Another ethnic clash has erupted in the city of Lae in the Morobe province this morning, this time its between the Eastern Highlanders and the Southern Highlanders. According to Lae police, the fight erupted at 3 mile hillside after a suspect, an elderly man from Southern Highlands whilst under the influence of alcohol, sexually assaulted a teenage girl from Eastern Highlands Province. The fighting spilled out onto National Highway, but police managed to clear the Highway. Stones were exchanged by members of both parties during the fight. Knives and other dangerous weapons were also used and several injuries were sustained while houses belonging to both fighting parties were burnt down. Situation is still at tense and police are on the scene monitoring the situation to ensure the fight does not further escalate.

At the conclusion of the Soccer Isifu cup tournament in East Sepik Province on Friday, the Karanas Bus stop FC went down to Ace FC in a tight match seeing the Ace Club coming out victorious. With both teams scoring nothing in the first half of match, it was the Ace Football Club that had much confidence in their game proving a lot of defensive skills and finishing with a only goal in the match. Team captain for Ace FC Tio Gule said his message to team mates during half time was consistent defense and to capitalize on any opportunity, so they would score goals. Team Ace was crowned the champion of the tournament and was awarded K8, 000 cash prize along with the Isifu Trophy cup. The tournament which has been going on for 3 years saw the last season carried out this year as a farewell for the late Member for Wewak Kevin Isifu. Family of the late Kevin Isifu were the major sponsor for the tournament along with business houses in Yangoru. The competition was staged at the Somare stadium with most teams from Wewak and a team coming in from Yangoru district, making a total 26 teams altogether. Mr. Gule stated that the team is privileged to have one of their senior player Otto Nangurumo, who supported the boys well by providing financial help. “We would like to dedicate this achievement to all the former players of the Ace Football Club that started this team and are now residing in other provinces of Papua New Guinea.” “This is to show them and remind them that this team is still existing and we will be keeping and maintaining this team to other competitions.” Meanwhile, despite the issue with a proper venue to do training, the club managed to come through and made it this far. “Most times, we would go down to beach side to do our team training. Whatever little field we find in the village, we do trainings there and get the team together”.

The St. Mary’s Vunapope Hospital in East New Britain Province is experiencing an increase in patients admitted who are needing special attention from doctors. Director for Medical Service Dr. Felix Diaku stated that the hospital is in a town setting and for that reason a lot of people normally go there; however, the hospital currently has limited number of doctors and recently they have been put to pressure by the number patients requiring specialist doctors. At the same time, Dr. Diaku reported that they already requested to relevant authorities to address their issues of a Pathology laboratory together with maintenance of dental clinic instruments. “We are trying our best to get this in order and hopefully the authorities will give a good feedback to us.” The hospital has been a great help to residents living town as well as those from the remotest part in East New Britain. “Most cases have been transferred from little aid post, which we are serving everyone in the province and everyday day we have more workload or a lot of patients to attend to.” “While patients being brought in as referral, we have also those admitted with us and which they seem to outnumber us the staffs”. Meanwhile, there is a continuous record of malaria and diarrhea cases at the Vunapope hospital, and with the drug supply received, the hospital has been able to manage all those patients. Dr. Diaku also said that in the last two weeks they treated several cases from industry injuries and two suspects that were held by police. Of the two suspects, one was already discharged while the other is still receiving medical treatment at the hospital. Dr. Diaka further explained, the hospital so far is operating in a good state with their own water supply station at their yard and back-up generator to stand by when there is power outage.

Gordons Clinic in Port Moresby has being receiving more and more patient weekly during clinic days thus causing overcrowding at the clinic vicinity. With the increasing number of patients visiting the Gordon’s Clinic in Port Moresby, the clinic is now experiencing problem with spacing capacity. Sister Edna Ratu said, they have been receiving patients from all Sub Urbans of Port Moresby, thus this has seen the clinic being a little bit over crowded in recent weeks. Sister Edna stated that the clinic is small and cannot cater for a lot of patients that are coming in every week. The facilities and its services can not meet all the patients needs straight away but the workers are doing their best. “We are located in one of the most Hotspot area where a lot of law and order issues take place, so apart from the sick patients we serve people with body wounds and injuries too”, said Sister Edna. With high number of patients seeking help at Gordons Clinic, drug supplies is another major issue being faced by the clinic now. Sister Edna stated that their last supply of drugs was mid-last year 2022. “Due to no basic drugs at the clinic, we usually write prescriptions for patients to purchase their own medication from the pharmacies”, said Sister Edna. Sister Edna further highlighted that the medical supply issues was since  last year and up to this day they are still writing prescriptions to patients instead of serving them at the clinic.  

Grade 8 certificates and results of a primary school in Wampar Local Level Government in Huon Gulf District, Morobe will be held back. This is to ensure parents cooperate with the school to apprehend suspects alleged to have involved in a break and enter incident. The break and enter incident happened at Erap Primary school just before the new year. Two computer desktops, two printers, and other valuables totalling K15, 000 worth were stolen by criminals on the 30th of December, 2022. The computers contained financial information of the school for 10 years. Head teacher Herman Agregum said a formal conplaint has been lodged with police to investigate. He said that's why the school has come up with a workable alternative to make communities cooperate with the school to apprehend the suspects which is to withhold grade 8 certificates. Agregum said grade 8 certificates and results will be kept at the district education office and will not be released to school. One of the students' parents, Jennifer Muhepe, said the announcement is unfair. She said the break and enter has nothing to do with the grade 8s. She further added that keeping students' certificates and results would be an act of denying students rights to have access to education. She is calling for authorities to intervene and address this matter. Meanwhile, the provincial education department said grade eights results and certificates will be released to District education offices this week.

The annual Southern Highlands Provincial 9s Tournament will kick off later this month at Momei Oval in Mendi with teams from Momase, Highlands and Southern Regions taking part to win K30, 000 prize money. The men’s winner will receive K20, 000 while for the women, its K10, 000 prize money. This tournament will again be used as a platform to showcase local talents. According to the Tournament Media Coordinator Terence Kapipi, they started the first SHP 9s tournament in 2019 with teams from Southern Highlands and Hela with the support from Southern Highlands Provincial Government as the main backer of the tournament. “It started small, but we managed to end it successfully with Cane Constructions Wakwak Bulldogs winning the cup final, in the second tournament in 2020, 20 male teams and 4 females’ teams took part.  This time the teams came from all over PNG.” He added that it’s been very hard especially in Mendi with all the social problems, but the youths have fully accepted the tournament and they have made it easy. The tournament is also being used to bring back normalcy to Mendi town after the recent election violence and mayhem.

The Morobe Tertiary Students Union has issued a stern warning to tertiary associations and union executives to refrain from affiliating with politics. MTSU Patron Offo Olio said association and union executives including members are not allowed to have affiliations with politicians and their associates. Offo issued this statement after learning that the Morobe Students Association from the University of Papua New Guinea received K200, 000 financial support from the Morobe governor to drive awareness programs in the ten districts of the province. The president of UPNG Morobe Students Association was seen associating with the governor. His pictures went viral on social media as people commented positively on his leadership role of building top relations with the province's political head, but MTSU patron said this was unacceptable and was against the unions law. He said MTSU, which is comprised of 22 associations from institutions throughout the country, is not dependent on political funds. He said associations operate on funds collected from tertiary students who are members. Offo stated that the associations then affiliate themselves to the union with fees which sustains the union's operations. Offo said members are only allowed to initiate fundraising drive activities and invite politicians to go support the fundraising drive and not directly requesting funds from the politicians.

The University of Papua New Guinea’s New Ireland Students Association (UPNGNISA) have established a project in their home province with the aim of breaking educational barriers for the young ones. The project, which is known as “Kirapim Kawok Project”, is basically the building of an elementary classroom and is established in Munuwai Village just outside Kavieng, along the Boluminsky Highway. According to UPNGNISA President Julia Tubang, the Kirapim Kawok Project aims to provide a conducive learning space for children to learn and grow in. “The aim of the project was basically to provide a conducive building that would house students of the early child development center, which can cater for 50 students aging from 3 to 6, from the main as well as neighboring villages”. President Tubang confirmed that K20, 000 was allocated to carry out the Kirapim Kawok Project. All proceedings came from the fundraisings that the association carried out last year purposely to fund the project. “The association on its part has purchased all the materials for the classroom last year and given it to the locals who are in charge of building it. Everything has been built and right now it’s only the leveling of the foundation to erect the building". She added that the project will be launched early this year. The executives for UPNG NISA have been advised by the Education Director for New Ireland, Mr. Apelis Benson on the legalities surrounding the project and have received approval for the project to be established. The president also made it known that the association was in partnership with the Provincial Department of Education, church groups within the area and youths from nearby villages namely Lugagun, Laraibina and Munawai to assist in manpower to roll out the project. “From my knowledge, this is the first for NISA to roll out a tangible project as past years had only awareness programs for schools." "So, it is really good especially for a rural area that we reach out to them in conducting such projects”. President Tubang further thanked the different provincial associations within the university for their support to the association as it will go a long way towards helping people. The Kirapim Kawok Project is close to finish and will play its vital role in providing a conducive learning space for children within the community in Munawai Village, along with nearby villages.

Residents of the Talasia district in West New Britain Province appreciated the initiative of the Bakovi Kabu Taku Development Association for organizing community talk on education and law order in the wards of Talasia. In a speech shared by a community representative, the awareness was something they really need in order to put their district and society in well-organized manner. Vice President of the Association, Mr. Michael Reu Junior, stated that so far there has been good attendance from the people in the village and they had been receiving many positive feedbacks from their visits. Community leaders and stake holders took their time to be available at each of the main venues to listen to the students and professionals. The awareness will continue for one more week due to the bad weather in some places they visited and had caused a delay to their program. “The wards we already visited, are ward six, ward eight and nine. Because of the rainy weather we were not able to proceed ahead”. “There is no negative comments about this project, everyone in community are behind us and showing support so that the awareness must reach all the wards”. President Reu urged the children, youths and parents of the Talasia district to promote and protect their original culture which is based on good ethics and respect in the communities. He further explained, for the community to experience a good environment and happy society the youths and children need to refrain from associating with illegal activities and live a healthy lifestyle and healthy behavior. “The main reason the association is focusing on education, is because we see that youths of Talasia could be better as others, and education and law order awareness is our first step in helping them.” “We want to see change and transition in our communities so that communities would not be a notorious place, but full of intelligent citizen and have the power to drive the communities into more development.”

Audrey McRubin’s a young female student at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) who hails from the Northern Province is now preparing to deliver her own project in the Tuffi village. With the ultimate aim of taking young girls out from Tuffi village to explore the world through knowledge, Audrey will be delivering 10 carton of reading books which she strongly believes would help girls in the Tuffi village attending primary education to venture into the unknown. Audrey was fortunate to have receive donation of books from Amazing Kokoda trackers in Australia apart from the books she bought and received from friends. “My inspiration was ignited when I attended a beauty pageant show during the culture show in my own village Tuffi.” “I saw there was a need for helping these young girls in my village. The pageant show initially did not have a crown to be presented to the winner of the pageant however, a special necklace was exchanged as a symbol of legacy and leadership being passed onto the next girl every year.” “That time, when I came back I did a crown and presented it to the chaplain for the cultural show who was MP Richard Masare back then.” Audrey said, she had also received a carton of reusable queen pads from Miss PNG contestant Miss Italpreziosi which she will incorporate into her project to promote menstrual health hygiene to young girl’s and mothers when she visit her village in February. Ms. McRubin’s has been doing a couple of fundraising events and hopes to see her plans work out. She has been in the village a few times where she has spoken to young children on the importance of education. “I observed that not many students especially from my village make it to higher education. If I can come this far in studies, its also possible for anyone in the village”. “I have always stressed on reading which I thought is the basis to their learning and reaching new heights in their chosen careers in life.”

Waigani Rats B- grade is determined to maintain its position in the fourth placing all the way to final. Team Captain Moses Kulai said, more than 20 teams are taking part in this competition are they privileged to be one of the top team in this tournament which is the Morata Off- season. With a total of 12 rounds and seven rounds more to go, the team is very intact and looking confident for more action game at the Koni Tigers oval. Mr. Kulai stated, they are hoping to move up the ladder when they see the new updated placings. “There are lot of new boys that recently joined the team and so far they have really picked up on our games”. “Most times in the afternoon trainings, we have to through all the drills just to get our new members familiarized”. The team is comprised of a 25 mean squad and part of their main goal is taking this year’s final which is a K1000 cash prize. “As much as possible, we trying to help our boys by getting them busy into sports and they can forget about little issues like drinking alcohol, and they could also promote a good community in the various places they reside”. Mr. Kulai added, they have sent letters out to possible sponsors and at the moment they are using their own resources and capital to help the team going. He is urging his team members to set individual priorities right not only in the sport they are playing but also in their education.

Tumben FC took home the prize for the under 17 Wawen's Cup soccer tournament after defeating PS United FC in the grand final showdown with two goals to one. Tumben FC walked away with two trophy cups and a cash prize of K1, 500 at the LSA oval in Morobe Province. Team Manager Mr. Philson Rudolph said the team is grateful for their first ever achievement in the tournament. “The boys live at the Bumbu settlement and this place is known for a lot of social issues and problems that happen around the community,” said the team manager. “Me as the team leader of the team and everyone else in the team are taking this approach to change the bad picture that people usually have about our settlement.” “On that note, we also taking this same approach into sports to help these youths change their perception and way of thinking and so they can make better choices in life.” Mr. Rudolph explained that it was not easy for them doing preparation towards the competition with ongoing ethnic clashes in their community. “We had disturbances to our training but that did not stop us, we kept on to our goal make sure boys are well and present for training.” “The team had strong determination and believed that they also capable as others.” He further stated, their preparation began in November and all through those times, he was urging the team members not to quit or give up.