Prime Minister James Marape has thanked all 118 MPs for their support over the last two weeks, culminating in yesterday’s (December 2, 2022) marathon session in which the 2023 Budget was overwhelmingly passed. He also announced that he is leaving for Sydney, Australia, today (December 3, 2022) to attend the 16th PNG Mining and Petroleum Investment Conference. PM Marape said Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso was out of the country on duty travel in Europe and Africa, and in their absence, United Resource Party Leader and State Enterprises Minister William Duma would be Acting Prime Minister. “I will be out…
Author: PNG Haus Bung
Today 3rd of December marks the International Day of persons with disabilities. According to WHO, every 10% of the country’s population are people with disabilities, including children. Persons with disabilities in PNG face tremendous issues daily- most importantly, their survival kit and enabling system. PNG, a state which ratified UN 6 of the nine treaties, is adhered to the international instrument to improve the approach to persons with disabilities in PNG through services, policies, and programs, and, most importantly, support services that enable these citizens to a daily routine. PNG state ratified the international convention on the rights of persons…
Morobe Rural SME Foundation Inc. (MRSMEF) recently carried out a Financial Literacy Training for the locals in Gagidu, Finschaffen District, in Morobe Province. The participants of this training were mainly public servants, primary and secondary school teachers and health workers from the local Braun Hospital. They went through a week long training on the business startup process, business development skills, budgeting, cash flow, savings, and risk management including as well record keeping basics. This training was the fourth of its kind, in Finschaffen, that has long been seen as a potential area for economic growth. The first training was held…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…