Public servants warned to perform or shift out

By JOE GURINA and BENNY GETENG

PUBLIC servants in the country have been put on notice to lift their game or shift out, Prime Minister James Marape has urged.

He challenged the public servants to meet expectation of the entire eight million people because a huge budget of K4.2 billion annually is consumed by public servants.   

“Public servants you all must play the game right from wherever you are staying to produce what is expected of us because we public servants consume K160 million kina every fortnight paid by the state of PNG.

“The Prime Minister cannot do it alone; every public servant must grow in hand and deliver to the expectations of our people.

“Tell me how you can make PNG a rich black Christian nation on planet earth. You tell me how you can contribute in keeping an employment,’’ he raised these questions while making a public statement last week.

He said he will be making some strategic decisions to strengthen and improve the public service machinery.

“I will be making some hard decisions in the next few weeks, months and years. Hopefully when my time is up, I would have started a journey that will make PNG a better place than what we have right now,’’ Marape said.

“With our state of economy, you will have realized where we are. When speaking of our natural resources, you don’t feel a little bit doubtful and intimidated or insecure. You must not feel that way when PNG face robust economic business to make profit for you and your shareholders.’’

The Prime Minister said he will make amendments to the resource laws making it conducive for businesses and corporate citizen in our country that participate in the resource sectors to be strong, stable, prosperous and wealthy in driving the economic agenda of the country.

Meanwhile, he said the nation will celebrate 50 years of independence in 2025 so the country enjoys the benefits from the natural resources.

“I will not be here in 2025 and whatever changes we intend to do in the next one or two years will be prospective.

“I am looking into expanding my horizon into regions in Malaysia for instance, there are natural laws, I will be looking into similar economic serenity around us and deal with our resources. We must grow our economy to ensure our people benefit.

“I would also like to urge the public not to cause unnecessary law and order problems; and appeal to my people of Hela which I am proud to be the leader of to respect themselves and the law and order in PNG so that everyone can make a better PNG,” Marape said.

He further said gone will be the days of accepting bribes and letting perpetrators go free and even teachers leaving work on Tuesday or Wednesday to go to town and wait for fortnight.

This will be a new change of mind set and focus in taking back PNG and some of the measures to be put in place to bring back and instil discipline in the public service.

Marape urged public servants in the country to pull up their socks and perform and work accordingly to how they are paid each fortnight.

He said public servants who enjoy the privilege of getting paid each fortnight must now rise up and make a difference for the country.

“We must ask the question if it is not us then who will do it. If it is not now, then when will we do it?” he asked.

PM Marape said every fortnight the Government pays K160 Million to the 200,000 plus public servants in the country and they must work according to the money they are paid for.

“Departmental Heads and Chief Executive Officers of districts must get down and be strict with their employees so that they perform honestly in their respective duties,” he said.

He said it is unfair for the public servants out there in the remote places working tirelessly to be paid whilst some in the urban settings are paid more with not much work being done to help develop the country.

“In 2012, the salaries per fortnight were K110 Million and after six to seven years it has now gone up to K160 Million,” he said.

He said all public servants in the country including himself and the rest of the parliamentarians must now try to make a difference in the work they do.

“Pasin blo sindaun lo office na dring kande kulung nating to must stop,” he said. (The norm of sitting down in the office and drinking tea unnecessarily must stop now).

He urged Magistrates to be fair on their part in delivering sentences of crimes and avoid handing down decisions in favour of their ‘wantoks’ or relatives.

PM Marape stressed that under the new shift of service delivery; public servants based in Port Moresby will be trimmed and sent back to their respective districts to serve the people much better.

He said economic empowerment begins with an effective public service and public servants must take ownership of the work they do.

PNG Ports assists volcano disaster victims

(L-R) Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Ian Hayden-Smart, PNG Ports Chairman, Sir Nathaniel Poya, Talasea MP, Francis Maneke and PNG Ports Acting Managing Director, Mr Fego Kiniafa displaying the mock cheque of K100,000.00 during the cheque presentation ceremony at the PNG Ports Head Office Boardroom.

PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) has donated K100,000.00 to assist the West New Britain Provincial (WNBP) Government to re-open schools, aid posts and health centres in the volcano disaster area.

In thanking the Board and Management of PNG Ports, Member for Talasea Francis Maneke, during a cheque presentation ceremony on Wednesday in Port Moresby, said the funds will be used to assist re-open the schools, aid posts and health centres so that students will go back to school sooner and people can have access to clean water and medicine when they are resettled back to their villages.

Mr Maneke commended PNG Ports for the special recognition and support and praised the company on its successful business management, operations and continued growth in PNG and WNBP also.

The donation was recommended by the PNG Ports executive management and approved by the Board of Directors in their recent meeting.

PNG Ports management made this decision to reach out to the volcano disaster victims in WNBP after the recent Mt. Ulawun volcanic eruption were thousands of people have been displaced and in need of proper food, water and medicine supplies.

Acting Managing Director of PNG Ports, Mr Fego Kiniafa said “as a Good Corporate Citizen of PNG, and specifically WNBP, and as part of PNG Ports’ Community Service Obligations to the people of PNG were our ports are located, a donation to the sum of K100,000.00 was recommended to the Board for approval to assist the volcano affected citizens of PNG.”

“PNG Ports is seen as a leading Corporate Organisation in PNG and a Good Corporate Citizen and under its internal policy for Community Service Obligations is reaching out to the PNG citizens in times of disasters,” Mr Kiniafa stressed.

He said this was also in response to the Minister for Public Enterprises and State Investments, Sasindran Muthuvel’s appeal (The National newspaper, 02.07.19) to all corporate companies in WNBP to treat the situation as an emergency and assist in any way possible.

Minister Muthuvel said in The National newspaper dated Tuesday, July 2, 2019, page 6, that 10,675 people in WNBP were displaced at last count and people were struggling without proper food.

Mt. Ulawun volcano in WNBP erupted at 6am in the morning of Wednesday, June 26, 2019. The eruption has since ceased after 24 hours, however, it has forced the displacement of over 10,000 people due to the eruption.

KTHL reduces massive internet prices

By PRUDENCE AUVITA

KUMUL Telekom Subsidiaries’, Telikom and be-mobile internet prices have been reduced by 70-80 percent on average this month.

Kumul Telikom Holdings Limited (KTHL) Marketing Manager Silas Matoli said this is great news for Telekom’s valid customers and for the people of Papua New Guinea and the country’s economy.

“It is the first of its kind to reduce rates permanently to a fixed rate which will be used throughout the country in terms of communication and internet service provider,” he said

The significant reduction has been effective on 1^st of July.

Mr Matoli said with the slogan ‘Take Back PNG’, Telikom has now taken an initiative to take back the digital market: “taking back the digital market does not mean we are racist but simply basing our main target at increasing subscribers up to 50 percent”. 

Chairman of KTHL Andrew Johnson said: “a universal characteristic of a nation being part of the advanced world economy is a well-developed telecommunications sector providing services to all citizens that are universally available, reliable, and highly capable in all aspects of multimedia services and most importantly for most citizens, affordable. Being part of a society has world class telecommunications that you can’t afford to utilize is inequitable’’.

Mr Johnson added that the KTHL board is delighted to support Prime Minister James Marape’s government’s initiative to significantly reduce internet access costs across PNG with KTHL’s commitment in communicating to the people across the nation.

Minister for Communications and Energy Renbo Paita on the same note said the 70-80 percent massive reduction of internet enables access to faster and easier internet communication access.

ICT is the cost cutting for PNG to increase business and establish new business.

“My challenge now is to reduce the cost of communication and energy, this price reduction is permanent and not a one off campaign.

“This initiative is consistent with our governments focus to transform and grow our economy ultimately creating new businesses and even more new jobs, enhance our children’s education and participation of government,” Paita said.

Meanwhile, the KTHL presented a dummy cheque of K25, 000 to the disaster appeal for Manam and said the same amount will be presented to West New Britain which was affected by the volcano.

Tkatchenko embarks on new NHC restructure

By CHRISTOPHER YANDAWAI

THE new Minister for Housing and Urban Development Justine Tkatchenko says he looks forward to totally restructure the National Housing Commission (NHC).

Minister Tkatchenko made this remark during a management briefing held with the NHC Management, staff and the outgoing Housing Minister John Kaupa recently.

 “Prime Minister James Marape has indicated to me that he would like to see ordinary citizens who work very hard especially the low income earners of nearly 80% have proper housing at the cost that they can afford.

“As such, I look forward in reforming, changing, and totally restructuring the National Housing Commission and also introducing a low cost housing for a simple grassroots Papua New Guineans,” Minister Tkachenko said.

Tkatchenko said he is keen to make the restructure program fruitful with the help of the new Lands Minister John Rosso.

“He will work with me to ensure that lands are allocated in all our city centers throughout the country for a low cost housing.”

Tkatchenko has also highlighted that there are plenty of high cost housing and high covenant houses already been done.

“However, we have forgotten our grassroots people as they need to be looked after as much as everybody else.

“This will be a number one priority for me as a new Housing Minister because our Prime Minister has given all of us Ministers six months to get out there and get our ministries in order.

“We are on performance-based contract meaning we have to get on with our job on time and get our ministries and departments in order within this time frame.

“This is what we will do and you will see a lot of changes in the National Housing Cooperation and also a lot of activities taking place in the urbanization part as this world has come together.

“I will be working closely with the Prime Minister, Lands Minister, and also Governors and Members of the different provinces to achieve that goal.

“It is not going to be an easy task as the NHC is currently in chaos which I will take on the challenges ahead for complete restructure.

“For the first time, we will ensure work must go on for the grassroots to have a proper low cost housing in our capital cities throughout the country,” Tkachenko said.  

Tkatchenko thanked former Housing Minister Kaupa for his great efforts saying, “Mr Kapua did his best and I will learn from his experiences so that we take a bigger and better from thereon.”

UBS loan inquiry to be set up soon: Marape

By CHRISTOPHER YANDAWAI

THE Commission of Inquiry into the Union Bank of Switzerland loan investigation report by the Ombudsman Commission will begin soon says Prime Minister James Marape.

Marape made this comment while responding to series of questions raised by Komo Magarima MP, Manasseh Makiba during question time in parliament on Wednesday in regards to the Commission of Inquiry into the UBS loan report.

Last week during parliament session, Prime Minister had announced that a COI will be established to inquire the findings following the tabling of the UBS investigation report by the Ombudsman Commission.

In a bid to know the actual start of the inquiry, Mr Makiba asked the Prime Minister James Marape if he could inform the house, when will the Commission of Inquiry start along with what terms of reference and who is expected to administer it.

Marape in response said the National Executive Council has tasked the Attorney General’s office to appoint a team in its wisdom which will conduct the Commission of Inquiry into the UBS loan report.

‘‘I want the inquiry to be set up quickly and have advised the Attorney General’s office to put up a team together with the terms of reference within a month or so,’’ Marape said.

Marape who is also amongst other leaders who were alleged to be involved in the UBS saga did welcome the findings of the report when it was tabled in the parliament.

“Many individuals who have served the State in various capacities including the former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, one or two Ministers of State and many heads of departments are mentioned in the report.

“What is quite possibly silent and I’m yet to fully digest the entire report in its totality is the conduct of whether some state-owned companies or companies and banks involved in this entire saga,’’ Marape said.

“The inquiry will dive deeper into the UBS loan, meaning all players involved including lawyers, accountants and the UBS itself.

“It will start with the political leadership all the way down the line in the entire UBS deal so that no stone will be left unturned during the inquiry,’’ Marape reiterated.

“I’m not afraid of the outcome and I would like to see the Commission of Inquiry be established at the earliest to fully ascertain the entire UBS saga and actions taken on those implicated forthwith,” Marape said.

Marape also indicated that if the inquiry certifies him to be actually in anyway implicated in the UBS loan saga, he expects to resign from the office of the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister and Member for Ialibu-Pangia, Peter O’Neill has welcomed the report by the Ombudsman Commission on the much famous saga of the UBS loan.

“I welcome it because this matter was referred to the Ombudsman Commission by two members of the opposition who alleged that this was an illegal loan that was acquired by the State to purchase the shares in Oil Search,’’ O’Neill said.

O’Neill further highlighted that the UBS Loan “was acquired to make sure that we purchase the shares in Oil Search which were mortgaged to the Arabs by the then Somare Government”.