A fire has destroyed the Madang Teachers College printing office, leaving the school with a heavy loss estimated at around K1 million. It is believed that the fire broke out on the night of July 11, sometime between 9 and 10 pm has now left the school in dismay. A student who saw the incident, Pavel Joshua, said the fire began from an air conditioner unit and quickly spread to nearby papers and the walls. The printing office was a permanent building made from wood and cement, with iron roofing and full electrical wiring. It took almost two hours for the fire to burn the entire structure and everything inside. “This building was very important for our work, it’s a huge loss for the school,” said Deputy Principal Mr. Jacob Akiring. Madang Provincial Police Commander, Acting Superintendent Robert Baim, said: “We’ve already visited the site and taken witness statements but the case is on pause now while we wait for a full report from the fire department to confirm the exact cause.” No suspects have been identified, and police are asking for the public’s help with any information that could assist the investigation.

Good news for students at Divine Word University—there won’t be any more deregistrations this year. DWU President Fr. Philip Gibbs said the university has now received the Semester One TESAS payments from the government. The HELP loan funds are also on the way, with about K3.06 million still expected. Back in June, around 800 students were mistakenly deregistered due to unpaid fees. But Fr. Gibbs said the issue was picked up quickly. “The deregistration of 800 students at the end of June was not supposed to happen. As soon as it was detected, most were re-registered the next day,” he explained. Now, only about 30 students are still deregistered because their fees haven’t been sorted yet. DWU had earlier asked all students to pay 90% of their fees before continuing with classes, which affected many scholarship students while the government funds were delayed. With the TESAS payments now received and the HELP funds on the way, DWU says they’re working closely with the government to avoid any more issues like this. The update brings relief to students and families who had been worried about being cut off from their studies this semester.

Voting in the Usino-Bundi Gama by-election is moving forward, with polling teams reaching remote areas by helicopter and dinghy. Despite a few small issues, the Electoral Commission and police are working together to keep the process peaceful and fair. One argument between candidates was quickly handled by police. In places like Danagar and Banu, people have already voted. Their ballot boxes are now locked inside the Walium police station, as no proper storage containers were available. Police are still doing their job even though they haven’t received their allowances yet. Extra security teams from Lae are on the ground to help. Madang Police Commander, Acting Superintendent Robert Baim, warned everyone to respect the process. “Anyone who tries to cause trouble or scare voters will be arrested,” he said. “Let the people vote freely and without fear.”

Tensions flared at Walium Station over the weekend as Peter Yama, former Madang Governor and candidate for the Usino Bundi Gama seat, questioned why a suspended election officer was helping with the by-election. Yama and other candidates met with election officials to find out how someone facing serious allegations was allowed near the process. “This isn’t okay,” Yama said. “People want a fair vote, not more doubts. Trust in the system is already fragile.” The meeting wasn’t heated, but it was clear candidates wanted answers — and fast. Madang Election Manager Sponsa Navi responded, saying the officer had been told to step aside. “I’ll deal with it personally. They won’t be involved from here on,” Navi promised. The Usino Bundi Gama by-election has already faced delays, and many locals say they just want things done properly. With security in place and eyes on the process, candidates hope the Electoral Commission takes their concerns seriously — and makes sure the vote is free from any funny business.

People in Wards 1 to 5 of Usino Bundi Gama in Madang province who turned up to vote today had to return home without casting their ballots, as polling has been pushed to tomorrow. Provincial Election Manager Mr. Sponsa Navi explained that polling teams arrived too late to move out to their locations in time. “Polling was meant to begin today, but the Returning Officer decided to shift it to the 22nd because of delays,” he said. The helicopter that was supposed to fly officials into the hard-to-reach places like Bundi and Gama was also delayed due to payment issues. Even with these challenges, there have been no security concerns. A total of 118 police officers are now in the district, including members of Mobile Squad 13, Lae’s response unit, Madang police, and local units. Ramu Police Station Commander, Inspector Edward Alphonse, said things have been quiet. “It’s peaceful. No problems reported so far,” he said. Polling teams are now expected to head out tomorrow. Officials are confident the rest of the by-election process will go ahead without further delays and are calling on people to remain calm and patient.

Polling in Indum 1, within Kabwum’s Selepet Local Level Government (LLG) area, is progressing peacefully with no reports of disturbances. For over three hours, voting has been calm and orderly. A team of five election officials is on-site assisting voters, while police are maintaining a steady presence to ensure public safety. An update shared in the by-election coordination group confirmed that operations are running smoothly and that voters have been turning up in an orderly manner. “There’s no trouble here. People are lining up and voting,” read one message from the team on the ground. Selepet is one of four LLGs participating in the Kabwum by-election. Despite earlier concerns about delays or disruptions, the polling process in this area has started without issue. Election officials say they will continue monitoring polling stations throughout the day. Security teams remain stationed across the district to respond quickly if needed. This by-election holds significance for Kabwum, and community leaders have urged all citizens to support a fair and peaceful process. Further updates will be shared as polling continues.

Funding issues have posed early challenges for the Kabwum by-election, but support from key government bodies has helped keep things on track. Electoral officials say they initially received only K200,000 out of a planned K4.1 million budget. This raised concerns over whether polling and counting could go ahead smoothly. Morobe Election Manager, Mr. Simon Soheke said the Morobe Provincial Government stepped in with K500,000, while the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister added another K1.5 million. The Electoral Commission also released K1 million. "That brings the total to K2 million to complete the election and cover police and logistics costs." Some funds will also go toward keeping police in Kabwum after polling to maintain peace.

Polling in Kabwum District in Morobe province is moving ahead peacefully, with all ballot papers now delivered to the four Local Level Governments (LLG). Morobe Rural Police Commander, Senior Inspector Yonga Yawongan said the atmosphere is calm and security personnel are in place across the district. Security has been stepped up with officers from the Mobile Squad, Special Response Unit, and local police deployed across the district. He warned against any plans to disrupt the vote, especially attempts to hijack ballot boxes, saying police would respond firmly. “We’re not taking any chances,” said Inspector. The move comes after the 2022 national election, where disruptions involving ballot boxes led to court-ordered fresh polling. Polling teams are expected to complete their work by the weekend, with ballot boxes transported back to Lae by Sunday or Monday. Counting is expected to begin next week at the stadium in Lae city. Election officials say the goal is to finish polling this week and begin counting in Lae by July 26 or 28, depending on venue availability. A winner is expected to be declared in early August.

After almost a decade, students at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNG UoT) in Lae city will soon be using their new mess hall. The old dining hall burned down in 2016. Now, nine years later, the new building is almost ready. Vice-Chancellor Professor Ora Renagi said the new facility was already used recently to serve guests during the PIURN Conference. “We had dinner there. It was beautiful,” he said. “We’re grateful to the PNG Government for funding the project.” A grand opening is planned soon with Prime Minister James Marape expected to attend. The new mess is designed to serve thousands of students. It includes a spacious dining area, modern kitchen, bakery, cold rooms, and toilets for both male and female students. It also has a toilet designed for students living with disabilities. Entry will be secured through fingerprint scans and proxy cards. Only small finishing touches are left, and the university expects everything to be completed before the end of this month. Prof Renagi said the dining hall is a major improvement for student life. “It’s a big step for the university. We’re excited to see students use it soon,” he said.

A new water tank factory has opened in Lae to help families across PNG get better access to clean water. Rotomould Group boss Prakash Chand opened the factory on Saturday, saying the idea came from seeing people struggle to get water after disasters. “Water is life. When people have it, everything improves—health, farming, business,” he said. The Lae factory will make strong plastic water tanks in seven sizes. Chand said Rotomould tanks give more water than advertised—for example, a 6,000-litre tank holds 6,400 litres. Rotomould has factories in Fiji, Tonga, and other Pacific countries. The Lae factory will make up to 15,000 tanks a year and help cut freight costs by producing them locally. “This factory is for the people. We didn’t give up, even when others tried to stop us,” Chand said.

Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso says the new Rotomould factory in Lae will help Papua New Guinea grow by creating jobs and supplying clean water. At the opening ceremony on Saturday, Rosso said the factory will directly employ around 15 to 20 people, with more jobs created in transport, security, and other support services. “Every worker supports ten others. These businesses help families, pay taxes, and support schools and hospitals,” he said. Lae is now home to nearly half a million people. Rosso said the city’s rapid growth has stretched roads, water, and power services. He promised that road upgrades in the area are already planned. “This factory is just the start. The roads are next. That’s how we move forward,” he said. Rosso said he knows what it’s like to live without clean water and thanked Rotomould for helping families get affordable tanks. “I grew up using bore water. I want better for today’s families,” he said.

Residents of Rai Coast District in Madang are warning that sea piracy is becoming just as deadly as the natural dangers already faced at sea. Communities have long endured tragic incidents involving small boats during bad weather. But now, another fear is growing — sea pirates who attack travellers between Madang and Rem-Bonga in Morobe. “People are being robbed, boats are being stolen, and some travellers have even lost their lives,” said Bangan Siwo, Deputy Principal of Rai Coast Secondary School. “It’s frightening for everyone, especially our students and teachers.” Mr Siwo said locals often avoid using the main inland road, built in the 1970s, which is now almost impassable due to rivers and deteriorated conditions. “People risk the sea because the road is broken and unsafe,” he said. “But the sea is no longer safe either.” He’s calling for immediate government action. “In the short term, regular patrols by police or maritime officers are needed to prevent piracy and respond to emergencies,” Mr Siwo said. “Long term, we need bridges and better roads, so people don’t have to rely on the sea.” Communities are now urging all levels of government to act before more lives are lost to criminals or the elements.