ICA suspends spot checks

IMMIGRATION spot checks have been suspended temporarily during the general election, Immigration and Citizenship Authority chief migration officer Stanis Hulahau says.
“Business houses are therefore advised to report any person or persons claiming to be officers conducting spot checks,” Hulahau added. Hulahau said in a media statement that he had received complaints from business houses in Port Moresby that some members of law enforcement agencies claiming to be immigration officers conducted unsanctioned spot checks operations over the weekend.
“We are investigating the complaint to bring to book the impersonators,” he added.
“As we approach the general election, we had ceased all spot check operations temporarily from April 15 until after polling.
“During this period, business houses must be cautious about engaging with anyone who claims to be an immigration officer,” Hulahau said.
“If you have been approached by an officer claiming to be from the Department, make sure to get their full details and email my office directly,” he added.

Nominations in Porgera to go ahead despite risks

By REBECCA KUKU
NOMINATIONS for the new Porgera-Paiela electorate will open at 4pm tomorrow as planned, district administrator Jerry Maku says.
Maku, who is also the electorate’s assistant returning officer, told The National that nominations would go ahead despite security issues in light of fighting between two clans over the ownership of land at the Porgera mine last week.
He said police reinforcements as well as military personnel were on the ground to maintain order and ensure a peaceful election process.
“They will be with us throughout the election, so we will proceed with the nomination at 4pm, tomorrow.”
Maku appealed to intending candidates to work with him to deliver a safe, secure and fair election.
He said the electorate’s returning officer was in Wabag but was expected back in the electorate today.
“Nominations will be done at the Porgera district office, we will not be accepting nomination fees in cash.
“So I urge those who want to nominate to please pay their nomination fees at the BSP bank and come in with your receipts during the time of nomination,” Maku said.
He said as the local BSP branch had been closed, payments would have to be done at the Mt Hagen branch in Western Highlands.
Maku appealed to the candidates to ensure that their supporters behaved well during the nomination process.
He said people in Porgera-Paiela were excited about their new electorate and were looking forward to the opening of nominations.

Young leader wants a prosperous PNG free from corruption

By LULU MARK
THE Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) party endorsed economist Ezra Kelly, 32, as its candidate for the Morobe regional seat over the weekend.
Party founder and Kandep MP Don Poly and its parliamentary leader and Karamui-Nomane MP Jeffery Kama were among those at the party’s fundraising dinner where Kelly was introduced.
Kelly, from Sialum in Tewai-Siassi, served in the public service for about 10 years, has extensive leadership experience in the community from running small to medium enterprise (SME) support programmes to revitalising farming activities.
His long-term vision is to see PNG become a country of love, happiness and prosperity. And to get there, the medium-term goal was to eradicate corruption, he said.
Polye said the biggest challenge in PNG was corruption.
“This is from the man who has been on the floor of Parliament, in the systems working for the last 20 years I am telling you,” he said.
“I am seeing this is just a nightmare, it’s cancerous.
“People have made it (corruption) normal.
“The public servant and the politician, they collaborate to steal money from (the people) and it’s happening all the time.
“This country is not running out of money, it’s not a cash-flow situation or an economic issue.
“It’s an issue of morality, honesty, stealing from people and corruption is the issue.
“This country is in a mess, departments are all over the place and public servants are ill-disciplined.”
Polye said THE party was endorsing 40 candidates of which two were females.