NEW DAWN ON BOUGAINVILLE

300411 ONE MILLION KINA FLOATED
By Aloysius Laukai

The controversial MV SANKAMAP 2 floated out of the Buka Passage anchorage lastn night with noone on board.
Someone must have cut off its anchors to let it float past Buka town on the passage towards Ieta village.
It was stucked on the reef just out the main entrance when Aloysius Laukai took this picture this morning.
The former ABG minister who bought this boat is now the candidate for the North Bougainville Byelections

Two years ago another Million Kina Fishing Boat bought by the then Regional Member Leo Hannett sank just off the Taiof Island.
The former Regional member is now the Justice Minister for the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

There is another similar boat MV Buka Queen bought by the current member that has never left the passage and still anchored off the Sohano Island.

290411 DRUNKS & CRIME LOW
By Tom Kathoa

Police in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville say the common street offence of drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages in public is declining.
Commander of Police in the Northern Region, Inspector Cletus Tsien says the common sore eye of people being drunk in public has drastically improved with the imposition of police foot patrols in the Kokopau and Buka Towns including Sohano Island.
Inspector Tsien said other liquor related crimes have also improved as indicated by the number of police arrests for the first four months of this year.
Inspector Tsien said the number of police arrests is as follows; January 79, 72 for the month of February, 68 for March while the figures for April is yet to be compiled.
He said the April figure is expected to be much lower around the 40 to 50 mark.
Although, satisfied police are confident a total clean up of this can be achieved.
Meanwhile, it has been generally quiet overall in the region during the Easter weekend apart from cases not of criminal nature.

290411 DRUNKS & CRIME LOW
By Tom Kathoa

Police in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville say the common street offence of drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages in public is declining.
Commander of Police in the Northern Region, Inspector Cletus Tsien says the common sore eye of people being drunk in public has drastically improved with the imposition of police foot patrols in the Kokopau and Buka Towns including Sohano Island.
Inspector Tsien said other liquor related crimes have also improved as indicated by the number of police arrests for the first four months of this year.
Inspector Tsien said the number of police arrests is as follows; January 79, 72 for the month of February, 68 for March while the figures for April is yet to be compiled.
He said the April figure is expected to be much lower around the 40 to 50 mark.
Although, satisfied police are confident a total clean up of this can be achieved.
Meanwhile, it has been generally quiet overall in the region during the Easter weekend apart from cases not of criminal nature.

290411SOLOMON WATCH
By Aloysius Laukai

Reports of the Cholera outbreak in the Haku area of Buka island is taking its toll now into the Solomon islands.
The Outbreak was contained by immediate response from Health Authorities on Buka island however there are still individual cases being addressed still on Buka island.

There has been no case reported from Bougainville mainland since the outbreak was reported several weeks ago.

Meanwhile in the Solomon Islands,

Solomon Islands has taken the controversial step of telling citizens not to travel to neighbouring Bouganville in PNG because of growing concerns a cholera outbreak may spread across the border.

The World Health Organisation has advised against banning all travel between the regions... fearing the move could encourage people to cross the border undetected.

The Solomon Islands Health Ministry has stepped up surveillance of the border and embarked on an aggressive cholera awareness campaign in the North Western Provinces.

290411WORLD VISION TO EDUCATE PEOPLE
BY JOYCE TOHUI
A team from World Vision Buka office last week carried out awareness on its Education Project into areas of Central Bougainville.
In making the report, Education Project Development Facilitator, MARTIN MATUA told New Dawn FM that the awareness is to make people aware of the project and how it will be implemented in the area.
He said that the project was initiated following a survey carried out by World Vision which stated that literacy was a problem on Bougainville.
He added that this survey also found out that there was a great imbalance between the number of boys going to school compared to the fewer number of girls attending schools.
MR MATUA said that this project is the first of its kind in PNG and the Pacific and would be implemented at ROROVANA 1, ROROVANA 2 and two more villages in the Central Bougainville.
He said there are two categories in the project, one will deal in teaching literacy to children and category two will train youths with life skills.
He said these skills will enable them to be productive in their communities.
The Officer said that during the awareness the people are more interested in the training of life skills.

290411GET READY FOR DROGHT
BY JOYCE TOHUI
The Disaster Officer in the region, FRANKLYN LACEY is appealing to the people of Bougainville to start preparing themselves for the predicted drought expected in 2012.
He told New Dawn FM that Scientists said that the onset of the drought will be very slow for eighteen months but it would prolong.
MR LACEY said that as the price of copra and cocoa are good at this time, people must use their monies wisely and spend it on something that will benefit them in the long term.
He appealed to the people to buy iron roofing for their house to catch rain water and also get themselves water tanks and not to depend on the government alone.
He said the government is trying its best to deliver but it is the people that must think of their lives and put their priorities right.
MR LACEY said that if only people are mindful of sustaining their livelihood meaningfully than it will help the government to deliver whenever possible.
He said money is a big problem and one must help him/herself first.

290411One Thousands meet
By Aloysius Laukai

A total of ONE THOUSAND AND SIXTY EIGHT Primary School students are attending the Pikinini Soccer Competition in Buin South Bougainville.

The games started yesterday and will end on Sunday May first 2011.

Ages range from under seventeen and under fifteen.

In giving update from the Buin games, Senior Vice President of Bougainville Soccer League, JOE MAINEKE said that schools from BANA, SIWAI and Buin are attending the games.

He said that they would like Torokina schools to attend the next competition.

MR. MAINEKE said that South Bougainville plans to market its soccer stars in future that is why it is starting with the Pikinini Soccer competition.

New Dawn FM in Buka is getting update reports of the games in its broadcasts.

280411 ANITUA RECRUIT
By Aloysius Laukai

A local mining contractor, ANITUA MINING SERVICES is seeking for workers to work at the Lihir Gold Mine in the New Ireland Province.

And a recruitment team is on Bougainville to recruit Tradesmen in the fields of Auto Electricians, Heavy Equipment Fitters, Heavy Equipment Operators and Safety Officers.

People who are interested can see the recruitment team at the Kuri Village Resort.

For further information please call 986 4155.

280411 LANDS SUBMIMIT
By Tom Kathoa

A three days Land Summit is being planned for Arawa next month.

Participants at the summit would discuss all land issues in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

Among them are lands occupied by the Churches and plantations to be discussed on the first day of the summit.

On mission and plantation lands, participants would look at how and why land was acquired by these two organizations, and the positive and negative effects of their existence and activities.

On Post Conflict participants would discussed what has changed, ownership of monetary value overriding customary value, loss of knowledge on traditional and formal education and the likes.

It will also look Bougainville at its present as it is today

Speakers would include, Moses Havini who would set the scene and ABG Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon Michael Oni who would welcome submit participants to the summit

The following days would cover issues such as pressure on customary and alienated land, pressure on customs, environment and natural resources, Land tenure and dispute resolutions.

280411 SOKA TOURNAMENT
By Tom Kathoa

Primary school students in South Bougainville are taking part in the South Bougainville Pikinini Soka Tournament at Buin Town today.

Events Officer, Mr. Joe Maineke said schools taking part in the tournament are from the three districts of South Bougainville.

The games was kicked off by the Minister for Peace and Reconciliation, Hon Newton Kauva and witnessed by Michael Laita the Ex combatant Member for South Bougainville which started today would run for three days ending on the first of May.

Reports from Buin say that all the participant schools are being represented at the tournament.

New Dawn FM understands that the National member for South Bougainville, STEVEN PIRIKA is sponsoring the games.