PIH - The hospital of death

The Pacific international Hospital’s “No Cash, No Treatment” policy has  resulted in yet another death – this time of a 10 year old boy.

Kua Dom,  was rushed to the private hospital  by his mother on the 3^rd of January  following severe stomach pains but staff at the hospital refused to treat  the boy  because the money  his mother had on hand at the time of the  emergency was insufficient.

         Kua’s  father, Steven Dom, a senior army officer   who was away on duty travel in Wewak gave   assurances that he would pay the hospital bills  later that day  but even that  arrangement was not satisfactory.    

Albert Tagua,  a close family friend said on Facebook:  “The father desperately tried to remit some money into his wife’s  account but  due to the long weekend and long cue at the banks, the transaction went through after lunch.”

Pacific International Hospital, Port Moresby

         By then young Kua’s condition had worsened.  He was coughing blood but still wasn’t enough to convince PIH staff that the boy desperately needed help. Kua was then  rushed to Port Moresby General  Hospital and died in the afternoon.

         Just three days earlier, on new year’s eve,  Philomena Eileen Ore,  nearly lost her three week-old baby at the PIH when she too was refused treatment.  It wasn’t because she didn’t have the money.  She simply  couldn’t pay  her daughter’s bill upfront using the hospital’s EFTPOS due to a systems failure.  

         “I had no cash and I was going to use the card but the system was down,” she said. 

         “Even though I gave them assurances that my family would go to the ATM and return with the cash while my baby was  attended to, the [the staff] couldn’t be bothered.”

         There are numerous cases that have come to the fore in the last three years.  In 2010, the  PNG exposed blog saw more than 50 responses  to article by  a Dr. Joshita Amai,  which highlighted cases where patients had not been treated fairly. 

One of the commentators posted on the blog saying:  “I saw a patient die there one afternoon… they wouldn’t resuscitate the patient because he needed to pay  a K500.00 kina deposit first. The relatives… brought back the money to no avail. The poor man passed away while they went to get money...”

In a scathing but rather obvious revelation,  Dr. Amai said  the policy of the hospital is to make   as much profits as possible and that they operate  as  a 24 hour hospital

“Twenty-four-hour service demands a significant number  of medical doctors and nurses.” 

Those who work at the hospital have also revealed that PIH  doctors are sometimes asked not to announce the deaths of intensive care unit (ICU) patients for a few days so the hospital can make  significant profits  of K6000 a night from keeping that dead body.

Dr. Amai went further to say that because PIH is a hospital with bad reputation, not many doctors want to work there. She  also revealed that the management  recruits  foreign  doctors who are under-qualified or unable to practice in their countries of origin for one reason  or another.

Mine tailings: A christmas gift for Raikos people

CHRISTMAS is a time of giving and receiving. And this christmas 2011, the people of Raikos, in Madang received their gift from the supreme court of Papua New Guinea that will last their life time and their children’s.
After four years of battle this supreme court decision of December 22 has ruled in favour of Chinese Mining company MCC to dump toxic mine tailings in their sea.
 “This ruling makes a very sad christmas story for us”, says Terry Kunning, one of the plaintiffs in this historic DSTP case. He says, “we fought to save some of the last remaining pristine waters in Papua New Guinea and this is what they give us.”
The decision yesterday was not about faith, christianity, morality, people, environment or science.
In Raikos’ Basamuk Bay, heavenly paradise is set to be reduced to a dumping ground of mine wastes as Justice Sawong and Harthson find the people have not been able to prove public or private nuisance.
The irony is that China among other industrialised countries has banned marine dumping of toxic tailings but pushes Papua New Guinea to bow so low and allow such practices in its pristine waters.
This decision not only favours MCC but also Australia’s Marengo mine who has been watching keenly behind the scenes throughout this battle.
In this court ruling, female judge, Justice Cathy Davani stood with the people of Papua New Guinea in her 33 page decision and said the appeal is upheld. However, her two male colleagues in the five and half pages between them decided otherwise.
Over its 36 years of independent life Papua New Guinea has refused to learn from local mines Misima, Lihir and Simberi or nearby Minimata in Japan, Minahasa in Indonesia and Marinduque in the Philippines or farther Vancouver Island in Canada. These are only a few examples.
In 2010 in Madang campaigns against this method of mine tailings disposal in the Basamuk Bay heightened and several members of parliament including the then Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare made personal visits to Madang to calm the people.
The Lutheran church has been actively standing up for its people in Raikos with their late bishop Rev Wesley Kigasung backed by a study they commissioned and still goes unchallenged today.
This case which attracted more than a thousand plaintiffs and witnesses, and some of the world’s top scientists speaks but a court ruling was not interested in the masses or their social and environmental concerns.
Tomorrow night in Raikos, followers of the Lutheran Church will light candles to mark the birth of Jesus. The Jesus message to them is hope. And as Mr Kunning puts it, “with heavy hearts and teary eyes it is our hope that some leaders will someday see the full quality of life that their environments offer and not be blinded by the dollar signs. It is our hope that our leaders will stand up for their people one day.”

Logistics woes hit Kerema CoI

[From Post Courier, 25 November, 2011]

LAWYER Alois Jerewai is familiar with the buzz of mosquitoes and the sweet aroma and taste of ‘saksak’, the staple of every sago loving ‘saki’ in PNG.
Mr Jerewai, from Sepik, has also heard that famous folksy ‘saki’ tune made famous by the Hollie Maea band many times.
So when it finally lured him to Kerema, the little ‘yu yet kam na lukim’ river port west of Port Moresby, Mr Jerewai thought the Gulf provincial capital deserves better.
The mossies were in abundance, the buai was plentiful, fish, sago and crabs littered the local market and the mighty Tairuma river reminded him of his own waterways back in the Sepik.
But Mr Jerewai, the assisting Commissioner hearing into cases of the Gulf SABL was so disappointed with the local set-up, he transferred the hearing over to Port Moresby.
Fetching water from a bucket for the basic necessities of drinking, washing, toiletries and washing hands not to mention the continuous blackouts were just some of the logistics nightmares that forced Mr Jerewai to postpone CoI and refer it to the capital city.
Other problems also included accommodation for the landowners scheduled to appear before the CoI and subsistence for the next two weeks of the hearing.
“I slept in Kerema Hotel and we had to fetch water with little buckets from big containers placed outside the hotels, and to go outside at night to fetch water for the use of the toilet, raises the question of security and this was just some of the reasons why I had to make the call over,” he said.
He said because the seven SABL’s in question were located in areas that were difficult to access and for want of time and funding, he had decided to use the aid of a three inch satellite resolution to view three SABL sites to determine whether developments had taken place.
“I can’t get a helicopter because of shortage of funds allocated to the CoI even if it will take three days but to travel by dinghy to each of these sites, it will take another two weeks,” he said.
He further expressed his gratitude to the PNGDF HMS Dreger Captain and his Executive Officer for transporting them to Paia Log pond for a quick site visitation.
He was also grateful for the orderly manner in which the landowners appeared and for the obvious respect they had for the system and the rule of law.
Most rural districts around the country are in dire need of Government services and Gulf Province is no exception. But with the much anticipated multi-million kina LNG project in tow, the SPABL is just one of a few other business ventures to follow, which will at last bring great wealth and development to the people and their province.
The venue will be held at the Inquiry’s head office located in Waigani and schedules are as follows;
*Koaru Resource Owners Company Limited to be scheduled for November 28 at 8:30am;
*Koaru Resources Owners Company Limited to continue November 29 at 8:30am
*Purari Development Association Incorporation will begin Nov 29 at 1.30pm;
*Purari Development Association will continue on Nov 30 at 8:30am;
*Perpetual Ship Limited is scheduled for 1:30pm on November 30;
*Vailala Oil Palm Limited will begin at 8:30am on December 1,
*Wowobo Oil Palm Limited, East Waii Oil Palm Limited and Aiowa Oil Palm Limited will begin on December 2 at 8:30am
*Their cases continue into Saturday at 8:30am.
So far, the Inquiry has yet to complete cases in the National Capital District and Central Province and the controversial Pomio case in both Port Moresby and Kokopo at a later date.
It has however commenced into the Mamose Region and is now two weeks into their hearing in Vanimo.
The West New Britain cases are yet to be heard when they commence on Dec 5.

CHANGE STARTS WITH ME

By Ganjiki D Wayne

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself”~Leo Tolstoy

The theme of changing ourselves before demanding change in others is slowly gaining a footing in the mindsets of our people. Slowly we are starting to realise that in order for real change to happen in our land, “I must change”. From adamant cynics—who blame the system, the unstable social structures, the ineffective legislation, weak procedures, inadequate funding, bad planning, corrupt leadership, foreign dominance/influx, non-education, and a whole list of social evils, etc—to self-evaluating citizens, questioning their own contribution to society and who are now taking responsibility. A soft breeze of self-change is blowing through our country.

Increasingly we are now measuring our own worth and value to this nation. On which side of the ledger do we sit? We either add value to our nation, or we don’t...in our micro-economy and budget-setting, peer interaction, family-leadership, and our primary stewardship, etc. In EVERYTHING we do we either make our nation better off, or we keep it from getting better.

For one we need to seriously question our habitual littering of our streets. Good ol’ BSP tries vainly to clean up once a year. NASFUND too. Hours later and we’re back to square one. Bai yumi weit wanpla yiar gen lo narap’la klinup?! But should we wait for our kind corporate citizens or our government to clean up our streets? Perhaps we wouldn’t have to wait if we just DON’T LITTER like our communities were big dumps?! And don’t use lack of bins as an excuse—I’ve stood at bus-stops watching people who will not take a 5meter walk to the nearest bin to dispose their rubbish..or spit their buai!

We should also question why we love colouring our pavements with our endurable red spittle that puts Taubmans to shame. Should we be proud of ourselves for this simple atrocity when it makes us look bad and stupid; and brings the likes of Powes Parkop and his family literally onto their knees to scrub the Waigani junctions?? Spitting has always been, and still is, an ancient significant symbol of utter disgust and contempt.

And we spit on our country...every single day...

Surely we have a love for our land somewhere in us that should keep us from such a contemptuous deed! Surely we’re better than that!

I wonder if calculating the financial cost of our actions and inactions would help. If we know how the litter and spittle on our streets keep ten-thousand high-paying tourists away? If we knew how many were not only turned away and made no plans to return, but also did not extend a heartfelt recommendation to their wantoks to “go to PNG”—because PNG’s cities scared the daylights out of them, despite the fact that they loved our rural locations? If we knew how much money we don’t get and then waste cleaning up again? Would knowing such projections help us change? I doubt it. If we don’t change out of a genuine love for our land I doubt we’d change for the love of money.

How can we expect others to love and appreciate our land when we have an attitude that’s a far cry from patriotism? If we have no interest in helping ourselves yet demand the massive improvements? If, through our habitual lateness and procrastination (2 of my great sins I admit!), we aren’t very productive yet expect high productivity and growth! The only thing growing at top speed is our population!

This nation is not just the trees, the rivers, the rocks, or the roads and the buildings...it’s the people. You. Me. We are PNG. And if it must be greater, we must become better citizens. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek” said Obama. But I like how Michael Jackson put it in his song: “I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways....If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change!”

Let’s do the little things right. Perhaps they will add to great change. Stop littering. Stop spitting the buai indiscriminately. Stop being late to work and taking off early. Stop abusing your spouse and kids; love them. Cut the prejudice and extend love beyond your tribe, your province or your region. Make peace quickly. Respect yourself so you can respect others. Celebrate your countryman’s success; don’t haul them down. Have some pride in our country...it’s the only one of its kind. Defend her honour. Give more than you take. Go the extra mile for her.

Just....be a great citizen!

God knows this nation needs better citizens than what we’ve all been to her.

The best formula for this wind of change is of course articulated by my Lord: “Hypocrite! FIRST remove the plank from YOUR OWN eye,THEN you will SEE CLEARLY to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” JESUS....

Hard words. But can the world truly change any other way?

Let’s Change!

Western people ‘robbed’ of land

[From Post Courier, November 24, 2011]

By Deborah Moses

The Commission of Inquiry into Special Purpose Agricultural and Business Leases (SABL) in the Western Province has heard more damning evidence of local landowners losing their land to conniving loggers without their knowledge.
Commissioner Nicholas Mirou is hearing into SABLs granted for land portions 27c, 1c and 14c in the North Fly District where tragic tales of land loss similar to cases recorded in West Pomio and New Hanover are emerging.
Mr Mirou also blasted district administrator Roland Manase Dmonai for signing away the Land Investigation Report without exercising due diligence.
Oral testimony at the inquiry indicated that most customary landowners living on or within the SABL boundaries had not consented for their customary lands to be acquired by the State and later transformed into SABLs.
Mr Mirou heard that no awareness was conducted by Government officials, particularly from the Department of Lands at Waigani and also from within the Lands Division of Western Provincial Administration or officers from the landowner company, North East West Investment Limited (NEWIL), informing the people of what the SABL was and how it would impact on their livelihood.
Acting adviser for division of lands, Western Province, Imen Papa said there had been a lack of awareness and claimed he had not been consulted with regards to the SABLs.
He told the inquiry that he had not perused the relevant land investigations reports, which he claims had been brought to him by officers of the potential developer company, Independent Timbers and Stevedoring Ltd, who had endorsed the information in the report as being factual.
He added that although he signed the Land Investigations Reports, he did not physically walk the customary land boundaries.
Mr Giwi Giwi of the Siom clan of Tiomnai village within the SABL Portion 27C said he had not been aware that his clans land had been acquired under an SABL, and had only become aware when it appeared in the National Gazette No G218, under the title of the North East West Investment Limited.
Mr Samuel Kepuknai, a former director of NEWIL, representing the Drimskai and Smipen villages along the eastern bank of the Fly River said that he had resigned after finding out that NEWILL had SABL titles to large portions of land totalling to 149, 117 hectares and 470, 642 hectares respectively described as Portions 27C and 1C.
He said there had not been any public awareness at all on the nature of the SABLs, and their consequences on the customary land rights of the people.
The evidence given to the Commission also indicate that the customary landowners may have given their consent not for SABLs but for the acquisition of their customary land for the construction of the proposed Trans-Papua Highway, which is an economic road corridor, which would link Western Province, to the Gulf and Central Provinces.
It is said that the proposed highway project will bring improvements worth K123 million.
Mr Dmonai said that he was only given the certificate recommending alienability of customary land in what is now Portions 27C, 1C and 14C and told to sign only on that page by the representatives of Independent Timbers and Stevedoring Limited.
He claimed that he was never given the Land Investigations Reports by officers of the IT & S Limited, who reportedly conducted the land investigations.
He said that he had signed the document on the understanding that an access road would be constructed in exchange for harvesting of logs.
Mr Mirou, however, pointed out that the District Administrator had failed to practice due diligence on his part, hence allowing for vast tracts of customary land to be acquired for SABL purposes, without relevant landowner consent.
The boundary maps presented as exhibits indicating areas in 27C and 1C showed the land area acquired by the North East West Investment Limited under the Special Purpose Agricultural and Business Leases in total was 619, 759 ha of customary land.
The Inquiry also observed that there were irregularities in the Land Investigations Reports which suggested that all clans had the same population, and also that while the term of the lease proposed was for 25 years; the Notice of Direct Grant issued by the Secretary for Lands, including the lease was for 99 years.
The Commission of Inquiry is expected to continue its hearings into other SABLs in the province and is expected to conclude on Friday, next week.