The ‘Lihir Today’ is an official publication of all stakeholders involved in the Lihir Gold Project. Issue #2 – February, 2008 Thomasita makes history By Liz Serafeni Her name will go down in Lihir’s modern history. Miss Thomasita Zikbel is Lihir and New Ireland’s first ever female fire fighting and rescue officer. The young lass from Bulamue on Masahet Island was the only female among 10 male counterparts who recently graduated as certified officers with the Emergency Response Team. Thomasita’s perseverance to be on equal footing in her training in the male dominated field was the driving force that led to her subsequent achievement that puts her rightfully as the first female fire fighter in Papua New Guinea. The 22-year-old joined ERT along with two other female trainees, Grace Naki and Georgina Rapis, as trainees in 2006. Naki and Rapis left soon after to join LGL’s prevocational training, leaving Thomasita as the only female trainee. “Looking back, I am happy I did not quit because I have found that ERT is about life saving and I want to be a life saver so I can save someone’s life someday,” she said. Thomasita will never forget the day she was welcomed aboard the team. The fear of treading in a men’s world almost drowned her but she rose above it and took on the challenge. “The ninth of October 2006 is the day I will always remember because it was the first day I was welcomed on board the Emergency Response Team,” she said. She managed to overcome her Thomasita Zikbel, Lihir’s first female fire fighting and rescue officer. fears and was able to put up with all her training and exercises with was rescuing from heights over men. of this team, I encourage you to fire chief said ERT is a demanding the support and encouragement because I had to learn how to “My customary obligations take the challenge because it’s for challenge and it is pleasing to see from her team mates and leaders. climb with rescue ropes and were hard to ignore, but as far as a worthy cause and that is to save a young Lihirian woman succeed. Her training included rescuing equipments,” she said. my training goes, I have to put up lives.” Mr Potol said as a result of her from heights, search and rescue, That particular drill was also with it,” she said. According to LGL Fire Boss (chief success, Thomasita has set a donning of the breathing a challenge because of her Thomasita is now encouraging fire officer) Goliath Potol, there benchmark for the other Lihirian apparatus (BA) and how to attend customary obligations where it fellow Lihirian women to take up are four more women training to trainees, both male and female, to to a callout. was unlady-like for women to the challenge. become fire rescue officers. reach for in the future. (See Page 5 “One of my greatest challenge climb or be seen to be hovering “To those who’d like to be a part In welcoming Ms Zikbel, the for more ERT news) MINING NEWS COMMUNITY NEWS COMMUNITY NEWS Lukautim Steve breaks Royalties wara trend – Page 4 – Page 9 – Page 10-11 Lihir i Lamel February 29, 2008 – 1 LETTERS Mi sapotim yu long stopim CARGO HANDLERS GET SECURITY CLEARANCE pasin ‘spak na draiv’ Mi laik tok tenk yu long Lihir i Lamel niuspepa long autim stronpela toktok long egensim dispela pasin bilong ol man save spak na ronim kar. Mi wanpela man husat i bin kalap long wanpela kar we spakman i bin ronim. Namel long ron bilong mipela, kar i bin kapsait. Mi bin kisim bikpela bagarap. Spakman i bin laki na i bin kisim liklik bagarap tasol. Mipela ol pasindia tasol i kisim bikpela bagarap. Wanpela mama em nau sindaum long wil sia. Wanpela papa, tupela han i bin buruk na six mun em ino bin wok gaden. Femili i bin kisim taim bikos nogat papa long painim abus. Mi yet bin brukim lek. Nao mi orait. Dispela draiva igo long kalabus. Em tru olsem planti manmeri ino save harim tok. Ol ting birua inonap bungim ol. Tasol wanpela gutpela dei, bai yu kisim taim nogut. Mi laik tok olsem, sapos yu lukim man o meri i sipak na sindaum long stia bilong kar, yu noken kalap long dispela kar. Maski em kandre bilong yu o ankol o papa, noken kalap long dispela kar. Olsem na mi sapotim tingting na toktok bilong ol bikman na lida bilong Lihir long stopim dispela pasin. Ino bilong Lihir tasol, dispela pasin i stap long olgeta hap bilong kantri olsem na mi laik tokaut stret olsem yumi mas senisim dispela pasin. Wanpela Pasindia Kimbe, WNB Thank you NCS Thankyou NCS long kam long Namatanai long baim kaikai. Mipela long mainlen igat gutpela kaikai na planti kaikai tu. Nau NCS kam long Namatanai, okei, yumi kamap patna bilong saplaim kaikai igo long Lihir main. Mi laik singaut na tok strong long ol pipol bilong Namatanai distrik olsem L-R: Reginald Winit, Elijah Dale, Danny Lesley and Clement Talele. dispela em wanpela gutpela oppotuniti long kisim benefit ikam long Lihir.Yumi hese four cargo handlers have responsibility which required mas wok strong long gaden, planim Islands Safety can now clear carry The four men were pictured moa kaikai, kisim gutpela skul long a special job at Tokua Interna- them to undergo further training. out on the spot passenger and taking a break in the terminal lukautim ol kaikai, rausim bintang we tional Airport in Kokopo, East After completing a Security baggage’s checks. building between flights. isave bagarapim kaikai, na tu yumi T olgeta mas wok bung wantaim. New Britain Province. Awareness training program in In line with Civil Aviation Thankyou gen long NCS long luksave They load and unload all the compliance with PNG Department Authority Rule 108, this means bilong yupela long mipela ol didiman Picture & Story by Jimmy na didimeri bilong mainlen. cargo that goes on all the planes fo Civil Aviation rule 108, Reginald the young men can also carry Peter that land at Tokua. Winit, Elijah Dale, Danny Lesley out airport security duties at the Farmer Boy Recently, they took on an extra and Clement Talele of Niugini Tokua Airport in Rabaul. Namatanai Noken Komplen, Painim Wei Women’s health care issues Trek should Long Halivim Mi laik bekim pas bilong Celine (Lihir i Lamel, Jan) husat i bin kam raun na igo need further highlighting bek pinis. become tourist I gutpela long kam long peles na irstly, thank you for lukim yet long ai bilong yu wanem them to attend a clinic. samting em i gutpela, wanem samting expanding Lihir i Lamel to There are many health issues ino gutpela, wanem samting iwok na include more pictures and that affect women, especially attraction wanem samting ino wok. F Mi wanpela mi stap longpela taim stories. mothers, and children that need down to the mine and the islands long Namatanai Town. Emi tru olsem Secondly, thank you for your to be highlighted for the benefit had fun reading this article planti samting yu bin autim tok long are “million dollar views”. That was monthly health column by John. of women in rural PNG. I hope about your bush trek across Lihir en olsem pos opis, benk, haus sik, ples Island from Lambuar to Londo probably the highlight of my bush balus, ol ino moa ron gut o sanap gut. For our communities where Lihir i Lamel can take the lead in I Tasol mi pilim olsem em ino gutpela Valley recently (Lihir i Lamel, Jan). adventures on Lihir. ever we are, we need to be aware highlighting this health issues long yu wanpela pikinini bilong Niu The rim gets a bit narrow in Ailan long komplen na putim long nius of health issues so that we can for women in the New Guinea It is good to see some of you na olgeta manmeri bai ritim. places and you have to be very lead normal healthy lives. Islands region. at Lihir try this out. I have done Sapos yu gat bikpela tingting long this particular track myself 3-4 careful. halivim ol pipol bilong yu, i moa beta Our families will be stronger if Lastly, I appeal to all mothers sapos yu ken sanap olsem maus meri everyone is healthy. Our country to be aware and update yourself times (can’t remember now) while I believe you Community long bikpela siti Port Moresby, pulim working with Lihir as a geologist Liaisons officers should try get olgeta Namatanai igo insait long needs healthy people to be with all health issues that affect wanpela eksin grup, na yupela askim productive. your families by attending some years ago. this treks established for tourist PostPNG, CAA, BSP na Helt Dipatment your rural aid posts and asking Another good track is following attraction. long ol dispela kain kwesten. Thirdly, thank you for the Sapos yupela ol Niu Ailan long ol column on Breast Cancer (Jan your nursing officers for more the Hurtol river up onto the bikpela ples olsem Port Moresby or Lae issue). This is a big problem in information. Luise Caldera rim and down to Well done! we ol het kota bilong ol dispela sevis istap, sapos yupela inap long kam bung Papua New Guinea because a lot Londolovit. wantaim na putim presa long ol bik of our women are still ignorant Susan in Kokopo After you hit the Caldera rim, Mannie ‘Sonny Bill’ Mehu man, ating ol bai harim tok.