The Department of Finance just recently launched its three new digital systems that will further enhance its service to the people of Papua New Guinea (PNG) as the country marks is 50th Independence Anniversary. The new systems are the official Finance Department Website along with the online Blended Learning System and the Document Management System (DMS). The official website houses these two systems. The DMS enhances a paperless process that is secure and efficient. Its key features are a centralized repository for financial reports, policies and official records, advance research and retrieval for quick access to critical documents, and some of those include access control ensuring data security and confidential, and audit trails to track history and modification. The online Blended Learning System enhances learning capacity and ensures continuous professional development across public services. It provides online training and certification of all department of finance staff, interactive courses on public finance management, compliance and public sector reforms, self-pace leaning with progress tracking and automated assessment and grading and secure access for authorize personnel. Speaking at the launching of the digital systems at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby city of Friday 20th June, the Department of Finance Deputy Secretary Operations, Mr. Stephen Nukuitu said the launching is a milestone achievement for the department’s journey towards digital transformation and improved service delivery. “These tools are not just systems, they represent the cultural shift in how we work, learn and serve. With the new website, we will improve how we communicate with the public stakeholders and shareholders,” he said. He also said the theme of the official launching of the three systems, “Digitalize, Learn, Transform: Advancing Finance for Tomorrow”, capture their shared vision. “It is a call to embrace innovation, build capacity and future systems in service of stronger, smarter government,” said Mr. Nukuitu. The Deputy Secretary Support Services, Margaret Tenakanai said the launch is part of a journey towards a digitally enabled public service in aligning with PNG E- Government policy and broader digital agenda that was part of the greater agenda and derived from the department of Finance Corporate Plan 2023 to 2027, which was recently launched this year. She said these developments are in full alignment with the National Government Medium Term Development Plan IV (MTDP 4) 2023 to 2027 that has institutional effectiveness and service delivery which emphasize digital transformation as a critical enabler of government efficiency. Moreover, she said these digital initiatives are underpinned by key legislative frameworks including the digital government act 2022, which provides framework for digitalizing government services and information. The national ICT policy which outlines strategies for e- government and digital inclusion and of course, the Public Finance Management act 2016 which promotes efficient use of public resources and timely reporting. “As we move forward, we committing that these systems are secure, accessible and continuously improved to meet the evolving needs of our people,” said Tenakanai, adding that the launch is a reflection of the department to modernize and innovate. “These systems are the foundations of a broader digital transformation agenda that will not only improve the way we work, but also the way we serve, advancing governance through technology." "The government of PNG recognizes that to deliver better services, we must modernize how we work, how we communicate and how we engage with our citizens and stakeholders.” Deputy Secretary Operations Mr. Nukuitu thanked the department’s inhouse team involved the development of the new online systems. “Your efforts today will shape a better tomorrow for finance and nation,” he said. Meanwhile, the official launching of the three new online systems was done with a push of a button by the new Finance Minister, Thomas Opa, who was there to witness the significant event.

It is time to get to work to grow the economy of Papua New Guinea to a K200 billion economy through initiatives like the Special Economic Zone (SEZ). That was the stern message from Prime Minister James Marape last night when launching the Special Economic Zone Foundation Policy 2025- 2032 at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby city. The launch of this policy will result in the current SEZ Act of 2019 being repealed and a new Act will be enacted to reflect the changes in the foundation policy. The policy defines what SEZs are and the different types of SEZs. It tells the types of industries within SEZs, and it talks about the incentives that are going to provide for investors who are located within SEZs. The new policy also talks about the various fees that will be charged by the SEZ Authority to those who are primary locators or invested within SEZs, and those who are located within the various SEZs in the country. Prime Minister Marape said the Special Economic Zone is not a new conversation. The initial ones include the Malahang Industrial Park in Lae city which was established somewhere in the 1990s. Since then, it has become clear that the SEZ is a potential approach to achieving economic independence and creating employment opportunities for Papua New Guineans. “That’s why when we took office in 2019, we were directed to the point to Take Back Papua New Guinea (PNG). To grow our economy at the very earliest to a K200 billion framework, envelope in our view that was at least a best pace to sustain a population that was growing.” PM Marape further stressed that now it’s time to get to work on the SEZs. “I want to point all of us straight to the point, let us work and not talk. We got enough stories in the region and so I don’t think we need any more conversations. We just need to get to do the work.” He said since 2019 when his government came into power, a lot of efforts were put in to enable a conducing environment to do business like improvements to ports and the Connect PNG program to link the rural areas to the main centers to enable movement for farmers to the markets. The beefing up of the SEZ is part of this effort. On that note, the PM urged cooperation from all government agencies to work together to enable further developments to support the growth of business. “Whatever you must do, you must do with haste so we grow the economy at the very earliest to a minimum K200 billion economic float that will sustain the growth of the population we have today. We need money for roads; we need money for schools. A big economy gives affordability to any government of the day to collect from to formulate the annual fiscal budget. Right now, SEZs must be seen in the context of trying our very best to grow our economy,” said the prime minister. Meanwhile, present to witness the launching include the Secretary of the Department of International Trade and Investment Jacinta Warakai- Manua, representatives of business houses, foreign missions, and Members of Parliament including Mining Minister Ranbo Paita and the Leader of the Opposition and new People’s Progress Party (PPP) Leader, Douglas Tomuriesa.

Two police officers were among three other individuals busted by police in major drug operation in Port Moresby city yesterday. According to a police statement released today, a senior police officer and a police constable were among three civilians who were arrested in a major drug bust in a hotel room. National Captial District (NCD) Metropolitain Supervenient, Warrick Simatab, confirmed that the senior police officer is Inspector Potol Husein and the junior officer is Constable Emmanuel Somon. The three civilians were Japheth Warus, Rick Posing, and Cathleen Tau. He said they were apprehended in the hotel room where they were found consuming illicit substances, appearing to be under the influence, and were in possession of drug implements. The police forensic team, who attended the crime scene, has since confirmed the illicit substance to be Methamphetamine. "I want to expressed profound gratitude to the public for their crucial tip-off that led to these significant arrests," said Mr. Simatab. "This operation is a direct result of the excellent intelligence work by my police team, and it underscores the effectiveness of the smart, intelligent, and proactive policing that the NCD police command is diligently focusing on. We appeal to the public to continue to support the police with vital information; your partnership is instrumental in combating criminal activities within our communities." Met. Supt. Simatab while addressing the severe nature of police involvement, issued a strong warning to those police officers who act as criminals in disguise in police uniform. He said if the officers choose to act like criminals, the police will treat them like other criminals. Simatab also confirmed that Inspector Husein and Constable Somon will be terminated from the police force and will face court proceedings as civilians. Their police status will be stripped off and they will be treated as civilians. He further added that Husein also has outstanding police disciplinary issues, summary and criminal allegations. "The RPNGC is unwavering in its commitment to addressing law and order challenges and is working tirelessly to win back and maintain public trust. We are actively separating the bad apples from the good," the Metropolitan Superintendent emphasized. "Incidents like this, while deeply regrettable, demonstrate our absolute resolve to clean our own ranks and hold every individual, regardless of their position, accountable under the full extent of the law." All five suspects are currently detained at Boroko cells and will be processed and appear in court soon to face charges related to the possession and consumption of Methamphetamine,” Simatab said.

Tomorrow, the National Government through the Department of International Trade and Investment is expected to launch the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Foundation Policy that defines the various SEZs, and their different investment opportunities available. This Policy will also talk about the various fees that will be charged by the SEZ Authority to those who are primary locators or invested within SEZs, and those who are located within the various SEZs in the country. But what is a Special Economic Zone and why is the National Government so focused on establishing a number of them in the country in the next decade? So, a Special Economic Zone is an area in a country that is designed to generate positive economic growth. This means generating revenue and employment through manufacturing and production of goods through downstream processing, which simply means the making goods and products using the country’s own resources and then selling them to markets in other countries. The Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru gave a clear explanation of how a SEZ functions, differentiating it from a regular business operation. “In SEZs you give a red-carpet treatment to all your investors. You give them work permits within the SEZs; you give them visa on arrival within the SEZs. You give them incentives, like you don’t pay duty on the goods coming in or they don’t pay taxes like other companies do. This is a special geographic area where you give special treatment to investors to attract them to come,” said the Minister. PNG must also step up and compete in gaining investors in the SEZs. Minister Maru said the rest of the world is competing for investments and PNG is stepping up. “We are stepping up, the Marape-Rosso Government is stepping up. To go from only one SEZ in the last five years to seven more new ones this year, is a great achievement by our government,” said Minister Maru. Meanwhile, the launching of the SEZ Foundation Policy will take place at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby city, the event commencing at around 6pm in the evening where representatives from the government, businesses and investors are expected to attend.

Health authorities in Papua New Guinea will very soon rollout the first round of vaccination to tackle the poliovirus, now that the much-needed vaccines have arrived in country. On Friday 13th June, 4.6 million lifesaving vaccine doses arrived in Port Moresby city. The arrival of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) has set the stage for the launching of the first round of emergency vaccinations to stop the spread of poliovirus. The intensive two-round campaign is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Australian Government. The vaccine delivery comes just weeks after PNG declared a national health emergency. Circulating poliovirus was detected in environmental samples and healthy children. “This is an urgent race to protect our children and stop the virus in its tracks,” said Dr Veera Mendonca, UNICEF Papua New Guinea Representative. “The arrival of these vaccines is a vital first step. Now we need to get them to every child.” Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea H.E. Ewen McDonald said his country was pleased to provide an immediate contribution of AUD 5 million to support PNG’s response. “The arrival in Port Moresby today of a large shipment of polio vaccines is an important milestone,” he said. H.E. Mr. McDonald said Australia would continue to work with PNG to protect children, reduce the risk of future outbreaks, and support a healthier, more resilient region. Meanwhile, the vaccines will be distributed across the country in the coming weeks. Health workers will deploy by air, foot, boat, helicopter and vehicle to reach children in even the most remote villages. PNG had been polio-free for 25 years until a previous outbreak in 2018. The current outbreak was detected in April and May (2025) through environmental surveillance in Morobe Province and Port Moresby city. No cases of paralysis have been reported.

The Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru has confirmed that the official launching of the new Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Foundation Policy will take place on Sunday 15th June in Port Moresby city. The launch of this policy will result in the current SEZ Act of 2019 being repealed and a new Act will be enacted to reflect the changes in the foundation policy. “The policy will define what SEZs are and the different types of SEZs, it will tell you also the types of industries within SEZs. It will also tell you about the incentives that are going to provide for investors who are located within SEZs. Our policy will also talk about the various fees that will be charged by the SEZ Authority to those who are primary locators or invested within SEZs, and those who are located within the various SEZs in the country,” said the minister. He said since the passage of the SEZ Act in 2019, only one SEZ received license and that is the Paga Hill SEZ in Port Moresby city which is currently in the construction phase. “So, it’s a very exciting journey that we are going to start on Sunday.” Minister Maru also stressed the importance of all stockholders attending the launching on Sunday. “I’m talking provinces and districts who want to be in the SEZs. They need to come, take the policy, ask the questions they need to ask and be clear. Invitations have gone out to our leaders, department and agencies, the private sector and the provinces and I look forward to having them all come together to be part of the launch of our PNG SEZ Foundation Policy on Sunday,” said Minister Maru. Minister Maru stressed again the importance of SEZs in job creation and revenue generation, stating that he is expecting seven new ones being granted licenses this year, a boost to the country. He explained that SEZs are unique, given that they are given special treatment by the state in order to lure in investments for development, hence, the new SEZ Policy will play a big part in the development of SEZs in Papua New Guinea.

The country’s consumer watchdog- the Independent Consumer and Competitions Commission (ICCC)- is warning retailers and wholesalers nationwide to comply with the government imposed Zero- rated Goods and Services Tax (GST) relief policy. The ICCC Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Paulus Ain explained that this initiative is expected to deliver nearly K800 million in GST savings for all the households nationwide and the ICCC will work with relevant authorities to enforce this. “The ICCC will assist the IRC (Internal Revenue Commission) and PNG Customs in ensuring that the intended relief reaches consumers, and that prices are fairly adjusted in line with tax changes,” said Mr. Ain. “The compliance and enforcement will be led by the IRC as the lead agency, and will be conducted in close partnership with the ICCC and Customs.” The Commission is committed to working alongside the IRC and PNG Customs to monitor market behavior and ensure businesses are passing on the GST savings to consumers, as required by law. “As a regulator, the ICCC endeavors to complement the efforts of our partner agencies while ensuring that customer protection remains at the forefront,” Mr. Ain said. Meanwhile, the tax relief policy marks an important intervention by the government to relieve cost of living pressures, and the ICCC remains committed in ensuring that the policy is complied with by the retailers and wholesalers.

It has been revealed that one of the police officers involved in the rape of a young woman in their custody at the Saraga Police Station in Port Moresby city, was supposed to be serving a prison sentence. The Police Commissioner, David Manning, revealed this in a statement released over the weekend, confirming that an immediate inquiry is underway by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Internal Affairs) to determine how this particular officer, Constable Danny Karaio, who was sentenced in 2012 to more than 14 years imprisonment, was not still in prison, obtained a police uniform and had been acting under the command of a supervising officer. “Initial facts established by the inquiry have revealed an unacceptable failure by Karaio’s commanding officers when he was convicted in 2012. Karaio’s supervising officers at the time, the Metropolitan Superintendent, and the Divisional Commander NCD, failed to ensure he was dismissed from the Force. They failed the Police Force and they failed our public,” said Commissioner Manning. Manning said what had transpired back then showed a clear and disgraceful dereliction of duty from Commissioned Officers who owed the public better when this person was arrested in 2010 and when he was convicted in 2012. “By operation of law, this individual had no place in the Police Force. By operation of Standing Orders, his supervising officers had a duty to ensure he was removed from the Force. By Common decency, any member aware of his actions should have ensured he was removed from uniform and put behind bars,” Manning said. So far, three officers involved in the rape of the woman, including Karaio, have been arrested and charged, while the fourth one is still on the run. Commissioner Manning assured the public that the fourth officer, an Auxiliary Officer, will soon be apprehended as police officers are closing in on him.

There have been concerns being raised about the small-scale mining sector being taken over by foreigners, a sector that is considered reserved to Papua New Guineans and this has prompted parliament to look into it. The matter was also raised during the recent parliament session where questions were raised regarding why a lot of foreign companies are now getting into alluvial mining, prompting the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Citizenship Matters to conduct an inquiry with key stakeholders on this issue. Committee Chairman Ricky Morris, MP made this statement when endorsing the Chief Migration Officer Wellington Navasivu on the Advisory Committee and the official swearing-in of members of the Committee at Parliament House recently. Chairman Morris said the inquiry will look into selected alluvial mining activities and small- scale/artisanal mining operations in the country, following reports of an increase in foreign investors participating in this sector. “Certain business activities, including alluvial mining are reserved for PNG citizens to promote local participation and economic empowerment,” he said. “It is a significant livelihood activity for many local miners and any foreign investor found operating in this domain may face legal consequences.” As the Committee responsible for oversight on a broad range of citizenship-related issues, stakeholders including Investment Promotion Authority and other regulatory bodies who actively monitor business activities to prevent unauthorized foreign participation in reserved sectors, will be invited to give evidence at a public hearing or consultative meeting in the coming months. He said the Committee was committed to empowering PNG citizens by ensuring they have exclusive access to key economic activities, thereby fostering national development and self- reliance. Details of the proposed inquiry will be announced at a later date. Meanwhile, the government has established a Reserved Activity List (RAL), effective from January 3rd, 2022, of about 39 activities reserved exclusively for PNG citizens, including small-scale farming, retail trade and security services. The list is reviewed biennially to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.

The new TISA Bank, having received its commercial banking license in August 2024, aims to increase its presence through its services in the areas of Retail, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Corporate Banking in 2025 and onwards. TISA Group’s Chairman Mr. Gabriel Tai during the recent announcement of the bank’s 2024 financial year performances on Thursday 5th June in Port Moresby city, stated that TISA Bank aims to become a trusted financial Group that empowers every customer to thrive. “We will continue to invest in technology, people, partnership, and responsible practices that reflect the values on which we were founded. These are not just principles we talk about; they are the foundation of every decision we make,” said Chairman Tai. Meanwhile, TISA Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mr. Michael Koisen confirmed this saying that the bank has been their biggest project at the moment, so a lot of investment has been made in the bank in terms of people and technology. “We are opening branches. Port Moresby branch has been opened, Wewak, Madang, Kokopo and Hagen are next. Hopefully by this year we’ll open those branches as well. The focus of course, is on the retail because we believe very strongly and the evidence is quite clear that the banking service in this country need a lot of improvement. So, our focus is on the retail area to try to improve services for the retail customers. Also, there’s the SME portion of it that we are concentrating a few resources on to grow that sector because we believe very strongly that the SME sector is the growth engine for the economy of PNG, so we want to support that,” said Mr. Koisen. In addition to the retail and SME, TISA Bank also welcomes corporate clients. “Large corporates that wish to do business with us are quite welcome to join us. We’re growing on all fronts on banking in the country,” Mr. Koisen added.

The Constitutional Law Reform Commission (CLRC) this week launched the Development of the Underlying Law book, a book which evolved as a means to keep records and also for educational purposes, especially for law students in the country. The book, which contains Papers from the 3rd Underlying Law Conference in 2017, was launched on Tuesday 3rd June in Port Moresby city. The CLRC Secretary Dr. Mange Matui in his speech highlighted the importance of the book, asserting it as a guiding discourse for discussions surrounding underlying law in Papua New Guinea (PNG). “The idea of publishing this book stemmed from the need to preserve, share and institutionalize the critical discussions and legal thinking generated at the 2017 Conference. This book serves as a knowledge repository and a stimulus for further dialogue on the underlying law.” “These discussions across various aspects of law relating to the underlying law, offers a rich contribution to the existing body of knowledge and provides valuable insights into its ongoing development and application in Papua New Guinea.” The book consolidates 13 papers out of the collection of scholarly papers presented at the conference, with minimal editorial changes made by Secretary for the Department of Justice and Attorney General Dr. Eric Kwa, PhD; CLRC Secretary Dr. Mange Matui, PhD; and Senior researcher and publisher David Gonol, to ensure clarity, consistency and academic quality suitable for publication. Other contributions were from lawyers, judges, jurists, legal scholars, researchers, the CLRC management and the Chief Justice, Sir Gibbs Salika. The book will now be available to the general public and the legal fraternity like the Judiciary and magistracy; legal practitioners and law students; universities and academic institutions; government departments, traditional leaders and community-based legal advocates. Anyone with a serious interest in developing a truly Papua New Guinean jurisprudence, will find this book both informative and inspiring.

One of the oldest political parties formed prior to independence over 50 years ago now has a new parliamentary leader following the recent passing of the founder of the party and the last man standing, late Sir Julius Chan. This is the People’s Progress Party (PPP), established in the late 1960s, it is the longest serving political party in Papua New Guinea (PNG), and this afternoon in Port Moresby city, the Opposition Leader and Member for Kiriwina- Goodenough, Douglas Tomuriesa, was announced as the newly appointed Leader. The Leader said the first thing is the restructuring of the party to ensure the party aligns itself with the expectations of the people. “We’ll restructure the party; we’ll make sure that the party policies go in line with a lot of great parties we have in the Opposition and the policies that will drive this nation the way the people of Papua New Guinea want it to be. So, we’ll realign the policies of the party in few months' time. I have had wonderful discussions with the party executives in the past week, and we are prepared to prepare the party’s policies and guidelines heading forward. Our focus will be 2027 (national election) and that focus will be working very closely with other party leaders in the Opposition and friends in the government as well,” said Tomuriesa. Mr. Tomuriesa thanked the family of the late Sir Julius Chan for their blessing and support for him to take on the role of their late father. He also thanked the PPP executives and supports across PNG for the support and vowed to do his very best in leading this party going forward. The Leader also thanked the Registrar of Political Parties for fast-tracking his appointment as the new Leader of the People’s Progress Party.