Category Archives: Papua New Guinea

APJC 2015

  • Fellows and Fasilitators of APJC Training (Photo courtesy of APJC)

    Fellows and Fasilitators of APJC Training (Photo courtesy of APJC)

    I am here in Melbourne with 16 other colleagues from Indonesia, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Timor Leste and my own country Solomon Islands for the Asia Pacific Journalism training 2015. It has been quite an experience learning new information, meeting new people and adapting slowly to the cold weather. For the past two weeks we’ve been getting to know from our very expert presenters about leadership, reporting on the economy, and now mobile journalism! We’ve been learning from each other as well. It’s been exciting! We are heading to Canberra this Sunday so there’s more to come! I am certainly looking forward to it. Bring it on APJC!! Tagio tumas! 👍👍👍

 

Team Simbu bike riders take time out at Sipaia beach

Team Simbu bikers at Sipaya beach, Morobe Province

Team Simbu motorbikes at Sipaya beach front on Saturday November 15, 2014.

It took almost three nights to get from Simbu down to Lae to support as part of the Team Simbu contingent to the 6th PNG Games staged in Lae, Morobe province.

18 bikers in the true spirit of support towards their team braved the long and winding journey and had to refill twice before reaching the games’ host city.

One of the bikers Michael spoke briefly about his trip saying the initial 35 bikers was reduced to 18. The whole trip consumed over 60 litres of fuel with a few stops along the way.

The team said the weather in Lae was much warmer and windy compared to Simbu.

Lae hosts 6th PNG Games

Lae the second capital city of Papua New Guinea played host to the country’s 6th PNG Games to over 1, 000 in various sporting codes.

20141116-0020

Balloons released at Sir Ignatius Kilage stadium in Lae during the official opening ceremony of 6th PNG Games

The opening ceremony was hosted at the Sir Ignatius Kilage stadium where tickets ran out before the actual opening ceremony. Crowds lined up outside the stadium to catch a glimpse of the grand entrance by all provincial teams as their graced the afternoon with their provinical colours.

The PNG Games takes place every two years and a host province gets to host with the aim of identifying sporting talents from rural areas who take in these national sports event. From this event talented Papua New Guineans are selected and get the chance of being selected to represent PNG in international sporting events such as Commonwealth and Olympics.

Many people braved the intense heat just to see their favourite band Jokema perform live alongside Australian female artist Christian Anu and local artists in the likes of Anslom Nakikus and Keidumen.

Tickets sold out and forced these people to stand outside find every space to watce the 6th PNG Games in Lae

Crowds outside Sir Ignatius Kilage stadium outside official fence after tickets ran out before official opening ceremony

Present during the opening ceremony were senior government officials, games committee and other invited guests including PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. Continue reading

What’s media’s role in mining?

Oxfam Australia Mining Advocacy Leader Serena Lillywhite giving a presentation on the organization's Mining Program to APJC participants in Melbourne, Aus.

Oxfam Australia Mining Advocacy Leader Serena Lillywhite giving a presentation on the organization’s Mining Program to APJC participants in Melbourne, Aus.

Apart from PUBLIC RELATIONS for mining companies and GOVERNMANT AGENCIES that are tasked to regulate mining operations, how can the MAIN STREAM MEDIA have an impact on mining and development in general?

The ASIA PACIFC JOURNALISM CENTRE through it’s MINING, MEDIA and DEVELOPMENT-Regional Knowledge Sharing Training program, currenty underway for journalists in the Asia-Pacific region, aims to highlight some pending issues that many developing countries often encounter with mining investments.

One major highlight is the role that JOURNALISTS in main stream media can play in ensuring that mining companies are conducting their operations with MINIMAL NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS and MANAGEMENT measures, FAIR sharing of BENEFITS derived from the mine project, and TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY by the companies on the host communties, who ARE often ILLITERATE and RURAL-BASED.

As a radio and television broadcast journalist in Papua New Guinea, a developing nation that is commemorating it’s 38 years of self independence on the 16th of September this year, the APJC program will greatly complement my work in the province of East New Britain.

With a mine currently operating under New Guinea Gold Limited, 2 explorations underway by Ok Tedi Mining Limited, and negotiations for a world first seabed mining by Nautilus Minerals Ltd on the radar, there is a great need for me as an informer, to make sure I am able to get the necessary information I need to do my work and in turn educate the mass audience in a province where radio is the main medium for disseminating news and information.

So unlike PRs and state agencies, main stream media should not have attachments to any of those parties already represented, but be a watch dog and do a check and balance through news reports, which at the end of the day, can have a positive impact on development from mining.

Businesses in Lae affected from recent uprising

 

Retail specials courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Recent ethnic uprising in Lae had severly affected businesses in Papua New Guinea’s second capital last month.

Petty crimes had caused anger amongst locals resulting in some deaths and business houses forced to close up in fear of their property being looted by opportunists.

Police were deployed from Port Moresby and Southern Highlands to beef up police numbers to contain the situation.

However a law and order committee has been set up who are working closely with ethnic representatives in the province to ensure that all comply with measures put in place by provincial and national government.

In light of this events, companies saw a down fall in production and sales takings for at least a week last month with major companies as Coca Cola.

It is unlikely that a better resolution will be made to resolve to this long-standing issue as a result of street-vendors selling items in parts of the street and at the same time involving in petty crimes as bag snatching, rape and alcohol related problems.

This now falls back on the local authorities part to come up with informed decisions to stamp out such social problems once and for all as Lae is still Papua New Guinea’s economic hub that produces up to sixty percent of the country’s economic income.

Are you experiencing similar problems in your country, province, town, village? or What are some ways that we can develop to rid off regionalism and work for the better?

 

Sea warming faster in Papua New Guinea

Sea warming faster in Papua New Guinea

Anisah Issimel

photo by: pbaitor

Papua New Guinea has experienced some of the fastest rates of sea level rise anywhere around the globe in the past twenty years.

Situated on the Western Pacific Ocean, the region has experienced fifteen centimetres of sea level rise since the early 1990’s.

Climate Change experts from the Intergovernmental Climate Change Panel in Australia revealed the rate of sea level rise in the country is three times faster than the average over the rest of the oceans.

This revelation was made recently by the experts whilst answering questions raised by the NBC reporter attending a training workshop on Climate Change Reporting for journalists from the Asia Pacific regions.

Questions raised include how much detriment sea level rise would be having on low lying areas in Papua New Guinea in the next twenty years.

The experts say it is important to understand why the increase in sea level rise in the region is much faster than the rest of the oceans.

They also explained that there are some well- known natural cycles in the tropical Pacific that may cause extra warming and faster sea level rise.

But scientists say they still do not know whether the recent rise in sea level is driven or caused by global warming, in which case it may continue, or whether it is part of a natural cycle, in which case further dramatic rise could be delayed.

However, what they can say now is that something between three and fifteen centimetres of further sea level rise seems likely in the western tropical Pacific in the next ten years.

And in the long run, the range is much bigger, between 30 centimetres and 2 meters by the year 2100.

Scientists also say that it is very difficult for societies to make decisions about how to prepare for sea level rise when the range of possibilities is so large.

They further explained that natural cycles in the oceans may cause temporary declines in the future and this may last several years or even decades, although it is highly unlikely that levels will again be as low as they were in the first half of the 20th century.

They say that sea level rising and for all practical purposes, these changes cannot be reversed.

Melbourne, here I come

The author, flanked by Rikamati Naare of Kiribati and Alain Simeon of Vanuatu in Melbourne. Picture: Luke Guterres

Port Moresby, Sunday 23rd October 2011. It was 5.30am and my flat at Kaubebe Street, Boroko, came awake. I got up from my bed and looked out the window. Dawn was here. I showered, got dressed and checked my bag again to make sure that I had everything I needed.

My passport was on the table with my airline ticket. I was leaving for Melbourne, Australia to attend a five week training program. I grabbed my bag and with my family in tow, we jumped into the car. Graham, my neighbour, drove us to the Jackson’s International Airport, where I got off and said goodbye to everyone.

I hate flying. To tell you the truth, the only bit of flying that I like is the take off. I like the hormones rushing through my body when the huge planes run down the runway, picking up speed as they go to lift off the ground.

So when the Air Niugini Port Moresby to Cairns flight was airborne, I decided that sleep was the best way to pass my time for the next one and half hour.

I was awaken by the voice of the air hostess and realised that we were landing at the Cairns International Airport. I had to get a connection flight to Melbourne in about one and half hour so after clearing Customs, I headed for the domestic terminal. I arrived, only to find that it was a lot bigger than what I am use to at Jackson’s. I asked someone who was dressed like a security guard where I should check in and he pointed the way to me. When I arrived at the Qantas check-in counter, I remembered what my good comrade Frank Genaia told me after returning from Sydney recently. I looked for the machines that were to check passengers in and found several queues in front of what looked like ATM machines. When it was my turn, I asked the lady in uniform next to the machine for help.

A few minutes later, my boarding pass was coming out of the machine. I picked it up and went over to the counter where I dropped my bag. My flight to Melbourne was going to take off in a short time and I rushed here and there, looking for the gate where I was to go in to board the flight. It was not long when I found it.

I found myself, squeezed in between two huge guys at the tail end of this huge jet plane for the four hours flight to Melbourne. As the plane flew south, heading for this 200 year old city, I allowed my mind to go to work. I was too excited to sleep because I had never been to Melbourne. All my visits to Australia had always terminated in Sydney. I had been to Canberra only once but it was a long time ago.

After what seem like hours, I felt the plane start its decent. I knew we were getting close to my destination. This was confirmed soon by the pilot who announced that we had arrived in Melbourne half an hour early. I was not to know that arriving this early will present a problem for me. I was to find out later.

Very soon, the huge plane touched down and was taxing into the tarmac. It was a good thing that I had taken one of the seats in the last row, for as one of the last passengers to get out of the plane, it was easy for me to follow the others into the tarmac. Pushing a trolley with my bag, I went out of the arrival gate, expecting to see someone from the Asia Pacific Journalism Centre to be there to pick me up but there was no sign of anyone.

I walked up and down, pulling my bag behind me. Still no one. I went back into the arrival lounge, checking everyone who was standing there, holding up small signs with names of passengers they were waiting to pick up, written on them. My name was not on any of them. I walked outside again and waited, all the time telling myself not to panic.

After what seem like hours, I decided to ask for help. I asked someone who looked like a driver of one of those tour buses who was standing not too far off from where I was.

Mate, how much will it cost me to go to this address,” I asked showing him the APJC address.

The man consulted two other men, who looked like they were in the same business, came back to me and told me that the place I wanted to go was not too far away.

He told me that it will cost me $65. I agreed to pay and we set off for APJC. After half an hour later, Francis (he introduced himself to me in the car) pulled into APJC. Francis waited for me while I went up to the house and knocked. I knocked several times and no one answered the door. I started getting worried. It was getting late and the wind was chilly. I could feel the cold biting into my skin. Francis said he will wait with me. I was comforted as I did not want to stand there at this strange place by myself.

Soon a car pulled up and a man jumped out. I recalled seeing him somewhere before but I could not remember. “You must be Peter,” he said with a smile, extending his hand to me. “I am John Wallace”.

We shook hands. He realised I had come in another car and told me there was supposed to be someone at the airport to pick me up. I told him I did not see this someone and I could not hang around because it was getting late and I had to find my own way to APJC.

John Wallace turned to Francis and asked him how much he was charging me. When John heard the price, he shook his head, telling Francis that it normally cost $50 from the airport to APJC. Nevertheless, John parted with the fare and told Francis to drop me at the hotel which was going to be my home for the next three weeks. Jee, the man who was to pick up me at the airport caught up with me at the hotel. He told me that he had gone to the airport but found that my plane had arrived half an hour early and that I had left. I forgave him and told him not to worry. It was not his fault.

I moved into Finlay Place on Lygon Street and into one of the most delightful parts of Melbourne.

That evening, I walked to the balcony on the fourth floor of my hotel and looked across Melbourne. The lights had come on but I could not see where the lights end and as I stood there, looking across the city, my nose was picking up this rich aroma in the cool air. Food! I was picking up the scent of good cooking.

I looked down. All along Lygon Street, it was a hive of activity. Restaurants of all kinds were open for business. At each place, a lot of happy people were seated around tables, sipping wines, eating and conversing. Their laughter filled the air and floated up to where I was.

A happy thought struck me. I did not get lost and had arrived safe in Melbourne. It was time I went down and check those restaurants out.

PNG village built sea wall

One of many PNG maritime villages facing threats of sea level rise. Pic by: Sven Rudolf Jan

by Anisah Issimel, NBC News, PNG 

A rural village on the northern maritime province of Madang in Papua New Guinea has embarked on a small project to build a sea wall in a bid to save its shorelines from constant sea battering.

Riwo Village, with a population of just over two thousand people, has lost a large portion of its shoreline in the last five years to sea weathering and the rising sea level.

The idea to build the sea wall was an initiative of the local village leaders in light of the ongoing effects of climate change.

The leaders had initially raised the idea with their provincial governor, James Gau, requesting financial assistance to build the wall, and so far had recieved 100 thousand kina from the PNG Government to help them.

The villagers had since completed part of the wall but will need further financial assistance to complete the entire project.

Journos gets climate change training

Peter Korugl, from PNG, one of the participants attending the workshop. Picture: Tarami Leggs

Journalists from Asia Pacific countries are in Melbourne, Australia attending at workshop to upgrade their skills and knowledge in reporting climate change issues in their countries.

The 13 journalists are from Indonesia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga -some of the countries currently feeling the impact of climate change.

Issues of concern in the Asia Pacific region include rising sea level, change in weather patterns, natural disasters like flooding. The region is also experiencing major resource developments such as logging that are also challenging efforts being made by respective governments to mitigate global warming.

As part of their training, the journalists visited the reknown Melbourne Zoo and they will also tour other conservation sites in  Hobart.

Telikom PNG marks 56 years of service

Telikom workers formation of Lae at Sir Ignatius Stadium. Pic by Samuel Toposona

Telikom PNG had recently marked 56 years of service in the country as regional offices including Lae celebrated in colour and style.

Lae which is based in the Momase region also joined other regions to mark the PNG nationally owned telecommunications company which had been operating solely before Digicel an Irish communication broke the monopoly in the country.

I was also fortunate to be part of the celebrations as my current employer Fm 100 is trading as Kalang Advertising Limited also was part of the historical event.

Two of Telikom’s oldest serving employees cutting the anniversary while Xavier Victor head commercials looks on. Pic by Samuel Toposona