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Fidelis Sukina

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Agriculture

Helping Hand Honey in Goroka

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Kelly Inae dispaying his beloved bees.

Helping Hand Honey Producers is the name of the establishment founded by Kelly Inae in 2006. The location is always buzzing with life and Kelly prides himself with sharing the knowledge of bee keeping and honey production.

Located at Fimito Kafana Road in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, is the site of a bee farmers training area where honey is produced and packaged.

Plant life is important in the honey making process and for Kelly, he has amassed some hectares of land for a habitat that provides the bees with the pollen they need for honey production.

Kelly is a conservationist at heart and his habitat is a testament to that. He ensures the habitat is well looked after for trainees to see the different plants that aid in honey production.

Whilst it is a marvel to taste sweet honey straight from the hive, its a bitter sweet tale for the workers of the hive, with bees in the region falling short of a sweet finish. Production has declined in the past two years with climate change being a big challenge for the bees. But Kelly and his colleagues continue to figure out and innovate ways to improve the situation.

Honey from Papua New Guinea is much desired overseas and remains a high priced commodity both locally and globally but honey production is still at a small scale in country.

Kelly is working to export honey to Australia and is certain he will meet requirements before his first export date in November.

Kelly continues to pursue improvements in the industry and has written books and guides about bee keeping and continues to provide valuable statistics to the relevant Government bodies to help in conservation and honey production.

Helping Hand Honey

More info and contact information about Helping Hand Honey can be found at https://www.facebook.com/helpinghandhoney/ and more links to stories about Kelly and Honey production and training can be found there.

Related Story: https://insidepng.com/capacity-building-for-environment-conservation/

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Environment

Capacity Building for Environment Conservation

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14 highlands based Community Based Organizations (CBO)s that do work on nature conservation received two weeks training on capacity building and media recently.

The participants from across the highlands region, converged at Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, at the Research and Conservation Foundation (PNG) conference center.

The training was facilitated by Conservation Forum PNG with trainer John Ericho taking lead in the training.

The NGOs and CBOs are funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants program which is implemented by the United Nations Development Program. The GEF SGP provides grants of up to USD 50,000 directly to CSOs and community-based organizations (CBO’s) to undertake local projects that contribute to the global environment while generating sustainable livelihoods.

Managing and sustaining these projects is part of the training for these grantees.

It was fulfilling for most of the attendees that took part. Peter Kaman from Jiwaka works with Bridging Gap a drug addiction rehabilitation center in Jiwaka Province.

They substitute their income through honey production and his community is planting trees to preserve bees that in-return produce honey in the Waghi Valley in Jiwaka. Peter like many of the attendees are hoping to benefit from their conservation work, which in turn provides sustainability for their community.

Peter Kaman of Bridging Gap, Jiwaka Province, attending the training.

Like most the need to preserve nature is a choice that communities have taken up.

Interest in learning how to manage a change project within the community requires a wholistic approach and many participants were excited to take part in the training.

Trainer John Eriko says there is a desire for conservation and the Government is helping in terms of providing funding avenues for Community Based Organizations to take part in conservation work.

Related: https://insidepng.com/environment-conservation-and-land-management/

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Environment

Environment Conservation and Land Management

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Environment Conservation and Land Management

Research Conservation Foundation (PNG) manages one of the largest Wild Life Management areas, found in Eastern Highlands province, the Crater Mountain Wild Life Management Area.

Papua New Guinea is one of the last frontiers and has large amounts of its forest and vegetation still intact with unique native flora and fauna, clearing of forest and vegetation for infrastructure and development, coupled with an increase in population has put our unique flora and fauna at risk of being over-exploited.

Environment Conservation is everyone’s choice, and those that continue to uphold conservation, find it rewarding in preserving PNGs remaining plants and animals deep in the jungles of rural Papua New Guinea.

RCF PNG Director Dr Sangion Tiu and her team are based in Goroka town, since 1993. RCF PNG have overseen and facilitated in managing the Crater Mountain Wild Life Management Area and with the help of international organizations like the GEF Small Grants, they continue the good work of conservation.

Director of Research and Conservation Foundation (PNG) Dr. Sangion Tui

While development is inevitable and is certainly part of a developing nation, managing land to cater for conservation and other activities is a must.

The crater mountain area remains protected, and species of plants and animals thrive in their eco-system with some thought to have been extinct, have found refuge in the mountains.

Conservation allows for the study of our flora and fauna and continued research helps us establish a fair understanding of the species that are endemic to Papua New Guinea.

Dr Sangion Tiu says there are policies in place by Government to support conservation.

https://youtu.be/IXoGb3Dxukc

Related: https://insidepng.com/research-and-conservation-of-pngs-biodiversity/

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News

Gerehu Secondary School Alumni partner with School for future projects.

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Gerehu Secondary School in Port Moresby is one of the biggest secondary schools in Papua New Guinea with a population of 2,300 students and 69 teachers.

Current students and Alumni of Gerehu Secondary School on Sunday participated in a clean-a-thon, the group picked up rubbish along the outside of the school area.

The school is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year, from a provincial high school to a secondary school. Gerehu secondary school opened its doors in 1983.

President of the Alumni Association Judith Kila says the partnership with the school is to aid the school in achieving some of its target activities for the 40th anniversary and in the long term help the school complete some of their projects.

Like most schools in the country, Gerehu Secondary as a Government school faces overcrowding and shortage of resource material that continues to plague the teachers and students alike.

There are a few projects that lead back to 2008 that have been left abandoned, two six in one classrooms have been abandoned and neglected by the Education Department and its sub contractors, also teachers houses have been left incomplete as well.

Deputy Principal Administration of Gerehu Secondary Paul Lolya says they try to cope with the increase of students with the school taking on grades 7 and 8 as part of the new one six six curriculum, the school has been forced to convert its science labs and practical skills rooms to cater for the increase in student numbers.

The school has only benefited from the tuition fee free education policy by the Government through school stationary, comprising of biros and exercise books, the school has not been allocated any money by the Government for new infrastructure projects.

The only way forward is for Public private partnership and the Alumni is spearheading the move, appealing to former students of Gerehu High School and Secondary school to participate in finding solutions to the schools predicament .

Contact with the Alumni of Gerehu Secondary can be made through their facebook page.

Other Gerehu Stories: https://insidepng.com/fire-destroys-guest-house/

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News

PNG Invited US for Military Agreement

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Papua New Guineas Prime Minister James Marape says the Defense Cooperation Agreement signed between Papua New Guinea and the United States of America was not forced by the United States rather it was Papua New Guinea who invited the United States.

Prime Minister Marape says the agreement is not a move by the United States to counter China’s geopolitics in the region, rather an agreement to improve PNGs military capabilites, these sentiments were shared by US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken, who despite popular theory didn’t mention any involvement of US military in PNG as a counter to Chinas growing military presence in the South China sea.

Prime Minister Marape says the Agreement will be made public to debunk claims of the agreement being undermining of PNGs sovereignty.

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Rugby League

Round 3: Muruks, Tigers and Mioks take Early Lead

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Its early days for the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup, with the competition set for round four this weekend. After Round 3 of the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup, the Mendi Muruks, Lae Snax Tigers and the Enga Mioks, sit undefeated on the ladder, with the Muruks first, the Tigers second and the Mioks third, with the Port Moresby Vipers rounding off the top four.

Big wins by the top three teams over the weekend with the Muruks beating the Gurias in Lae 18-02. The Tigers at home in Lae beat the Hagen Eagles 32-02 and the Mioks handed the Sepik Pride
their first loss with a 32-06 win over the Pride in Wabag.

In Port Moresby the home side Port Moresby Vipers edged past the Hela Wigmen in a match that was frustrating and unsettling for fans that turned up, both teams with a mountain of errors
and penalties, with stoppages throughout the match, killing the momentum and creating suspense.

Despite the string of errors the Vipers managed to scrape through in the final two minutes to win the match 18-14.

The Wigmen were enjoying a slim two point lead with the scoreline at 14-12 in their favor, with two minutes remaining. The match seemed to be a sure win for the reigning premiers, but in the 78th minute a string of passes led to winger Benson Dabire on the right edge, Dabire passing back inside for Center Gilmore Paul to dive over for the match winner. A conversion by Vipers half back Nicky Hasu extended the lead to 18-14 for the win.

The Hela Wigmen, last years premiers are winless heading into the fourth round. The Wigmen have a draw and two losses in the first three opening rounds, a tough start for the 2022 Digicel Cup Premiers.

In other matches the Central Dabaris beat the Kimbe Cutters 16-10 in Port Moresby, while the Goroka Lahanis and the Gulf Isou drew 14 all in Goroka.

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Rugby League

Hunters Desperate for Win at Home

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It will be the SP PNG Hunters second home game of the season, at the Santos National Football Stadium this Saturday, 29th April when they host the Mackay Cutters in Round 7 of the QRL Hostplus Cup. Kickoff is at 3pm.

The Hunters will have plenty to play for when they run out to a home crowd this weekend, having fallen short to the Burleigh Bears in Round 6 last week. The Bears ran out to a big early lead having played with 90% of possession in the opening stages of the match. Starved of possession and field position, the Hunters had no chance to answer back as Burleigh dominated proceedings.

The Hunters had just three sets in the first quarter of the game, highlighting the lopsided nature of the contest. As the possession stat balanced out, the PNG side showed they can match it with anyone in the Hostplus Cup competition. They made the most of their rare opportunities in attack to score four well-worked tries against a highly experienced and confident Burleigh outfit.

The Hunters will be without suspended five-eighth Sakias Komati this week but will be confident of returning to the winners circle against the 14th placed Cutters. The last time these sides met was in Round 20 last year, when the Hunters produced one of the performances of the season. Down on the scoreboard with just minutes remaining, a length of the field try in the 77th minute clinched the result for the Hunters to ensure they finished the 2022 season on a high.

Current Hunters players Rodrick Tai, Judah Rimbu, Ila Alu and Brandon Nima were instrumental to that result and shape as key players for PNG again, this week.

The Cutters will travel to Port Moresby for Saturday’s match on the back of a 42-16 thumping at the hands of Norths Devils. Two sinbins to Cutters players Kyle Schneider and Sean Mullany made the task all too difficult for Mackay in that game as Norths ran in seven tries against a depleted defensive line.

Mackay have made a host of changes to their Round 6 losing side and will be desperate to get their season back on track with a win this weekend.

Player to Watch

Epel Kapinias might’ve finished on the wrong side of the scoreboard last week but he played out a career game himself to be one of the Hunters best in Round 6.

Starting in the middle at prop, Kapinias played 75 minutes straight for Head Coach Stanley Tepend and refused to take a backwards step in the face of a red-hot Burleigh Bears side.

With an engine that belies his hulking frame, Kapinias was a force on both sides of the ball as the Hunters chased a miracle comeback.

His strength through contact in yardage is evident with Kapinias registering half his total running metres from that game in post-contact. He busted five tackles and broke the line once on his way to his first try of the season and his fifth in his Hostplus Cup career. Kapinias also made 24 tackles with just one miss to show his worth in defence, too.

At just 24 years of age and approaching 50 games in the Queensland Cup, Kapinias’ best football is still ahead of him. The experience he is getting as a leader in the Hunters forward
pack will hold him in good stead as he finds his feet in the Hostplus Cup competition.

Coach’s Comments

Head Coach Stanley Tepend was understandably disappointed with last week’s performance and is looking forward to a response on Saturday.

“It’s obviously been a disappointing last few weeks,” said Tepend.

“Full credit to Burleigh who played a great game, but we just lacked energy and intent right from the kick off. We just weren’t there last week but the boys are learning quickly that in this competition you have to be ready to turn up every week.”

Tepend said his side has focussed on being accountable for individual performances this week.

“We’ve had a look at our individual preparation – what we do throughout the week, on gameday, how we’re preparing ourselves for the game. We need to be accountable for our own actions and make sure we’re all on the same page.”

“We’ve focussed on staying in our systems and being more resilient when things don’t go our way. We know we’ve got points in us but we just need to not panic and trust our defensive systems.”

Team List

  1. Morea Morea
  2. Siki Konden
  3. Brandon Nima
  4. Rodrick Tai
  5. Solo Wane
  6. Joshua MIre
  7. Jamie Mavoko
  8. Junior Rop
  9. Wesser Tenza
  10. Epel Kapinias
  11. Sherwin Tanabi
  12. Julius Yakoba
  13. Ila Alu (captain)
  14. Judah Rimbu
  15. Tom Moide
  16. Henry Noki
  17. Koso Bandi
  18. Benji Kot
  19. Sanny Wabo
  20. Trevor Solu
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News

Bougainville to Produce First Draft of an Autochthonous Constitution

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Consultations for a constitution for Bougainville towards independence has stated and is nearing its end with the Southern region final chapter for the consultations.
Vice President Patrick Nisira part of the envoy made it clear that the process towards independence for Bougainville has been laid out and there is no room for doubts, as the ABG has the main goal of independence for Bougainville.
“We are not second guessing we are working with the PNG Government to get Independence for Bougainville, we are merely implementing the wishes of the people of Bougainville expressed through the Bougainville Referendum conducted under PNG Laws, to be an Independent country.
“The people of Bougainville made a choice, we try to bring justification for the 97.7 percent why did people of Bougainville vote? Let’s not dwell on that it was a free and fair vote.
“We have been across the country in all four regions and we are doing Political lobbying for the final process of ratification in Parliament we want to gain support of the members of parliament in PNG,” Nisira added
The Bougainville Referendum vote in 2019 had an overwhelming support of 97.7 percent that voted for independence, it was from two options made available, the first being greater Autonomy and the second option Independence. The majority of Bougainvillean’s opted for Independence.

With the referendum results clear on the choice for independence began the Post Referendum consultations, with the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meetings paving the way for a foreseeable final political settlement, which upholds the terms and conditions of both the Bougainville Peace Agreement and part XVI of the PNG Constitution on the Bougainville Government and Bougainville Referendum.
After the three Post referendum consultations in Kokopo, Wabag and Port Moresby, the recent signing of the Era Kone Covenant on the finalisation of the Bougainville Referendum on Independence, has set the ball rolling for a final political settlement.
The PNG Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government both agreed in Port Moresby to uphold the commitments made in Kokopo and Wabag for the implementation of arrangements for independence/political settlement no earlier than 2025 and no later than 2027.
With a foreseeable future ahead the formulation of an independent nation is founded on a constitution, thus the ABG has assigned the Bougainville Constitutional Planning Commission to conduct a consultation with Bougainvilleans across Papua New Guinea.
Similar to how Papua New Guinea Established their constitution Bougainville will have a wide consultation for a founding constitution.
The commission is concluding its consultations in the southern region and are in Port Moresby and will later move on to Alotau.
The commission was represented by Vice president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government Patrick Nisira and Minister for Independence Mission Implementation and the Attorney General Ezekiel Masatt, who is also the commission’s deputy chairperson, the two spoke to the first gathering at the University of Papua New Guinea at the Drill Hall.
The commission said the purpose of the consultation is to take account of the opinions and inputs by Bougainvillea’s living across the country in order to produce the first draft of an autochthonous constitution, meaning a constitution that will be native to Bougainville to be an independent nation.
Attorney General Ezekiel Masatt said the consultation upholds the 2019 referendum that had 97.7 percent of Bougainvillians voting for independence, he gave a patriotic uplifting speech to those that gathered, telling those present that Bougainvillians must take responsibility of their part in this process towards independence.

“If you look at the referendum and a general election, the processes are the same except in the elections where we vote for individuals and they are replaced or retained in a set time.
“No one before or after the referendum will ever go through this process, it is this generation that has voted for generations to come. Voting through the referendum is not enough, the work we are doing to establish a constitution for Bougainville will give meaning to our referendum vote and shape the independent society we talk of.
“If we had voted overwhelmingly for independence 97.7 percent our responsibility did not end at the polling booth it actually started now that the commission is here we must acknowledge the responsibility that I voted for generations to come.
“No one forced me to make the decision of independence over greater autonomy, we owe it to future generations to shape our society and must take part in these consultations to develop our constitution”, Massat said.
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville had decided on the Path to Independence through a vote of referendum under the transitional Government which is the Autonomous Bougainville Government,
Now what is left is the ratification by the 11th parliament in PNG, for a final political settlement.
Whilst the political lobbying is ongoing, Bougainville has to have a strong economy that can support the growth of an independent nation, Vice President Nisira highlighted a few key projects that will bolster economic growth to propel Bougainville towards Independence.
“If we can work together, we can bring forth an economy that can sustain our independence, the political process is on track, but we do recognize the need for a strong economy for independence, we do not deny it, we are going to address it.
“Bougainville Copper bankrolled PNGs independence, and we have the mine, we have the asset, the President and the people of Panguna have agreed to reopen the mine, they want to create a local entity to attract international investors partnering with the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
“Hopefully by August the Government will give the Exploration License ELO1, to start bringing in investors,” Nisira said.

“Hopefully by August the Government will give the Exploration License ELO1, to start bringing in investors,”

Vice President ABG Patrick Nisira

The Vice President also mentioned that there are other projects as well inline to start which includes the
Manitai Limestone project, and the Bougainville National Gold Refinery which Nisira says is 80% Complete.
“We will keep our Gold in Bougainville.
“The investor will hold 60% whilst the Bougainville Government will have 40% share,” Nisira said.
The Vice President also mentioned the Bougainville Economic Plan which he says is in its draft phase.
“With this plan the ABG, Civil Society and business community will have better coordination towards building an efficient plan to improve the economic status of Bougainville,” Nisira added.
The other important projects include the building of enabling infrastructures, through donor partners and the government of PNG. This encompasses the construction of roads bridges and wharfs.
“We are still working on Bougainville Power to solve power issues in the region, we are also looking into green energy, Solar power and the hydro project in Tinputz will be revisited.

Consultations in Port Moresby will continue on Saturday at the UPNG Drill hall.

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Sport

Hunters lose to Tigers in first home game of 2023 season

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The SP PNG Hunters were handed their first loss of the 2023 Hotplus Cup season in front of their home crowd at the Santos National Football Stadium on Saturday.

Hunters took an early lead 20 minutes into the match but were playing catchup towards the back-end of the game.

In a similar fashion to last weekend’s clash against the Souths Logan Magpies, the Hunters fell short in their try conversions.

Despite having scored seven tries on the day, they managed only four out of seven kick conversions.

Their opponents, the Brisbane Tigers, managed six tries and converted five out of six while an additional two penalty conversions helped them to a 38-36 victory against the Hunters.

It was a valiant effort at best.

Despite the high scoring match, Hunters started with 12 men in the opening 12 minutes after a sin bin to Sherwin Tanabi; and towards the end of the first half, Sakias Komati was given 10 minutes in the sin bin.

Both men penalized for a professional foul.

The Hunters scored first in the 5th minute through Solo Wane, but a missed conversion by Sakias Komati held the hunters at 4-0.

The Brisbane Tigers replied through a four pointer from Brayden Torpy, a successful kick conversion got the tigers in front 6-4.

The Hunters snatched back the lead in the 18th minute through fullback Morea Morea his conversion from the kick stretched their lead to 10-6.

Two more tries to Brandon Nima and Julius Yakopa and a failed conversion by Morea Morea left the scores at 18-6 in favor of the Hunters.

Tigers Max Lehmann scored in the 34th minute, a successful conversion bought the score to 18-12 Tigers,.

Tristan Hope’s converted try in the 37th minute tied the score at 18-18 before a Tigers penalty conversion took the lead from the Hunters 20-18 in to the half time break.

Both teams took charge in the second half exchanging tries at each end of the field. George Jennings opened the scoring in the second half for the Tigers with an unconverted try for a 24-18 lead.

Morea Morea scored his second try in the 51st minute this time a successful conversion by Morea leveling the scores at 24 all.

Max Lehmann scored his second converted try and the Tigers again took the lead 30-24 in the 64th minute.

A converted try by Captain Ila Alu in the 68th minute once again levelled the scores 30-30.

Max Lehmann with his hat trick converted try in the 71st minute snatched back the lead for the Tigers 36-30, a penalty conversation by Tristan Hope in the 76th minute extended the teams lead to 38-30.

With just over a minute to go before full time Morea Morea unleashed another individual brilliant effort, breaking through unscathed for the hunters final try; his hat trick met with a standing ovation but despite his kick conversion the team fell short by two points ending the match 38-36.

The Hunters going down 38-36 to the Brisbane Tigers.

In his post match interview, Hunters Coach Stanley Tepend, described the match as high scoring however, admitting that the hunters had a problem one the defense and conversions.

“It was a high scoring match but the Hunters managed to play right through to the end, but we still have a lot of work to do we still need to tighten up in defense and discipline as well.

“We played with 12 men in the first half and towards the second half; we have a bye next week and we can regroup, but I will bring the loss down to discipline, we are playing well, we were looking sharp but we need to tidy up our discipline,” Tepend said.

Depite an early awareness by supporters on the shorfalls in goal kicking, Tepend says his goal kickers need more practice.

“Goal kicking and errors, we need to spend more time on it in training, we have been scoring tries enough for a win but we need to work on our discipline,” Tepend said.

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