PNG Haus Bung

The provision of timely, accurate and accessible information during the polling period will be critical to ensuring a democratically credible 2022 National General Election, says Transparency International Papua New Guinea (TIPNG). The delivery of the election has faced multiple administrative, legal and logistical challenges and it is now incumbent on the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission (PNGEC) and partners to ensure clear and consistent communication to voters, says TIPNG. The local anti-corruption civil society organization made this statement on the eve of deployment of its 300 strong volunteer observers across all 22 provinces Papua New Guinea to look at the conduct of polling. “Voters are justifiably concerned that the disjointed manner in which requisite electoral preparatory processes such as; the creation of new electorates, enrolment of new voters, updating of the roll, objection to the roll, appointment of returning officers, commencement of nomination, and gazettal of election and polling schedules, were delivered will in turn adversely impact the conduct of polling,” said Peter Aitsi, TIPNG Board Chair. “Those across the country who have volunteered with TIPNG to observe the conduct of their local polling station, are demonstrating not only that people in Papua New Guinea are concerned, more importantly, they are showing that Papua New Guineans want to contribute to more free, fair and safe election in 2022. What is needed now is clear and consistent communication from the PNGEC and partners during the polling, counting and government formation periods,” said Mr. Aitsi. TIPNG is accredited with the PNGEC as a domestic election observation group and will be working with individual volunteers from provincial partner organizations to collect data on the integrity of polling. The observation is a component of TIPNG’s Building Election Integrity through Partnership (BEIP) which commended in 2021 and is funded by the #PNGAusPartnership. TIPNG has observed the 2007, 2012 and 2017 National General Elections, using the same observer survey instruments and also the 2013 LLG Elections, 2019 Bougainville Referendum and 2021 Moresby Northwest By-election. Reports from these observations have been presented to the PNGEC and Government and lead to reforms such as the introduction of the Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system and the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC). TIPNG will release its 2022 Election Observation Report in December 2022 and will be working alongside other domestic & international observers and state agencies, such as the National Research Institute, on post-election analysis to further inform reforms for electoral integrity in Papua New Guinea

National Women soccer team captain Yvonne Gabong is wary of the big task ahead of her and her team to qualify for the Women World Cup 2023 to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The part Madang and Manus lass was given the nod as captain to lead the senior women team in the OFC Women Nations Cup to be played in Suva, Fiji next week. The July 13-30 event has attracted nine member associations in Oceania region and PNG is one of them. Nothing new to her as she has led the PNG Under 20 team at the Women's FIFA World Cup in 2016 in Port Moresby. She described her appointment as great honor. “To be named captain of the team is a great honour. I am privileged to lead this team and I know this role comes with great responsibility and I will try to do my best to be a good lead to teammates and a great ambassador for our country in Fiji during the Nations Cup.” She challenged her teammates to remain focus on the job ahead in Fiji. “We must create our own legacy as we are riding on the legacy of those who have gone before us. We are carrying-on their legacy and now we are on a mission to create our own legacy to win the Nations Cup and qualify for tri-nation challenge in early February in 2023,” she said. Gabong who fought of her niggling injuries to win her spot and was named captain ahead of experienced and seasoned campaigners in Lucy Maino and Sandra Birum to lead the Road To World Cup 2023 campaign. PNG women team has a mammoth task when they go up against Vanuatu and Tahiti in their pool matches in the July 13-30 event at ANZ Stadium, Suva. She acknowledged PNGFA president John Kapi Natto and his executive committee for the work put behind the team since the started six months ago. She also thanked all the sponsors who have support the women’s soccer dream during their preparation towards this trip to Fiji. Gabong thanked also Luke Liria of Kumul Petoroleum Holdings Limited for the words of encouragement telling the women to give their best during the two-week’s tournament football tournament.

PNG Football Association has finally announced its travelling squad for the OFC Women Nations Cup in Suva, Fiji next week with a farewell dinner held at Dynasty Restaurant at Vision on Saturday night. After going through a vigorous training program for the last six months, the team endorsed by PNGFA Executive Committee was released for the first time for the public consumption. To be captained by Yvonne Gabong, the team includes veteran campaigners in Sandra Birum, Rumana Morris, Lucy Maino and former OFC Women Nations Cup Golden Boot winner Meagan Gunemba. The full squad is: Faith Kasiray, Fidelma Watpore, Betty Sam (goalkeepers), Joelyn Aimi, Lavina Hola, Margaret Joseph, Lucy Maino, Isabella Natera, Olivia Upaupa, Shalom Waida, Serah Waida, (Defenders), Yvonne Gabong, Rayleen Bauelua, Kesai Kotome, Rumana Morris, Ramona Padio, Sandra Birum, Sonia Embahe, (Midfielders), Arnolda Dout, Asaiso Gossie, Meagen Gunemba, Marie Kaipu, Charlie Yanding, Zagude Zale, Georgina Kaikas (Forwards) Travelling Officials; Vonnie Kapi Natto (GTM), Deslyn Siniu Team Manager, Nicola Demaine (Head Coach), Percy Mataio Assistant Coach, Edna Thomas Assistant Coach, Godrey Baniau (Goalkeeper coach), Susan Watpore (Kit Manager) and Gabi Hiparara (Physiotherapist) National women Head Coach Nicola Demaine was happy with the squad saying the team is blended with experienced players who know whats needed to get the job done. “I am really happy with the blend of youth and experience in the team. Its great to welcome back players like Georgina Kaikas and Kesai Kotome as well giving well earned opportunity players such as Lavina Hola and Olive Upaupa who missed out in 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa,” she said. Coach Nicola Demaine is aware of what is in store for PNG women team but she is confident that her charges will do their best against their opponent in their pool.

The Inter-Departmental Election Committee’s (IDEC) official government website: http://elections.info.gov.pg including the Toll Free number, 1800 500 are now zero- rated on all mobile operators in the country and fully operational. IDEC Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council, Ivan Pomaleu expressed his gratitude to Vodafone, Digicel, and Telikom /Bemobile for continuously supporting the government during such a national event. The zero-rating now allows Papua New Guineans to access the website without any financial cost, especially without having data, to access the site. Mr Pomaleu is encouraging citizens to visit the website and obtain verified relevant contents on the elections for their purpose, especially now, during this polling period. Mr Pomaleu added that the Toll Free Number 1800500 is also zero-rated, where Papua New Guineans can call in free of charge, on any issues relating to the election process. The Call Centre is located on Level 3 of Morauta Haus for the Joint Security Task Force towards the 2022 National General Election and headed by the Commissioner of Police. Information about polling schedules and sites or election related incidents will be addressed by calling the Toll Free number.

World No Buai Day is Friday October 7. As COVID-19 restrictions ease, Businesses for Health is encouraging people who want to end their chewing habit to sign up for their “World No Buai Day” campaign. COVID-19 has disrupted work and social lives in so many ways. It’s also had some unexpected consequences. Whilst the infection control benefits of mask wearing are well known, in PNG masks have enabled people to hide their workday chewing. With fewer mask wearing requirements in place, we are kicking off our campaign to get the workers of PNG to consider the health and financial costs of chewing buai. They have set the campaign to run over seven fortnights or 96 days. This gives chewers time to think, analyze, plan, and to find colleagues and friends to support them in reducing their chewing habit. B4H understands that chewing is part of many people’s usual routines, so planning is required if people are going to be successful in reducing their dependency on PNG’s favorite addictive drug – betel nut! B4H Campaign leader and participant TB HEO Teresa said “the sooner people reduce their chewing, the better it is for their health. But people we also recognize that chewing is an addiction and it’s not something they can successfully achieve without talking to family, friends, and colleagues. Addicts need encouragement or friends to join them in the campaign.”

Every voter should be able to register and vote without facing barriers. To enhance access for people living with disabilities (PLWDs) in Papua New Guinea’s upcoming national election, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) to host a workshop on assessing accessibility at polling places. The workshop empowered people living with disabilities to engage in the national election through conducting polling place assessments and developing reports on the findings. Participants learned how to evaluate the accessibility of polling by checking for accessibility aids such as magnifying plastic for low-vision voters and large pens to assist voters without fine motor function. Participants also learned how to assess and prioritize mobility for wheelchair access. Danny Ten, a training participant, and person living with disabilities, said, “We do not want to be put aside any longer. I am proud to be part of the first batch of election observers supporting people with disabilities.” As part of his first official trip to PNG, USAID Mission Director for the Philippines, Pacific Islands, and Mongolia Ryan Washburn joined the workshop to congratulate participants and hand out completion certificates. “Like everyone else, people living with disabilities are affected by the decisions of their elected officials,” said Mission Director Washburn. “We are honored to support these young people to mobilize their community for this fundamental right.” The People with Disabilities organization will analyze the data that workshop participants collect and hold a follow-up workshop after the election to create an advocacy action plan with recommendations to the PNG Electoral Commission and other government agencies. “This is a perfect example of how civic awareness workshops spark ideas from participants to continue their engagement to create large-scale changes in communities,” said Paul Rowland, IFES Country Director, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands. The workshop is a follow-on activity from a USAID- supported program aimed at Engaging a New Generation for Accessible Governance and Elections (ENGAGE). The ENGAGE program is a political leadership curriculum for young persons with disabilities and is valuable training that gives opportunities to marginalized youth with disabilities.

Papua New Guinean entrepreneurs are being invited to enter the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) to connect to a global community of entrepreneurs and for a chance to pitch for a share of US$1 million (over K3 million) in prizes plus additional investment opportunities and in-kind support. The Kumul Foundation Inc is the official lead partner and organizer in Papua New Guinea for Entrepreneurship World Cup Papua New Guinea which will feed start-ups into the global competition, through a partnership recently forged by Chairman Anthony Smaré at the Global Entrepreneurship Conference in Saudi Arabia in March this year. The EWC will be contested by 400, 000 entrepreneurs from idea stage to growth stage across 200 countries with an aim to strengthen start-up eco-systems across continents. “Papua New Guinea is an emerging start-up entrepreneurial ecosystem and to grow, PNG entrepreneurs need to connect with international entrepreneurial networks to learn, to form connections for ideas and investment, and to validate their start-ups. So I encourage as many start-up entrepreneurs who have exciting start-up companies in PNG to apply!” “We will have a national pitch competition, where winners will share in K30,000 in prize money, and get a chance at advancing further into the international competition, and hopefully we will have a Papua New Guinean start-up or two considered for the final list who will go to Saudi Arabia to pitch for the global prize in November later this year”. But EWC is not just a global pitch competition with a shot at life-changing prizes. It elevates entrepreneurs from all stages—idea-stage, early-stage, growth-stage or beyond— by providing them with tools and resources to grow their venture. All applicants will receive access to EWC Accelerates, a virtual training program that helps entrepreneurs hone their skills and increase their chances of winning their national competitions and advancing to the Global Finals. The EWC online platform also offers all contestants who start an application access to $1,000 worth of perks. All founders who complete an application will receive access to more than $25,000 worth of perks. PNG applicants will apply through the global website www.entrepreneurshipworldcup.com . Applicants will be on-boarded and segmented into categories according to their stages; idea, early and growth, and will be invited to participate in Accelerate 1 to learn from a series of virtual training opportunities and sharpen their skills at pitching. The National Finals competition for PNG will be held in September in Port Moresby. National winners will then move onto a boot camp and are considered EWC Group Stage contestants. The top 100 global winners will then advance through to further training sessions and eventually have the opportunity to network directly with potential investors. The top EWC100 will receive $100,000 in in-kind services from partners such as AWS, Freshworks, Google Cloud, Hubspot, Stripe, Zoom and more The EWC100 will also be enrolled in the GEN Starters Club, providing a global peer network, mentorship and other support services to help members reach their full potential. In October, all global finalists will be invited to participate in an intensive, virtual start-up boot camp and the top EWC100 will advance to pitch live at the EWC Global Finals held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November 2022. The Entrepreneurship World Cup is hosted globally by the Global Entrepreneurship Network. There will be several information seminars held over the course of the next month for those who wish to find out more in person about EWC. The Kumul Foundation is currently putting together the panel of judges from investors and stakeholders in the PNG ecosystem as well as recruiting partners for sponsorship, prizes and investment in the start-ups. The judging panelists, sponsors, media partners and investors will also go into the global network and benefit from the opportunities to access training and investment opportunities globally. Companies and investors that are interested to become partners with EWC Papua New Guinea can email nedi@kumul.org for more information. The Entrepreneurship World Cup is produced by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), backed by a broad collection of entrepreneurial support organisations and strategic partners. As a supporter of GEN and national host of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), the not-for-profit Kumul Foundation is creating a pathway for local entrepreneurs to access to a global platform with world class opportunities to take their entrepreneurial journey to new heights.

Police Commissioner David Manning has announced the establishment of the Joint Security Task Force Call centre for the 2022 National General Election. Mr Manning, who is also the chairman of the Joint Security Task Force, said as of yesterday (1st July 2022), callers can call the Joint Security Task Force Call Centre hotline number 1800500 to request for election information such as polling schedules, polling sites or to report an election related concern or crime. “We will have five lines dedicated to the public on a 24-hour basis until August 31st 2022 to assist the people with their queries. Staff manning the call centre will provide election information on the spot as required. All police complaints will be referred to the Joint Security Task Force Command Centre for analysis, assessment with directives issued to respective commands around the country for further action,” Mr Manning said. The Commissioner said during the election period members of the security forces, especially police will be heavily engaged in election security operations so the people are not given the assurance that someone will be there to listen to them. “With the establishment of the Control Centre we are giving confidence back to the people. Their concerns and complaints will be heard and we will act upon them if and as necessary,” Mr Manning said. Meanwhile, Mr Manning said election security operations around the country have progressed well with the Quick Response Force consisting of Police, Defence and Correctional Services already inserted into the highlands. He said Mobile Squads from the Special Services Division have been deployed for election security duties for provinces within the New Guinea Islands and Southern regions. Mr Manning said all commands from around the country are being positioned to provide security for polling when it commences on Monday July 4. Polling for the Hela province kicks off on July 4. The other two provinces within the Highlands Western Divisional Command, Enga and the Southern Highlands Provinces, commences on July 7 and 11 respectively. Polling for the Highlands Eastern Divisional Command commences on July 12 for Eastern Highlands Province, July 13 for both Jiwaka and Western Highlands provinces and Simbu Province on July 15. Polling in the Northern Divisional Command commences on July 4 for both Lae Metro and the Morobe Province. Madang will be polling on July 7 and the Eastern Highlands Province on 12 July. Mr Manning said all logistical arrangements including air support for security personnel engaged in polling duties as well as the QRF are in place and will be provided as and when required. “As we go to the polls on Monday I wish to again appeal to candidates, their supporters and the general public to take responsibility and make this a free, fair, safe and corruption free election. I appeal also to all members of the Joint Security Task Force engaged in providing security for the election and members of the PNG Electoral Commission to be honest, diligent and committed in the discharge of their duties,” Mr Manning said.

Acting District Administrator of Tambul Nebilyer Philip Taipa was arrested and charged yesterday by NCD Metropolitan police for illegally possessing high powered ammunition. Taipa allegedly attempted to smuggle 39 rounds of high powered rifle bullets into Mount Hagen yesterday when he was caught by security at the Jacksons Airport terminal. The public servant allegedly went to the airport and produced his pistol license and consigned a package containing the bullets when he was caught. Security staff found four boxes of 9mm pistol bullets (totalling 200) and 39 rounds of 7.76mm high powered bullets inside the package. Taipa was licensed to carry the 9mm rounds but the 7.76mm rounds commonly used in the military were deemed illegal and Taipa was detained by security and referred to Airport Police. Airport Police Station Commander Inspector Ben Wiai said Taipa 58 of Pusa village Tambul Nebilyer in the Western Highlands provinve was charged by CID under section 65A Chapter 310 of the Firearms Act, for being in posession of 39 rounds of 7.76mm rifle bullets. He was refused bail and detained at the Boroko Police Station cells and will appear in court soon.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in support of development activities in Papua New Guinea (PNG). USAID Philippines, Pacific Islands, and Mongolia Mission Director Ryan Washburn joined Coca-Cola PNG General Manager Philippe Mondada to sign the Memorandum of Understanding to promote women’s empowerment, safe water, and sustainable economic growth in his first official trip to PNG. “Business is good for development, and development is good for business,” said Mission Director Washburn. “USAID makes it a top priority to consult, strategize, align, collaborate, and implement with the private sector for greater scale, sustainability, and effectiveness. We are happy to partner with Coca-Cola to enhance our development impact in PNG” Mr. Mondada emphasized the importance of growing their business sustainably.  “Coca-Cola has made a number of commitments that align with the targets underpinning the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our collaboration with USAID is a great example of Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals and helps us move beyond Corporate Social Responsibility to create shared value and development impact,” he said. USAID and CCEP will jointly support women’s empowerment and work to combat gender-based violence (GBV), a key development challenge in PNG, with some studies showing over 70 percent of women in PNG have experienced violence in their lifetime. USAID and Coca-Cola recently partnered to raise awareness of the 16 days of activism against GBV through a joint Public Service Announcement. USAID and Coca-Cola will also work together to support the establishment of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Coral Sea to promote sustainable economic growth, foreign investment, and greater opportunities for U.S. & Pacific companies in the Coral Sea. In addition, USAID and Coca-Cola will continue to collaborate to bring safe water and sanitation services to communities. In Papua New Guinea, only 33 percent of people in rural areas have access to safe water, and only 13 percent have access to basic sanitation. In celebration of World Water Day earlier this year, USAID, Coca-Cola, and IOM educated more than 900 schoolgirls at Marianville Secondary School on the importance of freshwater resources and showcased USAID’s public-private partnership with Coca-Cola. USAID, Coca-Cola, and IOM also jointly ran a PSA about how the public can care for freshwater resources in PNG. USAID and the Coca-Cola Company have a long history of partnership, collaborating on numerous major initiatives, including water, youth and gender, entrepreneurship, health, food security, and innovation and e-payments. Specifically, Coca-Cola and USAID have collaborated on more than 43 projects in over 30 countries. In Papua New Guinea, USAID focuses on combating COVID-19, public health, climate change, biodiversity, good governance, economic growth, energy, infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, and digital connectivity. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is one of the leading consumer goods companies in the world.

Below is the 2022 National General Election Polling schedule that was officially released by the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission on 30th June 2022. [pdf-embedder url="https://pnghausbung.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/POLLING-SCHEDULE11.pdf" title="POLLING SCHEDULE(1)(1)"]

The Bilum Em I life Exhibition was launched at the National Museum and Arts Gallery as an education centre for Bilums this week. The partnership between United Nations Population Fund, Goroka Bilum Weavers and The National Museum is to educate the population on the hidden messages behind the different bilum designs. Goroka Bilum Weavers representative, Florence Jaukae in her remarks spoke about the different patterns, the meanings and how the patterns came to be. “Bilum em mama, It is a culture that needs to be respected, protected and preserved for the future generation.” “Our bilums are as diverse as we are, across all our different traditions, designs and materials,” Jaukae said the Skin pik, Fallopian Tube, Half Diamond, Diamond, Mountain and Spider Web all had their own story and the meaning behind the design. "For Example, the Skin pik pattern came about to represent the marginalised women in the community. The diamond pattern is associated with a young girl’s journey into adulthood and the spider web pattern represents patience." UNFPA Country Representative, Marielle Sanders that this exhibition is important as it is part of UNFPA’s efforts to raise awareness surrounding the empowerment of women in Papua New Guinea as well as their sexual and reproductive health and rights. She added that the bilum patterns a way for women to communicate about milestones and challenges faced by women in their journey from adolescence to adulthood.