ExxonMobil PNG assists with restoration of food gardens in Hela Province

Exxon Mobil

ExxonMobil PNG continues with its long-term recovery support for earthquake affected communities
Over 58,000 vegetative cuttings, 200 kgs seeds and 900 garden tools distributed 

ExxonMobil PNG Limited, operator of PNG LNG project is continuing to distribute planting materials and gardening tools to communities in its project areas as part of its long-term recovery plan to assist earthquake affected communities re-establish their food gardens.

Delivering planting materials in very bad weather

The distribution is being coordinated by ExxonMobil PNG’s Community Livelihood Improvement Program (CLIP) partner ANU Enterprise.

“ExxonMobil PNG is here to stay and as a good neighbour we are committed to lend a helping a hand to the communities who are in need of assistance to recover from the impacts of the earthquake,” said Andrew Barry, ExxonMobil PNG managing director.

The distribution has reached more than 900 household of communities living along the Pipeline Right of Way (ROW) at Benaria areas including Yarale, Timu, Lau, Benaria, Mulako Tangi, Tamita and Pakale.

Other distribution sites around Hides include the well pads, 3 Ways, Nigiria, Perapu and Kulu communities.

Since the distribution started, CLIP has delivered more than 39,000 sweet potato vines, 19,400 cassava cuttings, over 20 kilograms of seeds and more than 900 spades.

Sweet potato veins and cassava cuttings ready for distribution

The planting materials consist of pathogen tested sweet potato vines, cassava cuttings, green beans, corn and pakchoi seeds.

The villages are very remote and surrounded by mountains.

 The communities are mostly subsistence farmers, producing crops such as banana, sweet potato, cassava, pumpkin, peanuts and corn which were destroyed by the earthquake.

EMPNG CA Officer Jonah Kupio and VLO Gibson Pipe assisting CLIP team at Lau village 

Seventh Day Adventist Church Pastor, Michael Mogolo of Mulako Tangi community in the Hulia LLG from the Komo Margarima electorate in Hela, said the communities thanked ExxonMobil PNG for the assistance and that it was the first company to set its foot on their land after the earthquake.

“Government officials and other companies find our place so remote and difficult to reach so we don’t get the assistance we need. A helicopter landing on our land to deliver the planting materials and garden tools is a story we will live to tell,” he said.

Planting materials and gardening tools being delivered to Benaria Station community

ExxonMobil PNG is also continuing to provide support for the restoration of four key health care facilities and two primary schools in its project area in Hela Province as part of its long term recovery plan. 

Law and justice awareness promotes peace in the Fugwa Basin area, Hela Province

Australian High Commission

In Hela Province, the long path to recovery from February’s devastating earthquake is being hampered by intermittent outbreaks of intergroup fighting. Restoring peace and stability is important for setting a solid foundation for recovery and reconstruction.

The leadership of two previously warring clans from Hela Province recommitted to renouncing violence at a law and order workshop in the Fugwa Basin area, boosting hopes a peace settlement negotiated in April will hold.

The leaders were among 32 people attending a three-day workshop at Fugwa Primary School that provided information on law and justice agencies, family and sexual violence, juvenile justice, illicit drugs and tribal fighting.

Hela Provincial Law and Justice Manager James Tapale, who led the activity, said the presence of the two previously warring clans was very encouraging.

Hela Provincial Law and Justice Manager James Tapale

The two clans surrendered guns and other weapons during law and order awareness sessions conducted by Mr Tapale at Kereneipa Market in April, following an appeal by community leaders for an end to the fighting.

“It’s two months since our public awareness activity and there has not been any further tribal fighting in the Fugwa area,” Mr Tapale said. He stressed the need for continued follow-up to ensure peace is sustained.

For many of the attendees, this was the first time they have been to an awareness raising session on law and order. The workshop involved discussion of the causes and consequences of tribal fighting and violence.

“Some said their life was not safe; they lived with fear, their family was not settled, houses were burnt down, gardens destroyed, trees cut down and to be safe, they ran away and hid in the woods,” Mr Tapale said.

The participants were urged to embrace alternatives to violence in the resolution of disputes, including mediation and reporting incidents to police.

In addition to the workshop, Mr Tapale conducted law and justice awareness raising sessions at three primary, and one secondary school in the Fugwa Basin, and aims to expand his work to other parts of the Province.

UNICEF resumes its commitment of support to Hela

PORT MORESBY, 22 JUNE 2018 - UNICEF is preparing to resume response and recovery support to earthquake affected communities in Hela after conflict and violence forced UNICEF, aid and relief workers, and other UN agencies to briefly relocate in April as a security precautionary measure.

Aid nurse with UNICEF, Martina screens two-year-old Shenilda’s arm for malnutrition at Tate village, Southern Highlands.  UNICEF is supporting a child health programme that has screened more than 8000 children for severe acute malnutrition. The programme is ongoing in two districts of Southern Highlands: Mendi-Munihu and Nipa-Kutubu, where 32 children have been identified and  are being treated.UNICEF is supporting a child health programme that has screened more than 8000 children for severe acute malnutrition. The programme is ongoing in two districts of Southern Highlands: Mendi-Munihu and Nipa-Kutubu, where 32 children have been identified and  are being treated.

Over 115,000 children under the age of 18 including some 32,000 under five years and close to 8,000 infants are expected to directly benefit from health, nutrition, education, child protection and water, sanitation and hygiene activities that UNICEF will support the Government to implement in Hela.

At a partnership review meeting held on June 8 with local partners - Catholic Diocese of Mendi, Southern Highlands Provincial Health Authority, Caritas, Provincial Child and Family Welfare Services and the Provincial Education Department - UNICEF reiterated its commitment to fulfill its humanitarian obligations to the children of Hela and Southern Highlands provinces.

UNICEF and partners pose for a photo following the review meeting held at the Catholic Diocese of Mendi on Friday, June 8, 2018.

“We are happy to be able to go back to Hela where we will continue to work with the Government and our partners to provide much needed assistance to the children who desperately need help.

"We have been working together since the earthquakes devastated communities and destroyed li)velihoods and we intend to continue our support,” UNICEF Representative, David Mcloughlin said after the review meeting.

Mcloughlin added that a two-month integrated child health campaign planned to kick off in mid-July will provide immunisation and nutrition services for.children while the establishment of Child Friendly Spaces will offer psychosocial support to children who have been traumatised by the earthquakes.

“Children from badly damaged schools will be able to continue their education through Temporary Learning Spaces that we will support our partners to set up.

"We will also provide water tanks and
construct Ventilated Improved Pits (VIP) latrines in these schools to promote good hygiene and sanitation practices,” Mcloughlin said.

Aye Win (UNICEF WASH Specialist), Sam ­Walne (Catholic Diocese of Mendi programme manager) discussing pit latrine construction issues with John Wanpis, the teacher in charge at Kundaka Elementary School, during the inspection of the new latrines under construction. Kundaka is one of 10 schools in the province to have recently benefited from the partnership between UNICEF and the Catholic Diocese of Mendi.

To date, UNICEF’s on-going response and recovery support in Southern Highlands and Hela provinces has seen more than 2000 children continue their education in 20 Temporary Learning Spaces with education supplies that UNICEF provided for teachers and students.

Over 8000 children have been screened for Severe Acute Malnutrition, and more than 9000 children vaccinated while 12,000 children received deworming tablets.

More than 3000 children now have access to safe water and proper toilets after UNICEF distributed water tanks to 10 schools and constructed VIP latrines for students.

Many more children and women received psychosocial support and referral services under a Learning and Empowerment project that the UN in partnership with the Australian Government supports.

UNICEF has been providing ongoing response and recovery support in Southern Highlands since March following February’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake and numerous aftershocks that hit four provinces and caused major devastation in Southern Highlands and Hela provinces killing more than 100 people and injuring many more.

Hela has many mountains of underdevelopment to climb：A message to the people.of Hela from James Marape

by JAMES MARAPE

I appeal to our citizens in Angore , Hides and Komo areas to cease the use of threats, intimidation and guns as a means of getting your grievances heard and settled, 

I say this in light of the blockage and looting that took place on the fringes of Angore and Hides gas fields yesterday.

I know the present issue they have is a K20 million claim for Angore township and another K12 million for their business development grant allocated in 2011, which is presently locked in court by the doing of one of their own tribesmen.

Our people must restrain from threats and intimidation.

 if genuine issues remain outstanding, then civilised dialogue is the way to go for us now and into the future.

Whilst there might be some elements of genuineness in those issues raised, the continuous use of unlawful means to secure attention is repulsive.

This in the face of many issues our Government must handle not only for Hela and Southern Highlands, but the entire country.

The O’Neill-Abel Government is not far from you landowners.

In fact, on record we are the most-fulfilling Government in the history of our nation responding  to the plight of many of our landowner issues.

This not only in oil and gas areas but mining as well in terms of delivering to outstanding commitments.

The  O’Neill Gvernment has signature policies like greater free carry equity empowerments.

For Hela and Southern Highlands, our gas and oil fields have been producing since 1990.

Yet,only after 2012 are we seeing serious signs of development happening or about to happen. 

Has Tari ever seen a sealed road?

 No,but it started to happen after 2012.

From what I am told, the Halimbu-Nogoli Road sealing was to have seen its first laying of bitumen yesterday but the uprisings of Angore forced its closure again. 

This project was awarded in 2015, but lawlessness continues to hamper work.

I appeal to our local leaders of youths, clans, and PDLs as well as leaders of facility site areas like Komo and the Pina plant site：Use myself and my two colleague MPs and our Governor to be your middlemen with National Government in a peaceful way to get your grievances out to National Government. 

If genuine legitimate commitments aren’t responded to, then I will be the first to support you tribesmen for court action as a final resort but not the use of violence and destructions.

So far, I have received no invitation personally to hear your issues and relay to Government.

How then can you say Government has not been responsive,hence your resort to lawlessness?

I am again opening my office to our people in Hela to channel your issues through,  instead of your continuous use of threats.

One day soon your guns will be rendered useless.

Mark my word as the hand of Government is much much longer then what many of you think.

In July I will take officers from national departments through our project areas in Hela to hear you again.

We will also tell you all how we are going in as far as getting your due benefits in royalties and equities.

One-off payments like outstanding commitments will disappear.

You only have to see how your cousins from PDL 1 and 7 have used up K20million and K15million respectively into thin air just this year.

I ask you all to be fair to the Government, assist us get the clan-vetting complete and we start to get your entitlements out to you all. 

For your other issues, please channel through me and Governor Philip Undialu plus our two other colleagues in Minister Petrus Thomas and Vice -Minister Manase Makiba to pass on to Government. 

Our Government is in office, hence why are you evading us?

I ask you all to remove blockages and we work through the normal channels of dialogue again. 

This Thursday my office will facilitate a meeting between all concerned leaders of project areas.

 I encourage you all to meet us to air issues of common concerns and we collectively map a way forward. 

Sometimes,answers may be right in front of us yet our differences of opinion, including politics, continue being blockages.

Hela has many mountains of underdevelopment to climb.

Hence we all cannot afford the luxury of differences to hinder us.

There is no long-term winner in an environment of differences.

Marape commends leaders for working for peace in Tari-Pori

Tari- Pori leaders are showing partnership and teamwork to bring peace and also arrest of murderers and associates of crime at the community level，says MP James Marape.

Tari-Pori MP James Marape (third from left in front row) with local leaders during one of a series of meetings in the district.

He is back in the district to witness handing over of five suspects of the murder of late Lae Tagobe, a councilor of Ajukali Ward 1 in Pori.
”Real work and effort was put in by the local leadership of other village leaders and youths,” Marape said.
“Other councillors of Pori LLG - Cr Pipe, Cr Agiru, Cr Hebale and Cr Belo - led by local Tade councillor Timothy Lembo and Pori President Charlie Apalu were also instrumental.
“Great commendation to leaders and people of Pori for working for peace in their district.“
Marape is  spending a week  in his electorate linking up with village elders from all over Tari-Pori  who have been working to bring warring factions to the table.
This  includes bringing to police various murderers in the electorate.
“Iam now mobilising elders and youths of electorate who want peace，” Marape said.
" Hulis have traditional dispute resolution methods，yet these are not being embraced in Hela， with fullest working of modern law and justice sector.
"The basic structure of peace resolution in my electorate is to be restored with 79 ward  structures, which should link to modern village courts and higher courts， including ensuring that police and Correctional Service are correctly functioning in Hela."

LinkPNG resumes flights to Tari on Monday

The people of Tari and Hela have been urged to take ownership of Tari Airport as it reopens to larger aircraft on Monday.

Hela Provincial Administrator William Bando,National Airports Corporation Deputy Chairman Jerry Agus, Link PNG General Manager Bruce Alabaster and NAC CEO Richard Yopo at the annoucement of resumption of flights to Tari.

Deputy National Airports Corporation chairman Jerry Agus made the call yesterday in front of Hela provincial administrator William Bando, LinkPNG (Air Niugini subsidiary) general-manager Bruce Alabaster, NAC chief executive officer Richard Yopo and contractor Micah Vines of Parohu Engineers..
Tari Airport has been closed to Dash-8 aircraft for the last three months because of ongoing lawlessness in the Hela capital, as well as damage caused by the Feb 26 earthquake.
“Airport infrastructure is important for all of us,” Agus said.
“This is especially so for the citizens of this country.
“Due to the unforgiving terrain of the country, air transport is very important.
“Those of us who already have airports really need to look after them, because airports, and the aerodrome area, is highly-regulated area.
“There must not be any interference or disturbance around the airport area.
“It is very important for all stakeholders, especially the landowners, and people living in and around the airport, to really look this facility.
“National Airports Corporation cannot compromise the safety and security of all our operators who are operating on these airports, and the safety and security of our passengers.
“If we get any reports, or anything of any nature about disturbance of anything around the airport, we have no choice but to put a temporary closure or stop.”
Alabaster said LinkPNG operated by rules and safety.
“As an example, Air Niugini cancelled flights to Buka for quite an extended period of time because the approach lights had been vandalised,” he said.
“It’s the people of Buka who suffered because of that vandalism.
“This is right through across the country.
“If you feel frustration, or feel anger, don’t take it out on the State assets.
“State assets are there for you, your community and wantoks.”
Alabaster commended NAC and the Hela government for making it possible to resume flights to Tari.
“We’ll now recommence flights back into Tari on Monday,” he said.
“Flights are back to normal schedule on Monday.
“We’ll be operating our Dash-8 aircraft back into Tari again.”
Bando thanked NAC and Link-PNG for restoring air services to Tari.
He said the Hela government spent K160,000 to upgrade the airport.
“I appeal to our people to look after airport infrastructure and temporary fencing,” Bando said.
“Bigger things will only happen when we look after smaller things.”

Update from Tari-Pori MP James Marape

By JAMES MARAPE
May 24, 2018

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill today directed ExxonMobil, Works and Implementation Minister Michael Nali and Secretary David Wereh, and contractor Curtain Brothers  to start on the Hela 1, 2 and 3 buildings in Tari as well as start sealing Wabia to Nipa and Halimbu to Komo roads.
This was in the presence of Hela Governor Philip Undialu, Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP and Immigration Minister Petrus Thomas, Southern Highlands Governor William Powi and myself.
ExxonMobil has committed to draw down K150 million tax credit of which the first  K70 million  will be made available this month for work to start.
We are also getting Chinese Exim Bank to fund the high-voltage power line into Hides from Mt Hagen.
Kumul Petroleum has been asked to finance the smaller 22 kva distribution lines in and around Hela and Southern Highlands.
Prime Minister O'Neill has also directed Oil Search to provide tax credit funding to complete Gulf-Southern Highlands- Hela Highway as well as getting Poroma-Kutubu Highway sealed.
My people , I know many problems face us. Worst of all is lack of development in our areas.
 I admit we have not done much in terms of large-scale impact projects.
However,  just because these have not started yet does not mean we,  your leaders,  aren’t fighting for you.
As your leaders, we dream the same dream you have.
Many times, our own differences of opinion, tribal fights or political fights cause  delay work we can achieve for our home province if we all work together.
My dream remains for a better Hela: Educated, healthy and industrious people.
I want sealed roads to run from Komo to Tari , Tari to Kopiago, Tari to Mendi, Tari to Kikori, Tari to the wharf in Kikori.
I want functioning sealed airports in both Tari and Komo, electricity from Hides with getting fibre optics from Hides to the whole of Hela.
These are but a few dreams but we can’t advance much with law-and-order problems.
I am coming home next week to consolidate on the present peace programme my district peace team has started.
I ask my people to try our best to resolve our differences in a peaceful manner.
Let us show the country we are people with the ability to forgive and care for each other.
Next week, when I come,  I hope to bring planners from PNG Defence Force who will look at possible sites for a 1000-soldier barracks in my district.
I am also dreaming of a military base in Tari for the long-term.
Many things are possible for our district and province.
We are in Government not to waste time.
If in difficult times our Government can change Port Moresby, Lae and Mt Hagen, we can do likewise for Tari.
All I request is PEACE.
My people, be rest assured I am still at work for you.
By the time I am finished as your MP, I want to leave Tari a better district then what I took over from.
Thank you and God Bless.