Prime Minister (PM) James Marape has commended New Porgera Ltd (NPL) for remaining on track with production at Porgera Gold Mine and meeting its initial targets, despite the operational challenges presented by the recent Mulitaka landslide in Enga province. He made this statement while welcoming the announcement that Porgera Gold Mine has met or exceeded its targets since resuming mining in December last year, with gold production for the first half of the year above guidance and all-in sustaining costs trending lower. Marape also highlighted his privilege of meeting Barrick President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Mark Bristow, who…
Author: Emmanuel MAIPE
Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Walter Schnaubelt says there has not been any changes nor increase in airport levies and fees, charged by the National Airports Corporation, since 2013, despite inflation and the increased cost of doing business since then. “For the past 11 years, despite the high costs of operations due to inflation and other economic factors, National Airports Corporation (NAC) has not increased airport levies and charges as it should.” The Minister was responding to calls made by Member for Bulolo, Sam Basil Jnr, to review and reduce all unnecessary airport levies and charges. “While we understand the…
The landowners from upstream Petroleum Development License (PDL) areas, must really organise themselves properly so to benefit from the funds from the PNG LNG project, which are still sitting idle in trust accounts for several years now. Prime Minister (PM) James Marape stressed this recently when stating that only by doing so, the concerned landowners can access the over K1 billion worth of royalties and equities that are still sitting in trust accounts. He said landowner direct royalty and equity entitlements from what was signed in the Umbrella Benefits Sharing Agreement (UBSA) at Kokopo and split by percentage at all…
The 1st Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (1RPIR) marked the 43rd Remembrance Day this morning with the annual Dawn Service at the Taurama Barracks in Port Moresby city attended by the soldiers, their families and some members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The Service is to remember the soldiers that served and their sacrifices during the Second World War, including the Papua New Guinean soldiers of the Papuan Infantry Battalion and the Niugini Infantry Battalion who fought alongside the Allied troops, which marked a significant part in the country’s history. 1RPIR’s Commanding Officer (CO) and Area Commander, Lt Col (Leftenant…
The Tongan government has granted a provisional temporary permit to Starlink to operate in the Kingdom for a six-month period. Almost a third of Tonga’s population was cut off from the internet for more than a fortnight after a suspected quake on late last month disrupted the service to two outlying islands popular with tourists. The government had also deactivated Starlink, saying it did not have a licence to operate in the country. Tongans had started a petition, calling on the government to allow access to Starlink internet services. Tongans, especially in the outer islands, are seeking to use the…
The Minister for International Trade and Investment will be heading back to Indonesia in three week’s time along with a delegation including the Deputy Prime Minister, to talk investments in downstream processing. Minister Richard Maru in an interview with PNG HAUSBUNG revealed that this next trip will include the heads of State own Enterprises like PNG Power Limited, Kumul Mineral Holdings Limited and Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited, to gain insight into Indonesian companies engaged in downstream processing in their own country and secure their investments in Papua New Guinea (PNG), so to establish downstream processing facilities in the country. “We…
Air Niugini has announced that it will recommence its jet services to Port Vila, Vanuatu on the 03rd of August 2024. It’s a weekly service that departs Port Moresby every Saturday to Port Vila via Honiara, Solomon Islands. These flights will be operated by Air Niugini’s Boeing 737 aircraft. Air Niugini’s Acting Chief Executive Office, Mr. Gary Seddon said the Port Moresby/Port Vila flights provide an opportunity to reconnect businesses in the two Melanesian countries and introduces seamless flight to Vanuatu and Asia and Vanuatu and Cairns via the Port Moresby gateway. He said this flight between Papua New Guinea…
Prime Minister (PM) James Marape and his entourage arrived back in country this morning, touching down in Port Moresby satisfied with the outcomes of his visits to both Indonesia and Japan. At a press conference shortly after landing, Marape said the trips to both countries was a successful one, having signed agreements and strengthening trade, investments and political ties. He said Papua New Guinea’s relations with Indonesia is now at its highest-level following talks of trade and the signing of four Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), two for the transport sector between the two countries, one for education and another for…
Empowering provincial centers to improve tax collection and compliance efforts was the objective of the Internal Revenue Commission Annual Provincial Managers meet in Lae this week. Commissioner General, Mr. Sam Koim emphasized the need to treat provincial centers as effective operational centers, separate from headquarters in the city of Port Moresby. “The goal is to make provincial centers more active in terms of ensuring tax compliance and, in doing so, improve tax collection efforts and ultimately increase tax revenue,” he said. “The meeting is designed to help us understand the challenges faced by provincial managers and allocate resources to address…
The country’s consumer watchdog, the Independent Consumer and Competitions Commission (ICCC) has stated that Air Niugini increasing its domestic airfares is a bad idea that will only lead to more pain on the already struggling airline company. The ICCC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Commissioner, Mr. Paulus Ain in a statement said that the decision by Air Niugini to increase domestic airfares to cover cost and sustain its operations, is a misleading one and will see the airline losing more loyal clients and customers, resulting in the airline continuing to experience low revenue to sustain its operations. Air Niugini on…