Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, MP has expressed deep regrets at the news of the death of Hon. William Samb, Minister for Commerce & Trade and Member for Goilala. The Prime Minister said according to information that he received from H.E Ambassador Joshua Kalinoe, Hon. Samb died at 12.18pm (UAE time) yesterday at a hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. PM Marape said Hon. Samb was on official duties at the trade exposition in Dubai promoting Papua New Guinea as an investment destination in his capacity as the Minister for Commerce and Trade. PM Marape said: “Hon. Samb was a true, zealous defender of our country and our rights as far as taking back more of our natural resources is concerned. “He was one of the stalwarts of Loloata, one of the members in the group of politicians in Loloata camp, never succumbing to inducements especially short-term inducements that are associated with politics and power play. “He was steady to the core, in beliefs and principles, especially on the principles in the Loloata Camp that we shared deeply – that is getting the maximum returns on resources that our country has. “He was my strongest fighter of corruption in my group of leaders. “We have truly lost a great warrior of our country. He was a zealous defender of our people’s right in the corruption fight, in every level of engagement. He was also a fearless defender of our people’s rights, and on a personal note, one of the closest people who guided me often and sometimes argued with me on matters for our country. “On behalf of Pangu Pati and his colleagues on the floor of Parliament, we are truly shocked. But God gives and God rests. “To the people of Goilala and Central Province, his family and associates, his memory, principles and ideals will guide those of us still here to do the right thing, for his family and people of Goilala, Central Province and Papua New Guinea.”

The revised bill on the Organic Law On Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLLIPAC) has not yet been passed although it has been on notice since 2020. Prime Minister James Marape said this in response to Northern Governor Garry Juffa’s question regarding the status of the Bill. “These laws were revised in 2014 unfortunately not passed and later in 2020 and again not passed,” Mr Juffa said. “The laws will definitely strengthen the functions of political parties and is an important legislative reform that is well overdue.” The Prime Minister said it is an important Bill to strengthen the functionality of political parties as an institution of state, however the Bill has not been passed because they have not managed to get the required number of votes from parliamentary members. “It is a constitutional amendment that requires over 73 members of parliament to pass this Bill,” Mr Marape said. “In the last few sittings, we struggled to get past 73 so we get numbers in the next two sittings, we certainly can pass this Bill.” “And so, I recommend to the House that if the number does go past 73, we could have a look at introducing this Bill and getting it passed.”

Development partners are being accused of not doing enough in the electrification space and are also working on small projects in the country with no coordination with the government. State Owned Enterprise Minister William Duma said this Parliament this week while explaining as to why the electrification program commitment made at the APEC Leaders Summit in 2018 has stalled. “When I last met with representatives of those companies at the Australian High Commission office about a year ago, we put it out to them that we wanted to select big impact projects and ask them to do the costings and fund them,” Mr Duma said. “That was the arrangement because from the way they were going, they were funding small projects in drips and drabs in an uncoordinated fashion.” “We made it clear to them that whatever they wanted to do to help us would not be helpful and will have less impact unless we tell them which areas and projects they should target.” He said he told them that the big impact projects include the setting up of power transmitter lines between provinces, build additional water dams and help provide power to the district headquarters in remote electorates. “These are the big impact projects that we want these countries to help fund so that we will then be able to take care of the smaller ones ourselves.”

PM James Marape has confirmed the untimely passing of Minister for Commerce and Industry and Goilala MP William Samb. "I have, late last night, received confirmation of the passing of the Honorable William Samb, at a hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates." "The Honorable William Samb who is the Minister for Commerce and Industry was on official duty travel to Dubai when he met his fate." He was reportedly unwell and in hospital when he passed away. "I have received this news with deepest regret. Our prayers are with his family and the people of Goilala at this time."

The 132 passengers travelling on board Lutheran Shipping vessel, MV Ialibu when the vessel ran aground on Tuesday night at Kampalap Beach on Siassi Island are all safe on the ground and now in the process of being evacuated from the island. According to the National Maritime Safety Authority, a rescue vessel had departed Madang for Siassi Island and dinghies are being prepared to transfer the stranded passengers. The report also stated that passengers were supplied with sufficient amount of food and are being properly sheltered. National Maritime Safety Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul Unas said from initial reports, the vessel’s Starboard Engine became flooded where the captain dropped the stern anchor to keep the vessel from being washed ashore. However, the strong North West winds and high swells eventually dragged the vessel ashore at 10:30pm on Tuesday night. Lutheran Shipping have refused to give out any details about the incident at this time. The National Maritime Safety Authority is carrying out its investigations on the cause of the incident to take appropriate action.

Papua New Guinea must have a student focused Education Sector Plan to achieve the government’s vision 2050 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets, according to the National Civil Society Coalition Consultation Workshop that was held on 23rd February 2022. This was one of the strong recommendations made by the participants of the workshop while discussing on the draft Education Sector Development Plan (2022-2026). The one-day workshop facilitated jointly by Papua New Guinea Education Advocacy Network (PEAN) and the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC) was for civil organizations to provide their views on the draft five-year Plan. More than 30 participants from civil organizations in different sectors including education, disability, academia, private citizens, human rights and researchers and volunteers attended the consultations. This is to ensure that the draft Education Sector Plan was inclusive and covers all areas for the delivery of quality education services in the next five years. Such is necessary for human resource development in the country, something which the Education Sector has to remain focused on to achieve the government’s vision 2050 and SDG goals and targets. Professor Kenneth Sumbuk who attended the consultations said that the core values in the draft five-year Education Sector Plan are skewed and has been written based on the Public Service Leadership Capability Framework. It therefore does not reflect specific core values of the foundation the education system in PNG is built on or its underpinnings including specific expected outcomes. He said to achieve quality, the education system should be student focused and should be transformative in terms of teaching and learning for better student experience and outcomes. Some of the participants expressed dissatisfaction over the limited time given to them especially non state actors claiming that the plan was massive and needed thorough public consultations with every key sectors involvement. They further raised concerns that half of education service delivery especially in the most remote parts of the country are executed by civil society groups, in particular churches and with the amount of time given for consultations, constructive feedback is also limited to inform the Plan. Some of the key recommendations put forward by the workshop participants included: • Education must be inclusive and accessible by all school aged children including slow learners and children with disabilities. Accessibility must be addressed at all levels from early child hood, primary, secondary to TVET. • Education Sector has to have a master plan for all infrastructure to meet standards in all levels of education in order to meet the needs of the children, in particular children with special needs; • Make sure specialists are available to train teachers to teach children with special needs at all levels of education system; • Promoting and supporting research and development to create PNG to be a modern and relevant learning sociality such policies and plans. • Pursue education excellence by practicing the best and highest standards of Transparency and Accountability: Promoting good governance through personal and institutional integrity, and moral, ethical and transparent and accountable practices. • FODE and TVET should act as an alternative pathway to cater for grade 8 students. So courses for grade 9 and 10 delivered in mainstream high schools should also be taught at TVET. • Disability sector to be recognized by the government, it’s not covered in the draft plan. • The education plan should accommodate strategies on how to cater for and address the increasing population growth.

The rural electrification program commitment made at the APEC Summit in 2018 by the governments of United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and PNG has not progressed as expected to date. State Owned Enterprise Minister William Duma revealed this in Parliament yesterday in response to Rigo MP Lekwa Gure’s question on the status of that commitment. “In the APEC meeting, there was a great announcement and a commitment made by the four countries to assist us have 70 percent of our country electrified by year 2030 which is only eight years away,” Mr Gure said. “So, what is the appropriate body that is coordinating this commitment?” “And how much of the country at this point in time has access to electricity?” “Is there a process or avenue where districts and provinces can make input to that body that is coordinating this commitment?” Minister Duma in response said the K1 billion commitment was a political statement made by the four governments with no properly documented process. “The understanding was that PNG as well as those countries, through the normal diplomatic channels have an agreement that would set out in detail how we will draw those funds,” Mr Duma said. “Unfortunately, since 2019, no such documents were signed by those governments and our government despite attempts by our Prime Minister and myself to follow up.” However, he said what has turned out was that those countries through their diplomatic mission have gone out and select small projects without having consultations with the government through PNG Power. “It is an ongoing process and we are still trying to negotiate but it looks like the new government will be able to continue that process and hopefully we can reach an agreement with definite work plans to reach our target.”

Concerns on the forced extraction of roadwork material without payment by a road contractor along the Trans Island Highway in Central Province will be looked into and addressed soon. Works Minister Michael Nali gave this undertaking during Question Time in Parliament today. The issue was brought up by Kairuku Hiri MP Peter Isoaimo who said the controversial contractor brought rogue police officers with high powered firearms and chased away the landowners of the gravel pit from Aipiana village in Mekeo without paying them. “Is this the kind of attitude we want to display to our Papua New Guineans?” Mr Isoaimo asked. “Every human being is unique and so when you provoke them, they will treat you in the same manner and fashion.” Minister Nali in response said no road contractor has the right to extract road-based materials from a customary land without making a payment to its landowners. He further said he will enquire into the matter and make a response on the issue in this term of Parliament Sitting. “There are provisions there to buy materials, so if any contractor is doing things the other way, then that is totally wrong.” “I guarantee the Member that I will enquire and find out who that contractor is and why it has not been paying the locals for the extraction of materials from their land,” said Nali.

On Monday 28 February 2022, the EU Delegation to PNG signed an agreement with St John Ambulance which renew the EU's engagement of St John as the primary domestic emergency medical evacuation and retrieval service for its delegates. St John will also assist EU delegates with home medical services to help them access health care when it’s urgent, but not an emergency. In an important step to promoting emergency preparedness, St John is helping the EU in upgrading all its existing first aid kits and installing defibrillators (AEDs) at all its worksites in Port Moresby. Partnerships like this provide delegates with the comfort that quality emergency medical care is only one call away. CEO Matt Cannon said, the St John Ambulance Service stands ready to support government departments, businesses, and other delegations with the same level of close partnership. Any spare toeas raised by St John through important partnerships, like this one, are reinvested to improve the free public ambulance services.

A grade 8 student, 15 years old, was hacked to death by his step father over the weekend at Kuriva in Central Province. Central Provincial Police Commander Superintendent John Midi told PNG Hausbung that the incident happened following an argument and the family are from Goilala. “It is very sad and unbecoming of our society these days when people resort to violence too quickly,” Mr Midi said. Following the incident, relatives took sides and were in the process of attacking each other when police intervened. The step father was apprehended and is now in custody while police work on processing his charge. Police investigations into the incident is ongoing. Picture courtesy: Hon. Robert Agarobe MP (FB page)

In a first since the COVID-19 pandemic, the heads of Papua New Guinea’s 22 Provincial Health Authorities (PHA’s), key health personnel and partners are gathered in Port Moresby to address the challenges of the national COVID-19 Vaccination rollout program. Led by the National Department of Health through the National COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, a 3-day workshop is currently underway to give a voice to each province’s challenges in the COVID-19 response. ”This is an opportunity for provincial health leaders and health workers to have their voices heard, share experiences and lessons learned, and discuss a way forward, together,” said Mr Api Kassman, Executive Director for the National Vaccine Taskforce. Secretary for health, Dr. Osbourne Liko, in opening the workshop thanked all the PHA’s for their hard work over the past two since PNG declared its first case of COVID-19. “I know this has entailed many long and stressful hours with depleted staff and plenty of hardship. I thank you and deeply appreciate your efforts”. Dr Liko acknowledged the importance of listening and learning from lessons learned. And he reiterated the importance of COVID-19 vaccination to prevent severe illness and death. “The facts tell us time and again. We do not know when the next wave will hit, but we do know those who have been vaccinated have withstood current outbreaks of COVID much better, much stronger,” said Dr Liko. The participants shared practical experiences for community engagement and stressed on the importance of health care workers to vaccinate themselves ahead of others. One participant highlighted a common challenge facing many provincial health authorities was the limited human resources. “We need human resources. One of our root causes is we’re down with manpower. This hinders us to go out and get the job done to ensure our people are vaccinated”. Key themes that were raised on Day #01 included strategic and community based advocacy, identifying vaccine champions, coordinated efforts and strengthening partnerships. The workshop is supported by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Papua New Guinea - Australia partnership and partners. Findings from the workshop will inform the National COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforce on the course of action on future vaccine rollout efforts in the country.

PREPARATIONS are well underway for the hosting of the annual Kopen Take Pii Cultural Festival and Ecotourism Conservation exhibition which commence next Tuesday in Enga Province. The three days cultural festival and ecotourism products exhibition has been simultaneously postponed last year due to upsurge in the World Global pandemic Covid-19 delta variant that claimed many lives around the country. Chairman Luke Lucas Lale said preparations of both cultural festival and ecotourism products exhibition including construction of stalls as well as cultural groups dancers are all set to roll. The Cultural Festival and Ecotourism Products Exhibition will start from 8th – 10th with the official opening on Tuesday and closing on Thursday by the PNG National Cultural Commission Executive Director Steven Enomb Kilanda and Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas respectively. Mr. Lale said PNG has got very diverse and unique cultures, music and art. He said the festival and ecotourism products exhibition has become a vehicle on which the communities will all stand together to promote domestically. “The Kopen Take Pii Cultural Festival will be different from any other festival hosted around the country in which we will interpret Enga proverbs, perform rituals, interpret myths, scared sites visitation like historic caves, legendary lakes, church tourism project sites, bird watching, trekking among others,” he said. He said hosting of such cultural festivals and tourism products development will enhance socio-economic activities and curb escalating law & order issues, address Gender Base Violence Inclusive Disabilities and other forms of Discrimination in the communities, whereby young men and women will actively participate to create enabling conducive environment. Mr. Lale reiterated that the Kopen Ecotourism Conservation project was started 20 years ago, however due to lack of funding it could not progress further. “Now we have opted to revive these significant projects which we have partnered with the PNG National Cultural Commission, PNG Tourism Promotion Authority and Enga Provincial Government through their Provincial Division of Commerce, Culture and Tourism to develop, safeguard and promote because we see that our cultural heritages and tourism products are beneficial. “Culture is the only standalone tourism product in the country and must be embraced at all times. Culture is our greatest economic asset freely at our disposal, and we must embrace it because once our non-renewal resources have fully depleted, we will still have our both tangible and intangible cultural resources to fall back,” he said. Project Director Samson Kendeman shared the same sentiment saying culture provides belonging and an arena in which residents can make a difference. “Culture contributes to exclusionary practices and has been seen as a drag on development efforts. “We want our village to be a Tourism Model Village within the Wabag Local Level Government,” Mr. Kendeman said. He said management have already implemented some of their tourism products which all started at Kopen as phase one. “Beginning this year and going forward we will further develop tourism projects like Punar Waterfall, construct bush treks, bird watching, scared sites and other cultural heritages up in the Walum rainforest that will definitely promote both domestic and international tourist that can enhance socio-economic activities and alleviate poverty concurrently,” he said. Mr. Kendeman said the concept will also enable the village to tap into economic benefits of tourism, agriculture and forestry to develop small businesses in communities to sustain and empower youth including marginalized women and girls’ population taking the lead. “We urge both national and sub-national governments to support us as well as development partners in such cultural and tourism development industry where our target is to involve youth population to contain the consumption of alcohol and poisonous homebrew that presently leading to law and order issues,” he said. The Management and Festival Committee would like to thank the major sponsors of PNG National Cultural Commission, PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, Enga Provincial Government/Administration, Margaret Potane the Director of Provincial Division of Commerce, Culture & Tourism, Air Sanga Limited, National Airports Corporations, Lorma Construction Limited, Yani Hire Cars & Logistics, The National newspaper, Ribito Hotel & Restaurant, Joe Chen (Chen Trading), Ipali Limited, My Kids Inn, Porgera Sai Lodge, Kawai Lodge, Individual sponsors like Wabag Town Mayor Cr. Felix Poko, Milfred Wangatau and Kennedy Kiak.