The SP PNG Hunters travel to Cairns to face the Northern Pride this Sunday, 19th June at 2:10pm in Round 12 of the QRL Host plus Cup. Sunday’s clash is an important game for both sides, who currently sit equal on the ladder with three wins apiece so far this season. With the pointy end of the year approaching, the two points on offer in Round 12 are invaluable as the Hunters and Pride both chase a coveted finals berth. For the Hunters, Sunday’s clash is a chance to go back-to-back for the first time in 2022. The PNG side held on for a brave 26-22 win over Souths Logan Magpies last weekend, taking the lead with 20 minutes remaining thanks to Dilbert Issac and then desperately defending for the final quarter of the match. That victory rounded out a promising month of football for the Hunters who, aside from a disappointing performance against Redcliffe in Round 9, have won two games and come within two points of last year’s finalists Tweed Seagulls in their last four matches. The Hunters can take plenty of confidence out of their narrow Round 11 win over the Magpies, and with a similar performance this week they will be every chance against a Pride outfit who has also shown signs of improvement over the last month. They mightn’t have got the result in Round 11, but Pride’s 22-26 loss to the defending premiers Norths Devils last weekend was encouraging for the Northern faithful. Fullback Julian Christian was in inspired form in that game, running for 285 meters and scoring a try to almost drag his side to victory. The last time these sides met was in Round 14, 2021 with the Hunters coming out on top 34-22 in a high scoring affair. Hunters’ winger Solo Wane scored a hattrick in that game and will like his chances to cross again on Sunday given how smoothly PNG shifted the ball in attack last week.

Police Commissioner David Manning will launch the 2022 National General Election security operations for the highlands region today, Friday June 17. Commissioner Manning will be accompanied by the Chief of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force Major-General Mark Goina and Correctional Services Commissioner Stephen Pokanis as well as senior officers and rank and file of the three disciplinary forces. The launch will take place at the Pope John Paul oval in Mt Hagen, Western Highland Province. Commissioner Manning will be addressing members of the joint security forces who will be attending and participating and the public. The launch is a show of strength and is intended to demonstrate to the PNG public the security force’s capability and readiness to provide the environment for a free, fair and safe national general election. Western Highland Provincial Police Commander Superintendent John Sagom said preparations are underway and invited the public to witness the launch and support the security forces. The launch will begin  with the parade forming up at the St Paul’s Catholic Church in Mt Hagen. The security forces, led by the Police Band, will march to the Pope John Oval where Commissioner Manning will deliver his address and officially launch the 2022 National General Election Security Operations.

Police Commissioner David Manning said that 3,000 vests, helmets and body armour donated by the Australian Government would help the security forces deliver a free, fair and safe 2022 national general election. Mr Manning made this remark at the signing of the gifting agreement between the Australian Government and the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary to supply body armour, vests and helmets. The signing was held at the Police Operations Centre (POC) in Konedobu in the National Capital District. Mr Manning said the vests and helmets would ensure the security forces are able to maintain their operations effectively throughout the election period. He said the appropriate vests or protection gears added an increased level of confidence to the members of the security forces. “I always say the security personnel’s role is to ensure that they conduct elections in a safe, free and fair manner. I have reminded our citizens that elections are about expressing the individuals’ rights to vote but there is an expectation of what we (security forces) do to conduct peaceful elections,” Mr Manning said. Mr Manning said the vests and helmets will be issued to the security personnel as soon as they arrive in the country. The Australian High Commissioner to PNG His Excellency Jon Philps said Australia knows how important it is for the conduct of elections in PNG and the vests and helmets would help the security forces deliver a peaceful election.

Andrew McCullough's second season at the Dragons after 260 games at Brisbane and eight in Newcastle, the 32-year-old got through a team-high 37 tackles and made 38 running meters in his milestone match. The win was the Dragons' seventh of the season and carries them into the top eight for the time being at least. The signs were bad for the Rabbitohs early when Lachlan Ilias spilled the kick-off and they continued to make errors through the opening 15 minutes as the Dragons took control. First to cross was skipper Ben Hunt, who chipped over the top for Zac Lomax to regather before taking the return pass from his center to score in the fifth minute. Seven minutes later the home side were in again when winger Mikaele Ravalawa celebrated his return from a hamstring injury by finishing off superb lead-up work by young playmaker Talatau Amone and the score was 12-0. Come the 15th minute and Jack de Belin had the WIN Stadium faithful in raptures when he powered through a Tom Burgess tackle to cross for his third try of the season and the Dragons were keeping pace with the clock. Ravalawa had a double by the 19th minute when he took a flick pass from Lomax and turned Alex Johnston inside out to make it 20-0. With Hunt's kicking game on song the Dragons dominated field position and the No.7 had a second try assist in the 24th minute when he launched a bomb and Moses Suli produced a fingertip catch to plunge over for his team's fifth try.  Cody Ramsey got in on the action three minutes later when he ran onto a Jack Bird pass and shrugged off Jaxson Paulo to grab his fifth try in six games at WIN Stadium. Ilias was taken from the field by Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou after an unhappy 29 minutes, forcing a reshuffle which saw Kodi Nikorima shift to the halves and Blake Taaffe go to fullback. The Dragons went down a man in the 38th minute when Amone was sent to the sin bin for holding Cody Walker back as he tried to support a Mark Nicholls break. A spilled bomb by Ramsey in the 58th minute opened the door for Souths to finally get on the board when Damien Cook snuck over from dummy half to make it 32-6. Bunnies skipper Cameron Murray exposed some sloppy defence to cross under the sticks in the 62nd minute to cut the margin to 20 but an intercept by Hunt in the next set steadied the ship for the Dragons. Although the home side were unable to find another try the damage had been well and truly done in the first half as five tries in 22 minutes put their arch-rivals to the sword.

The PNG Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai says the polling schedule for 2022 National General Elections has been finalized and is ready when polling starts July 4. He said nearly 6000 polling teams will be deployed throughout the country to conduct polling. In releasing the final polling schedule report today, Mr. Sinai said polling will commence on the 4th of July 2022 and will be conducted in 6,396 wards covering 346 Local Level Government council areas across the country. The Commissioner said around 47,704 temporary election workers (TEWs) will be engaged to work with 5,963 polling teams to conduct polling throughout the country. He said the polling teams have been further broken up in single and multiday polling with 4,119 teams deployed for one day polling and the other 1,844 teams to conduct normal days polling. The Commissioner said the number of polling teams have been increased to ensure polling is conducted in all scheduled polling places and results delivered within the required within the required time. According to the schedule report and going by regions, Highlands has the highest with 3,343 polling teams, followed by Southern with 1,144 poll teams and Momase with 966 and New Guinea Islands making up the rear with 510 teams. He said one day polling will be mainly conducted in the Highlands and in the National Capital District, while there will be one day polling in parts of West Sepik, Madang, Morobe, New Ireland, West New Britain, Bougainville, Western, Central and Milne Bay. All election materials have been shipped to the provinces since last week to prepare for polling. “Voting will commence on 4 July 2022 and round 11,022 polling booths will open starting 8am in 9,625 different polling locations around the country. And for the first time, we will have gender split in the polling booths where we will have two separate voting lines for male and female, so everyone gets a chance to cast their votes. We have also made arrangement for those with disabilities to cast their votes.” "I appeal to all voters; this is your election. Take ownership and make your vote count. Turn up at your respective polling booths and cast your votes.”

Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council and Chairman of the Inter-Departmental Election Committee (IDEC), Ivan Pomaleu says the 2022 National General Election is an important event in the country and it needs full support from all citizens. Speaking during the a radio show this week he said it is everyone’s effort to ensure the NGE 2022 is violence- free. “Election is not just conducted by the Electoral Commissioner and security forces, rather it is conducted by candidates and their supporters and all eligible voters in the country, we are all stakeholders in this process,” Mr Pomaleu said. “What we do and how we engage ourselves in this process determines the full outcome of the election. “It is an important election because it will deliver a government and parliament who will take the country past the 50 years of Independence for this country and that election is significant,” he added. He said Prime Minister Honorable James Marape has made a call on peace and calm during this election period, violence free election, and that every Papua New Guinean to do what is right within the law and conduct “ourselves” properly in the election process. Mr Pomaleu further urged the people to report and disseminate factual information regarding election processes during this period of election campaign till polling and counting. “We have created a media center that will be run by multi-agencies effort and it is an attempt by the IDEC to support the Electoral Commissioner and his team in terms of information dissemination to ensure correct, legal and appropriate information is released to our stakeholders,” he stated. Mr Pomaleu urged citizens, especially the media to advocate for the due process to be followed for factual and proper information to be disseminated correctly.

A group of St John and PHA doctors and nurses completed training in advanced life support and trauma care. The training courses were facilitated by Parasol EMT in collaboration with St John Ambulance and the PNG Society of Emergency Medicine. The courses included Advanced Life Support Level 1 (ALS1), Advanced Life Support Level 2 (ALS2) and Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS). The fifth day included an instructor course to prepare St John doctors and nurses to facilitate future courses in Papua New Guinea. Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) is the international standard of emergency medical care for patients suffering severe trauma. This internationally accredited course is taught in 64 countries around the world. This is the first time PHTLS has been taught in PNG, making PNG the 65th country to have introduced the PHTLS standard of care. Advanced Life Support is facilitated and taught using the Australian Resuscitation Council ALS program. It is a recognized course in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Europe. Who participated? A group of St John 21 registered nurses and four ambulance officers participated in the advanced life support course. Participating in the two advanced courses (ALS2 and PHTLS) were four paramedics,12 doctors, nine nurses, and two ambulance officer trainers. St John invited along doctors from the National Department of Health, East New Britain PHA, West New Britain PHA, and a senior emergency nurse from the NCDPHA who also participated in the ALS2 and PHTLS courses. What is ALS1? The ALS1 course is a one-day course aimed at providing health professionals with the skills and knowledge to manage the casualty in an immediate period of crisis until further medical assistance arrives. Tell me more about ALS2 and PHTLS… ALS2 and PHTLS courses are designed for registered health professionals working in the prehospital and emergency department settings. The advanced resuscitation and emergency surgical procedures taught in ALS2 and PHTLS include managing airway, respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological emergencies. Who accredits the courses? Advanced Life Support levels 1 and 2 were facilitated by Parasol EMT, the leading provider of advanced resuscitation education in Australia. The president and senior representatives from the PNG Society of Emergency Medicine participated in the course and are seeking to recognize and accredit PNG’s own version of ALS 1 and 2. The Prehospital Trauma Life Support is a course accredited by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States. This was the first time this course had been performed in Papua New Guinea. Why are these courses important? Trauma is the third most common reason that Papua New Guineans call St John Ambulance for emergency medical care. Ambulance officers have a small window of opportunity to get immediate medical care to a trauma patient to save their life. This is referred to as the ‘golden hour’. The golden hour starts from the time when a patient suffers the trauma to when the patient gets the definitive critical stabilisation to save their life. This medical stabilization might include rapid blood transfusion or emergency surgery. What is next? St John Ambulance is working with the PNG Society of Emergency Medicine (PNGSEM) to introduce locally accredited ALS and PHTLS course in PNG. St John will run the training for doctors and nurses in the public and private sectors. PNGSEM and St John are being supported by the highly experienced training organization Edvoke and Parasol EMT and are going through the process of accrediting with the USA National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. The ALS and PHTLS training are being overseen by Dr Mangu Kendino, who is the Emergency Medical Specialist Doctor at Port Moresby General Hospital and the Chief Doctor for St John Ambulance PNG.  

The fight against corruption in Papua New Guinea can only be successful if each person and organization takes on the responsibility to strengthen their integrity. These were the sentiments expressed by Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG) at the launch on Wednesday of the National Economic and Fiscal Commission (NEFC) Anti-Corruption and Integrity Strategy 2022-2025. “If you ask any head of agency in Papua New Guinea as to what is the major impediment to their ability to deliver, they will almost certainly identify corruption as being a concern. And yet, there are almost no agencies that have developed an internal anti-corruption strategy to address this concern. The National Economic Fiscal Commission is one of the few state agencies that has taken on this challenge, with the launch today of their Anti-Corruption and Integrity Strategy 2022-2025, and for that they must be applauded,” said Peter Aitsi, TIPNG Board Chair, in a media statement. The NEFC is established under the Constitution and defined under Section 117 of the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments. The Commission’s overarching role is to advice the national government on economic and fiscal matters. In the launched Anti-Corruption strategy, NEFC has a strategic vision to be a leading institution built on integrity, professionalism and accountability that promotes an anti- corruption culture to ensure fair and equitable distribution of wealth to all Papua New Guineans. The objectives of NEFC’s Anti-Corruption & Integrity Strategy are based on four (4) key focused areas: 1. Strengthening & mainstreaming intergovernmental funding systems 2. Ensuring accountability, transparency, and compliance 3. Promoting effective anti-corruption leadership and practices 4. Fostering an anti-corruption culture TIPNG signed a memorandum of understanding with the NEFC on 7th September 2021 to develop an agency-level anti-corruption strategy. This initiative is part of TIPNG’s Promoting Anti-Corruption and Integrity Strategies (PAIS) Project funded by the European Union to strengthen public trust in national integrity institutions.

The PNG LNG Kumuls squad for the upcoming Pacific Test this month has been named. Kumuls Head Coach Stanley Tepend announced his 19-man squad ahead of the Pacific Test on the 25th of this month. Kumuls Head Coach Stanley Tepend said that all the players named he has been in contact with for the past few weeks and they are aware of the short camp coming up ahead of the test match against the Fiji Batis. “There’s six Hunters players that have been named, even though we haven’t been doing well but I feel that the players named have earned their position.” “We will all get into camp on Tuesday the 21st, we will assemble in to Campbelltown, so it’s just easier for us.” “Once we get into camp, we’ll have a light run on Tuesday, Wednesday is our big day, we’ll have two sessions, Thursday we’ll have a day off, then on Friday we’ll have the Captain’s Run and Saturday will be the game.” “We’re the latter game at 7.50pm, kick off time, that is.” Speaking on behalf of the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League Board Chairman Sandis Tsaka, and the PNGRFL Management, Chief Executive Officer Mr Stanley Hondina congratulated the 19 players that made the cut. Mr Hondina also congratulated Coach Tepend’s coaching staff which consists of David Westley (Assistant Coach), Paul Aiton (Assistant Coach), John Wilshire (Team Manager), Jeremy Hickmans (Head of Performance), Solomon Kuliniaisi (High Performance Trainer), Mong Tavol (Trainer), Tommy Butterfield (Media Manager), and Simon Morris (Physiotherapist). “The last mid-year test match the PNG Kumuls were involved in was back in 2019, after that we’ve had a quiet period attributed to Covid 19 and all the other challenges, but we are delighted that this event is coming up.” The Pacific Test will showcase the pride and passion of rugby league in the Cook Islands, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The upcoming double header of the Pacific Test will take place at Campbelltown Stadium in Sydney, with PNG taking on Fiji, and Cook Islands to meet Samoa. Picture sourced:    

Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) is committed to providing a safe and conducive working environment for its employees and business partners. Managing Director and CEO Musje Werror made these remarks during the opening of the new Camp Administration office and a cafeteria in Tabubil on the 25th of May. The new office will improve camp and mess services that OTML provides for its workforce and visitors while the cafeteria provides light snacks and beverages for workers who prefer a light meal outside the mess opening hours. The new facilities are located near the main mess facility. The total cost of the project was US$1.2 million and included an upgrade of the mess parking area. Mr Werror commended the company’s Infrastructure Support Services (ISS) Department including Starwest Ltd for successfully completing the project. “Our camp facilities are old and are in need for replacement or refurbishment and we have commenced a renewal program which will include the replacement of a number of our old dongas commencing this year,” Mr Werror said. The Camp Administration office was officially opened by OTML Board Director and Chairman of the Kumul Minerals Ok Tedi Ltd Bonny Ninai and witnessed by other members of the Board, OTML management and camp residents, and business partners.

Team PNG is into training schedules as the Opening Ceremony of the 11th Pacific Mini Games looms this Friday and would like to share this statement. We have brought over a very strong contingent made up of our elite athletes from back home in PNG, the United States & Australia. At the moment, we are the largest contingent on the ground at 119 athletes and officials combined. Since our arrival last Sunday, our teams have gone straight into training. Team PNG is adamant in getting the finer details right and have kept their fitness and focus. Our Tennis teams consisting of our Pacific champions, Abigail Tere-Apisah and her nieces Patricia and Violet are getting as much court time as they can with their focus on getting their doubles combinations right. The men’s team of Mark Gibbons, Eddie Mera and Mathew Stubbings are jelling together with the prospects of medaling positive. For Golf, the trio of Slater, Xavier and Gideon are keeping tabs on their challenges faced at the Coral Ocean Resort course. Nestled on the far northern end of Saipan at an altitude of 33 feet, weather conditions can be tricky but our men are keeping their mental game on as they focus on their strategies. At the newly built Oleai Sport Complex, Team PNG is gearing for a dominant performance led by some of our finest athletes. Under watchful eyes of former PNG track legends, Subul Babo and Peter Pulu, the team began their first training session on Tuesday and according to Team Manager Kylie Martins, the team is looking good! Our para-athletes who have shown a lot of promise in their recent international outings are also focused and building their rapport as top performers. In weightlifting, our powerhouse Dika Toua has shown how much of an influence she is among the pacific community here in Saipan. Her energy and stamina is motivation enough for her fellow athletes to push on through. Finally, our Va’a athletes have not been the same following the flag bearer announcement. Team Manager Diavabu Boge Morea is certain, that this is indeed a motivating factor for them to push hard for the Games. The opening ceremony is this Friday with our Tennis team kicking off proceedings tomorrow at the American Memorial courts. Weightlifting and Va’a start their competitions on Monday June 20 while Golf & Athletics begin the next day, Tuesday June 21. Follow our Team PNG page on Facebook and Instagram for more updates as the competition progresses. Go Team PNG!!!

It wasn’t that long ago that Internet connectivity faded the moment one left a populated area like a city or big town – “no service” was the take-away message back then. But thanks to 3G, 4G and now 5G mobile technology, coupled with widespread installation of cellular towers in rural areas region-wide, that little message shows up much less frequently. Most importantly, the rapid spread of internet connectivity and mobile telephony, reaching into the most remote rural communities, has resulted in countless opportunities to help address chronic problems such as poverty, malnutrition and inequality. From farmers to fishers to herders, digital technologies are increasingly relied upon to help transform and enhance livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people each day. From a smart phone in the hands of a woman or man checking optimal conditions to sow a field, or band together to rent a drone for aerial assessments, to a herder checking the weather, to fishers finding the best places to cast their nets, digital technologies are becoming increasingly accessible, useful and affordable for those in rural areas. This paradigm shift offers great hope to get this region – and the world – back on track to meet the 2030 SDG deadline. While this digital revolution sweeping rural areas of Asia and the Pacific holds great promise, not everyone is benefiting equally. Indeed, in some cases, digital technologies can even be disruptive, or lead to unintended consequences by widening, not reducing, the digital divide if their implementations result in a loss of decent work. This needs to be addressed, and it’s in everyone’s best interests to do so. Policy makers in countries across the region do understand the added value, and they see the economic benefits digitalization of rural areas bring to their nations and people. Hence, investing in an enabling environment to ensure equal access is key to ensuring the benefits of rural digitalization are enjoyed more broadly. Digitalization of rural areas needed now – more than ever before. Indeed, the move to accelerate implementation of digital technologies, equitably across the region’s rural areas couldn’t come at a more important time. The global pandemic hit rural communities disproportionately hard – particularly with respect to individual livelihoods. Now, as we try to recover from the devastation of COVID-19, we are facing the highest prices for many basic foods – the highest we’ve seen in decades. Higher food costs hit poorer and marginalized communities the hardest, particularly in rural areas, as they must spend a greater proportion of their disposable income to feed their families. These challenges are compounding an already existing and alarming situation. Last year, prior to the inflation of food commodities, FAO and partners pointed out that many people – at that time – already couldn’t afford a healthy diet in Asia and the Pacific. By leveraging the advancements offered by digital technologies we can find ways to counter some of these and other devastating negative effects that already existed such as severe weather related events, droughts and floods. And that is happening. Some countries in this region are well on the road to digitalization of even the smallest and most remote villages and towns. And they have good examples to share with their neighbors. At the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), we’ve been following closely these trends, policies and initiatives of our Member Nations in the Asia-Pacific region. We know the full scale of their desire and determination to embrace, and fully harness, the potential of digitalization. For our part, FAO has pledged to assist in bringing together these existing good practices of our Members, and to create a space for others to share their digital solutions as part of FAO’s 1,000 Digital Village Initiative. A key component of this initiative is the Digital Village Knowledge Sharing Platform for Asia-Pacific that can act as a one-stop village square, where those working in the food and agriculture sectors can share their innovations and technologies with us all. A digital village isn’t necessary a small place. It is a concept – one that is inclusive, operational, country-led and fit-for-purpose to deliver solid benefits to people. At the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to make things better for everyone. Working together, and sharing together, this region’s digital village innovations and technologies can help lead us all to a world of better production, better nutrition, better environment and a better life – leaving no one behind!