Universities say their foreign enrolments have remained “astonishingly high” and they are hoping international students can return to the country in the middle of next year. But they say it is not practical to expect large numbers of students until managed isolation and quarantine requirements are dropped. Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said the eight institutions had about 14,000 international students, which was a lot better than initial “doom and gloom” forecasts at the start of the pandemic. “At this stage our international student numbers are about 70 percent of what they were pre-Covid, quite astonishingly high,” he…
Author: PNG Haus Bung
The major partnership between ExxonMobil PNG (EMPNG) and Port Moresby Nature Park is truly unique! It extends beyond a mere funding to one of genuine commitment by EMPNG to seeing the Park reach its full potential for the benefit of the community and for the preservation of PNG’s amazing and diverse biodiversity. Port Moresby Nature Park’s Chief Executive Officer, Michelle McGeorge, recently acknowledged its longest running partner ExxonMobil PNG for its support as one of its major sponsors. She said the funding support provided by the operator of the PNG LNG Project since 2013 has helped to shape many areas…
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, MP, clarifies the misreporting on PNG official delegation’s attendance at the current COP26 Climate Summit, in Scotland, led by Special Envoy and Minister for Environment, Conservation & Climate Change Hon. Wera Mori. In response to Friday’s Post Courier headlines of costs involved for the delegation traveling to Glasgow, Scotland, Prime Minister Marape said that the official delegations are all attending COP26 and related meetings sanctioned by NEC, given that PNG’s climate change agenda is different than most nations, and we were targeting an economic return for our forest and oceans in not just the main…
Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Belden Norman Namah said on Thursday that he has not and will never incite any protest marches during this COVID-19 Pandemic but said he is not surprised that such moves are afoot. Speaking from his Vanimo Green River electorate, Mr Namah said: “There is no need for me or anybody else to incite the public to protest.” “Prime Minister James Marape is doing enough inciting on his own with his confusing policy signals, his mismanagement and his draconian orders.” “Marape has announced that vaccination is not compulsory but then he came out supporting a ‘NO…
The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (“ICCC”) has received a Clearance Application from Telstra Corporation Limited (“Telstra”) seeking approval for the proposed acquisition of Digicel (PNG) Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiaries in PNG. ICCC Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Paulus Ain said the ICCC received the Clearance Application from Telstra on the 29th October, 2021 pursuant to section 81 of the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission Act. Telstra is seeking approval from the ICCC for the proposed acquisition of Digicel (PNG) Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiaries in PNG, together referred to as Digicel PNG. “The Proposed Acquisition of Digicel PNG…
Fr Peter Kim (SVD), the spiritual director of three parishes in Kundiawa Diocese located in the outback of Gumine takes his long leave this week. Fr Kim, a missionary from the Divine Word Society (SVD) has served Dirima, Yuri and Nondri for close to six years, and has served for 19 years in PNG as a priest. Based in Dirima as his main station, which is 34 kilometers south of Kundiawa, his administration covers Yuri which is about six kilometers on beaten road to the west, and rugged Nondri covering eight kilometers on foot to the south. The total Catholic…
PNG Ports Corporation has paid about K126m to the State over the last 18 months. PNG Ports Managing Director Fego Kiniafa said this payment includes the taxes for 2019 to 2021, and dividend payments for the 2019-2020 fiscal years. He said these payments were made since the declaration of the pandemic in March 2020 to assist the economy in dealing with the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic. The K126 million consists of K43.9 million in taxes for 2019 and 2020, K21 million dividend for 2019, K20.9 million dividend for 2020 and K40 million in taxes for 2021. “This amount…
The Goroka Soccer Association (GSA) in Eastern Highlands Province has called off its 2021 season proper following the prolonged delay in the resumption of the competition. GSA President Richard Niningi said the season proper started in June and was into its’ second round when the venue was scheduled for the Goroka Show which was later disrupted. The venue at National Sports Institute was later used for COVID 19 isolation and with the surging COVID 19 situation in the province, the competition was completely grounded. Niningi said the situation is beyond their control therefore the sensible thing to do was for…
Police Commissioner and Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response, David Manning, has endorsed the Eastern Highlands Province Police Reservist program to beef up police manpower to address COVID-19 and policing challenges in the province. Commissioner Manning when signing the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Eastern Highland Governor Peter Numu on Thursday this week highlighted that Police Reservists have been a great asset to the Constabulary in the early days however, it was discontinued due to the lack of proper command and control. “With the current COVID-19 crisis coupled with the ongoing law and order situation across the country,we…
The Minister for Health and HIV/Aids, Hon. Jelta Wong, MP, has warned people going around threatening and attempting to intimidate health workers will be arrested and face the full force of the law. The Minister made the comments after reports of mainly unemployed youths harassing health workers and throwing stones at COVID-19 vaccination stations. In the face of the attempted intimidation and related failed attempts at unruly protests, the Minister called on the Opposition to stop sitting on the fence and make a public declaration to condemn anti-vaccination troublemakers. “Respect must be shown for our health staff and they should…