Archive

August 2024

Browsing
News

Six rural airstrips in Lufa to be upgraded

By
Signing between Lufa DDA and Rural Airstrips Authority

The people of Lufa in Eastern Highlands Province are set to benefit from the rehabilitation of rural airstrips in the district.

Lufa district in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea is heavily dependent on-air transport, particularly the Unavi LLG.

The people of the Unavi LLG, have no roads connecting to the other LLGs in the District and depend solely on-air transport; access to hospitals for the sick and pregnant women depend on air transport; the inhabitants also transport their bags of coffee by air and in turn they also receive much needed goods and services from the planes that fly into the rural airstrips.

But nothing much has been done in the past 30 plus years in Unavi LLG to rehabilitate the six existing rural airstrips.

A partnership with the Lufa District Development Authority (DDA) and the Rural Airstrips Agency (RAA), saw the signing of the partnership to rehabilitate the airstrips, with the deal worth over K1 million to rehabilitate six airstrips in Lufa.

Kim Opiti, CEO for RAA (left) and Lufa MP, Simon Kilepa (right) holding onto MOA copies.
Kim Opiti, CEO for RAA (left) and Lufa MP, Simon Kilepa (right) holding onto MOA copies.

The signing between Lufa DDA and the RAA extends the corporation between Lufa DDA and RAA for the next five years.

The Airstrips that will be maintained include Guasa, Herowana, Kora, Maimafu, Mengino and Ubagubi.

Lufa DDA presented its 2024 component, which is about K518, 000 (K471, 136.41 [minus tax]).

This will be matched by the RAA on a Kina-for-Kina counter agency funding arrangement and will continue until 2027.

Unavi LLG President, Peter Sarau who flew into Port Moresby for the signing said the situation continues to get worse but this development will help improve service delivery to his people.

“At the LLG we have no roads in to our area, we rely on our airstrips, some of the airstrips haven’t been maintained since 1992 and if they are in a deteriorated state it takes up to weeks without any plane landing in our LLG.

“The sick that need to be airlifted sometimes lose their lives, even pregnant women suffer when the airstrips are down, our coffee bags go off when the plane doesn’t land, but now I know we will see some improvement in our LLG,” Sarau added.

Lufa DDA CEO, Demo Imara wearing a blue shirt and holding a microphone.
Lufa DDA CEO, Demo Imara.

Demo Imara of the Lufa DDA said they have made the funding available to start work in this very important endeavor.

“The district has three LLGs and most of them are accessible by road and through rural airstrips the District Development Authority have allocated funding to improve rural airstrips, and we identified the RRA as one of our core partners, the DDA has allocated K518, 000 to start work as our funding component,” Imara said.

Chief Executive officer of the Rural Airstrips Authority Kim Opiti said they look forward to working on rehabilitating the six rural airstrips in the district.

“Rural airstrips were given back to the Provincial Governments but there was no rehabilitation of rural airstrips.

“We look forward to this partnership with the Provincial Governments to help the rural communities, we will work with the people of Lufa and rehabilitate these airstrips and bring back much needed air services to the rural communities,” Opiti said.

Member for Lufa, Simon Kilefa said it was his DDAs utmost priority to ensure the rehabilitation of the rural airstrips to improve the flow of goods and services.

“Since 1975 the Lufa District LLG, Unavi LLG hasn’t been connected by road to the other areas in Lufa, that part of the district has always relied on air transport for goods and services and for transporting their cash crops which include Coffee bags to Goroka town.

“The upgrade of the six airstrips in Unavi LLG is one of our priorities right now, to ease the access of services and transport of cash crops out of the LLG,” Kilefa said.

Keep Reading
By
News

World Champions “Wan Squad” return home

By

Wan Squad hip hop dance crew arrived today at the Jackson’s International Airport to a crowd of excited fans and family.

Screaming fans from Gordon’s International School held up placards to welcome the international champions.

Beaming with joy, an overwhelmed little fan said “We are excited to welcome Wan Squad because they are the world champions of course.”

Another, with a little more sass said “they are WAN SQUAD of course!” indicating the group’s reach and influence among Generation Z (GenZ) and Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha).

Governor for NCD Powes Parkop who had to take his leave quickly because of the arrival of the newly elected Indonesian President, congratulated the boys in representing PNG well.

“This is an exceptional achievement for Papua New Guinea. It’s really good for young people in the country.”

In true Pacific culture where an individual’s achievement is for the whole family, tribe and community, the Tubusereia villagers turned up in traditional attire to welcome two of their sons OJay and AJay with the crew.

Kundu beats and traditional chants echoed at the airport as they danced in true Motuan spirit to welcome their boys home.

The traditional welcome home ceremony was completed with serving “rabia” (sago) to the whole crew.

The boys’ Aunt, Bonie Nanadai explained that the sago serving is a traditional “welcome home” ceremony for loved ones.

David Chee’s mother, Ila Vele who accompanied the crew to the United States of America, said she was a proud mother watching her boys perform among so many great dancers in the world and coming out champions.

“They won their heats and the semi-final and I knew in my heart they were going to win the grand final. When they won, I thanked the Lord as they had worked so hard with their training and they came first.”

Creative Director, Pyan Ng said the highlight of the whole competition was hearing the Papua New Guinea National Anthem played for the first time in the world of Hiphop dance challenge.

With immense support from Pacific Industries through the Mountain Dew brand, it has taken the crew six years to come to this stage.

Their advise to their fans and youths is to commit and never give up in pursuing a passion or dream.

Keep Reading
By
News

Vandalism of Light Poles in NCD

By
Vandalized Light pole

Vandalism of light poles along the freeway is becoming a very serious problem in the National Capital District.

Some concerned city residents are calling on the perpetrators to refrain from damaging light poles for extraction of copper wires because light poles provide safety to the traveling public especially during the night.

The Governor for National Capital District, Powes Parkop, when speaking to Inside PNG, expressed his disappointment stating that this type of behavior is very unacceptable and irresponsible.

Vandalized light pole along the Morata road in Port Moresby, NCD.
Vandalized light pole along the Morata road in Port Moresby, NCD.

He further added that lighting up the freeways and streets of Port Moresby is a very expensive exercise because the value of one twin arm light pole costs more than fifteen thousand Kina (K15,000).

“These kind of people have no regard for public security or public safety. These lights are very essential for safety and security in the city and they also assist motorists, and those who are behind it should hang their heads in shame.”

Governor Parkop further added the people who are buying scrap metal from these perpetrators should also be ashamed of themselves and put a stop to it because they are the ones engineering this particular criminal activity.

Kingsley Domofi, a community leader in Morata Surburb also shared the same sentiments, saying many people have become victims of street muggings and petty crimes in the darkness because there are no street lights to brighten up their surroundings.

“I want to warn those copper wire thieves who are carrying out this illegal activity to put a stop to whatever that they are doing,” he says.

All the Street Lights and light poles along the freeways come under the management of The National Capital District Commission (NCDC).

Keep Reading
By
News

Pacific Islands Forum backtracks on Fukushima Nuclear Waste Disposal

By

Regional leaders will meet for the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga from the 26th to the 30th of August 2024.

This follows their recent visit to Japan in July for the Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting [PALM 10]; Japan’s pillar of foreign policy with Pacific Island leaders.

High on the agenda in Japan was the dumping of nuclear waste water into the Pacific ocean; that agenda will again be a priority discussion among regional leaders in Tonga.

PIF Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown (left) with PIF Secretary General, Baron Waqa at 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10)in Japan. [[Photo://Sincha Dimara-InsidePNG]]

PIF Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown (left) with PIF Secretary General, Baron Waqa at 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10)in Japan. [[Photo://Sincha Dimara-InsidePNG]]

The view taken by leaders headed by Pacific Islands Forum chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown is that Japan’s treatment of the radioactive waste meets the standard set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

When asked by the media if allowing Japan to dump nuclear waste or treated water in the Pacific Ocean was against the Rarotonga Treaty, Mr Brown said quote, “No, the water has been treated to remove harmful isotopes, so it’s well within the standard guidelines as outlined by the global authority on nuclear matters, the IAEA.“

This view is seen as Mr Brown backtracking on PIFs previous stand in 2023 where he said quote, “Our people do not have anything to gain from Japan’s plan but have much at risk for generations to come.”

Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown.
Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown.[[Photo//PANG Communications]]

The Rarotonga Treaty, a Cold War-era agreement prohibits nuclear weapons testing and deployment in the region, but it does not specifically address the discharge of the treated nuclear waste water.

Another long-standing issue is the legacy of nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands by the US between 1946 and 1958.  The United States Institute of Peace has reported that the impact of nuclear testing from cancer to displacement to environmental contamination still plague the Marshall Islands today.

Meanwhile, Pacific Civil Society organizations continue to condemn Japan’s action.  Of the 1.3 million tonnes of ALPS treated nuclear waste water, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has conducted seven sets of dumping into the Pacific Ocean and the eighth is due to commence soon.

Japan itself is defending its action saying it will continue to follow international safety standards and ongoing monitoring by IAEA.  It will continue to have dialogue with Pacific leaders and support initiatives that mobilizes Japan technology and financial resources.

The annual Pacific Island Forum leaders meeting in Tonga will convene and engage in discussions and agree on policies that benefit the people in the region. 

ABC Pacific Beat recently reported that Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka gave strong backing to a plan to overhaul Pacific policing.  Mr Rabuka also said he will make an apology to Melanesian leaders at the meeting in Tonga for failing to secure an agreement to visit Indonesia’s West Papua province. 

At last year’s PIF Leaders meeting in Cook Islands, the Melanesian Spearhead Group appointed Mr Rabuka and PNG Prime Minister James Marape as the “Special Envoys” on West Papua.

Fiji’s Prime Minister said he is still committed to a visit and would like to make the trip after incoming Indonesian President Prabowo Subinato takes office.

Prime Minister Marape meanwhile is ready to welcome Indonesia’s President- today (Wednesday 21st August 2024).  Both leaders’ bilateral agenda will include discussions on West Papua.

Source: PANG Communications

Keep Reading
By
News

Lihir Landowners want Review of IBP

By
By NASA Space Shuttle image STS001-5933, http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ - http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0504-01=, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1982861

Lihir Mining Area Landowners Association (LMALA) is calling for a review of the Integrated Benefits Package (IBP).

This comes after the Government and the developer of the Lihir Gold Mine had not done a review of the IBP since 2007.

The IBP is part of the Lihir Agreements that were signed in 1995 to ensure the opening of the Lihir Gold Mine, the IBP is a compensation Agreement and Chairman of LMALA James Laketan with his executive committee were in Port Moresby to persuade the Government to bring back the review of the IBP.

“Our issue and concerns refer to compensation for our landowners, as landowners we deserve the compensation because of the effects of the mine. This is under Section 154 (1) and 154 (6) of the Mining Act, where it states that compensation must be paid to all mine affected landowners and this also applies in Section 156 (6) of the Mining Act that states those in the periphery of the mine area as well must be included,” Laketan said

Laketan says there is a five-year cycle for review, and there hasn’t been a review for IBP since 2007.

He added they were eager for a review in 2017, in the hopes that it would lead to them finally knowing the value of the IBP, and going forward the figures would help them, work on a sustainable development plan.

This sadly didn’t happen, instead there was a new agreement put forth by the developer and the Government in 2017.

“In 2017 when the developer and the Mineral Resource Authority wanted to start the review process on the Lihir Agreements, but there wasn’t consideration given to have the IBP in the review, instead they put in a new agreement called the Compensation Relocation Agreement (CRA) a totally new agreement, this left LMALA and the Local Level Government, the signatories to the IBP to Pull out because IBP wasn’t in the review.

“We want the Government and the developer to get the IPB Review back on the table so that the outstanding benefits and obligations from the IPB can be given to the people, the review is outstanding, and there is no positive feedback after we had put in our query for a review of IBP,” Laketan said.

LMALA also mentioned in a Media release that they as landowners never gave their free and prior informed consent to have CRA as their new compensation agreement. refereeing to the fact that their push to have IBP as the only Compensation Agreement has fallen on deaf ears, with the Government and developer proceeding with the CRA.

Keep Reading
By
News

Survey for Media Freedom launched in the Pacific

By
Pacific Freedom Forum Logo

President of the PNG Media Council Neville Choi is urging all media professionals in Papua New Guinea to take part in the recently launched media survey in the Pacific.

This inaugural survey hopes to capture the experiences and challenges facing Pacific journalists attempting to uphold freedom of expression and information across the region.

The media survey was launched on the 7th of August by the Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF).

An online network founded more than a decade ago, the PFF works to protect and promote Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which establishes the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of information as a fundamental human right.

The pilot Pacific Islands Media Freedom Survey is aimed at establishing robust baseline data on the state of media freedom in the Pacific, according to PFF Chair, Robert Iroga.

“We intend to use the survey results to create an inaugural Pacific Islands Media Freedom Index or standard for measuring Pacific media freedoms that is for us, by us and about us,” Iroga said.

PFF will use this baseline for further monitoring, capturing, reporting, and prompting of media freedom in island nations.

“Given the development of the media industry in our region, it is high time that we as Pacific islanders, who live and know the Pacific well, carry out the survey with and for our Pacific journalists,” Iroga said.

A founding editor of one of Solomon Islands most prolific online news sites, Iroga is also the Vice President of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) which is collaborating on the project.

President of the PNG Media Council Mr Choi in encouraging PNG Journalists to be part of the survey says with the government’s focus on the perceived level of “media freedom” in the country, it is only logical for us to support a more contextualized and region-based survey about the level of media freedom within each of our countries.

The PFF plans to launch its inaugural Pacific Islands Media Freedom Index (PIMFI) and accompanying report at PINA’s biennial media summit to be held in Niue in September.

PFF and PINA jointly represent Pacific Islands journalists on the media freedom and free speech monitoring conducted by the IFEX – the International Freedom of Expression Exchange – a global network that defends and promotes freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.“

Internews, the global media and information strengthening NGO, whose Transparent Pacific project is supporting the survey and establishment of a PIMFI, is also hosting two days of dialogue for editors and journalists at the PINA summit.

It is hoped these roundtables will provide an opportunity for a collective response and strategies to be formulated in light of the snapshot of the challenges facing media freedoms across the region in 2023 provided by the survey.

The PFF acknowledged Reporters without Borders for their previous global work Iroga said.

“The work done by them helped highlight that it was time to develop a more specific and Pacific-led approach,” Iroga said.

If you are working in the media in a Pacific Island nation you can take the 2024 Pacific Islands Media Freedom Survey at For us. By us. About us.

Click the link to take the survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7JJJWP8

Keep Reading
By
News

InsidePNG Appoints Charmaine Yanam as Editor-in-Chief

By
Charmaine Yanam, Editor in Chief/Inside PNG

InsidePNG announced the appointment of Ms. Charmaine Yanam as its new Editor-in-Chief today.

 Ms. Yanam, who has extensive experience as a news journalist across radio, television and most recently in the civil society space, will now lead the InsidePNG team as it builds its focus into investigative journalism.

A co-founder of InsidePNG, Ms. Yanam was a member of the EMTV News Team which was terminated en masse in 2022 under controversial circumstances.

“InsidePNG emerged from a group of 24 TV News Journalists, Cameramen and Video Editors who took a stand against bullying and intimidation in their newsroom.

“Now I have the opportunity to lead this team of intrepid truth seekers who are InsidePNG. Our focus now is on strengthening our investigative journalism capacity,” Ms. Yanam says.

As Editor-in-Chief, Ms. Yanam will be responsible for overseeing all editorial operations at InsidePNG, ensuring that the publication maintains the highest standards of journalism and delivers accurate, reliable, and relevant news and information to our readers.

All correspondence related to editorial matters, inquiries, and feedback should be directed to Ms. Yanam in her capacity as Editor-in-Chief.

InsidePNG is confident that under Ms. Yanam’s leadership, it will continue to be a trusted source of information, providing readers with valuable insights and perspectives to stay informed and engaged with current affairs.

Ms Yanam is also one of two co-founders of Inside PNG.

Keep Reading
By
News

K94,000 for Madang SILAG Students

By
SILAG

Madang Governor Ramsy Pariwa presented K94 000 to the Somare Institute of Leadership & Governance as school fee payment for 19 public servants from Madang Province who are currently studying at the institute.

Pariwa presented the cheque to SILAG CEO Michael Barobe.

The Governor acknowledged the importance of capacity building for public servants in the province to help them effectively deliver government services throughout the province.

K94,000 for Madang SILAG Students
SILAG CEO Michael Barobe (LEFT) Madang Governor Ramsey Pariwa (RIGHT).

“It’s the responsibility of every government to empower human resource. As we all know school fee is a big problem in our country that we all face. I was able to pay part of my own school fees with copra and I recognize the challenge students go through.

“I was inspired to initiate the Provincial Government School Fee assistance program when I saw how it greatly assisted some of my course mates from Morobe and Enga while studying at the University of Papua New Guinea some years back. Now that I am in the capacity to create this assistance, I took it on for Madang students studying throughout the country. The program is called “Sir Peter Barter Scholarship Assistance Program”.

SILAG CEO Barobe emphasized that when a province has competent people in the workplace, the province will be moving because they have the right tools.

“He (Pariwa) knows the importance of human resource in his province,” said Barobe.

He said while many things are learnt on the job, it is important for certification to allow an employee to excel in that role.

Barobe also challenged other Governors to invest in building their human resource capacity for effective service delivery in the country.

Keep Reading
By
Rugby League

Stuart: Horsburgh could still play for Raiders in NRL

By
Ricky Stuart needs all hands on deck as the Raiders push for a finals spot. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

By: Jacob Shteyman (AAP)

Want-away prop Corey Horsburgh may have another chance to prove his worth at Canberra, with coach Ricky Stuart claiming the former Queensland State of Origin representative still has a job to do.

Horsburgh has this year failed to match the lofty heights of his impressive past two seasons.

The Raiders enforcer has made just two NRL appearances off the bench in an injury-disrupted 2024, with the majority of his football limited to reserve grade.

It was playing in the NSW Cup that the 26-year-old received an ignominious three-game ban for headbutting and punching Warriors forward Jacob Laban in June.

Since his return from suspension Horsburgh has remained on the outer, with Stuart preferring 23-year-old Simi Sasagi on the bench against Manly on Saturday in place of the injured Zac Hosking.

Ricky Stuart needs all hands on deck as the Raiders push for a finals spot. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)
Ricky Stuart needs all hands on deck as the Raiders push for a finals spot. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Horsburgh, who has been given permission to speak with other clubs despite being contracted to the Raiders until the end of the 2027 season, has been named only on the extended bench.

But Stuart said he still saw the former fan favourite playing a role in the NRL this season.

“Yeah I do. We need everybody available, fit and healthy,” he said.

The Raiders could do with reinforcements, likely needing four wins from their remaining five matches to make the finals.

Horsburgh has impressed in the NSW Cup – brawling notwithstanding – and could be a handy addition to the side after Hosking was ruled out for the season.

Hosking will undergo surgery next week after re-injuring his shoulder in the Raiders’ 22-18 loss to Canterbury on Sunday.

It was a disappointing blow for the rangy second-rower after only recently returning from a long-term injury lay-off, Stuart said.

‘He’s a new boy to the club, started the season extremely well,” he said.

“And unfortunately, the injury early in the piece to his shoulder forced him into a really long, arduous rehabilitation campaign.”

Teen five-eighth Ethan Strange comes back into the starting line-up after he was rested from the Bulldogs match.

The promising playmaker has been forced to shoulder substantially more game time than Stuart had initially planned this season, in the absence of Jamal Fogarty.

But with the experienced halfback back in the squad, Stuart felt the time was right to give Strange a much-needed breather.

“It was something that you learn as a coach from experience in regards to how a young boy feels physically and mentally, too,” he said.

Keep Reading
By
News

SILAG partners with National Procurement Commission

By
SILAG Partners with National Procurement Commission

The National Procurement Commission is partnering with the Somare Institute of Leadership and Governance (SILAG) to facilitate capacity building programs within the Commission.

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed today to signify the commencement of this partnership.

The collaborative agreement aims to enhance public service capacity and foster effective leadership through projects relating to course design, delivery and other learning and development interventions that are to be undertaken by and between SILAG and NPC.

This step taken seeks to promote effective leadership and good governance within these public service organizations.

The objectives outlined in the MOU are that both SILAG and PNC work together to identify capacity and training needs, design suitable training programs, deliver needs-based training and asses it’s impact.

SILAG will extend it’s learning services to support NPC’s capacity building programs, learning interventions and other objectives both at the Head Office and Provinces.

SILAG CEO, Michael Barobe said this agreement is in line with NEC approved Public Sector Training for Improved Service Delivery.

“The policy is intended to advance the government’s plans and desire to make the entire pubic service machinery appropriately functional through systematic training and recruitment that ensures merit-based appointments to public service positions.

Keep Reading
By
Pin It