Papua New Guinea representative coaches Joey Grima and Solomon Kuluniasi have named their representative sides maintaining their roles, selecting their squads for the upcoming Prime Minister’s XIII challenges against the Australian school boys’ and school girls’ sides. Both the Prime Minister's XIII Junior Kumuls’ and Junior Orchids’ squads have assembled in Port Moresby in the lead-up to the international matches taking place at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby, this coming Sunday 13th October. Grima said last year’s narrow defeat to the Australian school boys demonstrates the talent pool here in Papua New Guinea. This year it’s an opportunity to see how the junior male players grow and learn from that experience. “The staff and I are so proud of the journey for these young men of PNG. The national pride these young men have wearing a junior kumuls’ jersey from all regions from Papua New Guinea and East coast of Australia is refreshing.” “Some of our players selected have never left their village or town and now they have an opportunity to travel to the nation’s capital and train in a world-class gym and faculty with the best available PNG players available.” “These players deserve this opportunity to play against the number one nation of rugby league. I’m excited for what Sunday will deliver and incredibly excited for my playing group and staff,” Grima said. Meanwhile, Kuluniasi expressed that camp was progressing well for the female juniors’ team. “The girls are connecting and getting better. A few bumps and bruises but they’ll get over it come weekend’s game. The staff are doing a great job also. A good culture is happening.” “This is a great opportunity for our young girls to come together - they are excited and looking forward to Sunday,” Kuluniasi added. PNG PRIME MINISTER'S JUNIOR SQUADS PNG PRIME MINISTER'S XIII JUNIOR ORCHIDS SQUAD Alton Nayep Becky Kambi Bradley Orosambo Benitha Paka Cedrick Kuli Deborah Kitipa Emmanuel Balio Ennie James Emmanuel Tembon Gail Manove Errol Gialom Fabian Kari Hadassah Isokali Finley Muno Jacinta Gerry Gairo Voro - captain Josephine Howard Gregan Format Joyce Hobert Hercules Kondo Rhonda Joseph Ishmael Vaieke Jared Horne Ruth Gende Joseph Kora Ruth Paul Otto Thomas Samantha Micheal Phillip Coates Shelina Pota Smith Pamundi Skylyn Sil Vane Manuma Tasha Storm Wendy Josh  

The United States (US) Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), launched the next phase in the United States’ 20-plus years of support for the prevention and treatment of HIV in Papua New Guinea (PNG), the EPIC Project. For the last six years, USAID has partnered with the National Department of Health (NDoH) and the National Capital District (NCD) Provincial Health Authority (PHA) to make the NCD a model district for the prevention, monitoring, and treatment of HIV. Under EPIC, this work will be expanded to Morobe and Eastern Highlands Provinces in partnership with the PHAs. The partnership will work with community-based organizations, key populations, and front-line health workers to support people living with HIV, fight PNG’s HIV epidemic, and address a crisis in vertical transmission. (Mother to child HIV transmission that occurs during pregnancy or at birth.) USAID Country Representative, Nino Nadiradze reaffirmed that the United States is a partner PNG can rely on in the fight against HIV, “USAID is committed to standing with Papua New Guinea to prevent and respond to the HIV epidemic.” The previous phase of United States support for combating HIV in Papua New Guinea - the USAID HIV Support for PNG project - was a six-year, $23.5 million initiative that contributed to the NCD achieving UNAIDS’ 95-95-95 goals for HIV treatment and prevention. That means that over 95% of people living with HIV in the NCD know their status. Of those who know their status, over 95% are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and over 94% of those on ART have achieved viral suppression and cannot transmit HIV to others. USAID’s HIV support has also pioneered the integration of gender-based violence (GBV) services into HIV care with over 8,000 survivors receiving support. The project also launched the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment and the Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) campaign, both of which significantly improved transmission prevention and viral suppression in the NCD. The EPIC Project will expand USAID’s HIV technical assistance to Morobe and Eastern Highlands Provinces to strengthen the capacities of the Provincial Health Authorities to implement their HIV prevention and response programs. The technical assistance will include enhanced HIV and outbreak data management at the provincial level, expansion of integrated HIV and gender-based violence services, expanded PrEP, and other targeted interventions.

While the other ‘Green Angels’ where out taking care and attending to patients, the National St John Ambulance Council marked World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10th October with a focus on creating a mentally safer workplace. This year’s theme, ‘prioritize mental health in the workplace’, highlights the importance of looking after their first responders’ wellbeing so they can continue delivering emergency services to the people of Papua New Guinea. To support this goal, two new initiatives were announced. The first is the creation of a peer support program, where staff can connect with senior colleagues trained in psychological first aid. The second is an initiative to make it easier for staff to access primary and preventative health care, including counselling and mental health services from the National Headquarters. These programs are a step towards making sure our staff remain healthy and ready to serve the community. On World Mental Health Day, we are reminded that good health includes mental wellbeing, and by caring for our team, we ensure they can care for you.

The Ramhaga Adventist Primary School in the Huhu Local Level Government of Alotau District, Milne Bay Province received a total of K10,000 worth of food and toiletry supplies along with four fuel drums this week. This timely assistance was provided by the Member for Samarai-Murua Isi Henry Leonard after requests were made to his office. Ramhaga Adventist Primary School is a mission school run by the Adventist Church under the Northern and Milne Bay Mission but has faced tough times from food shortages. Many students from Samarai-Murua district also attend the Ramhaga Adventist School in Alotau district, which prompted Mr Leonard to support the school. In recent years, the school has also been a victim of increasing law and order issues from sea piracy within the province. Food shortage has been the major issue that constantly faces the school; however, they continue finding help to keep the school running. Member for Alotau Open, Ricky Morris assisted in recent months with food supplies which have since been depleted and the school had to turn to the agriculture industry (As they refer to it) which are their food gardens that they have survived on for several weeks now before the timely assistance by Mr Leonard this week. Although the school is just an hour across the Milne Bay (bay) from Alotau town, it is in a rural setting where the challenges they face are similar to other rural schools within the province. In his remarks, Mr Leonard emphasized the importance in education for students and how critical it was at this period of the schooling year as students prepare for exams. He commended the teachers and students for their commitment and perseverance. “I am greatly honoured to come to this school and participate in assisting with the shortfall that we have in food supplies and fuel. I saw the reports and the request coming in and the need to support the school. The end of the year is critical as students must sit for their examinations. We are fortunate that our children can attend this school. This provides the basis on which we build our human capital,” Mr Leonard said. “I thank my brother Member for Alotau Open Hon, Ricky Morris who has supported this school. And for me to come here is the most honourable thing, given the fact that it is not within my jurisdiction in terms of electoral boundaries. “But that’s not the point, the point is that when you’re a leader, there are no boundaries. When called upon, anywhere and everywhere you must serve the people. For those that ask, we must give and provide,” he said. Mr. Leonard apologized to the school because he had put in a plan when he rolled out the drought relief supply program for his district earlier this year which also included the school but when the report came through to his office, the school missed out. So, when the request came through from the school for food supplies, he responded to deliver the food items and the fuel drums personally. Mr. Leonard made a commitment to continue to support the school into the future and also committed several solar streetlights to be placed around the school yard and two chainsaws to help the school mill its own timber to build basic infrastructure like teachers houses and classrooms. Ramhaga Adventist Primary School Board member and representative from the local Mission Lester Toukmai thanked Mr. Leonard and his team for responding to their call for assistance and said the food supplied was enough to take them through to the end of the school year term. The food items provided included rice bales, sugar bales, flour, tinned food, tea, salt, coffee, milo, noodle cartons, biscuits and toiletries such as bath soap, toilet rolls, detergents, laundry powder among other items. The school also requested two drums of petrol and zoom but Mr. Leonard gave extra two drums making it four drums in total. Mr. Leonard and his team travelled to Ramhaga on Monday evening spending a few hours with the teachers and students before returning to Alotau.

Vodafone PNG has once again come on board this year announcing their support for the 61st Morobe Provincial Agricultural Show. As a White ribbon sponsor, Vodafone PNG will be supporting the event with a total package of K20,350 in cash and Free SIM cards with K200 Free talk-time for all attendees. The cash donation will help the committee with funding the general admission tickets for both days of the event which sees over 100, 000 attendees per year. Vodafone PNG’s Lae Regional Manager, Ronil Anuj described the Morobe Show as a great way to promote connections between farmers, consumers and businesses in the area. “We are honoured yet again to be a sponsor of this year’s Morobe Show as this event is a great way for us to showcase our broadband and mobile solutions designed to benefit rural communities.” “This year our booth will be an interactive display where visitors can learn about our services and products including the role of connectivity in advancing agricultural practices.” Anuj further stated, “Vodafone's involvement as a sponsor of this year’s show is not merely a financial transaction but a testament to our commitment to the communities we serve. We recognise the importance of supporting agriculture and believe that technological advancement can complement, rather than replace, the time-honored practices of farming and rural life.” Vodafone's sponsorship brings a range of benefits to the annual agricultural show, including Free SIM cards for attendees, massive discounts on mobile phones and the popular Show Bags. As the 61st Morobe Province Agricultural Show approaches, the Lae community is buzzing with anticipation. With Vodafone's support, attendees can expect an even more memorable experience that blends the charm of agricultural traditions with the convenience and connectivity of the modern world.

The Sydney Roosters have held off a furious Sharks comeback to claim a thrilling NRLW grand final victory. The Roosters led 24-0 at half-time, before Cronulla came roaring back in the second half to pull within two with eight minutes to play. Dally M Medallist Olivia Kernick looked to have put the game to bed with a 66th minute try, her second of the game. Sharks skipper Tiana Penitani gave her side one last chance with a late try of her own, but that was where the comeback would end, the Roosters holding on to secure a 32-28 win. Roosters forward Millie Elliott set the tone early with a dominant opening stint while five-eighth Joceleyn Kelleher wreaked havoc with her boot throughout the first half. The playmaker forced five errors from bombs in the opening 20 minutes and the Roosters made their opponents pay, running in five tries to zero in the first half A Sharks error opened the door for the Roosters and Kernick put her side up 6-0 when she crashed over in the 15th minute. Wingers Jayme Fressard and Brydie Parker then crossed in quick succession on the back of Kelleher bombs, Cronulla struggling to secure possession. Parker had her second in the 26th minute before Jess Sergis extended the margin in the final minute of the first half. Cronulla were a different team after the break, Emma Tonegato and Georgia Hannaway picking apart the Roosters defence. Tiana Penitani crossed three minutes into the second half, before Tonegato put Quincy Dodd over to cut the deficit to 12. Hannaway had a try of her own in the 48th minute and suddenly the Sharks were a chance of pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in grand final history. The previous biggest comeback in an NRLW game was in the 2021 semi-final when the Roosters turned a 16-0 deficit into a 22-16 win over the Broncos. An error off the kick off, however, halted the momentum and the Roosters kicked out to a 26-18 lead courtesy of a Kelleher penalty goal. The Sharks were still coming, with Ellie Johnston producing a miracle play to pull her team within two. The prop caught the ball with her legs, before gathering it and crashing over in the 61st minute. Kernick's try gave the Roosters some breathing room, but Cronulla still had a pulse and Penitani set up a grandstand finish when she made it 32-28. The Sharks had one last set of six to complete the comeback, however an errant offload put an end to their charge and the Roosters held on to secure a tense victory.

A new coach could be the spark that the PNG Kapuls need ahead of this month's FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania Qualifiers group stage. Warren Moon left the post following their OFC Men’s Nations Cup campaign, where a win, a draw and a loss weren’t enough to see them advance to the semi-finals, missing out on goal difference to Tahiti. Felipe Vega-Arango is the new man in charge and has a squad with no shortage of international experience at his disposal. As well as the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in June, Papua New Guinea also played in the Pacific Games in Honiara late last year, failing to make the semi-finals. The newly-created FIFA Series was another opportunity for international experience outside of the Oceania region for Papua New Guinea. A credible 0-0 draw with Sr Lanka was followed by a 4-0 defeat to Central African Republic, both fixtures being played in Colombo. Felipe Vega-Arango previously coached Solomon Islands and despite being drawn to face them in the group stage, isn’t allowing his focus to shift from their first match against New Caledonia in Suva next week. “I am not even thinking about them right now. We have a really difficult match with New Caledonia, in which obviously they are the favourites for the match. So, the only thing that I have in my mind right now is to have a team ready to compete against New Caledonia. The Solomon Islands game is too far away from me right now,” he said. Papua New Guinea was frustrated not to advance past the group stage in the OFC Men’s Nations Cup earlier this year in Fiji and the coach is aware that his side have a tough challenge ahead of them if they are to progress to the semi-finals. “The three teams, Solomon Islands, Fiji and New Caledonia, lately they’ve been doing much better than us, so I’ve been trying to pass that message to the boys that we have to be humble and we are going to have to compete extremely hard. “As you will know, World Cup qualifier matches are a completely different ball game,” Vega-Arango explained. After next week’s action, the group shifts to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, with the coach hoping home advantage will provide his side with a boost in their bid to qualify for a first-ever FIFA World Cup. “Let’s be honest, in football, playing in the home ground is always, I believe, an advantage and it’s always positive, so I am happy but I am thinking a lot more about the New Caledonia game. That’s actually the only thing that I have in my mind at the moment,” he explained. Papua New Guinea fixtures FIFA World Cup 26™ Oceania Qualifiers (kick-off times local) Thursday, October 10 v New Caledonia, 4:00pm, HFC Bank Stadium, Suva Thursday, November 14 v Fiji, 4:00pm, PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby Sunday, November 17 v Solomon Islands, 4:00pm, PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby

The SP PNG Hunters' comeback and the maturation of players like Judah Rimbu this season, are encouraging signs for the future of rugby league in the country. That's according to PNG Kumuls Coach Jason Demetriou when commenting on the progress of the sport in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The National Rugby League (NRL) reported that Rimbu, who can play both in the halves and at hooker, became the second Hunter to win the Petero Civoniceva Medal as the Hostplus Cup player of the year for the QRL. This accomplishment added to an incredible season that will likely be capped off by another Kumuls call-up. The Kumuls beat Fiji in the final of last year's Pacific Bowl, and with players like Rimbu stepping up, Demetriou was excited to see the talent coming through. “I think the Hunters probably underachieved the last few years and [head coach] Paul Aiton's done a fantastic job with them, and they played an exciting brand of footy,” Demetriou said. “One of the first things I noticed when I started watching them was Judah Rimbu, who stood out in every game that he played. "If he's not their best player, he’s in their top three every week, so I could see how he's earned that award and that sets him up for a good international period as well." Rimbu is set to join Castleford in England, where nine members of last year's Kumuls squad play, and despite injuries to Alex Johnston, Justin Olam and Zac Laybutt, there is now more depth of PNG-eligible players in Super League and the NRL. The Hunters reached the preliminary final before losing to eventual premiers Norths Devils, while the domestic competition is growing in strength. “It's a great sign; the future's bright," Demetriou said. "I think with the talk of an NRL bid potentially … there's real opportunity for the Kumuls to build some momentum for the game over there in PNG." “The Kumuls are the number one brand over there and it's a great responsibility to take into the Pac Champs (Pacific Champions)." In a change to the format for the Pacific Championships, the winner of the Bowl will play the third placed Cup team - either Australia, New Zealand or Tonga - in a promotion-relegation play-off. “There's a real opportunity here to go up against one of those top tier nations and that's going to be a massive challenge. There’s an opportunity there for Fiji, for us and for the Cook Islands," Demetriou said. “There's been a lot of talk about players not getting the opportunity in the NRL from PNG, but I'm a strong believer that if the Kumuls can start pushing themselves into the top tier and start beating some top tier teams, then the interest from NRL clubs will rise dramatically. “It's up to us to earn the right for our boys to get opportunities. I'm really excited about the campaign.” Speaking to NRL.com following his player of the year win, Rimbu wasn’t getting too far of himself and said he was still waiting to receive a call from his coach to say he would be representing his country again. However, after a big year that began with a fulltime pre-season training opportunity with NRL side the Dolphins under a strategic partnership between the two clubs, an international call-up to take part in a revamped Pacific Championships would be a fitting season finale. “It's surprising and exciting as well, it's really good to receive the award, it's really good that this year was one of my best years,” Rimbu said. “When I went to the Dolphins, I learnt a lot … mostly professionalism on-and-off the field. “That made me be a better person on-and-off the field and that's why I am so grateful that I got to spend time with the Dolphins … and then to come back to Hunters and play with the boys and the boys were really helpful. “It's really good that I got (to do that), I'm so blessed with that. “Definitely it's a goal that I look forward to, to represent my country. Fingers crossed, anything might happen, so I'm just keeping my eyes and my phone open, coach might ring me, fingers crossed. “But that's a goal, I wanted to represent my country at the end of the season, so that's one of my goals that’s yet to be ticked. “To play in Port Moresby] all the grandstands are going to be filled up; the PNG people really love their footy so it's going to be a lot of fans there.”

The Papua New Guinea Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Procurement Commission (NPC) to work together within their respective roles to exchange information, facilitate and monitor business activities by nationals and foreigners in order to deliver their mandates diligently. The MOU was signed by the Managing Director of the IPA Mr. Clarence Hoot and the NPC Acting CEO Mr. Joe Sapa. The NPC is mandated by Government to facilitate the public procurement process in the country by national, citizen and foreign enterprises through the procurement process in compliance with the Public Finances Management Act. The IPA on the other hand is mandated to promote and facilitate investment in the country by national, citizen and foreign enterprises through the certification and registration of such enterprises. IPA Managing Director Mr. Clarence Hoot said: “Given the current business environment and in particular the challenges as well as opportunities in the rural areas, the IPA as the investment promotion arm of Government and key business regulator has been advocating and pursuing bringing its services closer to the business community and people including those in the rural areas. One of the key strategies is through collaboration with other government agencies and other stakeholders through MoUs." He further said that the MoU with NPC is yet another milestone for the IPA to work together to ensure that business interests are safe-guarded whilst at the same time their operations are in compliance with the business laws of the country. A key understanding in the partnership is for the two organizations to deliver on behalf of the State, their respective mandated functions through timely and effective exchange of information and complement each other in the performance of their respective mandated functions and duties. The IPA has similar MoUs with Provincial Administrations and other government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Commission, PNG Immigration and Citizenship Services, National Cultural Commission, the National Gaming Control Board, the PNG Royal Constabulary Fraud Directorate to name a few. The MoUs with various provinces in the country enables the provincial administrations in partnership with the IPA to deliver IPA services through the establishment of IPA Help Desks in the respective provinces.

Residents in the nation’s capital will in the near future have a new specialist hospital with constructions to start soon following the official ground breaking ceremony held yesterday. The new proposed specialist hospital, which is worth K800 million to construct, once completed will be a 200- bed Level 5 hospital. The new hospital, which will be built at the Gerehu suburb, will significantly boost health care services in Port Moresby city. Minister for Health, Elias Kapavore announced that K30 million has been allocated to begin groundwork, which is scheduled to start next week. He highlighted that the project is part of the Department of Health’s national health plan, aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure and delivering better services for Papua New Guineans. NCD Governor, Powes Parkop, addressed concerns raised by residents of the Tete settlement where the hospital will be built, assuring them that no evictions would take place to clear land for the hospital's construction. He emphasized that the project would be inclusive, and the settlement would be developed to fit within urban city planning. Parkop also revealed his intention to partner with the Lands Department to formally integrate Tete into the city’s planning framework. This move would support the smooth implementation of developments and provide a clear strategy for managing future growth in the area. Once completed, the specialist hospital will provide advanced medical care, addressing both current healthcare needs and future demands of Port Moresby and the surrounding regions. This facility is expected to be a key healthcare hub in the nation’s capital, offering specialized services to thousands of residents and contributing to the long-term health strategy of Papua New Guinea.

The 2024 National Examinations for final year students of secondary and primary schools in the country will commence next week onwards. The Measurement Services Division of the Education Department has officially released the 2024 national examination schedule for Papua New Guinea, outlining critical dates and procedures that examination invigilators, administrators, school principals, students, and teachers must follow. All parties involved are strongly urged to adhere strictly to this schedule to ensure a smooth examination process. Grade 10 Examination Schedule 2024: October 7th (Monday): • Session 1: MATHEMATICS • Session 2: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. October 8th (Tuesday): • Session 1: SOCIAL SCIENCE • Session 2: ARTS October 9th (Wednesday): • Session 1: SCIENCE. • Session 2: Subjects (PS/HE/COMP/D&T). October 10th (Thursday): • Session 1: BUSINESS STUDIES • Session 2: AGRICULTURE. Grade 12 Examination Schedule 2024: October 14th (Monday) • Session 1: ADVANCED MATHEMATICS P1/ GENERAL MATHEMATICS P1. • Session 2: APPLIED SCIENCE /HISTORY. October 15th (Tuesday) • Session 1: PHYSICS /ACCOUNTING. • Session 2: GEOGRAPHY. October 16th (Wednesday) • Session 1: BIOLOGY/ECONOMICS. • Session 2: GEOLOGY / BUSINESS STUDIES. October 17th (Thursday) • Session 1: LANGUAGE & LITERATURE / APPLIED ENGLISH. •Session 2: CHEMISTRY / LEGAL STUDIES. October 18th (Friday) • Session 1: INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. • Session 2: ADVANCED MATHEMATICS P2 /GENERAL MATHEMATICS P2. Grade 8 Examination Schedule 2024: October 21st (Monday) • Session 1: ENGLISH LANGUAGE P1. October 22nd (Tuesday) • Session 1: MATHEMATICS. October 23rd (Wednesday) Session 1: COMBINED SUBJECTS. October 24th (Thursday) Session 1: ENGLISH LANGUAGE P2.

Islanders from around Bwanabwana Local Level Government (LLG) in Samarai-Murua District of Milne Bay Province gathered over the weekend to witness the opening of the Paemolosi Kamsagu United Church on Ware Island. The people travelled from neighbouring islands of Samarai, Logeia, Sidea, Sariba, Basilaki, Anagusa and as far as the Engineer Group of Islands among others to witness this occasion. Ware island has an increasing population of almost a thousand people and is commonly known for its vast fishing activities and religious Christian beliefs. There are three sections of the village on the island and the United Church opening was for the Paemolosi Kamsagu section. The other two sections of the village use the main existing United Church building on the island. According to a released press statement, the Member for Samarai-Murua District, Isi Henry Leonard was also present to officially open the church building as it was dedicated by the United Church pastors and leaders. In his remarks, Mr. Leonard commended the hardworking people of Ware Island as the new church building was a self-built initiative and project by the people. “The most important people amongst us are the congregation of Paemolosi Church who have brought us here through their sheer hard work. It’s a self-help project and they have built a wonderful church. It is a classic example of people sitting together, discussing their challenges and issues and coming up with solutions amongst themselves and taking action rather than just talking about it. “They went ahead and contributed funding and resources and support from all corners from where they are, and this is the manifestation of unity and people working for a worthy cause. They have an agenda, and they built this church,” Mr. Leonard said. He stressed that this was the true spirit of development and progress when people themselves initiated and went ahead with programs and leaders came in to complement their efforts. “I believe this is the right approach we give to those who work, we give to those who are able to make realise their dreams, and we give to those who are able to support themselves. This is the right approach to bring development and change to where we are,” Mr. Leoanrd said. He congratulated the people for having the right spirit and for being able to work and walk their dreams to make it a reality today. Mr. Leonard presented a K10, 000 (Ten-Thousand-Kina) cash and 2 pigs with food items such as rice, sugar, tea and tinned food for the church congregation as contribution from his office for the celebrations. Paemolosi Kamsagu United Church Pastor, James Wesley, thanked the Member and his team for travelling to Ware Island to be part of the celebrations of the church opening. Ps Wesley also thanked those involved in the completion of this church project. Meantime, Milne Bay Governor Gordon Wesley was also represented by his officers who attended the church opening on Ware Island. The two-day program ran over the weekend with the official opening and dedication service on Sunday.