, The National reports.
Head of the Accident Investigation Commission David Inau said the helicopter, P2-RUH (pictured above before the crash) owned by Manolos Aviation, was flown by Peter Waters when it disappeared between the Wafi mine site and Mumeng while returning to Lae.
Inau said another helicopter spotted the wreckage that afternoon but bad weather prevented anyone from reaching the crash site, 5km south of Timini.
He said that on Wednesday, members of the Porgera mine's air rescue team were dropped in by helicopter and confirmed that there were no survivors.
Waters was in his 70s.
Also on board were two local G4S security guards.
Inau said Waters was an experienced pilot and a friend.
"Yeah I know him very well," he told Radio Australia yesterday said.
"We've flown together for many, many years here in PNG."
Inau said investigators arrived at the crash site yesterday morning and retrieved the three bodies with the help of local villagers.
The bodies were brought to Lae.
Villagers in the area had no idea that an aircraft had crashed nearby until notified by a search team.
They then led the team to the crash site.
Manolos Aviation and G4S could not be contacted for comments.
Civil Aviation Minister Puri Ruing sent his condolence to the families of the three dead people, saying that Inau's investigation team would be providing an interim report within 28 days.
"The investigation commenced shortly after the accident occurred and the on site component of the investigation will continue for several days," he said.

Morobe helicopter crash leaves 3 dead

2011-08-11T10:40:00.000+10:00

By ELLEN TIAMU

Three people are dead following a helicopter crash in Morobe province on Monday, The National reports.
The twin-engine helicopter (pictured above during a recent trip to Finschhafen) , belonging to the Lae-based Manolos Aviation, was on its way to Wafi, in the Bulolo district, but a heavy cloud cover prevented it from landing.
The helicopter was trying to return to Lae when it went missing between Mumeng and Wafi.
Two G4S security guards and the expatriate pilot, Peter Wallace, were on board the helicopter.
An air search was launched immediately to locate the missing helicopter.
However, aerial search and rescue attempts during the past three days had drawn a blank because the area was still under a heavy cloud cover.
Late last night Civil Aviation Minister Puri Ruing said the crash site had been found but there were no survivors.
He said the crash of the helicopter, P2-RUH, happened about 5km south of Timini.
"The investigation commenced shortly after the accident happened and the onsite component of the investigation will be continuing for several days," Ruing said,
He said the bodies of the pilot and the two passengers were being retrieved late yesterday while the investigators' reports would be ready within four weeks.

Morobe helicopter crash leaves three dead

2011-08-11T10:31:00.000+10:00

By ELLEN TIAMU

Three people are dead following a helicopter crash in Morobe province on Monday, The National reports.
The twin-engine helicopter (pictured above during a recent trip to Finschhafen) , belonging to the Lae-based Manolos Aviation, was on its way to Wafi, in the Bulolo district, but a heavy cloud cover prevented it from landing.
The helicopter was trying to return to Lae when it went missing between Mumeng and Wafi.
Two G4S security guards and the expatriate pilot, Peter Wallace, were on board the helicopter.
An air search was launched immediately to locate the missing helicopter.
However, aerial search and rescue attempts during the past three days had drawn a blank because the area was still under a heavy cloud cover.
Late last night Civil Aviation Minister Puri Ruing said the crash site had been found but there were no survivors.
He said the crash of the helicopter, P2-RUH, happened about 5km south of Timini.
"The investigation commenced shortly after the accident happened and the onsite component of the investigation will be continuing for several days," Ruing said,
He said the bodies of the pilot and the two passengers were being retrieved late yesterday while the investigators' reports would be ready within four weeks.

Morobe helicopter crash leaves three dead

2011-08-11T10:24:00.000+10:00

Confirmed cabinet ministries

2011-08-09T10:31:00.001+10:00

Peter O'Neill – Prime Minister
Belden Namah – Deputy Prime Minister; Forestry and Climate Change
Don Polye – Treasury and Finance
Sam Basil – National Planning
Bart Philemon – Public Service
William Duma – Petroleum and Energy
Ken Fairweather – Housing and Urban Development
Moses Maladina – Implementation and Rural Development
Charles Abel – Trade, Commerce and Industry
David Arore – Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology
Dr Allan Marat – Attorney-General and Justice
John Boito – Internal Security
Guma Wau – Defence
Sai Sailon Beseo – Correctional Services
Job Pomat – Fisheries
Ano Pala – Foreign Affairs and Immigration
Sir Mekere Morauta – Public Enterprises
Theo Zurenuoc – Education
Sir Puka Temu – Agriculture and Livestock
Thompson Harokaqveh – Environment and Conservation
Sali Subam – Sports
Martin Aini – Labour and Industrial Relations
Byron Chan – Mining
Jim Miringtoro – Communication and Information Technology
Steven Kama Pirika – Bougainville Affairs
Andrew Mald – Community Development; Religion and Family Affairs
Mark Maipakai – Inter-Government Relations and District Development
Francis Awesa – Transport and Works
Puri Ruing – Civil Aviation
Lucas Dekena – Lands and Physical Planning
Jamie Maxtone-Graham – Health
Benjamin Philip – Tourism, Arts and Culture
Wake Goi – Assisting the Prime Minister on Constitutional Matters

Probable O’Neill-Namah cabinet

2011-08-08T11:04:00.001+10:00

WHILE all who were named ministers were sworn in last week, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill is yet to officially name their portfolios, The National reports.
The following is the most probable cabinet line-up based on unofficial information.
The full line-up would be announced today.
Peter O'Neill – Prime Minister
Belden Namah – Deputy Prime Minister; Forestry and Climate Change
Don Polye – Treasury and Finance
William Duma – Petroleum and Energy
Sam Basil – National Planning
Moses Maladina – Implementation and Rural Development
Francis Awesa – Works and Transport
Bart Philemon – Public Service
Sir Puka Temu – Agriculture
Sir Mekere Morauta – State Enterprises
Dr Allan Marat – Attorney-General and Justice
John Boito – Internal Security
Guma Wau – Defence
Sai Sailon Beseo – Correctional Services
Job Pomat – Fisheries
Ano Pala – Foreign Affairs and Immigration
Theo Zurenuoc – Education
Sali Subam – Sports
Martin Aini – Labour and Industrial Relations
Byron Chan – Mining
Charles Abel – Trade; Commerce and Industry
Jim Miringtoro – Communication and Information
Steven Kama – Bougainville Affairs
Andrew Mald – Community Development; Religion and Family Affairs
Mark Maipakai – Government Relations and District Development
David Arore – Higher Education
Thompson Harokaqveh – Environment and Conservation
Puri Ruing – Civil Aviation
Lucas Dekena – Lands and Physical Planning
Jamie Maxtone-Graham – Health and HIV/AIDS
Ken Fairweather – Housing and Urbanisation
Wake Goi – Minister assisting the Prime Minster on Constitutional Matters.
Benjamin Philip – Minister without portfolio

33 in cabinet

2011-08-08T11:01:00.001+10:00

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

PRIME Minister Peter O'Neill has appointed 33 new ministers in a cabinet line-up of mostly unknowns which, he claims, "are simple and humble leaders for the people of Papua New Guinea", The National reports.
However, indications were that representation from the highlands was most powerful, securing key economic positions including that of the prime minister, finance and treasury plus petroleum and energy.
Political sources said this might backfire on O'Neill and his People's National Congress party in the general election next year.
The southern region National Alliance group that defected to support the opposition was rewarded with five ministerial portfolios.
The United Resources Party, PNC and People's Party factions were rewarded with four ministries.
O'Neill said the distribution of ministries was done in consultation with political parties and leaders. East Sepik and West New Britain missed out completely.
A couple of Sepik MPs, including Wosera-Gawi's Ronald Asik and Telefomin's Peter Iwei, were evidently unhappy with their exclusion and shouted expletives during the swearing-in ceremony.
"One or two have missed out largely because of numbers; many were not been present in government and parties' decisions on who gets a ministry," the prime minister said.
He said there was full consultation between the different coalition partners and he tried his best to cover all provinces in his cabinet.
"The distribution of ministries shows a humble government for the people of Papua New Guinea."
O'Neill congratulated the new ministers sworn-in by Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio at Government House last Friday.
They included Ken Fairweather (Sumkar); Charles Abel (Alotau); David Arore (Ijivitari); Guma Wau (Kerowagi); Steven Kama (South Bougainville); Jim Miringtoro (Central Bougainville); Martin Aini (Kavieng); Jamie Maxtone-Graham (Anglimp-South Waghi); Thompson Harokaqveh (Goroka); Lucas Dekena (Gumine); Byron Chan (Namatanai); Puri Ruing (Dei); Benjamin Philip (Menyamya); Sali Subam (South Fly); Andrew Mald (Moresby Northeast); Mark Maipakai (Kikori); and Sai Beseo (Kainantu).
O'Neill also challenged the opposition members to re-join their political leaders in the new-look government

O’Neill names caretaker team

2011-08-04T17:49:00.001+10:00

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

PRIME Minister Peter O'Neill yesterday announced a 14-member caretaker cabinet while calling on the outgoing government to respect parliamentary democracy in his election to the top post, The National reports.
But ousted acting prime minister Sam Abal hit back, saying he had been unseated by default and stealth.
The caretaker ministers included Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah, Don Polye, William Duma, Francis Awesa, Sam Basil, Sir Puka Temu, Sir Mekere Morauta, Bart Philemon, Dr Allan Marat, John Boito and Theo Zurenuoc.
The old faces in the new line-up are Job Pomat, Moses Maladina and Ano Pala while O'Neill had advised the governor-general to decommission the rest of the Somare cabinet.
He said his full cabinet would be announced before parliament resumed next Tuesday.
O'Neill said that the interim cabinet was made up of experienced, talented and vibrant young leaders.
"The immediate task of the new government is to prepare the country for a decent and fair general election next year," he said.
O'Neill was due to call his first cabinet meeting yesterday afternoon to set the course for the new government in the next 10 months.
He also received a call in the afternoon from his Australian counterpart Julia Gillard to congratulate him on his election as prime minister.
"There are many challenges facing the country in health, education, transport infrastructure, land and justice and massive corruption in government and we are serious in addressing them.
"We will not be vindictive but to be accountable to our people," O'Neill said.
"We will be working for the majority of the people, not for a few individuals but for accountability and transparency.
"There are some decent policies of the former government that we will maintain like the Vision 2050, district services improvement programme and the district treasury roll-out programme. Programmes that we have lost we will review and move them forward."
O'Neill also called on the former government to respect parliamentary democracy.
"It is an indication of our people's desire to have change.
"The number 70-24 is not a one-vote majority. I appeal to them to be responsible and respect the wishes of our people through the parliamentary process."
He said any legal challenges would be defended fully.
Vanimo-Green MP and former opposition leader Namah thanked O'Neill for appointing him as deputy prime minister.
"There are many challenges ahead of us but we have a good team of experienced and talented leaders to address them.
"The people of Papua New Guinea, you have been calling for change and this government is for change," Namah said.

New Prime Minister for Papua New Guinea: Breaking news!

2011-08-02T15:13:00.001+10:00

Peter O'Neill is the new Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, being elected by an overwhelming majority of 74-24, just minutes ago.

He is now being transported to Government House to be sworn in by Governor General, Sir Michael Ogio.

O'Neill was nominated by Opposition Leader, Belden Namah, when Parliament resumed at 2pm today, and seconded by sacked Petroleum Minister, William Duma.

Bulolo MP Sam Basil closed nominations.

Forests Minister Timothy Bonga walked out in protest.

Several Government Ministers and MPs moved over to Opposition ranks today.

Ministers included O'Neill, Internal Security Minister Mark Maipakai and Minister Assisting Prime Minister Charles Abel.

Opposition queries political interference on policing

2011-07-28T18:21:00.001+10:00

The Opposition today called on Police Commissioner Anthony Wagambie and acting Prime Minister Sam Abal to come clean and explain why there was an intervention to stop police from laying charges against a national parliamentarian.

The Opposition's call, led by deputy leader and Member for Bulolo Sam Basil, follows information from police insiders that following complaints and investigation, an MP from the Highlands region was on the verge of being charged with carnal knowledge.

"Our informants were very particular and specific that police top brass acting on instructions from the Office of the Prime Minister caused the police who had carriage of the case to stop from bringing the MP in and charging him with carnal knowledge," Basil said.

"This is a very serious matter.

"The Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Commissioner of Police are constitutional offices.

"And there is a long standing tradition of separation of powers and functions in our Westminster democracy between various constitutional offices, especially when it comes to the enforcement of law.

"Acting Prime Minister Sam Abal must explain why such instructions were issued from the Office of the Prime Minister.

"Police Commissioner Anthony Wagambie must equally and more particularly explain why he allowed the constitutional office he heads to succumb to political dictates on this matter.

"They must explain what special circumstances, and under what laws or regulations if any, they saw fit to intervene in what on the surface amounts to normal exercise of police duties to enforce law and order.

"These type of actions fuel public perceptions that in application of law and enforcement of law, there are two sets of laws – one for the ordinary people and another for the 'big man' or elites, privileged and wealthy citizens.

Basil said that the Opposition - as an alternate Government - would be watching this case very closely as it fitted the National Alliance led government's brand of politics and governance where laws enacted by representatives of the people were flaunted, bent and broken at whim and will of a privileged few.

"That is why, as an alternate Government, we are appealing to other MPs, especially in Government back benches to come out of them before they end up in the same mould," he said.
"We must form an alternative Government that understands, appreciates and allows the exercise of separation of powers, functions and enforcement of laws and regulations.
"This is important if we want to see good governance in the country."

Opposition urges caution on Manus asylum seekers

2011-07-28T11:33:00.001+10:00

The Opposition today called on the Government to treat with caution Australian government's indication of using Manus as the asylum seekers' processing centre again.

Deputy Leader of Opposition and Bulolo MP Sam Basil said that limited enforcement capacity in key authorities like customs, police, Port Services Ltd and immigration had resulted in reports of illegal immigrants arriving onshore in PNG and disappearing.

"Given our nation's vulnerability, bringing in active asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea poses a real threat of having unknown illegal immigrants escape into the nation," Basil said.

"Both Australian and PNG authorities must discuss intensely and intimately the potential dangers and implication of re-using the Manus processing centre before a final decision is made.

"The last thing Australia – and PNG – needs is to allow unidentified potential terrorists, guns-for-illicit drugs smugglers or even people smugglers to escape and build hives in Papua New Guinea."

The Bulolo MP said that he appreciated the economic returns this could mean for Manus and other commercial suppliers in the country.

"I also recognise the gesture of goodwill this can be to Australia as the largest developmental partner and investors over the years to PNG," he added.

"However, what I fail to understand is why Australian does not want to use its own vast landmass and offshore islands, backed by a superior police, military and naval force, to process the asylum seekers who, after all want to enter Australia.

"Naturally, they should be contained and processed in Australia instead of Australian Government trying to enlist and endangering a smaller developing country like ours.

"At the end of day, a foothold in PNG is a terrorism beachhead that Australia would not want.

"Isn't that the reason for Australia's role in the Second World War in our seas, shores and jungles?

"I urge the PNG Government to weigh all issues related to this carefully and ensure that national interest and national security plays a paramount role in the final decision they make."

Opposition urged to update nation on prime minister's post

2011-07-18T18:16:00.001+10:00

The opposition has called on acting prime minister Sam Abal to be a man, a national leader, and tell the nation how and when the issue of a permanent prime minister is going to be resolved.

Deputy leader of opposition and Bulolo MP Sam Basil raised the issue on what is the five days after the anniversary of the seventh month since Abal was first appointed on December 13, 2010 as acting prime minister.

“When are the two medical officers going to be appointed and announced? Basil wondered.

“When are they going to do their job?

“Parliament will be sitting on August 2, 2011.

“Will the report be ready then?

“You owe this to the nation, Mr Abal and to your late father Sir Tei Abal, to rise up now and show that you are your own man, a chip of the old block.”

The opposition’s call follows the announcement of the National Executive Council chaired by Abal, announcing the activation of the constitutional provision to determine the fitness or otherwise of Sir Michael Somare to continue to hold office as prime minister.

According to Section 142 (5)(c) of the Constitution, NEC and Parliament are to advise Governor General to request the PNG Medical Board to appoint two medical practitioners to examine and provide two medical reports on the condition of the prime pinister to be tabled in Parliament.

If Sir Michael is unfit to perform his duties as prime minister, there will be a vacancy and a new prime minister has to be appointed.

Abal was appointed acting prime minister when Sir Michael stepped down to face a Leadership Tribunal on misconduct in office charges.

Abal has continued to occupy that office since Sir Michael stood trial, was found guilty, and suspended for two weeks from office.

Abal continued in office when Sir Michael fell ill and underwent medical treatment in Singapore.

“In case you have forgotten, Sir Tei Abal, as founding leader of United Party pre-independence, opposed then young Michael Somare in the push for political independence against a formidable push,” Basil said.

“PNG people – especially those familiar with history – have watched you ignore that legacy and associate yourself with Sir Michael and the National Alliance Party.

“You have been rewarded – against NA odds – with your appointment as acting prime minister,” the Bulolo MP added, highlighting that many saw the appointment as that of “one who is most vulnerable to manipulation by the real powers behind the scenes”.

“Mr Abal, now is your chance to break free.

“Now is your chance to assert your true inner self and demonstrate the leadership potential that Sir Tei deposited and groomed you into.

“Show the people of Wabag and Papua New Guinea that you are of that stock.

“Do it for Papua New Guinea – and leave a lasting legacy that will overshadow the charge against a member of your household on the body found in your residential yard.

“Do it and dispel the clouds of doubt that blocks some rays of the spotlight on your acting prime ministership.”

Bulolo MP slams MMJV and government over environment

2011-07-13T13:23:00.001+10:00

Morobe Mining Joint Venture and the government’s Department of Environment and Conservation came under intense fire today over the environmental approval process and suspicions of waste disposal into the Watut River system.

Bulolo MP Sam Basil had both the company and DEC in his sights as he unleashed a scathing attack beginning with the delay in responding to the people’s petition , which took 22 months, the approval of a seemingly-flawed environmental management plan as well as questionable practice in monitoring assessing key environmental indicators.

Drawing from the SMEC report commissioned by DEC after the September 2009 people’s petition to carry out an independent environmental performance audit of Hidden Valley Gold Mine, Basil said: “It took the entire 2010 for DEC to work with MMJV to get their act together before this face-to-face meeting with the people.

“I believe DEC would not have responded to the issues or formed the expert committee if there was no petition from us.”

Basil pointed out that the SMEC Report between June 6, 2010 and November 19, 2010 went through a total of three revisions.

The main key objectives of the audit were:

a) To assess mine performance with regard to permitting compliance and environmental management;

b) To assess offsite impacts due to historic and current mine activities; and

c) Therefore, enhance DEC’s capacity to effectively monitor and regulate the future operation of the mine as well as provide the basis for the formulation of an appropriate response to the Watut River community.

“The SMEC report confirmed that from the two permits (waste discharge and water extraction) issued in April 2006 to March 2010, there were a total of 10 non-compliances and 30 partial compliance conditions out of the total 73 conditions,” Basil said.

“This is 54.8% non or partial compliance to the permits issued by DEC.

“Not only that, the environmental management plan (EMP) which was granted with 11 conditions in April 2006 was not updated by March 2010 audit.

“The EMP did not significantly meet ISO 14000.

“This is an international standard on environmental management aspect.

“The report confirmed that the environmental management is not properly co-ordinated and there has been generally poor response in resolving permit non-compliances.

“What my people and I fail to understand is how despite the EMP for MMJV project not being compliant to ISO 14000, DEC saw fit to allow the project to go ahead.

“Permit No. WD-L3 (50) was also not followed.

“The EMP was said to have been updated since August 2009.

“Coincidently, that might have been triggered again by the petition we handed in September 2009.”

Referring to details in the report, the Bulolo MP added: “The report confirmed that the soil and surface water and erosion management requirements were not fully implemented across the site.

“There were significant erosion issues associated with unstable slopes and waste dumps.

“There is no permit limit or adopted target for suspended solids concentration in water drainage off the site.

“DEC has again failed to establish clearly the target for suspended solid concentration in water drainage off the site.

“That alone should result in disallowing MMJV to discharge waste excessively off site.

“The report also pointed out that the waste management was not done in accordance with the waste management Plan.

“There was no waste register or evidence that waste minimisation and re-use programmes were fully implemented across the site.

“The landfill was poorly located and managed, and posed an ongoing environmental risk.

“This significantly throws away the principle of sustainable mining practice.

“So where have all the hazardous and toxic mine wastes generated over the years gone to?

“Where were they disposed?

“It does not take a rocket scientist to work out they were disposed into the Watut River!

“There was no thorough ground water monitoring done to assess the bioavailability of hydrocarbons, VOC, PCB, and other environmental persistent chemicals.

“The SMEC report confirmed that these waste treatment systems appear to be overloaded and unable to treat wastewater to permit standards.

“There was potential for downstream pathogenic and nutrient contamination, which poses a

health threat to downstream inhabitants.

“This indicates high potential of raw wastewater discharge downstream.

“ Riverine communities and alluvial miners can and may still be easily be affected.

“Highly raw pathogenic contamination of the river system which can easily affect/influence the river health balance.

“That in turn is highly unhygienic and harmful, especially when the river communities use the river for drinking, laundry and washing cooking utensils daily.

“This also has the potential of aggravating skin irritation and affects small sores or cuts on the epidermal layer of the skin especially on the foot or below the waist line.

“Issues raised by pregnant women bathing or crossing the river resulting in other health concerns can also be clearly linked to this.”

Adding to this quotes from other relevant reports including one commissioned by MMJV itself, Basil said: “These are very serious – and dangerous flaws.

“Their impact and implications are long-lasting on the water source health and even lives of the people.

“They signal a lack of confidence in MMJV as a trustworthy development partner and investor.

“But worse of all, the attitude of the Department of Environment and Conservation together with the Minister involved, to these issues completely goes against the democratic idea of governance.

“Instead of democratic governance being for the people – this is completely against the people.

“This is the reason why there is growing pressure for the government to relinquish its option on equity in mining projects to landowners, LLGs and the districts and assume the role of being regulator and tax collector more.

“When the alternative government is in office, we will pursue this as a policy so there is clear demarcation between the government’s role as compliance regulator and tax collector, the private sector and investors’ role as developers, and the landowner’s role and interests

“I hope my presentation - based on the hard work of many experts and professionals - will cause all stakeholders to do the right thing for all our collective benefit and especially the people living along the riverine areas from near the mine site all the way to the coast of Huon Gulf.”

Opposition concerned about controversies against Abal

2011-07-12T18:44:00.002+10:00

The opposition today expressed serious concern about the accumulating controversies against the acting prime minister Sam Abal which he seems to ignore in pursuit of the nation’s top post.

Deputy leader of opposition Sam Basil said that the people have had enough of controversies, legal blunders and ill-repute against the top post.

“They deserve a government led by a prime minister they can depend on and have confidence in,” Basil said.

“In any other country, any impropriety by a member of an acting prime minister is sufficient cause for resignation to protect the integrity of the public office.

“In PNG, we describe it as a police matter and refuse the perception that if a leader cannot manage and mentor those in his household to be good citizens, what qualification does he have to lead a nation?”

Basil, who is also Bulolo MP, slammed the latest revelations of questionable funding management in relation to the acting prime minister’s district funds.

“The integrity with which a leader handles district finances indicates his qualification to handle national finances,” he said.

“ An acting prime minister, regardless of who is in that post and especially one who is actively pursuing a permanent election into that position of prime minister, should be squeaky clean.

“Sacking cabinet ministers like Don Polye and William Duma because they are likely contenders for the prime minister’s post demonstrate insecurity and an unhealthy early hint on the attitude to wielding of power by Mr Abal.

“The Opposition is calling on all right-thinking MPs – in Government and in our ranks – to completely halt the Somare era and the negative leadership legacy that has tarnished our leadership quality and capability.

“Now is the time to act.

“Let’s mobilise; align aright and begin the re-alignment process of leadership before it is too late.”

Basil a true Melanesian who fights for his people

2011-07-12T18:44:00.001+10:00

Source: The National – Thursday, July 7, 2011

I refer to the letter "Basil is power hungry" (The National, July 5).
Sam Basil is one of the most-outspoken MPs.
As deputy opposition leader, Basil speaks on current issues affecting the economy, the people and the country.
In relation to Grand Chief's capacity as prime minister and the condition he is in currently, Basil is trying to clear the air with regard to the Parliamentary Act.
He is not attacking the chief.
This is politics, and if Basil poses a question or comment on the Grand Chief's position as prime minister, so be it.
What is wrong with that?
This is a democratic country and everybody has a right to free speech.
Members are mandated to speak on what is good for the people, to be honest and transparent in their dealings and this is what Basil is doing.
The writer claims Basil is not a true Melanesian because he does not respect the prime minister and is power hungry.
Basil shows all the traits of a Melanesian as an outspoken and visionary leader who fights for his people and their rights and well-being.

Richard G.Yaking
Lae

2011-06-09T18:53:00.000+10:00

Participants show off their certificates, birthing kits, shirts and caps with representatives from MMJV, trainers and government officers. The shirts and caps are part of the Healthy Baby campaign known as ‘Malolo Liklik’, supported by the National Health Department and Population Services International.

The Bulolo district health division in partnership with Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV) are committed to empowering village women through village birth attendant (VBA) training as a means of reducing infant and maternal mortality in the Bulolo district of Morobe province.

Recently, 25 women from the Biangai villages in Wau were the recipients of the second such training funded by MMJV when qualifying for certificates after a successful two-week course.
The women were also certified as village volunteers responsible for tuberculosis patients in their villages and as an added bonus, were presented complete birthing kits containing items such as buckets, lamps, gloves and razor blades to assist with a clean and safe delivery thanks to Zonta Birthing Kits Foundation of Australia (ZIFA).
ZIFA is part of the Zonta International Foundation worldwide organisation that supports programmes to improve the wellbeing of women and girls everywhere.
According to Zonta PNG representative, Pedro Jericho, Bulolo district was the first to receive the birthing kits outside of NCD which were the only recipients so far through donations to St Johns and the Port Moresby General Hospital.
“Thanks to MMJV this relationship marks the first time for Zonta’s programme to be extended beyond NCD and shows what we can achieve by pooling resources and networking together and we look forward to continuing this relationship,” he said.
MMJV general manager sustainability and external Relations, David Wissink stressed the importance of partnerships in making sure programmes such as the VBA training and aid posts were completed and sustained.
He said for any programme, facility or training to be effective, the participation of stakeholders was needed in the form of sweat equity or contribution to ensure ownership and commitment for the long term benefit of everyone.
“At MMJV, this PPP approach applies with all our other partners and we remain committed to continuing the relationship with the provincial health division and non-government organisations to implement health programmes aimed at further improving the lives of our stakeholders,” Wissink said.
Provincial programme advisor – health, Dr Likei Theo commended the partnership saying together MMJV and the provincial health division were working at addressing these issues according to the national government’s plan of reducing maternal mortality rate.
The VBA training was conducted by experienced Bulolo district health VBA trainer, Sr Rose Bosimbe while the TB component was conducted by Huon Gulf district advocacy communication & social mobilisation (ACSM) coordinator, Millie Meren.
The women from Wau are the second lot to receive the training.
The first were from the landowner villages of the Wafi project.
Similarly, they were taught theory and practical lessons on clean and safe delivery and to identify signs of complications in mothers during pregnancy and when to refer them to seek medical help.
Part of their practical lesson involved a visit to the Bulolo hospital where they assisted in the delivery of a baby.

Basil engages with rural communities in the highlands

2011-06-08T19:32:00.001+10:00

Deputy Leader of Opposition Sam Basil has began engaging with rural population to educate them on current state of the nation, parliament and politics in general.

Sam Basil flanked by Kiamuga congregation members, Eastern Highlands province

“The people must know what their leaders are doing and the state of the nation as a result of that leadership. It’s their right – and it should be our privilege to serve them in this way,” Basil said.

In what was his first official trip since becoming Deputy Leader of Opposition, Basil travelled to Mul-Baiyer electorate to one of Lae’s long time businessman Koi Trappe to pay respects to Trappe’s late mother, Ms Mano Enta on Saturday June 4.

Sam Basil and Francis Kap in Peace Valley Village , Baiyer River, Western Highlands province

Trappe is the managing director of Traisa Transport one of the premier transport companies operating between Lae and Highlands for over 30 years contributing to Lae’s economic development.

Koi’s contribution to Morobe, Highlands and Papua New Guinea prompted Basil, on behalf of Morobe leaders, people and the Opposition, to show respect and contribute K2,000 to the haus krai at Kenakyausa village Mul-Baiyer District.

The Tralea tribe asked Basil to give a brief about the current affairs of the nation, parliament and politics in PNG.

Basil told the Tralea tribe that while the overall economic indicators show that PNG was growing, basic processes of governance were not being handled right resulting in a mismatch between economic indicators and social development indicators.

He described the Mul-Baiyer District as another hidden paradise which like many others in PNG were so unique with wonderful people struggling to make life bearable for themselves and their children.

“They don’t need much to be satisfied – access to roads, transport and markets; functioning, stocked, and adequately staffed basic health services; utilities like piped water, communication and power are all that they need,” Basil said.

“These will be our focus as an alternative Government: when in power we will empower the rural communities with this basic services.”

Basil worshipped with the Kiamuga Lutheran congregation of Yamiyufa Lutheran Church in the Lower Asaro area in the Eastern Highland province on the way back where he donated K1,000 to the local church.

In a brief statement, on the current state of the nation and Parliament, he assured them that the alternative government would ensure that the government and churches partnership was adequately resourced to develop citizens of integrity, honesty and respect – keys to law, order and harmonious living in communities, districts, provinces and PNG as a whole.

The experience has fuelled the Deputy Opposition Leader’s resolve to tour as many rural electorates – upon invitation – educating them on the parliament, national issues and politics and hearing what the grassroots people of Papua New Guinea have to say.

Basil queries delay on finance inquiry report and actions

2011-06-08T18:30:00.000+10:00

Deputy Leader of Opposition and Bulolo MP Sam Basil has called on the Government to explain the delay on what is the most-expensive and prolonged commission of inquiry – the one into the Department of Finance since 2007.

"Many months and many millions of kina went into the Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance. And what have we got to show for it?" Basil said.

The Inquiry was looking into over 3000 entries recorded in the Finance Department's Cash Book Report of transactions of K300,000 and above from 1 January 2000 to 31 July 2006.

This was later expended.

"We cannot implement its recommendations. People who have committed crimes cannot even be charged. Money that should not have been paid cannot be recovered," a concerned Mr Basil said.

The Bulolo MP described as "puzzling" the fact that a successful court order was made to effectively "put a lock on that report" when millions (up to K10 million) was already spent to ensure that hearings and findings were recorded.

"Many people in this nation are no doubt suspicious about that order: how it came to be made, when it came to be made and where it came to be made," Basil added.

"But we, of the Opposition, respect the fact that a judge of the National Court chose to make such an order. The questions which must now be asked, given the many months which have elaspsed since that order was made, are (1) why has nothing been done about that order? and (2) when will something be done?"

The Deputy Opposition Leader added: "If the gag order was made as a temporary order by a National Court judge then the matter should have been taken before another judge with an application to set that order aside. Alternatively, the order of the National Court should have been the subject of an appeal to the Supreme Court, coupled with a request to have the matter heard as a matter of urgency."

The opposition pointed out that the directions to follow-up falls within the duty statement or jurisdiction of the Minister for Justice and Attorney General Hon Sir Arnold Amet.

"This is an area for which the Attorney General is responsible. As a former Chief Justice, the learned lawyer, cannot use ignorance of the law and judicial process as an excuse," Basil said.

"If the Attorney General cannot entrust this instructions to the State Solicitor to try to get rid of this gag order because of potential conflict of interest arising from contents of the Commission of Inquiry Report, what's to stop Sir Arnold outsourcing the matter for a private law firm to do something about it as soon as possible?" He said.

"But the bottom line is: millions of taxpayers' money – supposed to be used for the benefit of the people – has been abused in questionable ways by those entrusted to ensure proper usage. These public servants – and their political masters – are all paid to do these jobs," Mr Basil said.

"If they failed and mishandled funds, they must face the consequences of their actions. The Commission of Inquiry cost the taxpayers another K10 million or so to hear, ascertain and determine its findings. The people cannot be double-denied justice because no one is attempting to free the report from the court gagging," Basil said.

History being rewritten with resumption of Air Niugini flights to Bulolo

2011-06-06T19:31:00.000+10:00

Caption: Inaugural Air Niugini Dash 8 flight at Bulolo

By MALUM NALU

Many people who have been long fascinated by the story of the gold rush days of the 1930’s feel that history is being rewritten with the resumption of Air Niugini flights to Bulolo on Monday, May 16, 2011.

The historical mining town of Bulolo, Morobe province, took another giant step forward on Monday, May 16, with the commencement of twice-weekly Air Niugini flights between Port Moresby and Bulolo.

The first batch of passengers on board the Dash 8 flight to Bulolo – led by Air Niugini CEO Wasantha Kumarasiri and Bulolo MP Sam Basil - was greeted by management and staff of PNG Forest Products, which owns the land on which the Bulolo Airport is built; Morobe Mining Joint Ventures; Bulolo administration; as well as hundreds of local people who braved pouring rain to be present for the occasion.

The 45-minute Bulolo service, which will be every Monday and Friday, promises to greatly boost business and tourism in Bulolo, as well as the surrounding electorates of Menyamya, Huon, Markham and Lae.

With excellent opening fares at K265 per person, I can easily take my kids there, spend some time with friends in Bulolo such as Basil or roving Wau-based reporter Sampson Bonai, and later get on a PMV or take a drive down to Lae.

Air Niugini’s introduction of flights follows on from Airlines PNG in 2009.

“Bulolo is a very ideal destination with a high demand for air transportation from the local communities,” Kumarasiri said as the inaugural flight landed.

“Due to the current activities in Bulolo, we consider it is our duty as the national airline to provide the air services to the local and business communities in Bulolo.

“Apart from the mining activities, there are also other operations and activities that certainly call for further air transportation.

“To name a few, we have the PNG Forest Products Ltd, BSP, Post PNG, Bulolo Forestry College, the Micro Bank, the district administration, which certainly demands for an increase in air transportation.

“As the national flag carrier, Air Niugini has a community service obligation to serve the people of Papua New Guinea.

“Therefore, Air Niugini’s operation into Bulolo also means that the local people of Wau/Bulolo can now travel direct from Bulolo to Port Moresby instead of travelling via Lae.”

Basil said history was rewriting itself as Bulolo was once one of the busiest airfields in the world during the gold rush days of the 1920s and 30s.

He said his joint district planning and budget priorities committee would commit K50, 000 subsidies for vegetable freight and return airfares.

“We would also look at building the staff quarters and ticket purchasing office for Air Niugini to be owned by the district administration, which will benefit from the rental proceedings,” he said.

“I also call on Menyamya people, Wampar people and people from my district to utilise this service because extra seats are now available.

“We do not have to drive all the way to Nadzab to catch a plane, as it is now at our doorstep.”

THE new look Bulolo Airport apron and 1,500m runway was officially opened by Basil in February 2009.

The upgrading work was jointly funded by Harmony Gold, PNG Forest Products and NKW Holdings at a cost of K500, 000 and took about six weeks from replacing the road-base with engineered fill and then resurfaced.

The airport was closed in 1990’s due to lack of economic activities, forcing the airline companies to withdraw vital air services into the area, and left people to rely heavily on the road network for the delivery of goods and services to Wau and Bulolo.

The greatest airlift the world had ever known started from Lae to the Bulolo goldfields in the 1930s.

Built in June 1930, originally the Bulolo strip was 1,150 yards by 120 yards.

Later it was expanded to 1,300 yards in length, covered with grass.

This airstrip was used in conjunction with flying supplies and equipment for gold dredging at Wau and Bulolo.

On January 21, 1942, Japanese Zeros and bombers attacked Bulolo.

At Bulolo, they set fire to three of the Junkers G31 tri-motors on the ground, destroying them.

Gold dredging work ceased as most of the men employed entered military service.

Five days, later, on February 5, 1942, Bulolo was bombed at 11am by five twin-engine bombers.
The discovery of gold at Edie Creek above Wau in 1926 sparked off a gold rush which led to the exploitation of the rich deposits of the Bulolo-Watut river system by large-scale mechanised mining.
The rigours and cost of the eight-day walk into the goldfields and the difficulty of building a road from the coast led to the early introduction of an aviation service.
The driving force behind the development of the goldfields was Cecil J. Levien, a former Morobe District Officer, who has been described as a “rare and formidable combination of opportunist, practical man and visionary”.
Levien persuaded the directors of Guinea Gold N.L. that startling profits would be made by any aviation company that could provide a service to eliminate the arduous walk between Salamaua and Wau.
He secured an option on a small DH-37 plane in Melbourne and engaged a pilot, E. A. ‘Pard’ Mustar, to bring it to New Guinea.
The aviation service was a success from the start.
After two unsuccessful flights around the mountains south of the Markham no one knew exactly how to find Wau from the air.
Mustar landed at Wau for the first time on April 16, 1937.
He began the service the next day with a shipment of six 100 lb bags of rice, charging a shilling a 1b, and, making two trips a day, five days a week, carried 84 passengers and 27, 000 lbs of cargo in the first three months.
Rival aviation companies were not long in arriving to share the profits.
Ray Parer, the proprietor of Bulolo Goldfields Air Service who had been competing keenly with Mustar to be the first to land at Lae, came from Rabaul after many delays, and A. ‘Jerry’ Pentland and P. ‘Skip’ Moody soon joined them.
There was ample business for all, and by April 1928, a year after the service began,
Guinea Airways (the aviation company that grew from Guinea Gold N.L.) had acquired two extra planes and was employing three further pilots and two more mechanics.
Then in March 1929 a new company, Morlae Airlines, began a weekly Lae-Port Moresby run, meeting ships from Australia and bringing passengers and frozen foods across to Wau, Bulolo, Salamaua and Lae.
At first Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd and its parent company, Placer Development Ltd, had thought of building a road to the goldfields, but the length of time it would take and the high cost of construction and maintenance persuaded the companies to accept Guinea Airways' proposition that “skyways are the cheapest highways”.
On the advice of Mustar, Bulolo Gold Dredging purchased three all-metal, tri-motored Junkers G-31 aircraft from Germany, which Guinea Airways was to operate under licence for the gold mining company.
Guinea Airways also purchased a Junkers G-31 of its own.
They were huge planes, each capable of carrying a payload of 7100 lbs or 14 short tons together.
The airlift began in April 1931 and continued for eight years: the first dredge began work in March 1932, the eighth in November, 1939.
Another crane at the airstrip lifted the heavy machinery into the planes and a rail crane unloaded them at Bulolo.
Eventually operations became so efficient that nine round trips a day were possible.
The airlift was a remarkable undertaking.

It pioneered the use of aviation in the transport of heavy cargo and, in the words of one writer, “in every respect it constituted a world record”.

Hidden Valley Joint venture welcomes cooperative approach

2011-05-22T11:11:00.000+10:00

Caption: Mining Minister Hon John Pundari and MP for Wau, Bulolo Hon Sam, Watut Union members, MMJV, Morobe provincial representatives after signing the joint press release

The Hidden Valley Joint Venture (HVJV) welcomed the outcomes of a stakeholder meeting held in Port Moresby on May 12, 2011, that discussed constructive solutions to community concerns relating to the Hidden Valley Mine.

The HVJV would like to thank the Minister for Mining, Hon. John Pundari MP for coordinating the meeting and acknowledge the cooperative approach taken by all attendees, including key government departments, the Member for Bulolo, Hon Sam Basil, Watut River community leaders and the HVJV.

In the spirit of this cooperative approach, the HVJV has agreed to stop using the statutory declaration form as part of the voluntary garden compensation process.

The HVJV will instead use an amended version of the current 'Damages Assessment Payment Receipt Form' to document all future payments under the voluntary garden compensation process.

The use of a receipt is a normal, responsible and transparent approach as it provides all parties with written evidence that the compensation amount has been agreed and received.

As agreed at last week's stakeholder meeting, the HVJV will now revisit the remaining 471 Watut River landowners who have not received compensation in order to finalise the voluntary garden compensation process.

The HVJV has already paid compensation of K3.8 million to 3,700 Watut River landowners for flood damage to crops and gardens, to which mine related sediment may have contributed, along with natural events including land slips and major rain events.

The HVJV will regard all forms already signed by Watut River landowners as being the same as the amended receipt form. Therefore, landowners who have already received compensation do not need to sign a new form.

The process for the voluntary garden compensation payments will continue the current robust and transparent approach which involves a claim submitted from the affected landowner, followed by a damage assessment.

The damage assessment is conducted by a multi-party team comprising HVJV employees, Morobe Provincial Government or Bulolo District Office representatives, LLG representatives and the claimant/landowner of the affected property.

The HVJV remains committed to continued constructive dialogue with its key stakeholders, including the national, provincial and local level government, community leaders and the local community in order to resolve remaining community issues.

Media inquiries:

David Wissink Hidden Valley Joint Venture Mobile: (675) 7100 2406 Email: david.wissink@morobejv.com

Background

The Hidden Valley Mine is operated by the Hidden Valley Mine Joint Venture (HVJV) a 50:50 Joint Venture between Harmony Gold of South Africa and Newcrest Mining of Australia.

The Hidden Valley Mine is located near Wau and Bulolo in Morobe Province. It was officially opened in September 2010.

The Hidden Valley Mine has a workforce of more than 2,000 people with 95 per cent of workers being PNG Nationals and 50 per cent being from the local communities.

It is important to note that the Hidden Valley Mine has an engineered tailings storage facility and no mine processing residue, or tailings, is discharged into the river.

The mine related sediment in the river that has caused community concern was run-off from mine overburden and construction activities.

The mine transitioned from construction to operation in October 2010.

Mine sediment run-off is now significantly lower due to mitigation measures.

These measures included ceasing of side casting of waste rock and overburden in September 2009, ongoing revegetation of exposed slopes and erosion control, and the storage of waste rock in engineered waste rock facilities.

The HVJV places a high value on responsible environmental management and our relationship with local communities.

The HVJV has been making voluntary garden compensation payments to communities along the Watut River for flood damage to crops and gardens, regardless of whether this was due to additional sediment run-off from the mine construction activity or by natural events such as landslips and heavy rain.

To date, the HVJV has paid a total of K3.8 million to 3,700 Watut River landowners.

The voluntary garden compensation payments are in addition to the Hidden Valley Mine's existing sustainable development program which is bringing education support, agricultural skills, health programs and community facilities such as sanitation and water supplies, school classrooms, community halls and aid posts.

These programmess were developed in partnership with the local and provincial government and are aligned with their development programs.

An Expert Stakeholder Advisory Panel is also being established by the HVJV to provide independent review of sediment related issues and related community concerns.

Air Niugini commences regular commercial flights to Bulolo

2011-05-16T21:26:00.001+10:00

Bulolo MP Sam Basil (left) and Air Niugini CEO Wasantha Kumarasiri are welcomed off the inaugural Air Niugini Dash 8 flight to Bulolo by Watut dancers.-Picture by MALUM NALU

By MALUM NALU

The historical mining town of Bulolo, Morobe province, took another giant step forward today with the commencement of twice-weekly Air Niugini flights between Port Moresby and Bulolo.

The first batch of passengers on board the Dash 8 flight to Bulolo yesterday – led by Air Niugini CEO Wasantha Kumarasiri and Bulolo MP Sam Basil - was greeted by management and staff of PNG Forest Products, which owns the land on which the Bulolo Airport is built; Morobe Mining Joint Ventures; Bulolo administration; as well as hundreds of local people who braved pouring rain to be present for the occasion.

The Bulolo service, which will be every Monday and Friday, promises to greatly boost business and tourism in Bulolo, as well as the surrounding electorates of Menyamya, Huon, Markham and Lae.

Air Niugini's introduction of flights follows on from Airlines PNG in 2009.

"Bulolo is a very ideal destination with a high demand for air transportation from the local communities," Kumarasiri said.

"Due to the current activities in Bulolo, we consider it is our duty as the national airline to provide the air services to the local and business communities in Bulolo.

"Apart from the mining activities, there are also other operations and activities that certainly call for further air transportation.

"To name a few, we have the PNG Forest Products Ltd, BSP, Post PNG, Bulolo Forestry College, the Micro Bank, the district administration, which certainly demands for an increase in air transportation.

"As the national flag carrier, Air Niugini has a community service obligation to serve the people of Papua New Guinea.

"Therefore, Air Niugini's operation into Bulolo also means that the local people of Wau/Bulolo can now travel direct from Bulolo to Port Moresby instead of travelling via Lae."

Basil said history was rewriting itself as Bulolo was once one of the busiest airfields in the world during the gold rush days of the 1920s and 30s.

He said his joint district planning and budget priorities committee would commit K50, 000 subsidies for vegetable freight and return airfares.

"We would also look at building the staff quarters and ticket purchasing office for Air Niugini to be owned by the district administration, which will benefit from the rental proceedings," he said.

"I also call on Menyamya people, Wanpar people and people from my district to utilise this service because extra seats are now available.

"We do not have to drive all the way to Nadzab to catch a plane, as it is now at our doorstep."

Guinness challenges Bulolo people to take responsibility

2011-05-03T17:26:00.001+10:00

Caption: Peter Guiness laying down the law on yesterday

The basic cornerstone to a peaceful and law abiding community begins in the family unit.

This was the challenge Morobe provincial police commander, chief superintendent Peter Guinness laid down for the people of Mumeng in the Bulolo district who had gathered to witness the launch of their district bulldozer in Bangalum yesterday.

Guinness provided the response following comments from the crowd wanting to ascertain what police action had been taken regarding the weekend ethnic outbreak and other law and order incidents over the last few months.

According to Morobe's top police officer, lawlessness in society was a responsibility for every citizen in any given locality and should not be thrust upon law enforcement agencies alone.

Following the two deaths that came about as a result of payback intentions, Guinness urged the crowd to seriously think in terms of the consequences of any actions or thoughts prior to carrying them out.

"Think about your family before you give in to the pressures of other people or joining other groups.

"Ask yourself who will look after your sons?

"Who will take care of your wives and care for your daughters before deciding to join unlawful activities?"

Guinness said the most- recent ethnic situation and the many other similar incidents seen in Bulolo were a result of youths not having respect for the law and for society at large.

"Where do these values start?

"They start with you and me as responsible adults, we have the responsibility to teach them – our children and young ones - the values of respect for society, respect for the rule of law and respect for life."

Referring to the two deaths, Guinness urged the people not to waste their lives in vain for something that could so easily have been avoided had the two men not tried to payback or get involved.

He said it was very clear there was a shortage of police men and women across the country and therefore urged the people to take it upon themselves to do the right things and exercise more responsibility starting in the home and family in order to give themselves and the communities they lived in a chance for the better.

"We are our own worst enemies.

"We create incidents and expect the police and other law-enforcement agencies to fix the problems that we have failed to be proactive about.

"If we are serious about maintaining the rule of law and order in our societies, then we should start in our homes, our clans our tribes and our communities now."

2 die, 13 hurt in Bulolo fight

2011-05-03T03:35:00.001+10:00

By JAYNE SAFIHAO

TWO people are dead, 13 others hospitalised and eight homes have been torched after a retaliatory attack in Bulolo, Morobe, on Saturday afternoon, The National reports.

Of all those hospitalised with pellet wounds, eight were in critical condition.

Confirming the incident, Morobe provincial police commander Peter Guinness said the deaths, injuries and destruction stemmed from a drunken brawl allegedly involving a man from Finschhafen living at the Madang block and another from Patep near Mumeng.

Guinness said the fight started late in the evening at Bulolo market after the two men had a heated argument.

He said a fight ensued in which the Patep man was beaten and suffered injuries.

He then mobilised his supporters and converged on Madang block where the Finschhafen people live and set alight eight houses, which were razed.

The settlers retaliated and shot at their attackers.

He said when that group started to burn the houses down, they were turned upon and shot at by the mixed group of settlers living at Madang block.

Fifteen casualties were reported; 13 were in critical condition at the Bulolo Hospital.

Of the two dead, one succumbed to pellet injuries and the second was chopped up.

Guinness confirmed that a police task force team from Lae had been dispatched to the area to monitor the situation and prevent further unrests.

He said controlling guns in Bulolo was a real challenge because this was one area in the country where World War II ammunition for .303 rifles, 7.6mm and 40mm heavy artillery could be found in abundance.

"These are very dangerous for both the enemy and the attacker," Guinness said.

He also expressed concern that it was becoming difficult to tell if a gun was acquired lawfully or made at home.

Bulolo police were also having vehicle problems and could not maintain daily routine patrols.

Greater partnerships and dialogue needed for tangible development and progress

2011-05-03T03:22:00.000+10:00

Caption: Minister Pundari receiving a bilum from the women of Bangalum in appreciation for attending the launching

Greater partnerships, constructive dialogue and honest discussions were the key messages given to the people of Mumeng and especially the Middle Watut communities during the launching of a dozer for the Mumeng LLG.

This was given by Mining Minister, John Pundari to the people who were gathered to witness the occasion including, the Bulolo district administration, Mumeng local level government representatives, people of Middle Watut and union president, Rueben Mete, were gathered at Bangalum to witness the launching yesterday.

The minister was responding to calls from Mete regarding sedimentation issues affecting the Watut River and potential litigation action against the Hidden Valley Mine by the Bulolo District.

Pundari told the people gathered that there was nothing wrong with serving the interests and fighting for the needs of the people where genuine national interest was concerned.

"Taking up a cause for the interests of communities is an honourable thing to do provided our intentions are genuine – but also taking into consideration that we need to sit down with concerned stakeholders and consider what the bigger picture is," he said.

The minister's comments were made following similar sentiments raised by Bulolo MP Sam Basil for more community consultation to forge a better and more-constructive path forward that would ultimately be decided by the people whether or not to pursue litigation or opt for infrastructure project developments.

Based on these sentiments, Pundari committed to meeting with 10 representatives, comprising five from the Watut union, five from the Mumeng LLG, including acting Bulolo district administrator, Tae Guambalek, Bulolo MP Sam Basil, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge and MMJV representatives to meet with Mineral Resources Authority, Department of Environment and Conservation and the minister in Port Moresby on May 11.

"Bearing in mind that projects like these come with sacrifice, we need to be able to sit down and face up to each other and these concerns in order find the right answers," Pundari said.

"It is our responsibility as the regulators to ensure that we are minimising the impacts to the extent that our people's livelihoods are not impacted and at the same time so that the operators of projects such as the Hidden Valley mine can operate without disruption in order for all of us to enjoy and maximise the benefits that projects of this scale can bring.

"Yes, there will be issues, yes there will be obstacles, but there are ways of overcoming them and that is what we should be focusing on as responsible leaders with the heart for our people and this country."

The planned meeting in Port Moresby will enable all key stakeholders to convene at a proper forum and "get the facts straight" regarding the Watut River concerns of sedimentation that have been raised in the media recently in order to find a better path to progress.

Lack of monitoring of the pollution levels in the Bulolo-Wau populace

2011-05-03T03:05:00.001+10:00

Dear honourable Sam Basil,

Let me congratulate you for creating this web site.
It can't go without mention that internet is a very powerful and
efficient communication tool in this time and era.
For example I am curious in learning what is going on in the Bulolo
Wau area, and went online and search and sure enough this website
appeared.
Sir, something that has been troubling me is the unregulated level of
air and water pollution in your electorate.
I am a lecturer at Bulolo University College and have lived in the
valley for nearly 26 years.
Over this 26-year period, I have witnessed noticeable increase in air
and water pollution, however, we do not have any long-term research
data to qualify our observations.
I have witnessed and you will agree that PNG Forest plywood factory
has been pumping out smog and dumping acid waste into the creek
running between the Housing commission block and the plywood factory
since time immemorial.
The arrival of Hidden valley mine has potentially added a dozen other
types of air and water pollution to the environment.
Pollution issues such as how many tonnes of dust particles blown up
into the air resettle on roof tops and end up in the drinking tank
water of the local habitants, how much smog particles resettle on roof
tops and into the drinking water remains to
be understood by your office to impose a regulatory measures.
Data indicative of pollution levels can be obtained from simple inexpensive
experiments.
Bulolo University College has the expertise to design doable
experiments that can provide data on pollution levels.
Understanding the sources of pollutants and the risk levels is
essential to getting industries becoming accountable to ensuring clean
and environmentally acceptable practice.
Sir, Bulolo University College has expertise to initiate and
collaborate with your office to monitor and research on types and
levels of pollutants entering our natural ecosystems, and food web
(chain of energy transfers which link into human beings).

Tenk yu tru
Mangi Bulolo
Lawong Balun

Hidden Valley mine to provide K30, 000 diesel fuel for Mumeng dozer

2011-05-03T02:51:00.001+10:00

Caption:Mining Minister Hon John Pundari officially cuts the ribbon signifying the launching of the D3 bulldozer for Mumeng LLG.

Hidden Valley Mine will supply K30 000 worth of fuel assistance towards helping the Mumeng local level government's (LLG) district services improvement programme.

The undertaking was made in Sambio yesterday by Hidden Valley community affairs manager, Stanley Komunt, witnessed by Minister for Mines, Hon John Pundari, Bulolo MP Sam Basil, Mumeng LLG representatives and the people of Mumeng during the launching of the districts bulldozer – a continuation of Basil's capacity-building programme for the six LLGs in Bulolo district.

Komunt said the commitment from HVJV to help provide K30, 000 worth of fuel to the district was made after HVJV approached the MP and offered to partner with the district following numerous community requests, so that road access into the middle Watut areas could be re-established.

The bulldozer's first job will be to help –re-negotiate access for the only existing road into the middle Watut from Bangalum Bridge after a number of landslips had rendered the road impassable for vehicles about four years ago.

This would enable the communities living in the area to have much-needed and easier access through vehicle movements to the main highway as well as provide company access when delivering on planned community and regional development programmes.

Pundari commended Hidden Valley mine and MP Basil for coming together to help deliver services to the people of Mumeng LLG and Middle Watut.

"When a leaders' heart is in the right place, tangible developments occur and the people see real service delivery," he said.

The Mining Minister also acknowledged the Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare and his government for ensuring that all 89 districts were given their district support improvement programme (DSIP) funds, regardless of political alliances, opposition or government.

"Real leaders always place national interest and the needs of the people of this country at the forefront because they are mandated to do so by the people," he said,

Basil acknowledged the minister's presence and acceptance to attend the launching, including MMJV and the community for making time to attend.

Currently, people of the Middle Watut walk very long distances, sometimes, travelling over two days before they reach the main highway or the river further below where they can then get canoes and travel downstream.

The recent fuel assistance will provide the basis for using the districts bulldozer to start work that will hopefully open much-needed access again for the people living along the middle Watut areas.

Who is Hudson Ramatlap protecting?

2011-03-22T17:50:00.001+10:00

By SAM BASIL
Bulolo MP

I refer to the comments by the first legislative counsel, Mr Hudson
Ramatlap, and note with great concern that a person who is supposed to
protect the independence of Parliament legislative process is now
making outlandish comments in support of the contemptuous behaviour of
the Prime Minister.
His statement is not only misleading, but calculated to undermine the
seriousness of this matter.
This is not just another political scoring issue here it is an issue
of national importance.
The first misleading statement is his reference that Belden Namah and
Dr PukaTemu whose names are also on the Gazettal Notice.
Their names are not there.
I can pass a copy to him if he so pleases.
I know he has a copy of the notice but deliberately wanted to mention
their names.
This is contemptuous in itself as he is trying to water down the
seriousness of this case and the implications it has on the judiciary.
Secondly, Mr.Ramatlap as a lawyer knows that an appointment does not
take effect until it is gazetted.
It is trite law that a purported performance of duty by a minister
without having his appointment gazetted is null and void.
It can also be noted on the gazettal notice that Mr Pruaitch's
gazettal does not mention him as Finance and Treasury Minister to show
that he is a finance minister suspended on full pay, or to confirm
that this is just a republishing of the original Gazettal dated 13th
September 2007 as claimed by Mr Ramatlap.
Instead it is a new portfolio (State Minister assisting PM) and that
portfolio takes effect upon gazettal.
This is also deliberately stated by Mr Ramatlap to further confuse the
public of the serious nature of the matter.
Mr Pruaitch and Mr Ramatlap are alleging that the decision of the
Supreme Court does not stop the Prime Minister from appointing a
Minister.
In other words, they are claiming that the Prime Minister had
unfettered powers to appoint a Minister, even in contempt of the
Supreme Court Order.
How sensible is that?
I have sought opinion on the Supreme Court decision and whilst the
decision does not state the details of being suspended on pay, which
is left to be an administrative matter, the decision in no uncertain
terms declares Mr Pruaitch automatically suspended as a leader.
Mr Pruaitch is not attending Parliament sitting or attending NEC
decisions which is the effect of him being suspended as a "leader".
It follows that Mr Pruaitch's justification of his new portfolio can
be said that he wants to be a minister without the name "leader"
because under the name leader, he is suspended.
Can the Judiciary see how important it is to protect its independence
or continue to subject itself from political interference?
I am concerned because we are setting double standards and weakening
the institutions that we look up to as our beacon of hope.
Where is the rule of law?
The Prime Minister is in clear contempt and should be cited for
contempt of court.
I reiterate that this is not the first time that the Prime Minister did this.
He is known for interfering and scandalising the judiciary.
We cannot allow that to happen.
I do not need to influence the judiciary as they are learned people
who know the legal implications of this issue.
What I am saying here is my concern as a national leader to protect
the independence of the judiciary.

Prime Minister in Contempt of Court again.

2011-03-20T20:14:00.001+10:00

By SAM BASIL
Bulolo MP

The Prime Minister caused the publication of the national ministers
constituting the National Executive Council and their respective
responsibilities in the Nation al Gazette on Thursday 3rd March 2011,
National Gazette No. G57 of 2011.
In the publication, particularly Schedule 30 provides that Patrick
Pruaitch as the Minister for State Assisting the Prime Minister.
This is in direct contempt of the orders of the Supreme Court in the
case of Pruaitch v Manek [2010] PGSC 7;SCl052 (31 May 2010) where the
Supreme Court declared that the leader was automatically suspended
when the charges were served on the Tribunal.
The highest Court of the land constituting Kirriwom J, Gavan-Nanu and
Davani JJ declared that the leader was suspended forthwith.
How could the PM then appoint him to be a minister of his cabinet?
The Tribunal is yet to hear the case against Mr. Pruaitch and as far
as I could recall, there was no court order setting aside the Supreme
Court Orders.
Until the Tribunal finally determines the allegations and unless a
five-man bench of the Supreme Court overturns the decision of the
Supreme Court in the above case, the orders are still effective.
Any action in derogation of that decision is clearly contempt.
The appointment and publication in the National Gazette is a clear
case for contempt on the face of court.
This is a clear disrespect of the court orders and so I urge the
registrar of the National and Supreme Court or the Chief Justice to
cite the Prime Minister Sir Michael Thomas Somare for contempt.
If the PM can act in contempt of the decision of the highest court on
the land then what is there for this country?
This is not the first time the PM had interfered and defeated the
course of justice.
In 1979, Nahau Rooney who was then the Minister for Justice was
imprisoned for interfering with the judiciary citing her for contempt.
Sir Michael was the Prime Minister at that time and released her on
license after she had served one day of her sentence which prompted
the mass resignation of five judges including the Chief Justice.
This was the first ever constitutional crisis only four years after
Independence.
I do not know whether the same can be done.
If the judiciary is adamant to protect its independence and most
importantly, its orders, I suggest the judges should resign.
If the PM cannot obey the orders, what good is there for the
judiciary to hold on?
Judiciary is seen as the last beacon of hope.
People do not want to accept the decisions of the National Parliament
and the executive government and are always going to court and when
such a decision is
handed down, they accept it.
However, with such disrespect at the highest, it destroys everything
that the Judiciary holds on.
The damage this veteran MP and PM has done so far is far too great

Team to probe Grace Memorial drama

2011-02-23T17:18:00.000+10:00

A DELEGATION from the Morobe education board, led by secondary school inspector Gesengsu Aisi, is expected to travel to Wau in Bulolo district to investigate a controversy that is rocking the administration of Grace Memorial Secondary School, The National reports.

The controversy began last December when parents of students attending the school petitioned the board to transfer the principal, Ipisa Wanega, elsewhere for alleged mismanagement.

The parents alleged that, among others, there had not been any board meetings and financial acquittals for the 2010 academic year.

The parents were not happy that their petition was ignored by the board and the principal was allowed to stay.

In the events following, a letter was written to the principal demanding acquittals of 2010 financial year for the parents, teachers and students to know.

Deputy principal academic Lupain Philips, who was a signatory in the letter, was assaulted by the principal in front of the teachers who met for a discussion in their staff room last week.

Philips was believed to have taken the matter up with police in Wau for the principal to be charged with assault but attempts to contact Wau police station commander Paul Acca were unsuccessful.

Classes have not been affected

A sad day for Papua New Guinea as we head towards dictatorship!

2011-02-20T19:41:00.001+10:00

By Bulolo MP SAM BASIL

Today is a sad day for Papua New

Guinea

as people whom we had hopes on have been contaminated, and our hopes crushed.

The former chief justice could have given a better reason than being defensive for the prime minister over the leadership tribunal.

Look at how he described the reasons for the removal of acting public prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate.

He said Mr Tamate was removed for non performance but failed to outline what sort of lack of performance.

Did he mismanage the office?

If so, what are the examples?

Did he not do his constitutional duty?

What are some examples?

Was he cited for contempt for not allocating lawyers to attend to criminal cases/call-overs like his predecessors?

So what are the reasons at this very crucial moment when the whole nation is looking forward to see justice prevail?

Can the former chief justice as a learned person justify his actions because you cannot afford to leave the people of PNG guessing?

Otherwise, Sir Arnold is just another puppet, executing the prime minister and his family’s will and the only conclusion that the people come up with is none other than prime minister’s own case.

Decisions that Mr Tamate has made in relation to the prime minister’s case has restored the office of the public prosecutor and the public confidence that the office of the public prosecutor is independent.

Some people even did not know what the office of the public prosecutor is until Mr Tamate referred the prime minister.

Sir Arnold is saying that the National Judicial Service Commission is independent and is going to the extent of even outlining who constitutes that Commission.

With due respect, it does not matter who constitutes that commission, as long as the decision that the commission makes is seen not to be political and independent.

The commission is the only beacon of hope for this country but sadly today we are one getting one more step closer to a dictatorial type of government.

If the government is serious enough, why another acting public prosecutor and why for only 12months?

Is it not true that Arthur Somare’s judicial review proceedings is about to be finalised by March and he is going to face the same fate as his father?

Is it not true that the public prosecutor will be prosecuting the prime minister’s case when the matter is heard by the tribunal?

Is it not true that Mr Tamate has been appearing in Court with the Ombudsman Commission and state lawyers regarding Arthur Somare’s case which indicated that once that judicial review proceeding are finalised, he was prepared to send Arthur to face the same fate as his father?

Is it not an attempt to send a message to anybody who will be handling the prime minister’s case to be wary of their own fate before handling his case?

Is it not an attempt by the prime minister and his son to save their face with the elections coming around the corner?

Is it not true that the chief justice is dancing to Sir Arnold and ultimately the prime minister in this Judicial and Legal Service Commission, where Sir Arnold, who is the chairman, is strongly advocating for the delay of the tribunal?

Can the chairman of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission explain the exact things that Mr Tamate did not perform or is he just simply changing the referee?

There could be something better than mere excuses.

Huon Gulf MP Sasa Zibe in contempt of court over Watut River issue

2011-02-20T19:14:00.000+10:00

By Bulolo MP SAM BASIL

The issue of the damage to the Watut and the people who rely upon it for their very existence and the resulting court case should not be the subject of a publicity-seeking talkfest proposed by Huon Gulf MP Sasa Zibe.

The question of liability of MMJV for the damage is before the courts and minister Zibe’s conduct would be in contempt of court.

Where was Sasa Zibe when the people he represents in Parliament were crying for help throughout 2009 and 2010 as their river had been destroyed?

Where was he when they were complaining that the fish were dead, that they couldn’t use the river for transport as the overburden from the mine had made the river too shallow?”

Authorities have been signed by landowners of the Lower Watut region, which is in his electorate, for me to represent them in the court case against MMJV as Sasa Zibe did nothing to help them.

Now the mining company is putting the pressure on as the court case has started, Sasa Zibe is trying to get his people to stop their fight for their rights by the calling of a general forum.

The issues he seeks to talk about in the forum, if dealt with properly, would take weeks to resolve, not days.

Sasa Zibe is paying lip service to public consultation and he knows it.

I remind Sasa Zibe of his own government’s warning of contempt of court several months ago through the then attorney general Ano Pala and the then governor of Madang Sir Arnold Amet (now attorney general) to anyone who wished to debate, talk about or protest against the amendments to the Environment Act, as Mr Pala stated that the issue legality of the amendments was before the courts.

They threatened any and every citizen of this country with charges of contempt of court if the issues before the court were discussed in any forum.

I suggest that Sasa Zibe takes his own attorney general’s advice on this matter and refrain from any discussions concerning the basis of the court case and should he in fact discuss any of the issues before the court, I will not hesitate to commence proceedings for contempt of court against him, in order to protect the legal rights of the people of the Watut.

It would be also proper for the minister to get his Huon Gulf district joint district planning and budget priorities committee (JDP and BPC) to help Bulolo district JDP and BPC to fund the court case because we have heard their plea and stood in on his behalf.

###

Hon Sam Basil MP

In response to:

Morobe sets to discuss mining issues through forum

Post-Courier Thursday February 10, 2011

By FRANK RAI

PREPARATIONS are well underway to stage a Morobe Mining Forum in Lae later this month to discuss mining issues affecting the province.
The forum is organised by the Morobe provincial government and is planned to be staged at the PNG University of Technology’s Duncanson Hall.
Morobe MPs including Governor Luther Wenge, government officials, mining officials, company executives, local community members, leaders, scientific organisations and stakeholders will participate.
The purpose of the forum is to gauge views by way of debating and discussing issues concerning mining operations in the province.
Many issues have been raised currently on the operations undertaken by Morobe Mining Joint Venture (MMJV) by affected communities with their outspoken Bulolo MP Sam Basil.
Huon Gulf MP and Minister for Health Sasa Zibe said yesterday that all Morobean MPs, local leaders and interested parties should come together and debate issues ranging from landowners, conservation and environment and benefit sharing agreement.
Mr Zibe said other issues in relation to mining practices employed by developers, regulations and legal frame work would also be discussed at the forum.
“The outcome of this forum is to bring all known and perceived problems and issues to the table and encourage mediation process between all parties through which solutions would be found that concern local landowners, national and provincial government and the developer,” Mr Zibe said.
He added that he decided to propose the forum because he believed that there were workable partnership with investors rather than going through court battles.
“Morobe people and leaders must stand together on this issue. Mining is here to stay but we as a province must lay the ground rules for companies to come and operate,” the minister said.
Mr Zibe said that his people were set to be affected once the Wafi mining which shares the electorate with Bulolo electorate operates.
The minister said he was hopeful that amicable solutions would be found for current dispute between all parties involved in the Morobe Mining Joint Venture (MMJV) through mediation after the debate and forum.

Basil rejects Sir Arnold's statement

2011-02-13T14:59:00.000+10:00

By Bulolo MP, SAM BASIL

The statement by the attorney general that the public should not demand swift decision making from the chief justice as to the appointment of a leadership tribunal is as offensive as it is clearly wrong.

The chief justice, like the attorney general, is public servants and should be answerable and accountable to the people of Papua New Guinea at all times.

Serious allegations have been made against the most-senior public servant in PNG, the prime minister.

These allegations remain unanswered three years later.

This is bringing the integrity of the office of prime minister into question and it is in the interests of the country as a whole that these allegations are resolved quickly, one way or another.

Justice delayed is justice denied.

The public prosecutor was satisfied that the prime minister was guilty of misconduct in office, which resulted in his referral of the matter to the chief justice for the appointment of a leadership tribunal pursuant to Section 27(2) of the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership.

When a tribunal is to be appointed to inquire in the case of alleged misconduct in office by the prime minister – a special provision applies as to the make-up of the tribunal – which is Section 27(7) (d) of the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership, which provides that the chief justice must appoint a tribunal consisting of a chairman and two other members, all of whom must be—

(i) Judges or former judges of the National Court; or

(ii) Former Judges of the pre-independence Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea; or

(iii) Judges or former judges of an equivalent court of a country that has a legal system similar to that of PNG;

The chief justice does not have discretion as to whether or not he should appoint a tribunal under the Organic Law, once the matter is referred to him by the public prosecutor, he MUST appoint a tribunal.

This performance of this duty cannot be delayed.

It is not a difficult or time- consuming task as there is only a limited pool of persons from which the chief justice may appoint the tribunal.

It is in the interests of justice that this task is performed as quickly as possible so that these allegations may be resolved so that the integrity of the office of prime minister is not further destroyed.

It is therefore entirely appropriate that the people demand that the tribunal be appointed within a reasonable time and that means as soon as possible in these circumstances.

For the attorney general to suggest that the people have no rights to demand quick action, it is not only in breach of the basic principles of democracy but he is clearly playing politics and trying to delay the determination of the allegations of misconduct against the prime minister, which all of PNG has been waiting for.

We should also remind ourselves that the attorney general and the governor of Madang Sir Arnold Amet is also a member of the National Alliance Party from which the prime minister is a leader of and delivering such statements can only bring the integrity of his office into question.

There should be a law in the future to make the office of the attorney general be occupied by public servants only and not politicians as such.

It would be also proper for future chief justices not to enter politics because the respect they carry from this high profile office can be easily tainted when they start playing petty politics.

Hon Sam Basil - Opposition MP

Bulolo Open Electorate.

In response to –

Amet: CJ should not be put under pressure

By JOSHUA ARLO – Post Courier

THE CHIEF JUSTICE should never be put under pressure by public demand to appoint a leadership tribunal to look into the alleged misconduct in office by the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare. “The process is consultation. That is important given the seniority and importance of the high public office of the Prime Minister,” the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Sir Arnold Amet said yesterday. The former Chief Justice, who left the bench seven years ago to pursue a political career, was speaking to Post-Courier in an exclusive interview after the launch of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General’s first ever newsletter. He said the decision to appoint a tribunal was the sole responsibility of the Chief Justice and he must not give in to public demand as the decision needs a lot of consideration, as well as consultation with other judges before he could appoint the tribunal. An appointment for the tribunal is pending because the Public Prosecutor made the request on the eve of court vacation. The vacation ended last Monday when the 2011 legal year resumed. Sir Michael stepped aside from office after the request was made but recently resumed office and he is expected to step aside again when a tribunal is appointed again. Sir Arnold also raised two other issues that surrounded the issue of the appointment of a tribunal in relation to office holders which are currently being discussed. “Firstly, a misunderstanding that the Public Prosecutor requested the Chief Justice to appoint a tribunal that didn’t automatically resort to suspend the Prime Minister. And secondly, it is the decision of the tribunal as to whether the Prime Minister should be suspended from office,” he said yesterday.

Lelang must speak out

2011-02-11T15:38:00.000+10:00

By Bulolo MP SAM BASIL

I call for on suspended National Planning secretary Joseph Lelang (now sacked) to come out now without fear or favor and expose all he can to clear his name.

Usually members of parliament give directives and when the going gets tough they hide and let the departmental secretaries to cope with the blame game so I am appealing to the sacked secretary to come out now and spill the beans.

Tell us who and where the monies in various trust accounts disappeared to?

Which companies?

Which MPs used undue influence or threatened him to break financial laws to dish out or redirect funds?

Why is Paul Tienstein so quite since this issue surfaced?

I am ready to march the street with the people to demand the arrest and charging of members of parliament when Joe Lelang exposes the rot and he must do so now!

Ministers have been buying houses and shifting their families overseas in an unprecedented manner never like never before from those stolen funds so Lelang owes it to the people of Papua New Guinea and he must speak now to save face.

Sack environment minister and secretary

2011-02-11T09:43:00.000+10:00

By Bulolo MP SAM BASIL

I call on the prime minister to sack the minister for environment and conservation Benny Allen and his departmental head Wari Iamo for failing to serve the people of PapuaNew Guinea, especially the victims of environmental destruction.

The recent Deloitte report has branded the Department of Environment and Conservation department as untrusted and with that alone wecan assume that corruption exists from ministerial level down to the department.

The genuineness of approving new environmental plans and issuance of environmental permits can no longer be trusted by ordinary Papua New Guineans because all environmental plans have failed, leaving the exposed communities to fend for themselves, and even taking their very own government to court.

The recent visit and statements made by the minister and his secretary after visiting Hidden Valley has proven to us all that their position has been compromised.

If they can be branded as untrustworthy and irresponsible by a reputable accounting firm, then it is to the best interest of all Papua New Guineans that Allen and his secretary be sacked immediately by the prime minister without delay.

If for some reasons the prime minister cannot, then we all can assume that the prime minister is part and parcel of those corrupt practices in within the DEC because of his government’s involvement with the Ramu nickel mine.

If the minister and the secretary have been playing the games with the prime minister in fear of heir jobs then they have to come clear to the media and expose all to clear their names.

Just like the planning department secretary and the planning minister, hey all have reached the crossroads now and must come out to clear their names.

We will see many such cases coming out of the woodwork before the national elections next year.

Bulldog Track access for locals to be challenged in court

2011-02-09T15:14:00.001+10:00

The remote Tekadu people have used the Bulldog Track for many years to bring their market goods like buai (betelnut), tobacco, dried river fish, galip nuts and gold for sale into Kaindi (Eddie Creek) and Wau, and also to access to health centres and to bring children for school. The closure of Tekadu people’s only access into Kaindi and Wau town has left them with no option but to trek from Tekadu and overnight in Nukeva (Tauri Lakekamu local level government (LLG) - Kerema) then catch banana boat for Yopoi Bridge (Malalau –Kerema) and then catch a PMV to Port Moresby – a total of three or four days of travel.
Councillor of Tekadu Ward 20 of Wau Rural LLG, Henry Timothy, explains that for the villagers to transport a 20kg bag of buai into Port Moresby, they have to pay village porters to carry buai bags from Tekadu into Nukeva (a whole days walk) and then another day on banana boat into Yopoi, and then catch PMV on the notorious Kerema Highway into Port Moresby
Many have fallen victims of criminal hold ups on PMVs and banana boats, while the economics of transporting their produce from Tekadu into Port Moresby has proven uneconomical ever since the closure of their only access into Wau by MMJV mine operators Newcrest of Australia and Harmony Gold of South Africa.
Councillor Henry stressed that the cost of travelling to Port Moresby markets had made it very difficult for the locals to earn a living, and many had given up their ways of earning cash by returning to a subsistent way of life, which meant they would not be able to afford salt, cooking oil, school fees, rice, soap and even cloth themselves.
Trekking into Hidden Valley and Eddie Creek has been their traditional route and the councillor wants their local MP Sam Basil to fight the developer of Hidden Valley for their rights to use the Bulldog Track again.
Mr Basil assured Councillor Henry that the traditional rights of the people to have access to the Bulldog Track that runs into Hidden Valley Mine would be challenged in court.

Bulolo MP Sam Basil and Councillor Henry Timothy

Before the mining company arrived, the Tekadu people have been using the Bulldog Track, even long before World War 11, and know that they still have their rights.
They believe that there are international laws somewhere, including our national constitution that can protect the indigenous people’s rights like themselves and their way of living from big international mining companies like MMJV.
In 2006 and again in 2009, the Tekadu people tried to protest at the entrance of the company in Hidden Valley to ask for their access rights, but were ignored.
The first attempt resulted in several arrests made.
Councillor Henry said the victims were Peter Yaku and Sonagi Elimas, including their wives, who were arrested and detained in Bulolo cells and were later released on bail.
When MMJV commenced the Hidden Valley mining operations, it prohibited access by the Tekadu people to the Bulldog Track by placing locked gates and security guards with guns at the points where the track enters and exits the mining lease area.
MMJV have unlawfully terminated the access to the Bull Dog track for these people.
The Bull Dog track was constructed by Australian Army engineers and Papua New Guineans over nine months in 1943.

Satellite image of the Bulldog Track

More than 2, 000 Australians and 2, 000 Papua New Guineas cut the road with pickaxes and dynamite over a period of eight months and it was built for the purpose of providing a supply line for future military operations in the Markham Valley and on the North Coast of Papua New Guinea.
The Chief Engineer, W. J. Reinhold, was later to write "Every foot of progress made on this road exacted the ultimate in courage, endurance, skill and toil. Its construction took a toll from surveyor, engineer, laborer and native carrier alike."
Mr Basil said the people now have to walk around, in much more-difficult terrain that added three days onto their journeys.
The people of Yanina, Anandea, Yanawe, Tekadu 1 and Tekadu 2 cannot bring store goods back to their homes because of the rough terrain and have to cross into Gulf and Central provinces to sell their betelnut and raise funds for their basic needs and to get treatment at health centres.
The lengthy walk means the people cannot carry their market goods into Wau nor get emergency case to medical treatment into Wau in time.
There was an aid post and a school in the Tekadu area but both closed due to the blocking of the track by MMJV.
Last year a woman who had complications from child birth was carried for seven days on the diverted route and she died 50m from the health centre.
Had she and her carriers been allowed access to the Bulldog track, she would have reached the health centre days earlier, and probably would have survived.
The closure of Bulldog Track has also affected the tourism industry, because unlike the Black Cat Track villagers, people from Tekadu cannot build guest houses or participate in the tourism business spin-offs.
By blocking access to this track, MMJV has infringed on the people’s customary land use rights contrary to the Mining Act and breached their Constitutional rights including but not limited to S52 Freedom of Movement and S53 Unjust Deprivation of Property. MMJV has neither provided an alternate route for the Tekadu people, nor compensated them for their loss of land use and breach of their rights.
The Bulolo District has determined that it will assist these people to take redress against MMJV and enforce these people’s rights and hold MMJV accountable for their actions.

Skeletons emerge from pine forests of Bulolo

2011-01-26T17:33:00.001+10:00

By MALUM NALU
Apart from gold, there is something else that iconic Bulolo, Morobe province, is famous for, and that is its beautiful and majestic pine trees.

Plantation pine at Bulolo. Picture courtesy of PNG FOREST PRODUCTS

The major industry is now forestry and there are large plantings of hoop and klinkii pine trees.
The plantations are run by the National Forest Service of the PNG Forest Authority with the major client being PNG Forest Products, a company that evolved from Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd, which commenced operations in large-scale alluvial mining in the late 1920s.
But beneath the surface is a festering sore which must be attended to and that is the issue of traditional ownership of the land on which the pine plantations stand.
Skeletons of the past are now emerging from the magnificent pine forests of Bulolo.

Golden Pine Plantations, Bulolo. Picture by PNG FOREST PRODUCTS

It has the potential to become a major legal issue, like that of the Watut River, pitching landowners against the PNG and Australian governments.
It has shades of the infamous Manhattan island purchase of 1626, in which that prime piece of real estate now worth billions, was purchased from American Indians for a measly $24 worth of trinkets!
To understand how the forestry business began in Bulolo, it is necessary to step back in time, to the late 1920s when it was one of the largest gold fields in the world.
A total of seven dredges scoured the valley floor, dredging thousands of tonnes of high grade gold-bearing ore.
As the mining operation scaled down, the plywood factory and sawmill were constructed.
In collaboration with the then government, the pine plantations were also established at this time.
In 1954, plywood production and the export of product to overseas destinations commenced.
From the early 1950s the company has been involved in the conversion of both hardwood and plantation resource to high value end products.
Today, PNG Forest Products is the leading producer of timber and plywood products using only 100% plantation pine.
Its products include prefabricated houses, dressed timber and mouldings, treated power poles, export high grade plywood and veneers.
Australian administration of the then Territory of New Guinea, in 1948 and 1951, acquired the land on which large forests of hoop and klinkii pine are now situated from landowners at Manki village.
Copies of original land transfer documents obtained by The National show that that Australian administration paid a mere 583 pounds in 1948 and 5, 705 pounds in 1951 for land and forest assets now worth millions.
The landowners, however, argue that they have never seen or received any of this money
In 1952, BGD and the Australian government became partners in a company called Commonwealth New Guinea Timbers (CNGT), which has evolved into today’s PNGFP under different ownership.
The plan was to make plywood from the hoop and klinki pines on Manki land, which resulted in what landowners term the “unlawful” acquisition of native land by the Australian administration.
The Wenge Tanataime Landowners’ Association from Wautu local level government (LLG) in Bulolo, the legal body set up by landowners of Manki village, has been arguing with the PNG government over the last couple of years in relation to the 1948 and 1951 land purchases issue.
They have written to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, acting chief secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc, PNGFA and the Lands Titles Commission (LTC), among others, to spell out their grievances.
The PNGFA, the only one to respond so far, has advised the landowners to pursue their claim through the LTC, and failing that, through the courts.
“We say this because PNG Forest Authority, as a state agency, occupies the Bulolo plantation land through a certificate of occupancy,” PNGFA legal officer Uti Sepoe said in a letter to landowners last November.
“Any closure of the plantation by your association will invoke the full force of the law.PNG Forest Authority does not wish this to happen.”
The association says the legislation governing the ‘transfer of land by natives to the administration’ during the colonial era was the Land Ordinance 1922, which stated that land may be acquired in the territory for purposes other than mining or forestry under a lease hold tenure granted by the administration in accordance with the 1922 ordinance.
The type of leases provided for were agricultural purposes, pastoral purposes, residences and business purposes, special purposes and mission leases.
“Therefore, the acquisition/purchase/transfer of Manki native land under the land ordinance is legally questionable,” the association argues.
“A legal opinion exists that purchase of native land for mining or forestry is not permitted under the land ordinance.
“The condition under which land may be taken for the purpose of felling, cutting removing and disposing of timber are set forth in the Forestry Ordinance 1936.
“That is if the native owners are willing to dispose the timber growing on any land, then the administration may acquire the exclusive right to such timber.
“In addition to the forestry ordinance, there was a special piece of legislation entitled ‘New Guinea Timber Agreement Act 1952’, which was enacted by the Australian parliament.
“This covered the agreement between the commonwealth of Australia and BGD to form a company, CNGT, with the object of acquiring timber rights in the territory.”
Landowners’ consultant, Kevin Mon, was in Port Moresby recently to follow up on letters sent last year; however, most of them, apart from NFA, didn’t seem to give a hoot.
“I have delivered documents outlining our claims to Bulolo MP Sam Basil and Morobe administrator Kemas Tomala,” he said from Bulolo.
“Up to now, we are still waiting for a reply from them.”

Basil hits back at Mauri

2011-01-18T20:31:00.000+10:00

Chairman of Nakuwi Landowners’ Association Rex Mauri has been accused of being completely ignorant about court proceedings by Watut River landowners against the Hidden Valley Joint Venture.

Bulolo MP Sam Basil said this after criticisms and accusations leveled at him by Mauri in the Post-Courier.

"Mr Mauri is completely ignorant about the commenced court proceedings by the Watut landowners against the Hidden Valley Joint Venture, “he said.

“His statements are not only factually incorrect but are likely politically motivated and were no doubt written by the miner.

“It is always to the best interest of any developer in PNG to make the landowners and their political leaders to fight each other, and the more they fight, the more the developer walks away.

“So it is not worth fighting with Mr Rex Mauri.”

Basil said he was all set to fight for the disadvantaged communities, and whether it was a single person or 10,000 people, he would still fight for their rights.

Basil also urged Mauri to reserve all political statements against him for 2012 polls and it was bad to drag and compare the financial might of MMJV against the district and national government’s grants.

“It is also common knowledge that the national government is incapable of maintaining the services of PNG Royal Constabulary due to continuous lack of annual budgetary funding,” he said.

“Successive governments through the national executive council always compensate new projects with different types of concessions to help fund law and order and other essential services, to mainly provide for their establishment and to cover for the national government’s shortfalls.

“This can be seen on future Hidden Valley special support grant (SSG) and tax credit funds, which has been booked against the MMJV’s K8 million annual funding of the Bulolo national highway, because the works department is incapable of maintaining the Lae to Hidden Valley highway.

"There is no injunction in place as Mr Mauri says.

“The Watut River landowners are suing Hidden valley Joint Venture for damages as a result of the gross environmental destruction to the Watut River and surrounding land caused by the miner.

“They also want the miner to rehabilitate the river as their dumping of wastes into the river has buried the alluvial gold among other destructions and is preventing water flow."

"Mr Mauri is also incorrect as the Watut River landowners are outside the mining lease area and have not received any of the so-called benefits from the mine."

"The lawsuit is about making the miner clean up its mess, not about stopping the mine.

“The miner has done nothing to rehabilitate the river in the past year and must be forced to do so.

“The Watut River landowners are also adamant to make sure through these court proceedings that this sort of accident by the miner never happens again."

Basil made these comments in response to a media statement issued by Mauri on Jan 17, 2011.

"Mr Mauri doesn’t care about the rights of people living downstream and they are in thousands and not in 100's as claimed by Rex,” he said.

Basil also extended his invitation Mauri to the courtroom on the set date to see for himself how many Watut River communities from Bulolo to Labu would attend in numbers.

He also stressed that many of the 3, 000 landowners Mauri claimed he represented were complaining about their royalty payments, which were as low as K13 per month.

“The chairman of Nakuwi Landowners’ Association, current or future must fight together with my office for greater percentages of royalties when the Hidden Valley MOA is up for review,” Basil said.

“An increase from 2% to 5% must be asked for while 3% of the 5% must be set aside to fund the landowners’ royalties alone.

“The Biangai and the Watut people must benefit more from the royalties then any other government entities because they are the owners of the resources being dug up and will remain with big holes after the mine life.”

Basil is the landowners’ representative plaintiff is the court proceedings and confirmed he had instructed the Watut River landowners' lawyers to advise on whether Mauri's statements constituted a contempt of court, “as they appear to be designed to influence or intimidate the plaintiffs into discontinuing the proceedings”.

If so, Basil has instructed the lawyers to charge Mauri with contempt of court.

Ogio is not a fit and proper person to be governor general.

2011-01-13T19:31:00.000+10:00

The choice of the Somare/Abal Government as the preferred nominee for the next governor general, the current minister for education, Michael Ogio, has a history of dubious involvement in controversial illegal logging deals and is not a fit and proper person for the role as head of state, Bulolo MP Sam Basil said today..

Basil says that as forest minister Ogio frequently ignored the law to grant illegal access to vast areas of Papua New Guinea forests by some of the most-notorious logging companies.

“The source of the information on Mr Ogio is on the World Bank-funded Independent Review Reports by teams chosen by the then government that were carried out in the period 2001 to 2004,” Basil said.

“The teams conducted four major reviews of the forestry sector being the 2000/2001 Reviews of Proposed Logging Concessions, the 2003 Review of Disputed Permit Extensions and Timber Authorities under the auspices of the Forestry and Conservation Project sponsored by the World Bank, the 2003/2004 Review of Current Forestry Operations and the 2004/2005 Compliance Audits on new Timber Permits

“In September 2003, the World Bank suspended payments under the Forestry and Conservation Project agreement.

“One of the primary reasons for the suspension was the failure of the PNG Government to ensure the legal compliance of the Wawoi Guavi Blocks 1, 2 and 3 Timber Permit and the variance to the Timber Permit.

“Michael Ogio was the person and minister responsible for the suspension because, according to the legal compliance reviews, he granted an unlawful 10-year extension of the huge Wawoi Guavi Timber Permit to Rimbunan Hijau against the advice of the Forest Authority and in defiance of the National Forest Board

“The reviews also found Michael Ogio as forest minister had behaved improperly by:

• Giving three unlawful tax exemptions for the illegal Kiunga Aiambak logging project operated by Concord Pacific;

• Giving three ministerial directives to the National Forest Board to ignore proper procedures and unlawfully award the Josephstaal logging concession in Madang province;

• Issuing an unlawful Timber Authority (TA 1-08) for a huge timber authority in Western province against the advice of five government departments;

• Taking no action against the Forest Authority managing director, Thomas Nen, for allowing illegal logging in Pondo and Tuwapu;

• Breaching the then government’s forestry action plan to allow logging in inland Pomio, Pondo and Lak;

• Breaching the then government’s moratorium on new logging concessions; and

• Trying to manipulate the position of managing director of the Forest Authority – making six different appointments to the position between January and April 2002.

“Despite the clear findings of the review teams, the Somare government never implemented their recommendations to bring the forestry sector into legal compliance, which led to the cancellation on May 17, 2005, by the World Bank of the Forestry and Conservation Project. The World Bank was particularly concerned with the issues of non-compliance that Mr Ogio had caused.”

Basil says Ogio cost this country a forest conservation project worth over a K100 million kina.

“He is not a fit and proper person to be governor general.”

Basil calls on the office of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth – who is the Head of State for PNG - that Ogio’s election to the office of the governor general should be rejected because of his clear lack of qualifications for the role.

“Ogio’s reputation will also bring into question the credibility and the integrity of this vice regal post representing the Queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the 2^nd, and our standing among other Commonwealth of Nations,” he said.

“The other implications are that Ogio will have to immediately resign from being a member of parliament if he wins the governor general’s post which would either mean:

• The electoral commission will need to fund another election at a cost of K2 million-plus; or

• The people of his electorate will be without representation in parliament until 2012.”

Harmony unable to stop legal action at mine

2011-01-12T11:32:00.000+10:00

Member of Papua New Guinea parliament seeks damages over mine sediment runoff

ALLAN SECCOMBE of Business Day South Africa

Published: 2011/01/07 07:44:05 AM

EFFORTS by Harmony Gold and its Australian joint-venture partner, Newcrest Mining, to halt legal action at its Hidden Valley mine in Papua New Guinea relating to damage caused by sediment appear to have failed.

The equally held joint venture called Morobe Mining yesterday denied allegations contained in a writ "purportedly" served on it by legal advisers acting for Sam Basil, the member of parliament for the Bulolo area, and villagers living along the Watut River.

"The writ alleges nuisance relating to mine-related sediment and seeks damages and injunctive relief in relation to the Hidden Valley mine operations," Morobe said. "The joint venturers will vigorously defend the litigation should it proceed."

The writ was issued despite an apparent deal reached between the parties last month when it was agreed there would be a "constructive dialogue process" and the setting up of an independent panel of international experts to assess the sediment and pollution issues affecting the Watut River.

"The pending legal action now prejudices the ability of the member (MP) and his legal adviser to participate in this process," Morobe said yesterday.

Morobe said on December 16 that Mr Basil had withdrawn a writ lodged with the National Court of Papua New Guinea over the alleged nuisance related to sediment from the Hidden Valley mine, which produces gold and silver and is Harmony’s only operating asset outside SA.

Mr Basil said at the time: "I have not withdrawn the legal proceedings on behalf of 110 landowners who have been seriously impacted by the pollution of the Watut River by sediment and heavy metals from the Hidden Valley mine."

The mining partners have been paying compensation since November to people living along the river for damage caused to their crops and gardens by floods that carried sediment that may have come from the mine as well as natural events like landslides.

Harmony CEO Graham Briggs told stakeholders at the end of 2009 that the higher than expected sediment runoff from the mine had given rise to "serious concern within and outside the company". This was a result of it taking longer than expected to reach hard rock at the mine.

According to an Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) report in November, sediment had destroyed crops, reduced fish stocks, polluted drinking water and affected revenue-generating small-scale alluvial gold mining.

"Although these changes in the river course occur naturally over time, the mine’s contribution to the sediment load in the lower Watut River has speeded up this process," Mr Briggs said.

About $1m was set aside to compensate people in 30 affected villages, the report said.

Morobe Mining Joint Ventures community affairs manager Stanley Komunt told ABC the runoff had been stopped and 2200 individual damages claims were being assessed.

Basil and Michaels are new recruits for PNG Party

2011-01-10T23:58:00.001+10:00

Bu M Bulolo MP Sam Basil and Tewaii Siassi MP Vincent Michaels have joined the PNG Party.

Basil was formerly with People's Progress Party while Michaels was with New Generation Party.

They move in the footsteps of fellow opposition MPs Konie Iguan (Markham) and Bonnie Overa (Okapa) who moved ahead of them late last year to join the PNG Party.

"The move now brings to four the number of our faction into PNG Party," they said.

"There are many reasons why we have decided to leave our party to make this move but we will outline just a few here.

"We believe that there are too many political parties, both registered and deregistered out there, just enough to make almost every members of parliament as party leaders with a handful of party members - just like too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

"There should be at least four or five major political parties in Papua New Guinea because every man and his dog now owns a political party which in the future must be discouraged.

"Every political party must demonstrate and work towards institutionalisation with better policies and management in place.

"We urge the public and political advisors to help by not encouraging MPs and political aspirants to create new political parties at will, adding to the unprecedented number of political parties we now have in the Commonwealth of Nations.

"The National Alliance Party has demonstrated a working political institution which has remained in power for over eight years now, creating political history.

"The political leadership of Sir Michael Somare and his kitchen cabinet has eroded the ability and the credibility of the single and the biggest political party in power today, and must be challenged, if not now, then in the 2012 elections.

"In doing so we believe that like the law of the universe, greater mass creates its own gravitational field that can attract and in order to match and fight the National Alliance, we must build up to their level and capacity to match them on the battlefield and there is no other better way than this.

"Papua New Guinea, since gaining Independence in 1975 with over a million population, now has over 6.5 million people and we acknowledge here that there are many smart and dedicated people out there too - people who have the heart for this nation and one day can become our political leaders too.

"Our political party system must be seen to evolve as well to see a generational change in political leaderships.

"We say this with no regret because we totally think differently from the old guard, and there are many reasons out there which we need not to elaborate here.

"While at that, we would like to acknowledge the bold move made by Hon Sir Mekere Morauta to allow the PNG Party's leadership into the hands of younger generation leaders like Hon Belden Namah.

"Sir Mekere Morauta, being younger then Sir Michael Somare, has set precedence and demonstrated that PNG Party will now evolve with the younger generation MPs which he will be also be part of as a mentor.

"We urge our founding fathers to do the same because from the 6.5m population, there are many aspiring young, bright and upcoming leaders who will be passing through this parliament one day, therefore, a new culture of political evolution must be adopted.

"We need our founding fathers as mentors now from behind while they are still alive, and not from their graves, because it will be a great loss to the nation if they leave without mentoring the younger generation leaders.

"We would like to acknowledge Hon Bart Philemon and Sir Julius Chan respectively as great leaders of this nation, and will still maintain our close working relationship with them, in within opposition ranks and towards the 2012 general elections.

"Our exit from their leadership is to fight a fight that we all share, but we see it from a different angle, and it is to build a formidable political force while taking into consideration our political future.

"We cannot take on National Alliance from many smaller, fragmented political groupings, because we will just repeat the 2007 general election results again come the 2012 general elections.

"There are times when we humble ourselves our egos and our pride to mass up to match our opponent and this is just what we are simply doing.

"To our supporters around the country, I urge you to think the same because we all share the same sentiments and this is the best option we believe in and have taken."

Watut River Claim Summary

2011-01-10T22:10:00.000+10:00

In October 2010, groups of customary landowners along the Watut River complained to their Member of Parliament (MP) Sam Basil that the Hidden Valley Joint Venture (HVJV) had caused massive damage to the Watut and were however trying to get landowners to sign statutory declarations to submit to an 'Improvement Compensation procedure" and accept a small amount of compensation of up to K1, 200 per landowner for the massive damage to the river and the surrounding land.

Of further concern, the landowners were also complaining of skin rashes and stomach complaints due to contamination of the water by HHJV, as well as all fish life in the river being dead.

The mine owners, Australian Newcrest and South African Harmony Gold which are the companies that own 50% each in the HHJV, have admitted on Harmony's website the existence of higher levels of sedimentation in the river that had been caused by mine operations.

They did not, however, explain why the fish in the river had died, why the landowners were experiencing medical problems and why vegetation along the river was dying back.

It was then exposed that HVJV had underestimated the amount of overburden that had needed to be removed in the construction of the mine, but without any structural alteration had stored the excessive amounts in the planned interim waste dumps.

Further, HVJV did not even construct competent waste dumps as there was insufficient competent fresh rock - but went ahead with the construction of the mine.

These dumps failed with the first big rains sending millions of tonnes of metaliferous overburden (containing iron pyrites and other metals) into the Watut River.

As there was meant to be no discharge of waste into the Watut, none of the landowners down the river were part of any pre-existing compensation agreement as would have been required under the Mining Act if any damage was a predicted consequence.

Additionally, HVJV failed to construct retaining dams at the Kaveroi and Watut catchments and 18 months after construction began, none of the retaining constructions were even commenced and all sidecasting by HVJV was going straight into the Watut and Kaveroi catchment creeks.

Both ore and waste at the Hidden Valley Mine were predicted to be and are susceptible to acid generation, so should have been and should be handled with great care, which clearly has not been the case.

The MP announced by way of press release on 27 October 2010, that was reported in the PNG national newspapers, that he was very concerned that HVJV was approaching Landowners to accept minimal compensation, without any independent verification of the nature and extent of the damage to the Watut and surrounding land and that he going to investigate into both the scientific facts and the legality of the situation and that if the signing of the statutory declarations was inappropriate for the landowners and also if it affected their rights to compensation in any way, legal proceedings would be commenced.

He publically requested HVJV to cease the statutory declaration compensation procedure.

A letter was sent from the lawyers for HVJV Blake Dawson (a large Australian law firm) to the lawyers for the landowners and the MP on November 3 stating that should any legal proceedings be commenced to stop the payments (the statutory declaration signings), then they should be given reasonable notice so HVJV may be represented in the proceedings.

Discussions then took place between the MP and members of the HVJV, and HVJV requested that a meeting take place between the MP and his advisors and HVJV to try and resolve the issue through negotiation.

The meeting took place on November 26, 2010.

At the meeting, Mr Basil agreed that he would not immediately commence legal proceedings on behalf of the landowners, on the basis that the issue of the pollution of the Watut would initially be resolved by a process, particularly:

· That MMJV would provide all relevant documents and reports;

· That the landowner advisory team would visit the site;

· That both sides would draft terms of reference and suggest members of an independent review team;

· That the parties would meet in late January 2011 and should the respective teams differ in their scientific evaluation of the problems with the Watut – an independent scientific team would be put in place to assess the situation; and

· That the amounts of compensation and rehabilitation would be determined after the scientific assessments were completed.

On December 13, it was reported to Mr Basil that over the weekend of December 11-12, HVJV teams were still approaching landowners on the Watut River asking them to sign the statutory declarations which confirmed their submission to the compensation process as outlined in the MOA – which they are not even party to- and accept an arbitrary amount of compensation.

This conduct by HVJV was contrary to the spirit and express agreement by the parties on November 26, 2010.

As HVJV had continued with the process, Mr Basil, as representative of 110 named customary landowners on the Watut River had lawyers file a writ of summons in the National Court in Lae, Morobe Province, on December 14, 2010, claiming against the corporate entities that make up HVJV, damages and other relief on the basis of nuisance and negligence, which was the dumping of the waste into the Watut River.

HVJV again when learning of the filing of the court proceedings, requested that they be withdrawn so that negotiations could continue.

Mr Basil agreed to continue to negotiate on the basis that:

· Mr Basil and the landowners would continue to attempt to co-operatively resolve the Watut pollution issues – in the manner as outlined in the November 26, 2010, meeting;

· The proceedings would not be withdrawn but that the proceedings would not be served and that the proceedings would only be served in February 2011 in the event that the negotiations in late January2011 failed,;

· Mr Basil would however serve the proceedings earlier should HVJV continue to attempt to influence any Watut landowners to sign the statutory declarations or should MMJV conduct awareness on these issues to the affected landowners; and

· HVJV should issue a joint press release setting out the situation

This was communicated to the lawyers of HVJV on Thursday, December 16 and Friday, December 17, 2010.

HHJV, through its lawyers responded on December 20, 2010, that they would continue with the process of the statutory declaration signing and Mr Basil should still withdraw the proceedings.

Mr Basil informed HHJV through lawyers on December 20, 2010, that he had issued a press release to inform the landowners and the community of the situation, that he still demanded that the statutory declaration and compensation procedure cease - so that the independent scientific verification could be made.

On December 20, Mr Basil was informed through the lawyers for HVJV that unless the writ was withdrawn there would be no negotiations.

On December 28, Mr Basil was again informed by landowners that HVJV had continued visiting villages along the Watut to request villagers sign the statutory declarations and for payments of minimal compensation to be made. He advised HVJV through lawyers that

· HHJV immediately cease this behaviour; particularly that they desist from inducing further signatures and cease payments;

· Should HHJV cease this behaviour, then the landowners would be prepared to proceed with their scientific team visiting the site on January 24, 2011, and following that, agree to a meeting with the scientists, the lawyers and the parties to take place in Port Moresby on January 31, 2011; and

· Should HHJV continue inducing landowners to sign these statutory declarations and continue to make these payments, the writ would be served

HHJV responded on December 30, 2010, stating that they refused to stop inducing landowners to sign statutory declarations submitting to the HHJV compensation procedure nor making payments.Landowner groups then complained to Mr Basil that HVJV was using bullying tactics and cheating their communities.

Mr Basil was told that HVJV spent the last week of December delivering cheques to communities to allegedly compensate for the damage caused by toxic pollution from the mine to garden trees and crops.

The money ranges from K20 to K4, 000 (AU$8 – $1600).

At the same time as receiving the payments, the communities, who were earlier forced to sign a statutory declaration without any explanation and blank ‘Valuation Sheets’, were now made to sign what are called ‘Damage Assessment Payment Receipt Forms’.

These forms, written by HVJV, state:

I (claimant name), herby state that this claim represents a true and correct assessment of damage and that I accept the assessment carried out by MMJV officers as being adequate. I agree that I will make no further claim for economic improvements damages will be made in respect of the garden area and improvements described above, and that this damages assessment payment for economic trees and plants is payment in full and final satisfaction of my claim

Unfortunately given HVJV’s attitude, Mr Basil and the landowners had no option but to serve the legal proceedings which they did on and January 5 and 6, 2011.

The claim by the landowners is for damages to be paid for the massive damage to the Watut, for the river to be rehabilitated and for the mine to cease operations until the nuisance ceases and proper waste dumps are constructed, erosion controls are properly implemented and the river rehabilitated. They are also seeking punitive damages.Sam Basil denies that the commencing and service of these legal proceedings prevent any further negotiations in this matter nor does it affect the establishment of an expert technical advisory panel as a vehicle to resolve the “sedimentation” and pollution issues. ‘An issue that must be determined by the parties or by the court will be the nature and extent of the damage to the Watut and its peoples. This can only be completed by scientific evaluation. The next issue to be determined by the parties or the court would be the amount of damages and what can be done to rehabilitate the river and also to prevent this type of disaster from occurring again into the future.

HHJV has on one hand pretended to be willing to negotiate with the landowners and their representative on the issues of “sedimentation” and pollution of the river, after concerns were raised by Sam Basil as to the statutory declaration compensation process, but have in complete bad faith, whilst the landowners agreed to not file proceedings, continued to induce customary landowners to sign the statutory declarations and accept negligible amounts of compensation.

HHJV claim in their press release that the negotiations had nothing to do with the statutory declaration process, when in fact, it was that process that raised the threat of legal proceedings by the landowners in the first place, as can be seen from the initial correspondence from Blake Dawson.

A specialist scientific team will be visiting the site on behalf of the landowners in late January 2011 to undertake their assessment of the nature and extent of the damage to the land and riverine rights of the Landowners, and should HVJV not participate in negotiations, the landowners will pursue their commenced litigation vigorously.

Legal claim for environmental damage served on Hidden Valley mine

2011-01-10T21:53:00.000+10:00

Bulolo MP Sam Basil has served legal proceedings on the owners of the Hidden Valley gold mine in Papua New Guinea, seeking damages on behalf of over 100 indigenous families for environmental damage to the Watut river system.

The legal claim alleges that Morobe Mining Joint Venture (MMJV) has negligently caused toxic pollution which has poisoned the river, killing fish other aquatic life and vegetation and causing injury to people using the water for washing or drinking.

Basil says he has been trying to negotiate with MMJV, which is jointly owned by Newcrest Mining and Harmony Gold, to avoid a lengthy and costly court action, but the miners have not honored an agreement to stop inducing landowners to sign statutory declarations that could affect their future legal rights to compensation.

"I am very disappointed the company has broken its word and is still inducing landowners to sign agreements without giving them the benefit of any independent legal advice and without them understanding what they are doing.

“The company is abusing its position and not affording the landowners their Constitutional rights.

"I still hope we can avoid a court-room battle but the company must understand that it cannot treat the landowners and affected communities as third class citizens.

"The mining company could have avoided the toxic pollution of the river system, but chose profits ahead of people and the environment.

“Similarly, it could have avoided being served with these court papers, but it chose to breach its agreement with me.

"The people of PNG have learnt from our experiences with the Porgera and Ok Tedi mines and we are not going to allow another mining company to lie and cheat its way out of its legal and moral responsibilities."

MP sues Newcrest over PNG goldmine

2011-01-08T22:43:00.001+10:00

From The Australian

January 07, 2011 12:00AM

NEWCREST Mining's Hidden Valley gold project in Papua New Guinea faces more problems with landowners.

The local member of parliament served a fresh writ against the three-month old mine over flood damage to crops.

The 50-50 joint venture between Newcrest and South Africa's Harmony Gold Mining, known as Morobe Mining, says it will vigorously defend any legal action.

The writ alleges mine-related sediment in the Watut River has created a nuisance and seeks damages and injunctions in relation to the Hidden Valley operations, Morobe said.

Since November, Newcrest and Harmony have been making voluntary compensation payments to communities on the Watut for flood damage to crops and gardens.

Morobe says mine-related sediment, along with landslides and rain, may have contributed to the damage.

According to Morobe, the sediment that entered the Watut from the mine was run-off from mine overburden and construction activities.

Seeking to distance itself from the tailings problems that caused BHP to hand over the Ok Tedi copper mine in PNG in 2002, Morobe stressed it would store tailings and that no mine processing residue or tailings were being discharged into the Watut.

The Hidden Valley mine, which started production in October, is about 300km north west of Port Moresby, in the province of Morobe.

The local MP, Sam Basil, has criticised the PNG environment department and its minister for giving Hidden Valley an environmental permit.

On December 16, Newcrest informed the stockmarket that a writ served by Mr Basil in the National Court of Papua New Guinea had been withdrawn after the establishment of a technical advisory panel to resolve sediment-related issues.

But Mr Basil appears to have changed his mind since then. "The pending legal action now prejudices the ability of the member and his legal adviser to participate in this process," Morobe said yesterday.

The new writ was served on behalf of Mr Basil and a number of traditional landowners living along the Watut River.

Morobe said the compensation payments, of which Mr Basil had been aware, appear to have prompted the writ.

Yesterday, Newcrest Mining shares fell 58c to a three-month low of $39.26, in line with other gold stocks on the ASX.

Hidden Valley is expected to produce 250,000 ounces of gold a year for 14 years from two open pit mines

Claim for environmental damage served on Hidden Valley mine

2011-01-08T10:06:00.000+10:00

Bulolo MP, Sam Basil, has announced he has served legal proceedings on the owners of the Hidden Valley gold mine in Papua New Guinea, seeking damages on behalf of over 100 indigenous families for environmental damage to the Watut river system.

Basil says he has been trying to negotiate with Morobe Mining Joint Ventures (MMJV), which is jointly owned by Newcrest Mining and Harmony Gold, to avoid a lengthy and costly court action, but the miners have not honored an agreement to stop inducing landowners to sign statutory declarations that could affect their future legal rights to compensation.

“I am very disappointed the company has broken its word and is still inducing landowners to sign agreements without giving them the benefit of any independent legal advice and without them understanding what they are doing,” he said.

“The company is abusing its position and not affording the landowners their constitutional rights.

“I still hope we can avoid a courtroom battle but the company must understand that it cannot treat the landowners and affected communities as third-class citizens.

“The mining company could have avoided the toxic pollution of the river system, but chose profits ahead of people and the environment.

“Similarly, it could have avoided being served with these court papers, but it chose to breach its agreement with me.

“The people of PNG have learnt from our experiences with the Porgera and Ok Tedi mines and we are not going to allow another mining company to lie and cheat its way out of its legal and moral responsibilities.”