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Julie Badui-Owa

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Court

Lawyer on Media Misinformation

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The Lawyer representing the wife of the late Sam Basil in a case has called on the media to be properly informed before reporting on court matters.

Felix Waingi of the Albright Lawyers in Lae made this statement following a newspaper article published on the 20th of September regarding the arrest of Shalatee Dong Basil, wife of the late MP, Sam Basil.

On the 9th of September, the accused appeared before the Lae District Court for mention of alleged offences of breaking in and stealing. Waingi who is Mrs Basil’s lawyer said the article had the wrong name of the magistrate that presided over the case on the 9th.

Waingi said the article mentioned Magistrate Lorna Sani when it was Senior Provincial Magistrate Pius Tapil who presided over the case. He added, the reporter based the report on a police-hand-up brief, which he says was not yet ready before the court.

Mr Waingi further added the public depends on the media for accurate and appropriate information to report on issues happening in the country.

“We can’t have the media reporting biased and misinformation because the public consumes the information as their gospel truth,” Waingi said.

He said for a country like PNG, the public views allegations reported by the mainstream media as facts, whereas social media is used to make defamatory conclusions against the accused.

“I urged the mainstream media to be independent and report responsibly with the appropriate and right information so everyone is well informed,” Waingi said.

Meanwhile, Mrs Basil will appear for her committal hearing on the 4th of November. She is currently out on a K5000 bail with conditions.

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Rugby

Lae Biscuit Morobe Hammerheads.

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The name Lae Biscuit Company is associated with Lae Snax Tigers and Lae City FC when it comes to sports.

But in a first of its kind, the Lae Biscuit Company today announced its K50, 000 plus the backing of the Morobe Hammerhead as well as securing the naming rights.


The Hammerheads will now be known as the Lae Biscuit Morobe Hammerheads as they head out for their first outing under the Lae Biscuit Company next weekend in Port Moresby.


Lae Biscuit Company Country Sales and Marketing Manager Jeff Lung announced the sponsorship today in Lae in the presence of the Morobe Hammerheads led by Morobe Rugby Union President Lionel Kamiak.

Mr Lung said the company will accommodate the team for the duration of the tournament as well as provide incentives of Snax biscuits and Snax noodles to the team for the duration of the tournament in Port Moresby.


He said whilst the team is still in Lae they will be given access to the Company gym as well.


The company has maintained its belief in creating and supporting the community by providing assistance to community projects, events, sporting events, and disaster relief.

Mr Lung said Lae Biscuit will always strive to give back to the community.

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Business

Morobe Mining Company Locked out of Office

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Morobe Alluvial Mining Company, a subsidiary of the Morobe Mineral Holdings Limited, the business arm of the Provincial Government owes huge amounts of rental payment and its staff unpaid salary.

Staff based in Lae, told the media yesterday, that they were laid off by the MAML Management for almost four months without any good reasons, or an official document.

They petitioned the management concerning the alleged non-payment of their salaries and Nasfund contributions.

On the 20th of July, a list came out confirming names of almost 60 employees who were being laid off by the company.

After the Management failed to address their petition, over 30 staff went and sought help from the Labour Department.

The Provincial Labour and Industrial Relations office then wrote a letter to MAML Human Resource Manager on the 25th of July, 2022 stating the employees’ complaint concerning the following;

  1. Non-payment of outstanding fortnightly wages and entitlements for 5 staff who ceased employment.
  2. Non-payment of fortnightly wages for 14 employees for 7 fortnights.
  3. Non-payment of staff Nasfund contributions.  

The Labour office urged the company to immediately settle the outstanding fortnights for the employees who ceased employment and to settle the outstanding non-payment of wages and Nasfund contributions.

The Labour Office further stated that Morobe Alluvial Mining Limited has breached the Employment Act for failing to pay the staff outstanding payments and should respond within 14 days. 

According to the staff, the MAML Management Headed by the Chief Executive Officer, Brigitta Pondros again failed to pay the employees outstanding wages and Nasfund Contributions.

They followed up with the Labour Office again, but they didn’t receive any positive response.

The employees are currently renting and leaving in town with school aged children. They told the media that they are suffering because of the company’s ignorance.

An employee who refused to be named said, “The Company is a good concept by the Morobe Provincial Government under the Leadership of Morobe’s Former Governor, Ginson Saonu, but it’s not managed properly.”

 A lot of money is used on hire cars and accommodation rentals for the Managers.

Inside PNG went to get a response from the MAML Management located at Lae’s Velerumana Building’s 4th floor, however, the doors were locked with padlocks.

We were advised that the company was told to leave the building due to non-payment of rentals.

According to the Morobe Mines, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Office, Morobe Alluvial Mining Limited receives K5 million from the Provincial Government since 2020. 

Morobe Alluvial Mining Company headed by CEO Briggitta Pondros was established on the 14th of May 2020 by Morobe’s former Governor Ginson Saonu and is operating under the umbrella of Morobe Mineral Holdings Limited.

MMHL is a group of company operating with various Alluvial Dredging and Exploration Activities in Morobe and is a subsidiary company of Morobe Provincial Government.

The affected employees of MAML called on the Morobe Mineral Resource Holdings, Acting Provincial Administrator, Bart Impambonj and the Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge to address their concerns with the management of MAML.

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Education

Students Miss Out on National Written Expression Exam

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Morobe’s Program Advisor for Education, Keith Tangui told Inside PNG that more than two hundred
students from two Secondary Schools in Lae didn’t sit for their National Written Expression Exam on
Monday due to continuous fights along Lae’s backroad area.

Keith Tangui, Morobe’s Education Program Advisor.

Tangui said the fight was believed to be caused by election related violence along the backroad area and
Bumayong.

This prevented the students of Malahang Technical Secondary and Bumayong Secondary
school from attending classes.

Mr. Tangui said the students who didn’t sit for the exam have to report to the Principal of the schools
and to the Board of Governors in order to have a position reserved for next year.

Tangui said the students have the right to education, therefore they shouldn’t be rejected by the Schools.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Education Advisor called on the communities to refrain from fighting and
respect the students’ education and school infrastructure.

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Education

Ablution Blocks Used as Dormitory Rooms

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An ablution block that used to serve the male students of Salamaua Provincial High School in the Huon Gulf District of Morobe, is currently used as rooms to accommodate sixteen male students.

Due to rundown dormitories and lack of proper infrastructure, the male students turned two ablution blocks into rooms with a holding capacity of eight students in each block. The students improvised in separating the rooms, making it possible for four students to sleep at the top and four on the floor. They had also turned the area where the sink used to be situated in the ablution block, into a study corner.

Student studying in makeshift study room
Material used as partition in ablution block turned dorm room.
Doorway of ablution block turned accommodation space.

Huon Gulf MP, Ross Seymour was on his way back to Lae after visiting the school when Lae Media arrived at Salamaua. Seymour said he made commitments to assist the school this year following the retirement of the former School Principal who will be contesting for the 2022 National General Elections.

MP Seymour briefly told the media that the district refrained from assisting Salamaua High School because of the former Principal’s interest in politics and that since he retired, the district would step in to assist the school.

Salamua Provincial High School Principal, Norman Apul said over the past six weeks, the school renovated and maintained a boys’ dormitory and would continue to maintain other dormitories for both the male and female students.

Meanwhile, the school’s Library and the Home Economics building are currently used as dormitories for the female students.

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