School for all in Morobe by 2012
By MADELEINE AREK
Ensuring every school-aged child in Morobe province goes to school by
2012 is a difficult task, but education planners in the province are
determined to work towards that target.
These planners know that there are areas in several of the districts of
Morobe where there are no schools, and are drawing up plans to tackle
this.
District education coordinators from eight of the provinces’ nine
districts are meeting in Lae to draw up 5-year district education
development plans for their areas.
The plans are aimed at:
lEvery six year old child is given the opportunity to attend school;
lComplementing the provincial education 10-year development plans; and
lHelping the budgetary process so that allocations are directed
purposely for projects.
Department of Education officers facilitating the four day workshop in
Lae know that the five year time frame they have put in motion for the
implementation of district education plans is too short.
However, they hope that the plans can be used as guides when planning
education projects.
“The ultimate aim of the plan is to make sure that every school aged
child in the province is educated by 2012,” workshop facilitator John
Joseph said.
Kabwum district education coordinator Dewong Yofi said under the plan,
his administration hoped to establish 45 elementary schools, 3 primary
schools and a skills centre by 2012.
With these new schools, he said the district would be on target in
achieving its objective of offering every school aged child in the
district’s four local level government areas a chance at receiving basic
education services.Armed
gang rob service station
By PETER MIVA
A MOBIL service station in Lae was robbed of K124,938 in cash by six
suspects armed with pistols on Monday .
Metropolitan Commander Chief Supt Nema Mondiai said the armed men had
held up a PMV earlier at 4 Mile and ordered its driver, offsider, and a
woman passenger to remain in the 15 seater bus and took it to the
service station along the Milford haven Road.
Mr Mondiai said the suspects then entered the service station at around
9am and ordered the manageress at gunpoint to open the safe.
He said the suspects then stole cash and K4,130 in cheques.
He said a lone security guard and the public could not help but watched
the robbery at a distance.
The service station is operated by the PNG Nambawan Trophy Ltd.
Mr Mondiai said police were alerted but arrived minutes after the gang
had escaped.
He said police were investigating.
In a separate incident about 30 suspects armed with homemade guns cut
through the front security fence of the Martin Lutheran Seminary offices
and stole items worth K14,000.
Mr Mondiai did not specify what the items were stolen but said the thugs
used the heavy rain as cover to enter the premises.
He said the suspects broke into the secretary and the radio offices.
He said the two security guards were held at gunpoint during the theft.
Meanwhile, a man was robbed by four suspects at the Chinatown, Lae bus
stop of K1,379 .
Mr Mondiai said the suspects threatened the victim with two pistols and
a knife and stole the cash and a mobile phone from his pockets .
He said they then fled from the scene.
Mr Mondiai said police were investigating.
Teenager let off for lack
of evidence
By PETER MIVA
THE Lae District Court has dismissed an armed robber charge against a
man accused of robbing an expatriate woman in Lae.
Magistrate Sasa Inkung last Friday dismissed the robbery case against
Gideon Pokatau, 19, from Werei village, Lorengau, Manus province,
because of lack of evidence.
Court documents alleged that Pokatau was among three others who held up
one Rhonda Shepard outside the gates of The International School of Lae
at around 3pm with two home-made guns last November 8.
After an exchange of gunshots with police, Pokatau was arrested and
charged.
During trial, his lawyers argued that there was no evidence directly
pointing out Pokatau as one of the suspects. Three police witnesses
failed to correctly identify Pokatau as a suspect, with one witness
describing one of the suspects as a dark- skinned person, which did not
fit the description of Pokatau who has light complexion.
Magistrate Inkung upheld the no case submission and dismissed the
charge.
Coffee suffers due to Okuk
closure
By JASON SOM KAUT
Mainland Holdings Ltd coffee business is suffering as a result of the
closure of the Okuk Highway.
MHL group general manager Graham Pollok said the company has large
stocks of parchment destined for their factory in Goroka, and green bean
destined for export from their coffee factory in Banz, which is stranded
because of the landslide.
He said they had to get this coffee moving within 7 to 10 days to meet
export contracts.
“But the greatest impact is on the coffee farmers as buying capacity
within the industry has been reduced due to the stocks already bought
and paid for,” Mr Pollok said.
Processing capacity is also expected to be affected once the highway is
re-opened and farmers flood factories with coffee. |
