While investigations continue into the Black Wednesday events, the Port Moresby General Hospital's (PMGH) Maternity section recorded 50% more deaths of newborns in the month of January than they usually have in a month. According to PMGH Head of Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Health Dr. Glen Mola, their January routine monthly audit recorded a total of 1285 women who gave birth and out of this, a total of 51 babies died. He said, of this 51, there were 31 fatal deaths in utero (inside the womb), and 20 babies died within a week of birth because of various problems. "Our audit revealed that about a quarter of the baby deaths were associated with issues around the riots and looting in the city that occurred in the second week of January." "This translates to a 50% increase in the number of deaths for the month of January over and above the expected number of deaths that occur in a usual month." The reasons that led to the excess deaths were things like; -mothers were unable to go the hospital to seek care when they experienced pregnancy problems and ended upgoing so late that the baby was already dead in the utero, -women were unable to go to the hospital for a supervised birth because of security reasons with regards to travel, or -the mothers did not keep their next appointment to the antenatal clinic in the middle of January, and when they did show up later, they found out that problems like blood pressure had already caused serious damage to the pregnancy. Dr. Mola said, issues such as health clinics being closed for antenatal and other routine check ups, difficulty with transport in the city or security fears for leaving the house causes difficulties for mother's which leads to problems like this.

While responding to an emergency in Lae in the early morning hours on Tuesday 27th, an ambulance from St John Ambulance PNG was targeted in a shooting incident. The incident occurred around 1am near the Bumayong Kaisa bus stop while the ambulance crew were transporting a woman in labour to Angau Memorial General Hospital. The ambulance officers faced a dangerous situation when a group of men at the bus stop brandished a firearm towards them. Quick-thinking and focused on their duty, the ambulance continued its journey without stopping, narrowly dodging the potentially lethal bullet. Momase Regional Ambulance Commander Anderson Poumb said, "This incident is a grave concern for us, as it could have had severe consequences for both our dedicated ambulance crew and the patient." He further stated that while there have been recent instances of attacks on ambulances, this marks the first involving a firearm. Poumb urged community leaders to take immediate action, emphasizing the importance of educating youths on the critical role played by ambulance service. Poumb added, "The Lae ambulance service is a vital lifeline for people of Lae city and the surrounding areas, but incidents like this morning's attack on our officers raise serious concerns." "Our dedicated ambulance officers are left traumatized by such events." The ambulance service is committed to the safety of its personnel and the communities they serve. Poumb expressed concern about the challenges faced by ambulance crews when responding to emergencies during the night and called for increased vigilance and support from the community. This incident again highlights the dangers our ambulance officers face bringing help to others at all hours of the day and night. Poumb stressed the need for proper legislation to protect ambulance officers. Following the incident, the ambulance officers successfully delivered the woman to Angau Memorial General Hospital, after which they promptly reported the incident to the police.

With the national education goal to live no child behind, The Sacred Heart Secondary School in Tapini, Central province will soon get a facelift with hopes of increasing enrolments for grades 11 and 12. The new facilities will help the school to deliver high quality secondary education to students in the district and reduce the challenges associated with travelling out of the district to attain the same level of education. The project was launched recently by the Australian High Commissioner John Feakes alongside the local member for Goilala, Casmiro Aia. High Commissioner Feakes said, Sacred Heart is the only secondary school in Goilala district and they are delighted that they can continue supporting the school to deliver high quality secondary education. “A good education sets a strong foundation for the development of future leaders and supports PNG’s future prosperity and growth,” said Feakes. Funded through an Australian Incentive Fund grant of K10.18 million, the construction and upgrade of new and existing buildings aims to improve student performance and skills training for youths. The facilities are also designed to accommodate the needs of female students with improvements to health and hygiene in on-campus accommodation. These includes 48 additional boarding spaces for girls, two new teacher’s houses, refurbish 12 existing teachers’ houses, administration building extension, two new female ablution blocks, school clinic and day student ablution. Australia has previously provided grants of approximately K20 million towards the upgrading and expanding the school’s infrastructure. Collectively, these projects have allowed the school to increase enrolments, offer more subjects including in computing and IT, and graduate its first ever year 12 students in 2019. The school also progressed to become a secondary school. The benefits of the project have extended beyond the school, with the hydropower station and water supply for Tapini restored and upgraded following landslides in the 1980s. The current project is also exploring options to expand the hydro-power capacity to deliver electricity to more essential buildings in Tapini station such as government buildings. The Incentive Fund is an Australian Government competitive grants program that seeks to improve social and economic development outcomes for Papua New Guinea communities.

Prime Minister James Marape recently announced the Government’s firm commitment to tackling the persistent law-and-order challenges facing the country. This commitment is underscored by the enactment of new legislation and the strategic Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with Australia, aimed at enhancing the nation's judicial and security frameworks. Highlighting the government's proactive stance on law-and-order issues, Prime Minister Marape detailed the recent legislative advancements, including the Constitutional Amendment on Court Restructure. This amendment, which received unanimous support from Parliament in a 94-0 vote during the February session, introduces a pivotal Appeals Court tier between the National Court and the Supreme Court, designed to expedite the processing of court case backlogs. "I extend my gratitude to the Opposition for backing this critical legislation, which facilitates the establishment of an Appeals Court." "This is a key step towards addressing the backlog of court cases, reflecting our collective effort to enhance the judicial system for our rapidly growing population and economy." Further legislative efforts include the passing of the National Court (Number of Judges) (Amendment) Bill 2023 last November, and the historic signing of the BSA in Canberra last December. The BSA, valued at A$200 million (K455 million), symbolises Australia's investment in Papua New Guinea's security, providing comprehensive support that spans infrastructure development, judicial and correctional services enhancement, gender-based violence mitigation, and the establishment of a police recruit and investigation training centre. "The BSA is a testament to our dedication to internal and regional security." "With Australia's support of $200 million, we aim to not only augment our police force but also extend training assistance to neighboring Pacific nations, reinforcing our commitment to regional stability." PM Marape further stated, “The Government of Papua New Guinea's efforts to recruit up to 200 judges complement these legislative and bilateral initiatives, showcasing a holistic approach to strengthening the nation's law enforcement and judicial systems." "These measures, reaffirms my administration's dedication to ensuring peace, security, and justice for all citizens of Papua New Guinea.”

The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) announced the details of its 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held in Lae, Morobe Province on Saturday 23rd March 2024. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Stanley Hondina, advised that the 9th PNGRFL AGM scheduled was the result of a decision made at the Special General Meeting of the PNGRFL held last year on 25th March 2023 in Port Moresby. PNGRFL Board Chairman Mr Sandis Tsaka said that the organization under the legal guidance of its lawyers, Bradshaw Lawyers, convened a Special General Meeting of the six 6 compliant leagues of 2022 and resolved to defer the 9th PNGRFL “Election AGM”, “to this year in the spirit of good governance”, so that more members could be able to properly affiliate and attend the PNGRFL AGM. This was after the PNGRFL membership and competitions were drastically disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2021 and the National General Elections in 2022. Tsaka added that the deferral was to allow the PNGRFL to revitalize its memberships and enable due process, guided by the PNGRFL’s constitution. This decision has been vindicated by seeing fifty (50) Affiliate and Associate Leagues meet compliance requirements for the 2023 season and are able to attend the 9th PNGRFL AGM. “From a Good Governance and International Best Practice point of view, it is important that the PNGRFL is finally able to convene its delayed AGM to maintain and ensure the integrity and stability of the PNGRFL and our national sport in general." Hondina said, the elections of the PNGRFL Board Chairman and four (4) Confederate Directors, are held once every three years. "We will be sharing information with compliant leagues of the due process of nominations and qualifications for intending candidates.” “The integrity of the election process is very important to ensure the legitimacy of the elected officials to hold office.” “The PNGRFL must at all costs protect the integrity of these processes to ensure transparency and good governance.” “I have written to the Electoral Commission to observe the election process to ensure high standards and professionalism in its conduct." The 2023 AGM sees the inclusion of Associate Leagues at this AGM and are Compliant Associate and Affiliate Presidents listed and are encouraged to contact their Regional Game Development Officer for further information.

Another major boost for rugby league in the country with the recent announcement of the launch of the NRL Bid Academy to create future rugby league stars for the country. Building on the success of a pilot program in Port Moresby last season, the Academy will identify and nurture the best 15, 17 and 19 year-old male players, alongside the most talented females in the 18 age group. The program will also expand its geographical reach, creating development centres in Lae, Mt Hagan, Goroka, Rabaul and Port Moresby. In total, over 700 players will become part of the program under the guidance of experienced Player Development Manager, Joe Grima. This will make it larger than any current NRL Academy. The program will be crucial in developing the best up and coming talent in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and will build on the success that the Junior Kumuls are currently enjoying. This was highlighted last September with a mighty performance against the Australian Schoolboys Junior Kangaroos, with the Kumuls nearly pulling off a major upset before the Australians scored with 90 seconds remaining to win by four points. The Academy will also create a new level of professionalism off the field through the employment of 25 coaches, trainers and managers who will work under the leadership of Joe Grima to teach all players the skills, discipline and techniques that will be required to play at the NRL level. PNG NRL BID Chief Executive, Andrew Hill, saw the move as another major step towards creating a player pathway system that would prepare players for the NRL. “We have said from the early days of establishing the bid that we would focus on getting the best systems in place in respect to pathways and coaching for our top junior players.” “There is absolutely no doubt that there is an abundance of talent here in PNG." "We saw that last season with the way our Junior Kumuls competed against their counterparts from Australia.” “That next generation now need the best coaching and development opportunities to be able to harness their talent and prepare for the next level." "We believe that the creation of this Academy, under the leadership of Joe Grima, will provide the best environment to allow that to happen.” “It is a really exciting time to be involved in rugby league in PNG. In addition to the Academy, we have seen the great work that Tony Archer has already done with our competitions structure and match officials.” “Creating the most professional environment, on and off the field, will help shape the development of the game for years to come." "The NRL Bid appreciates and acknowledges the support of the Australian Government via the Team Up program.”

Superstar fullback Reece Walsh launched his 2024 season in style as the Broncos downed the Cowboys 46-20 in Mackay on Sunday afternoon. After a quiet opening half Walsh exploded in the second term with a try and two try assists as the 2023 grand finalists flexed their muscle ahead of their trip to Las Vegas. The Broncos needed just two minutes to open the scoring when veteran flyer Corey Oates finished off a left side raid that featured Reece Walsh and Selwyn Cobbo. A strong tackle by Sam McIntyre on Cobbo in the 14th minute forced an error and gave the Cowboys- good field position but they came up empty. Come the 17th minute and some clever ball-playing from Adam Reynolds created space for edge back-rower Brendan Piakura to stroll over and the Broncos led 10-0. The Cowboys hit back in the 21st minute when Semi Valemei picked off a Walsh pass on halfway and sprinted away to score. With 14 minutes to play in the opening stanza Piakura made it a double when he charged onto a short ball from Jock Madden and ran 30 metres to score and with Reynolds' conversion the Broncos led 16-4. It took the Cowboys just four minutes to strike back through Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, who carried three defenders over the line with him in an impressive show of strength. A dropped ball by Oates late in the half opened the door for the Cowboys to grab their third try when hooker Sean Mullany threw a dummy and burrowed over from close range. Ahead 16-14 at the break the Broncos needed just 60 seconds to extend their lead when Cobbo soared above the pack to bring down a bomb and run away to score. Walsh converted to make it 22-14. Cobbo was in the thick of the action again just two minutes later when he exploded into space off a Walsh pass before turning the ball back inside to his fullback who strolled over for Brisbane's fifth try and a bonus point. A superb 40-20 by Walsh eight minutes after the break handed the Broncos field position and Madden strolled over but the try was ruled out due to obstruction in the lead-up by Martin Taupau. Tristan Sailor was next to strike in the 51st minute when Walsh again stamped his class on the play and the scoreline blew out to 34-14. Sailor continued his impressive second half with a 40-20 in the 68th minute and the Broncos had a seventh try soon after when youngster Benjamin Te Kura surged over from close range. With three minutes to play the Broncos scored again through Cory Paix before 19-year-old Cowboy Jaxon Purdue brought the crowd to its feet with a runaway try to make the final score 46-20. source: NRL. Com

England winger Dom Young has been taken to hospital after suffering a neck injury in his first outing for Sydney Roosters against Manly in Gosford. Young, who was the NRL's leading tryscorer in 2023, scored a try in the Roosters 36-22 win but came from the field after an alleged crusher tackle, which saw Sea Eagles forward Toafofoa Sipley placed on report. The former Knights star was stretchered out of the ground wearing a neck brace and taken to hospital for precautionary scans. "He's good. It's just that when you're dealing with the neck, you want to be precautionary there, so he's just gone to the hospital to get a scan," Roosters coach Trent Robinson explained. "He was good in there [in the dressing-room], talking and sitting up and all of that, but they just want to keep it stable so we know what's exactly wrong with it, but he was in good spirits." He was taken to hospital in a neck brace after the match, with Roosters officials saying it was for precautionary purposes as the team flies to Los Angeles on Wednesday ahead of their Round 1 match at Allegiant Stadium.

The Indigenous All Stars' brilliant backline stole the show as they ran out 22-14 winners over the Māori All Stars on Friday night in Townsville. Prolific Bulldogs wing Josh Addo-Carr struck twice inside the opening 20 minutes, before local fan favourite Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow added another just before the half-time break in Townsville, to set the Indigenous up for back-to-back NRL Harvey Norman All Stars victories for the first time since the concept changed to include the Māori in 2019. A fourth try from Titans flyer Alofiana Khan-Pereira inside the final 10 minutes put the icing on the cake, in front of a crowd of 15,369 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Five-eighth Braydon Trindall was awarded the Preston Campbell Medal for his performance, which included setting up two of his side's four tries and kicking for 226 metres, in what was a strong halves partnership with club teammate Nicho Hynes. As is often the case in these games which are powered by cultural pride and emotion, both teams raced out of the gates, with Joseph Tapine opening the scoring and Josh Addo-Carr replying with one of his own, inside the opening seven minutes. But constant rain meant the execution often didn't match the enthusiasm in a first half which saw a combined 11 errors made. While the Māori managed only to add further two points via a penalty, Addo-Carr's second – which came after he pressured Jesse Arthars into a spill while retrieving a grubber on his own line – and Tabuai-Fidow's effort after he glided past the chasers to a loose ball, gave the hosts a 16-8 lead at the break. After Jack Howarth came close to scoring a try on debut for the Māori minutes into the second quarter, but for the Bunker finding double movement, the visitors were guilty of wasting further chances to add points which included a clean drop from Matthew Timoko over the try-line on 54 minutes. Following Khan-Pereira's try which put the result beyond doubt, Xavier Willison capped a fine performance with a consolation four-pointer on the full-time siren. Source: NRL.Com

In a response to a series of questions regarding the “Connect PNG Infrastructure Development Program” raised by various Members of Parliament including member for lalibu Pangi, Peter O’Neil, the Minister for Works and Highways Solan Mirisim gave a progressive update on the floor of parliament today. Minister Mirisim said, since their government took office in 2019, they developed the 20-Year Connect PNG Program to immediately deal with the threats of the growing deferred maintenance that would require K45 billion in replacement costs. “At the same time, we want to meet the countries future demands by embarking on a long-term vision to connect the entire country with 100% road connectivity by 2040.” He said, to date, approximately 3, 500km, which accounts for 21% of the total 16, 200km of strategic highways, have been upgraded to a good condition. This achievements represents over 38% of the phase 1 target of 4, 200 km. The government has spent a total of K2.2billion over the last 4 years on the main highways, almost 50% of the total expenditure at K1 billion on the 60% share of projects funded by loans and donor grants, including the ABD funded 10 years highlands highway improvement program. He said the uninterrupted implementation of the 20-year program is supported by sufficient funding guarantee, and the program targets and the funding annual allocation of 5.6% of the annual budget, are legislated by an act of parliament. “We are not running the Connect PNG on an ad hoc basis as many assume, but we are doing so in full compliance program limits provided by the act of parliament.” He further stated that, they are 100% focused on increasing road access and connectivity by upgrading, expanding, developing and maintaining the existing 16, 000km of road as well as constructing the major missing link roads of 1, 800km. “Only in this way will we, as a nation, connect the unconnected, reach the unreachable and unlock economic potential in the landlocked regions identified in the vision 2050.”

The up-and-coming football club, East Coast Football Club (FC) recently received a timely financial donation of K12, 500 from the FX Business Center on Tuesday this week. The East Coast Football Club, under the leadership of Managing Director Shannon Andrew, has emerged as a pioneer in junior football development in PNG. With a focus on nurturing young talent through partnerships with schools, the club aims to elevate the standard of football in the country and establish strong international connections within the sport. Mr Andrew expressed his pride in this partnership, stating, "I'm extremely proud that our club is the first football organization in PNG that is focused on junior football development, with a vision to compete at the highest level and to establish international partnerships.” “This sponsorship from FX Business Centre empowers us to revolutionize the way football is perceived in PNG, and soon the Pacific." Andrew added that ECFC is passionate about football excellence and is fortunate to have corporates like the Remington Group and FX Business Centre supporting its vision, providing confidence in the sporting code in PNG. FX Business Centre is an important member of the Remington Group of Companies. The Group is well known for its commitment to supporting the growth and development of future generations of Papua New Guineans through education, sport, and other learning activities, and recognizes the potential of youth football in fostering positive change in communities. CEO for Remington Group, Peter Goodwin said, “We do our very best to stay in touch with things that matter to Papua New Guineans the most and one of the things that matter to Papua New Guineans, is the future opportunities for their young people and children.”

Star fullback Latrell Mitchell has been named as the new captain of the Indigenous All Stars for Friday night's All Stars clash with the Māori. The 26-year-old will take over captaincy duties in what will be his sixth All Stars appearance after last year's skipper and Rabbitohs teammate Cody Walker was ruled out due to a calf injury. A proud Biripi, Wiradjuri, Worimi and Gumbaynggirr man, Mitchell said the All Stars competition and opportunity to lead his teammates 'means everything' to him as a player. "To lead my people is an honour that I don’t take lightly both on and off the field," Mitchell said in camp this week. “This week we celebrate our culture and get to go and express that in front of the whole nation. This is much more than a game to us. "I feel content, I feel like a lot of things are going right and it has been really good to come into this camp and express who I am and fill the cup up for the rest of the year." While Mitchell has captained the Rabbitohs on two occasions in 2022, Friday will be his first experience leading the Indigenous All Stars but coach Ronnie Griffiths knows his side is in good hands. “Latrell is a pillar in our community, his work away from the limelight is unheralded," Griffiths said. "A magical player who will go to the nth degree to make sure the All Stars camp is a success and leave a lasting impact in community.” Source: NRL.Com