The country’s oldest political party, Pangu Pati, turned 57 years old recently as the Prime Minister and Party Leader, James Marape reiterated the importance of party solidarity and stability for the continuation of the party’s nation-building agenda as begun by Pangu’s founding members. The Prime Minister told members of the party at a dinner event that Pangu was at the right moment to lead government to prepare Papua New Guinea for the next 50 years as Sir Michael Somare and his generation of leaders have done for these 50 years. According to a statement, PM Marape said this must continue, as he warned young ministers and political members of the party to be patient and not be hasty in their decision-making. “There is no group of Papua New Guineans in our country right now than us in Pangu Pati who can make a difference for our country." "Our dream for the country must be the same dream that the Somare generation dreamt for PNG.” “When they ushered in political independence, our economic independence still remained behind." "That is why we said in 2019 to make PNG the Richest Black Christian Country to bring economic independence for our people." "That is the vision we have.” “Our mindset must always be in the right place when we making decisions – is it good for the country or is it for self?" "If it’s not, we must find the right road for the country because ‘Pangu save lo rot’. Pangu has great wisdom.” Furthermore, Marape reminded the party of the long list of achievements by Pangu, making it a special and unique party. This included pushing for and gaining PNG’s sovereignty, and making up its composition – the Constitution, Democracy, Structure of Government, the Parliament, Court System, the Executive Government, the Provincial Governments, Constitutional Offices such as Ombudsmen Commission, the Police, and the Military. He paid tribute to Sir Michael Somare and his generation of Pangu leaders, mentioning them all the name. “We stand on shoulders of giants; great men (and women) who have laid out a path, and planted trees under whose shade we now enjoy." "Mighty men and women with no more than a high school education, yet filled with vision, courage, hope, resilience, wisdom and foresight.” “People who dared to dream, and dream big like Sir Michael Thomas Somare, Sir Paul Lapun, Sir Albert Maori Kiki, Cecil Abel, Oala Oala Rarua, Tony Voutas, Sir Pita Lus, Sir Ebia Olewale, Sir Barry Holloway." "These are the mighty men; the founding members of Pangu.” “Our party is rooted very deeply into the birth of Papua New Guinea." "It is the party that has given Papua New Guinea not only its sovereignty but also its structure and mechanisms,” he said. Additionally, Prime Minister Marape urged his party members to remain strong so they could continue “the dream” and set up PNG beyond the life after these first 50 years. Meanwhile other Pangu MPs who spoke on the evening, included the Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Party Leader John Rosso; Pangu stalwart, Sir Chris Haiveta; and various leaders representing each region of the country. Pangu was born on 13 June 1967 out of the need to contest the first lot of elections of 1968 to the National Assembly, so Independence could be ushered in later in 1975.

Our country’s Prime Minister, James Marape has reiterated the paramount importance of the 2024 National Census to the development of Papua New Guinea. He emphasized in a statement that it is “shameful” for the country not to have an up-to-date registry of all its citizens. The census officially commenced on Monday, June 17, with the Prime Minister being the first person to be counted and will run until Sunday, June 30, 2024. Speaking on the FM100 Talkback Show today, Prime Minister Marape, along with Administrative Services Minister Richard Masere, Chief Secretary Ivan Pomaleu, and National Statistician John Igitoi, stressed the importance of the event and provided a comprehensive update to the nation. “Get involved, leave no one behind." "Get yourself counted and the government will try its absolute best to ensure the product (of the census) benefits all of us,” Prime Minister Marape urged. Prime Minister Marape underscored the significance of the census, noting that the last comprehensive count was in 2000. The 2011 census was not comprehensive, and no census was held in 2020 due to COVID-19. “We felt that 2024 must be the year, especially being one year away from our 50th anniversary, to present the numbers to the country." "Importantly, as government, we need to plan well for our country beyond our 50th anniversary.“ “It is a very important, milestone event for our country, on the 49th anniversary of independence, to know every person in our country,” he said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Marape added that he was ashamed to say that we don’t have an up-to-date registry of all our citizens. “That’s not good for any national leadership." "When we know our citizens, we can, at least, plan for how we can look after them, whether it be in education, health, infrastructure, economic empowerment, and many others." "I am a strong believer in the informal sector empowering our people. Knowing our people is important.” “This census is very important for us as a nation that is why I’m here, that is why I stayed until midnight to be the first to be registered." "This is to signal to all our people that while we may not have solutions for all of you, the least we want to know is your presence, so that we can plan for you going forward.”

The National Capital District Rugby Union association kicked off proper season at the Goldie Barracks field last Saturday and into their second weekend of games on Saturday June 15th. In the Men's Under 20 decision, the Southern Chiefs boys took their first win of the season against the Patriots in the first match with Chiefs taking the win 12-0 while the 1RPIR Taurama Diggers in am intense clash against the Goldie Warriors come out on top 10-0. The women's Under 20 division saw the Patriots forfeit the Southern Chiefs girls 21-0 as the Goldie Warriors play their first game against the Southern Chiefs women in the Premiere Women's division. Chiefs women won 17-0. Three matches in the Premiere Men's division saw a head to head clash between the Southern Chiefs and Patriots men. With the Patriots overpowering and securing the win over Chiefs 12-10 as Blue Heelers played a fast game and set a pace that could not be met by the Ace Tigers team as the Heelers stole the win 17-0. The main game in the afternoon was hectic as spectators watched the clash of two of the Military teams in the competition-the Goldie Warriors and 1RPIR Taurama Diggers in the afternoon. With home ground advantage, the Warriors prevailed in this match against the Diggers 12-10. Meanwhile the NCDRU association commenced proper season with six premier men's teams, three women's and five Under 20 men's teams across all divisions. Although a small competition, the fight for the top spot is just getting started as teams have a feel of what games will be like as they progress through the season.

In an exhilarating clash between Credit Corporation Harliquins and the Chemcare Juggernauts, spectators were treated to a thrilling display of rugby prowess on Sunday June 16th at the Bava Rugby Union Field. Harlequins wasted no time asserting their dominance, with an early try putting them on the scoreboard. However, Juggernauts swiftly retaliated, showcasing their resilience with a try through their skipper, who led by example to level the scores 7 all. The match remained evenly poised until Harlequins capitalized on a 5m scrum, demonstrating precision and vision from five-eight Pottson Agovaua to send Ron Butler over the try line, edging ahead 12-7. Momentum continued to favor Harlies as they extended their lead with another try, courtesy of a well-executed line break bringing the score to 17-7. Not content with a single try, Harlequins intensified their assault with consecutive long-range tries, culminating in a commanding 22-7 lead at halftime. The second half witnessed a spirited fightback from Juggernauts, as their scrum-half orchestrated a remarkable solo effort, evading Harlequins defense and setting up a try in the corner, narrowing the deficit to 22-12. However, Harlequins remained undeterred, maintaining relentless pressure on Juggernauts defense. Their persistence paid off as they continued to breach Juggernauts line, ultimately securing a comprehensive 29-12 victory. Meanwhile, the Credit Corporation Harlequins showcased their offensive prowess and cohesion as a team, overwhelming Chemcare Juggernauts with their speed, skill, and strategic play. Despite Juggernauts valiant efforts, they were unable to contain Harlequins relentless attack, resulting in a well-deserved triumph for the victors.

The country’s Prime Minister, James Marape recently announced the official dates for the 2024 Local Level Government (LLG) elections. The dates revealed were: • Thursday, 25 July 2024 (4pm) Issue of Writs • Thursday, 1 August 2024 (4pm) Nomination Close • Saturday, 24 August 2024 Polling Starts • Friday, 6 September 2024 Polling Ends • Friday, 27 September 2024 Return of Writs (on or before) Prime Minister Marape also announced that eight provinces including Morobe and the seven Highlands provinces have chosen to have councilors electing their LLG presidents while the rest of the provinces will have people directly electing their presidents. “The National Government will ensure funding is made available to support the PNG Electoral Commission and the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government to deliver on the elections of our third-tier government.” “The Pangu Coalition Government supports our local-level governments. We have inputted our councilors into the government payroll, as we continue the work to reform the LLGs to ensure this tier of government that is closest to our people, is fully supported.” Meanwhile, Marape commended the Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs, Soroi Eoe for the good work he had been undertaking, including the latest inclusion of the new local level governments.

Prime Minister (PM) James Marape recently launched the National Agriculture Sector Plan (NASP) 2024 - 2033, emphasizing the importance of employment creation through agriculture in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The prime minister said that agriculture has been a core part of the Pangu Party's policy framework, dating back to PNG’s Independence in 1975. He highlighted that the party, then led by the founding father Late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, prioritized agriculture to contribute towards the country's economic growth. The government at that time implemented policies to ensure people maintained their rights to their traditional land, a policy still upheld today by the current Pangu-led Government, which is determined to encourage Papua New Guineans to lease their land for commercial agriculture. Marape underscored the importance of three fundamental human needs: food, water, and energy and noted that Papua New Guinea is fortunate to possess these resources in abundance, and proper utilization could bring significant benefits. “Land is a valuable resource that is available to Papua New Guineans, which puts us at a significant advantage over other people around the world, especially those who do not have much land or other resources to work with.” “God has blessed this nation abundantly with richness in land suitable for agricultural produce and livestock that can be transformed from subsistence farming to commercial farming or land use for employment creation and improvement in quality of life; thus, enabling growth in a robust, sustainable economy into the future.” He added that some may be wondering how he and his government will create the one million jobs that they’ve been talking about. “In fact, those one million people are already into some form of farming but in a subsistence way. We want to transform that into commercial farming or to empower them to become commercial entrepreneurs.” Additionally, the NASP 2024 – 2033 aims to create opportunities for all, including youth and women, and to improve the quality of life in rural villages, transforming them into economically vibrant communities. Marape also announced the Government’s intention to provide funding support of up to K1 billion for the NASP 2024 – 2033. He urged all districts and provinces across the country to develop land for agriculture. “God’s first instruction to humanity was to be involved in agriculture and also livestock eventually. We find this in Genesis 2:15 in the Bible. This was before sin came into this world, which is found later in Genesis 3.” “So, if the Creator of this world instructs us to work the land and get involved in agriculture for our sustenance, this is something for us to take seriously. Jobs can be easily created through the agriculture sector. Let’s unbundle what our people have on their land. Meanwhile he stated that apart from the National Capital District, which doesn’t really have land for agriculture development, the rest of the 21 provinces must develop their land for agricultural use. “Find me land which you can lease to the government for commercial agriculture. People doing nothing productive in their lives can be transformed to leading more productive lives where they can have financial independence and security,” added the Prime Minister.

The National Census will commence next week and Prime Minister James Marape wants all Papua New Guineans to fully participate in the census, which will be held from June 17th to the 30th. “I want all Papua New Guineans, whether you are in the country or overseas, to take part in the National Census as it is very important to plan for the future of our country,” he said. “Knowing who you are is very important so that the government can plan for you. We need to know who you are, where you are and what you do, among other things, so that we can start planning more effectively for the development of the country.” “The National Census aims to gather essential population data to aid governmental planning across various sectors. The aim is to count every citizen as well as every residence.” "Knowing this will enable us to plan for education, health, infrastructure, law and order, small to medium enterprises (SMEs), and various other government interventions." The prime minister stressed that the government wanted this to be a cost-effective and quality census that would deliver results instead of being an expensive event. “This census is a high-priority event of this government and we are giving our full support to Administrative Services Minister, Richard Masere and the National Statistical Office to ensure that the census is carried out successfully.” “I want to appeal to all agencies of State, all provincial governments, all districts, all local-level governments, and all our citizens to assist your country in delivering the 2024 National Census.” “I appeal to everyone to get behind Minister Masere and his team, who have been working so hard to get the 2024 National Census off the ground, to ensure that it is carried out successfully.” Marape also thanked all stakeholders, including overseas partners and agencies for their support in helping the nation prepare for the census.

The Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Land Board has concluded its hearing for 200 blocks and title issuance for people in the Sikut Talvat Resettlement area under the Rabaul District in East New Britian province. The Land Board Hearing, according to a statement, was conducted at Malapau Conference Centre in Kokopo from June 4 - 7, 2024. This exercise is in line with the commitment made by Prime Minister (PM) James Marape on March 10th to hand over titles to block holders when ENB marks the 30th anniversary of the twin volcanic eruptions. National Land Board Chairman, George Gware at the conclusion of the 4 days hearing described the plight of the Talvat people as unfortunate when they were displaced 30 years ago from their original home by the twin volcanic eruptions. He thanked the board for convening in Kokopo to try and assist the process put in place by the ENB Provincial Administration through the Division of Lands and the Department of Lands and Physical Planning. “We came and we knew that we need to sit down and ensure that the 200 applicants must be processed and managed to get it all done.” “So, come September 200 titles can be issued to block holders and that will be an end of one chapter and beginning of new one for our people,” Gware said. Following the hearing, the board will do a decision and the Department of Lands and Physical Planning will advise the applicants. “Other provinces can also learn from this and hoped people facing similar problems are able to address their problems about land and people being displaced.” Meanwhile, ENB Provincial Administrator, Levi Mano commended the National Land Board hearing, saying that it was a milestone for the province, and it has lifted a great burden from the province faced for the past 30 years. He added that it was a boost for the provincial administration in enforcing land laws. Mano said the people of Sikut Talvat have lived in doubt for the past 30 years and faced problems with the nearby indigenous people. Following the 1994 volcanic eruptions, ENB has established 8 resettlement areas including Sikut Talvat, which is the first identified for issuance of titles under the Land Mobilization program. Furthermore, Mano acknowledged the support of the ENB Governor Michael Marum, the two Open Members for Rabaul and Kokopo and key provincial administration officers in working tirelessly with the limited time frame. Piner Kolish, a Talvat elder described the process as a golden opportunity for the people of Sikut Talvat, saying the Government has come right down to the ward level. “When we were displaced from our home and placed in care centers in 1995, we dreamt of owning land and now we can finally realize this.”

The Capital Rugby Union (CRU) Round 7 over the weekend in Port Moresby saw the fast-finishing Theodist MBB Marlins display resilience to fend off heavyweight rivals, the Kramer Ausenco Brothers in a thrilling match. The Brothers side faced early setbacks with injuries to star players - Kunak Late, Samuel Malambes, and Tony Sipa, yet managed to stay competitive with consecutive penalties from the Marlins keeping them in the game. Despite the challenges, the Brothers' experienced squad members stepped up to maintain their presence. Loose forward Bruno Tuaki capitalized on a Marlins' error, scoring the opening try and securing a 7-0 lead at halftime, with both teams missing scoring opportunities due to loose- passes and solid defences. The second half saw Brothers making early mistakes, putting themselves under pressure, which the Marlins exploited, resulting in a try by the winger from a 5-meter scrum, narrowing the gap to 7-5. Additionally, a crucial intercept by a Marlins flanker Malawasi Lewete, led to their second try boosting the score to 7-12. Amidst escalating intensity, Jonah Kautu Jnr relieved pressure with strategic kicks, while consecutive penalties allowed Brothers to level the score at 12 all. In a decisive moment, another intercept by Marlins' Lewete from the Brothers scrum, right in their 22meter, setting up a try for their scrumhalf to score in the corner, securing victory with a full-time score of 12-19. Furthermore, the courageous Marlins, led by Malawasi Lewete, demonstrated their mettle, clinching a hard-fought win against their formidable opponents.

The Port Moresby Corporate Volleyball Competition (PomCVC) held a booth day recently to give exposure to companies that are taking part in its volleyball tournament. PomCVC President, Alfred Vaitai stated that the main idea is to give something back to the companies. "The main idea is to give back to the companies. We have corporate and private companies, schools, as well as government agencies." "It’s a great avenue for networking and it's a success so far." At the booth day saw booths set up by companies like Coca Cola, Credit Corp, SP Brewery, National Finance, PNGFM Limited, Pacific Industries, Tisa Savings and Loans Society, PMGH, Brian Bell as well as many others. Rosemary Yambune, Public Relations Manager at Teaching Service Commission stated that it was a very great platform because it promotes functions of organisations in a fun way and it's promoting something good like sports. "It's telling them to participate in sports and balance. Authorities should look into other sports." Francis Ake, a Sales Officer at Moni Plus Heduru Limited applauded the event stating that it’s a great way to forge relationships and that such event should be hosted often. "Very good exposure and branding for our company." "It's very good, we're just trying to get market feedback on our products and promote responsibility." David Arisa Kei, an Operations Officer at BNBM Hardware and homes center stated that it was a great initiative by PomCVC. "It's a really good initiative. All the companies get to recognise their products and items and go with our queries. I have people here that I can talk to now. It’s a good promotion." Raka Valen Busina, a Sales and Marketing Admin Assistant at Credit Corp Corporation stated It's a good thing to network around and get to know the businesses, their products, services and a great opportunity for other organisations too. "It's a small advantage for us but all in all its a great opportunity for us to be here." Carol Uberawa from the Tax Advising Division at the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) said, "It's not all the time we go out and access the information that is now brought to us, so it's easy access for us to collect information." Meanwhile, round 13 of the competition proceeded as normal over the weekend as teams continued to bring in their A games and fight for a spot in the finals.

People on Watom Island in the Rabaul District can now easily access communities on the other side of the island following a major upgrade on the Watom Road Link. The Watom Island Road Link, according to a statement, was neglected more than 10 years ago without proper maintenance and mostly no vehicles utilizing the road resulting in overgrown bushes making it inaccessible. A recent site meeting conducted on the island recently saw the District Infrastructure Sector, the contractor, ward members and their ward development committee who discussed on the progress of the project and its challenges. When giving a status report of the project, the District Civil Engineer Mellie Munulai highlighted that the Watom Road Link is a six-kilometer road starting from the Vunakabai ward to Rau ward. He added that the project is a co-funded project funded under the Provincial Services Improvement Program (PSIP) and the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) at a cost of K1.6 million and is being carried out by ET Contractors. “This project is a challenging one as Watom Island itself is a rocky island and our contractor has been spending a day or two in certain spots just to clear out huge rocks.” “The nature of this project includes clearing and grubbing, earthworks, base course pavement and drainage,” Munulai said. Also speaking during the site meeting was the Ward Recorder for Rau/Taranata ward, Samuel Buruno who thanked the provincial government and Rabaul district for such vital project that is now connecting their communities. “Normally we would carry our copra, cocoa and other produce and walk down hill on the rocky slopes just to go and sell our produce in town or seek other basic services.” “It would take us few hours with our cargoes before we could reach the beachfront,” Buruno said. He said that seeing the first car travelling up the road after more than ten years brought tears to our eyes as we knew that our cries have now been finally heard. Meanwhile, the Deputy District Administrator (Operations) Petrus Maninga urged the communities to take ownership of the project and encouraged locals to bring vehicles over to utilize the road. The Watom Road Link upgrade is expected to be completed by September this year.

Air Niugini commemorated World Environment Day (WED) on June 5th by joining The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in the mangrove rehabilitation program at Dogura beach, outside 6-mile in Port Moresby. Acting Chief Executive Officer, Gary Seddon and 12 airline staff, according to a statement, participated in the program. Together with staff from a few other organizations, school children, youths and people from Dogura community, they commenced by clearing rubbish from the beachfront, followed by planting up to 4000 mangrove seedlings. Seddon and TNC PNG Program Country Director, Ruth Konia jointly launched the mangrove rehabilitation program, emphasizing this year’s WED theme: ‘Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience’. In his remarks, Mr Seddon said Dogura beach is adjacent to Port Moresby International Airport, adding that air travel and the burning of aviation fuel contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions (GGE). “It is important for ANL to contribute to the Nature Conservancy in its conservation efforts, through the mangrove restoration program.” He spoke about the importance of mangrove forests and how everyone can play a part towards protecting and preserving the environment for our future generations. “Mangrove forests are important for many reasons including carbon sequestration – they are the most significant means of carbon dioxide absorption on earth, coastal protection, and bio-diversity conservation as a means of protecting wildlife, flora and fauna.” Additionally, Air Niugini is looking forward to continuing to support Nature Conservancy in restoring and preserving the mangrove forests. Furthermore, Konia discussed human activities that destroy mangrove forests over the years. “Apart from providing habitat for bio-diversity, the mangrove forests also provide food, medicine and shelter from strong winds as well as protects from the rising sea level.” Meanwhile World Environment Day is celebrated on the 5th of June every year and focuses on creating awareness and taking positive action about the environment.