Salika wants judicial services extended to remote places
A NATIONAL Court judge has highlighted the need to address lack of judicial services in remote places such as Tari in Southern Highlands.
Justice Gibbs Salika said the province has over 300,000 people and there was lack of basic essential services.
He said this yesterday at the National Court in Waigani after ruling on a by-election for the Komo-Magarima seat.
In the petition filed by Alfred Kaiabe, MP Francis Potape was ousted yesterday after the court held that there was evidence of errors and omission and illegal practices on the part of election officials.
Justice Salika also nullified Potape’s election in another decision in Tari brought on by Eno Tanda.
Justice Salika said that while he was in Tari, he noticed that a majority of the people were not receiving basic government services.
He said he has spoken to the Chief Justice, Sir Mari Kapi, about the need to bring judicial services to Tari and other remote places throughout PNG.

Red Cross workers mark world day
VOLUNTEERS and Red Cross workers in the National Capital District yesterday celebrated the international Red Cross Day with marches, drama plays and an exhibition.
They were organised into three different groups, with the main event staged at Tabari Place, Boroko.
At Boroko, one of the groups put up stalls and carried out awareness on the work of the Red Cross and the programmes it offers.
Spokesman Jasper Touna said some of their programmes included HIV/AIDS, first aid training, blood transfusion, special disability education and providing rehabilitation and assistance in times of disasters.
This year marked the organisation’s 149th year in existence globally under the theme Together for Humanity, which reflected on all humanitarian efforts carried out by all Red Cross staff and volunteers worldwide.
There are 186 Red Cross societies throughout the world that bring relief, care and support to the affected based on the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

567 ballot papers formal, court rules
By JULIA DAIA BORE
THE National Court in Port Moresby yesterday dismissed the election petition by Erie Ovako Juvire against Okapa MP Bonny Oveyara.
Presiding judge Justice Mark Sevua declared that the 567 ballot papers, disputed to be unauthentic by losing candidate Mr Juvire, were formal.
Mr Juvire disputed the validity of the election of Mr Oveyara on the ground of error and omission by the presiding officer in authenticating the 567 ballot papers by initialling them on the front instead of on the back.
Mr Juvire’s lawyers argued the ballot papers should have been initialled on the front.
However, in his ruling in favour Mr Oveyara and the Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen, Justice Sevua said the validity of the 567 ballot papers did not depend on initialling them on the front.
“In my view, the validity of those ballot papers depended on whether the electors has properly marked their first, second and third preferences on the ballot papers; and not on whether the presiding officer had initialled the ballot papers on the front or back,” Justice Sevua said.

Lae police plan for LLG election complete
By PETER MIVA
THE Lae Metropolitan Command has completed its plans for the local level government (LLG) elections next week in the city.
Metropolitan Commander Chief Superintendent Nema Mondiai said that the details of the full strategic police operations will be released at an official parade next week.
He said that the operation plans have been completed awaiting further instructions from the PNG Electoral Commission.
Mr Mondiai said the operations will cover the two LLG areas, Ahi and the Lae Urban.
He said the community was taking the election of ward councillors, Ahi LLG president and the Lae city Lord Mayor’s seats as a national event.
He said it will be a big occasion for the various wards to elect their LLG representatives and a huge number of people are expected to cast their votes.
Mr Mondiai said police would provide an environment that is safe and secure for the people to vote. He said police are ready for full operation
Despite complaints from members over their unpaid 10 day 2007 election duty allowances, the operation plans would not be affected.
Mr Mondiai said he expects his men to fully participate in the LLG election and ensure it is successful.

Eligible voters names missing
By SAMSON KENDEMAN
THE local level government (LLG) elections in Enga province is under question as eligible voters names are missing in 2007 common roll.
The updated common roll was inflated and registered with ghost names that are not from the particular area.
This concern was raised by intending candidate, Simon Kingi who is contesting for the Kamas LLG area in Wabag district.
Mr Kingi said some voters names are not being registered and this will cause problems during the polling day.
“I was away in Port Moresby and when I returned for LLG election this year, I saw my name being omitted from the common roll,” he said.
He urged the Electoral Commission to update its new common roll to ensure that every one eligible to vote are registered or else defer the LLG elections to a later date in order for the common roll to be updated.
“If this issue is not served properly, there would be an argument and some eligible voters will turn away during the polling and won’t exercise their democratic rights,” he said.
Sources within the electoral office in Wabag, say all the LLG elections in the five districts in Enga province will go ahead as scheduled and there will not be any deferral Attempts to get comments from the Electoral Commission office in Port Moresby was unsuccessful.

Police to reduce manpower in LLG election
POLICE in some provinces are thinking of reducing their manpower for the local level government (LLG) elections this year due to funding problems.
Oro provincial police commander Chief Insp Micah Anaiwe said part of the K10 million given to police for the LLG elections this year has been retained at headquarters to settle outstanding debts incurred during the 2007 general elections.
“K3 million was held back and the remainder has been distributed to all police stations throughout the country,” Mr Anaiwe said.
He plans to send two police personnel to each ward in the province.
Mr Anaiwe hopes for a trouble free elections.
Meanwhile, Madang provincial police boss Chief Insp Anthony Wagambie Jr and Kavieng station commander Chief Insp John Duadak also expressed similar sentiments and are seriously thinking of downsizing their manpower during the LLG elections.

Report cops with porno, says Baki
MEMBERS of the public have been urged to report cases of policemen possessing or abusing confiscated pornographic materials.
Police Commissioner Gari Baki on Wednesday said all pornographic and other illicit materials confiscated by police were kept only for a limited time for use as evidence and court exhibits. After that, they were destroyed.
“There is no place for hooligans or riff-raffs under my watch so obviously, I would be really interested in information on police personnel abusing or possessing these illicit materials.”
He said the constabulary had advanced positively in many areas of policing and he would not tolerate rogue police personnel.
“Public scrutiny and constructive criticisms are crucial to keep the constabulary on its toes. We encourage the media and the public at large to report any misconduct by police personnel,” Mr Baki said.
He said such matters could be referred to police public complaints units at police stations.

K20m goes to East New Britain disaster
THE East New Britain provincial government will use a K20 million National Government grant allocated last October for disaster programmes and maintaining essential services.
The grant was for infrastructure and basic services in the disaster-affected areas of East New Britain. The provincial assembly has recently approved an expenditure programme for the grant.
A total of K5 million would be spent on land mobilisation, K8.7 million on major infrastructure, K1.5 million on water supply construction and K1 million spent on permanent radio relay stations. K500 thousand would be use to fund soil erosion control.
Part of the K20 million would also be used to pay off K2 million outstanding school subsidies in volcanic affected areas and K250 thousand for sexually transmitted infections (STI) clinics.
In presenting a policy paper on the use of the disaster fund, governor Leo Dion said the funding of these projects was inline with the provincial government’s aim to gradually shift development initiatives towards Pomio and Baining as most parts of the Gazelle Peninsula were prone to disasters.

Wonderful experience at water treatment plant
MORE than 20 students from St Joseph International School had a wonderful experience in seeing for themselves how water is collected and prepared before reaching homes.
The Grade Five students visited the Mt Eriama water treatment plant, outside Port Moresby on Monday.
Eda Ranu’s public relations personnel showed the students around and explained basic information on water treatment while the quality control officer gave detailed information.
The students asked questions and drew diagrammes on preparation of water for use.
Students asked basic questions on the type of chemicals used in cleaning water, the separation of dirty water from clean water, what a reservoir was and where water came from.

Allow us acces to media, says academic
More than 80% of the rural population of Papua New Guinea have no access to the modes of media dissemination facilities and documented productions in the country.
University of Papua New Guinea acting-dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences Associate Prof August Kituai said during the World Media Freedom Day celebrations at the university last week.
“This shows clearly that there is an imbalance in the freedom of access of information by the people of this country, therefore there is no empowerment of the majority of its people and eventually as a result there is lack of expression by them,” Prof Kituai said.
Awareness by the media brings to light issues that are of concerned and so create a venue and avenue for the public to contribute meaningfully in economic, social and infrastructural development in our country, he said.

Murder suspects still on the run
POLICE have not made any arrest in relation to the murder of a Malaguna man in Rabaul in early March this year.
An officer at the CID said the case was a complex one and since it occurred police had encountered difficulties with their investigation.
Simon Misikaram, 35, from Malaguna No 1 village, was found dead in front of Rabaul clinic.
The officer said they were working on the statement to go with the doctor’s post mortem report for the coroner to give the decision.
Meanwhile, Kokopo police are still investigating into a traffic accident involving a construction company, resulting in the death of two company workers and three other workers injured.
The bodies of the victims are at the Nonga Base Hospital awaiting post mortem.

Names of voters missing
THE local level government elections in Enga province is under question as eligible names of voters are missing in 2007 common roll.
The updated common roll had been inflated and registered with ghost names .
This concern was raised by intending candidate, Simon Kingi from the Kamas area in Wabag district.