PPC calls for severe penalties
THE courts have been called to impose severe penalties on people who do not care about others, especially those targeting people living with disabilities.
North Fly provincial police commander Chief Insp Tobby Hamago made the call after a woman in her late 50s was allegedly assaulted and raped by her 22-year-old grandson.
The woman, reportedly married to the suspect’s grandmother’s brother, suffers from hearing and speech defects.
Insp Hamago said the woman was allegedly attacked while fishing at a creek at Atkamba village in Kiunga on Monday.
The suspect is in police custody.
“The woman could not scream (for help) because of her disabilities,” Insp Hamago said, adding that the man had overpowered her by hitting her several times with a piece of wood after grabbing her from behind.
Insp Hamago said he was caught in the act by the woman’s husband, who brought him to the village committees and referred him to police for criminal charges.
“I appeal to the courts to come down hard on people who do not care about others and target people with disabilities to satisfy their sexual desires.
“I must warn those of you (men) out there that if you rape a blind, deaf and dumb or an insane person, do not think you are that smart and will escape. You will still be caught and prosecuted,” he said.

Bart slams formation of five new ministries
CREATING five new ministries is a backward step, a move to satisfy coalition partners at the expense of the ordinary people, deputy Opposition leader Bart Philemon said yesterday.
Mr Philemon, reacting to NEC’s proposal for the new ministries, said increasing numbers in the public sector would cost more than K2-3 million, where records showed the public sector was ineffective.
He said three quarters of the annual recurrent budget went to public service.

Lost children found
By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
TWO lost children are now with police after they were found separately in Port Moresby yesterday.
The children aged about four years, were found at the Gordon market and Boroko at about 10.30am.
Police said one of them by the name of Mark, was dragged from two women fighting over him at Gordon market by a member of the public who knew that the women would use the child to claim compensation from parents.
He then brought Mark to Boroko police station and handed him over to police.
Mark told the police that he was from Morobe and lived with his parents and siblings at Makana block in Port Moresby.
Another boy who said his name was Jeffrey was found by a police foot patrol between Boroko and Murray Barracks .
Families can call 3244200 or go to the Boroko police station and claim them.

‘Sorcery acts’ in Oro
POPONDETTA police have reportedly received many reports of alleged sorcery being practiced by locals.
Some of these allerged sorcerers have reportedly begged police not to prosecute them as they promised to return to their villages and communities and release their victims from the bondages of sorcery.
Oro provincial police commander Senior Insp Samuel Jamangu confirmed the reports.
Insp Jamangu said in one incident, an alleged sorcerer was reportedly beaten to the stage when the told police to release him from their custody, so he could remove the spell on his victim.
He said the man returned to his village and removed the spell on his victim, who was suffering from abnormal pot belly and enlarged testicles.
Insp made the comments after police charged three brothers aged 45, 38 and 32, from Sehoro village in the Oro province, for alleged sorcery practices.
The brothers were charged on Wednesday under Section 7 (a) of the Sorcery Act.
They were refused bail and await their court appearances.

ADB to aid islanders face climate change
By JUNITA SOL GOMA
CHANGE of climate is becoming a threat to developing nations and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is taking a step forward to better equip Pacific Islands to face the challenging climate change.
According to ADB’s Pacific Strategy for 2005-2009 to support development in the Pacific midterm review that was carried out in the Pacific Developing Member Countries (PDMC), good governance remains one of the key factors determining growth results for PDMC.
“The midterm review of the strategy describes how ADB’s Pacific operations will, in close collaboration with its development partners, harness new opportunities to respond to the needs of the PDMC’s,” said Phillip Erquiaga, Director General of Pacific ADB Department.
He said civil unrest, political instability and law and order problems continued to hinder the region’s development.
Mr Erquiaga added that the Pacific economies continued to lag behind Asia.