In line with the global observation of Safer Internet Day on February 7th , CPL Foundation is pleased to announce the successful completion of our Cyber Sawe PNG Training for young people in Buka, Bougainville. As part of CPL Foundation’s key objective to enhance women and girls’ education and their empowerment in Papua New Guinea, the Cyber Sawe PNG initiative aims to expand PNG children’s knowledge (especially young girls) on computer technology and safety practices while on the internet with their mobile phones and computers. The two-day workshop, which ran from the 18th– 19th of February, saw over 30 young people attend and learn various topics such as Cybergames, Physical Security, Digital Traces, Cyber Safety and Coding. Workshop facilitators, Athan Kopar and Samuel Dakulala from CPL, said that they were pleased with the outcome of the workshop. “It was a new learning experience for most of the participants, but everyone was engaged in the training and used the opportunity to share what they learned with their friends and families”, said the facilitators. The workshop was jointly supported by Regional Member for Bougainville, Hon. Peter Tsiamallili, Raibro Construction, Jack's of PNG and Vodafone Papua New Guinea. Hon. Peter Tsiamallili emphasized the importance of cyber security education in this day and age. “I am, very pleased with this initiative and thank CPL and CPL Foundation for bringing this training to Buka. We hope more of these types of trainings can take place in the future.”, he further adds. The Cyber Sawe Trainings was initially introduced in 2022 in Port Moresby, and is part of CPL Foundation’s core objectives to empower women and girls through access to education & literacy programs, improved health-care services and economic empowerment opportunities.

The continuous rainy weather over the past few days has affected our raw water source. Our Water Treatment Plant’s normal operations and distribution of water supply has been impacted and has affected our supply. Water PNG Limited would like to advise our valued customers in Morata, 8 Mile, 9 Mile, PAU, Bio Farming, Moitaka, Kennedy Estate, McGregor Barracks, NASFUND, Bomana, Malolo Estate, Laloki, Mendoza Estate, Graceville, ATS, Skyview, 2G, Kilakila, Sabama, Horse Camp, Pari Village, Badihagwa, Idubada, Kanudi, Parts of Town, POSCO DAEWOOD POWER and Tatana that there will be an immediate total shutdown of water supply today (Wednesday 22nd February 2023). This emergency shutdown will allow our technical team to restore normalcy to our Plant’s operation and our main distribution system. We are currently closely monitoring this situation and attending to it. It is anticipated that with the current trend of power outage and rainy weather predicted to continue, the full restoration of our supply may go beyond 24 hours. We will commence soon with carrying out water rationing to areas already affected by this situation. For further information, please contact us on the following numbers: 703 11573, 750 10287, 756 42987, or 756 42933.

The Secretary of PNG Department of Information and Communications Technology, Mr. Steven Matainaho has expressed concern over the misinterpretation of the intent of the Draft National Media Development Policy (draft Policy) by various media outlets. Secretary Matainaho clarified that the current version of the draft Policy has no intention of giving powers to the government to control the media or infringing on the constitutional rights of freedom of expression. “The draft media policy aims to provide a legislative framework to strengthen the work of the PNG Media Council and enable structural and budget reforms to fund development programs for the PNG Media Council and universities” says Secretary Matainaho. Secretary Matainaho added that the draft Policy seeks to promote the media industry and unlock several benefits, including improving the conditions surrounding the media profession. Most importantly, the PNG Media Council will continue to operate independently of the government, similar to other professions such as the law (PNG Law Society), medical (PNG Institue of Doctors), and engineering (institute of engineers) professions. The government is focused on working towards one of its pillars in vision 2050 on “Knowledgeable Society”, to help us work closely with media to achieve that. The government, through the National Media Development Policy will support the development of a diverse and vibrant media ecosystem, with a range of independent media outlets that are free to report and disseminate censored informative and news contents. This can help ensure that a diversity of voices and perspectives are represented in the media landscape, which is essential for promoting an informed and engaged citizenry. By the government’s input in investing in education and training, promoting media literacy, and supporting a diverse and vibrant media ecosystem, it can further add value to the creation of a knowledgeable society where citizens are well-informed and engaged in the public sphere. The Department of ICT also acknowledges concerns raised by the Community Coalition of Corruption in its press statement on 16th February 2023, regarding certain functions proposed to be established in the Department of ICT. The department is currently working to address these concerns in the next draft (2nd version) and welcomes input from stakeholders to improve this draft policy. The draft National Media Development Policy is available for consultation on the PNG Department of Information and Communications Technology website.

The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) as it continues to reform its systems and strengthen its capabilities to support the national sport, announced its High Performance Plan yesterday at the Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby. “On behalf of the PNGRFL Board chairman Mr. Sandis Tsaka and his board I would like to congratulate all the stakeholders both national and internationally who have been involved in the process of getting this HP Plan to its launching and implementation now,” PNGRFL Chief Executive Officer Mr. Stanley Hondina said. “The PNGRFL is delighted to embark on this new plan as the game continues to evolve.” “The PNGRFL has made significant progress with structural and governance reform over the last decade with the development of its “New Ireland” governance framework. This plan uses that work as a foundation to develop the high-performance area of the game,” Mr. Hondina added. “We have been fortunate to see this plan formulated through our incoming High Performance General Manager, Mr. Marc Portus, after extensive stakeholder consultation with athletes, coaches, support staff, administrators and board members, the International Rugby League (IRL), through to the QRL and NRL in Australia.” he further added. The five-year plan has been supported by the Australian Government through its partnership with the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and the PacificAus Sports Program, in its efforts to expand support for high performance rugby league in PNG. Speaking on behalf of the Australian High Commission was Counsellor for Program Strategy and Gender, Krishni Goonesena, who stressed that Australia’s sports programs bring out the best of what Australia and Papua New Guinea can share together. “Australia through PacificAus Sports Program is helping to develop pathways for Pacific teams in elite Australian competitions, and increasing access to high performance coaching, and also supporting Australian teams to visit and compete across the region,” Goonesena said. “PacificAus Sports Program includes funding to QRL and this is in the order of around K16 million over five years, and this funding is going towards building up organizational capacity and high performance programs in PNG, including for the Orchids and the Kumuls teams through the PNGRFL.” “We’re pleased that some of this Australian Government funding has been able to be used to support the development of this excellent PNGRFL High Performance Plan which is being launched today,” she said. QRL Chairman Bruce Hatcher, although unable to attend today’s launch, said today’s unveiling of the High Performance Plan was a significant development for the game in PNG. “The High Performance Plan is a wonderful initiative, and it’s one that represents a big step forward for the game in a country that lives and breathes rugby league,” Hatcher said. “I’d like to congratulate the PNGRFL for their foresight and efforts in bringing this plan to fruition with the support of QRL staff, who have also worked diligently in their roles within the PacificAus Sports Program.” “This co-ordinated approach will ensure rugby league in PNG establishes and maintains higher professional standards for both male and female participants,” he said. Representing QRL at the press conference, Manager for Government Relations, Mr Arthur Eustace-Earle spoke on the partnership between the organizations and the commitment to seeing the game grow in PNG. “The QRL are keen to continue this relationship and would like to acknowledge the support of the PacificAus Sports Program. Today’s launch is the culmination of four years of key stakeholders working together to grow and support rugby league in PNG. We are excited about the next phase,” he said. The High Performance Plan will be focused on deliverables under its four key pillars of Education and Training, Competitions and Pathways, Coaching and Support Services and High Performance Leadership. The plan spans over a period of 5 years, from 2023 to 2027, seeing in the next Rugby League World Cup and its outcomes post-tournament. PNGRFL High Performance General Manager Mr Marc Portus when presenting the plan said that it includes seeing the female game having significant priority, propagating international high-performance standards through PNG national teams and the Digicel Club system and developing the capability of staff working in high performance rugby league in PNG are all focus areas. “This plan has been 2 years in the making with a wide range of athletes, coaches, sponsors, administrators and stakeholders being interviewed and consulted. The High Performance plan will work from the substantial platform of change the PNGRFL has laid over the last few years and I'm very proud to be a part of this significant body of work. It should be a game changer for the game of rugby league in PNG,” Mr Portus said.

PNG’s three teams competed well in the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst NSW last Saturday. The mixed relay team of Aquila Turalom, Scholastic Herman , Dilu Goiye and Mary Kua completed the race in 29min 42 secs , over five minutes ahead of Fiji, the only other Pacific Island nation to enter a team in this race. Herman was outstanding on the second leg, gaining a place by passing the Refugee team runner. Next up was the womens 10km race which saw Mary Tenge run a strong race behind Sharon Firisua of Solomon Islands and Nathania Tan of Saipan, with Ongan Awa and Scholastica Herman just behind Tenge. However the race ended in some confusion as it was abandoned when the PNG girls and a few others still had one lap to go. With a thunderstorm approaching, organisers were concerned about the safety risks and brought forward the start time of the mens race by 20min. The five PNG boys all ran very well with Siune Kagl leading them home in 36min 18 seconds from James Kuadua, (36:44) Abel Siune (37:48) , Aquila Turalom (38:09) and Israel Takap (38:51). Many observers commented that this was probably the toughest course in the history of the event with hills, lots of turns and a few obstacles to disrupt the athletes rhythm. Coach Brett Green was very happy with the mens team and with Herman and Tenge in particular from the womens team. He challenged the athletes to now focus on the Queensland Championship races in 1500m , 3000m and 3000m steeplechase which will be held in Brisbane early in March. These events are a great opportunity for the athletes to run personal best times and perhaps set national records, and show the benefit of the hard training that has been done over the past three months.

“The symposium was an eye-opener for me as I learned that several plant diseases in PNG such as the Bogia Coconut Syndrome and Banana Wilt Associated Phytoplasma are vectored by hemipterans,” says Noah Saruwa, Agriculture Scientist, and Australia Awards awardee. What’s a hemipteran you may ask? Commonly called true bugs, they range from cicadas and leafhoppers to bed and assassin bugs. There are more than 80,000 species and have piercing and sucking mouths to extract plant sap or suck blood. Enemies to agriculture. Growing up in his home village in Oro province, Noah and his family’s daily lives depended on farming. Seeing crops affected by pests and diseases inspired Noah to pursue plant protection studies. While studying a Master of Agriculture in Plant Protection at the University of Queensland, Noah attended the symposium that was held in Melbourne in December 2022. The 34-year-old was the only Papua New Guinean among plant scientists from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, and America. Noah applied for the Australia Awards scholarship to study for his master’s while working as a plant health scientist with the PNG National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority. He said: “I would highly recommend this scholarship to any Papua New Guinean who wishes to pursue postgraduate studies. Not only will you learn from some of the best universities in the world, but also build networks through participation in such on-award enrichment programs. Being exposed to such an international learning environment also builds confidence and improves your soft skills. It was such a rewarding experience for me both professionally and personally thus far.” From the symposium, he learned about the different methods used to diagnose and trap hemipterans, and the importance of viral diseases affect the agriculture system. “Even though there is no cure for the plant diseases caused by viruses and phytoplasmas vectored by insects, their spread can be reduced through the improvement of internal biosecurity, surveillance, and early warning systems,” says Noah. He also learned that pest diagnosis, surveillance, and monitoring are very important in agriculture. “Surveillance and monitoring help identify the pests and diseases we have on our shores, while correct diagnosis helps identify which insects are pests and which are not, and the right control strategies are recommended and applied,” he says. “As such, it is imperative that we improve our pest and disease surveillance and monitoring programs, which could serve as an early warning tool, where new and exotic pests and diseases can be detected early and eradicated before establishment.” The knowledge that he gained, coupled with the established networks formed with plant scientists from the symposium, boosted his confidence that potential vectors of Bogia Coconut Syndrome and Banana Wilt Associated Phytoplasma can be identified and prevented from damaging the crops. “I would like to thank Australia Awards PNG for organising such an on-award enrichment program where I have the opportunity to mingle and build networks with professionals from all over the world.” Noah is optimistic about using his knowledge and working in partnership with key stakeholders to empower farmers by raising community awareness on how to protect their crops from invasive pests and diseases. “Famers will be able to grow crops and produce more in an environment where there are no losses caused by pests and diseases.”