As a lead-up to the Indo-Pacific Business Forum October 28-29, American businesses operating in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and companies interested in U.S. markets will soon have the opportunity to join the largest global business network – the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham). U.S. Embassy Port Moresby and key founding members officially kicked-off the creation of a local chapter of AmCham, enabling businesses to participate in increasing trade and investment between the United States and PNG. The kick-off event was held on October 27 at the Hilton Hotel where representatives from companies, including ExxonMobil PNG Limited and Coca-Cola, attended. Once fully established, the AmCham will deepen the trade and investment relationship between the United States and Pacific Islands by providing information and trade connections to members. The AmCham will also act as a platform to advance women’s and marginalized communities’ economic empowerment by actively recruiting women and minority-owned businesses and advocating for rights and protections across PNG. The AmCham will facilitate connections with U.S. educational institutions, as well as support partnerships in the areas of management, business development, and entrepreneurship. “American businesses embody entrepreneurship, promote equality in the workplace for women and the disabled, and are considerate of their impact on the oceans and land,” said U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands Erin E. McKee. “American businesses seek to strengthen the economies and livelihoods of the countries in which they do business, and this new AmCham will leverage the collective power of all of the member companies to bring sustainable and fair business practices to PNG.” ExxonMobil PNG Limited’s Managing Director Peter Larden said, “ExxonMobil PNG is proud to be a founding member of the AmCham in PNG and we look forward to working with other AmCham members to promote investment in Papua New Guinea.” Coca-Cola PNG General Manager (GM) Philippe Mondada added that Coca-Cola would “strongly support the establishment of an AmCham to advance community engagement and partnerships between business and development partners.” AmCham is a collective platform for Pacific and American businesses that helps members reach their full potential to advance the civic and economic development of PNG. The AmCham will provide its members and their employees with access to relevant sources of information, reliable business partners in the United States, and forums to promote their collective knowledge and experience. To boost prosperity in the region, the governments of the United States of America and the Republic of India are holding the fourth Indo-Pacific Business Forum (taking place online October 28-29). The Forum is an opportunity for high-level business executives to meet virtually with senior U.S. officials and business executives from throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Small and medium enterprises can also network and engage with business leaders from around the world. The free virtual panels and discussions center around resiliency and innovation, economic recovery from the pandemic, climate action, and digital innovation. Speeches during the Forum also focus on public health, supply chain diversification in key economic sectors, smart sustainable cities, digital connectivity data flows, climate awareness, and women’s leadership and empowerment. Learn more and register here: https://indopacificbusinessforum.com/  

Facebook is changing its company name as it shifts its focus to the "metaverse" and confronts wide-ranging scrutiny of the real-world harms from its various platforms after a whistleblower leaked hundreds of internal documents. Founder Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday that Facebook will change its corporate name to Meta, effectively demoting Facebook's namesake service to being just one of the company's subsidiaries, alongside Instagram and WhatsApp, rather than the overarching brand. The company formerly known as Facebook also said in a press release that it plans to begin trading under the stock ticker "MVRS" on December 1. A rebranding could be part of an effort to overhaul Facebook's reputation and turn the page following a series of PR nightmares, including misinformation on its platforms, content moderation failures and revelations about the negative effect its products have on some users' mental health. The name change, which was announced by Zuckerberg during the company's virtual reality and augmented reality conference Facebook Connect, aligns with its growing focus on the metaverse, which refers to efforts to combine virtual and augmented reality technologies in a new online realm. "I've been thinking a lot about our identity as we begin this next chapter. Facebook is one of the most used products in the history of the world," Zuckerberg said on Thursday. "It is an iconic social media brand, but increasingly it just doesn't encompass everything that we do." "Today we're seen as a social media company," he added, "but in our DNA, we are a company that builds technology to connect people. And the metaverse is the next frontier just like social networking was when we got started." Zuckerberg, who said he loved studying classics in school, said the name was inspired by the Greek word meta, which means "beyond." "For me, it symbolizes that there is always more to build." The company also replaced its corporate sign, which featured a picture of a "thumbs up," outside of its California, headquarters with one touting its new logo: a blue infinity sign. Facebook did not announce any executive changes on Thursday. But on Zuckerberg's personal Facebook page, his job title was changed to: "Founder and CEO at Meta." When asked by The Verge if he would remain CEO at Facebook in the next 5 years, he said: "Probably. I don't have a specific date how long I want to be doing this for. I guess what I could say is I'm very excited about the next chapter of what we're doing." Zuckerberg kicked off the big product event by teasing a series of new social, gaming and workplace concepts for the metaverse -- and by acknowledging the optics of focusing on such products amid renewed scrutiny of the company. "I know that some people will say that this isn't a time to focus on the future, and I want to acknowledge that there are important issues to work on in the present. There always will be," Zuckerberg said. "So for many people, I'm just not sure there ever will be a good time to focus on the future. But I also know that there are a lot of you who feel the same way that I do." "We live for what we're building," Zuckerberg added. "And while we make mistakes, we keep learning and building and moving forward." Facebook showed a series of concept videos that highlighted its vision for metaverse, such as sending a holographic image of yourself to a concert with a friend attending in real life, sitting around virtual meeting tables with remote colleagues or playing immersive games with friends. Facebook recently said it would hire 10,000 people in Europe to build out the concept. Source: CNN Business

“PNG Power has begun a mass disconnection exercise on industrial customers who are found to be tempering with electricity credit meters and paying less than the expected bills. “The mass disconnection also includes customers with hefty outstanding electricity bills. They are required to settle overdue bills to avoid disconnection by PNG Power technical team. “The disconnected industrial customers will be charged a reconnection fee of K10,000 and an additional advanced bill for a month before electricity supply is restored. “This nationwide disconnection exercise applies to government departments, state owned agencies, manufacturers and commercial retailers. “Moreover, domestic customers on Easipay meters will also be investigated, disconnected and charged accordingly. “Ongoing investigations have revealed that many high consumption industrial customers are tempering with credit meters and this is deemed illegal and amounts to power theft. “More than 10 industrial customers in Port Moresby have already been caught tempering with credit meters. They have been paying less than what they should pay depending on their high consumption ratings. Two (2) of these customers have been back-billed and PNG Power anticipates to recover more than K2 million in bills. “The practice of meter-tempering and overdue outstanding bills has hit hard on PNG Power’s revenue to increase generation capacity and maintaining power reliability in the country. “It is unfair when majority of the industrial customers are being loyal and paying their bills on time, yet many industrial customers stealing electricity. “If you are tempering meters or have not settled your outstanding bills, PNG Power urges you to do the right thing and start paying your overdue bills.”

The National Superannuation Fund Limited (Nasfund) and PNG Cancer Foundation (PNGCF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU enables the Fund to be the OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTION point for the PNGCF Awareness Information Education Communication (IEC) print materials. Nasfund’s extensive branch network throughout PNG will support the foundation’s public health and education outreach programs. The Fund’s collaboration with PNGCF is important, especially during these times where continuous engagement has become difficult due to the recent COVID-19 surge and the “Niupela Pasin“measures. Being the key distribution point for the foundation’s awareness materials, Nasfund branches will have PNGCF brochures available for members at their service counters. The MOU is a 12-month partnership and it commemorates Pinktober, the international Breast Cancer month. Speaking at the MoU signing Nasfund’s Chief Officer Human Capital Vincent Lialu said, “As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) we owe to our members across the country to continuously raise awareness through education and information dissemination on issues surrounding health and well-being. This partnership will see Cancer Awareness print materials displayed at our Branches operations throughout in 15 Branches and 5 Service Centers to be accessible by 600, 000 plus members. The MOU will also see Nasfund Partnering with PNCF to roll its provincial awareness programs through our branches nationwide.” Representing PNGCF was Executive Manager, Priscilla Napoleon who expressed the foundation’s gratitude to Nasfund Board and Management for the timely support. Information pamphlet are available across Fund’s vast branch network to educate and raise awareness for its members on the prevention of cancer and encourage healthy lifestyle choices among Papua New Guineans.

PNG Football Association has finalized its 30 men squad for the upcoming 2022 World Cup OFC qualifiers scheduled in Doha, Qatar in March 2022. PNGFA president John Kapi Natto said the selection of the 30 men train-on squad was collectively done overtime by a team of experienced and upcoming national coaches consisting of coaches Bob Morris, Samson Steven, Erickson Komeng, Nathaniel Vincent and Goalkeeping coach Godfrey Baniau. The team of coaches were closely assisted by PNGFA Technical Director Paul Isorua and Technical Officers Harrison Kamake and Margaret Aka. Kapi Natto said the team of coaches and PNGFA Technical Dept carried out individual player analysis assessments on all the players based in the areas of technical, tactical, athletic and mental capabilities required of a football player. This formed the football part of the selection criteria used to select and trim the train-on squad to 30. Other off the field conduct and Covid-19 requirements are also been undertaken and screened to ensure that all players selected in the final travelling team fully meet the criteria to qualify to travel abroad in these new normal times. “We are proud to announce that New Zealand-based Tommy Semmy has confirmed his availability to join the team whilst David Browne who plays in the Finnish Premier League in Europe is yet to confirmed his availability hence named as 31st player." The final team will be named by incoming new Head Coach Marcos Gusmao once he is in the country next month Mr Isorua said the named 30 men train-on squad is not final and there are still opportunities for potential players not named in the squad to show cause during the current NSL competition matches as the team of coaches will still continue to carry out analysis on all players. Since the host country Qatar has strict Covid-19 visitor entry protocol in place that requires all visitors to be vaccinated and to undergo test 2 days before arrival in country, all travel delegation (player and officials) are encouraged to be vaccinated in order to meet this international travel requirement. The full 30-man squad is; Roland Warisan, Ila Ilarova, Russel Chris, Jordan Tobem (goalkeepers), Alwin Komolong, Philip Steven, Joshua Talau, Felix Komolong, Mathias Oyabuya (Centre Back), Daniel Joe, Koriak Upaiga, Joshua Oscar, Emmanuel Airem, Godfrey Haro (Wing Backs), David Muta, Simon Emmanuel, Michael Foster, Jacob Sabua, Tagi Yasasa (Midfielder), Nigel Dabinyaba, Stahl Gubag, Atti Kepo, Obert Bika, Paul Pala (Wing Midfield), Raymond Gunemba, Kolu Kepo, Mathew David, Jonathan Allan, Patrick Aisa, Tommy Semmy (Strikers)

A coffee fan from the Hellenic Republic of Greece was among the first buyers of the PNG coffee from the till operator on Pavilion duty, Michelle Jerewai (left). The Deputy Commissioner General Mrs Jacinta Warakai-Manua (center) and TPA Lead Ms. Alice Kuaningi were at hand to assist explain the different brands of the organically grown PNG Coffee. Coffee drinkers and chocolate fans have started buying these products since the PNG pavilion started selling them. Pavilion Supervisor Ms Daure Kiromat said since the PNG Pavilion team started selling the products after completing the commercial arrangements relating to tax, banking, bar coding and eftpos machine set-up with the UAE authorities last week, visitors to the pavilion have started buying the commercial products on sale at the pavilion. She said a Dubai Coffee shop owner bought several brands for testing and promised to return to buy more if any of the brands are acceptable to his taste. “The PNG Expo team will eventually match him up with the appropriate PNG Coffee producer(s) once he decides on the brand.” “We also intend to invite him to participate at the next virtual investment forum in November that would feature downstream processing and manufacturing opportunities”, Ms. Kiromat said. Coffee consumption in the Arabic Gulf states, including the UAE is increasing, especially among the young people. There is increasing interest in the Beauty Products, Virgin Coconut Oil and Honey as well. The team is telling the story behind all our products that come from our PNG Farmers and communities and this is drawing much interest and appreciation by the buyers. The interest in PNG products indicates that the country has potentials to access the the UAE market including in the niche and cottage industries product range. The team on the ground led by PNG Expo Commissioner General and PNG Ambassador to Brussels and European Union Ambassador Joshua Kalinoe is keen on making leads and promoting trade and investment in the Middle East during the course of the world expo. SOURCE: PNG WORLD EXPO 2020

What a surprise the staff got when they arrived to work in the morning and saw a newly hatched blue-winged kookaburra chick sitting in the incubator. Not everything goes to plan at the Nature Park and this was the case with our resident pair of Bluewinged Kookaburras. After laying their eggs in a hollow log on the ground, we normally allow the parent to incubate and raise their offspring but unfortunately with the heavy rains one of the eggs was damaged and it was decided to remove the last remaining egg. Luckily the Nature Park is equipped to care for fertile eggs and artificially incubate the egg. After looking at the egg through a strong light and confirming it was fertile the egg was incubated for the necessary 23-25 days until a fully formed chick developed inside and hatched out during the early hours of the morning. The chick has now moved to a humid crib where the staff hand feed the chick every 3 hours with special food ensuring it receives the necessary dietary needs and is gaining weight. Once it has all its feathers and can fly we will look at introducing it to its original parents and allow them to bond as a family.

The end may be in sight for thousands of Australians stranded overseas as the international border reopens next week and, after 20 months of being shut out, some still feel abandoned. Quarantine requirements will no longer apply to fully vaccinated international travellers from November 1, when New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT allow free inbound and outbound movement. That means vaccinated travellers can fly internationally, to and from these states,  without needing an exemption to leave Australia and, upon their return, they can walk off the plane without quarantining. Unvaccinated travellers will still face quarantine restrictions. Australia's re-entry into the wider world has expats in tears of relief as they race to book tickets home after the ordeal of flight cancellations and missed family connections. [caption id="attachment_16377" align="aligncenter" width="944"] Gauri and Peter Davies with their children.(Supplied: Peter Davies)[/caption] Listed as vulnerable by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), expats Gauri and Peter Davies have been trying to return home from London without any luck. They're now booked on a flight to Sydney next week to introduce their new baby son to their family. "We cried," Ms Davies told 7.30. "We were so happy when we heard the news, but we're still cautious because we have commercial tickets, and commercial tickets can get cancelled." "It's certainly been, I would say, the hardest last couple of years of our lives," Mr Davies added. SOURCE: ABC NEWS

In light of the recent surge IN Delta Variant cases, 53 students of Dirima Primary School in Gumine of Simbu Province have all been masked up for the Grade Eight National Examinations which started off on Monday this week. The white masks were supplied to the students and the invigilators by Dirima Catholic Parish Priest, Fr Peter Kim (SVD) on Sunday after blessing the grade eight examination papers. Fr Peter Kim received close to 10,000 authentically designed and made face masks from his friends in South Korea where he is originally from. Fr Kim said he distributed the masks to his parishioners and the surrounding communities in Dirima and also disbursed them to others from Kundiawa Catholic Diocese and the SVD confrences. He said he received the masks mid this year from his friends who paid all costs involved. He also said with support from his parish council, fabric material were bought and with the help of volunteers close to 1,000 face masks were locally sewn and distributed to the Catholic communities which included three agency schools in the parish. When others chose to leave, Fr Kim remained steadfast in his awareness and education approaches in preventing the spread of Covid-19 in Dirima and the surrounding communities. He said the new normal strategies have been applied in his Church on Sundays and he is limiting Church programs and activities as a part of the new normal. Officer-in-Charge of Gumine Health Centre, George Umba said his health facility, which is two kilometres away from Dirima, has recorded 17 cases so far in the last two weeks of which three patients have died. Mr Umba said there is community transmissions happening in Gumine currently and he is expecting to see more patients coming in to the health centre. Meanwhile, the district Covid-19 mobile team that has conducted vaccinations has jabbed 200 people in Dirima with the Johnson & Johnson (JJ) vaccinations a week ago. Team leader Sr Serah Kaile said in Dirima 200 people have been vaccinated and currently the team is awaiting more vaccines to come in before they move into other communities in Gumine.

Minister for Forests and Namatanai MP Walter D. Schnaubelt took the lead in his ministry to purchase six Air- Sanitisers for the PNG Forest Authority offices and the ministerial office. In a bid to help reduce the spread of bacteria and virus including COVID-19, Minister Schnaubelt purchased the air-sanitisers using his personal funds which were distributed to all the offices. During the presentation yesterday he explained how the air sanitiser works and its operations. He added that he has also put one in his home and encouraged the officers to utilise the machines to reduce the spread of covid-19. He said covid-19 is real and here to stay and that measures must be carried out to prevent any further spread of the pandemic. The picture shows Minister Schnaubelt presenting the air sanitiser to the PNGFA Managing Director John Mosoro and looking on are the senior management officers and staff.  

THE United Kingdom Emergency Medical Team(EMT) has been deployed to Western Highlands, one of the worst affected in this wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team left for Mt Hagen this morning where they will be for six weeks unless they are needed in another province as well. At a press conference yesterday, Police Commissioner and Controller of the National Pandemic Response Mr David Manning welcomed the team on behalf of the PNG Government, saying PNG is facing significant challenges in the current COVID-19 pandemic and was grateful for the support from the UK EMT. [caption id="attachment_16355" align="aligncenter" width="666"] British High Commissioner Keith Scott (in red necktie) looks on during an address to the media.[/caption] “UK EMT will be deployed to Mt Hagen in the Western Highlands. It is in dire need of specialist assistance. From the NCC, we are grateful for this assistance from the British Government,’’ he said. He also acknowledged the presence of the Australian Assistance Medical Team in the country. Mr Manning said the UK EMT team was being deployed to Western Highlands because of the dire situation in that province, but the situation in other provinces are also being monitored and help will be sent there if this is needed. [caption id="attachment_16356" align="aligncenter" width="669"] UK EMT Team Lead Peter Sykes[/caption] He said PNG has its own domestic EMT that has been responding to the surges in the provinces in the past two months but has its limitations thus the government sought help from its foreign friends, including the British Government.   British High Commissioner to PNG Keith Scott thanked PNG for the warm welcome on behalf of the UK EMT. He said since the outbreak begun almost two years ago, the British High Commission has tried to respond to requests for help from the PNG Government which included helping with awareness on the Niupela Pasin; helped St John Ambulance with some infrastructure development in Port Moresby; provided US$500, 000 worth of medical equipment in response to the last wave of COVID-19 and is delighted that its help to PNG is being taken to an extra level with the arrival of UK Emergency Medical Team. [caption id="attachment_16357" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Police Commissioner and Controller of the National Pandemic Response Mr David Manning[/caption] “It’s a chance for the British medical expertise equipped to the best use here in PNG. It’s not only about dealing with a surge of COVID-19 cases of the Western Highlands but I’m also hoping there’s also some capacity building here, that the team will leave behind a legacy, and will help put the COVID-19 system on a sure footing to be able to be more resilient in the way it responds to such crisis in future,’’ said Mr Scott. “I know the team are desperate to get in and do what they have to do, make a difference on the ground. Thank you for the warm welcome and for the opportunity to help a good friend in Papua New Guinea.’’ The UK EMT Team Lead Peter Sykes thanked PNG for the warm welcome and the opportunity to serve the people of PNG. He said his team will be providing urgent care to seriously and critically ill patients; ensuring with PNG colleagues adequate infection prevention and control measures to stop further spread of the disease; and supporting community engagement strategies to reduce the spread of the virus. “We are proud to represent the UK Emergency Medical Team in Papua New Guinea, grateful for the support of the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, and will do all we can to support PNG’s efforts to fight this pandemic and bring it under control. Our expert team will be providing critical medical care to patients suffering with COVID-19 and support to national health staff, already engaged in coping with the rapid spread of a third wave of the virus.’’

Five (5) students from a remote primary school in the Gumine District, Simbu Province are among the 137,769 Grade 8 students around the country sitting their final examinations this week. Nondri Primary School is one of the most remote schools in the Gumine District quietly sitting its final examinations as the 5 students sit day three of the exams which is General Skills today and will conclude with the rest of the grade 8's tomorrow with the last paper, English paper 2. Gumine school inspector, Michael Sipa said over 300 plus grade eight students from 24 primary schools in the Gumine District are among students sitting the examination, with Nondri Primary School having its 5 students; two females and three males also go through this week. Mr Sipa also visited the schools earlier this week urging the students and the invigilators to stay safe from Covid-19 during the exam week. He said all schools in the district have reported no hiccups except for Omkolai Primary which reported one sick student who will not sit for the examinations. Meanwhile 53 grade eight students of Dirima Primary School also in Gumine District, also joined the rest of their colleagues around the country starting on Monday. Head-teacher Mr Jack Gena in welcoming the invigilators, Mrs Pauline Ninkama and Mr Elias Ule to supervise the students said the students have come through many challenges over the past seven years to the day they sit for their examinations. Mr Gena said recently the students have been disturbed with the Covid-19 pandemic and acknowledged them for their perseverance in attending classes through to the time of the week of their examinations. He said the Corona virus is here to stay and after their examinations the students must remain vigilant in preventing transmissions to families and community in Dirima. Dirima Catholic parish priest, Fr. Peter Kim after the blessing of the examination papers on Sunday also supplied face masks, originally donated by his friends in South Korea of close to 10, 000, to the students to wear, while sitting for their exams. Picture sourced: devpolicy.com