Police Minister, William Gogl Onglo says security contigency teams have been deployed to Hela as of yesterday in light of the current situation which includes a squad from Mendi (yesterday) and a Mobile Unit from Mt Hagen (today).

The Minister strongly condemns the killing of reservist officer by the criminals.

“I do, in strongest term possible, condemn the attack by the warlords and eventually the killing of a reservist Police Officer.”

“We need to respect the rule of law and maintain our conduct as responsible citizens but these barbarians feel they are above the law and can take the life of an innocent policemen who was just doing his job”

The incident was understood to have stemmed from a gun battle between police and men from Kupari village when Policemen from the Mobile Squad 9 unit went to Kupari village for a peace mediation.

The National Executive Council in its meeting today endorsed for early security operations in the entire region leading up to 2022 National General Elections.

Minister Onglo said the security team comprising of both Police and Military personnel would patrol the region including Tari to help contain the situation before things gets out of hand.

He also noted that some mobile squad units from other centres were on their way to Tari in light of the incident.

“We (Government) had a quick cabinet meeting today and I asked for an early call out operation to include the Military and its approved,” says the Minister.

” All the security forces are being mobilised as we speak to patrol the entire highlands region” added the Minister

“We want to see investigations and arrests, we want law breakers and warlords to be dealt with the full force of the law. We must contain the lawlessness.” stressed the Minister.

The Minister concluded by saying with the NEC approval for a call out, both the Police and Military will work hand in hand to curb lawlessness as well as gearing up for the security operations for the National Elections until Dec 31, 2022 under the Election Security Operations Budget.

People First Party leader and Yangoru Saussia MP, Richard Maru said imagine a society without women and girls. That society will be no more.

Maru made these remarks when announcing the endorsement of Kessy Sawang who will be contesting Rai Coast Open and Lucy Siki Aiya who will be contesting the Kavieng Open Seat.

Both women contested in 2017 National Elections finishing third and sixth respectively.

Ms Sawang’s professional experiences are in Tax/Revenue Policy And Adminstration as former Deputy Commissioner of PNG Customs and Head of Tax Review at the Treasury Department.

For Ms Siki Aiya, she is involved in the private sector being an SME Owner herself.

Their experiences are in line with the party’s vision which is to see Papua New Guinea become economically independent and self reliant by 2032.

Maru said PFP is a small party recently re-activated after 10 years of dormancy.

“Our aim is to have our foot in the door in 2022 by bringing home two women candidates who we think have chances of winning,” Maru said.

South Pacific Brewery on Thursday launched its Life Saving Commitments as part of the Company’s program commemorating the annual Global Safety Day, observed every year in April.

The soft launch saw Managing Director, Ed Weggemans, unveil SP Brewery’s revamped Safety Wall that captures the Company’s Life Saving Commitments, in Port Moresby.

A similar unveiling was done at the Lae Brewery, led by Brewery Manager, Stella Ikasa.

This year’s Global Safety Day celebration was an opportunity for staff to take time to:

• Remind ourselves of our commitment to Safety

• Reflect on opportunities to deliver continuous improvement and continue building a strong safety culture

• Role model Safety, through engagement with our teams and

• Celebrate advancement and success

This year’s celebration is special in that it coincided with the launch of SPB’s revamped twelve Life Saving Commitments (what was formerly known as Life Saving Rules).

To mark the day, several internal activities were organized, including, the distribution of LSC booklets to staff and staff pledging their commitment to upholding Safety at the workplace.

In light of recent illegal gambling busts by the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority (PNGICSA), a partnership has now been forged with the National Gaming Control Board to eradicate all forms of illegal gambling run by foreign nationals.

In February this year, the Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority on a special operation with police busted 30 individuals of Asian origin, running cock fighting competitions in the jungles of Vanimo Green, West Sepik Province.

The workers from different companies placing bets of K1000 to K10 000.

Cock fighting is a brutal blood sport that encourages roosters to fight to their deaths.

Blood Sport is illegal in PNG.

The National Gaming Control Board (NGCB) and the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to combat such illegal activities and others in the country.

Under the Agreement, both organisations will collaborate on information sharing and effectively establish a framework to combat illegal activities and apprehend offenders who violate PNG laws.

NGCB Chief Executive Officer Imelda Agon said, the MOU will allow both organisations to conduct joint programmes and awareness to ensure businesses follow proper processes, and regulate and monitor existing business entities owned by foreign nationals or foreign nationals partnering with PNG nationals.

Agon said the Gaming Industry is being diversified and soon new games will be introduced in the country thus there is a need for prudent monitoring and regulation of businesses who are keen to venture or tap into gaming businesses.

“It is important that we strategically forge good working relationship with other government agencies and our partnership with PNGICSA is pivotal to combat illegal foreigners coming into our country and engaging in illegal gaming business and not paying their taxes to the PNG Government”, Agon said.

The Chief Migration Officer Stanis Hulahau said ICA wants to work with all agencies to improve compliance and at the same time help each other to enforce their respective laws and generate revenue for the government.

“At ICA we are stepping up our efforts to close off all loopholes in our efforts to create a joint agency collaboration where information and intelligence can be managed conveniently for the sake of strengthening our domestic laws to ensure foreign nationals who do business in our country are compliant.

“And this MOU is based on this principal of information sharing and collaboration in areas of mutual interests,” Hulahau said.

The MOU now enables NGCB to request ICA to impose travel restrictions or alerts on persons of interest trying to travel out of the country, provide information on persons of interest, and conduct physical spot check operations and removal if necessary.