Prime Minister (PM) James Marape has voiced optimism regarding the developments toward forming a rugby league team from Papua New Guinea (PNG) for the Australian Telstra NRL Premiership. Following a series of high-level discussions in Sydney with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Minister for Sport Anika Wells, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, as well as key stakeholders from the NRL, Telstra, and Fox TV, the Prime Minister is confident that PNG is on the right path to realizing this historic opportunity. The fact that the sessions were held before the NRL Grand Final on Sunday 6th October emphasized how important the conversations were. Prime Minister Marape is pleased with the advancements made thus far. “I commend the strong support we are receiving from the Australian Cabinet, as well as the majority of Parliament, including members of the Opposition.” “We also acknowledge the substantial financial and administrative backing of the Australian Government.” Along with opposition leader Peter Dutton, Prime Minister Marape met with the NRL Chairman and board members, all of whom reaffirmed their complete support for PNG's aspirations to compete in the NRL. “There are a few more regulatory processes to complete before an official announcement can be made, but the future is looking bright for our national team.” “This goal aims to promote national growth and unity rather than merely sports.” “With more than 10 million ardent supporters, a PNG NRL franchise would enhance the relationship between our two countries even more.” The prime minister also highlighted the growing momentum behind the bid after fruitful talks on possible TV coverage with Fox TV and Telstra. “Rugby league, along with cricket and Aussie Rules, are part of our shared legacy with Australia. This NRL bid will help anchor and continue the deep connections between our peoples.” “PNG is also the biggest overseas investment hub for large Australian companies and continued synergies of people to people, sports to sports, commerce to commerce is complimentary to the good enduring relationship the two Governments have had since 1975.” “As PNG approaches our 50th next year, it will be a good golden jubilee gift.”

Like their counterparts nationwide, the students of Tusbab Secondary School in Madang Province are part of the 77, 413 Grade 10s that are currently sitting for their National Examinations which started yesterday Monday, October 7th. An approximate 415 Grade 10s from a total of 7 classes started with their Mathematics and Personal Development papers and will continue today with Social Science and Arts. Principal of Tusbab and also the current Caretaker and Director of Education in Madang Mr. Alphonse Igag stated that this number is a decrease compared to 2023. He also mentioned that the week before examinations, exam papers were delivered in boxes and principals from respective schools were present to receive the papers. By the end of the week, exam papers were most likely transferred out from its central site in Tusbab, Madang Town and locked away in secured locations. Mr. Igag has a positive outlook on the examination results. “We are anticipating a good outcome for the exams.” Additionally, he left a specific message for boarding schools. “We hope the Grades 9, 11, & 12 respect their fellow students who are doing exams, and the same thing goes for the Grade 10s when Grade 12s sit for their exams.” “This is the last time, especially for the Grades 9 and 11 will be seeing their fellow students do their exams.” “It is only appropriate for the remaining grades to be respectful for the next two weeks.” He also urged teachers and parents to be on their best behavior and to not cause trouble for the Grade 10s, 12s and 8s. Meanwhile, the following week, approximately 236 Grade 12s from 6 classes will be doing their National Examinations. Grade 12 numbers have been steady since 2023. A total of 32 registered schools in the province are qualified for examinations with Aiyom Anglican Highschool and Bundi Junior Highschool being the exception.

Like their counterparts across the country, the Grade 10s of Gordons Secondary School in Port Moresby city are presently sitting for their Grade 10 National Examinations starting today Monday October 7th, 2024. The 412 students from a total of eight classes were already seated, silent and hard at work on their Mathematics paper by the time it was 9am. Deputy Principal of Gordons Secondary, Johnymar Cudal stated that leading up to the exam dates the school took time to prepare its students by having remedial classes during afternoons. “We held remedials during afternoons with subject teachers.” “Additionally, like other schools, the students sat for their mock exams, and we got straight to marking as soon as they were done.” He stated that student numbers have grown compared to the numbers from 2023. "This year student numbers have increased by almost a hundred students." In regard to any issues with transporting exam papers, Cudal said that there were no issues when transporting exam papers. In the second session of examinations, students will sit for their Personal Development (PD) paper. The Grade 10 National Examination is scheduled as follows: - 7th October: Mathematics & Personal Development - 8th October: Social Science & Arts - 9th October: Science & Subjects (PS/HE/COMP/D&T) - 10th October: Business Studies & Agriculture. A total of 77,413 Grade 10 students across 482 high schools and secondary schools nationwide are sitting for their National Examinations.

Through its numerous partnerships and activities, South Pacific (SP) Brewery continues to raise awareness of social concerns as part of its corporate social responsibility, with its new violence campaign scheduled to begin soon. Through its National Gender Based Violence Secretariat (NGVBS), the Department for Community Development & Religion (DFCDR) and SP Brewery have teamed up to use synergy to speak out against gender-based violence throughout PNG. The DFCDR/NGBVS and SP Brewery formalized this significant partnership when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at SP Brewery's head office in Port Moresby on Thursday 03rd October. Speaking at the signing of the MoU, Ed Weggemans, the Managing Director of SP Brewery, stated that the company is a conscientious corporate citizen and that it would like to use its unique position to advocate against violence. “By partnering with the Secretariat, we wish to align with the government’s National GBV Strategy and leverage support from these mandated government agencies to build a credible and effective campaign that will inspire behavioral change in PNG.” Secretary for the Department for Community Development and Religion, Jerry Ubase, acknowledged the importance of this Private Sector Partnership collaboration. “SP Brewery has set the precedence with this partnership with a government department.” “As a major corporate entity, it is encouraging that they have raised their hand to partner with us to achieve our shared goals of effectively addressing gender-based violence in PNG.”

The University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) this week hosted the Tourism Convention marking World Tourism Day, where the country's unique tourism market was one of the topics of discussion. The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Eric Mossman Uvovo, who was a guest speaker at the Convention, spoke about the unique tourism markets in the country, explaining that PNG has much to offer in tourism. “Our country is a unique tourism destination.” “Those who come to visit PNG, understand the risks and they visit because of the niche markets that we have.” The five niche (5) markets Uvovo mentioned were: Cultural Tourism Bird Watching Soft Adventure Tourism Historical Tourism Diving & Surfing According to Uvovo, PNG’s niche markets are the main attractions that bring in tourists. He also encouraged the youths to be active participants in promoting tourism in Papua New Guinea. “A lot of young people are active on social media, and I’ve seen some brilliant photography and videography from users on TikTok about locations in the country that even I didn’t know exist.” “If you have a social media platform, don’t be shy in promoting PNG.”

Children enrolled at one of BbP’s Library Learning Centres in Port Moresby will receive a healthy breakfast every day as part of a new pilot program recently launched in partnership with the Australian Export Consortia (AEC), Market 2000 and Sanitarium PNG. International research has found that education and nutrition reinforce each other, and that Early Childhood Education Programs which offer breakfast for the children are particularly efficient in improving overall health and education outcomes. As part of BbP’s newly launched Nutrition Education program, enrolled children are encouraged to “eat a rainbow” of differently coloured fruits and vegetables, grains, vitamin-enriched rice, fish, eggs and peanuts every day to give them the health and energy to be attentive and focused in class. When children eat a diet high in ultra-processed foods, they are consuming foods that have no nutrients and fiber to sustain them for a day of learning. Growing bodies and minds need a diet rich in nutrients such as locally grown fruit and vegetables, animal protein, eggs and grains. BbP received the donation of a fridge and will receive weekly deliveries of Weet-Bix breakfast cereal and plant-based milk from Sanitarium. The Parents Committee will be assisting BbP’s teachers with serving the children and washing up eating utensils. James Weinert from the Australian Export Consortia was delighted to partner with BBP. “Partnering with BbP will allow us to support children with their well-being." "The program intends to provide them with a nutritious start to their day to help ensure they are ready to learn, when they otherwise may not have breakfast oronly have access to food with poor nutritional value." "The children will enjoy two of Sanitarium’s staple health food products." "Weet-Bix™ which are packed full of 97% wholegrain goodness and provide a source of iron which is essential for brain health - studies have shown iron can help fight tiredness and fatigue." "Weet-Bix™ is a natural source of high fiber (which assists with feeling full for longer) and are also low in fat and sugar, containing five essential vitamins and minerals. The breakfast cereal will be served with So Good™ Oat Unsweetened Milk, a delicious plant-based beverage with the goodness of oats, plus calcium and vitamins D, B2 and B12." "It also has absolutely no artificial colours or flavours, lactose, Cholesterol, or Dairy.” The breakfast pilot program runs from October-December and again from February-June and will be monitored by BbP, both in terms of improved well-being and observations such as improved attentiveness in class, focus and behaviour. Meanwhile BbP’s Founder and Vice-Chair, Anne-Sophie Hermann expressed her gratitude towards AEC, Market 2000 and Sanitarium for their assistance in improving BbP's Nutrition Education Program. " With this pilot program we will be closely monitoring what impact a healthy breakfast can have on the children’s cognitive development and well-being."

The recent celebration of the Ksawang Cultural Festival in Bapa Village in the Buang Local Level Government (LLG) of the Morobe Province, received a K10, 000 support from the National Cultural Commission (NCC). The festival not only featured exquisite performances and beautiful traditional displays but also strengthened community togetherness, encouraged local businesses and fostered pride among residents. Present at the event were the Governor of Morobe Province Luther Wange, representing the Executive Director of NCC, Betty Neanda (Senior Cultural Service Officer at NCC), Chairman of the Ksawang Festival Russell Yakam, other dignitaries and local leaders. The chairman of the Kawasang Festival, Russell Yakam, thanked the National Cultural Commission for supporting the event. "The NCC's acknowledgement of our efforts to preserve our culture is a testament to it." "This festival strengthens our community bonds while also celebrating our traditions." Wange highlighted the importance of preserving culture in this fast-changing world. “It is essential that we continue to support and celebrate our culture, and this festival is a testament to our rich cultural diversity and the unity of our communities.” Betty Neanda the Senior Cultural Service Officer NCC stated that the Ksawang Festival was more than just celebrating culture, highlighting the benefits it has on young people. “It’s a vital opportunity for our young people to connect with their heritage and learn the values that binds our community together.” The successful organization of the Ksawang Cultural Festival underscores the significance of Papua New Guinea's cultural legacy, and the cooperative effort required to conserve these customs for posterity. NCC officially recognized the festival as one of its events around the county.

Digicel PNG Foundation has once again made a crucial contribution to the education of young minds partnering with Lae Secondary School to refurbish their computer lab. Lae Secondary is the 8th school to receive a BeLit Computer Lab, which includes the installation of 40 brand new laptops, chairs, tables and other equipment. At the recent launching ceremony, Head Boy, Samuel Nelson recalled his experiences prior to the lab upgrade. "When I was in grade nine, we had to share one laptop among three to four students… so it was a bit difficult at times doing work but with these new laptops it's going to be much better." School Board Chairman Edward Buasin, expressed gratitude towards Digicel Foundation for the initiative. "I want to express my gratitude to the Digicel Foundation for stepping up and establishing a computer lab at our school.” “We welcome contributions from partners like the Digicel Foundation to our school since we know they will help to improve knowledge transfer there." Students of Lae Secondary will now have an opportunity to improve their computing and ICT skills. This is the second secondary school in Lae to receive a newly renovated lab, the first being Busu Secondary School. Digicel Foundation’s Board Chairman, Michael Henao who officiated the launch stated that Digicel’s commitment to education and health remains firm. "ICT skills are essential in today's technologically advanced world, and computer literacy is a must for all of you to be competitive in the marketplace.” “Lae Secondary's BeLit Lab is going to support you on that journey."

Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) marked World Heart Day on Sunday (29th/09/24) emphasizing the message that prevention is key to beating heart disease, as demonstrated by the recent completion of the hospital's new catheterization laboratory. During the occasion, PMGH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Paki Molumi and the hospital's pioneering cardiologist, Professor Sir Isi Kevau, both stressed that although cutting-edge therapies are important, the best way to lessen the effect of heart disease in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is to prevent it through early intervention and lifestyle modifications. "We must remember that prevention is the key to reducing heart disease, even as we invest in new, expensive technology to cure heart disease." "What we eat is something we can control." He underlined the importance of early detection programs to detect heart disease at an earlier stage, pointing out that doing so might significantly cut hospital admissions and death rates, which would ultimately result in cheaper healthcare expenditures. In order to effectively manage heart disease, he further emphasized the need for greater funding for early detection and preventative interventions. Speaking about the future of the nation, Professor Sir Isi Kevau, the director of the Sir Buri Kidu Heart Institute, voiced concerns about the rising number of younger people experiencing heart attacks as well as the intake of fatty foods that worsen cholesterol accumulation in the body. Sir Isi asked everyone to consider the causes of past generations' lack of heart attacks, emphasizing that our ancestors ate foods found in nature, like fish, wallabies, and cacao. He urged young people to think about their great-great-grandparents' diets and said that a return to more natural foods would help lower cholesterol and improve heart health. This year’s theme was: ‘Use Heart for Action’

Port Moresby Nature Park was honored to present certificates to five (5) of their on-the-job trainees from the University of Papua New Guinea on Friday September 27th. Nature Park’s CEO, Johnpaul Houston, led the small ceremony and personally presented the students with their certificates and gifts as tokens of appreciation for their dedication and efforts in various departments such as HR Administration, Guest Relations, Marketing, and Park Presentation under the Commercial Division during their 9-week tenure. These final year students, were selected by their school to complete a portion of their on-the-job training assessment at Nature Park. They come from diverse disciplines such as business administration, humanities, and hospitality management. As the only wildlife park in the nation to have international certification and a popular tourist destination in Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby Nature Park is committed to providing students with worthwhile opportunities for education and development. "We are thrilled to provide even more learning opportunities for students in the upcoming year and beyond, and we are committed to our core goals of education, conservation, and research." Port Moresby Nature Park, takes great pride in their commitment to providing on-the-job training and internship programs for university students. Over 50 percent of on-the-job-trainees over the years, are from The University Of Papua New Guinea (UPNG).

The Young Minds Savings Campaign (YMSC) in Kimbe, West New Britain province, ended on a high note with over 236 kids savings accounts opened. The Center for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) Executive Director, Mr. Saliya Ranasinghe thanked the WNB Provincial Government (WNBPG), participating schools and financial institutions for making the second YMSC a success following the first YMSC held in Milne Bay province in August this year.   Ranasinghe encouraged head teachers of participating schools and branch managers of the participating financial institutions to teach the basics of finance. “Convey the message of savings to your children and educate them on its importance so they will have a better future and standard of living,” He also thanked the Securities Commission of PNG (SCPNG) for their sponsorship support towards the campaign. Mr. Tandawai who represented SCPNG said that the Commission was happy and excited to support CEFI and BPNG in investing in the future of PNG through the YMSC. In attendance also was the Department of Treasury who through Moses Zazon expressed their support towards the campaign. Besides MiBank, BSP and Womens Microbank (WMB), Nasfund and TISA also attended. Both institutions used the campaign to make awareness of their products targeted at school kids. Schools visited included, Kimbe Primary, Ruango Primary, Karl Hesse Primary, Kimbe Secondary, Kimbe International and Harrison Primary. CEFI, the Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG), SCPNG, WNB Provincial Government, MiBank, WMB, BSP, Nasfund and TISA visited the respective schools from September 04 to September 06. On Wednesday September 04, MiBank visited Kimbe and Ruango Primary schools, Thursday September 05, WMB, MiBank and Nasfund visited Karl Hesse Primary and Kimbe Secondary and BSP and TISA visited Kimbe International and Harrison Primary schools respectively on Friday September 07. The activities included awareness on savings, question and answer sessions followed by opening of bank accounts. More than 200 savings accounts for students were opened by Mibank and BSP with follow up visits by the respective banks to continue for the respective schools. The YMSC is one of the key ticket items implemented under a MoU signed between CEFI and WNB Provincial Government which is expected to end on 27th July 2026. The Provincial Administrator (PA) – WNBPG, Leo Mapmani thanked CEFI and BPNG for the initiative and support to run the YMSC in Kimbe. Mapmani assured CEFI of the WNBPG support towards the implementation of the CEFI-WNB MoU and to continue the good progress made so far. He also stated his administration’s support of the YMSC in Kimbe, adding it was now a challenge for the WNBPG to continue the campaign and reach more schools in the province. “This is the first of its kind in Kimbe to witness BSP, MiBank, TISA, Nasfund and the Mama Bank mobilize and jointly visit selected schools within the urban settings to promote their products specifically focusing on promoting the savings culture to the children and young people.” “The Steering Committee will continue to highlight this activity in its annual work plan to build the young minds and empower them to continue to save money for their future needs.” CEFI Special Projects Manager and YMSC Team Leader, Busa Jeremiah Wenogo thanked Mapmani for his support towards the YMSC and encouraged WNBPG to take ownership of the campaign and roll it out annually to all the schools in the province. Students interviewed at respective schools were all appreciative of the YMSC and happy to have the financial institutions come to their schools and open bank accounts. Head teachers from the six schools express their gratitude to CEFI, BPNG, SCPNG and the WNBPG for the campaign which they said was important to the students for their personal and educational development.

Because of the collaboration with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PNG (CCEP PNG), residents of Koki village in Port Moresby can now return their PET plastic bottles for recycling. On Tuesday, September 24, the village hosted a unique recycling event organized by Branis Recycling and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PNG (CCEP PNG). Koki village Councilor, Geelong Auma and CCEP have been in communication and held an awareness workshop for the past month, with the goal of encouraging the villagers to save their PET plastic bottles. On Tuesday 24th October, Branis Recycling set up a temporary collection site in the village to collect the material and pay out K1.00 for every kilo of PET plastic bottles received. Tim Solly, the Sales and Commercial Director of CCEP PNG, expressed delight that recycling had come to Koki village. “Last year we launched a PET recycling scheme in Port Moresby and we're now collecting and recycling around 25% of the PET plastic bottles we put into the market in NCD.” “It's important we continue to raise awareness so people know they can earn money by collecting and recycling PET plastic beverage bottles.” “This will increase the amount collected and ensure it is recycled and doesn’t end up in the landfill or in the environment.” “We are encouraging Koki residents and surrounding areas to start collecting PET plastic bottles and earn K1.00 a kilo of material by returning them the nearest Branis Recycling collection point at Hohola collection site, on Spondias street.” Solly says once the bottles have been collected, they are turned into plastic flake, using a granulator at Branis Recycling’s facility, and then exported to Malaysia for recycling. Councilor Auma was ecstatic over this initiative by CCEP. “We are happy that this programme has come to Koki and it’s a great initiative by Coca-Cola to collect the PET plastic bottles that they sell to consumers.” “Being a fast-growing urban village it is crucial for us to keep our village clean and keep plastic out of our waterways and this collection scheme helps our people here.”