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…
Author: Martha LOUIS
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…
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…
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…
A high-stakes police operation in the Gusap area of Markham District in Morobe province has left two people dead and a stolen vehicle recovered, following weeks of investigation. The vehicle — a white Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to JV Construction Ltd — was reported stolen in May from the company’s Walium Station site in Madang Province. On the night of June 30, police acting on a local tip-off intercepted the vehicle near Yang Creek. According to Acting Madang Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Superintendent Robert Baim, officers from the Ramu Police Station attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused…
Preparations for the local-level government (LLG) elections are underway in Madang Province, but a delay in the arrival of ballot papers is causing concern among election officials. Madang Election Manager Sponsa Navi confirmed that while training for Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) is scheduled to begin this week, election materials are still yet to be delivered. “We’ll be training our AROs over the next three days,” Navi said. “Thanks to recent funding, we’ve been able to begin our logistical preparations.” Despite these efforts, the absence of ballot papers remains a major issue with polling expected to start soon. “The ballot papers…
A woman charged with murder has been recaptured after escaping from the Kundiawa police cells in Chimbu Province. Martha Mane was found on 28th June in Mogiage, Salt Nomane, after a tip-off from the public. She had escaped on 17th June with 12 other male prisoners. Police also arrested her husband, an Auxiliary Police Constable Mr. Peter Bullie, who is accused of helping them escape by giving them a spare key. He had taken Mane to his village after the breakout. “Mane has been charged for escaping. Her husband now faces 13 charges for helping the escape,” said Chimbu police…
More than 500 families in Morobe’s Markham District are picking up the pieces after flash floods destroyed homes, food gardens, cocoa fermentaries, and a local primary school. The flooding lasted three days and swept through villages near the Yati River, including Bicidi, Lusples, Nawatrai, Badarian, Yonki, Rope, Baniscow and Sakarak. Mr. Abraham Minzim from Ragiampun village said families were caught off guard. “It happened so fast. Everything was washed away — our gardens, cocoa trees, even the fermentary houses,” he said. The flood also damaged Ragiampun SDA Primary School, disrupting learning for over 500 students. So far, no relief has…
Police in Lae city continue to hunt for the accomplices of a wanted criminal who was shot and killed by police following an attempted armed robbery at a gravel site near Nadzab recently. The man, Andrew Nelson from Koroba in Hela, had been jailed in 2020 for murder. He was supposed to serve 13 years but was let out early under strict rules to stay out of trouble, but he did not. Police say he did not learn from his lesson. After getting out, he was involved in several robberies in other provinces and even escaped from police in Popondetta…
Lae police have issued a strong warning to vehicle owners following an armed robbery at the Coronation Service Station in Top Town, urging them to take greater responsibility for who uses their vehicles. The robbery took place on Friday 27th June at around 6:45am when four armed men stormed the service station and escaped with more than K20,000 in cash. The suspects fled in a vehicle, sparking an immediate police response. The vehicle was later found abandoned, and intelligence-led operations led to the arrest of five suspects at Ass Mambu back road. Two of them were injured and are receiving…