The Sumkar district in Madang has submitted its 2020 District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) acquittal reports of K5.3 million to the Department of Implementation & Rural Development (DIRD) yesterday. The report basically specifies how the district integrate their development priorities in line with the national development requirement particularly to implement every project at the district level as per the Medium- Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2018-2022. The K3.74 million was carried forward from the 2019 unspent funds which the reports were submitted together with the K5.0 million received in 2020. While presenting the fiscal reports, local MP Chris Yerr Nangoi stressed that delivering of basic government services to geographically isolated maritime district like Sumkar in Madang province, is arduous as there were delays in transportation of building materials to implement some of their projects on the outer islands. “Much of the DSIP funds were utilized on arranging freight costs including addressing social issues, however the funds were spent on its intended purposes, and that we have implemented many community development projects in which we let the communities take ownership to implement themselves so they become custodians and implementers, at the same time we’re empowering them,” Mr. Nangoi said. He said most of the projects were selected through impact programs categorized in their priority areas of education, health, law & justice, agriculture & economic and infrastructure programs based on their District Development Authority budgets and meeting minutes resolutions. The district has implemented 16 projects under education, 9 projects under health, two projects under law & justice, one under agriculture and economics and 8 projects under infrastructure. MP Nangoi also highlighted some impact projects that would sustain the livelihood of the people are; - Funding for Kinim District Headquarter Building - Rural electrification/power extension program (Mirap- Tokain) - Commodity Price Support Program on Copra - Kapa Masin Factory building project installed with electricity - SME grant assistance to support informal sector - Rural Water Supply Project - Lucas Mills for School Support Programs - Tertiary Students School fee subsidies - Rehabilitation and construction of double classrooms, health centres, ambulances for health centres, police station maintenance and supporting church projects and activities in the district. Acting District Administrator Kuwak Kuagili thanked the departments of Treasury, Finance, Planning & Monitoring and DIRD for the timely release of these development grants to the district for swift implementation of these impact projects. “DSIP is a unique program initiated by the national government, which has been gazetted to be implemented at the district through DDAs as the legitimate body, who has the power and authority to select and approve all project submission and proposals,” he said. Mr. Kuagili said the aim of such program is to sustain and improve the poor infrastructure conditions as well as other needed programs at the district both the institutional level and at the village or community base. “We are happy to work with DIRD as the department is always on forefront to provide technical advise when we face implementation constrains and DIRD is always there to guide and supervise which 90% of our projects were successfully completed,” he added. The district is yet to submit its 2021 DSIP acquittal reports.

Equipping children with the basics on financial management paves the way for better management of funds and other resources which contributes to a positive impact on livelihoods. This year, the 142,000 member-based Society is set to roll out its Kids Savings Account drive at selected schools within NCD and Lae which is the second-largest city. In preparation for the roll-out, ncsl informed Gordon International School Principal, Mrs. Jennie Kaupa about introducing savings culture to children at an early age, and its benefits as a member registered to ncsl’s Kids Savings Account and the rewards as a loyal member. The opportunity was warmly accepted by Mrs. Kaupa who didn’t hesitate in informing the visiting Team about her membership with ncsl and her appreciation of the services provided to make personal financial commitments possible. Ncsl’s Marketing & Client Relations - Team Leader, Ms. Evelove Farapo said having a savings account at a young age is a great way to begin the savings culture as they learn to manage their own funds early in life. KSA savings are interest-bearing accounts, and these savings also earn monthly and annual interest paid by the Society. Regular deposits to KSA accounts are encouraged and contributions can be made via salary deduction, EFTPOS at all ncsl branches, mobile, and internet banking or directly depositing monies at commercial banks. ncsl in support of instilling a savings culture amongst young minds as introduced by Bank of Papua New Guinea in 2014, has registered over 12,000 KSA savings accounts belonging to children from infants up to 18 years of age. Why not make a wise choice in opening your children’s KSA account today.

POLICE in the Simbu province have commenced their pre-election operations to ensure a free, fair and safe 2022 National General Election is delivered, says Simbu Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Superintendent David Warap. Mr Warap said police personnel in Simbu are now into the third week of pre-election operations. They have completed their awareness in the Kerowagi district and are organising with the respective District Development Authorities (DDA) to conduct awareness in the other districts as well. Mr Warap said whilst conducting awareness they told people not to ask and receive bribes and avoid double voting during the polling periods. The people were also informed of election related offences and penalties for these offences. “The public were informed of their rights to vote without fear or favour, and to vote the best people into office,” Mr Warap said. The people were strongly warned that the use of firearms would not be tolerated during the elections. He said people in the highlands use firearms especially during the elections to show strength between tribes to gain favour and political support but this will not be tolerated or entertained. Mr Warap said the province is very quiet at the moment with no major election related incidents reported.

A team of security personnel for the upcoming 2022 National General Elections in Milne Bay have arrived in the province last weekend and are currently undergoing orientation exercises to get familiar with the locality. Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Peter Barkie said the team is also part of the police reinforcement replacement for the team that was in the province for almost a year in the operation to curb the rising law and order issues that arose in the province in recent years. Superintendent Barkie said the Port Moresby based police mobile squad is part of the advance members of the security forces being deployed into selective provinces and districts to provide security for the 2022 National General Election. “This mobile squad from Port Moresby will be based in the province and will assist our local police in the pre-election operation targeting hotspot areas to secure the province and make it ready for the polling,” Mr Barkie said. “I expect our counterpart personnel for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and the Correctional Service to arrive in the province by the end of this month to assist in the polling and the counting periods.” The PPC also said that he will be utilising Police Reservists in the province to beef up its manpower for deployment.

One building rises above the others on Port Moresby's skyline. But the Noble Centre, built by a Chinese state-owned enterprise to be the tallest building in the country, sits empty. The 23-storey tower has been deemed uninhabitable after the discovery of more than 70 defects, which regulators say are a threat to the building and to people's safety. Documents obtained by the ABC outline dozens of serious issues including mechanical, electrical and fire safety concerns. The faults are at various times described as "highly illegal", "non-compliant", "poorly installed" and "dangerous". PNG is at the centre of a geopolitical contest of influence currently raging in the Pacific between nations including China, the US and Australia. While Australia remains PNG's biggest aid donor, China has been delivering infrastructure projects, road upgrades, loans, and medical assistance for years now. But the uninhabitable skyscraper has sparked concerns about the quality and benefit of some of the aid and investment being delivered. A symbol of 'friendship' between China and PNG The Noble Centre was built by the China Railway Construction Engineering Group (PNG) Real Estate Co at a time when China's growing presence in the country was attracting significant attention. In 2017, the tower was touted as a symbol of "friendship between the two nations". "We are assuring the Papua New Guinea people that as a state-owned enterprise and guided by the Belt and Road policy, our company is confident with Papua New Guinea's economy and will continuously support the nation's economic development," the general manager of the development, Shengwei Li, told local media in 2017. He said it was the "single largest project by foreign investors in the real estate sector of Papua New Guinea" and would be the "tallest landmark" in Port Moresby. [caption id="attachment_20392" align="aligncenter" width="865"] The dream of a glittering tower over Port Moresby's skyline appears to have turned into a nightmare.(Facebook: The Noble Centre )[/caption] In 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping flew into Port Moresby for a state visit, arriving a few days ahead of other world leaders who were attending the APEC Summit. The company said it had invested $95 million in the project, which was developed as an equity partnership with PNG Ports Corporation, a local state-owned entity. PNG Ports had previously said China Railway Construction Engineering Group (PNG) Real Estate Co would build the tower on its land, and it would own the top two floors and contribute "a minor cost" to the joint venture. In court documents seen by the ABC, the company said PNG Ports was to pay a "certain amount on instalment until an estimated [$15 million] was paid to fully acquire the two levels" under an agreement signed in 2015. But the dream of a glittering tower over Port Moresby's skyline quickly appears to have turned into a nightmare. The 'gorgeous and glistening' building with 75 reported defects Posts on the Noble Centre's Facebook page in 2020 advertised office spaces, describing the building as "gorgeous and glistening" and promising prospective tenants it could "accelerate your business" and "enhance your life". But in September last year, the National Capital District Building Board wrote to advise that the occupancy certificate for the building had been rescinded. The letter, obtained by the ABC, said the board had no other option "in the interest of public and immediate tenants' safety". The decision was made after the PNG Ports Corporation ordered a technical report be done on the building, given growing concerns about its quality. Among the dozens of building defects listed were switchboards that were "not to code and standards", internal power points installed outside, "poorly installed" electrical systems and exposed conduits in fire zones, which were described as "highly illegal". There were calls for a "full review" of lighting and power as they found joins in the wiring "everywhere". [caption id="attachment_20393" align="aligncenter" width="900"] A technical report of the building showed 75 defects that saw the occupancy certificate for the tower rescinded.(ABC News: Natalie Whiting )[/caption] The list of faults has also prompted concerns about the structural integrity of the building. Issues were noted including rusting steel columns, external blockwork that was "out of alignment and unevenly placed", unfilled blockwork cores and angle brackets that were rusting and "incorrectly installed". "One of the building board engineers did a report and he reckons structurally it's OK, but I'm not sure," the chairman of the city's building board, Sir Luciano Cragnolini, told the ABC. "There should be a second opinion. For safety, I would like a second opinion." There are also concerns about non-compliant fire stairs, non-automatic generators, sprinklers that are not up to standard, non-automatic fire pumps and a leaking diesel fuel tank. "There are a lot of wrong things. That's why [we took the occupancy certificate]. It just wasn't safe," Sir Luciano said. In the letter, the building board called for further independent investigations to be carried out and for another report  to be tabled, but Sir Luciano said that had not happened yet. But despite whispers spreading around Port Moresby, local media was oddly silent about the building. Court order stifles reporting on defects The China Railway Construction Engineering Group (PNG) Real Estate Co went to court in Port Moresby in early October to prevent news coverage of any leaked documents about the building defects. The interim district court order taken out on October 4 prevented all local media from reporting on the Noble Centre, including The Post Courier, which the court heard had obtained two reports from contractors. In documents tendered to the court at the time, the company said it "refuted" the reports and stood by the building, saying it was "very much concerned about this report and the authorities not giving us our right of refusal". [caption id="attachment_20394" align="aligncenter" width="828"] While the Noble Centre has been deemed uninhabitable and stands vacant, it is still lit up every night. (ABC News: Natalie Whiting )[/caption] The claim said any news stories could do "irreparable damage" to the company's reputation and business for the Noble Centre building. "The complainant has spent hundreds of millions ... to build the Noble Centre building," another document read. "Minor identifiable issues such as fire safety are easily fixable, and those issues are being addressed." The case was later struck out after neither the newspaper nor the company appeared at multiple court dates. The China Railway Construction Engineering Group (PNG) Real Estate Co declined to respond to detailed questions from the ABC, saying the issues covered "ongoing business negotiations with our business partner PNG Ports Corporation". "We are yet to reach some understanding on how to proceed with the project works and how to continue our co-operations both technically and financially," a spokesperson said in an email. The company said it did not think "media exposure at this stage" would be good for the ongoing discussions and that as a "responsible business partner and out of business ethics" it would abide by the confidentiality terms in its agreement with PNG Ports. "The issue between PNG Ports Corporation and our company remains purely an issue of business co-operation at company level and will not impact on any higher level on broad terms." PNG should have been on 'high alert' With multiple countries seeking influence in PNG, some experts say there needs to be more oversight over the kind of investment and aid that the country chooses to accept. "PNG needs to be careful and selective, and not just go for whoever puts their hands up first and says, 'We'll fund you for this,'" Paul Barker from PNG's Institute of National Affairs said. That discretion is especially important when it comes to building infrastructure projects, according to Mr Barker. [caption id="attachment_20395" align="aligncenter" width="845"] A convention centre donated by China for APEC in 2018 had problems with partition walls and welding on handrails. It was never given an occupancy certificate. (ABC News: Natalie Whiting )[/caption] "The systems are not functional and the checks that are meant to occur all the way through the process from the planning stages right through to completion clearly are not being applied," he said. Peter Aitsi, chairman of Transparency International PNG, said the involvement of politics in commercial operations also created a "murky area". Australia has also been increasing its involvement in PNG, seemingly to counter rising interest from China. It has backed Telstra to purchase local telco Digicel and given loans to the PNG government for direct budget support for the first time in almost two decades. "The donors also have to be more scrupulous," Mr Barker said. "They're responding so as to be able to be seen to have that level of influence and to be able to out-compete with each other, to some extent. At the end of last year, a notice appeared in local newspapers advising the Noble Centre had gone into receivership. The building's future is uncertain. It is also unclear, what, if any, remedial work has been completed since the building faults were identified. But each night, the vacant tower still lights up despite the concerns raised about electrical issues and fire safety standards. SOURCE: ABC NEWS

The National Capital District Commission has collaborated with the PNG Correctional Services to sustain gains made by the city over the years. PNG Fire Services is also a key stakeholder in this partnership. 25 low-risk inmates (including five women), who are serving their terms in Bomana Prison, have been engaged for community correctional duties at the Independence Boulevard, in front of the National Parliament and the National Court House. Correctional duties include awareness and clean-up. NCDC’s Law and Order Officer in-charge of Parole and Probation, Mathew Bai said the fully-vaccinated prisoners were accompanied and supervised by Correctional Service officials. Mr Bai said the program was earmarked for August last year (2021) but due to Covid-19 protocols and its enforcement on vaccination, it was put on hold until last Thursday. He said the program, known as the "City-wide Clean Up and Law & Order Awareness Campaign," is implemented as a rehabilitation program. It is an initiative of NCDC in preparing the inmates well before they are rehabilitated and reintegrated into the communities. "As part of the prisoners' reintegration program, low risks prisoners are to do community work whilst serving their sentences in prison. Therefore, NCDC is working in partnership with its stakeholders to fulfill the prisoners "good citizens’ acts" of community work," says Mr Bai. Thursday's program saw city residents who drove by, smiling in approval as they witnessed the inmates cutting grass, raking, sweeping and scrubbing the footpath and road from betelnut stains. Acting City Manager, Ravu Frank commended the inmates and the key stakeholders for a job well done. A similar program is planned to be held on 7th of April and the final one on 14th of April at the Gordon's market and Boroko's Tabari area.

The MSME Council has made a cash donation of K5000 to the Lavagirl fashion label to assist with legal fees for a copyright infringement battle that has spanned the past four years. From 2019, Lavagirl Creative Director Annette Sete has gained much publicity with a copyright infringement case against Tropicana Ltd for alleged theft of intellectual property of Lavagirl’s Tabu Wheel design. Within those 4 years, they have recently been able to get this case through to a trial stage. President of the MSME Council Desmond Yaninen said that because of a lack in awareness surrounding copyright and protection of intellectual property, many MSME’s are prone to exploitation by larger organisations and companies. “There needs to be greater awareness on how MSME’s can protect their intellectual property,” he said This has brought to light the lack of a precedent in place, making this case the first of its kind under the Civil and Criminal Laws that govern protection of intellectual property in Papua New Guinea. He also referred to the case of Annette Sete as being one of the most prominent cases, which makes it a crucial step for the MSME Council to support Annette in her fight against copyright infringement. Vice President of the MSME Council James Gore also added that they are the voice of MSME’s in Papua New Guinea and are very grateful that they can be of assistance to Annette’s case. As an appeal to other MSME’s, Gore encouraged others to stand up and be vocal about such issues so that appropriate authorities are moved to address these important cases affecting the majority of small business owners in the country. Sete who also owns the Maku Gifts shop expressed that the jargon used in copyright law information is not easily understood by the vast majority of SME’s. “It would be a success to take on the case and learn from it so other business owners are educated in this important area as well,” she added. The Lavagirl label is also engaged in another similar battle with a fashion designer in Lae and has in the past settled other matters out of court, showing that this is an ongoing issue for local creatives. Starting out Sete did not imagine what support she would receive but expressed that it has been overwhelming with hotels offering to accommodate her lawyers in Kokopo, businesses assisting with airline tickets, individuals making cash donations an paying for food, and many others who supported her. “I also had a female SME owner who saw me in Vision City and just gave me K2000; I told her it was too much but she told me to just take it because she also buys from me and sews to sell. It’s come to a point where we cannot walk away because we want to have a precedent set so that other Papua New Guineans will use the case to fight their own battles when the time comes”, she said. The main aim of her social media campaign in the beginning was to make people aware of copyright breaches. “Other SME’s in the country must know that copyright infringements are very high in the country right now and something has to be done”, she said. Sete was very appreciative of the MSME Council’s support to her case and grateful to be part of the fight against exploitation and copyright infringements on MSME’s. As a business owner, she also encourages fellow business men and women to be passionate about their products and take it upon themselves to be aware of such laws and regulations.

POLICE in the New Ireland Province had started off with election security preparations despite challenges, says Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Chief Inspector Felix Nebanat yesterday. Mr Nebanat said the police in the province are conducting awareness on the 2022 National General Election as well as general law and order. They started last week in the Kavieng District and will move into Namatanai District next week. Mr Nebanat said he had spoken to the Chief Executive Officer for the Social Sector Mr Ben Apelis to arrange for school awareness. This is a strategy to reach a wider range of population in the province with the election security messages. Mr Nebanat said one of the big challenges for police is the distribution of the population in the province, with 54% of the population on the mainland while 46% are scattered on the Islands. He said the police have only one police boat which makes it quite difficult to reach all those on the Islands. “We also need good vehicles capable of hitting the rugged road of the West Coast of New Ireland,” Mr Nebanat said. To overcome logistical, transport and funding challenges his provincial command has decided to conduct a Trainer of Trainer (TOT) training where all police stations in the province identify representatives for their station to attend a one-day training where they will then go back and train other police men and women at their stations. “We aim to train all our police personnel to conduct election awareness and I believe this is the best positive way given our many challenges,” said Mr Nebanat. Mr Nebanat said manpower on the other hand continues to be a challenge. However, with the operation plan in place, New Ireland police has involved 200 community auxiliary police to boost the manpower. “We will also be having police personnel coming in from East New Britain to assist us,” he said. Mr Nebanat said whilst faced with many challenges, his men and women will not be deterred from their prime objective in ensuring security is provided for a free, fair and safe 2022 National General Election.

Outgoing Secretary General (SG) of Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society (PNGRCS) Mr. Uvenama Rova was farewelled on the 04th of March 2022 after more than four years of service to the society. Chairman of the PNG Red Cross National Council Mr. Henry Yamo spoke at the farewell functions on behalf of council members, volunteers, staff and management of PNG Red Cross, including movement partners – International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC), International Committee of Red Cross and Red Crescent movement (ICRC), who were represented by their respective delegates at the farewell occasion at PNG Red Cross office at 3 Mile in Port Moresby. In farewelling Mr. Rova, Chairman Yamo thanked Rova and praised him for his dedications, hard work and contributions to Red Cross humanitarian services. “Despite challenges and struggles he faced with limited financial resources, he led with perseverance in saving lives of vulnerable people in communities,” Yamo said. “Under his watch, the society has responded to following major disasters; highlands earthquake, polio outbreak, volcanoes (Manam) in Madang and (Kadavu) in West New Britain including current COVID19 pandemic”. He added that Rova was instrumental in forging and strengthening important partnerships with movement partners and others like Coca-Cola Foundation who is now assisting PNGRCS in the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the Covid-19 front line workers and volunteers in the country. Mr. Rova joined the Society on October 30th, 2017 and served over four years. He was employed on a three year term contract which ended on 30th October 2020. Due to delays in recruitment several times the incumbent was allowed to continue until a replacement is sought. In his last address as Secretary General Rova thanked the national council members, volunteers, staff and management of PNG Red Cross, including movement partners for their support throughout his term. He further praised movement partners for their proactive support in addressing issues at hand whilst fostering sustainable, transparent and inclusive growth within PNGRCS and working closely with him and the government to fulfill PNGRCS’s auxiliary role as the leading National Humanitarian Organization in country. Rova was a people’s man who connects well with people and strengthened people to people connections. He thanked management, staff and volunteers for their endless support and commitment to their individual roles which he referred to as service to humanity. He didn’t seek re-election because he has other ambitions to pursue but admitted that he will register as a volunteer and still be part of PNG Red Cross movement. He further stressed that this will create opportunity for others to come with fresh minds/new visions and directions to drive the organization forward. PNG Red Cross Society National Council met on 26th of February 2022 and resolve that since Rova didn’t re-apply for this role his services would formally cease on 04th of March 2022. Council then appointed Newton Kiafuli, current Internal Auditor to be the Interim Secretary General for PNGRCS until recruitment is formalized and a new Secretary General is appointed.

Australia and Papua New Guinea have signed the second bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under the new Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. The PALM scheme brings together the Pacific Labour Scheme and Seasonal Workers Programme under a single program that helps to strengthen worker protection and build capacity to address workforce shortages in Australia, particularly in agriculture and across regional areas. Minister Payne said that labour mobility between Papua New Guinea and Australia provides important benefits to both countries and strengthens our extensive people-to-people connections. “Australia recognises the outstanding contributions by Papua New Guinea workers under the labour mobility schemes in recent times, keeping food on shelves and contributing to the cultural and economic vibrancy of our regional and rural communities”, said Minister Payne. A key objective of the PALM scheme is to contribute to economic development in Papua New Guinea, by providing remittances, opportunities to gain knowledge and work experience in Australia and supporting skills transfer. Papua New Guinea’s Treasurer, the Hon Ian Ling-Stuckey has long been an advocate for labour mobility given the positive impacts for Papua New Guinea and its people. “Now that borders have reopened, we are looking forward to seeing more opportunities for workers from Papua New Guinea to enter Australia under the scheme over the coming years,” said Treasurer Ling-Stuckey. Labour mobility is just one element of Australia and Papua New Guinea’s Comprehensive and Strategic Economic Partnership (CSEP), which underpins Australia’s long-standing relationship with our closest and valued neighbour. More information on the PALM scheme can be found at www.palmscheme.gov.au

The U.S. Army and the Papua New Guinea Defense Force concluded a three-week joint military exercise, Tamiok Strike, which began March 21 and ended April 1, 2022. The exercise built on last year’s iteration of Tamiok Strike and strengthened the bonds of friendship between the U.S. Army and the Papua New Guinea Defense Force forged in WWII. The exercise enhanced combined interoperability capabilities through training, skills sharing, and cultural exchanges. The U.S. Army shared their experiences for basic security operations and medical training, while the PNGDF shared their expertise on jungle operations. Tamiok Strike was held for the first-time in August 2021. This year’s iteration of Tamiok Strike was held at Goldie River Training Depot in Port Moresby, Moem Barracks in Wewak, and Igam Barracks, Lae, and involved the 1st and 2nd Royal Pacific Island Regiments from the Papua New Guinea Defense Force, and the 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theatre Sustainment Command, and the 10th Support Group from the U.S. Army. The exercise focused on medical training, jungle survival, and strengthening security operations. The Tamiok Strike exercise builds on the growing relationship between the U.S. military and the Papua New Guinea Defense Force. In addition to last year’s Tamiok Strike, the United States hosted senior leaders from the PNGDF in Hawaii and in Wisconsin and will continue exchanges for years to come.

The National Superannuation Fund (Nasfund) Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 'the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) on March 31, 2022. This MoU is a 12-month partnership between Nasfund and CEFI that enables both organizations to work together in providing financial literacy training to Nasfund’s more than 623,000 members. The Fund’s collaboration with CEFI is important as it empowers Nasfund employees to be champion advocates of the savings culture through financial literacy. Commenting on this development, Nasfund CEO Ian Tarutia was pleased with the partnership, which would benefit the Fund’s membership and the communities it operates in. “The importance of saving for retirement is a priority for the Fund, especially when engaging with our members right across the country. Educating our members on the pathway to a comfortable living after active employment,including how much is required to fund a meaningful retirement is a key focus for us. There is also the challenge of the unbanked segment of our population which is being addressed through the BPNG initiative to extend financial inclusion across the country.We support this program and will play our part in increasing coverage.. This is why working alongside CEFI under this partnership is especially meaningful in preparing  our staff to drive financial literacy to our membership. A well-informed membership makes well-informed decisions – this is crucial, especially in retirement.” Under CEFI’s Training of Trainer (TOT) program, 60 selected Nasfund staff will undergo a 5-day training session conducted by CEFI aimed at equipping and upskilling Nasfund staff on the planning, delivery and monitoring of financial literacy training for Nasfund members. CEFI’s reach for financial inclusion through Nasfund’s branch network and continuous engagement with its membership will be extensive. Nasfund is looking forward to working together with CEFI to promote financial inclusion through education. Similar sentiments were shared by CEFI Executive Director Saliya Ranasinghe. “Financial education plays a very important role as it brings new knowledge and changes attitude,” said CEFI Executive Director Mr Saliya Ranasignhe. “We hope this initiative will change the lives of Papua New Guineans to have a better standard of living,” Mr Ranasinghe added.