Briefs

NHC staff wins suit
THE Waigani Supreme Court recently handed a decision in favour of a former employee of the National Housing Corporation (NHC), who sued the corporation for unpaid superannuation entitlements. The decision was handed after Anave Ona appealed against a National Court decision that dismissed his case when it was first before the court in 2006. A three-man Supreme Court ordered that the matter be reheard in the National Court on the basis that the trial judge “fell into an identifiable error” when he dismissed the proceedings. Mr Ona was employed by NHC from 1989 to 2001 and the corporation was required to deduct and pay his superannuation contribution to Nambawan Super Limited after he became a permanent officer. However, the corporation failed to start his contributions until 1994, nearly five years into his employment. Mr Ona’s attempt to get his entitlements for the period in question did not go well and he resorted to legal action against the corporation. Nambawan Super later joined in as a party in the proceedings as the second defendant while NHC was the first defendant.

NRSC graduates inspectors
THE National Road Safety Council (NRSC) last Friday witnessed the graduation of its second batch of inspectors. The inspectors were not from the Police department but civilians trained by the NRSC and the Bomana Training School police training officers to work along with traffic officers. The aim of the workshop was to assist the participants to understand the roles of the traffic officers and also to learnt about traffic laws and procedures, developed knowledge in police investigation skills and court file procedures. NRSC director Francis Aku challenged the inspectors to put to use what they learnt when doing their duties. He told them that the training was to assist them work closely with traffic officers in ensuring the safety of citizens when driving on the road.A course instructor Senior Inspector Paul Unupite told the inspectors to always apply basic rules when out on duty. “The laws of the road safety is now in your hands  and whatever you do, always apply the basic rules,” he said.

Digicel hooks BAHA toll free line
DIGICEL has hooked up two more HIV toll free lines to Papua New Guinea Business Coalition Against HIV & AIDS (BAHA) in response to the increasing number of people calling BAHA’s only existing infoline. BAHA general manager Caroline Bunemiga confirmed during a brief presentation with Digicel executives that BAHA was taking 300 calls daily. “Last year, we answered 17,000 calls. For this year alone, we have been able to answer 25,000 calls,” she said. However, due to having only one infoline, an estimated 5,000 calls had been missed. The toll free HIV lines would operate simultaneously for BAHA officers to take on three callers at any time. BAHA was keen to increase its workforce  following the activation of the extra lines.

Students sit for exams
GRADE Eight students in the Kaintiba and Kotidanga districts in Gulf province sat for the national examinations which started yesterday despite the food shortage experienced in the area from continuous rain. Community school teachers in both districts in a report sent to the provincial administration caretaker Mark Avai and the education adviser Mefaramu Mero reported that students were well prepared and looked forward to the examinations.