PAPUA New Guinea must be prepared and ready for Omicron and other emerging variants of COVID-19, says Deputy Controller of the National Pandemic Response Dr Daoni Esorom. Dr Daoni said Omicron, the new variant was first detected in South Africa on 24 November, 2021, but there are still many unknowns about it. The early signs, he said, are that it may be more transmissible but it is still not known what risks it poses to public health. “Compared to other variants, Omicron has more than 32 mutations, beta has nine mutations and delta has nine on their spike proteins that…
Author: PNG Haus Bung
The New Zealand government is deploying dozens of Defence Force and police personnel to Honiara in the coming days, “to help restore peace and stability”. Since rioting and looting started in the Solomon Islands last week, Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea have sent troops to help keep the peace there. An initial NZDF team of 15 will joint them tomorrow, followed by a larger group of 50 at the weekend. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the response is short-term and to help restore peace and stability. “New Zealand is committed to its responsibilities and playing its part…
Honduras looks set to elect its first female president, Xiomara Castro, after the ruling party conceded defeat. Ms Castro, the candidate for the left-wing Libre (Free) Party, has a preliminary lead of almost 20 percentage points over her rival. Her victory will bring an end to the 12-year reign of the right-wing National Party, which has been plagued by scandals and corruption accusations. Ms Castro will replace the divisive President Juan Orlando Hernández. He has been dogged by allegations of ties to the drugs trade after his brother Antonio was jailed for trafficking in the United States. Ms Castro has promised…
St John Ambulance was assisted with a brand new vehicle and K70, 000 worth of emergency and rescue equipment recently by PNG Ports. St John Chief Executive Officer Matt Cannon said the assistance was ideal and timely and thanked PNG Ports. “The brand new Ford Ranger will be used in major emergencies in NCD, Central and as far as Gulf Provinces,” Mr Cannon said. “It is equipped with paramedic and rescue equipment that can be used to stabilize severely injured people and provide support if there is a major emergency affecting a lot of people.” “The 70, 000 worth of…
Key Population Advocacy Consortium (KP Consortium), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in close collaboration with the Government of Papua New Guinea, marked World AIDS Day by launching a Community-Led Monitoring mechanism designed to increase the quality of services for people living with HIV in the National Capital District (NCD). “PNG has made and continues to make great strides to address HIV/AIDS, and the U.S. government will continue to stand with the government and people of PNG,” said U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu Erin…
Nambawan Super Limited has supported BSP’s statement that rejects the secretive new revenue measures included in the proposed 2022 National Government Budget. Speaking to the media recently, NSL Chief Executive Officer Paul Sayer said no consultations had been undertaken with any of the Authorised Super Funds or key stakeholders about this new K190 million market concentration levy, indexed to grow each year by 5%, on BSP as the major bank in PNG. “As a tax on profits, it is a tax on the shareholders and not BSP as a company,” Mr Sayer said. He said Superannuation funds have provided the…
The future of ex-Brisbane Broncos playmaker Anthony Milford’s NRL career is in doubt after the NRL barred the South Sydney Rabbitohs from registering his contract while criminal proceedings are ongoing. Milford was handed a one-season lifeline by Souths after the Broncos opted not to renew his $1 million-per-year contract, but was arrested in late September following an incident in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane. Milford is accused of three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm after allegedly assaulting three bystanders – a man and two women – who intervened in an argument between Milford and his wife Miri. He also allegedly…
The opening address of PNG Prime Minister, Hon. James Marape, at the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum conference on December 1st and 2nd this week, is expected to spark public debate on the continuing role and prospects for petroleum and mining companies in Papua New Guinea. The Prime Minister’s address on the Conference theme, “Resource Industry – Making it Work for PNG”, comes at a challenging time following last year’s sharp K6 billion fall in export revenues from the sector, which has experienced solid growth since exports commenced in 2014 from the PNG LNG Project. According to statistics released…
ExxonMobil PNG and its PNG LNG Project partners are continuing to support the government’s COVID-19 emergency response. As operator of the PNG LNG Project, ExxonMobil PNG is overseeing the implementation of a PGK 4.3 million effort in support of the National Coordination Centre (NCC) plus the Provincial Health Authorities in the National Capital District (NCD) as well as Hela and Central Provinces. Since starting the program in early 2021, much needed supplies and equipment have been delivered Hospital plus health authorities in Hela and Central provinces along with equipment and supplies to support NCC operations. Also included as part of…
Provincial Administrator for Western Province, Robert Alphonse Kaiyun of Karemgo village, North Fly District, Western Province was arrested and charged with one count of Abuse of Office under Section 92 (1) of the Criminal Code Act by detectives from the National Fraud Anti-Corruption Directorate on Sunday 28 November 2021 in Port Moresby. This is the second Provincial Administrator to be arrested in less than two weeks in November by NFACD. The first arrest was Wilson Matava, Provincial Administrator for East New Britain Province on the 19 November 2021. Mr. Kaiyun was appointed Provincial Administrator for Western Province for a period…