Discovering that death & taxes are the only certainties

JOE WASIA | Supported by the Bob Cleland Writing Fellowship @PNG Attitude

I began my education at age six in the remote Kwia primary school in the Wapenamanda district of Enga Province in 1993 and moved up the ladder until I found myself graduating from university early this year.A few weeks after graduation, I was offered a job in one of the construction companies here in Papua New Guinea.

I went to the site the day after the interview. As the company policy dictated, I had to follow the same procedures of employment as everyone else: safety inductions, medical checks and contract signing were done in the first three days.

Then, on 29 May, I started my official duties. That’s where a new chapter was opened and I started to experience the outside world.
I really enjoy working with the company despite a few challenges. Official duty starts at 5.30am and ends at 5.30pm every day. I had restless days knowing that I would be rewarded. And I was able to put into practice what I learned during my years of schooling.

After two weeks, a French colleague who was also working with us in the department asked me if I had received my salary. The common term used in PNG is pay; I hadn’t heard of salary.
In the evening, the manager gave me a medium-sized yellow envelope. On the outside it said, ‘Joe Wasia’. And on top it read SALARY in bold print.

Today’s PNG is tomorrow’s history: let’s make it good

BY JOE WASIA | Supported by the Bob Cleland Writing Fellowship @PNG Attitude

Recent economic, social, political and constitutional developments in Papua New Guinea will, for sure, bring back some memories in later years.

While we have been travelling our journey, the global community has at many times thrown criticisms on the conduct and state of affairs of this nation.

Different surveys conducted by different countries and organisations have posited so many negative perceptions of our country. The people thought that they could hardly see light while the rest of the world lived the glorious life out there.

A cry from deep within the heart of this poor nation continues to flow like the small creek at the base of Mt Sugalop on the border of Hela and Enga provinces in the heart of PNG. The cry is always constant: Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

In the last 37 years since political independence, the nation has sailed through rough seas, climbed rugged mountains, walked deep valleys and crossed fast flowing rivers. Every one has seen the negative perceptions of the future of this nation. It has never travelled any easy journey as yet. It continues to cry and cry. For sure, the country has much to regret and little to commemorate on its failure and success. Future generations will learn through written and oral history about the journey this young nation has gone through in this era.

Juffa queries Tiensten’s move on seabed mining

By WANPIS AKO

Northern Governor Gary Juffa (inserted) maintains that East New Britain people opposed any move to allow Nautilus Mining Ltd start its seabed mining project.

Governor Gary Jufa, MP

Responding to a statement by Pomio MP Paul Tiensten (inserted) who insisted that the government allow Nautilus to start its projects immediately, Juffa said he doubted if Tiensten had seen why numerous articles, research papers and people were opposing the project.

“The company is proposing a sinister project which will adversely affect the marine environment in PNG, a project which has not received positive reviews from experts in marine biology,” Juffa claimed. He said the people of East New Britain rejected the project. “We have to wonder why Tiensten is insisting (on the project going ahead). We are elected to represent our people’s wishes, not to ignore them,” Juffa said.

“There are other projects that are sustainable and pose less risk to the environment such as eco-tourism or agriculture. “Let us not join the corporate world which is so hell-bent on making profit that it ignores the warning signs of eco-failure and is rampantly marching ahead inconsiderate of the future, destroying the only home we have – earth,” he said.
Juffa warned that he would challenge in court any attempt by the company to re-enter PNG with the intention to mine the seabed.

The National, Thursday 07th February, 2013

Male circumcision for AIDS prevention should be prioritised in Papua New Guinea

By Joe Wasia

Like many developing countries, Papua New Guinea is greatly susceptible to HIV/AIDS. Research and studies have done by many countries but there is no cure identified for the deadly disease. Thousands of people are dying every year.
Daily newspapers, radio, television and social media report the deaths of so many people without specifying the disease. But no reports of deaths from AIDS appear in any media in PNG. But AIDS is a major cause of many deaths. Preventive measures like using of condoms, avoiding exposure to blood, being faithful to one partner, and male circumcision are tools used in many countries.

These preventive measures are recommended by the World Health Organisations and many other global institutions. In Uganda from 1991-2001, there was a great decrease (from 15% to 6%) in the prevalence of HIV as a result of effective implementation of these preventive measures.

The decrease was multiplied by a multi-sectoral approach with themes such as ‘Love Carefully’, ‘Zero Grazing’, and ‘Be faithful to your Partner’. They managed to make Uganda a paragon of success.

Papua New Guinea LNG Project at its completion stages

By Joe Wasia

Papua New Guinea is one of the few countries in the world that has huge deposits of petroleum and mineral resource such as gold, copper, nickel, cobalt, Zinc, natural oil and gas across its culturally diverse land. For decades many mining companies have been developing mining projects in the country. However, oil and gas industry was just touched by PNG's owned Oil Search Ltd when it developed Kutubu Oil which now exists for almost 21 years.

Much talked PNG LNG project in new Hela Province is the second oil and gas project in the country operated by Exxon Mobil a United State owned company in co-venture with Oil Search limited.
We have few other oil and gas projects coming up and they are Gulf LNG which will be developed by Inter oil and PNG government (50-50) and the Western LNG by Talisman Energy and few others.



The PNG LNG Project is operated by:

ESSO Highlands Limited (33.2%)

Øa subsidiary of EXXON Mobil Corporation

in Co-Venture with

qOil Search (29%)

Divine Word University Enga Students being denied their privelege

By President Enga Students Association 2011

Enga students of Divine Word University who are on scholarships would like to raise concerns with the Office of Higher Education regarding the cancellation of plane tickets.

Enga is a province located at the end of the Highlands Highway that starts in the Morobe and Madang Provinces. There are many car accidents and hold-ups while traveling the pothole-filled highlands highway especially in the late and early hours.

Several Enga students have lost their belongings to rascals in Mt Hagen when buses drop them there in the early hours of the morning. Some of the incidents have been reported in daily newspapers and radio. There is no safety in Mt Hagen as rascal activities are escalating.
 It was a privilege for us to travel by plane from Madang to Moresby to Hagen and catch a bus from Hagen to travel safely to Wabag. However, we learn that our return tickets have been cancelled this year. And we
all Enga students are dissatisfied with this decision. We raised our concerns with University administration but they said the Office of Higher Education had decided to cancel the tickets of the Enga scholarship students.

Congradulations Governor for Enga Peter Ipatas

By Joe WASIA

Congratulations Governor re-elect for Enga Hon Peter Ipatas for your victory..! You will continue the captain-ship through to the next five years. Ending this term of parliament will be 22 years in active politics.

Hon Governor Peter Ipatas

He is a senior and a great leader both at national and provincial level. The people Enga have spoken again for a fourth time. Thumps up Governor!

I also congratulate the most senior fellow from Wapenamanda Sandy Talita (ST) for winning such a great number of hearts from people from all over Enga Province. He came second, the runner-up in this national election. Thumps up for that Mr Talita. Almost half of the people of Enga have loved you. Remember, there is only one winner in any game.

We are with you our Governor Ipatas and the runner-up Sandy Talita and those others like Kenneth Korakali and the young and a rising star, Waim IR Elvis Thoke. You all proved to be great leaders winning thousands of hearts from all over this unique province. Your names that were pronounced in the 2012 General Election will go well in the blood capillaries of every Engan that have one through this special period of a term. You will be remembered for ever.

Well, this period is over now. What shall we do next? Can we fight? Can we battle out in court? Can we blame one another? Or what..? Let’s now work together for a better Enga. For years, people have labelled Enga as a last province in the country and they pose negative comments about it. They called it a trouble zone. They called it lawlessness. They called it aggressiveness. Many negative comments about this province.