Village court officers in Astrolabe Bay Local Level Government (LLG) of Rai Coast District say they do not have proper court facilities to hear court matters.
But one village court official said that does not stop them from performing their duties.
“There is no proper building for an office space, or courthouse to listen to court cases”, a court official said. The primary function of a Village Court is to ensure peace and harmony in the area for which it is established by way of mediation.
Currently, Court Officials in Astrolabe Bay LLG are operating under the shade of mango trees and security is a concern for the court officials when listening to cases in open space.
Apart from performing their duties in the open, the court officials say they are not being paid on time. These concerns were raised to local member, Kessy Sawang in a visit she made to the LLG.
Hearing the needs from the court officials, Ms Sawang assured them that she will follow up in her capacity as Minister for Labour.
A partnership promoting menstruation hygiene between CPL Group and Queenpads PNG Limited has reached the East Sepik province this month.
As part of the 48th Independence Anniversary celebrations the team embarked on a comprehensive outreach program and visited secondary schools in the Wewak Urban areas.
This outreach initiative’s intention is to break barriers surrounding the importance of feminine hygiene and health. To date, this outreach initiative has positively impacted over 1,500 participants, spanning across both genders.
Queenpads are reusable and have been sold at selected City Pharmacy outlets nationwide for more than five years now.
The awareness campaigns that aims to educate women and young girls on menstrual health cover critical topics, such as hygiene, health, and the efficient utilization of both reusable and disposable menstrual pads.
The partnership with Queenpads PNG Limited has seen CPL Foundation Inc serve an important role in sponsoring this awareness, which is reaching the broader community, including men, about the importance of open dialogue and proper practices in menstrual health hygiene.
The results have been remarkable, as the program has been successful in meeting the needs of women and girls concerning menstrual hygiene.
The program’s target demographic includes students, working individuals, and adult community members.
This initiative demonstrates CPL Foundation’s enduring commitment to the betterment of women’s and girls’ lives across Papua New Guinea.
The Rai Coast District has announced funding support towards Gaubin Community Health Worker (CHW) Training School on Karkar Island.
Rai Coast member, Kessy Sawang in an unannounced visit to the school allocated a K100,000 for a mess and an additional K500,000 for a 4-in-1 classroom.
As minister for Labour & Employment, Ms Sawang’s DDA is investing in the school because of the significant demand for Community Health Workers in the region.
The CHW Training school situated on state land is run by the Lutheran Church. There are currently 60 pioneer students, 15 of whom are female students.
The school currently has minimal infrastructure, including staff houses and mess facility made from bush materials.
During her visit, minister Sawang emphasized the need to replace the bush material structures with modern ones to meet the requirements of the National Department of Health (NDOH) for formal recognition.
It is anticipated that in the next five years, the Rai Coast District will have built a modern and fully certified Community Health Worker Training School overlooking Astrolabe Bay.
In a village located in Ward Ten of Astrolabe Bay in Rai Coast District, a group of youths are building a Resource Centre to help themselves.
The action by youths to build a resource centre is in response to recent violence that led to several lives lost and instability faced by youths at Bom village.
The group of young men have been working on constructing the Babo Youth Resource Centre and they are in the process of building a workshop. The almost complete resource center has been funded independently by the youths themselves, but they are now calling for assistance from the local member.
Member for Rai Coast, Kessy Sawang, who was invited to the project site, pledged support towards the self-help project under the District Development Authority.
Sawang said under her leadership, she will prioritize helping young people gain valuable life-sustaining training and development skills through resource centers and other similar initiatives.
“Specifically, they are seeking support in fully establishing the resource center and obtaining training in life-sustaining skills,’ said Sawang.
The youths aim to use these skills to make a positive impact on their community.
Sawang said her visit to Bom village highlights the importance of empowering young people to become self-reliant and productive members of their community. Especially in areas that have experienced conflict and instability.
A grade ten student at the Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE) is amongst fifty students who received certificates for an Online Learning Management Class System.
A pilot project that FODE students from two centers have trialed on digitalized learning of science subjects for three months.
18-year-old Laya Kara from FODE-Central said through learning online, she is able to do problem solving, science equations and other basic grade 10 science units.
“It motivated me to want to continue learn using LMS because I can see things and understand better,” she said. The 18-year-old was interested to take up the class after noting that she needed to improve in science knowledge while scoring good grades in her assignments and exams.
The digitalized training is conducted in partnership with Reelae. A company specialized in digital training. FODE Principal Anthony Rayappan said it was a good start for students who showed interest and completed the lessons.
“Let’s not think that we are failures anymore. We are same and equal to others in the school system. Be proud in our uniforms while attending the tutorials,” he said.
Rayappan said FODE is fortunate to have a digitalized system for learning. So students can use their devices to do exams, activities and tests.
Meanwhile the Education Department is also liaising with the Department of Higher Education. To consider FODE students grade 10 and 12 in the online selection.
Nominations for the Lagaip Open Supplementary Elections will Close on Thursday, 28th September at 4pm.
The supplementary elections will go ahead now after the electorate had no representative in Parliament for over a year.
The Electoral Commission deferred the issuing of Writs for Lagaip Open in the 2022 National Elections. This was due to continuous tribal fights in the area.
After security authorities in Enga confirmed it was safe for the supplementary elections, the Writs were issued by Governor General, Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae last Thursday in Port Moresby.
Polling is expected to run for one week from 21st October to 28th October. This will be followed by counting with the return of Writs before the 17th November.
Away from Enga, the campaign for North Bougainville and Wewak By-elections are concluding. With polling expected to start in October.
Both late sitting members of North Bougainville (Late William Nakin) and Wewak Open (Late Kevin Isifu) died from illness in July 2022 and September 2022, respectively. Leaving the seats vacant.
Meanwhile with the recent passing of Dei MP, late Steven Pim (September 2023) and Maprik MP, late Gabriel Kapris (August 2023), the electoral commission will be looking at conducting by-elections for Dei and Maprik Open Electorates. This will be expected after the funeral and burial of both Members of Parliament.
The signing of an Infrastructure Agreement by Bougainville President, Ishmael Toroama provides a framework to improve deteriorating infrastructures in the Autonomous Region.
The agreement signed during the Pacific Infrastructure Conference is worth an estimated value of USD$4.8 billion (PGK17.5 billion) and involves infrastructural works on government buildings, schools, hospitals, airport, sea ports, bridges, roads and telecommunications.
Toroama said the Infrastructure Agreement represents a momentous step for the ABG, towards building a prosperous future, through substantial advancements in critical infrastructure development.
“The first ABG was elected on 15 June 2005. In the 18 years since then there has been frustratingly slow progress in the delivery of critical Bougainville infrastructure,” Toroama said.
The Infrastructure Agreement is between the ABG and the following Companies:
Bougainville Public Private Partnership Limited (BPPPL) is appointed as the Program Manager responsible for fundraising and project delivery of Bougainville Infrastructure Development Plan.
Kramer Ausenco (PNG) Limited is appointed as the Project Manager responsible for project design documentation, project management and facilities management of infrastructures under Bougainville Infrastructure Development Plan.
Bougainville Islands Group Limited (BIGL) has agreed in principle to provide land to the BPPPL partnership as part of the infrastructure agreement.
President Toroama assured the founder of Kramer Ausenco (PNG) Limited, Frank Kramer, that his Government will collaborate closely under this new Infrastructure Agreement, with the shared goal of delivering urgently needed infrastructure for the people of Bougainville.
“ABG will be working together in partnership with Kramer Ausenco and BIGL to deliver transformative benefits for the people of Bougainville and agree to work closely together to achieve this,” Toroama said.
The Pacific Infrastructure Conference brings together political, business representatives from Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Japan, France, and various international partners, including the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and United Nations Development Programme, making it the most inclusive event of its kind in the Pacific’s history.
PNG Prime Minister, James Marape says there has to be a practical measurement of progress being made between the United States and Pacific Island nations, including PNG, since the first US-PIC Forum Dialogue in 2022.
Marape encouraged the US to consolidate its place as a true and significant partner in the Pacific. By means of increasing its presence in the area of people-to-people and business-to-business exchanges between the two countries. As well as the greater South Pacific (Blue Pacific Continent).
He raised these comments in his opening Statement at the US-PIC Dialogue, chaired by US President, Joe Biden, at the Whitehouse in Washington.
“We are here today to measure how much we have progressed since our inaugural summit in September last year. Papua New Guinea comes to this Summit in 2023 from a much-improved relationship with the United States but that is mostly from the Security perspective, which we must step up on all other fronts,” said Marape.
He said in 2022, PNG’s trade volume with the USA did not exceed $300million.
“As PNG is closer and has more access to the Asian market, we know that the depth of any nation-to-nation relationship is usually anchored and balanced when there is more commerce and trade relationships,” Marape said.
Two Papua New Guinean Defence Force (PNGDF) Naval Officers are amongst 350 sailors, from the Chinese People’s Liberal Army, who sailed into Port Moresby onboard the Chinese Naval Training Vessel, Qi Jiguang.
Qi Jiguang sailed into the Fairfax Harbour and was welcomed by Chinese Ambassador to PNG, Zeng Fanhua, employees of Chinese owned businesses and the Chinese community.
The two PNGDF midshipman are part of Qi Jiguang’s internship training involving five countries including Indonesia.
The two PNGDF sailors have trained and lived onboard the training ship in the last month.
Chinese ambassador to PNG Zeng Fanhua said the naval training ship, Qi Jiguang is the largest professional training ship with the highest level of modernization.
“It is a maritime military academic which is capable for hosting more than 400 naval cadet officers for internship training and taskings,” said ambassador Fanhua.
Qi Jiguang was commissioned into China’s Navy in February 2017 and has been sailing the Pacific and Indian Oceans conducting training.
Speaking through an interpreter, Rear Admiral of Qi Jiguang, Zhu Jianda, said in celebrating the 74th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, Qi Jiguang set on the 4th of September from Quando to conduct training and goodwill visits to Indonesia, PNG and Fiji.
“Over 300 Chinese mission men carried out training with counterparts from five countries including PNG. During the training they had navigational training and professional training,” said Rear Admiral Jianda.
Rear Admiral Zhu Jianda addressing the crowd at the welcoming ceremony.
During the next three days, Senior officers from Qi Jiguang will be meeting with their counterparts in the PNGDF. The crew members will visit each other’s ships and both sides will be involved in fun sporting activities.
“All this activities are aimed at enhancing our mutual understanding, strengthen our mutual trust and deepen our friendship,” rear admiral Jianda continued.
Rear Admiral Zhu Jianda and PNG Defence Minister Win Bakri Daki being escorted to the welcoming ceremony area.
Speaking on behalf of the PNG Government, Defence Minister, Win Bakri Daki said China remains a key development partner for Papua New Guinea.
“PNG and China’s relationship goes back a long way where PNG benefits a lot from China’s infrastructure and economic and human development assistance, “said Minister Daki.
PNG’s Defence Minister Win Bakri Daki official address to the visitors.
One such infrastructure is the reconstruction of a military hospital at PNGDF’s Taurama Barracks by the Chinese government.
This is it’s second goodwill visit into Port Moresby after Qi Jiguang’s initial visit in 2019.
Papua New Guinea has lost another Member of Parliament in the space of two months with the passing of Dei MP, Steven Pim, on the 24th of September.
The late MP is a member of the People’s National Congress Party and died from a heart attack at a private hospital in Port Moresby.
Opposition Leader, Joseph Lelang, said it is with a heavy heart that he is expressing his great sadness on behalf of his family, his electorate, and the Opposition side.
“I express my heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family, the people of Dei Open and the people of Western Highlands,” said Lelang.
Lelang said the late MP, showed charisma to restoring a sound government, accountability, and real service delivery to the lives of his people.
“Late Pim is a first time Member of Parliament and a shadow minister for Petroleum and Mining. He was appointed to various Parliamentary Committee’s including Public Works,” said Lelang.
Steven Pim was voted into the 11th National Parliament in the 2022 National General Election’s for Dei Open, as a PNC party candidate.
Pim’s untimely death follows the passing of late Gabriel Kapris, last month. Pim is survived by his wife Jennifer and four children.
