Momis backs inquiry into ‘Rabaul Queen’ disaster
04 February 2012
BY ALOYSIUS LAUKAI
New Dawn FM /PNG Exposed
AMIDST GROWING CLAIMS THAT THE VESSEL WAS OVERLOADED, the president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, John Momis, has called for a full inquiry into the Rabaul Queen sinking that claimed well over 100 lives.
Mr Momis made these comment when sending his condolences to the families of those people who lost their lives in the tragic accident.
He said that the probe into this disaster would determine the cause and those found guilty should face the full force of the law.
He said he fully supports the call by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to set up an inquiry into the sinking.
Mr Momis said the ABG plans to start up education institutions on Bougainville so Bougainvillean students can study in the province instead of taking risks looking for education institutions elsewhere.
He also said the ABG has plans to purchase its own passenger boat to serve its own people.
The Bougainville Disaster Office said that 46 passengers from Bougainville were on the Rabaul Queen.
Rabaul Shipping advertisement courtesy of PNG Exposed (left click for enhanced version)
Ben Sandilands takes News Ltd to the cleaners over this.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2012/02/04/what-is-it-with-news-and-a-policy-of-dishonesty-and-misrepresentation-in-papua-new-guinea/
Posted by: Peter Kranz | 04 February 2012 at 08:10 PM
News Ltd has done it again. In their latest story abpout the Rabaul Queen tragedy - "Authorities recover four bodies from MV Rabaul Queen ferry disaster" - they initially used a stock image photo of a toy ship sinking (since changed to a real photo of the vessel).
http://www.news.com.au/world/four-bodies-found-in-png-ferry-disaster/story-e6frfkyi-1226262628712
I verified this by a reverse image search (which finds copies of the same photo on the web).
Is News meaning to be offensive - and did they give any thought to the families still waiting for news of their loved ones?
Or do journalists think they can throw any old picture into a story just to liven it up?
When I said News Ltd has done it again, I meant they did the same thing when covering the Dash 8 crash near Madang last year.
They uised a stock photo of a crash in Pakistan over 12 months earlier.
I emailed Ben Sandilands (noted aviation journalist) at the time, and this is the story he wrote as a result.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2011/10/14/news-cheats-on-png-crash-photo/
Posted by: Peter Kranz | 04 February 2012 at 05:24 PM
Wow! Can't wait to know another 25% of Mr Sharp. The content of the advertisement alone reflects 75% of his "who gives shit" attitude.
Posted by: Joe Boine | 04 February 2012 at 10:58 AM