Infrastructure the main factor
FREE education policy will not provide quality education unless infrastructure are maintained. A community leader, who was also a former police officer and child rights advocate, Roland Funmat, from Tanga Island, New Ireland province, said the main purpose of the policy was to reduce the burden from parents, but believed it would not provide quality education to students unless infrastructure in schools are repaired to make the environment conducive for children’s learning. He said the main focus should be on building accommodation, new classrooms, libraries, science and computer laboratories and provide updated materials and resources in primary schools.

Orimyo’s case dismissed
THE Member for Henganofi in Eastern Highlands province has expressed relief that the National Court has dismissed a petition challenging his election. Ferao Orimyo said the National Court’s decision showed that the judiciary system was fair and transparent. “The court decision shows that my election was the choice of my electorate,” he said, and gave an assurance that nothing will stop him from delivering services to the people. Mr Orimyo also thanked his PNG Party leader Sir Mekere Morauta and deputy leader Francis Awesa for financially supporting his court case.

Technical expertise needed
A WOMAN leader in East New Britain has urged local students from the University of Vudal to put to practise what they have learnt as there was lack of relevant extension officers in the field of agriculture. Lady Nerrie Tololo said students as graduates and continuing students were specialised in various agricultural disciplines and the East New Britain people would be having high expectations on them to provide relevant technical agricultural information. She said this was to improve quality agricultural products within the sector and to boost the province’s economy.

Drive with care, drivers told
PUBLIC Motor Vehicle drivers transporting people along the Okuk Highway have been urged to drive with care to protect lives of passengers. Eastern Highlands provincial police commander Supt Philip Solala made the call after passengers in a 15-seater PMV bus narrowly escaped death when their vehicle overturned recently. He said the driver was in the process of overtaking a vehicle when an on-coming vehicle travelling at high speech forced it off the road in order to avoid a collision, causing it to overturn.

MP concerned over funds
NATIONAL Planning and District Development Minister Paul Tiensten is concerned that millions of kina is being pumped into the rural areas but very little impact has been seen. He said over the years, the Government had put in so much money but the problem of lack of basic services was still there. Mr Tiensten said the National Government had made a commitment to spread the benefits of economic growth to rural areas through the delivery of basic services.

Paper describes ‘horror’ of climate change
BY ELIZABETH MIAE
PAPUA New Guinea will face potential impacts of climate change on food production in the future unless contingency plans to ensure sustainability of food supply are put in place.
And the direct victims would be the rural people who make up 85% of the country’s population.
A paper on climate change and its impact on food was presented by Samuel Maiha from the National Weather Service during the World Food Day celebrations at the Transport Department yesterday.
Mr Maiha pointed out the aftermaths of the feared climate change:
*Over the last three decades, there was an increased number of floods and droughts;
*The country will depend on economic development as food supplies had been disrupted by droughts and floods;
*Rise in sea level will lead to the sinking of islands and people seeking refuge elsewhere will drastically affect food supplies.
*A warming climate meant that regions free of pests like the Highlands region would experience more incidences of pestilence.

Contractors cry foul over payments
SOME contractors have alleged that they are owed between K200,000 and K300,000 by the National Events Council for work done at the Sir John Guise Indoor Sports Complex in Port Moresby last year.
The matter came to light on Monday as some of the council’s staff began packing to move the office to the Prime Minister’s Department at the Morauta House.
Some of the contractors feared that they would not be able to enter the building to collect their dues.
The company, which was said to be owed about K36,000, declined to comment when contacted yesterday.

Wamp Nga donates K5,000 to Mt Hagen GH
THE Wamp Nga Group of companies in Mt Hagen donated a cheque of K5,000 to the Mt Hagen General Hospital to purchase a heart diagnostic service machine.
The machine costing K132,000 would be used to check people with heart diseases.
Wamp Nga Group of companies’ general manager Michael Makap, while presenting the cheque, said out of the K10,000 commitment made, K5,000 was paid earlier this year and this was the balance.
Mr Makap said the company was owned by the people of Western Highlands and the money given to the hospital would help save lives of the people.
He said this would help stop people with heart diseases from travelling out to seek treatment.
He said this was one of the community services provided by the company apart from other developments like building the city’s main market.