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July 2022

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National Elections

Your future is in your hands, Vote wisely

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As the campaign trail winds up to its last remaining hours, voters are being urged to keep their future in mind when choosing and voting this election. 

Alvin Gia Huk, an independent candidate, and runner up in the 2017 National General Elections for the Mendi-Munihu Open seat in Southern Highlands Province is encouraging all voters to not repeat the mistakes they made in the past in electing people who don’t have their interest at heart. 

He said voters need to make wiser decisions for long term benefits for their children, the district and the province as a whole. 

“Don’t follow money and materials today and  spend the next five years neglected of your basic right to services.  You have the power to change your course in the next week, to receive what is rightfully yours and have a better quality of life”. 

Among other policies, he said a change in voters’ attitudes is what he has been promoting and encouraging throughout the campaign period.

“I have been educating voters since last elections to not vote with a cargo cult mentality or based on family lines, tribal ties and vote for quality”. 

He admits it has been a challenge breaking the cargo cult mentality but he sees some progress from the previous elections as voters become more educated and aware of what they deserve and what qualities they want in their leaders. 

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Business

Lai Valley Welcomes New Corporative Society 

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The launch of a new corporative society for Lai Valley in the Mendi Munihu district of Southern Highlands Province will pave way for economic benefits for 60,000 locals in the area. 

The Lai Valley Corporate Society was launched in Munihu Government Station on Wednesday (June 29) in front of eager locals wanting to learn about the society and the opportunities it would present. 

Interim Chairman of the society, Karl Sopol said the society’s focus is to help get the communities involved in small sustainable activities like piggery, poultry, and other projects rather than wait for government handouts. 

The birth of the society came through discussions among elites from the area who wanted to see how they could help their people sustain their livelihoods. 

Sopol said the society is all about helping people become economically independent. 

“Our target is to have 5 to 10 projects going in the next five years and with funding support of the government and through memberships and set up market access from the area and into the rest of the highlands all the way to Lae”. 

Sopol said with the right infrastructure in place such as the new Gulf to Southern Highlands Highway and other services such as electricity, it presented many market opportunities for the people to capitalize on. 

Eric Alom, an elite from Munihu encouraged the locals to support and take advantage of economic activities through the corporative society. 

“You alone do not have the resources to mobilize resources or to find the markets for your produce or products, a corporative society is able to do that for you, its here to help you get involved in business activities”, said Alom. 

The society now has plans to continue carrying out awareness activities to help people understand what a corporative society does and how they can benefit. 

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International

USAID for Women in Forestry 

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The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Papua New Guinea Department of National Planning and Monitoring signed an Implementation Letter of USD $2.5 million for Strengthening Women’s Equality and Empowerment in Forestry in Papua New Guinea. 

The funding emphasizes America’s continued commitment to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific through our strengthened U.S.-Pacific partnerships for sustainable, prosperous, inclusive, secure, and democratically empowered societies. 

The Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Secretary Koney Samuel countersigned the implementation letter on behalf of the Government of Papua New Guinea. 

The activity will enable women entrepreneurs to access supply chains and ecosystem service markets, develop women’s leadership in the forestry industry, and build women’s climate resilience. 

Deputy Mission Director for the Pacific Islands and Mongolia Betty Chung said the $2.5 million agreement reiterates to the PNG public how hard their government has been working to secure resources and partnerships for PNG’s development.” 

Secretary Samuel and Deputy Mission Director Chung also discussed the ongoing projects in Papua New Guinea through USAID funding, and reflected on the increased partnership between Papua New Guinea and the United States. 

“I’d like to acknowledge the support of the US government through USAID. I’m happy that USAID is stepping up to support different sectors including climate change, HIVAIDs, and the PNG electrification partnership to support PNG’s Development strategy plan 2030.” Secretary Samuel said. 

The funding will benefit over 250 women with enhanced livelihood opportunities in two provinces in PNG; reduce greenhouse gas emissions in at least 250 hectares of high-carbon areas; and reach a minimum of 15000 people through advocacy campaigns.

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