Economist predicts hike in LNG sale

By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
THE country may become an attractive source of clean energy for China if the energy demand picks up again in that part of the world, according to an economist.
Institute of National Affairs executive director Paul Barker said with China now cautiously moving out of Covid-19 lockdown, demand for energy would pick up again.
He said East Asia, including China, were seen to be the main market for liquefied natural gas (LNG) from PNG, and China’s demand would be strong with emphasis on cleaner energy.
“As China shifts from its heavy dependence on high emission coal to clean energy, PNG, which has demonstrated itself to be competitive in production and shipping costs, is still an attractive supply source,” Barker told The National.
Meanwhile, Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey said during the recent special sitting of Parliament the Covid-19 pandemic was affecting the world with commodity prices falling and global supply chains disrupted.
“These impacts are worse than expected, in part, due to the extraordinary drop in oil prices,” Ling-Stuckey said.
He said a fall in oil prices would lead to a fall in liquefied natural gas prices which was PNG’s largest export.
A team of local and international experts, assessing the impact of the pandemic on PNG’s economy, concluded that the value of PNG exports would fall by at least 13 percent.
Exports, estimated at K42 billion in 2020, are expected to decrease by more than K5 billion.
“This means lower incomes for mineral companies and lower incomes for many rural households.
“It also means that there is over K5 billion less in foreign exchange being earned. These external impacts will also reduce our revenues, including our resource revenues. In broad terms, we expect to lose around K1 billion in revenues because of these external impacts. This is bad news.”

Residents flock to market to stock up on food

By LARRY ANDREW
HUNDREDS of Lae city residents yesterday flocked to the city market when it re-opened after the 14-day State of Emergency lockdown.
Lae City Authority acting chief executive officer Neil Ellery said the market had to be re-opened to ensure people had enough food.
Ellery said 20 new hand-wash basins had been provided near the entrances.
The vendors’ tables were also spaced out to ensure social distancing.
Market workers also underwent hygiene training last week.
“We will look at establishing sanitation spraying of the market daily,” Ellery said.
The market will be opened at 7am daily for only vendors. At 9am, a gate is opened for members of the public to enter and another gate to exit.
Information brochures are handed out at the gate to sellers and customers.
Market staff control social distancing and people movement in the market.
“External markets at Kamkumung and 9-Mile will have to comply with agreed standards before reopening,” Ellery said.
Resident Kelly David said the lockdown had made it difficult to look for vegetables and garden produce, especially if there was no transport available.
“With the market opening, I see life returning to normal. I am happy to come and buy garden food at the market. But it is crowded which is not good in terms of social distancing.”

Marape defends credibility of testing by institute

By LULU MARK
TESTS on Covid-19 by the PNG Institute of Medical Research are conducted to World Health Organisation standards, says Prime Minister James Marape.
Marape was responding to concerns raised on the credibility of the tests conducted by the institute.
He said the institute based in Goroka “runs credible tests”.
“WHO, our partner in the fight against coronavirus and the many health issues we have, has benchmarked and rated the tests the (institute’s) laboratories run,” he said.

He said the first confirmed case of the 40-year-old expatriate last month was determined according to testing protocol.
He said after medication, isolation and another test, the person was tested negative, and left for his home country.
Marape said the same process was used for the second confirmed case of the woman from East New Britain. After found positive in the first test but negative in the second, they are waiting for the result of the third test.
Acting Health Secretary Dr Paison Dakulala said a team of experts studied where the woman had been and who she came into contact with, and conducted all the testing required under the standards and protocol of the World Health Organisation.

Police reiterate ban on betel nut

By ELIAS LARI
POLICE in Western Highlands have warned aviation companies not to airlift betel nuts into the province as there is a nationwide ban on its sale.
Provincial police commander Chief Inspector Jacob Kamiak sounded the warning after police confiscated betel nuts at the airport.
He warned that any helicopter or aircraft caught transporting betel nut and mustard would be dealt with.
A truck driver is expected to be frined K10,000 in Mt Hagen for smuggling betel nut inside tyres.
Police believe that they were being brought in from the Baiyer and Dei electorates. Police checkpoints have been set up to address the problem.
“People do not seem to have any concern at all that we are trying to help them. They can’t even wait for the state of emergency to lapse in two months. They just seem to defy directions and orders,” Kamiak said.
He said even shops and businesses were supposed to close by 4.30pm and people’s movement stop by 7pm.
He urged the people to cooperate with police and support the work of the coordination team in the province.
“I am warning betel nut sellers and airline companies not to bring any into the province.”
Kamiak also called on the community leaders to educate their people on the importance of their health and the spread of Covid-19.

Namah calls for wise spending of public funds

OPPOSITION Leader Belden Namah says the country should spend money only where necessary to save lives.
He was responding to a concern raised by Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey in a television interview regarding the alleged use of part of the K23 million allocated to the Covid-19 response, to hire vehicles and engage consultants.
“This is money that should be used to pay for medicines, testing kits, and personal protection equipment (PPE) for our doctors, nurses, police and military personnel who are on the front line of this fight,” he said.
Prime Minister James Marape later said Ling-Stuckey had denied saying what he was reported to have said during the interview.
Namah also condemned the Government’s announcement last week of a second confirmed case in East New Britain which sent panic and shock across the country.
“The Nonga Base Hospital was almost deserted. And now they announce that the case is negative,” he said.
“What kind of a leadership and government is this, giving conflicting and misleading information to our people?”
Namah yesterday also alluded to an alleged group conversation between Marape and some MPs, leaked on a social media platform last weekend, regarding certain land deals.
He claimed that none of the MPs in that group conversation on WhatsApp had publicly denied what was discussed and shared on social media.
But Marape on Facebook yesterday replied to Namah saying: “My friend the Opposition Leader continues to play dirty with misconstrued public releases to appease his team’s political appetite, and that’s fine with me.
“His latest releases of alluding to corruption based on WhatsApp communications that are in circulation perpetuated by politicians, is being studied by our legal team for legal recourse.”

Manning warns airlines to comply with directives

State of emergency controller and Police Commissioner David Manning has warned airline operators in PNG to comply with emergency orders and directives.
Manning issued the warning on Monday after it came to his attention that some airlines were not complying with emergency orders concerning health and safety protocols.
“These includes what appears to me to be deliberate breaches of the orders committed in the hope that my office would not find out,” he said.
Manning said if breaches continued, he would prosecute individuals and companies as well as seize aircraft and vehicles involved.
“If future breaches of orders continue, I will also stop operators from operating any flights for the duration of the national emergency,” he said.
Manning said he had been lenient regarding breaches and not taken any action aside from issuing verbal warnings as he was aware that it was a new system put in place and confusion was inevitable.
“I have issued a number of emergency orders that deals specifically with domestic and international travels. These orders are necessary to protect PNG against the spread of Covid-19,” he said.
“In particular, flights are a key factor that can spread the disease throughout PNG.”
Manning said the emergency orders and directives were imposed after consultation with the Health Department to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Air Niugini said it had beefed up its health and safety measures for passengers travelling on its domestic flights.
It confirmed that temperature checks were being carried out on all passengers prior to every flight and the airline was supplying all passengers with face masks and hand sanitisers.