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PM jets off for APEC in Thailand

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Prime Minister James Marape says Papua New Guinea will maintain all bilateral agreements and cooperation with other 20 member countries during the 2022 APEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Prime Minister reiterated that meetings with close development partners like New Zealand, Australia, China, Canada and the United States will be paramount.

PM Marape said the previous APEC meeting has seen maturity and understanding between member countries.

“We will bring our agendas to the table, we are now emphasizing on two agendas, down streaming and exporting finished products to the world markets,” said PM Marape.

He added that Papua New Guinea boast vast natural resources and will ensure talks open more dialogue with world leaders to support grow the local economy.

The Prime Minister said the APEC Summit will open doors for Papua New Guinea. He maintained that he will be attending all the meetings including other State Ministers and beauracrats.

“It’s a very significant meeting for us. APEC is where world leaders meet and discuss for business and trade talks, ” said PM Marape.

The Prime Minister also announced that Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso will be incharge of the country for the next 10 days.

“I leave the country in the good hands of our Deputy Prime Minister and will return before Parliament resumes for the November session to hand down the 2023 national budget, ” said PM Marape.

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Climate Change

Dialogue on Coffee & Climate Change

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An agriculturalist and researcher say coffee can bring in cash for both economic purposes as well as generating revenue in the carbon space of Climate Change.

Mawe Gonapa, a Ph.D. student in a short presentation told local government authorities coffee packs carbon in its leaves, stems, and even beneath the earth using its roots, thus offering benefits as a cash crop.

“Coffee has the potential to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration, and if we come together and make our position clear on how to involve coffee in the carbon trade, create relevant guidelines to get it into the carbon trade, and have the carbon credit certified,” Mr. Gonapa said.

The Ministry of Environment Conservation and Climate Change initiated the meeting with Mr. Gonapa and is pleased with the information and discussions knowing it may be a prospect for the future.

“We have been talking about it (Climate change), we have been going to conferences, what’s needed from us now is action, coffee carbon trade may be our answer,” First Secretary to the Minister for Environment Conservation and Climate Change Motsy David said.

The officers from Both authorities under the Environment and Conservation and Climate Change Ministry – Climate Change Development Authority (CCDA) and Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) who were present, noted successive tree planting campaigns were unstructured and failed to provide an accurate number of trees that were already planted.

Mr. Gonapa added, “There is a huge potential (for coffee) to improve livelihoods as farmers will get additional income, improve conservation and bio-diversity when coffee is grown with other trees”.

Other tree species have been used in the tree planting exercise over the years, this is the first time the government agencies are eyeing coffee as an alternative.

First Secretary to the Environment Conservation and Climate Change Minister, Motsy David said, “The Minister responsible upon his return from the UN-sanctioned Conference of Parties (COP) 27 will initiate dialogue with Minister Coffee and other related ministers to progress this”.

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Education

Perseverance to Improve Education

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Herman Namora, 21, is a 3rd-year student studying Literature at the University of Papua New Guinea. He is from Madang and is passionate about the importance of education.

Having made it thus far to the highest learning institution prompted him to help those less fortunate.  He was concerned about so many Grade 8 and 10 school leavers pushed out of the education system with no hope of advancing their career paths and returning to the village where social issues impacted their way of life.

His concerns started back in 2019 after completing Grade 12. He had returned to the village during the holidays to find out that one primary school had enrolled 60 Grade 8 students only to pass out 13 while 47 were back in the village.

 This scenario experienced in most rural schools persuaded Herman to do a survey with primary school teachers. The teachers expressed concern that students struggled with English and faced difficulties with reading and comprehension.

Herman Namora meeting with Teachers during his survey.

Herman decided then to help in any way he can. He gathered young adults in the community and conducted awareness on the importance of early childhood learning. With the help of the Catholic Diocese and Madang Teachers College, 14 school leavers were taught Phonics to be able to return and serve their communities.

Their work is voluntary and for two teachers who returned to Dallam they faced challenges such as setting up a classroom and sourcing materials coupled with ethnic clashes which hindered the progress of their teaching but all was not lost, the community realized the keen interest in learning by children aged 3 to 5 years and decided to build a classroom.

After two years and sheer determination, the first batch of graduands from the Early Childhood Learning school will be certified at the end of this month.

There is still more work to be done but excitement is in the air for Dallam village as they prepare for graduation day.  For Herman and the teachers, all the work is voluntary and they hope to seek funding for learning materials and reading books for the children.

The first batch of students. The classroom was built by the community.
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Crime

Investigations Underway for Kiriwina Deaths

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A Police Criminal Investigation team has been deployed to Kiriwina in the Milne Bay Province to investigate and prepare for a coronial inquest into the fight on October 24 which has since resulted in the deaths of 24 people.

Milne Bay Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Superintendent Peter Barkie said 22 people were killed initially in a three-hour fight that broke out after an argument between the coastal and inland villages over a soccer match. Two recently succumbed to the wounds they received during the fight thereby increasing the death toll to 24.

Mr. Barkie said the police CID investigation team was deployed after the Quick Reaction Force (QRP) completed its assessment of the situation on the ground on Kiriwina Island.

Mr. Barkie said he wants the coroner to be involved because of the large number of deaths. He said this is a first of its kind on the island so he wants the court to be involved and not just the police.

“I have spoken to the senior provincial magistrate about that. My team is up in Kiriwina doing that now. Hopefully, they will get all the necessary paperwork done within 14 days,” Mr. Barkie said.

Mr. Barkie said the people from the affected villages in Kiriwina are cooperating well. Police have discussed with the villagers the need to have all the suspects surrender and they have agreed to do so.

Mr. Barkie said the villages did not destroy any government, private properties, or business houses when they fought and the fight did not involve the entire Kiriwina Island.

He said the villages affected were from the Southern part of Kiriwina Island and around Louisa station. The Central and Northern part of Kiriwina was not involved.

Mr. Barkie said that normalcy has been restored, all shops are open, government businesses continue and people are carrying on with their usual daily chores.

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News

PILAG Partners NRI For Quality Research Training

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Pacific Institute of Leadership and Governance will be working in partnership with PNG National Research Institute to ensure quality research and training for the public service sector and the people.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today between the two institutions.

The MOU is aimed at strengthening the Corporation between the two institutions on how best they can serve the people with the use of research and training.

PILAG CEO Micheal Barobe said PILAG has been offering competency-based training to the public service sector, and with quality research from PNG NRI, deficiencies within the public sector can be reduced.

“It’s a very good opportunity for NRI to come on board because research can extend right into District wards and LLGS,” the CEO said.

He said participants from sub-national levels are also at PILAG and NRI can use them for research.

PNG NRI is an institution mandated by the constitution to carry out independent research on national issues.

The research contributes to evidence-based public policies and decision-making processes to improve service delivery and quality of life.

PNG NRI Director Dr. Osborne Sanida said the MOU reflects the mutual value both institutions hold in terms of training and research.

“PNG NRI is glad to go in partnership with PILAG, which is mandated to train public servants in PNG in order for them to be effective and efficient in their roles and responsibilities,” Dr. Sanida said.

The director said under this MOU the two institutions can also collaborate in a joint research partnership, co-hosting seminars and workshops to disseminate research findings through the networks of both organizations.

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News

Bougainville Featured on Korean TV

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Bougainville Featured on Korean Television

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville was featured on Korean Television channel KBS, a public broadcasting station of the Republic of Korea for the first time.

A special documentary titled ‘Reading Culture in Young Koreans‘, which was aired on KBS 1TV on Friday 21st
October 2022, highlighted the publication of “Bougainville, The Island Given By God“, a book
that introduces the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

In this documentary, CEO, Geun-Su Kim, who currently runs BOU&KO Ltd, a public enterprise in
Bougainville, appeared to explained the history, economy, society, and culture of Bougainville in detail.

After 12 visits to island of Bougainville, he wrote the book about Bougainville and had it published in Korean and English. According to writer, the book is scheduled to be released in November.

Morae-al LLC, a startup founded by university students who successfully published “Bougainville, The
Island Given By God” in the Republic of Korea, said they will take the lead in promoting and spreading the potential and beauty of Bougainville to Korea and the world through various media.

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Education

KTF Strengthens Partnership for 2023

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The Kokoda Track Foundation, Kina Bank, and the Motu Koita Assembly have renewed their partnership for the ongoing operations of the Motu Koita FODE Center in 2023.

The announcement of the Strengthen Partnership was made today at the Motu Koita FODE Center.

The FODE center is operated by an international development organization, the Kokoda Track Foundation, and funded by Kina Bank.

The partnership began in 2020 and has seen an annual cohort of over 100 students pursuing a second chance at Education through this center.

Motu Koita Acting CEO Gaud Frank acknowledged this partnership saying FODE centers are an important program in the education system.

“I am happy to see this partnership renewed today, and guarantee FODE services to continue in Motu Koita Villages,” the acting CEO said.

Kina Bank CEO Greg Pawson says their purpose is to continue to improve the prosperity of the people, communities, and markets they serve, and they are very happy partners.

“This Partnership aligns with our purpose and delivers tangible outcomes that can only benefit the people of Papua New Guinea,” Pawson said.

The Kokoda Track Foundation has established various FODE centers and education programs in various provinces.

When announcing this strengthened partnership, KTF CEO Dr. Genevieve Nelson announced plans to create more space for elementary school teachers to upgrade their qualifications.

She said the need for FODE and second-chance pathways are critical.

“Teachers are required the upgrade their qualifications, and there are new minimum entry qualifications required to gain entry into Teacher’s College as well as other tertiary pathways.

“We are proud to work with so many committed people from the Motu Koita Communities and give them a second chance at education,” the KTF CEO said.

The FODE center offers grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 studies to students who wish to upgrade their education, in the hope of pursuing further studies in the fields of teaching and health.

The grades 9 and 11 students are now preparing to sit their mock exams, and they will be sitting for their final examinations later this month.

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News

Ramu NiCo Promotes Locals to Higher Roles

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Ramu NiCo Management Limited continues to uphold one of its commitments of employment in terms of promoting career and promotion opportunities for all staff by continuing to recruit local men and women from the surrounding and project impact communities.

The Health Safety and Environment Department of Basamuk Refinery is going through a hiring process for its Emergency Response Team, of which these local men and women are expected to start work this month.

Deputy HSE General Manager, Paul Thompson stated  “What we are doing first is internal promotions, so where people have shown initiative and have all necessary skills, we are promoting into higher roles.”

Thompson added “Four trainees have been promoted into officer positions and are all local young men. An officer is moving into a supervisory role, who has been here for a number of years and meets all the criteria and we’ll also be bringing in half a dozen new trainees, men and women from the local villages”

Requirements that the company expects from locals is that they have grade eight education, good work ethics, physically fit, and who are willing to take on new challenges.

Thompson added “Over time, these young men and women will learn how to wear breathing apparatus, how to use fire hoses, how to operate trucks, turn the pumps on and off on the trucks, operate road accident rescue equipment; which are hydraulically powered, they will also learn how to enter confined spaces and do height rescues with ropes and abseiling”

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News

Refinery Health & Safety Initiatives Re-energized

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Ramu NiCo Management Limited’s Basamuk Refinery has started re-energizing its Health and Safety initiatives; post COVID-19. The Health Safety and Environment Department has been depleted in terms of manpower during COVID-19 but situations are getting back to normal.

Deputy General Manager, Paul Thompson said the HSE Department has a big role to play in terms of the Operational Environmental Management Plan which the company reports to the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority, on a monthly basis.

“We are now putting together a rolling 12 month schedule for the OEMP Compliance, with our monitoring, reporting, consultations and initiatives both within and outside the refinery fence lines and within the neighbouring communities” Thompson said

New recruitments into the HSE team have brought fresh ideas and new skillsets to the department putting the team in a strong position going forward.

Employees are starting to get back into what was pre-COVID or safety normal, and are putting back in place some of the safety initiatives which the Occupational Health and Safety Team are in charge of. For this proper awareness has to once again be conducted prior to the re-introduction of safety initiatives like the breath testing or the Blood Alcohol Concentration Testing and employees self-testing before work if they are unsure.

The HSE DGM said, the OHS Team has gone out themselves and started using the speed guns on Company trucks and vehicles, spoken to the drivers of those vehicles and informing them on why there is a need for them to drive safely instead of giving warnings for breaches straight up.

“You cannot run safety from a desk. If you can’t see it, touch it, feel it, smell it, you can’t understand it and you can’t control, assess and or assist situations.” Thompson said.

He further noted that the safety teams at Basamuk Refinery have gone into using interactive platforms like Toolbox where they share ideas by giving updates of incidents in respective fields of work, measures put in place and what the outcomes were, and are then being given feedback from other participants.

Thompson added that the focus for OH&S right now is on education and awareness rather than enforcement and compliance, and after the safety programs in place are re-energized, then these measures can fully be put back in place.

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News

Training for Women Leaders

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Twenty Women Leaders from various provinces recently graduated from the Pacific Institute of Pacific and Leadership and Governance, after a six-month Leadership training.

The Women Leadership Academy training targets female ward councilors and women representatives from the sub-national level, with the aim to advance their political careers.

The training program was facilitated by PILAG, in partnership with UN Women, and supported by the Australian High Commission and New Zealand High Commission, through the Women Make the Change Program.

The six-month training covers six modules covering topics on Ward Development Plan, and Pubic Speaking among others, and this is the second cohort of Women Leadership Academy.

The women leaders saying appreciative of the program, saying the training has encouraged and motivated them to be good decision-makers in their local communities.

UN Women country representative Themba Kalua said women are significantly under-represent in decision-making and leadership positions, and there is a need for women’s political participation.

“The current statics shows that PNG is 184 out of 186 countries in the world when it comes to women’s representation in Parliament, so PNG is not doing very well,” Kalua said.

He said having women in leadership will help in development progress, and everyone must support women’s political participation.

PILAG CEO Michael Barobe said PILAG is committed to working in partnership with the UN Women Program, and the Women Make the Change Program to support women political leaders and ensure women are promoted as leaders.

“We would like to see more of our women, who have taken this training step up and face the challenge,” the CEO said.

The CEO said the government has been advocating for more women in Parliament, however, there is a need for action, to bring about this change.

He is calling for more government participation in this training program, to ensure women are well represented at the National and Sub-National Levels.

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