Mainstream, social media collaboration needed

 By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 22, 2017 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

MEDIA Council President, Alexander Rheeney, has called on the mainstream media to find common ground as partners in the social media information age and evolution taking place in the country.

While announcing the launch of the National Press Club, he responded to queries on the inclusion of social media in the mainstream collective, despite a cloud of uncertainty, which he said still remains towards the growing social media space.

“There has been some discussions about social media and we have to acknowledge the fact that thousands of Papua New Guineans are reading content of what is produced by bloggers here in PNG,” Rheeney said.

“This issue has already been put to the council and how do we incorporate bloggers in the media council membership.”

“And I know that a lot of reporters, news executives, a lot of media organisations feel passionate about the issue. There are some who feel threatened by the presence of social media and whether to bring them in as partners or whether they will lead to your demise as a platform.”

He called on the mainstream media to openly discuss the issue- adding that a collaborative approach seemed the better solution, rather than the council been the odd person out taking the lead.

“How do you see social media? Do you accept them or do you see them as opponents?”

“My personal opinion is that we collaborate with them because at the end of the day we all reaching out to the same audience- we are all reaching out to Papua New Guineans. Social media is enriching the conversation out there right now.”

“If we push them out, I recon we get left behind. We need to look for a way. Mainstream media, we need to see how we can bring them into our plans and treat them as partners,” he added.

PM to feature in inaugural PNG press club event

(L) Media Council President Alexander Rheeney and NBC MD Kora Nou.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 22, 2017 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neil will be the inaugural speaking for the NBC National Press Club Speaker Series, to be aired on the National Broadcasting Corporation’s (NBC’s) TV and radio networks tomorrow at the Lamana Hotel in Port Moresby.

NBC Managing Director, Kora Nou, said the first of its kind speaker series will benefit the media fraternity and country as a whole, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Media Council of PNG (MCPNG) and the Media for Development Initiative (MDI) project.

With the initial discussions of a national press club going back as far as the 1990s never eventuating- Mr Nou said the collaborative efforts of key partners to have close engagement with the national audience in close engagement with leaders both in the public and private sectors was key to the announcement.

“Work has progressed for a number of years and the last 12 months between us and our colleagues from MDI we’ve had several meetings that we decided that as part of our work to engage with our audience and political leaders, one way is to reintroduce the national press club issue.”

“I am also greatful to the Media Council of PNG and Lamana Hotel for supporting the initiative. It is election year so what better time, we also see it as an opportunity to encourage our young journalists and the ones who have taken up senior positions in newsrooms- this be a good pathway.”

“All in all NBC is happy to partner with the media council and Lamana Hotel to support this initiative, and with the first few we will see how we go,” Nou said.

President of MCPNG, Alexander Rheeney, said the press club model will be based on the Australian Press Club model, adding that the support of mainstream media houses as key to benefiting from vital training that accompanies the press club concept.

“I would like to appeal to all media houses to support this initiative because there is also a training component to the club’s establishment.”

“Friday this week we have the first part of training that will be carried out by experts as well as veterans and journalists in PNG.”

“The training basically focusses on giving confidence to upcoming journalists to ask the right questions of high standing public profile Papua New Guineans,” Rheeney said.

He added with the PM being the inaugural speaker tomorrow, the attendance should be set the tone to other speaker that will feature on what is planned to be a monthly event.

“There are already those who have shown support the initiative and we would want to more support, not only from the media industry, but from the public at large as well as the organisations and even donor partners.”

“Because at the end of the day Papua New Guineans have a right to know. They need to connect, link up on what their leaders are and how they plan to go into the elections what their plans what are their priorities in 2017 General Elections.”

Both media heads clarified that the series will not be a political tool, but more or less one to inform the general public in an election year.

“We had a chat during the preliminary stages of planning the project and it is actually open. We will have high profile speaker who will come in and talk about issues of concern to Papua New Guineans, but because it’s the election year we thought only right to open the floor to the Prime Minister,” Rheeney added.

“Consecutively after the first one then we will see the opposition leader open the next one, that is the sort of thinking that we have in mind, but there is nothing wrong with opening up the floor to personalities, even internationals personalities.”

New uni to not accommodate students

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 22, 2017 (PNG)

WITH the student unrests of 2016 still vivid- new entrant into the university fraternity, the IBS University, will not settle to accommodate student on its Mt Eriama main campus on the outskirts of Port Moresby.

The decision was made know by the private university’s founder and Chancellor Mick Nades, citing the destruction of state infrastructure at two major universities in the capital and in Lae last year as precursors to the decision.

“We are a little bit sensitive about accommodation in the campus, because of the obvious reason of what happened last year and the years before at Unitech (University of Technology) and UPNG (University of Papua New Guinea), and having students in the campus is a big question mark,” Nades said.

He, however, pointed out that with the obvious need to accommodate student from outside centers, household room letting (renting) will be encouraged by the institution for its students that will also create income generation for household taking part.

“What we are actually promoting is actually letting, a number of small households in Papua New Guinean owned places they have a bedroom probably underneath the house they have spaces made into three or four bedrooms and offer accommodation to our students.”

“That’s what we call be letting and more and more Papua New Guineans are coming and putting their names to provide accommodation and that is actually helping small families in getting extra income at the same time the students are living under a safe security situation.”

IBS University to open in April

(L) Marketing Manager Jennitha Japhetz, Chancellor Nades, and Development Manager Jenny Nades.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 22, 2017 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

A CLEARLY pleased founder and Chancellor, Mick Nades, of newly accredited university in the country, IBS University (formerly Institute of Business Studies), has affirmed the opening of the new private university set for April this year.

Since its elevation to university status announced by the Department of Higher Education Research Science and Technology (DHERST) after a December 1 National Executive Council decision- Chancellor Nades thanked the, prime minister, DHERST Minister Francis Marus and NEC for the support given to the institution.

He said the 28 year journey was worth it through the hard work of staff, student, and various partnerships built through the years to achieve the new status.

“It took 28 years in total history whereas in the last 18 years we have been running the Southern Cross University Degree Program, in partnership with IBS and that has been a great achievement for 18 years.”

“Prior to that in 1995 we formed a partnership with UPNG running their Diploma in Accounting program and that was the first partnership, and in 1999 we signed the partnership with Southern Cross (University, Australia) and in 2002 we signed the partnership with Deakin University (Australia) to offer the MBA program.”

“IBS was the first institution in Papua New Guinea to bring an Australian MBA Program. So we had so many years of hard work and commitment and dedication to come this far,” Mr Nades said.

He said with the new status a new journey begins to create an innovative university for the country.

“What that means actually is that as supposed to the teacher centered learning where the teacher is standing over here and students over there.”

“What we are going to focus here at IBS University is that we are actually going to turn it around to be a student centered university.”

With the main campus to be located at its Mt Eriama campus, Chancellor Nades, said that with construction work on their main building and infrastructure close to completion. It will see it open up an iconic facility to open its doors as a university.

The university will run degree programs tailored to it being a business specialised university- with first degrees in accounting and finance, economics and development, information technology, and business management.

Southern Cross University specialisation degrees in accounting, human resource, marketing, and information technology.

“Altogether we offer eight degrees and as you all know that we only focus on business studies because that is what we are good at,” he concluded.

A total of 1,000 spaces will be available when the institution reaches peak enrolment, with Grade Point Average (GPA) requirements set a 2 for entry.

Hoteliers shown ropes of APEC preparations

APEC PNG 2018 Authority CEO Christopher Hawkins seated (center) with hoteliers and police personnel.  

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 22, 2017 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



MAJOR hoteliers in the nation’s capital were given a rundown of preparation for APEC 2018, which is set to begin in October this year with the Transport Ministers meet leading through to November 2018.

APEC PNG 2018 Co-ordination Authority CEO, Christopher Hawkins, briefed the hoteliers on the expectations of the authority and that of visiting delegates.

He also briefed them on the accommodation needs from major meets to lead up events, and numbers expected that will be planned for.

“We have a limited number of hotels in Port Moresby in a limited area it is not sufficient to host a APEC meeting, we in the biggest case scenario had 10,000 people during that week which I don’t think we will but is what we are planning.”

“We had to offset with cruise ships, we have three cruise ships that we will be hiring that will be rented out as hotel rooms.”

“We have the accommodation at the university campus, not for delegates but for media who do not want to pay the inflated prices that you all have during APEC meets,” Hawkins said.

He said the University of Papua New Guinea 2015 Pacific Games Village would serve overseas media personnel in what is anticipated to be an accommodation starved Port Moresby during the major meets.

“More than two and a half thousand media will be here and most of those are staying in accommodation that essentially is cost even that is a couple of hundred kina per night for that period as supposed to the hundreds of US dollars for a hotel room.”

“We have sufficient rooms to accommodate the 20 APEC leaders and pacific leaders between the hotels and the cruise ships. We have done our assessment on this some time ago.”

“Each delegation is allocated one hotel. Sometimes they share and that is normal, but sometimes the big delegations have the hotels to themselves.”

“What we do is look at the delegation sizes and work that out. Because we have presidents and prime ministers and their security are always alert no matter where they are it is a highly charged situation,” Mr Hawkins told them.

He reminded them despite numerous requests from visiting delegate to have the authority and government influence costs of accommodation during major meets, the authority would not dictate rates that will be dependent on market demand.

“When it comes to bookings, it’s up to you guys to rent your rooms at the market rates. People are telling us to talk to the hotels and make sure the rate is not elevated, but look it is the market forces that dictate that, it is a very busy time, demand is high and it is not for us to dictate what the market will do,”

“The APEC Authority will pay for some rooms and we will pay for all of this up front, we pay for leaders’ accommodation, ministers’ accommodation, and senior officials.”

“When it comes to block booking we will be asking you to do that now so to block book these dates for the leaders’ week.”

Reiterating security- all were reminded also of strict on site protocols.

“Staff on site will need to check and registration so they get an ID badge that is visible at all times.”

“It is a full year of event will be seen around the world and exposure increases interest going to those countries.”

“It is an enormous manageable operation. It takes place every year, and every year we learnt something new from the previous year. The key to be manageable is to plan early.”

Election boss refutes Polye claims

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 22, 2017 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



ELECTORAL Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, has refuted claims by Opposition Leader and Member for Kandep, Don Polye, regarding the electoral roll update and the filing of bio-data information for intending candidates.

In a press conference called by Mr Polye, he claimed that the update process of the common roll was being done at snail’s pace citing incompetency on the commissioner’s part, the government, and the prime minister himself.

Mr Polye claimed that under law, the common roll should be ready in its finalised form a minimum of three months before actual polling takes place.

“My observation that there is lack of support by the national government in terms of financing and resourcing the electoral commission and its commissioner carry out this common roll update exercise.”

“They are not doing this job properly is the beginning of failing throughout the country. This will result in parliament filled with people not properly elected by the people.”

“How confident is he that the common roll update will be ready within three months to polling.”

When contacted to comment on the claims of the election laws stating a required three month period for electoral roll updates to be completed- Commissioner Gamato stated that the law did not state the requirement claimed by the opposition leader.

“It is not in the law. Even the roll updating goes as far as the date of the issue of writs. What he is saying is wrong,” Gamato said.

On the issue raised by Polye on the filing of Form 29 for bio-data not be done before the issue of writs- the Electoral Commissioner maintained the filing of the forms before the issue of writs on April 20, pending legislative changes for May 20, as being legal and under election regulations.

“It is legal, that they can complete the forms, it is under the election regulations- they can do it before and during the nomination period.”

“So it is legal in the election regulation, so these are all dumbfounded statements that are not researched properly.”

“Unfortunately the leader has got his facts wrong and I want to encourage the leader to concentrate on the elections, leave the election administration and management to the electoral commission and we will run it for him.”

“I have no hard feeling for him it is good he is saying that so I can clarify,” Gamato concluded.

Gamato confirms ballot printing to be done overseas

(L) Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato and Opposition Leader Don Polye.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 22, 2017 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



ELECTORAL Commissioner Patias Gamato has said that the printing of ballot papers for the elections will take place overseas- citing expensive Government Printer costs.

Responding to calls by the Opposition Leader Don Polye to confirm the printing of ballot paper for the 2017 General Elections to be done overseas in Indonesia and that the whole exercise would be more expensive than the state printer.

“I have reliable information from the commission that the printing of ballot papers will be done outside of Papua New Guinea.”

“The printing will not take place in Papua New guinea but outside. The question is why in a foreign land.”

“Can be done here much more cheaply than a private company that does them out of the country is so high, political interest. I call on him to use the government printer,” Polye said at a conference on Wednesday.

When Sunday Chronicle got in touch with the Electoral Commissioner, he said the printing bill presented to him by the government printer stood at K23 million.

“Under the law there is nothing stopping me from printing papers overseas. It’s not written in the law,” the commissioner said.

“We respect the government printer. Government printer does all the government documents, unfortunately, the quote for the government print, I gave the first right of refusal. They quoted me K23 million, and I said that was too expensive.”

“And they were still going to order papers overseas. I said no so I asked for quotations from local printers, PNG registered companies with partners overseas to bid. There are reputable companies who bid for the papers using their partners overseas.”

He said that tenders board decided to order ballot papers from overseas at a cost of K6.6 million.

“Compare K6.6 million from K23 million. K6.6 million includes, one that the ballot papers will be embedded with eight security features on the paper, and the transportation cost from Indonesia to Port Moresby is all at the cost of K6.6 million.”

“The third thing is that there is no influence from the current government coalition government. It is my responsibility and I take that responsibility to order papers overseas for the interest of the elections.”

“So what the opposition leaders is saying is dumbfounded and is all lies and should not be using the management and running of the election. It is my responsibility, he should be worried about what he is supposed to do as opposition leader and not come into my area of responsibility as a constitutional office holder.”

Wage bill jumps

Public servants taking their oath of office to signify their commitment to the year of service.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 15, 2018 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



MINISTER for Finance James Marape revealed to public servants in Port Moresby their growing wage bill for 2017 to chew up 30% of the country’s money plan for 2017.

Marape outlined the figures giving comparison for the state’s 150,000 workforce as opposed to the country’s population of 8 million plus, only measured up to 1.9% of the population that eats up a significant portion of the money plan.

“Every fortnight Secretary Vele (Treasury), Secretary Ngangan (Finance), Chief Secretary Isacc Lupari we try to look for K130 million every payday to ensure that the number expenditure of government books, your payroll is met without fail,” Marape said.

“You multiply K130 million by 26, that amounts to K3.38 billion every year. You deduct from the K13 billion budget we passed this year that eqates to 26% of the total government expenditure for 2017 fiscal year.”

“Secretary Vele tells me that the first wage bill for this year has increased from 130 million to 170 million.”

He said in response to the jump, the scenario presented a percentage of the wage bill that eats into the money plan for 2017 to exceed 30%.

“In fact we will see that about 34% (K4.42 billion) of the total money that we have to run our country 2017 fiscal year.”

“So for a population base of under 2% we consume 34% meaning you and I the entire public servants.”

Solomon lauds cutting of red tape

Community Development Secretary Anna Solomon.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 15, 2018 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



SECRETARY for Community Development, Anna Solomon, has hailed monthly heads of department meetings as a success in the coordination of the public service.

Giving credit to the Chief Secretary of Government and initiator of the meets, Isaac Lupari, Ms Solomon has maintained that the coordination between departmental heads has for the first time been more effective than ever before.

She gave testament to the achievement of the inclusion of sign language interpreters on the country National Broadcasting Corporation’s (NBC) news telecasts that was enabled through effective interagency coordination that the meetings provided to achieve a concept to have an inclusive environment for the country’s disable population.

“I’d also like to acknowledge my chief secretary. You have brought in a leadership that has helped the public service coordinate better.”

“Thank you for that great leadership. The coordination is what was missing. I salute you for the monthly departmental heads meeting. Because it is very difficult for me to get some of these people, especially from the department I come from.”

“And these monthly meetings have allowed me to communicate better with a lot of the heads that are sitting here.”

“Because one of the outcomes of that I hosted the second department of heads meeting I would like to acknowledge Kora Nou (Acting Managing Director NBC) sitting there from Kundu TV (NBC TV).’

She said the call to enable access to deaf citizens to TV news was made during the second departmental heads meeting, thanking the Acting Managing Director for NBC, Kora Nou, and Imelda Argon from the National Gaming Control Board.

“When you thinking of a family you are thinking of the elderly, a mother father, people with disability, and children- those are all who make up a family and all who make up a community.”

“Not only have we removed barriers for our people who have hearing impairment, we take it for granted when we watch the news that they do not know what is happening.”

“These are very important people who citizens of our country like you and me who just have special needs that we need to cater for.”

Kali: Uphold public service values

Public Service boss John Kali.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 15, 2017 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



DEPARTMENT of Personnel Management Secretary John Kali, has reminded public servants in Port Moresby of the values they swore to uphold when they took their oath of office to work for the state.

Mr Kali reminded a huge turnout of public servants in the capital, for the Public Servants Dedication Service that took place on Tuesday at the Sir John Guise Indoor Stadium complex, that as servants for the state the values that were placed on them to uphold are derived direct from the constitution of the country.

“These values have been drawn from the constitution, our Christian principles, our traditional society, and of course the corporate world.”

“These six values are firstly honesty, where you always stand up and stick out for the truth; integrity - steadfast appearance to moral and ethical principles in private and public life in a manner that attracts respect and sense of dependability.”

“Accountability, taking ownership of our own actions and accepting responsibility for the actions of individuals groups and organisations in our preview and ensuring records in relation to incentives and rewards are current and transparent; Respect - an intrinsic trait of our society that promotes the positive relationship with individuals, community, organisations and emphasises the positive regard for the rule of law,” Mr Kali said.

He said wisdom was the capacity to have a deeper understanding of issues involving discernment, intuition, experience and maturity and the ability to inspire and encourage action to overcome challenges for the advancement of the people.

With the final value being responsibility- accepting stewardship for the people and the country being guided by one’s conscious, actively making choices for the public interest considering the implication of decisions and dealing with their consequences and developing capacity in others.

He presented a scenario in where all the values would be ever present in public service workforce’s daily decisions and conduct both in private and in public.

“I can assure you that we would make a positive impact on the people around us and in the organisations we work in and hence creating a new culture of the public service.”

“Because the change of the public service culture starts in me, starts in you- I ask each one of your to allow Christ to come into our lives to dwell in us so we can change the inside out.”  

Lupari: Embrace Christian principles

Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, January 15, 2017 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)



CHIEF Secretary to Government, Isaac Lupari, has tasked the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion to make the Christian faith play an even greater role in both the public service and that of the formal to tertiary education system.

He made his proposals known during the public service dedication service held during the week, by saying that the public service machinery to observe the dedication service in all levels of the public service machinery to hold services to commit the year to God.

“Thank Secretary Anna Solomon and her staff, and I have two proposals. You have to make this an annual event.”

“It started in 2017, in 2018 every public service in the country whether you are in the ward, LLG, the district, at the province must celebrate the beginning of the year with a dedication service.”

“Secondly I have a second proposal, I want to see you and I and everyone here to now convince the ministers we need to support to make teaching of God, the teaching of bible studies compulsory in all our schools right from elementary to university,” Mr Lupari said.

Community Development Secretary, Anna Solomon, agreed with the Chief Secretary on the incorporation of the dedication service into the public service calendar, adding that her department would enable various government departments to host the event for respective years next year onwards.

She also supported the call for bible studies to be incorporated into the education systems in place, pointing out the cascading positive effects it will have on generations of children coming through education systems.

“Sometimes I think if we all followed the bible we would not work so hard to create these laws. I had to work so hard with my department to create the Lukautim Piklinini Act, Gender Based Violence- all these things are defined in the bible,” Ms Solomon said.

“In our activity plan this year we’ve included early childhood learning and development. We are calling on all churches who run Sunday school, who run Sabbath school to extend the number of days. Why are we just keeping it to Saturday and Sunday?”

“You (Churches) are some of the best early learning teachers and you could do more by extending the number of days because we want our children to grow up in the kind of environment that defines respect to any other human.”