Author: Emmanuel MAIPE

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) is sending a message out to those who would engage in corrupt practices to be recruited that it will not hesitate to remove them from recruitment training if they are found to be involved. That message was shown today when the Defence Force hierarchy removed over 160 male and female trainee recruits from the Goldie River Training Depot outside Port Moresby, who were found to have entered without going through the proper checks and processes. The PNGDF Chief of Training, Colonel Dickers Esso, said they are implementing the Commander of Defence Force (CDF)…

Read More

In light of the recent workers protest on allegations that some companies are imposing the so called “no jab, no job” policy, the Business Council of Papua New Guinea (BCPNG) has come out to say that no company or business have Covid-19 workplace policies that forcefully remove employees who do not wish to be vaccinated. According to the BCPNG Executive Director Mr. Douveri Henao, workplace COVID-19 policies are there to protect the employees and to ensure the continuity of a business or a company’s operation. He went on to explain that Papua New Guinea’s work environment, unlike industrialized nations where…

Read More

Digicel PNG in partnership with MiBank have put out a new joint service that will greatly benefit MiBank customers, through Digicel’s Cell Moni service. Digicel’s Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer, Lorna McPherson, said this will save time and make it easy for customers to do banking. She said this partnership will enable ease because most of the MiBank customers are also Digicel customers, which means MiBank customers will have access to more than 12, 000 Cell Moni agents throughout the country. “MiBank customers can repay their loans and contribute to their savings anytime and anywhere twenty-four seven using…

Read More

Soon to hit the market in the country is a new product that was launched yesterday by South Pacific (SP) Brewery dubbed the Heineken 0.0 (zero, zero). SP Managing Director Mr. Ed Weggemans, said this new product is a non- alcoholic beverage, meaning it has zero alcohol percentage in it. “Today South Pacific Brewery is launching Heineken 0.0. It is a malt lager, its real beer with no alcohol,” said the Managing Director. Mr. Weggemans said the product has had huge successes in all markets where it was launched before and fulfilled a consumer need that is driven by great…

Read More

The working class will continue to be taxed highly for personal income tax for some time until the country’s economy picks up. This is because the reduction of the personal income tax rate for the working class at this time would be impossible as the country’s development and recurrent budget depends heavily on it. That’s the response from the Prime Minister (PM) James Marape to the Member for North Fly district James Donald in parliament, when the member asked about possible ways to reduce the rate of personal income tax at a time when the country is in a bad…

Read More

A new national health plan will be launched in the coming months that would address the woes in the health sector, including the issue of the shortage of medical work force in the country. Health Minister Jelta Wong said the government through this plan would double the work force through training and certifying them to work. Minister Wong made this statement when responding to questions from the member for Pomio, Mr. Elias Kapavore, on this matter in parliament today. Kapavore said Papua New Guinea (PNG) has about five hundred medical officers today servicing the public health system. “We have a…

Read More

Hela Governor, Philip Undialu, commended the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) Limited for the policy changes regarding the payment of royalties and dividends for landowners which allowed for transparency in the disbursement of funds. Undialu said one notable change or shift in the policy is the requirement for landowner clans to create and open their own bank accounts to enable the money to be put in the respective accounts for the people to use. “This is one big change and I appreciate the MRDC for making this happen for the landowners,” he said. The other notable change is the period…

Read More

Development and service will not reach the people despite funding support unless there is peace and harmony in the community to pave way for resources to be used to improve the lives of the people. This was the direct message given by the Governor for Hela Province Philip Undialu to his people, when urging them to use the money given to them from the PNG LNG project wisely for their own benefit. Undialu, who was at the ceremony held in Benaria in the Komo Magarima district yesterday for the royalty and dividend payment to segments 2 and 3 landowners of…

Read More

AFL PNG is going rural in Central Province to seek talent and spread the footy code through the Australian Football League (AFL) rural competition planned for various villages, starting off with the Keapara village competition. AFL PNG Senior Football Operations Manager, Mr. Rex Leka said the launching of the rural competition is also part of the initiative to teach the youngsters through the AFL Junior Development program. The program will run alongside the competitions so to get the kids and youths interested in the sport. “We aim to spread AFL to the rural areas so we can identify the raw…

Read More

Kina Securities Ltd (KSL), through Kina Bank, will be challenging the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) decision in its Draft Determination on its proposed decline of authorization for Kina Bank to acquire Westpac PNG’s shares. Kina Bank’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Greg Pawson, said the draft determination, which was issued by the ICCC late last week, is the first stage in a three-stage process and is largely based on feedback and objections from several organizations invited by the ICCC to respond. “Stage two of the process is a consultation session scheduled for the 11th of August. Stage three is a…

Read More