Suppression claims denied
PORT Moresby metropolitan police commander Chief Supt Mark
Kanawi has denied suppressing investigations into an alleged
sexual assault on a 13-year-old boy by a policewoman at the
Tasion barracks. He said “no one is above the law” and that the
matter was being investigated. He said the investigators were
related to the policewoman and that could explain why the
parents were claiming that the matter was being suppressed. The
alleged incident occurred on Aug 8 after the policewoman was
said to have gotten the boy drunk at the barracks in Gerehu.
According to the investigators, the boy was reluctant to give
evidence. They also claimed that if the incident did occur, the
parents were partly responsible as they were having marital
problems and had left the boy alone to fend for himself.
EHP loses senior inspector
THE Eastern Highlands provincial education division is mourning
the loss of one of its senior officers. Senior primary school
inspector Kanabo Pape passed away last week at his home. He
spent a good number of his career years serving as a school
inspector in Eastern Highlands, particularly the Henganofi
district before being promoted to senior inspector. His passing
has been described as a big loss to the division and the people
of Eastern Highlands. The late Pape was from Ialibu district,
Southern Highlands, and is survived by his children and wife.
Bombom welcomes petition
MEMBER for Kerema Pitom Titus Bombom has welcomed the election
petition filed against him by losing candidate and Gulf
businessman George Mero. Mr Bombom said Mr Mero has every right
to file an election-related petition. He said he would ensure
that he would comply with the rules and regulations of the
petition and ensure that a speedy outcome was reached. Mr Bombom
said as long as he was allowed under the law, he would perform
his roles and responsibilities as the mandated MP for Kerema
Open electorate until the court decide otherwise.
Hagen MP in question
A FORMER councillor in the Hagen Local Level Government Council
said supporters of an MP are
making wide use of hired vehicles at the taxpayers’ expense.
Anis Tiki said this had been going on for nearly two months and
was wondering where the MP got the money to pay for the rental
of the four vehicles. He said the money should be put into good
use to benefit the community.
Cop in court for murder
A POLICEMAN who has been on the run for five years after he
allegedly killed a man at in Port Moresby has been arrested. Leo
Kambao, from Surinki village in Enga, was brought before the
District Court in Waigani yesterday for committal proceedings.
He faces one count of willful murder and three counts of
attempted murder. The hearing was adjourned to Oct 23.
New
Ireland children
to get free education
NEW Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan has confirmed that 27,000
school-aged children next year will enjoy free education.
The move will cost the provincial government about K3.8 million.
About 3,000 students from Grade 9 to university level will also
receive a 75% fee subsidy, which will cost the provincial
government another K2.7 million.
“For the first time, in the history of New Ireland, children and
parents won’t have to worry about school fees because their
government will shoulder the burden,” Sir Julius said in a
statement on Monday.
PMV robbed
by 10 youths
ABOUT 10 armed youths held
up a PMV bus at Hiri in Margarima along the Highlands Highway on
Monday afternoon.
They took about K750 from bus owner Leslie Ranja and his driver.
The driver escaped serious injury when he tried to resist and a
robber swung a bush knife at him.
The robbers also relieved the passengers of their cash and
valuables.
Mr Ranja, who also operates GGG Walkabout Sawmill business in Mt
Hagen, urged the authorities to take action to protect
travellers along the highway.
He said they were becoming easy targets for criminals.
“Small businessmen like us are taking great risks to serve the
people especially in Tari and the Hela region,” he said.
Dad gets 3-year suspended
term for knifing son-in-law
By PETER MIVA
A FATHER who seriously
wounded his daughter’s husband has been given a three-year
suspended sentence by the Lae National Court last Tuesday.
But James Aya, in his 50s, from Angoram, could still go to jail
if he violated his two-year good behaviour bond.
Presiding judge Justice George Manuhu told Aya that his charge
of grievous bodily harm was serious.
Aya had attacked his son-in-law Samson Yaibe with a grass knife,
causing severe wound in his leg and breaking a bone at the
Aigris market on Aug 25, 2006.
He had been angered by Yaibe’s constant abuse of his daughter,
he said.
Aya pleaded guilty to the charge, adding he had paid K500
compensation to his son-in-law.
The maximum penalty for grievous bodily harm is seven years in
jail with hard labour.
Justice Manuhu told the Aya that Yaibe could have died from the
attack that day and warned him not to be easily provoked and
resort to any more violence during his good behaviour term.
Quake jolts New
Guinea Islands
PEOPLE in East New Britain
and other parts of New Guinea Islands were jolted from their
sleep early yesterday morning by an earthquake measuring 6.0 on
the Richter scale.
The quake occurred in south New Ireland, in the St George’s
Channel.
Its epicentre was 153km east and 101km south-east of Rabaul.
The acting assistant director of the Rabaul Volcano Observatory
Herman Patia said although it was a strong earthquake, it was
not enough to trigger a tsunami.
He said they had not received any reports of casualties or
damage.
Discretionary funds
for projects: ORD
THE discretionary funds
given to MPs are not for them to spend as they wish, the deputy
director of the Office of Rural Development said.
Kelly Lovuru said the funds were for projects in the respective
electorate although it was up to the MPs to decide what to
implement it on.
“There is no free money known as discretionary funds for the
parliamentarians,” he said, adding that many people were still
confused about the discretionary and non-discretionary funds.
He said non-discretionary funds were allocated by the Joint
District Planning and Budget Priority Committee.
Mr Lovuru was speaking at a one-day workshop in Mt Hagen for
district managers and treasurers from Enga, Southern Highlands
and some from Western Highlands on Tuesday.
He said the workshop was like a refresher course for public
servants on the process and the procedures they must follow to
access development funds for projects.
He said the other objective was to encourage public servants to
practise accountability and stakeholders to get involved.
Call to use solar power
MOST people living in rural
areas lack basic electricity in their households for lighting
and have turn to other alternatives.
They tend to buy expensive kerosene lamps or candles and both
forms of lighting often require travelling to make the purchase.
With that in mind, ATprojects has recently started selling low
cost solar lighting aimed at people in rural areas and urban
settlements.
They are it selling at affordable prices. The solar lighting is
being purchased by many families who see the cost benefits of
solar power.
For example, a small solar panel and two lamps cost K90 and as
most families spend about K150 a year on kerosene the savings
are obvious.
“Here at the National Appropriate Technology Centre, we use
solar, hydro and windmill to meet our power needs, so we want to
extend the technologies we use and solar is the most affordable
for low income earners,” Miriam Layton, co-director of
ATprojects said.
“The solar lights come in different sizes and the quality is
really good. They are also easy to maintain and not complicated
to use.”
BAHA gets down to business
BAHA Lae office got down to
business holding its first train the trainers session at its new
office at the Hornibrooks NGI head office in Lae on Tuesday.
Representatives from 15 business houses undertook the first
training session focusing on bringing companies in line with
BAHA objectives and getting them to develop and carry out
HIV/AIDS workplace policy.
The training was opened by Hornibrooks director Sherron Lewis –
whose company donated the office space to BAHA, which was
officially opened on Monday by Lae Chamber of Commerce and
Industry president Alan McLay.
BAHA PNG country manager Dr Anne Clark said the training aimed
to share ideas and experiences with the intent in developing a
HIV/AIDS workplace policy that should reflect the needs of
different business environments.
Upon completion of the four day training, participants will
better understand amongst others the disease and its impacts,
importance of confidentiality, facts, law’s relating to HIV &
AIDS and have a network to address the issue in workplace that
includes BAHA’s website and intranet facilities and counselling
and Voluntary Testing Centers (VCT). The participants will need
to form a committee that represents all sectors of the community
they operate in and from this agree on a workplace policy
suiting their business and community.
“We have conflicting issues and notions on AIDS that is at
conflict with PNG culture that we need to understand so we are
in a better position to address appropriately and effectively,”
Dr Clark said.
A representative from Ela Motors said the policy has good
intentions but raised concerns that some employers were using
the workplace policy as a pre-test for employment.
“HIV Aids people are as effective as those without the disease,”
Dr Clark said urging all not to be discriminatory.
The main topics covered include facts on treatment, prevention,
bio-medical information, prevention and strategies. Also covered
were issues relating to stigma, discrimination and care and
support and how this relates to workplace.
Participants were told that a collaborative effort was important
for a HIV & AIDS workplace policy that involved an understanding
community from the managing director to the gardener and others
in the community. Those at the training included Courts PNG,
Guard Dog Security, Trukai, Melanesian Hotel, Hornibrook, Ela
Motors, Interoil, STC shipping, STC Transport, STC Property,
Mainland Holdings Ltd, Datec, Frabelle, Huon Gulf Hotel and
NASFUND.
|
