Lorengau jail reopens
By VERONICA MANUK
MANUS police are happy that the reopening of the Lorengau jail is relieving a burden from them.
Provincial police commander Insp Alex N’drasal said since the closure of the jail last May, police had spent over K10,000 for rations for 40 prisoners accommodated at the police station.
Mr N’drasal said the Correctional Service (CS) only provided K1,000, which was insufficient.
He said prisoners should be back in the jail by the end of this week.
He said in the future there should be collaboration between all concerned parties rather than living the burden to one agency like the police.
Provincial administrator Wep Kanawi said the jail was renovated at a cost of over K100,000.
In 2006, the provincial government allocated K80,000 to renovate and maintain the jail but funds ran out.
Another K20,000 from the joint district budget priority committee was allocated to complete the work.
Mr Kanawi said most of the work had been completed except for proper fencing around the prison.

Teacher farewelled
ONE lady has a special attachment, so special that she had to forego following her husband to Port Moresby.
She just can’t help being away from children with special needs.
Mandi Sikam, from Gobadik, Nawae in Morobe, had been teaching at the Morobe special education resource centre since 1987.
She was farewelled by her students last Thursday, as she wiped a tear.
“Teaching special kids has taught me not to criticise and gossip about people regardless of what they have done or who they are, but to firstly understand their problems,” she.
She was the coordinator of the inclusive education programme which gets special kids to further their education at Markham Road Primary School and acquire technical skills at Malahang Technical High School.
“We are the first school in the country to integrate deaf children from the centre to high school and we are proud of the achievement,” Mrs Sikam said.
She said so far, five students have attained technical qualifications at Malahang.

Sode takes over the top job at PNGSDPL
DAVID Sode is the new chief executive officer of the PNG Sustainable Development Programme Ltd.
The former chief tax collector, who left the IRC last year and joined PNGSDPL, was the company’s chief programmes officer until his appointment as CEO last Friday.
PNGSDP’s board chairman Dr Ross Garnaut said Mr Sode “had proved himself an excellent administrator and leader over the past decade as head of the Papua New Guinea Internal Revenue Commission, and now in a year in charge of the PNGSDPL development programme”.
“David’s high qualities are understood by all who have worked with him,” Dr Garnaut said.
“As CEO, he will build on the achievements of Robert Igara and take the company’s work to new heights.
Mr Igara has been appointed an executive director, to be responsible for PNGSDPL’s major plans to construct a major port and industrial area in Daru.

1RPIR celebrates 57th anniversary
By ALISON ANIS
TAURAMA’S Barrack’s First Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (1RPIR) held its Open day in style and matching colours last Saturday in the lead-up to the regiment’s 57th anniversary today.
The soldiers in ‘spotted military green’ from the different military factions painted their faces green to match their uniforms and were in full gear before engaging in a series of gun battles .
The hive of the main activities in the barracks was deafening with gunfire and a series of loud bangs as the soldiers locked horns in a mock battle.
The scenario was a delight for the public who turned up in great numbers to witness the annual staging of the Taurama Infantry Battalion Day.
“On the 11th of March 1951, after the second World War, the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment was raised here at Taurama. It is from such humble beginnings that we are able to carry out our call as soldiers of the infantry dutifully,” commanding officer for Taurama Barracks Col Siale Diro said.
Col Diro said the open day was held annually and open to the general public with different military demonstrations such as the mock battle and drill displays.
“It is our aim to open up our battalion to the public so they can come and see the troops put on displays.”
Col Diro said the regiment currently has 400 troops.

New tech for Lae court
CHIEF Magistrate John Numapo officially launched the new District Court electronic court management system (DCECMS) for the Lae District Court registry last Wednesday.
The DCECMS will see court files, documentations and data being electronically archived and accessed.
The Lae District Court registry was one of the pilot projects funded through the law and justice sector to equip and install computer networking in the registries for better management of the court data systems.
While launching the DCECMS, Mr Numapo said: “This is a success story which for the last two years we have been sweating out and I acknowledge everything that each and every one of you have done.”
It was understood that the Lae registry is for the Momase region, while the other DCECMS pilot project for the Highlands region, would be in Mt Hagen.
Other regions would include Kokopo for New Guinea Islands and Port Moresby for Southern region.