PNG & China: Old friends with new Cooperation

This article was published by Sunday Chronicle newspapers Sunday sept 20, 2009 under "Asia Pacfic Perspective: China +" column
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By Mathew Yakai

TODAY, many people think that Chinese are new comers to PNG. That is not true.

Historical evidence with academic researches proves that Chinese have been in PNG even before colonization started.

Chinese traders have visited New Guinea (PNG and West Papua) and hunted Birds of Paradise for their trade. But these early Chinese arrivals did not stay for long and did not establish permanent settlement.

These happened before the Portuguese and Spanish navigators sailed the South Pacific and spotted New Guinea.

Spanish explorer Don Jorge de Meneses accidentally saw New Guinea and named it “Papua” in 1526-27 after the Chinese set foot.

After Germany colonized the northeastern part of New Guinea Island in 1884, it entrusted Neuguinea Kompagnie with the administration and economic development of the New Guinea area.

The company started plantations for tobacco and copra in mainland New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago by recruiting Chinese indentured laborers, mostly from Singapore and Sumatra living under harsh working conditions.

In 1895, 28 percent of those laborers died and were buried in mainland New Guinea. Most of these Chinese laborers left for their homeland after the indentured period,

Beginning in 1898 when the German colonial government took over the administration from Neuguinea Kompagnie, Chinese free immigration was promoted instead of indentured labor.

Chinese workers were engaged as carpenters, ship builders, engineers, tailors, shopkeepers and managers of plantations.

Some of them began to settle and establish communities in towns, such as Rabaul, Kokopo, Kavieng, Lae and Madang.

Rabaul, which became the capital of German New Guinea in 1910, received an especially large number of Chinese settlers estimated at 200, and grew to 1,427 in 1913.

In Rabaul and Lae, Chinese immigrants established Chinatowns where the residence of Chinese was restricted to certain areas.

During this period, Chinese immigrated not only from Singapore and Sumatra, but also from Hong Kong and mainland China.

Most of the early Chinese immigrants were unmarried men, and some of them married local women. The children of mixed blood Chinese were brought up in the Chinese community and educated as Chinese.

In 1898 when free migration was encouraged by Germans, second waves of Chinese came with the intention to settle.

Today they have third generation children living in PNG playing major roles in PNG’s development, both business and politics.

In the late 70s and early 80’s, another wave of Chinese arrived. These include Malay-Chinese, Indo-Chinese etc and not necessarily from the Mainland China. They were mostly driven by business motives.

This is an example of global trend whereby migration of skilled workers, capitals and goods invade sovereign states to cater for complementarity economies.

Under the international and regional norms and values, countries do accept the flow of skilled labors, allow foreign investments and trade with other countries in compliance with their domestic laws.

Given this inevitable geopolitical shift and economic dependency, the relevance of trade and commerce compels nations to cater for the flow of capitals, labor and investments. China and PNG are no exceptions in this complex to enable them survive in the global economic order. Thus, Chinese are old friends to PNG.

Today, new waves of highly skilled technical Chinese workers enter PNG, for specific Projects. Ramu NiCo Project is a good example. These Chinese engineers are working in Basamuk Refinery site and Kurumbukari Mine site.

This is an obvious trend of new cooperation between PNG and China on a win-win situation.

The first groups of Chinese are for the construction phase which is expected to be completed this year with the next group of engineers joining their colleagues for the commissioning of the Project.

Among other things, language is a challenge. To address that, the Company is engaging with the Divine Word University in Madang to provide language and culture training to the expatriate employees.

In Beijing, most engineers are now studying English language in preparation for their deployment. Luzheng Jie and Muxinying are two young engineers specialized in Metallurgy. Both speak good English.

“I am excited to go to PNG. If I love PNG and its people then I can make good friends with the country,” Muxinying said

Their work in the Ramu NiCo Project will help them depart to the local staff the knowledge that is new to PNG.

Wang Jingfeng and his colleague Meng Zhaosong who are also engineers with good command of English prepare to work with their PNG counterparts soon.

In his nation wide speech through NBC and Kundu Service TV June 1, Prime Minister Sir Somare who initiated this investment and invited Ramu NiCo Project appealed to the people that PNG can learn a lot of skills from the Chinese engineers.

National staff who now work with their Chinese counterparts have acquired the technical skills of various natures.

Sir Somare also said that foreign investment contributes huge revenue in tax to PNG government.

The Ramu NiCo world class Project will see 1.37 billion USD invested over a period of 20 years with 8 to 10 per cent GDP growth, K10 mil in spin-off business opportunities 1,300 jobs will be created and K8.3 mil will be spent on local community services which will create another 1,500 jobs for PNG nationals, according to the Ramu NiCo 2006-2008 Sustainability Report.

At the regional level, PNG remains the largest trading partner with China compared with other Pacific island countries, including Australia and New Zealand.

During his last visit to Beijing in April 2009, Sir Michael told his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, “China is not only a big and growing consumer market for PNG products, it is also a genuine development partner.”

The total trade volume between PNG and China was around K700 million in 2007. PNG exports to China were around K470 million and imports were around K230 million.

PNG enjoys a trade surplus of around K240 million with China,” Sir Michael said

PNG’s exports to China constitutes mainly of crude oil, logs and timber products, agriculture products such as palm oil, rubber, vanilla and coffee, marine products, copper and gold.

PNG’s imports from China consist of rice, machinery, mechanical and electrical appliances, textiles, iron and steel products, pharmaceutical products, plastic products, footwear, fertilizers, tools and household goods.

The two economies are complementary. That is, PNG has what China does not have and China has what PNG does not have. This will encourage and strengthen the two countries economic relationships for a win-win- situation.

The two old friends, China and PNG do stand to benefit in the long run in this new cooperation given the interdependence world they live today.

Old friends do share many commonalities and the same passion and desire in life. China and PNG are no exception today as their old friendship bondage binds them for common goals through the current cooperation.

Note: This article was first published by “UPDATER” Ramu Nickel Projects newsletter. For comments contact m_yakai@hotmail.com or SMS 71489901

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Independent but dependent: PNG 34 years on.

This commentary was published by Sunday Chronicle newspaper Sunday September 20, 2009 under 'Letter from China" column.
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By Gelab Piak

WEDNESDAY September 16, 2009, marked the 34th year of independence. We, as Papua New Guineans are proud of our nation but on the other hand, are troubled by the torturing thought. What really did we celebrate about?

We maybe celebrating our freedom, or independence. Both are right. However, what is freedom. Freedom is the power to express one’s thoughts, action, words and rights without objection or intimidation. Freedom is having no objection to your rights, unless they violate the law of the land.

Last month, Metropolitan Superintendent Fed Yakasa, in stopping the “infamous” NGO political march said that the actions of the police were to protect the people’s Rights.

First, what Rights is the police protecting, when in fact, contradictorily, they are depriving the people’s Rights and Freedoms. The people have the Right, under the law to expression of Freedoms.

Secondly, People have the right to services and the duly elected Government has the obligation to provide services to the people. When the Government doesn’t do what it is obliged to do, then the civil society stands up.

The vibrancy of any democracy depends on the freedoms and the liberation of its civil society to exercise its rights. When the civil society’s freedoms are suppressed, a nation’s democracy is under threat.

The opposition has on several occasions cried foul about Parliamentary democracy not being exercised. Are these tell-signs of suppression and oppression, and at the highest level?
Thirdly, what is Independence? Independence simply means being Independent. Independent and Independence are two big words. So what is it like to be independent?

Being independent is being able to fend, provide for oneself, and meet one’s own needs. Put it that way, it is very hard to see the PNG Government fending, providing or meet the needs of its people, now or in the future.

There is a great need for policy makers to draft effective medium term policies. Malaysia and Venezuela are good examples of countries that have been transformed through short, effective medium term policies.

Long term policies and plans such as 40 year plans, may not be effective, may not realize and maybe thrown out by future Government, that may not understand the need to make such policies.

Big Projects: An illusive idea.

Our future mustn’t depend on “big projects”. The idea of ‘big projects’ is an illusive one that is luring landowners to give away their land without proper consultations with other villagers and community members.

‘Big projects’ are creating a lot of problems in our Melanesian society of communality, brotherhood and peace and harmony. ‘Big projects’ are often rushed and no proper social mapping is done, no proper assessment for environmental damages is done, landowners form factions as self-interest eats away at the morals of society, corruption becomes rampant in the Government, and unwise decision are made.

It has also created a mentality in this contemporary society where villages wait for big projects such as oil, gas or mining and do not take initiatives to develop themselves with small projects that are community orientated like small holder plantation estates (coffee, cocoa, copra, etc) or sawmills. Overall, once the projects fail, we, as a nation, tend to lose millions or even billions of Kina.

We need to look at ways of becoming self-reliant, with a Government that is the main services and goods provider. Thus we can say that we are independent, because by then we have a government that fends, provides and meets its people’s needs.

A sad fact is that the Australian Government, through AusAid, is more popular in rural areas than the PNG Government. This paints a picture of a Government that is not able to provide and meet its people’s needs so other Governments have stepped in.

Does that mean we are dependent? Yes, it does, as we are dependent on overseas aid. We must, as our Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare always says, be an export orientated economy or nation. Not an exporter of raw materials and vast natural resources, but an exporter of finished products.

But that will only come about if there is Government leadership, and there must be Government leadership. A good example is Japan. Japan today is the floating factory of the world because by Government leadership and a bold move towards industrialization, only now known as the industrial revolution.

The Government must lead by investing in downstream processing. The government must build factories in partnerships with companies to produce locally that create more jobs, boost the economy, increase our GDP and greatly reduce our imports.

Exporting and producing locally maybe deemed as a far cry or something that happens in the future, but for it to eventuate in the future, we must start now. PNG should start producing small products such as peanut butter, coffee jam, copper wires, etc., and then we can look at bigger products and projects like partnering with auto giants Toyota or Nissan to produce cars and trucks locally.

We can then become a cheaper option for our close neighbors when they want to import cars as these cars will be genuine Toyota or Nissan made products.

The Government must also enact tariff laws for certain period of time to help local products gain popularity among consumers. This type of Government leadership is lacking in our country and that is demonstrated by the fact that many of our exports are raw materials and do have a higher value thus the returns are mere peanuts to what is made and earned by other countries out of our resources, that are later sold back to us as finished products. Until then are we really independent!

Infrastructure, Education and Heath: The Secrets to Prosperity.

The secret to a nation’s prosperity is its infrastructure, education and health. The Government of PNG needs to seriously consider the state of its infrastructure such as bridges, roads, airstrips, government hospitals, schools and communications infrastructure.
Bad state of infrastructure is a bottle neck to the economy. The PNG economy while enjoying growth over the years, is struggling and the tell-signs are evident.

Exports of products such as coffee, cocoa, copra, and rubber may drop if road conditions are not improved and more farmers can not have easy access to markets. This will have much greater impact on the smaller farmers who grow cabbages, tomatoes, ginger, and other crops for sale at local markets and also markets outside their province.

The state of the Okuk Highway is also costing trucking companies thousands of Kina. With the deteriorating road conditions pot holes form and becomes every Truck driver’s nightmare.
If they avoid them, they risk the chance of bumping into an oncoming vehicle, and, if they go through them, it wears out the truck’s tyres and other parts under the trucks. Thus is a call for the Government to invest in infrastructure.

Investing heavily in infrastructure will not only improve the economy but also provide jobs. Road condition must be fixed and maintained to acceptable standards where they are in a useable and working state. Roads must be built to villages far out in remote areas which are in isolation. Using these roads the people can then access markets to sell their produce or other services provided in the towns.

Bridges that have broken down due to lack of maintenance must be fixed, so that people can have access once more, and may revive agriculture and farming in the ‘cut off’ areas.
An educated nation is a healthy nation. Education must reach all the rural areas. Schools that have shut down must be reopened, and teachers must be sent there.

The Government has to invest in Education by building schools in both town and rural areas, and must pay teachers properly so they are happy to go to rural areas and teach, and they must have good houses so that it boosts their moral.

With an educated populace a nation will progress, as most of its citizens will be in a position to understand the problems facing their country or the economics of their country with a competitive work force.

Today, PNG’s workforce is not that effective, in the sense that there is no competition and workers are not competing for jobs. What happens, and is happening now, is that the current work force is aging and there isn’t a younger generation to fill the gap created.

The education of the youths must become a priority for the Government. It must focus on equipping its people with knowledge, as the present world is a world where technology rules and a young, striving nation like PNG must equip its people with knowledge so that they understand the technology and use it for the benefit of their nation.

A meaningful and effective start would be investing in Vocational training education. PNG must start training its next generation of welders, carpenters, plumbers, and mechanics. These people are equal contributors to the immediate building of the nation.

The Government should provide scholarships to Vocational Training Schools. It is again these very people who will be involved in the infrastructure building and building of huge investments such as factories and hotels in this nation.

We need not bring other people from outside; that happens when a nation forgets about building its own workforce through investing in its peoples Education. Thus the nation is not healthy.

Healthy citizens contribute meaningfully to the building of a prosperous nation. When a nation has a healthy workforce, production is said to double its normal rate.

The recent outbreak of cholera shows clearly the concern our Government has for the health of its people. Little that is, and that’s demonstrated by its snail-paced response to the recent cholera outbreak. Not only had that, but the lack of health services also contributed to the deaths that have occurred in the affected areas; as some of the deceases are treatable.

Cholera was a time-bomb waiting to happen, as many rural areas do not have aid posts or the aid posts have been run-down and shut for many years now.

Even in towns, the standard of healthcare provided by the Government is no where near any standard at all. Port Moresby General Hospital is no exception with rotting wood, ill-equipped and lowly funded. The hospital cannot cater for Port Moresby residents.
Nurses and doctors must have good housing and transport must not be a problem to hospitals, which need to transport patients or staff.

Providing a better healthcare system will ensure a brighter future for Papua New Guineans and a more productive workforce, resulting in a growing, demanding economy, thus a prosperous nation looms in the making.

A challenge for everyone

Members of Parliament really need to stop their corrupt practices and have a true nationalist feeling that drives them towards nation building. Nation building is not an overnight job. It takes many people, in fact a whole nation, many years, and many hearts.

One pure heart can not turn the many unclean hearts. It has to take courage for everyone to change, and if the Politicians are not serious about building PNG, then who else?

No one may take the courage to build our nation, as you politicians are the top leaders, PNG is looking at you, and this Independence, PNG heard what you said.

Together, let’s build a nation in PNG, so that we can have something to celebrate about.

Note: Send comments to Mathew Yakai: m_yakai@hotmail.com or SMS 71489901

Chinese have a history to be judged

This commentary was published on Sept 13, 2009 by Sunday Chronicle newspaper in PNG under "Asia Pacific Perspective: China +" column.
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By Albert Tobby Kaupa

I MAY sound pro-Chinese and anti-western or whatever you want to call me, but the truth is I am neither of both.

What I am doing is basically turning every stones that need to be turned and help some of us, who have studied history, accounting, economics, politics and science from western published textbooks to think outside the traditional framework of thoughts.

We were not given the options to choose which schools of thought or ideas we wanted to choose. A good example is, Chinese don't have the history to be judged at the moment, which is grossly (WRONG!) western heresy.

China has more than 2000 years of civilization and one of the oldest in human civilization (U.S. and Australia less than 300 years).

We are the product of our history. Even the world as it is today is a product of the past. Without proper understanding of historical underpinnings that shape our present society, we cannot navigate the course of our future.

We need to really grasp the full knowledge of the past and present dynamics to make an informed decision for the future.

Please let me make myself clear. I am not saying we trade our national interest and sovereignty for China's aid. I believe this is the last thing all responsible citizens of PNG wanted to do.

I think I am giving some of you the opportunity to see development history under western hegemony that shape the world as it is today. I am not afraid to criticize any nations even China where I pay special respect.

However I don't want to make a baseless criticism, I rather criticize with substance and facts.

Ramu nickel contract was signed in the year when socio-political and economic climate in Papua New Guinea was very fragile.

Prof. Allan Patience and other Australian academics, businessmen and politicians openly proclaimed that PNG is at the brink of becoming a failed state. It was not a conducive environment for large investment at that period.

Somare-Polyo governments' attempt to secure western mining companies in Australia and other western nations failed ... PNG was in desperate need to secure a mining contract.

MCC despite the huge business and economic risk involved took up the challenge. China has faith in PNG when Australia and its allies prophesied doomsday on PNG.

Today when PNG political climate is steady and business environment is improving, Australia and its allies again are accusing Chinese of substandard mining practices and other illegal practices.

I have heard many rumors mainly from the print media about illegal miners and substandard mining practices in PNG.

However, I received a totally different story from Papua New Guinean engineers and project officers working on the mine site. This made me question the authencity of our print medium especially when one is owned by Australians.

It is clearly understood that our state institutions such as Department of Labor and Foreign Affairs & Immigration failure to hold the end of their deals resulted in all the fiasco.

Our government did not hold the end of their deals. Chinese are innocent genuine businessmen. I would really appreciate if someone has had first hand experience to educate me on this.

If there is any lessons that we (PNG) and many other developing nations have learnt from the past then it is nothing more than resisting western hegemony.

See, the development inequality and geopolitical divide between the west and east, north and south, developed and is both developing rich and poor nations.

Have we not learnt something yet? What lessons are we waiting to learn from the past?

The evidence is overwhelming and honestly I am surprised that we are still seeking for lessons to learn. I don't want PNG to keep on walking in this path of dependency syndrome which we've followed since independence.

It’s time for us to break free and stand on our own feet. Let’s stretch out our antennas into the radio-wave of development and opportunity and try as much as possible to maximize our benefits and minimize our loss.

If you have been listening carefully to the radio-wave of development today, China is the dominant frequency.

The World economies are tuning into Chinese frequency. Let’s not just beat the air with words and get down to the reality and substance.

The rise of China actually provides alternative development path not only to the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC (Kinsasha not Congo Brazaville) but to all the Least Developing Country (LCD), PNG included.

Western powers were in DRC since the 17th centuries but until today the 4th largest country in Africa and largest French speaking African country with a population of more than 66 million has been suffering from poverty, chronic diseases, civil war, instability and war lords ruling different parts of the country.

Without going into detailed history, all the instability, civil unrest and war that throw the country into poverty and underdevelopment was purely due to corrupt IMF and World Banks policies in the region.

Western Multinational Corporations (MLC) lead by US based Company are solely responsible for these entire ordeal because of their insatiable thirst for mineral resources.

Western Developers were in the continent of Africa for more than 100 years but why these African nations are not developing as the western countries.

History has proven that we cannot trust the western countries and their so called development package.

China’s presence in the African Continent started only about 50 years ago. Today China has formal diplomatic relations with 44 countries of the African Nations.

Starting in 2002 when Angola turned away from IMF loan for Chinese Aid, it has turned a new wave of diplomacy and trade relations between Sino-African nations.

Angola finally rests from continuous Civil War and instability and it’s progressing on a new development path. It is no surprise the country who shares the same land border with Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has finally saw the way forward.


At the dawn of 2009, people in the Congo are still dying at a rate of an estimated 45,000 per month and already 2,700,000 people have died since 2004.

This death toll is due to widespread disease and famine. Reports indicate that almost half of the individuals killed are children under the age of 5.

The aftermath of the war has truly gutted the country. This death rate has been prevalent since efforts at rebuilding the nation began in 2004.

The prevalence of Western dominance just loath their natural resources and leave them to die alone in desolation.

They have at last had a little bit of hope with the aid from China.

Historical and geographical context might be different but the socio-political and economic dynamics are the same in PNG.

Even though Chinese were the first foreigners to set foot on the coast of the island of New Guinea (16th Century, Chinese Merchant ships anchored at the coast of New Guinea in search of Bird of Paradise plumes), they have no intention of extending their territorial boundary or hegemony.

They were business men doing business with New Guineans who were later classified by the Westerners as primitive and back-warded.

Our Ancestors are expert traders (Kula trade, Hiri, Tee, etc.) and have knowledge of commerce. However some white man decided to call us cannibals, primitive culture and back-warded that is ingrained into every Papua New Guineans psychic.

Since the first mines in Wau Bulolo by Australian miners to Rio Tinto (British) Copper mine in Bougainville and Chevron Niugini (American) what have we achieved in real developments?

Not to mentioned the recent influx of Western miners and drillers (Exxon Mobil - America), Harmony Gold (Australia), Oil Search (Australian) and others you named it.

These are the very same companies that inflict dependency syndrome ditch disease and resource curse upon our African brothers and are now turning towards us.

Speak to any African and they will tell you themselves about their experience with Western Hegemony.

I tell you, westerners are much more shroud in dealing with blacks than the Chinese. I am not trying to be discriminating here but just being more realism.

Honestly, Chinese have more confidence and trust in us managing our own resources than the westerners do.

I should educate us all a little bit more about Chinese strategic thoughts and philosophies here.

When achieving membership at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1971, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) declared that like many Asian, African and Latin American countries, China belongs to these Third World Countries.

By saying this China meant that she is economically backward and is a developing country.

However at the same time China also promised to help the struggling people and nations to achieve freedom, oppose foreign invasion and decide their own future.

China voiced opposition to the imperialist and colonist theory that “big nations are superior to the small nations” and “small nations are subordinate to the big nations” and to the power politics and hegemony of “big nations bullying small ones” or “strong nations bullying weak ones”.

The China Communist Party (CCP), firmly hold this view and continue to do so today by aggressively pursuing economic development.

However, opinion varies today especially in the west whether China really fulfill its promise to support the Third World, small and poor nations.

Some observers charged that China has failed to translate its words into deeds, while others maintained that china has honored it’s pledged unequivocally.

With this strategic thought, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) the largest single communist organization in the world, tirelessly skippered China from a Developing Third World nation to an Economic Superpower.

However, misconception of the Communist Government in China continues to exist, despite the fact that China’s government and economic structures have changed greatly since the reform and opening up in 1978.

Show me only one country that China has colonized which is struggling in poverty and underdevelopment and I'll show you ten countries struggling with poverty and underdevelopment under western hegemony. I'll stop here for now.

Note: This commentary acknowledges Albert Tobby Kaupa for his contribution.

“Heaven Pool” in the hearth of China

This article was published by Sunday Chronicle on Sunday 13 Sept, 2009 under "letter from China" column.
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By Song Yan in Shenyang, China

WITH Mathew Yakai’s encouragement, I boldly present this article to you, the genuine readers of this column.

Many Chinese do not speak and write good English and I am one of those. But I hope that this article about my visit to “heaven pool’ will be clearer and interesting for you.

Before my summer holiday I, planned to travel but not sure where to go. I had several places in mind. The first is Inner Mongolia, where the vast grassland is appealing to me and tourists can ride horse and spend the night in a tent.

The second is Changbai Mountain in Jilin Province in the northeast China. There is a lake on the top of the mountain called Tian Chi in Chinese meaning “heaven pool”. Those who have been there say that the “heaven pool” is very spectacular. That is my dream place.

You know as a female, it is good to have a partner to go with so that they can take care of each other when emergency occurs. Of course if she has a boy friend or a husband, to go with will be better.

It is pity I don’t have husband and my boy friend is far away so I have to find someone else to travel with.

Jane is the one. She is my best friend and we work as English teachers at Shenyang University of Technology. She likes traveling too. Furthermore, neither of us likes to go alone. Maybe Chinese women are relatively dependable than the western ones. So Jane and I hit it off right away.

We chose to visit Changbai Mountain first because it is nearer than Inner Mongolia. While we were in Shenyang, Jane bought many newspapers, hoping to find a good travel agency with excellent service and low price in the travel column. But after some research we gave up this dream-like wild wish because that kind of agency doesn’t exist in the world.

We finally found one. We were charged 528 RMB (K213.82) each covering transport, board and lodging. This travel would take us three days with one day to visit the “heaven pool”. Most time of the other two days were spent on the road (it is about 7 to 8 hours by bus).

Besides that, some at-one’s-own-expense experienced scenery spots like drift in the river. The next day, August 7, we set out at 6am. The bus was completely full.

I was very excited all the way because I would see the dreamy Tianchi soon. Every now and then I ate the stuff I bought the last evening while appreciating the scenery vividly from of my window.

Both sides of the highway were vast green farms and sometimes big trees and flowers growing. There is always a sweet reception in my heart every time I see greens and flowers.

I was born in countryside and have been used to the trees and plants so I have a very close association with them. I thought that even if I was unable to see the “heaven pool”, the scenery along the road side is sufficient to satisfy by quest which is worth watching by everyone.

I had my breakfast and lunch on the bus. In fact I didn’t tell which breakfast was and which lunch was. I just ate the food whenever I felt hungry or ate something because I wanted to do so to keep occupied.

We passed many rivers, lakes and forests. Sometimes we drove on the winding road meandering along the river. The air was so fresh and it seemed very quiet outside.

We didn’t see many people walking, only some one-storey houses, some farm with cattle’s eating grass near the roadside. I like those places with rivers. In my opinion a place will have more spirituality if it has a river nearby or to run through.

How I wish I had a house in such place. There was no noise and disturbance. What it has there is fresh air, crystal river, big green trees and wild flowers. Living in such place will increase people’s longevity.

The group we traveled together soon got to know each other and talked to each other friendly. The atmosphere in the bus was very harmonious. I thought it must be that we were happy inside so we try influencing each other.

At about 6:30 pm, we arrived at a town named Er Dao Bai He at the foot of the Changbai Mountain and ate in a restaurant. Nine people shared one table and eight dishes and one soup on each table.

We altogether have 45 tourists so there were 5 tables for us. As to the tour guide and driver, they ate at a different table.

The rice was very good and one was allowed to eat as much he/she wanted. In fact, nobody can eat that much.

Nowadays, Chinese people’s living level has increased a lot and most don’t need to worry about food. They can buy and eat almost anything they want anywhere. So here the food on each table was enough for each tourist.

At last, there were a lot of left-over after the tourists finished the supper. We didn’t eat too much because we were not very hungry. Each of us had bought much food to eat on the bus.

At about 7:30pm we settled down in a hotel outside the downtown. Because of the busy travel season, the hotel was full and had inadequate beds for us so 5 people had to share one room instead of the original four. For some young or old couples, they stayed in double-bed room after applying and paid extra money (about 60 RMB per person) before they arrived at the hotel.

It was too late to ask for a standard room now because there is no room left. To my comfort, the room was nice, the sheet and quilt cover were white and clean. Undoubtly Jane and I were in the same room. Two were a mother and daughter.

The daughter is a sophomore in a university. Another one is a wife who came here with her husband and son. There is no room for the whole family so she (there were also several other women like her) had to share the room with us.

The people in town were very kind. Maybe they know that they depend on tourists to make a living so they are hospitable. The town is beautiful but not big, yet you can buy nearly anything you need.

Many tall buildings stand in the town. It’s rare to have tall buildings. The infrastructure is better than many other towns I have seen before.

To be honest, I didn’t prepare well for this travel so after arranging my bed I went to downtown with Jane to buy something for tomorrow’s mountain climb. Besides, we also wanted to know the small town.

That mother and daughter also went out with us but we parted after we arrived at the downtown. It was a little dark when we set out for town. I bought a cheap raincoat with 5 RMB (K2.) along the street and then a pair of shoe in a shoe store with 40 RMB (K16.13).

Jane and I each bought a bottle of water for the next day. Of course one bottle was not enough but we had a big bottle on the bus.

Next day, we could take it and fill it with pure mineral water because we would go to a place where water was cold and clear from the underground. It was much better than the water we drink at home everyday. Jane put the two bottles of water into a plastic bag and carried them.

When we walked back we had to pass a road with very thick forest on its’ sides. There were no road-lights so it was completely dark, so dark that you even could not see your own fingers.

We were not walking back, actually we were feeling back. When we were on the bus, our tour guide once said that there were also some bad guys in town so we were warned to be careful, esp. walking in the dark.

I consumed his words seriously at once as I was too scared that I started to drag Jane to run. She was not good at running. Compared with her, I was better so I had to pull her hard in order to run fast.

You can say I am chickenhearted. As long as not letting me come across a robber, I don’t care what you say. Finally we saw the lights coming from the hotel and we were so relieved. But just at that time when Jane stepped on the high part of the road and suddenly twisted her left ankle.

The two bottles dropped off from her bag and fell on the road. Her sudden scream really scared me. I hurried to help her and picked up the bottles. She limped back to hotel.

Before visiting the “heaven pool”, we were taken to visit “Volley Float Stone Forest”. It is the introduction of the valley. It says the Valley Float Stone Forest is a well-known scenic spot in the Changbai Mountain.

It is located on a rift created by volcanic eruption and diastrophism. It is about 5,000 meters long. Natural air slakes and rain wash have created about 30 sites with float stone varying in size. Some shape like snakes, some like eagles.

There are also a lot of clear small rivers, big trees and the forest are as vast as the ocean. They are the characteristics of the Changbai Mountain.

Here smoking is forbidden. The protection of the Changbai Mountain derived from Emperor Kangxi in Qing Dynasty. It was said that Emperor Kangxi found it too beautiful and the mountain was the birthplace of their ancestors so he ordered that fishing, farming, hunting and lumbering were all forbidden. The Chinese government has also taken a lot of actions to protect Changbai Mountain.

After visiting this valley we were taken to Baiyong Spring, where we could fill our bottle with the drinkable water. The water was so cold that I had to take my hand out from the water now and then while filling the bottle.

I lived on this bottle of cold water whole day, believe it or not.

The water from here is colorless, odorless, free from visible alien matter, crystal-clear, with no sedimentation or seston, nice and cool to drink, with unique sense to the mouth.

The spring has water temperature of 6.5-7 degree celsius. The mineral water contains cilicic acid of 48.5-49.97 mg/L.

By the way, the two scenic spots are not free or included in the 528 RMB (K213.82). We visited them voluntarily and paid 50 RMB (K20.14) to enter.

Going out from the Baiyong Spring, we were taken to the gate of Changbai Mountain and were going to visit the “heaven pool”.

We were not sure whether we could see vividly as the weather is unpredictable on the top of the mountain.

Note: The writer is Chinese who teaches English at Shenyang University of Technology. She loves PNG so much and believes her experience will give some idea on the importance of tourism products in PNG. For comments, e-mail m_yakai@hotmail.com or SMS 71489901.

Madang Hopes for the Big Show Sept 16 - 19

This article was published Sunday Sep 6, 2009 by Sunday Chronicle under "Asia Pacific Perspective: China + column".
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By Mathew Yakai

IF ANY provinces currently values and prepares for a big celebration to coincide with Papua New Guineas’ 34th Independent Anniversary then Madang Province is one.

Madang Show will coincide with PNG’s 34th birthday. What an extravaganza and double feast for the people of Madang and the visitors who will join in this celebration, valuing the birth of our motherland and showcasing the cultural diversity of Madang and PNG.

With the theme, “Kainkain Pasin Tumbuna, Em Yumi Madang” is to show-off the Mountain, River, Valley and Sea people of Beautiful Madang to see if they can scare-off the flying foxes with their kundu beats. Come and see if that happens! Otherwise, the flying foxes would be an additional showcase for the visitors.

Not only that! The registered 45 singsing groups include groups from Morobe, Eastern Highlands, East Sepik and people from other provinces residing in Madang.

Chairman of Madang Festival Show Stotick Kamya told this scribe that last years’ show theme was, “Kainkain Pasin Em Yumi Madang” but the theme did not specify what kind of pasin (events). So this year his Committee decided to include “Tumbuna” to depict the absolute diversity of cultures Madang boasts today.

This is in line with the Committee’s ambition to fervently display to the children of beautiful Madang the fact of their cultural diversity. And visitors will join in this Show too.

The highlight of the show will be the traditional singsing dances to show the real “pasin tumbuna”. Another attraction will be the involvement of Madang International Community to showcase their traditional uniqueness.

If you are unable to go overseas to see and experience foreign cultures then this is your golden chance. Groups from India, China, Nepal, Australia, United States and others will be in their traditional costumes and show-off their pride with the message that not only PNG and Madang but the globe is truly diverse with cultures, traditions, languages, religion, ethnicity but yet we can live harmoniously with one peace. Thanks God for this!

Talking of international community, a former chef at Madang Resort, Dereck Frizel now resides in Australia will be in town with his five men band adding to PNG music the gospel, country, Western and classical flavors. He loves Madang and funds his own travel to the show to be part of the Event.

Bamboo band is synonymous with Madang. But in North Solomons they also use bamboo without guitar to make an absolutely unique sound. And across to our Melanesian brothers, the Solomon Islanders use bamboo pipes and they are referred to as “pipers”.

This scribe is compelled that Solomon Pipers and North Solomons bamboos have some commonalities in their proud music. In this Madang Show, Gate Way Band and New Age Band from North Solomons will mesmerize the show-goers. This is all about music out from an object called “bamboo”. Come and discover yourself.

Oh yes! During my childhood days, radio Western Highlands used to play a lot of Madang Bamboo band music’s recorded by Kalang Studio. Some of the Western Highlands string bands like Highway Rumors tried to copy the Madang bamboo band style but they could not because there was no Madang blood in them.

Chairman Mr. Kamya said, “We want to encourage bamboo band in the show. That’s the identity for Madang.”

Other events of the show will include greasy pole, marathon, tug of war, local brass band, gospel concert, string band, theatre group, bicycle race, marine games, floats, arts and crafts sales and many more.

Greasy pole will be different this time due to an experience last year. Prices will not be hanged up in the pole where the successful climber will get. Instead, they will be kept at the grand stand and the successful climber will present himself/herself to get the price.

Last year, the successful climber dropped the bicycle from the pole and somebody on the ground happened to get away with the price.

And for the first time, two poles will be erected where one will be for the young and one for the old. So at last, the old can see fit to climb the greasy pole. This will be a fun filled game.

Probably next time, we might erect another pole for the females. This is something for the committee to think about. But females are at liberty to challenge with their male counterparts to climb one of the two poles in this Show.

Another interesting event will be the fishing game under marine sports. In this game, the first person who catches first five fish will walk away with first price. But the second price will depend on the weight and sizes of the fish.

Canoe racing will be fascinating as well. People of all ages will be in different categories to paddle away fighting the waves to be the best. It would be exciting to see some highlanders who have never been to sea to paddle.

Mr. Kamya said his Committee planned to bring in the PNG Defence Force and the original Paramana Strangers to add color to the Show but due to financial problem, they will not be in town. But he said this will not hinder the excitement of the Show because what is currently in place is sufficient and full of events.

For the power band lovers, Madang show will not give prominence as the Show Committee is encouraging more traditional events like string bands, singsing groups and others that relate to real Madang culture for the youths to be proud of their province.

Mr. Kamya said more singing groups have turned up to register but they were refused because the current show ground is unable to accommodate.

He said last year, about 100,000 people passed through the gate and this year he is expecting even more.

“My problem is how to cater for them. We have produced more tickets compared to last year,” he said.

He is also expecting more international tourists this year even though the traditional Madang Show date has been changed to Sept, affecting their travel.

This scribe asked Mr. Kamya on the law and order problem currently seem to be prevailing given the regular media publicity. But the adamant Chairman is on focus and reiterated that there is no crime statistics in Madang Province.

“What is reported in the media is not alarming. Crime statistics by police is not alarming like in Port Moresby, Lae, Mt Hagen and other major centers.”

“Madang is a peaceful town and now that small crimes like bag snatching, attempted robberies etc are reported, they think it’s serious. It is not that serious.” Mr. kamya said.

He further said that Madang is experiencing rapid economic boom and petty problems are likely to happen.

“It’s part of life but we will manage this. No where in the world is a peaceful place as long as there is human being. Madang is no exception but ours is very minor compared with rest of PNG,” Mr. Kamya said.

He said his committee is arranging for Lae police to provide security with the help of Madang Police.

Mr. Kamya said the Ward Councilors in Madang and youths have also taken ownership of the Show to ensure a peaceful and enjoyable Show.

“We are confident that this Show will go well. We are confident with the police, CIS, communities in and around Madang.”

“We want to ensure the people enjoy their culture. There were minor problems last year but we managed it. This time we will manage it with the help of Madang peace loving people,” he said.

Meanwhile, business houses in Madang and Madang Provincial Government have sponsored the Show in cash and kind.

“Business houses have been generally good with their usual support,” he said.

Mr. Kamya personally thanked Ramu NiCo, though being new in Madang has been the major sponsor this year with K20,000 donated on Wednesday 2. Last year Ramu NiCo donated K10,000.

“I hope that Ramu NiCo will be our long term partner in this Show and other events in Madang. I thank the management of Ramu NiCo and Chinese Government as the Chairman of Madang Festival Show and Chairman of the Madang Chamber of Commerce.

Chief Technical Director of Ramu NiCo Dr. James Wang presented the cheque on behalf of Ramu NiCo at the Ramu NiCo Madang Office Complex.

“We are very pleased to be part of the Madang Festival Show,” Dr. Wang said.

Governor of Madang Province Hon. Sir Arnold Amet and Mr. Gu Yuxiang, Executive Vice President of Ramu NiCo were present to witness the ceremony. Others included officials from governor’s office, board members of the Madang Provincial Event Council and officials from Ramu NiCo.

Mr. Gu emphasized that Ramu NiCo is proud to be part of Madang community to create a harmonious society for all people to live in a friendly and safer environment despite their cultural differences.

“We are happy to support the Madang Show and be part of the Madang community,” Mr. Gu said.

Governor Sir Amet while thanking Ramu NiCo for the sponsorship said that his administration is fostering for a long term working relationship with Ramu NiCo for the benefit of the people of Madang.

“Ramu NiCo is here for longer and we have to create a social and economic partnership,” Sir Amet said.

Other business houses in Madang have also supported the Madang Show in cash and kind that will be used to ensure that activities of various kinds are staged so that the show-goers enjoy.

Madang Provincial Government under the administration of Governor Sir Arnold Amet sees that Madang Show is no ordinary Show because it will coincide with the 34th PNG Independence Anniversary.

Come and enjoy Madang Festival Show with the peace loving people of Madang.

Note: This commentary is in line with Sunday Chronicle’s mission to promote positive journalism in PNG. This is Sunday Chronicles contribution to encourage tourism in Madang. For comments, e-mail the writer at: m_yakai@hotmail.com or SMS 71489901

Over-matter on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in PNG

This article is published on Sunday Sep 6, 2009 by Sunday Chronicle newspaper in Papua New Guinea under "letter from China" column.
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By Manson O’iki in Hubei, China

THERE’S a small but growing community of people who are trying to bring some clarity to the debate about forest protection in the run-up to Copenhagen, specifically the REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) process.

A 'project based' approach for REDD would allow bits of forest to be 'bought up' by organizations, who'd pay to protect the forest in return for securing rights to the future carbon credits from it.

There are real problems with the project-based approach. Without a wider plan for making emissions cuts, it’s difficult to know how long the project will last, whether it represents additional carbon savings compared to 'business as usual', whether the forest being protected leads to other forest being cleared, a problem known as 'leakage', and increased vulnerability to corruption.

We'd actually argue that project based offsets operate as a distraction, discouraging real solutions to climate change and biodiversity protection.

PNG has been leading the way in international negotiations over avoided deforestation in the hope of curbing greenhouse gas emissions, an objective known as REDD.

However, a recent scandal has led to the suspension of the head of Office of Climate Change. This has happened at a difficult time when PNG should be working on a national legislation for REDD, and prepare for Copenhagen, instead of wasting time and resources on investigating our own Office of Climate Change (OCC).

Meanwhile, the OCC needs to get on with developing an Interim Low Carbon Development Strategy, which emphasizes the REDD policy agenda. Part of this involves looking at securing land for REDD and for benefit sharing.

Another part of this strategy involves looking at the drivers of deforestation and degradation in the country. Again, much needed work. You can't just buy up a few blocks of forest in the country, slap a REDD sticker on them and hope that deforestation will go away. Finally, an economic analysis of REDD costs is also needed in the country.

So much work, so little time. So how are we going to do it? The government is probably going to call in highly expensive foreign consultants to assist prepare for Copenhagen to develop the national REDD and climate change plan.

Now I can guess what some of you are probably wondering, shouldn't PNG be doing this all for itself rather than calling in expensive foreign consultants?

Well in an ideal world, which this isn't, perhaps and only if we had all the expertise we need. Remember that there are stacks of people fretting about whether PNG (and many other countries) are going to manage to get this all right.

How will leakage be avoided? How can REDD truly address the drivers of deforestation? How can we manage forest conservation at the same time as promoting a sustainable low-carbon development path? How can we increase agricultural productivity as a way of reducing pressure on forestry? Well, guess what? This is exactly the sort of thing that these highly expensive consultants know all about. Of course they don't come cheap, and they are not without their problems.

But PNG is a different country with a different set of problems, and a low baseline of deforestation is not one of them. So it will certainly be interesting to see what these consultants will come up with.

Where to find the money? Well UN-REDD is likely to be asked, and all the usual government donors. The Australians, in particular, might be a good source to tap. Our entire carbon strategy seems to be to buy carbon offsets abroad, whether or not these are produced by the rules and regulations of a mandatory market.

In recent months, a number of fascinating discussions have been held across several media avenues that have helped to further unravel the story of forest carbon deals in PNG.

This has helped to throw some light onto a process that had formerly been going on behind the scenes, and at least allow some level of public scrutiny. What is so informative about these discussions is that involves a discussion between some of the main players in private forest carbon projects in PNG.

Carbon Planet, one of the representatives of the landowners involved in a carbon deal in Kamula Doso.

Most of those involved in negotiating over REDD say that rules and regulations should be properly set before a market for these forest carbon credits is introduced and traded. But holding back the private sector from doing deals in advance of Copenhagen is impossible.

While REDD policy allows debate about whether it should work at a project level or a national level, the private sector is busy answering this question buying up projects all over the place.

Instead of a national baseline for deforestation that the government is trying to minimize, bits of forest here-and-there are being tied up in deals. And you can't simply blame 'carbon cowboys', charities and environmental NGOs are all doing project level deals as well.

How will these project level forests avoid 'leakage' and the movement of forest destruction to other areas of the country? They probably won't, which makes it a concern and which is why people arguing about whether REDD should work at a project or national level.

One question that crops up again and again in forums discussing carbon trading in PNG is the question of how such trading is possible and what laws allow it? The answer appears to be quite deceptively simple.

The laws that allow forest carbon trading are as simple as those that allow me to sell you any piece of property that I own. Indeed, I could sell you the spirits in the trees, if you were convinced I had the ownership rights to them and could transfer this ownership to you.

And this is in essence what is going on in PNG right now. For all the talk of REDD and carbon markets in the future between nations, the deals done right now and carbon being traded, seems to involve just a voluntary market between individuals and corporations. The market that offers you ways of offsetting your airplane flights, or car journeys.

Where does REDD come in? Well the idea is that when Copenhagen arrives, a deal over REDD would create a large and valuable mandatory market.

A highly regulated market where governments would be obliged to buy forest carbon credits in order to offset their pollution, mostly from power generation.

It seems there is an expectation that these voluntary agreements being done right now could somehow be turned into some kind of REDD credits and traded on that market.

And even if official trading doesn't begin for years, just the creation of REDD at Copenhagen would stimulate the market to produce options to deliver REDD credits.

So the point about these deals is that entrepreneurs are betting that the voluntary credits they are developing today will be transferable to forest carbon credits that can be upgraded and traded on the grown-up markets for more money later down the line.

And while that speculation might be unhelpful at this stage, far bigger risks have been taken in business for far less potential reward. So it isn't unexpected. Furthermore there is the attraction of potentially huge profits.

In some parts of the world, the cost of conserving an acre of rainforest is ludicrously low compared with even low estimates of the vale of the carbon per acre. That is sort of the point of a market, is that the private sector finds the cheapest ways to conserve carbon.

The trouble is that this is never going to be a normal market, its a highly regulated market created by national and international legislation in order to achieve a public good.

The public will simply not be comfortable with massive windfall profits for a few entrepreneurs, or even the landowners themselves. There is already an idea floating around that such profits need to be taxed, and put into other carbon avoiding projects.

Although it is hard to know exactly what is going on, I think it might be valuable to conduct a thought experiment.

Let’s imagine that I've got a couple of thousand dollars I want to invest in PNG forestry in a credit project. How might I go about doing this? Well for a start, I don't actually want to buy anything physical like a forest. I want to buy the rights to trade. And I want to part with as little money as possible initially, because I want to buy as many rights as possible.

I start a whirlwind tour of the provinces, the further the better. I make friends with the landowners and sweeten them up with cash and gifts.

I explain that the world needs to conserve forests because of something that has been put in the atmosphere, and that I'll act as a broker for them to make sure they get the best deal. I'll take a percentage, and maybe a fee.

I sign deals with the landowners that gives me the sole rights to negotiate and sell carbon on their behalf.

All I have to do now is hire a few consultants to buff out a few reports about how big the trees are and how happy all the locals are, and I'd be very nicely set up to do a massive post-Copenhagen deal.

What is more, if the consultant's reports look particularly convincing, I might even be able to recoup my initial investment at a very early stage by getting further infusions of investment by selling off a portion of my rights to someone else, perhaps in the form of some kind of option for REDD credits. With more cash in hand, I go off again in search of more rights to buy.

What makes all this even more fabulous a proposal is that if anyone complains about what I am doing, or questions its transparency or processes, I can cite commercial confidentiality and then complain to all and sundry about how all I am trying to do is save the world and give local people some kind of way of surviving without cutting down their trees.

I'm a good person and all these horrid people just want to make me out to look like I'm doing something wrong.

Some of these deals may be absolutely fine, we just don't know. What we need in PNG, is some way of publicly notifying these deals.

A simple way of doing this would be government-backed project deal webpages. Proposed forest carbon deals should be published on them, so that if any landowners feel there is something awry, or there are competing claims, this should be immediately apparent, and these claims should be published.

Kamula Doso is a legal nightmare. We don't want more of these cases. This is not simply private business. All these companies want to sell credits on the mandatory markets.

It’s going to be our money that is buying these credits. We have a right to more information. If companies want privacy over their deals, they have to guarantee that these credits will not be traded on mandatory markets.

It’s a small price to pay for access to a billion dollar public market that is ultimately paid for by higher taxes and fuel prices in developed nations.

Finally, given that there is a legitimate public interest, we really do need to know what the landowners understand by these deals and what they've been told.

In medical research a concept that has developed is "informed consent", it isn't just enough for a subject to say yes to an experiment or procedure, you have to be able to provide proof that the people who have agreed have sufficient understanding of what they have agreed to.

I wonder if this might be a useful concept for these environmental deals with local landowners. Here is a standard definition:

"Informed consent is a legal procedure to ensure that a patient or client knows all of the risks and costs involved in a treatment. The elements of informed consents include informing the client of the nature of the treatment, possible alternative treatments, and the potential risks and benefits of the treatment. In order for informed consent to be considered valid, the client must be competent and the consent should be given voluntarily"

In conclusion: More transparency over deals. Where they are being done, what financial arrangements and promises have been made, and what the landowners really understand and have been told.

I'm all in favor of markets for environmental services. But let’s recall that this is a special market, created entirely by legislation, for a policy outcome which is less carbon in the atmosphere for the least cost.

While the private sector must be given the incentives the world needs to invest money, this market will never sit comfortably with massive windfall profits, whomever they fall to. That is just one of the current unresolved debates underway over REDD.

Note: Manson studies Masters of Science in Petroleum Engineering at China University of Geosciences in Wuhan City, Hubei Province.

PNG’s Chinese language star travels to Huai Rou Sheng Cun Dao in China

This article was published by Sunday Chronicle weekly newspaper on Sunday August 30, 2009 under the the "letter from China" column.
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By NCEPU Beijing PNG Students

PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S first and ever new Chinese Language Star, Jack Pokoe who was awarded by China as the “Star of Chinese Characters” traveled to Huai Rou Sheng Cun Dao in China under a formal but special arrangement made by Beijing Chinese Education (BCE) authority.

This special travel included other foreign students who were also awarded Chinese Language Stars by BCE authority.

BCE authority felt very pleased to promote this travel and so proud to involve students from all around the globe to practice Chinese language and experience Chinese tradition during their travel.

Staying firm to the culture and tradition of the language, Jack has just experienced how important Chinese culture and tradition has practically helped enhance and enrich his Chinese learning abilities, skills and knowledge as a whole.

His first cultural experience involved a university travel to Shanxi Province, to an ancient Chinese city historically known as Pingyao Shi.

Shanxi Province is a distant province from Beijing, compared with Huai Rou Sheng Cun Dao, which is a cultural site within the vicinity of Beijing but at a closer proximity to Beijing City.

The travel to Shanxi was arranged by North China Electric Power University in Beijing, the Beijing campus university where Jack learns and studies in Chinese language as a Software Engineering student, currently with two (2) other PNG students, namely Joshua Oki and Joel Hip.

Joshua and Joel are students in Computer Science and Technology and Business Management respectively.

The main purpose of the travel to Huai Rou Sheng Cun Dao was to practically learn and experience the Chinese culture and tradition to appreciate its uniqueness.

The travel to Huai Rou Sheng Cun Dao was on June 06, 2009. This was after May 22, 2009, when Beijing Chinese Education Network (BCEN) specially awarded Hanzi Zhixing (the Star of Chinese Characters) to Jack.

Traveling from Beijing City is some thousand kilometers to Huai Rou Sheng Cun Dao. But access to that ancient town takes less than 4 hours by coach.

Shanxi, as compared with Hua Rou Sheng Cun Dao is almost 10 hours drive along the flat farmlands where one can find in the vast landmass of China today. The highway meanders like a stressing snake through the plains from the bird view.

The international Chinese Star foreign students who traveled to Huai Rou Sheng Dao were the Chinese power representative of twenty six (26) best foreign students of the Year 2009 International Students Chinese Speaking Competition.

These 26 best Chinese Language Stars represented their own universities. The total numbers of universities selected were less than China’s capital city, Beijing, which has a total of 32-plus universities.

The Chinese Star foreign students come from South Korea, South Africa, Vietnam, North America, Sudan, Russia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, and the others who were selected for the final and utmost Grandly-Xiu Chinese language competition, which was held at Beijing Language and Culture University in Beijing on May 22, 2009.

Jack Pokoe, the Hanzi Zhixing, was the only Chinese Star foreign student of Papua New Guinea to travel with these other international Chinese Language Stars to Hua Rou Sheng Cun Dao cultural site.

The misty cold condition of the light showering morning icily welcome the arrival of the two (2) jumbo coaches occupied by the Chinese Star international students and Chinese language lecturers at about 10 am to begin the site walk.

The site walk had begun in teams of Chinese Language Stars, after advice and information were given by the Chinese language lecturers and a Chinese culture representative at the site.

A total of four (4) teams were formed, each having a representative to monitor the group’s participation during the travel. Each team’s participation was enjoyable and exciting through the involvement in Chinese cultural activities. The cultural activities ranged from a variety of ancient Chinese history, custom and tradition.

The involvement of each foreign student in the cultural activities showed the value of Chinese tradition and the language itself.

During the site travel, Jack, the Hanzi Zhixing involved in Chinese dialogues with his team members. The other three (3) teams, including communicating in Chinese with the accompanying Chinese language lecturers from among thirteen (13) best selected universities, which included North China Electric Power University, Beijing University of Technology, Tsinghua University, China Renmin University, Beijing International Language University, and Beijing Language and Culture University.

Huo Yue Hua, was the only senior Chinese language lecturer from NCEPU in Beijing to guide and advise Jack and his South African university mate from Rwanda, named Samuel, both of whom have succeeded well into the extreme of Chinese speaking ability, and also have gained the skills to comprehend in Chinese.

The Chinese Stars were involved in Bow and Arrow Shooting, Stump and Axe Plunging, Grains Grinding, Plastacine Art Working, and most importantly included Chinese Ink Art Designing.

Through the involvement of these cultural activities, Jack has gained a rewarded experience from unforgettable China.

Chinese Ink Art Designing carried on with conversations among the traveling group. As being spoken and written of, Chinese ink has a unique history in ancient times in China.

Chinese ink and design with writing had been developing rapidly in the past until today. The history still remains.

Jack says that this travel was a wonderful China experience to use Chinese ink and learn Chinese Art Designing. This event was a special cultural activity which took place in a Chinese traditional dye house, which was built in such a way to stand out Chinese traditional styles, of which the most common style is the Chinese Dyke house.

Instructions were given by the Chinese art designers, whom were females of this skilled art. Jack followed the instructions in Chinese language and learned Chinese Art Design with the other Chinese Star international students.

Chinese language was the required language that was used to converse with each other while the student was concentrating on the art work in the art design room.

This Chinese traditional dye house displayed paintings that resemble Chinese Art history. Another similar style house displayed Chinese artifacts ranging from plastacine to ceramic artifacts that portray images of ancient China.

Chinese custom and tradition originally and naturally binds hand in hand with the Chinese language, which is nationally utilized by the Chinese people and less than estimated 100 million foreigners as a dynamic language in education, work, technology, health, transportation, communication, and in the latest rapid boosting of China’s development and economy. Therefore, the traveling group’s main communication was still conveyed in Chinese.

Even though English language is commonly known and used by these Chinese Star foreign students, it is misunderstood by majority of the native speakers, still holds sufficiency, and is being translated in communication and writing in Chinese.

The Chinese language lecturers accompanied the Chinese Star foreign students around the cultural site while speaking with them in the Chinese standard language formally known as Chinese Mandarin.

The foreign students experience that in order to stay in tune with the language. The students should be accustomed to its custom and tradition, which are highly respected by the natives and government of China.

Chinese language is not very easy to learn, study and/or study with because it is too complicated and complex. Chinese Mandarin is simplified Chinese but still too complex and difficult to easily grasp and use in writing, reading, speaking and listening.

Misunderstanding in speaking and listening can result in a common response by the native speakers using Mandarin as “Ting bu dong” or “Mei ting dong”. Because of this misunderstanding communication is not easily conveyed between foreigners and the Chinese.

Even more difficult, the language tones have distinct pronunciation, which is certainly misunderstood in oral communication unlike English’s straight sounding tones.

Furthermore, writing and reading Chinese characters is the toughest challenge but a rewarding experience being gained by the international foreign students.

Chinese language is rated as one of the most difficult languages to learn, together with Arabic, Japanese and Korean, for people whose native language is English.

But in PNG, we have more then 860 different languages where we are adopted to different cultures and languages. This places any PNG students who are interested to study Chinese language to grasp the basic elements of Chinese language easily in a short period of time.

Note: Jack Pokoe is a PNG Student at North China Electric Power University, Beijing and studies Software Engineering under the Computer Science Department. This column talks about PNG student’s life in China.

China in Kyrgyzstan: lesson for Oceania and PNG

This article was published under Asia Pacific Perspective: China + column on Sunday Chronicle on Sunday August 23, 2009.
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By Mathew Yakai

CHINA’S presence in the world and the region today is welcoming given Beijing’s growing economic power with direct multilateral approach in many issue areas.

If there is any year in my existence that I can think of which brought China into many challenges and achievements then it was last year, 2008.

China stood the harsh snow storm, overcome the devastating earthquake, successfully hosted the Summer Olympic, successful space exploration, overcome the dumpling issue with Japan, the toy issue with United States, took responsibility in the melamine saga and fixed it, engaged fully in the world financial crunches, direct shipping, flying and postal services with Taiwan, chair in the ongoing Six Party Talk in the North Korea issue and many more.

After its economic reform in 1978, China has surprised the world with its persistent economic growth that has brought many Chinese out of poverty, created abundant job due to foreign investments, and becoming one of the worlds “chimney” that no country would ignore.

On the bilateral level, China is also enjoying good relationship with many countries throughout the world.

Kyrgyzstan is no exception. The country in East Asia, is one of China’s important partners in many issues, including economic trade and investments.

This scribe talked to Abdisait Karimbekov from Kyrgyzstan to find out about China’s investment in his country.

Abdisait is currently pursuing masters’ degree in International Relations at Jilin University, China, under the Chinese Government Scholarship.

Being a representative of China Investment Cooperation for Export and Import of Machinery while pursuing his degree, Abdisait is compelled that China’s investment in his country is important.

“China’s investment in Kyrgyzstan is important because we have state projects like road construction, railway construction, energy and water power station and other important state constructions that need top notch experts,” he said.

Abdisait said that though Russia is a “big brother”, it can not adequately provide resources and expertise his country needs to develop its economy.

“We can find a lot of expertise and equipments in China. Russia is an elder brother but they do not have adequate capital to cover all projects in Kyrgyzstan,” Abdisait said.

Abdisait is well aware of his country’s position and the importance of China because he was directly involved in a lot of state projects.

Some of his tasks involved inviting potential investment from China to meet with officials from his government including important ministries like Transport and Energy, Department of Construction and Foreign Affairs Ministry.

One of his milestones was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Transportation of his country and China Machinery and Export Cooperation last year May. The negotiation for viable projects is currently undergoing.

Abdisait admitted that he has negotiated and arranged for a lot of meetings between the officials of the two countries.

He said there are a lot of foreign investments in Kyrgyzstan but China’s investment is picking up because of its commitment, technological know-how, and efficiency in project implementation and of higher standard of service delivery.

“China provides its investment at a competitive price, compared to others,” he said.

He said Kyrgyzstan imports 50 percent of its goods from China on a very cheap price, but the quality and standard of the products are the same as those one would buy from Russia or Europe in a higher price.

“That’s why other goods and services including investments are cheaper compared with other countries,” he said.

Abdisait also highlighted an important road construction from China to Kyrgyzstan which is more then 100 km. This, he said, would provide easy access to both countries market and improve economic trade and people to people diplomacy.

China and Kyrgyzstan are currently negotiating for China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekrstan railway which will benefit both China and Kyrgyzstan having excess to European markets.

The railway alone when constructed will boost Kyrgyzstan’s economy and provide a lot of job opportunities for Kyrgyzstan.

He said the construction once approved will engage a lot of China’s expertise.

Most of the economic and trade relationship between the two countries are fruitful through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan were the founding states of the SCO

Shanghai Cooperation, signed in 1997 is aimed at strengthening bilateral, economic and military relationships between the member countries

He said Kyrgyzstan has a lot of mineral resources like gold, copper, coal and other resources that need to be explored and seek world market, and finds China’s investment relevant at this time.

When this scribe asked if China is in Kyrgyzstan for economic reasons: for natural resources and find markets for its products, Abdisait said, “this is an issue that generates a lot of debates in many countries.”

The current International Relations student with an undergraduate study in diplomacy says that whatever is negotiated between two countries must be respected by any countries and organizations, as long as it does not pose any threat to any countries.

Abdisait further commented that the two economies are complementary, China has what Kyrgyzstan needs and Kyrgyzstan has what China needs.

In this case, he said, they negotiate for benefits on win-win situation so both parties are happy.

When it comes to the issue of corruption, he commented that this is an area where responsible government and company officials must take serious note of.

Abdisait believes that there are law and regulations to guide such cooperation and they should be respected and upheld.

He believes that his country’s government officials must be honest when negotiating for state projects, in order to protect their country’s sovereignty and their integrity.

From China’s side, he said that they are genuine and want to work honestly with his government.

Abdisait admits China’s growth and influence in the region and the world but he is optimistic that this is not a threat but a gain for many developing countries like his.

He supports China for discouraging war in Beijing’s foreign policy and upholds peaceful development.

Abdisait, speaks his local Kyrgyz language, fluent Russian, Chinese and English. He completed his undergraduate majoring Diplomacy and now working on his masters, majoring International Relations.

Asked what he wants to be after his masters, “I want to work in the field of investments and negotiate with foreign investors to invest in my country.”

This is a job well suited for him given his different language capabilities.

But this scribe told him that he would make a good diplomat given his study major and language capabilities.

“No, in 2012, I want to enter politics and become an MP and be responsible in the field of foreign investment, and deal with China. This will give me some power to control some of my country’s resources from being exploited. I will make sure the local laws are followed by investors.”

“The sovereignty of my country is important and I must directly involve protecting it, both by laws, negotiations and politics. I can speak many languages and understand different minds and I am able to deal with foreign investors. This is lacking in my country now,” he said.

This scribe conducted the interview at Jilin University student dining hall on Friday 19th Dec, 2008.

Looking into his eyes, Abdisait appeared very serious with what he said. He always tells me. “Learn the language and you understand Chinese people. They are good, they are friendly, and we must know the language to work with them.”

I agreed with no doubt about that!

After talking to Abdisait and writing this commentary, I am thinking of genuine investments by Chinese multinationals in the Pacific region and PNG that can rescue the starving economies from the woes.

Having been in China for a while and had some good train and bus ride in the vast landmass, I am amazed by its rail way and road construction.

If China can build the road from China to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan then the Pacific island countries can sit down and negotiate for similar projects from China.

All countries know that an efficient road and railway system, with reliable electricity and communication is the driving force in any countries development.

China has shown in many developing countries that it is willing to help develop their economies.

It takes a heart, a mind and dedication to realize China’s genuineness.

Don’t judge by the cover or western media speculation. Engage China and you don’t regret.


Note: “Asia-Pacific Perspective: China +” looks at Chinese society, culture, economy, governance and China’s role within the Asia Pacific region and the world over. It mainly focuses on how PNG can learn from China’s experience. Contact the writer on m_yakai@hotmail.com or SMS 71489901 form comments

Come and see, feel and experience Madang Festival Show

This extra commentary was published by Sunday Chronicle on Sunday August 23, 2009.
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By Mathew Yakai

PAPUA New Guinea is truly a land of a thousand tribes and cultures.

Nowhere else in the world will you find over 800 different languages and rich and diverse cultures and traditions.

This cultural varieties and richness is showcased every year in cultural shows and festivals which gather together thousands of tribes’ men and women in their traditional finest.

These are sights and sounds that will stay in your memory forever.

In terms of language, two provinces in PNG stand unique. Enga Province has only one language while Madang has the highest (more then 30) different languages. Others fall in between.

So when you want to experience cultural diversity in few days with little money then Madang is definitely the destination.

But no other days are as perfect as the days when the infamous Madang Festival Show is on.

That is why both international and domestic tourists must mark on their calendar and itinerary the famous Madang Festival Show from September 16 to 19, only three weeks from today.

The Madang Festival Show was officially launched on Friday August 14 at Madang Resort with the ribbon cutting performed by Pete Celso, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of RD Tuna, Madang.

The ceremony was witnessed by Chairman of Madang Provincial Events Council Stotick Kamya and Mayor of Madang Town, Michael Kamo during the Events Council Fundraising Committee Corporate Dinner.

Major business houses in Madang were present during the ceremony.

Madang Festival Show was formerly known as Maborasa Show in the early 1980s.

MABORASA stands for Madang, Bogia, Ramu and Saidor. But people along the North Coast and Karkar Island complained that Maborasa is not representative of Madang when Sumkar District was not included.

Under the new Provincial Events Council in 1991, the current Madang Festival Show was adopted and held its first ever Show.

But for 18 years after 1991 till 2008, Madang Festival Show was put to rest due to various problems faced by the Council.

It was revived again last year, 2008. This year, the Show will be held from Sep 16 to 19, coinciding with the 34th Anniversary of PNG’s Independence.

Since the long break till last year, the adamant working Provincial Events Council under the strong chairmanship of Stotick Kamya, this years Event will be a bigger one.

The Festival will be a breath taking and refreshing for the youths who have not seen their proud and unique cultures which started only last year after a long recess.

During his opening remark, Mr. Stotick Kamya told the business houses in Madang who attended the Corporate Dinner that Madang Festival Show was started last year after a long recess and this year will be the second time where the Events Council is planning for a bigger Event.

Mr. Kamya said the Festival will see events like traditional dances, canoe race, game fishing, greasy pole, pillow fighting, coconut scraping, coconut husking, tug of war and many more.

The soldiers from Moem Barracks will be invited to add more flavor to the event on Sep 16 when PNG turns 34.

He said the Events Council planned to invite international groups from New Zealand, Australia and China but this could not eventuate due to financial and logistic problems. But these will be considered in the future.

“We will also have the international night where international community will put their own dressings and costumes to show their country of origin,” Mr. Kamya said.

He also thanked the business houses for attending the Corporate Dinner which is part of the Events Council’s fundraising drive to meet the cost of the Festival.

Mr. Kamya thanked business houses, organizations and individuals in Madang and PNG for their past support and looking forward to more in this year’s Festival.

Guest Speaker during the Corporate Dinner, Pete Celso, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of RD Tuna told the gathering that his company has supported the Event since it arrived in 1996 and this year will receive the same treatment.

“We have started by K10,000. and sponsored a table,” Mr. Celso said.

In his speech, Mr. Celso reiterated that the people of PNG must focus on positive things and attitudes, instead of negative things to see tangible and positive changes in the country.

“Having lived in PNG for 15 years, I have seen people focusing on negative things, but there are lots of positive things to be seen and accepted,” he said.

Mr. Celso reiterated on the ethic and logic of working smart, hard, be ambitious and make progress in individual lives, family, communities and the country as a whole.

“No one dies for the Vision but for the Cost. You must have the right Vision and fight for the right Cost,” he concluded.

Mr. Celso who has lived in PNG to understand the development trend said that Madang Show is important to bring together traditional tribes to see commonalities in their cultures to live harmoniously in diversity.

He said Madang alone has the largest language in PNG and this can give money for value to potential tourists who plan for Madang Show.

The gate fee is only K5. for adults and K3. for students and children. From this, the show goers will learn a lot from the Show including varieties of traditional dances and events like greasy pole, pillow fighting, canoe race etc.

The corporate houses in Madang will also showcase their products, ranging from mine explorations like multi billion Kina Ramu Nickel Project to Ramu Agro Industries in agriculture and others.

But remember that with around 30 different languages in Madang alone, the upcoming Madang Festival Show will be overwhelmed with different cultural flavors because the legacies of WWII and outside influence had minor impact in this ingrained Melanesian culture.

Due to changes by outside contact over the years, cultural loss has been great, according to some reports, but isolation of many groups has caused that rate of change to be diversely uneven.

Because of the environmental diversity, Madang also has a very diverse culture as well with tall lithe coastal people from Karkar Island, short nuggety highlands men from Simbai and river people from Ramu.

Many Madang area costumes include bamboo frames decorated with the very common cockatoo and parrot feathers as Birds of Paradise are relatively uncommon.

The Ramu people are prolific carvers and the lower Ramu has cultural links with the villages of the artistically diverse Sepik River region.

It is interesting to note that the resurgence of Madang Festival Show has seen many people donning the fantastic traditional dress, feathers and paints of their ancestors.

Foods eaten include those grown in fertile coastal gardens, shellfish and fish, fruit, green vegetables, bananas, taro, sweet potatoe and yams especially in its lower reaches. The mountain people have very good gardens with excellent produce.

Linguistically, Madang province is typified by a large number of very small language groups, many with fewer than 1,000 people.

Austronesian sailors settled on this coast some 5 to 6,000 years ago and the languages of these intrepid but largely unknown sailors are found along the coast of the province.

Lukep, Gedaged, Manam and Bilbil languages are examples of this. Inland, the Katiati, Hinihon and Saki languages are examples of Papuan (non-Austronesian) languages found in the region.

The Ramu river language includes Gamei, Giri, Tangu, Romkun and Igana and the Rai Coast language include Somau Garia and Usino.

The volcanic island of Karkar is unusual in that it is shared by the Papuan language Waskia and the Austronesian language Takia.

Given the language diversity and cultural difference, the upcoming Madang Festival Show is a must see for those who know very little about Beautiful Madang.

Having lived in Changchun city, the capital of Jilin Province in China for two years was memorable, but there is no such place as an idyllic Pacific coastal town as Madang.

Kalibobo Light House, one of Madang’s infamous icon built during the WWII stands tall today attracting tourists, while the blue sky over Madang is flocked with the ancestral inhabitants, the flying foxes.

Walking from Kalibobo Light House towards Smugglers Inn along the stressing lawn, with coconut leaves above swing to the strength of the ocean breeze while the sea, just a stone throw away stressing as far as the eye can see brings freshness to mind to accept the nature in harmony.

Changchun City known for its car factory has vehicles of all shapes and sizes occupying the streets, while the pedestrians is so huge that one shoves through daily.

And the factory chimneys swirl smokes into the blue sky making invisible the sunset and sunrise.

But in Madang, the sun rise is as perfect as sun set depicting the perfect harmony of Gods blessing over humanity. In Madang, we say thank you to God for the visible sun.

While the daily life in Changchun is always in rush, Madang is so harmonious and slow in line with its economic statutes, where the people live in perfect peace and harmony with the nature and culture intact.

And Madang is not an ordinary province in Papua New Guinea. It is a popular tourist destination in the country, both for domestic and international tourists.

Welcome to Madang Festival Show from Sep 16th to 19.

Note: This commentary is inline with Sunday Chronicles mission for developmental journalism in encouraging positive journalism. Sunday Chronicle will carry more commentaries in the following Sundays to encourage tourism during Madang Festival Show. For comments, contact the writer on m_yakai@hotmail.com or SMS 71489901

Politicizing Climate Change is dangerous for PNG

This article was published under "letter from China" column with Sunday Chronicle on Sunday August 23, 2009.
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By Gene Drekeke Iyovo, Wuxi

THE issue of climate change is a new science even though it is taught and discovered recently due to phenomenal changes since the beginning of time.

In Papua New Guinea (PNG), it is totally new. Government, statutory bodies, private and individuals need to understand some real basics of science before partying in camps.

Firstly let’s look at the causes of temperature rise in the world. According to real science, the only factor that makes the earth warm is the sun.

More than 90 % of the causes causing temperature rise in the past century was only 0.8 ºC and was due to sun while 10% of which accounts to natural variations prone to vegetational changes governed by environment variability and planetary energy balance.

Many focuses has being laid on carbon dioxide and methane as green house gas while over looking the water vapor which is the greatest concentration known and is one of the green house gas planetary climate.

Energy is not needed to drive the water cycle; the energy comes from the sun evaporating- cooling in stratosphere region and transpiration in plants.

Without arguing the heat conductivity or heat capacities of carbon dioxide, methane or water vapor, consider from equilibrium point of view. In equilibrium concept, a concentration of same kind move to lower concentration, now carbon dioxide still remains 0.03 % in the atmospheric composition since science was invented! This is due to equilibrium and natural laws of balance.

All plants are satisfied with the 0.03% carbon dioxide concentration in the air. Water vapor at its current routes either via its normal water cycle or by plants through transpiration for exchange of oxygen keeping animals alive. In other words, we need carbon dioxide and water vapor if we need oxygen to live.

So what are all these stories and fears about climate change on Carbon dioxide? Can man save the planet? How many fauna and flora can be saved planting trees? These are the fears that are instigated by half baked individuals on the subject and those hungry for rich, power and influence taking advantages of the poor uneducated mass.

This is not ruling out that there is no climate change and everyone else go to sleep! There is change but gravely misunderstood and it’s already a government and people’s liability. It’s already a global universal god or religion.

Take away the intense politics surrounding the global warming debate. Take away the self-interest groups, business interests, legal, bureaucratic and mass media influences that all seek to make a buck out by driving public hysteria over the fads and fashions of the age. Let’s focus on real science.

Ocean temperatures are these days measured by 3,000 automated Argos buoys deployed in the seas. These buoys present a challenge to global warmers. They have failed to detect any imminent signs of climate change.

According to Dr. Josh Willis who worked for NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory indicated that only a slight cooling over the buoys’ five years of observation, but that drop was not anything really significant

Added to this finding is the evidence produced by NASA’s eight weather satellites totaling 7,000 land-based stations. They take more than 300,000 temperature readings daily over the surface of the Earth.

In 30 years of operation, the satellites have recorded a warming trend of just 0.14 degrees Celsius—well within the range of normal variations

The results concluded that global warming campaign was inconclusive hugely exaggerated.

The sinking islands are figured as one of the causes of climate change. This may be a grave mistake either. To consider the issue of rising sea levels and sinking islands, one has to consider the change of ocean currents, apart form mini currents with a set region like Guinea current.

There is this huge global ocean currents called the Themohaline circulation (THC) or ocean conveyor belt which is driven by global density gradient created by surface heat of fresh water fluxes.

This is known to change direction in a space of time in decades or centuries which can also be influenced by elevated salt concentration due to increasing land use and earth’s heat from sun due to routine tilt and rotation over time.

This means any island or a little land mass in its new direction will experience heightened level, over flooding or sinking. This does not mean ice in the North and South poles will necessary melt to overwhelm the islands!

The West industrialized since 1800’s and for the past 200 years industrialization rigorously destruct forest, huge minings, increased petroleum usage that increases their increasing luxuries, glass house and skyscrapers for these long years until effect find them out if there may be. All these times, PNG has contributed none!

This will be supported by the fact that our atmosphere contains 730 billion tons of CO2. Each year about 120 billion tonnes of carbon are cycled via plants on land and 90 billion tonnes via oceans.

Human emissions account for about seven billion to 10 billion tonnes, or less than 5 per cent, of the annual CO2 flux. This means 95% of the emissions follow the natural law of equilibrium dynamics while 5% emitted are sucked up by oceans increasing acidity due to weak carbonic acid formed by soluble state of the carbon dioxide increasing plant growth in seas and oceans.

Comparably if Australia is said to contribute 3.5 % of that component from 5 % (10 billion tones) coming from human emissions and New Zealand at 0.34 %, what is PNG’s contribution?
According to National Climate Change Policy Framework released by the Climate change and sustainable development office in PNG is stated that PNG has contributed 1.8% of the forest degradation!

That means we are better industrialized than developed New Zealand or about to size great Australia. It is also stated that the emission is projected to go 127 % of which 42% is from Asia Pacific region while the under developed transport sector with 1 in 2000 with cars are blamed for 20 % of the green house gas emission. Ridiculous!

More over, land use and increasing industrializations was blamed for increasing the emissions when no industries like those in Australia are found in PNG. This is a laughing matter when people are still burning firewood to fry flour balls for ten toea and are blamed and taxed.

Scientifically speaking, to give data as such mentioned is done by proven methodology and machines by experts and interpreted as intended. For PNG to be responsible for gas emission since the first fire and flour ball era is worth the argument.

Huge industries like metal refining, steel making, nuclear power plants, coal, etc are not here that shake the atmospheric gaseous composition to detection, unfortunately we have none and yet we will pay tax!

Amazingly, global warmists have even measured cow fart and said to stop cattle rearing due to methane production from their digestion and wish to turn everyone to vegetarian kind of population.

They have imposed tax on them by forcing money out of people for fear of unknown about global warming making it more subject to vigorous argument. This is robbery. Soon, there is expected global taxation system in the name of global warming.

Politicians who find difficulty in gaining consensus between political parties on issues of vital importance are suddenly finding common ground on the global warming issue. One prime example was Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel.

When faced with great divisions within the European Union on a range of issues during her leadership of last year’s EU summit, she cleverly played the global warming card, raising that issue to the top of the summit agenda.

Predictably, all parties fell fashionably in line behind her on this one single issue. Thus achieving consensus on what the media has seized upon as an issue of vital global importance, Merkel was able to snatch victory out of the jaws of what may well have otherwise been billed as a debacle. Leaders using global warming cards are not necessarily scientists but for greed of power.

But there is a cost to such politicking. Governments are imposing crushing tax burdens on industries and individuals in efforts to “solve” this illusory problem.

Finally, if PNG was serious with global warming and emission, if they said that 20 % emission comes from vehicles and fuel burning, I find it contradicting when no mention of alternative biofuels was emphasized, and still advocated to get coal powered energy supply which is the worst in light of global warming!

It was also a failure, when and how and by what means were test and analysis obtained to convince the tax payers as to its validation of the data.

PNG climate change office has a vital role to play, but when it plays wrong, we will have serious consequences. I believe it will play the game to sustainably and help the lives of the natives and not to serve foreign interest or personal gain.

Look at China who’s being blamed for huge pollutions, is now going green by more eco friendly industries and biofuels while vigorously developing its industries to high tech level.

This is her right as an independent sovereign state to dirty, clean and minimize manipulations without outside control on its internal activities. China has 1.3 billion people to give better life then a couple of useless fauna or floral under going mutation some where in Alaska!

For PNG to be misguided while claiming to be a Christian country is so funny when God said in the book of Job 26:7 that “God hangeth the earth on nothing. He knows climate change better than man, Sciences proves the magnificent work of God (Psalm8:3) and knows every changes when he called each star by name (Psalms 147:4) or know each of our problem when every hair on our head is numbered (Mathew 10:20).

Aren’t the almost 20 minings not enough for PNG’s developmental progress? Leave the forest along!

Note: Gene Drekeke Iyovo is a Post Graduate (Masters) students whose research is on Sustainable Energy Development at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China. Contact Mathew Yakai on m_yakai@hotmail.com or SMS 71489901 for comments.