Cops confirm porn CDs come from shipping vessels
By ROMULUS MASIU
PORNOGRAPHIC materials are circulating in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, police said.
Police in Bougainville yesterday confirmed there are a high number of pornographic materials coming into the region through vessels both local and overseas.
“Most materials are coming on ships from Rabaul, Lae, Kimbe, Port Moresby and overseas,” Northern regional commander Chief Insp Cletus Tsien said.
Insp Tsien said people in responsible positions were also buying and having them in their possession.
He said police have names of those prominent men and will be carrying out investigations after collecting more information and evidences from witnesses.
“Pornography is a big problem in PNG and Bougainville is no exception,” he said
“We are mindful of the problem and it’s an ongoing one.
“Plenty of these porn CDs are bought and smuggled into the region.”
Mr Tsien made the comments after the arrest of an overseas vessel owner who was selling pornographic CDs to the public in Buka.
Buka police personnel raided the vessel, mv Princess Chrisanta and confiscated 31 pornographic CDs after a tip-off from the public.
The captain of the vessel from Myanmar was charged and ordered to pay a fine of K1,000.

Pangia and Wiru people to protest against attacks
By ANDREW ALPHONSE
ABOUT 7,000 Pangia and Wiru speaking people from Pangia district in Southern Highlands province will stage a peaceful protect march to Ialibu town tomorrow.
The march will be held to express their frustration to Ialibu people over an increased spate of attacks on these people by Ialibuans.
Pangia rural police station commander Sgt Jim Kange told The National yesterday that said the protest would be staged to oppose the latest attack on an innocent and veteran aid post orderly (APO) from Pangia last weekend at Ialibu station.
Sgt Kange said the APO, identified as Harry Kayo from Iaro village in Pangia, was stabbed with a screw-driver in the abdomen before being punched and booted in the head by a youth from Topopugl village in Ialibu last Saturday.
Police believe the youth attacked Kayo to avenge the running away of his Pangia wife following continuous mistreatment and domestic violence upon her by the husband.
Sgt Kange also said that last month, a woman from Walupape village in Pangia, married to a Lama man in Ialibu, was also allegedly tortured and murdered while the husband escaped from Ialibu police station cells last week under dubious circumstances.
He said the Pangia people could not stand any more these attacks by Ialibuans and decided to stage the peaceful protest.
Sgt Kange said Ialibu and Pangia police would monitor the situation so that the protest would not get out of hand.

Duo arrested over alleged killing of security guard
TWO youths have been arrested and are now at the Lae central police station in relation to the alleged stabbing and death of a security guard.
The guard was reportedly trying to save a female shop assistant at the Pelgen’s supermarket in Chinatown, Lae, last Friday, when two youths, believed to be under the influence of alcohol, entered and stole cigarettes.
They also held the shop assistant captive. The security guard attacked the suspects whose accomplices rallied and stabbed him.
He was rushed to Angau Memorial Hospital but died from loss of blood.
The youths in custody were among a group of seven from the neighbouring Bumbu settlement.
Yesterday, relatives of the security guard and police went to Bumbu looking for the rest of the suspects.
Relatives of the suspects and community leaders were taken to Chinatown police station.
Police refused to comment, referring all questions to the metropolitan supt’s office.

TIPNG calls on politicians to clean up their acts
Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG) has called on politicians to clean up their acts as allegations of corrupt practices continue to get exposed in the press.
TIPNG president Mike Manning questioned how far corruption has to go before the PNG community has had enough and does something about it.
He commended the press for their steadfast exposure of corruption, which was reported almost every day.
“However, nothing happens as a result of these exposure,” he said.
Mr Manning said no legal action had been taken of subsequent expensive public enquiries, and there were Ombudsman referrals that were outstanding for more than two years.
He said recommended legal action from the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee had never taken place, while the sentence for a governor for gross misuse of public funds was a penalty of few thousand kina.

Teacher’s compo claim refused
A retired teacher from Western Highlands province who lost his thumb while building his own house is not entitled to compensation, the teachers’ welfare fund scheme (TWFS) said.
Justin Danga was posted to the Kol Community School in Jimi district in 1999 to teach.
There was no house at the school for him, so he had to build one for himself.
He said, while building the house, he seriously injured his right thumb, which had to be amputated.
Mr Danga said he was a member for the TWFS for seven years and contributed K21 fortnightly, but when he lodged his claim for the injury sustained, it was rejected.
Robin Welley from the TWFS said for this case, the National Teachers’ Insurance Ltd’s policy ensures that all claims must have full and valid medical reports with observations from doctors on the injury as permanent and 100%.
This means that the affected body part is completely damaged and cannot be used again for life.

Acting jail boss facing two charges
By VERONICA MANUK
ACTING jail commander of Kerevat jail in East New Britain is appearing today in the Kokopo district court for mention on two seperate charges.
Acting jail commander John Poris, 42, from Sawom village in East Sepik province, has been charged with using threatening words against one of his staff and being in possession of dangerous firearms.
Mr Poris was supposed to appear yesterday but because the court files were not ready, the case was adjourned for mention today.
Police said this was the second time Mr Poris have been arrested and charged with committing similar offences.
Last year, he was arrested and charged with insulting one of his senior officers and the matter is still pending in court.

Air-condition units for Sandaun provincial administration
POLITICIANS and public servants will work in comfort in their office in Vanimo, thanks to the generosity of a logging company that cuts timber in the province.
Vanimo Forest Products Ltd, which has been in logging operation in the province for the last 17 years, last week donated three units of air-conditioner to be fitted in the offices at the provincial government building.
The units were valued at K10,000.
The building, which houses the administration, was built for K2.5 million and donated to the provincial government by the company in 2006.
Vanimo Forest said it is committed to continue working together with the provincial government, as a development partner in the construction of vital infrastructure such as roads, schools, health facilities and others.

Women decry informal sector ban
By AIVA TAMATE
THE Madang council of women is making a strong stand with the women and men of Madang who heavily rely on the informal sector to survive, as the town council began banning selling on streets.
Mary Kamang, president of the provincial women’s council, told FM 100 Women Today programme that the council’s decision to ban the informal sector is defying an act that was passed by Parliament to support the informal sector being promoted by Minister for Welfare and Development Dame Carol Kidu.
“Our women rely heavily on the informal sector to pay school fees by selling ice blocks, baking scones and selling betel nut and the town council cannot deprive the women of their rights to provide their children with an education.
“They came to the office together with their husbands and other men who were concerned about the issue to express their views and disappointment.”
Mrs Kamang said the Madang town council had no right to ban the informal sector in Madang and that the women’s council would continue to support women on the matter.
She said women and men who market around the town area always ensured that the place was clean and often collect rubbish from the market areas at the end of the day’s market.
The programme was hosted at Divine Word University to mark the International Women’s day.

VDT accused of neglecting projects in Morobe
By FRANK RAI
THE Village Development Trust (VDT) has failed to complete two projects in the Morobe patrol post local level government council area, community leaders’ claim.
They said the K40,000 was allocated for a school hall at Zare village and a double classroom at Toyare Primary School but remained incomplete when contractors left.
But VDT coordinator in Lae Maine Winny slammed the accusations, saying the projects were gifts.
“These projects were carried out in partnership with the community who provided labour, land and timber, while we provided technical expertise and managed the funds.
“We did our contribution and now the villages have to put in their contributions,” he said.
The project started last February and was funded by the Niigata-PNG association, a subsidiary of VDT.
The project was implemented through the Waria Valley children’s programme.

Clowning around in school
By MADELEINE AREK
II’S not always that you get a visit from a clown.
In Lae, they belong in story books.
Well that’s where most of the children attending the Salvation Army Primary School in Lae had seen them - in story books.
So when one visited their school recently, their joy and excitement shot through the roof.
“A clown! A clown! Mr Clown!” were the only audible words that could be discerned from the shrills and screams of these young, excited children as they scrambled over their desks to meet Mr Clown.
Even the teachers were outnumbered and could only stand back and watch as their excited charges screamed and jumped for joy.
Mr Clown was at the school as part of a promotional team from KK Kingston to distribute Dazzle bags to lower primary and pre-school classes.
Over 340 bright red Dazzle bags were distributed by regional team leader, Carolyn Weber.

Training for lawyers held
THE Office of the Public Prosecutor last Feb 29 launched its fourth in-house continuing legal education programme, which aims to encourage the sharing of knowledge among lawyers from all levels. The programme was conducted by the officers training committee, which basically provides training to prosecutors in law, practice and procedure. Most part of the programme was conducted by lawyers within the Public Prosecutor’s office . The session covered the fundamentals of prosecution including the assessment of prosecution briefs, minute writing, trial preparation, sentence proceedings and listings before the National Court and ethics.

‘Gender equality a failure’
THERE is no real commitment to foster and promote gender equality programme in the country although there have been much said and written about the issue. Papua Hahine social action forum president Sally Mokis said the campaign for gender equality would not fully succeed if the Government and bureaucrats don’t work towards making it a reality. Even when parliament allocates funds for women to different departments that are involved in gender issues, that money would not enough and those directly affected do not see the money’s impact, she said.

HIV infection high in PNG
having the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the Pacific region, Papua New Guinea has been classified as what African countries are 10 years ago, while the rest of the Pacific island countries are now facing what PNG had a decade ago. Pacific Islands AIDS foundation committee programme coordinator Temo Sasau told reporters at a recent regional workshop that there have been new cases of HIV/AIDS being reported each year for countries in the Pacific region. The number of HIV/AIDS cases in the region is doubling every five years, with the highest infection rate found in PNG, Mr Sasau said.

Vending not a crime: CIMC
STREET vending is not a crime, according to the consultative implementation and monitoring council (CIMC). The council made this statement in response to NCD metropolitan Supt Fred Yakasa’s complaint against the volunteer youth group engaged by Governor Powes Parkop to create awareness among street vendors and participants of the informal sector. CIMC said that street vending is not illegal but it is illegal for police officers to monitor, harass and prevent informal sector participants and street vendors from doing their lawful activities.

Four robberies reported
FOUR robberies occurred last week in Port Moresby at the following locations: Chemica-Gordon, East Boroko, Arts Oro Block and Eight Mile. According to police, unknown men held up the victims and removed personal items, including their motor vehicles . Police reported that they are still investigating the four incidents.

Suspicion over woman’s death
A WOMAN was found dead while hanging on a tree with a rope tied around her neck. The incident occurred at Pusen village – Keram LLG in Sepik last Feb 17 and was reported to police. According to the report, it was alleged that her husband had hit her with an axe on her back which caused her death. However, police are investigating the matter.

Marijuana suspect in cell
POLICE have arrested a suspect at Lomberiaro village in Chuave, Simbu for cultivating marijuana. The suspect has been charged with cultivating 179 marijuana plants and also for being in possession of 15-litre containers packed with dried marijuana. The suspect is in police lockup and awaiting court appearance.

Alleged sorceress put to death
A WOMAN suspected of committing sorcery has been killed at Elmale village in Gumine district in the Simbu province. According to police reports, the woman was kidnapped by three suspects and taken to the bush after she was suspected of committing sorcery. She was allegedly killed by the suspects in cold blood. The murder is now being investigated by police.