The Member for Yangoru-Saussia and Minister for International Trade and Investments, Richard Maru has advised that police operations in the Yangoru-Saussia District will continue in the district to curb mass lawlessness until the completion of the Police Barracks. Maru stated that thanks to the Presence of Mobile Squad 15 crime in the district has dropped and he is thankful for the support from the police. The Minister is now urging the people of the district to cooperate with the police. “We (Yangoru-Saussia DDA) will cooperate with them and support them in every way we can to make sure the operation continues. I do not want any police mediation; any criminal must be arrested and charged.” He stated that it is costing Yangoru-Saussia DDA a lot of money to bring police in to deal with the criminals and has advised MS15 not to compromise with anyone. “To the people to Yangoru-Saussia, do not think that Mobile Squad will leave, and you will go back to committing crimes.” “My intention as the Member for Yangoru-Saussia is for the Mobile Squad to remain and continue the operation until Yangoru Mobile Barracks is completed.” “I have no intention to give time for the people to go back to lawlessness and destroy Government properties and disturb the people at Yangoru Station and in the district.” He said due to the serious shortage of manpower in the province, and it is very difficult to contain crime not only in Yangoru-Saussia but across the province. “We want to reduce crime and bring in investors and more development. We cannot develop if we have law and order issues. Development will rise and fall on the back of law and order, so we are sorting out law and order big time.” He says, the DDA does not tolerate crime in any form. Speaking on the construction of the police Barracks, Maru said it is on track and hopes it will be completed by early next year and will cater for 45 policemen and women.

A Bougainville cabinet minister, Theonila Roka Matbob, hopes a soap making initiative helps spark other cottage industries in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region. Bougainville is striving to establish a viable economy as it pushes for independence from PNG. In one venture, the minister for community development, Matbob, used funding from the constituency development programme to involve mothers in soap making. Part of the motivation has been because the price of soap sold commercially has been soaring due to inflation. However, Matbob is hoping it can lead the way for other sustainable cottage industries. "With us making money using this cottage industry, in soaps specifically, and oil and also down streaming herbs like turmeric and cocoa powder, and making it become a soap ingredient, is kind of changing people's perception," she said. Matbob's constituency encompasses much of the area around the Panguna Mine. She is strongly opposed to any return to extractive industries such as open cast mining because of the destruction wrought by Panguna in its 20 years of operation, before being forced to closed by civil war more than 30 years ago. This is one of the key reasons for her backing enterprises like soap making. "We can actually build our economy on the wealth that is on the surface," she said. Meanwhile, Bougainville's referendum on independence from PNG is due to be tabled in the PNG parliament later this year and the state of the Bougainville economy is expected to be a factor MPs will look at. Source: rnz.com

Hawaii's Governor says over $US5.6 billion worth of infrastructure was destroyed in the wildfires that devastated the town of Lahaina last week. Josh Green told a media conference in Honolulu search and rescue teams are combing through hundreds of buildings in Lahaina to recover bodies. The death toll is officially 96, making this the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century. But Green told media it could take up to 10 days to learn the full death toll. He said the number of missing stands at about 1300, as people have been able to reconnect with one another after access to cellphone service improved. The Governor, who has visited the town to observe recovery efforts, said it was a grim task. "It is a harrowing sight in Maui. When those providers - the police and this division - do come across scenes in houses and businesses, it's very difficult for them because they know they will be sharing with our people that there will be more fatalities. I do expect the numbers to rise." Maui police chief John Pelletier told reporters only a fraction of the town had been searched and that many of the bodies are yet to be identified. "We're going as fast as we can. But just so you know, three percent - that's what's been searched with the dogs, three percent. "We've got 12 more dogs on the way today, we just made that request and FEMA made that happen. They're on their way," he said. Hawaiian journalist Bill Dorman from Hawai'i Public Radio told RNZ on Monday only a handful of the deceased have been identified due to the lack of capacity for forensic work. He said more than 2200 structures have been destroyed in West Maui and another 500 have been damaged inland from another fire on the island. "Help is needed, has been needed. Federal help has started to arrive more is coming, everything from cadaver dogs to emergency workers to help with the rescue operations," he said. Anger has been expressed by some about the quickness of the response. Aid worker Emily Johnson questioned the lack of resources by the states. [caption id="attachment_43827" align="aligncenter" width="1083"] Survivors and churchgoers pray during a church service held by Pastor Brown of Lahaina's Grace Baptist Church, in Wailuku, central Maui. Photo: YUKI IWAMURA/AFP[/caption] "These islands, they go through tsunamis, hurricanes; we are often having to be very self reliant because we are isolated. "Now that said, I feel like we're all kind of wondering why was there no help send from O'ahu? "Pearl Harbor is a 20-minute flight away, right? Why are the limited resources of police on this island left alone? Why are we taking supplies on the boat instead of the helicopter?" Governor Green however, said he's working with Hawaii's many hotels to provide free housing to Lahaina's population. He said the federal government is sending its full support and that in the coming months and years Lahaina will be restored. "We have over 500 hotel rooms, which will be available to people who have been victims of this terrible fire. "We will also have additional hotel rooms for first responders, so they'll be able to respond and retreat to a hotel room safely." The BBC reports the fire is still burning and is about 85 percent contained, according to Maui County officials. How the fire started remains unconfirmed, though it was fuelled by winds from nearby Hurricane Dora and drought conditions. A class-action lawsuit was filed at the weekend against Hawaii's largest electricity provider, Hawaii Electric, which alleges the company's downed power lines contributed to the wildfires. Tongan family devastated by loss Four members of a Tongan family have been identified among those killed in the fires. Hawaii News Now reports the family were found in a burnt-out car near their home. The victims are husband and wife Mauifonua and Faaoso Tone, along with their daughter Salote, and grandson Tony. A statement issued by the family said "the magnitude of our grief is indescribable". Source:rnz.com

The Sharks are a step closer to sealing a finals berth following a comprehensive seven-try showing that resulted in a 36-6 win over the Titans on Friday night. With five-eighth Braydon Trindall and hooker Blayke Brailey pulling the strings, between them setting up three tries directly, the Sharks proved too much for the Titans, who lost veteran playmaker Kieran Foran to a rib injury at half-time. A first-half double to Ronaldo Mulitalo in his return from a jaw injury helped the hosts to a 20-6 lead at the break, and from there they ran in a further three tries to claim another two competition points. Crucially, they also significantly boosted their for-and-against record, which could be a big factor on the congested Telstra Premiership ladder. Led by a back five who all carried the ball for over 130 metres, Cronulla pounded the Titans into submission and finished with just under 500 extra run metres than their opponents. After Mulitalo finished a crisp backline move to open the scoring, Connor Tracey started and finished a 75-metre effort for the Sharks' second, with Nicho Hynes converting one of the tries for a 10-0 lead. The Titans threatened to come right back though, with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui crossing before a Phillip Sami claim was ruled out for a forward pass, which killed off the building momentum for the Gold Coast. The Sharks stood firm and on the half hour, after shaking off an ankle complaint which saw him limping heavily following his first try, Mulitalo grabbed his second before Cameron McInnes battled over. After celebrating his 250th game for the club last week, Wade Graham got a try four minutes into the second half, with Toby Rudolf following 19 minutes later. When the Titans did eventually get over the line again, it was ruled out by the Bunker when David Fifita was found to have knocked the ball forward on his way to scoring. Any faint hope of a fight back ended when Erin Clark was binned for his role in a scuffle which ensued after Fifita was put on report for a shoulder charge with 14 to play. With the advantage of an extra man the Sharks added their seventh try of the night through Jesse Ramien. Coach Craig Fitzgibbon won't have been happy with the poor discipline of Briton Nikora in the dying seconds though, with the back-rower landing himself on report for a shoulder charge. Source: NRL.com

Opposition Leader and Kandrian-Gloucster MP, Joseph Lelang has made a call to the Government to re-assess the number of skilled manpower in the country, since the country’s education system is not responsive to the requirements of the country. He made this statement adding that it is not enough in terms of producing the kind of skills that are required in certain predominant fields of expertise and called for a national Manpower Assessment Report to be considered by the Government. “The last National Manpower Assessment Report [NMA] was done in 1989. That’s 34 years ago.” He said the NMA is a document that looks at what skill sets institutions are producing and tailoring them to suit the Labour demand of the nation. Lelang said this was done through scholarships to target and produce the necessary amount of manpower needed in the targeted industries. “I believe that it is about time that we should be looking at re-assessing the skill sets of manpower we have in this country, find out how many Doctors, how many Lawyers, how many Veterinarians, how many Engineers.” “These are important. And then we look at what our institutions are producing, and we try to match them out.” The opposition leader said this used to be the work of the Department of Labour and Employment with the support from the Treasury and Finance department but since then this has not been held. Write to PNG HausBung

“Recognizing Data as a strategic asset, we have undertaken this journey to monetize the Data.” “In this era of rapid Technological advancement and digital transformation, data has become the life blood of progress and information.” These were the sentiments shared by the Internal Revenue Commissioner Sam Koim during the launch of the organizations Data Management strategy 2023-2027 on how much Data plays in their line of duty. Koim said that it holds the key to unlocking insights, driving decision-making, and fueling economic growth. “Recognizing the immense potential that data holds, we have embarked on a bold mission to harness its power and revolutionize our tax administration practices.” He added that the use of big data and data analytics has revolutionized the operations of tax administrations around the world, leading to significant improvements in tax revenue collection and overall effectiveness. “Today, we have heard about the Australian Tax Office (ATO) experience from Deputy Commissioner Marek Rucinski. ATO has 95% of its tax returns pre-filled using data analytics.” Learning from these experiences, the IRC have moved to establish a new Tax Intelligence Division and are recruiting experienced and fresh talents to be part of their data analytics team. This comprehensive strategy encompasses the entire data lifecycle, from collection to analysis and utilization, with their initiatives intricately linked to the IRC’s Strategic Pillar of Digital Transformation. The IRC is taking measured steps to build a digital eco system with interoperable capabilities to ensure that data is transmitted and analyzed seamlessly. Benefits of Data other than raising tax revenues include: 1. Data-Driven Decision Making 2. Improving Taxpayer Services 3. Improve Collaboration and Action 4. Efficient Government

Prime Minister James Marape has come out boldly this afternoon on the floor of Parliament advising that those illegally in possession of firearms the penalty for this offence will be life imprisonment. Addressing the parliament, Prime Minister Marape took the opportunity to reply to concerns raised on the Gun control in many parts of the country, which has contributed to widespread law and order issues. He stated that this may not be an easy task as in some parts of the country, many may still have access to firearms, and he added that those who have been apprehended by police will face this penalty. “I’m using this question to reply to all those caught, that they will go behind bars.” He mentioned that the Government will not be reverting to the old way of buying back firearms from criminals and it is not something that the government is considering looking into. With this he issued a stern warning to those that may be in possession of unlicensed and illegal firearms that police have been tasked to investigate this and are actively investigating everyone [Persons of Interest] that may be involved in this activity. Marape added that a suspect from the Western Highlands province, following months of investigation was recently apprehended by police and is behind bars today, with his associates soon to follow pending investigations. “16 of them have been arrested so those that have illegal firearms, well it’s life Imprisonment for you should you get caught.”

“Noken tru appointim ol wantok blo yu!” (Do NOT appoint your wantoks!) This was the advice, from East Sepik Governor Allan Bird to his counterpart Provincial Heads on the appointment of Provincial Health Authority heads, following the passing of the Provincial Health Authorities Act [Amendment] 2023. He stressed that this practice of appointing people in the will only set off a ticking time bomb which will lead to the downfall of any healthcare system in their respective provinces. “That is the best recipe for failure! You want that thing to fail you markim ol boy blo yu!” (If you want to fail, appoint your own people.) Upon stating this he urged all provincial heads to think carefully when making appointments for provincial entities and encouraged them to look for credible people to work with, who are capable to carry out the aims and visions of the people. “Even people who have no connection with you.” “Professional people who are successful, putim ol igo insait na let them manage these things because they also have an interest in good health services.” He referenced his province and their experience in the last 6 years and the overall success of the East Sepik Provincial Health Authority which has led to developments in their health sector.

The Marape-Rosso Government has exemplified a substantial increase of K410 million in the 2023 Budget that stands as the most significant increase in funding injection going toward the Law and Justice Sector. The Prime Minister Marape pledged this on August 8, 2023, while welcoming the Parliamentary Statement delivered by Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Hon. Pila Niningi. He said the Government has allocated this amount of money, a remarkable 28.9 percent mark up from last year and becoming the highest ever increment. "This allocation sends a resounding message that our Government is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring community safety, fostering peace, and upholding justice across the nation. He stated that Minister Niningi presented 16 primary Key Result Areas (KRAs), all of which he has endorsed and was pleased to highlight that many of them are already in motion. Key Highlights from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, as highlighted by Minister Niningi, include: • The enactment of the Lands Commission Act 2022, effective as of September 2, 2022, leading to the consolidation of the National Lands Commission and the Land Titles Commission into the newly established Lands Commission. • Active involvement of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General and the State-Solicitor in offering legal counsel and approval for the Defense Cooperation Agreement between the United States and Papua New Guinea. • An unprecedented policy decision by the National Executive Council (NEC) to bolster the Judiciary's capacity to address the backlog of criminal and civil cases. • Approval of funding by the NEC to increase the number of judges from 40 to 60, with an enhanced allocation of K232 million in 2023 and an additional K310 million slated for 2024. This allocation will significantly contribute to the resolution of the backlog of cases. • Ongoing infrastructure development by the Judiciary to establish modern court facilities nationwide. • Drafting of a bill by the State-Solicitor and the Department of Justice and Attorney-General to establish robust arbitration processes for domestic industrial and international commercial disputes. • Significant cost savings by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, amounting to over K4 billion in potential judgment debts in 2022. Furthermore, the State-Solicitor cleared projects and contracts valued at K489 million in 2022. • Provision of approximately 200 legal advisories for the 2022 National General Election through the State Solicitor and the Solicitor-General. • Approval of improved terms and conditions for State lawyers, including the Solicitor-General, State Solicitor, Public Prosecutor, and Public Solicitor. • Enactment of the Organic Law on Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). • Ongoing reforms concerning the Proceeds of Crime Act and Whistleblower Regulations to combat unexplained wealth. • Establishment of the Social and Law and Order Sector (SLOS) to facilitate collaboration among various government departments and agencies in the realm of social and law enforcement matters. • Enactment of the Attorney-General (Amendment) Act 2022 and the Claims By and Against the State (Amendment) Act 2022. • Substantial budget increase for Magisterial Services to facilitate the ongoing Magisterial Services reforms, including an expansion in the number of magistrates. The allocated budget for Magisterial Services has risen from K51 million in 2022 to K91 million in 2023. • Acknowledgement of 1,680 Village Court Areas and 18,480 Village Court Officials throughout the country, with K55 million allocated in 2023 for Village Court Officials' allowances. However, due to the increased number of officials, an additional K26 million is required for allowances. • Allocation of K4.5 million for the allowances of 1,424 Land Mediators across the nation. • Allocation of K10 million to the Legal Training Institute for the construction of a state-of-the-art training facility for aspiring lawyers. • Augmentation of the budget for the Public Prosecutor's Office in 2023, enabling the recruitment of more criminal lawyers for prosecution and enhanced support for increased court circuits.

Prime Minister James Marape has applauded the announcement of the K700 million Edevu Hydropower Project, which is set to commence operations next month. Earlier this year, having inaugurated the Project the prime minister acknowledged the government's collaboration, facilitated by Kumul Consolidated Holdings, in partnership with the project. The government has committed K120 million towards the establishment of a 132KV transmission line connecting Edevu to Port Moresby. This contribution supplements the K650 million already invested by Chinese investor PNG Hydro Development Ltd. Considering the imminent project launch, Prime Minister Marape emphasised the significant positive impact the endeavour will bring to the Port Moresby Grid, which is currently facing operational constraints and frequent power outages. "This initiative will play a crucial role in alleviating power supply challenges in the National Capital District, as well as Central and Gulf provinces," Prime Minister Marape stated. He recounted the progress achieved during the past four years of his tenure, refuting criticisms that have cast doubt on the government's accomplishments, adding that the K650 million hydro power station and the K120 million allocation for the 132 KV transmission lines exemplify strategic investments will be aimed at lighting up previously underserved regions of Papua New Guinea, including National Capital District, Central, and Gulf provinces. “These regions stand to gain the most from this transformative initiative.” Moreover, Prime Minister Marape took the opportunity to highlight the project's socio-economic contribution. "An estimated 2,000 jobs have been generated, both directly and indirectly, benefitting the communities of Central and NCD.”

Although they may have faced quite a number of challenges in the lead up to the Grade 12 National Written Expression Exams, just under 1200 students in Enga Province have successfully completed the first Exam paper and will be looking forward to the next round of Exams come October. Enga Provincial Examination Supervisor [PES] James Litai stated that despite all the challenges and the lockdown that is currently in place in the province, all schools in Enga reported that there were no disturbances and will be looking to transport the papers down to the Capital today. “It was a success." "There was no problem at all." "We had no disturbances." "All of the Invigilators reported no Challenges.” Prior to the delivering the exams, Litai stated that they were not expecting any challenges but were prepared for anything that might have come up to disturb the Exam. He added that the number of students that sat for the grade 12 WEX this year was not the actual number of students that registered this year, noting that many had to withdraw from school due to the unrest and tribal conflicts in the province.

The East Sepik Provincial Election Office have advised that they are now ready to deliver the 2023 Wewak Open By-Election and are gearing up for the nominations to come in later this week. The East Sepik Provincial Election Manager & Wewak Open Returning Officer [RO], James Piapia stated that he is ready for the elections with all preparations being done to facilitate the By-Election. With Seven Assistant Returning Officers [ARO] to assist, they have split the Wewak Electorate into 2 regions, both Zones A & B, this will be to make the job easier and more convenient. “We have two ARO’s there and then we have, ARO’s for Turubu, Wewak Rural, Boikin, Dagua and Wewak Island. So far, we are prepared, and we are ready.” Piapia stated that since the Issue of Writs last week [3rd, August 2023] they have received 2 nominations and now are waiting for candidates to come and place their nominations. He said they are expecting between 10-15 candidates to contest the seat. “Now we are just opening, and we are expecting nominations to come in.” “Just by the look of the elections, we are expecting 10 or 15 nominations to come through.” “We are doing our Wewak Nomination Collection are the Wewak District Office.” He stated that Wewak is very quiet at this time, but they are very optimistic and are pumped for the By-Elections. In terms of Security, the RO advised that they had just finished their briefing this morning with the Provincial Police Commander of East Sepik, who advised that he is happy with the amount of funding and the manpower available to run the elections and is readily available to support them. Piapia added that they have prepared for any situation that may arise during the elections, but he is certain that they will be able to pull through. “We will obviously have a few hiccups and this and that but we are looking forward to delivering the By-Elections.”