The Secretary for Education Dr. Uke Kombra has expressed grave concern that instructions for schools to open and teachers and students to return to normal classes have not been adhered to by pockets of schools throughout the country. Instructions were issued through various instructions to all schools, teachers and students to resume normal classes on July 25 and August 1 for other schools due to election-related violence and disturbances. Provincial Education Advisors were advised to assess the situation in their provinces and decide on an appropriate decision. However, news reports of schools still closed and very low turnout by students and teachers in the last two weeks has caught the attention of the Department. “In some cases, students are faithfully turning up for classes only to find that teachers are absent,” Secretary for Education, Dr. Uke Kombra stated. Dr. Kombra said that apart from a number of wards or districts seriously affected by the election related issues, there is no excuse whatsoever for teachers not to be at work and for most schools throughout the country. Normal teaching and learning must be taking place. “The rule of 30 days absenteeism will apply for students who are not turning up for classes without any good reason while teachers who are taking advantage of the situation and are not turning up at the school to teach or are still engaged in counting will be disciplined accordingly. Schools which are still closed for no good reason will not be paid their Government Tuition Fee payments or will be exempted from national examinations and assessment. By now teachers are not supposed to be engaged in the counting process. Arrangements should have been made for other people to take over from them so that they can go back to the classrooms.” The Secretary has directed all school inspectors and provincial education officials to visit schools and provide to his office reports of the situation on the ground and whether normal teaching and learning are taking place in their schools.

Nambawan Super has announced the resumption of full counter services for Members at all Provincial and Regional Branches as of Monday, 1 August 2022. As Covid-19 restrictions have been relaxed, Nambawan Super Limited (NSL) is now returning to its pre-Covid-19 schedule whereby members can access all counter services from Monday to Friday. Members are encouraged to continue exercising the Covid-19 Niupela Pasin practices when visiting their local Branches. NSL CEO Mr. Paul Sayer stated that the Fund was pleased to be resuming full counter services allowing for members to lodge applications, raise enquiries and receive support from NSL staff without undue delays. “We thank our Members for your patience and understanding throughout the Pandemic and we look forward to continuing delivery of high-quality services and support to you, as we have done so for the last 60 years”, he said. “I would also like to commend our members that have started taking advantage of our digital services through our Call Centre, direct emails, member portal and mobile app.” “With more members becoming accustomed to our digital services, we have been able to maintain a high level of service delivery despite the Covid-19 restrictions.” “We encourage our Members to save time online by registering for our online services, through which they can easily download statements, check their housing advance eligibility, and track contributions and interest earned”, he added. Mr. Sayer also advised that the relaxation of restrictions is a good indicator of businesses returning to normal post-pandemic. “Like all PNG businesses, Nambawan Super experienced a number of challenges brought on by the Covid-19 Pandemic, however, these small changes are crucial to helping restart economic growth which will benefit all”, Mr. Sayer said. “The Fund remains cautiously optimistic as we are still experiencing challenges from the Ukraine-Russia war and the resulting record high inflation rates.” “NSL is continuing to work on maximizing benefits for our 214,000 Members and to minimize the impacts of a slowing global growth whilst also preparing to capitalize on what experts believe may be another period of strong economic growth for PNG over the next few years”, he concluded

BSP Life PNG – a licensed life insurer and the youngest subsidiary of BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) delivered this as its third community project initiative since its first in 2019 under the BSP annual community initiative by handing over an e-library set up worth K30, 000. With this e-library, students and teachers Koiari Park Adventist Secondary School now have access to Resource books , Copies of old PNG exam papers, Encyclopedias/Dictionaries, Crash Courses, Wikipedia, Reading books Motivational videos & video tutorials, Microsoft office Training and interestingly, teachers can upload assignments ,notes and other important documents to the sever for students to download or access at any time without an internet connection. BSP Life PNG Country Manager Nilson Singh when handing over the complete project said, “Education is one of the most important investments a country can make in its future and part of that starts here in our schools, in the classrooms and in libraries. School libraries provide opportunities for students to think, create, share & grow. They can be a hub of learning, bridging the digital divide and making a difference in the lives of students. Our students are the leaders of tomorrow and it is important they get the best education possible.” “When access to education and learning grows, the ripple effects on communities and countries is remarkable. While we stand as a corporate organisation, each of our staff is a part of a community. I hope that through our contribution today to Koiari Park Adventist Secondary School, it will empower learners, inspire and make meaningful change for current students and future generations as well,” added Singh. Students and teachers can also connect to the e-library through Wi-Fi access, without requiring internet access. With our contribution to improving learning facilities for the students, we believe the school will continue to achieve outstanding results academically. Koiari Park Adventist Secondary School Principal Sailas Wagi emotionally thanked BSP for choosing their school as they have longed to have such a facility for a long time. “I could hug you all right now and thank you for the tremendous donation that seemed small but worthy for the school especially teachers and students in boosting their learning, capacity” wept Mr Wagi. BSP has delivered 529 community projects since 2009, worth over K13.39 million. This year, 2022, under the theme ‘Health and Education’, BSP handed-over 11 community projects from the 49 projects proposed by each of our Branches and Business Units

The Panthers were held scoreless for the first time in seven years as a relentless defensive performance helped the Storm to a 16-0 win and kept the minor premiership race alive. Penrith had 55 per cent of possession and more than 50 tackles within 20 metres of Melbourne's try line but failed to score a point for the first time in a match since the Storm shut them out 20-0 in 2015. It was Melbourne's third consecutive win, while the Panthers have now lost two of their last three games to give North Queensland hope of snatching the JJ Giltinan Shield when the top two sides meet in the final round at QCB Stadium. The premiers went into the match without suspended stars Nathan Cleary and James Fisher-Harris and the injured trio of Jarome Luai, Dylan Edwards and Taylan May, and lost Liam Martin with an ankle injury. However, the Storm have also been hit hard by injures and were without star halfback Jahrome Hughes (shoulder) and strike second-rower Felise Kaufusi following the death of his father. The decision to move Cameron Munster from five-eighth to fullback proved a masterstroke as the superstar playmaker carried the ball 194 metres from 17 runs, which included a line break, a line break assist and eight tackle breaks. However, it was in defence that the Storm were most impressive and hooker Harry Grant finished with 62 tackles followed by second-rowers Tui Kamikamica (53) and Kenny Bromwich (43), lock Brandon Smith (39), interchange forward Josh King (38) and prop Jesse Bromwich (36). The win puts Melbourne into fourth place and they will remain in the top four if South Sydney beat Parramatta on Friday night. Source: Melbourn Storms Website

Theodist as a Gold Sponsor; has been supporting Buk bilong Pikinini since 2014 as it recognizes that this is part of a collective effort in combatting illiteracy in Papua New Guinea. Like Buk Bilong Pikinini, Theodist acknowledges the value of early childhood education and understands that an investment in our children is an investment in the future of Papua New Guinea. The partnership has also seen Theodist hosting BbP’s reading corner and book shop inside our Waigani shop, where all proceeds from the sale of the books from the book shop go towards supporting the organization’s sustainability. We have renew our annual sponsorship of K50,000 to Buk Bilong Pikinini to alleviate literacy rates in PNG through the fostering of a culture of literacy and reading from early childhood. One of the pillars of our corporate social responsibility is to invest in organizations and programs that have a positive impact on our communities. We hope this sponsorship will go a long way towards promoting early childhood education among our children, as well as improving access to education and literacy in Papua New Guinea.

After a Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday to nine years in prison for a drug smuggling conviction, the player's supporters, teammates and numerous US officials swiftly condemned the decision, many concerned her detention is being used to advance Russia's agenda in the Ukraine war. Now, Griner has returned to the detention center where she was held during her weekslong trial as her lawyers vow to appeal the sentence and the Biden administration continues to try to negotiate for her release. Russian officials "are ready to discuss" the prisoners being held by both countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists at a news conference on Friday, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. President Joe Biden called the sentence "unacceptable" and demanded she be returned to the US to be reunited with her family, according to a statement. Here's what comes next for Griner as she awaits her lawyers' appeal and the US continues to negotiate for her release. Lawyers will appeal 'unreasonable' verdict Griner's legal team will file an appeal to the court's decision, which it must do within 10 days of the verdict, according to her lawyers, Alexander Boykov and Maria Blagovolina, who is a partner at Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin and Partners law firm. "We are very disappointed by the verdict. As legal professionals, we believe that the court should be fair to everyone regardless of nationality. The court completely ignored all the evidence of the defense, and most importantly, the guilty plea," they said in a statement. They called the verdict "absolutely unreasonable" and insisted the decision "contradicts the existing legal practice" in Russia. The average time in jail for this type of crime is five years, adding that almost a third of those convicted get parole, Blagovolina told reporters. During the trial, the lawyers argued Griner's detention was handled improperly. Griner testified she was made to sign documents she did not fully understand and was not given adequate translations of the Russian-language paperwork. A defense expert also testified the examination of the vape cartridges containing the cannabis oil did not comply with Russian law. US has proposed prisoner swap for Griner's return The Biden administration has proposed a prisoner swap, offering to exchange a convicted Russian arms trafficker for Griner and Whelan, CNN has reported. Whelan, a US citizen and former Marine, was handed a 16-year prison sentence in 2018 on espionage charges after a trial the US deemed unfair. After Griner's sentence, National Security Council coordinator John Kirby said it was "up to the Russian side" on whether the conviction will open the door for prisoner-swap negotiations. After the US proposed a prisoner swap, Russia countered by requesting convicted murderer Vadim Krasikov also be released, sources familiar with the discussions have told CNN. The US has not considered the counter as a legitimate proposal, in part because the request was made through an informal backchannel. Kirby reiterated Thursday the US position remains it wants Russia to "take the deal on the table because it's a good one, it's a fair one, and it'll help bring Paul (Whelan) and Brittney home." While US officials have long opposed prisoner trades, the successful release in April of Trevor Reed , an American and former Marine who was imprisoned in Russia, garnered bipartisan praise from lawmakers and was considered a political win for the Biden administration. Family and supporters continue to fight for her return The swap proposal follows months of pressure from Griner's family and members of the basketball community. The star's wife, Cherelle Griner, has been outspoken about her desire for US officials to take more substantial action to bring her wife home. Days after Cherelle Griner expressed frustrations in an interview with CNN, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held a call with her to reassure her they were committed to securing her wife's release, according to a White House call readout. Griner has also had the steady support of her WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, as well as other members of the basketball community. Before the start of a game Thursday night between the Mercury and Connecticut Sun, members of both teams linked arms in the center of the court and held a 42-second moment of silence for Griner, who wears 42 on her jersey. After it ended, people in the crowd started chanting, "Bring her home! Bring her home!" Source: CNN

Wan Squad are through to the semi-finals of the Hip Hop International Dance Competition after finishing 10th the preliminary round. Over 50 teams are competing in the competition. Wan Squad are competing in the adult division, which is historically the toughest in the competition. The top 21 teams make it through to the semifinals which happened this morning PNG time, with the finals on Saturday.  

The SP PNG Hunters will hold what could potentially be a farewell match at Bycroft Oval, Runaway Bay this Saturday at 3pm when they host the Townsville Blackhawks in Round 18 of the QRL Hostplus Cup. The Hunters are expected to return home to PNG in the coming weeks as they mark the end to a two-and-a-half year relocation period, meaning this weekend’s game could be the last time the Hunters play at their ‘home-away-from-home’ at Bycroft Oval. The Hunters’ last outing was a disappointing 44-6 loss to competition heavyweights the Sunshine Coast Falcons. Brimming with NRL experience and firmly entrenched inside the top four, the Falcons were too good for the Hunters last week but that didn’t prevent PNG from fighting until the final whistle. The PNG side gets a chance to respond this weekend when they take on the 10th placed Blackhawks on Saturday. The Hunters will have fond memories of the Blackhawks, having travelled to Townsville earlier the season and ambushing the locals 42-20 in a high-scoring affair. The PNG side played to their strengths in that game, compressing the middle with hard running forwards and changing their angles in attack to target spaces around ruck. Dilbert Issac, Sylvester Namo and Emmanuel Waine were standouts for the Hunters in that game, combining for a total 370 running metres, three tries, and 14 tackle busts. Issac remains in the casualty ward this week but Namo and Waine have been two of PNG’s bestthis season and profile as key forwards for the Hunters again on Saturday.

Due to election related violence happening in Jiwaka Province, Anglimp Secondary School students in Jiwaka haven’t been turning up for classes since the resumption of Term 3 on July 25th, 2022. School Deputy Principal – Administration, Mr David Opai said that teachers resumed but there were no students coming to the school. “Students were too afraid to come for classes and just stayed home with their families.” “Grade 12s came to the school and picked up their written expression booklets and went back home.” Mr Opai said that the Written Expression exam will go ahead next week and he is urging the grade 12s to come to the school to sit for their exam. “I have posted on social media as well as passing on the message to parents and students that we will finally resume for Term 3 on August 15.” Mr Opai also said that because the student have missed out on a few weeks of lessons, teachers have been working on a schedule for extra classes so they can catch up. He added that the grade 10s and 12s will need to have remedial classes aswell as mock exams as final preparations for the National Exams in October. Boarding students have started to make their way to the school in preparations to resume classes come Monday.

With generous support of the European Union, the FAO-led EU STREIT Programme officially opened a new 3 cluster office building on 10 August 2022, to host the Programme along with the East Sepik provincial divisions of Agriculture and Livestock, Cocoa Board and the National Agriculture Quarantine & Inspection Authority. The new-look office building is powered by 189 solar panels, which significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduces the collective dependence on fossil fuel. The solar panels supply the building with 90 KW of energy, relieving the resident agencies and authorities from relying on fossil-generated electricity for their needs, including lighting, ICT, water pumping, and temperature control. This zero-carbon-emission facility has the capacity to accommodate around 90 experts, technicians and extension service officers. Equipped with 120 batteries, the building can support staff’s operation for 36 hours in case of experiencing high cloud cover. he building, currently co-resided by the Programme and provincial agricultural bodies, will be transferred over to the East Sepik Provincial Administration at the end of the Programme and will continue to provide a sustainable base for sustainable support to agriculture-related services in the Province. Officiating the opening ceremony, His Excellency Ambassador Jernej Videtič, Head of the European Union Delegation to PNG, in his address, said: “I am happy to be here and to see that things are moving in the right direction to bring sustainable benefits to the people of East Sepik” Ambassador Videtič further highlighted that “with resources from the citizens of Europe to fund the EU-STREIT Programme in providing training, tools and support, the quantity and quality of cocoa, vanilla and fisheries products will increase. The objective is also to protect these quality products in international markets under the EU-STREIT introduced initiative of Geographical Indication.” The East Sepik Acting Deputy Provincial Administrator, Mr James Baloiloi, in his speech expressed his appreciation to the EU for funding the EU-STREIT Programme and the interventions that the Programme is doing in East Sepik and Sandaun provinces. “The STREIT Programme has gone ahead to introduce a culture of agribusiness that now enables the people of this Province and the people of Sandaun Province to have cash income that can sustain their livelihoods.” Mr Baloiloi added, “this infrastructure and building supports us and facilitates the service delivery to our people in this Province as well as Sandaun Province.”  THanking the EU for its generous funding support, Dr Xuebing Sun, the EU-STREIT Programme Coordinator, said: “the Programme has generated substantial impacts at beneficiary, local institutions and enabling business environment levels. This would not be possible with good partnership, increased ownerships and leaderships of the governments and implementing partners.” “This co-residing and close co-operation among UN agencies and their national partners in this integrated space reflect the partnership approach taken by the Programme to sustainably develop agri-enterprise activities in the region,” added Dr Xuebing Sun, adding “the new climate friendly facility, which is fully powered by solar energy, also provides a space to welcome, advise and serve the farmers, including interested women and youth, who play very important roles along agri-food value chains”. “This kind of ‘green investment’ enables a shift to a more green economy for local institutions and infrastructure to meet cocoa, vanilla and fishery value chains stakeholders” advised Anthony Bennett, the FAO Lead Technical Officer of the EU-STREIT PNG Programme. United Nations’ implementing partners supporting the FAO-led EU-STREIT PNG present in the office include the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The EU-STREIT PNG is being implemented as a UN Joint Programme (FAO as leading agency, and ILO, ITU, UNCDF and UNDP as implementing partners), is the largest grant-funded Programme of the European Union in the Country and the Pacific region. It focuses on increasing sustainable and inclusive economic development of rural areas through increasing the economic returns and opportunities from cocoa, vanilla and fishery value chains and strengthening and improving the efficiency of value chain enablers including the business environment and supporting sustainable, climate-proof transport and energy infrastructure development.

Air Niugini Destinations Loyalty Program has renewed the partnership with Kumul Consumer Goods (KCG) Limited for another year. KCG first came on board as a partner with Destinations in 2020. The renewal of this partnership now brings the total Destinations corporate partners to 10. Air Niugini Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bruce Alabaster welcomed the KCG renewal highlighting the importance of partnering with more organizations to add further value to the Loyalty Program and its members. He said “Having partnerships with a wide range of organizations allow Destinations members more options to either earn or redeem points across a variety of consumer goods in addition to airline tickets. “ Members must present their Destinations membership cards at the time of purchase in order to redeem points on specific KCG products. KCG Managing Director Benjamin Frame said, “KCG is pleased to extend the partnership with Air Niugini Loyalty Program, and we look forward to seeing Destination members utilizing the opportunity of redeeming points on selected products.” Air Niugini’s Destinations Loyalty Program currently has over 123,000 active members since it was launched in August 2009.

Trukai Industries recently donated kitchen items to the National Cancer Service at the Angau Memorial General Hospital. National Cancer Service Senior Radiation Therapist Becky Pais, while receiving the items on behalf of the Cancer Service was grateful of the donation stating that the kitchen items would greatly help her staff after their long shifts. “Staff work past their lunch break so patients can be attended to. The tea room is where we go to take a break and share our professional and private thoughts and activities with our workmates,” said Pais. Trukai Industries representative Anne Kewe while presenting the donation expressed how Trukai Industries was delighted to partner with the National Cancer Service as supporting communities was of one of Trukai Industries’ values. Chief Executive Officer of Trukai Industries Alan Preston reiterated that the support that the company had shown demonstrates that it cares for communities. “We believe in giving back to the community in which we live and operate in because the community supports us. That is why we at Trukai Industries will continue to support the National Cancer Service and build this relationship,” said Preston. Trukai Industries also supports NGOs in Morobe Province such as the Mountain Area Medical Airlift Foundation, Lae City Mission and Lae Cancer Foundation to assist them to further their community work within the province. The company supports a wide variety of community activities and programs for people living with disabilities, the homeless & less fortunate, achievement recognition awards, sports, education, and health projects