Former Rigo MP Anderson Vele dead
By MOHAMMAD BASHIR
FORMER Rigo MP Anderson Vele is dead.
Mr Vele, 50, died after battling diabetes and renal failure for the last six years.
Mr Vele spent the first three years of his public office overseas where his legs were amputated but returned in May 2005 when parliamentary services bought and installed the first haemo-dialysis machine at the Pacific International Hospital in Boroko where he received regular treatment.
Renowned for his humour, Mr Vele unseated three-term MP Dibara Yagabo on the slogan “Good Samaritan” for what is described as his selflessness and generosity which his people of Hood Point and Balawaia area of Rigo hold him in high regard for.
Mr Vele and his brother Wari were both MPS in the last Parliament as members of the Somare government – he as a backbencher and brother Wari the NCD Governor.
Prior to politics, Mr Vele was a businessman in the building and construction industry for 23 years.
Mr Vele is survived by wife Glenda, children Vul, Vele, Kevin, Marcella, Michael and Glenda Junior.

One die in flooded Yalo
By ANDREW ALPHONSE
A PANGIA man drowned while attempting to cross the flooded Yalo river last Thursday afternoon.
Councilor Paulus Irele said 28-year-old Kenneth Pua Lakea of Walupape village in Pangia district was trying to get across the river to Kuare village in the neighbouring Kagua district for a huge church celebration there. The Yalo river separates Pangia and Kagua districts.
Cnr Irele said earlier in the day, hundreds of people from Walupape and Tindua villages in Pangia had also crossed the river to get across for the celebrations at Kuare. He said Lakea and his younger brother were trying to cross in the afternoon, when the current was rising with the heavy rain.
The younger brother watched in horror as Lakea was swept away. Search parties have failed to locate the body.
The incident has prompted local leaders to call on Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter OíNeill and Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru to immediately make available funds for a proper road link and bridge to be built connecting Walupape and Tindua villages in Pangia side to Kuare and Karanda in Kagua district.

Rowe visits ENB
By VERONICA MANUK
The US Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Leslie Rowe is in East New Britain province.
Ambassador Rowe arrived in ENB last Saturday afternoon and will be in the province until Wednesday.
During her stay, she will visit the Bitapaka war cemetery, Rabaul volcanic observatory, two schools, and meet with the women’s group and Rotary Club.
She will also meet with the JPAC (Joint POW/MIA accounting command) team from the US, who are in the province doing investigations into the missing service members of the US military during the war.
The ambassador said ENB is indeed a wonderful place to visit and she feels at home.
ENB Governor Leo Dion shared with her experiences of the 1994 volcanic eruption.
Mr Dion urged the ambassador to encourage many Americans to visit ENB.
Ambassador Rowe was welcomed with a Baining fire dance at the Kokopo Beach Resort Bungalow last Friday evening.

Officials charged with contempt
By DIPA GIGMAI
RETURNING officer for South Bougainville John Itanu and Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen have been charged with contempt for not conducting a recount of votes as ordered by the National Court.
Chief Justice Sir Mari Kapi said in the same case a leave for review has been sought by Itanu and Trawen and it is still before court .
“I have reserved my decision for the leave of review and have determined that it is valid and the date for hearing was listed as May 12,” the Chief Justice said.
Counsel representing petitioner Steven Pirika Kamma argued that the National Court has no jurisdiction to grant a stay for review and the recount should proceed as ordered.
In response to the counsel argument, the Chief Justice quoted 155(4) of the Constitution as empowering the Supreme and National Courts to consider stay orders for review..
“If the recount proceeds and is completed without attending to leave for stay ordered by the National Court on behalf of the returning officer and Commissioner Trawen, the grounds raised for review is prejudiced,” the Chief Justice said.
Using his discretion, Sir Mari upheld the National Court granting of stay of leave until the application is heard and determined.
The judicial review for the stay order will be heard on May 12.

PX passengers, baggages get priority over cargo
AIR Niugini has advised that passengers and their baggages would take priority over cargo when it has to meet weight restrictions due to safety requirements.
The airline was responding to media reports last week that several PX passengers from the New Guinea Islands had complained that they were still waiting for their cargo from Port Moresby.
“It is Air Niugini’s wish to ensure timely and complete delivery of cargo to those valued customers; however, the airline has experienced repeated lack of fuel in many parts of the country in the recent past. This fuel shortage is a matter beyond Air Niugini’s control as fuel is managed by various other companies,” Air Niugini said in a media statement on Friday.
The statement said the media should ask these companies and regulators as to why they were turning a blind eye to this very important national issue..
It further said Air Niugini had made representation from time to time to resolve the problem.

Two die in accident
By VERONICA MANUK
TWO people were killed in a vehicle accident in Kokopo on Saturday while four others are in a critical condition.
This happened when a water truck belonging to a construction company rolled off a small cliff next to the provincial transport headquarters.
The incident was witnessed by many people who were in town on business.
According to police, the truck was watering the reconstructed Vunabakut road when its brakes failed.
It rolled off the small cliff, killing the driver and another and injured four people who were in another vehicle in front of the truck.
Police are investigating the incident.

Young man drowns while crossing flooded river
By ANDREW ALPHONSE
A YOUNG Pangia man drowned while attempting to cross the flooded Yalo river on Thursday afternoon.
Councillor Paulus Irele said 28-year-old Kenneth Pua Lakea of Walupape village in Pangia district was trying to get across the river to Kuare village in the neighbouring Kagua district to attend a church celebration.
Mr Irele said earlier on hundreds of people from Walupape and Tindua villages in Pangia had also crossed the river to go to Kuare.
He said Lakea and his younger brother were trying to cross in the afternoon when the current was rising with the heavy rain.The younger brother watched in horror as Lakea was swept away. Search parties have failed to locate the body.
The incident has prompted local leaders to call on authorities to immediately provide funds for a proper road link and bridge to connect the two districts.

Disabled gets workshop equipment
By SAMSON KENDEMAN
A DISABLED person at the PNG Rehabilitation Centre on Friday received equipment worth more than K7,000 from various stakeholders to start a workshop.
Paraplegic Trevor Uau Sereva thanked the sponsors for the donation.
“My dream and vision came true,” Mr Sereva said.
He said the lawn-mower was donated by Bishop Brothers Engineering to clean up the centre and make it a healthy environment.
KK Kingston donated a Tuffa 2,000-gallon water tank.
Other equipment included a belt sander, a jig-saw with a set of blades, power driller with set of bits which Mr Sereva is taking back to his village to set up a sheltered workshop along the Magi Highway.
This would allow him to continue the work he had been doing at the centre since the reopening of the rehab workshop on July 3, 2002.

PMVs warned of unfair fares
WESTERN Highlands police have urged commuters not to pay PMV operators more than the approved fare.
Police commander Chief Supt Thomas Eluh said PMV operators were taking advantage of the roadblock in Simbu province and raising the fare by 100% was unfair.
The K1 fare from Mt Hagen city to Kagamuga airport was raised to K2. The fare from Mt Hagen to Avi was raised to K5 from K2.
He asked passengers to report to police if they were charged more.

Bougainville tourism revived
By AUGUSTINE KINNA
BUSINESS stakeholders in the Arawa township of Central Bougainville are now working together to revive tourism business in the region.
Deputy chairwoman spearheading the association Josephine Harepa said an office had been set up and they are now working around the clock to operate tourism in the region.
Mrs Harepa said they had already formed a tourism which would meet this week to deliberate on vital issues on how best they could revive the industry.
“Bougainville has big tourism potential and with such industry in place it could help boost the economy of the region,” she said.
“A lot of youths in the region are interested in tourism,”she added.

NRSC needs financial support, says Aku
By KESSIE TADAP
THE road safety week was launched by the national road safety council (NRSC) last week.
Executive director Frank Aku said during the launching that NRSC is being run on a 5% levy budget from Motor Vehicle Insurance Ltd (MVIL) which is only about K5 million.
This places constraints on the running of the organisation and is now appealing to the Government, business community and the public to come forward and be partners.
He said when road worthy issues arose other stakeholders and the public point fingers at the organisation that they are incompetent in doing their job.
“Road safety issues were just as important as any other national issue, but people, and especially the Government does not see the importance of this and so it is given a low priority,” Mr Aku said.
He said related road accidents were robbing the nation in excess of K100 million annually, whereas this could be used in other areas like furthering children’s education, building better roads, and health.
Last week’s launch was made possible through the sponsorship of the National Capital District (NCD), MVIL, and Telikom Ltd under the campaign “Road safety is no accident”.

122 minor offenders sentenced in Porgera
By JAMES APA GUMUNO
A weeklong police operation in Porgera, Enga province last week resulted in 132 minor crime offenders arrested and convicted by the Wabag district court.
Provincial police commander chief Supt Micheal Chare said that the offenders were arrested after a police operation code named “Stretim Porgera,” was launched by a combine mobile squad from Laiagam, Task Force from Wabag and local policemen from Porgera.
Mr Chare said that about 10 traffic offenders pleaded not guilty and had their cases adjourned but the rest were convicted and sentence to six months imprisonment at Mukurumanda jail in the Wapenanmanda district.
He said the offenders were arrested for illegally selling beer, carrying offensive weapons in the town, drinking beer and behaving disorderly in public places, smoking marijuana and other street offences
He said apart from conducting the operation, the police also carried out awareness on HIV/AIDS, marijuana and homebrew and respect for international community living and working in the Porgera gold mine.
Mr Chare said after the operation was launched the district was very quite and very peaceful.

Senior cops join Lae metropolitan
TWO senior police officers have joined the Lae metropolitan command, strengthening the city’s efforts to fight crime and maintaining peace.
Metropolitan commander chief Supt Nema Mondiai announced that Augustine Wampe would be superintendent of operations and Philip Solala as superintendent in charge of administration.
Supt Solala was the Eastern Highlands provincial police commander prior to his new appointment.
Supt Wampe was the Morobe provincial police commander.
Mr Mondiai said Mr Wampe successfully controlled his men during last year’s general election in his capacity as provincial police commander.
He said Mr Wampe is expected to use that election operation experience in the coming local level government election in the Ahi LLG and Lae urban LLG areas as one of his major assignments in his new role.
Likewise, Mr Solala is a good administrator and would certainly perform well in his new role, Mr Mondiai said..

Teenager slashed to death
A TEENAGER was slashed to death in Kavieng by a woman who suspected her of having an affair with her husband.
New Ireland provincial police commander Ephraim ToMonmon said the suspect woman from Kulangit in Kavieng, woke up in the early hours and finding her husband not at home, picked up a bush knife and went in search of him. She saw the husband seated at the beach front, talking with the girl.
The woman approached the two and swung the bush knife, slashing the girl across her shoulder.

New prison for Madang
AUSTRALIAN foreign minister Stephen Smith has opened a new prison wing near Madang.
It was built with funds from an AusAID programme to improve law and justice in the country.
The majority of the prisoners in the new jail are teenagers.
Since the early 1990s the Australian government has spent A$80 million (K218 million) on improving Papua New Guinea’s correctional facilities.
“All of the capacity building we do in their law and justice administration is to help PNG run its own affairs ,” Mr Smith said.

UPNG gets new vehicles
The University of Papua New Guinea security personnel now have two new vehicles to help in guarding the campus.
The two double cabs were purchased at a cost of K400,000 .
Uniforce operations commander Michael Kupo said the vehicles would help them achieve full control of the campus surroundings.

Alliance Francaise holds art exhibition
The Alliance Francaise de Port Moresby opened its art exhibition at the University of Papua New Guinea last Wednesday evening.
The exhibition was launched at the Melanesian Institute of Arts and Communication.
Director of the institute Daniel Waswas said the show was based on the theme “French Old Masters” in which PNG artistes can use their own images to make similar paintings of the French old masters.
Mr Waswas said this is to know how people in the 18th and 19th centuries in France painted.
He said the Alliance Francaise had opted to commission PNG artistes to look and interpret or compare the way Papua New Guineans do things.
The exhibition is being organised by the institute and the Alliance Francaise and will run for a month.

Donation for school clinic
THE Melanesian Foundation donated two cartons of first-aid medicine to Tusbab Secondary School to re-establish its first-aid clinic.
Foundation director Peter Memafu, who is also Tusbab’s board of governors deputy chairman, said the school once had a first-aid clinic that was closed down in the 1990s.
Much of the medicine supplied to the school came from the tourist cruise ships that visited Madang this year.
The donation included assorted medicine from electronic blood pressure meters to cough medicine, malaria tablets, bandages andvitamins.
Mr Memafu appealed to Madang businessmen and health institutions to help the school to re-establish its first-aid clinic by donating band-aid plasters, bandages and other simple medical items.

AFood shortage in Wabag
By ZACCHARY PER and SAMSON KENDEMAN
WABAG residents are experiencing food shortages in the major supermarkets and retail stores as prices skyrocket. According to a Wabag community Simon Kingi yesterday all food items at the stores were running out. “Basic food like rice, tinned fish, lamb flaps, and cooking oil are out of stock while people are paying extra for other items,” Mr Kingi said. He said people from other provinces, especially public servants working in Wabag, are getting frustrated with these increases. One public servant said that one kilogram of Roots rice was selling for K5 and 20kg and 10kg for K100 and K50 respectively. It is understood that high and secondary schools in Southern Highlands and Enga provinces that entirely depends on rice may close this week if the food shortage continues. Gabriel Mendai from Sari village in Wabag, said fuel, including kerosene, was also running out. Mr Mendai said fuel distributors from Simbu, Western, Southern Highlands and Enga travelled to Hides Gas in Tari district to buy fuel but were turned away.

Porters overcharging clients
KUNDIAWA-based TNA Holdings managing director Gerard Phillips yesterday complained that he has been over-charged by the locals who carried his goods across the Simbu landslide debris. Mr Phillips claimed the Gera villagers have charged him too much to ferry cargoes across, adding that common sense should prevail. Mr Philips said he paid a total of K2,500 for a container of store goods to be transferred. He wanted the State to take control of the situation.

Keep valuers out call
GERA villagers affected by the landslide do not want land and property valuers engaged in the Highlands Highway Rehabilitation Programme (HHRP) to value their properties. This is to avoid collaborations and compromisation with landowners as experienced in the past. Ima-Gera landslide committee chairman Pastor John Kamane and spokesman Jimmy Ulka Rogers said they wanted valuers with no affiliations with any parties to be engaged in the valuation of the properties. In respect of their concern, the Gera landowners have engaged a private valuer from Mount Hagen while government valuers came from the Valuer General’s Office.

PMV fares also double
PMV fares have increased drastically in the Highlands region in the past week. Commuters travelling between Mount Hagen and Kundiawa are paying K20, an increase of K5. Alois Patma, a passenger who travelled to Kundiawa from Minj yesterday, said he paid K5 for the trip when he should have paid only K3. He said those travelling from Kundiawa to Mt Hagen are paying K20 instead of the usual K10. The increase in bus fare is largely due to the high coast of fuel as a result of the Okuk Highway closure following the Gera landslide two weeks ago.