Author: PNG Haus Bung

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP Assistant Administrator and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Ms. Kanni Wignaraja met with Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape. On her first visit to Papua New Guinea, she took the opportunity to highlight the long-standing partnership between UNDP and Papua New Guinea. Ms. Wignaraja said, “I am pleased to finally visit Papua New Guinea. It is a place of incredible opportunity. UNDP has enjoyed a strong partnership with Papua New Guinea for many years and we remain committed to strengthening this partnership further in coming years. The world is in uncertain…

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The mainstream media in our independent country was this week accused of being anti- PNG and not being responsible in its role in the country. This call was made in the confines of the National Parliament during Questions without Notice and was in reference to the front-page story of one of our daily papers featuring a story of a multi-homicide case in the Transgogol area of the Madang Province. In response to this call, the government urged the media in the country to be more responsible in its coverage of stories, and ‘how it portrays the country’. The Media Council…

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As the 20 Days of Human Rights Activism campaign continues to be celebrated in PNG, five members of the new Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) were sworn in yesterday at the National Parliament. Governor Powes Parkop (Chairman), Governor Allan Bird (Deputy Chairman) and Committee members Hon. Marsh Narewec, Hon. Ricky Morris and Hon. Lohia Boe Samuel all took their oath of office and committed to using their mandate to progress women’s empowerment and to continue previous efforts to tackle gender-based violence. Governor Chair Powes Parkop took the opportunity to make a short speech, thanking the…

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The Board of Ok Tedi Mining Ltd announced that it has accepted the resignation of Managing Director and CEO, Musje Werror. OTML Board Chairman, Dr. Roger Higgins, made the announcement today. Dr. Higgins thanked Mr Werror for his contribution to Ok Tedi over many years, starting as a graduate trainee, working across all aspects of the business and culminating in his leadership of the company. He wished Mr. Werror every success in his next venture. The OTML Board will immediately commence the process to recruit the next Managing Director & CEO. In the meantime, Mark Thompson, who is currently the…

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Germany was knocked out of the 2022 World Cup on Thursday after a quite extraordinary finale to Group E, despite beating Costa Rica. At varying points of the two games, fans of Spain and Japan as well as Costa Rica and Germany each thought that their countries might be on their way to the knockout phase. Completely outplayed by Spain in the first half and trailing to Alvaro Morata’s first-half goal, somehow Japan stormed back to win 2-1 and top the group. Japan’s two goals – from Ritsu Dōan and Ao Tanaka – came in the space of three minutes…

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Prime Minister James Marape has reminded heads of Government departments and agencies to submit their annual reports by March 31, 2023, to show what they have achieved in 2022. He said yesterday (December 1, 2022) that this would ensure timely and regular checks and balances on Government departments and agencies. “All heads of Government departments and agencies are required to report back to us, by March 31, 2023, on what they have done for the country,” PM Marape said. “We will not tolerate any late reports and warn, in no uncertain terms, that failure to comply with this deadline will…

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Prime Minister James Marape has assured the traveling Papua New Guinean public that he would get the two ministers jointly responsible for Air Niugini to look into the possible review of fees and extra charges that the airline company is imposing upon tickets. The Prime Minister said while the Government cannot interfere with the costs of the tickets because of Air Niugini’s ‘cost structure’, fees and charges, however, could be looked at and he would get the ministers for State-owned Enterpise and Transport & Civil Aviation to look into the matter. Prime Minister Marape was responding to Member for Menyamya…

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Prime Minister James Marape has announced to the people of Papua New Guinea that a National Monitoring Authority (NMA) will be set up next year to ensure that the National Budget is implemented and that the Government’s visions and aspirations are realized. He said yesterday, fresh from delivery of the 2023 Budget on Tuesday (November 29, 2022), that the NMA would be comprised of bodies like National Research Institute, National Economic and Fiscal Commission, Transparency International, National Council of Churches and others. “We will also have representation of the Provincial Governors, Inter-Government Relations Department, and Central Agencies,” PM Marape said.…

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The National Government is now looking into settling long-owed payments for shares in the oil palm businesses in Milne Bay and Oro provinces, Prime Minister James Marape said yesterday (011222) in Parliament. Prime Minister Marape said this as he apologized to the people of Milne Bay and Oro for the inability of the past government to settle these overdue payments which he said have been outstanding for some 10 years. He was responding to Milne Governor Hon. Gordon Wesley who wanted to know if anything was going to finally come from the shares being held at Kumul Consolidate Holdings (KCH).…

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The Regional Youth Games for the New Guinea Islands has been postponed to 2024. The Games was initially agreed to be hosted in Kokopo in December 2022 following the success of the Inaugural Papua Regional Youths Games held in Alotau District, Milne Bay Province in April this year. However, the Games is now deferred due to the rise in Law & Order issues and prolonged drought in both East and West New Britain Provinces. Focus will now be shifted to consultations for the Regional Youth Games in the Momase and Highlands Regions earmarked for 2023. The RYG Council appeals to…

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