PNG Power Ltd (PPL) is sending a message to its customers in Port Moresby city that theft of electricity will be seriously dealt with, even if it means laying charges on the offenders. This was demonstrated yesterday afternoon when a foreign business owner was taken in for questioning by police upon PNG Power's request after the business owner was alleged to have stolen electricity from PNG Power by tempering with a power meter box at his shop located at the Hohola suburb. PNG Power General Manager Retail, Mr. Kingston Albert, said the bust yesterday is part of the state-owned company’s exercise to recoup money lost to illegal collections and outstanding bills through its' mass disconnection exercise, which will eventually roll out to the rest of the country. “This is mostly because of our cashflow situation, and we as a company know how much energy we produce and how much equivalent revenue we supposed to take. There is a big difference between what we produce and what we collect from our customers,” said the general manager. Albert said as part of this massive exercise PPL is conducting what he said is the Revenue Protection Initiative, which basically is going from house to house checking all installations set up by PNG Power across the country, starting with Port Moresby city. It was through this that the business owner was taken in for questioning by police after it was revealed to PNG Power technicians that something illegal was done at his premises that resulted in him paying less than the expected bill for the usage of the electricity service. “We have come across a lot, about eight hundred major customers whom we suspect and have been monitoring this over the last five to six months and we have targeted the first eighty to correct those illegal activities that are happening.” “So, if you talk about PPL not making money, that is where our money is going. We are trying our best with the limited resources that we have to recoup the money we lost,” he said. The general manager said so far PNG power has corrected eleven customers already through this exercise and with that recouped about a quarter of a million Kina. That money should go to such things as investing in equipment and power infrastructure in the country, which will then lead to better electricity service and connectivity to most parts of the country. “So, we want to set this as an example to all the businesses and operators in PNG who are stealing power, that PNG Power will come one day, and they will have to pay the bill that rightfully should be paid as this money will be used to rehabilitate or refurbish our equipment and infrastructure so that Papua New Guineans can live with consistent and reliable power provided to them.” Lastly, the general manager made an appeal to PNG Power customers who are doing illegal connections or not paying up their bills to stop and work with them to ensure a safe and proper connection to this vital service.

Parts of the Modilon General Hospital in Madang town went up in flames in the early hours of this morning destroying equipment and some documents but claiming no casualties or affecting too much of the service. According to the Director of Public Health of the Madang Provincial Health Authority, Dr. Martin Daimen, the parts that got burned down was the hospital library and part of the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNG IMR) office, which lost some of the laboratory research equipment in the fire. He added that the hospital library used to be the old section B of the children’s ward but was later converted into the library. Dr. Daimen said the rest of the hospital facility remains intact and health services to the public continues at this time, including the COVID-19 testing and vaccination. “The medical research institute office is burnt but that has not affected COVID-19 testing because the lab is mainly for medical research for the hospital. Testing for COVID-19 continues at its own facility at the other part of the hospital.” According to Dr. Daimen, the fire started at around midnight and is suspected to be caused by an electrical fault in the ceiling. He also confirmed that no one was injured in the fire as the buildings had no hospital staff inside them at the time of fire. The fire service also arrived on time to put out the fire before it spread to the other nearby buildings. Pictures sourced: Facebook

The recent signing of the recommencement agreement between the National Government and Barrick Niugini Limited (BNL) has been welcomed by local businesses in the Porgera Valley in after the closure of the Porgera mine 18 months ago affected their operations. The President of the Porgera Valley Women in Business (WiB) and businesswoman, Mrs. Elizabeth Iarume, said it is great news because they have suffered for far too long. “People are welcoming the decision the prime minister has made but they must do it in a timely manner so that all the other agreements are met and signed off by the parties concerned,” said Iarume. "Also, on that same page, we want to see landowner participation in the agreement." "It's not going to be the state and Barrick, but we want to see full participation of the landowners in every meeting, every negotiation, in every agreement signing." "We don’t want to repeat what has happened in the past. We don’t want to see the bad side of all the impacts we saw in the last thirty years.” "Therefore, the recently signing of the recommencement agreement brings a lot of optimism that things will eventually turn out alright after almost two years of not benefiting from the mine operating." “It’s not only the business houses, but it has also affected the other institutions and organisations because everyone depended on the mine operation, directly or indirectly, all of us benefited from the mine,” Mrs Iarume said. Iarume said since the mine closure, the cash flow in the valley has drastically dropped. This has seen vendors at the markets unable to sell their produce and business houses making losses because some of the items that are usually sold out quickly are taking longer to be sold. Nevertheless, the signing of the recommencement agreement now brings much hope to the valley. The Porgera Mine was closed in April 2020 after the Papua New Guinea government denied Barrick Niugini Limited an extension to the mining lease.

Coca- Cola worldwide has made a new brand change to the iconic brand name, and that new look especially on the can, has now reached the shores of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Coca- Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) PNG General Manager, Mr. Philippe Mondada, said the new look tells consumers that the brand continues to produce the top product everyone around the globe loves for over 125 years. “From time to time every icon brand needs a bit of refreshing,” said Mr. Mondada. “We have a new design, and the purpose of the new design is basically to celebrate the authenticity of the product and as well the iconicity of the brand.” Mondada said every single product which bare the Coca- Cola brand will go for change, but that doesn’t mean the product itself will change. “While the look has changed the taste hasn’t, the content of the can is exactly the same.” “Consumers can rest assure that they will still enjoy the authentic and delicious flavour and refreshing taste of Coca- Cola,” he added. Meanwhile, the Acting Head of Marketing, Mr. Donald Mangila, said the distribution of the new look can into the PNG market should take place by the end of this month. “So, the key visual is all about having one message, and that’s about celebrating our authenticity in the market,” he said. The new look can show a brighter red colour and the Coca- Cola brand is labeled horizontally and in a much bigger print and is almost around the can itself.

There have been growing concerns regarding the mistakes and sometime fraudulent practices taking place during the application for a new driver’s license or to renew an existing license. The matter of duplication of driver license numbers has popped up recently where people renewing licenses were told their license number is being used by someone else; therefore, delaying the process for them to have that sorted out. The Road Traffic Authority (RTA) Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nelson Terema, said this has been happening, but the RTA is now doing something to address it. “We do not have an IT system or a centralized system to perform vehicle registry and driver licensing. Therefore, at the moment Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) and the provincial government traffic registry are performing vehicle registering and driver licensing in Papua New Guinea.” “But the RTA is now procuring a centralized system which we hope will be up and running before the end of the year,” said Mr. Terema. He added that there might be some issues with the registries at the other vehicle registry offices, but the proposed new system should address this. “So, the only way to co-exist is to have a centralized IT system in PNG so we can correct these omissions, duplications and fraudulent activities, so that our drivers can go through the normal process to obtain driver license.”

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) Military Band will stand out the next time it performs for the defence force, to the public or even performing at the international stage. The military band today received new ceremonial uniforms presented by Japan-PNG Association with the support of JICA, the Japan Ground Self Defence Force Military Band and the Japan Ministry of Defence. Director of the Japan-PNG Association, Mr. Akinori Ito, said the presentation of the new uniforms is the third official assistance to the military band. The first was the assistance given to establish the band in 2016 and the second was the donation of used instruments for the band members to train with. He said the Japan-PNG Association is a non-profit organization based in Tokyo, Japan and focuses on promoting relationship between Japan and PNG. The Association was established in 2002. He added that the association gets its funding through membership fees and donations, and with that it has supported the PNGDF military band along with other areas and activities it has supported in the country. The Deputy Chief of Defence, Commodore Philip Polewara, thanked the support given and said that it will continue to strengthen the relationship between the two countries and its militaries. “It is a memorable occasion for the PNGDF military brass- band and it started with the undivided full support of the Japan Ground Defence Force Central Band, Japan- PNG Association, JICA and those others behind the scene supporting this program,” said the Commodore. “I also would like to acknowledge the chief instructors and instructors from the Japan Ground Self Defence Force for your commitment, dedication, effort and loyalty to see the PNG defence force military band from its beginning to what it is today.” Meanwhile, the colours of the new look uniforms are bright and represent the colours of the PNG national flag.

The PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) will soon have a new aircraft operating to boost its air capability and also to provide further training for new young pilots who have recently completed training in both New Zealand and Australia. The new aircraft, the PAC 750, was acquired by the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government in 2018 and has been sitting at the Air Transport Wing (ATW) since its' arrival. Major Darius Kaule, the Acting Commanding Officer of the Training Squadron, said since 2018 up till now the aircraft has not been airborne because the defence force had to comply with civil aviation regulations in order to allow the aircraft to safely operate in the airspace. The single engine aircraft was taken up into the skies for the first time this morning from Port Moresby for its' test flight before it is given the all clear to go into service in the PNGDF. “The flight that we see happening this morning is part of the maintenance check flight and this flight has been approved by the Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force after it has fully complied with civil aviation regulations,” said Major Kaule. “This maintenance check flight is basically to check the aircraft and make sure that all the parameters of the aircraft are fully safe and operational. This flight has to happen before the PAC 750 will be used for further flights the PNG Defece Force wants it to be used for.” Major Kaule added that the new aircraft was bought purposely to boost the PNGDF air capability. Back in 2018 the defence force had only one aircraft operational but unfortunately, today it has no other aircraft operational except for this new one, and with the assistance of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), it is hoped that the air capability is further improved. “The Papua New Guinea Defence Force in liaison with the Australian Defence Force and the defence operation program has established a relationship with the thirty two squadron of the Royal Australian Airforce and they are here now to help us achieve the air capability the PNG Defence Force needs,” added Major Kaule. Once the new PAC 750 aircraft is operational, it will initially be used for training of pilots. Major Kaule said about six new pilots from the PNGDF will use the aircraft for their further flight trainings in country.

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) is sending a message out to those who would engage in corrupt practices to be recruited that it will not hesitate to remove them from recruitment training if they are found to be involved. That message was shown today when the Defence Force hierarchy removed over 160 male and female trainee recruits from the Goldie River Training Depot outside Port Moresby, who were found to have entered without going through the proper checks and processes. The PNGDF Chief of Training, Colonel Dickers Esso, said they are implementing the Commander of Defence Force (CDF) Directive Number 16, which was signed on 30th June 2021. The Directive basically states that those found to enter the Force through illegal means, will be removed. “What we are doing now is something that our own personal branch or the HR branch would have done during that phase to identify those criteria and correct them. But unfortunately passed on the burden over to the training branch for us to accept and continue to run the training. This is not the first time and we have been setting a bad precedent,” said the Colonel. “That has gone too far, and we are putting our foot down to correct that process. We are saying that now we take the steps to ensure that those who meet the requirements can go through the training and serve our country.” Colonel Essos said the PNGDF is a state institution, and everyone can join, but must meet those requirements specified by the Defence Force. “We have allowed for abuse, and we have continuously let this go on, but we are saying enough is enough. We have to correct that process and ensure that those deserving young men and women can go through training.” “We have to send a signal that it’s not going to be an issue of corruption and abuse, it has to stop,” he added. The PNGDF is doing this to protect the recruitment system from corruption and abuse and restore some credibility in the system, that was lost over time. Meanwhile, a total 166 out of the 354 overall total of new recruits of the first 2021 intake, have been removed from training after being identified as not meeting certain requirements or have come in through fraudulent means. Also, the current Commanding Officer of the Goldie River Training Depot is currently on suspension until this matter is resolved.

In light of the recent workers protest on allegations that some companies are imposing the so called “no jab, no job” policy, the Business Council of Papua New Guinea (BCPNG) has come out to say that no company or business have Covid-19 workplace policies that forcefully remove employees who do not wish to be vaccinated. According to the BCPNG Executive Director Mr. Douveri Henao, workplace COVID-19 policies are there to protect the employees and to ensure the continuity of a business or a company’s operation. He went on to explain that Papua New Guinea’s work environment, unlike industrialized nations where most jobs are now automated, still involves human to human interactions, and with the main form of transmission of the virus being from person to person, it is important to protect the critical aspect of the organizations work, this includes the critical employees to the job and the critical functions of the job. “We on the other hand do not have that level of technology and infrastructure in most of our businesses and therefore, human to human operation is still paramount in many businesses across the country,” said Mr. Henao. This is the reason why many workplace have undergone extensive investments in ensuring there is no transmission of the virus in the workplace by placing hand sanitizers, maintaining social distancing and in some cases buying ventilators and testing. Mr. Henao also added that in extreme cases, entire hospitals have been built where those businesses are located. All these put together has seen upwards to K70, 000 to K9.5 million spent right across the entire market on investments in COVID prevention in the workplace for companies and businesses. But now with the availability of vaccines, he said vaccination may become an important part of workplace safety, especially with the critical workforce. “We have also surveyed critical employees and majority of them have already been vaccinated because they realize that it’s their role in their company that they need to protect the value chain.” “It is important to note that they were not forced, they actually did that out of their own free will,” he added. According to the Business Council’s recent survey on COVID-19 vaccination for business, 27% of Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors in the country have indicate that 60% to 90% are critical employees. 40% are females while 58% males. “Now that’s a significant number in terms of folks that need to do their utmost best that they do not get the virus or have transmission rates in their workplace.” Nevertheless, he said business and company managements cannot force employees to get vaccinated. “If they don’t want to get vaccination, then there are processes and procedures where they can shift into non- critical areas in the value chain, or in some cases, they have to automate that particular job because of its sensitivity, and the third scenario is that start employing people that are vaccinated to go work in these critical areas.” Picture: Mr. Douveri Henao

Digicel PNG in partnership with MiBank have put out a new joint service that will greatly benefit MiBank customers, through Digicel's Cell Moni service. Digicel's Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer, Lorna McPherson, said this will save time and make it easy for customers to do banking. She said this partnership will enable ease because most of the MiBank customers are also Digicel customers, which means MiBank customers will have access to more than 12, 000 Cell Moni agents throughout the country. “MiBank customers can repay their loans and contribute to their savings anytime and anywhere twenty-four seven using Cell Moni,” McPherson said. Apart from improving customer experience, this partnership also serves to improve financial inclusion in the country. “So, the partnership, along with the support of the bank of PNG, will support the financial inclusion plan for Papua New Guinea. The digital financial transformation objective can be fulfilled only when institutions work together.” MiBank Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mr. Trudi Egi, said the system integration between Cell Moni and MiBank is already online, and customers can now access it. “Any Cell Moni customer can go out to our branches to make a cash deposit or cash withdrawal,” said the COO.” “The integration also means that MiBank customers traveling to other province or are residing in provinces or communities that have no access to a MiBank branch or agent, can simply use a Digicel Cell Moni agent within their locality as an alternative to contribute to saving funds or making loan repayment.” “MiBank has the strong focus of providing digital financial services to eighty per cent unbanked PNG population residing in rural areas outside Port Moresby and Lae that may not necessarily have access to financial services.” “This integration is the kind of innovative digital financial service that can be offered to the unbanked population,” he added. Meanwhile, the launching of this joint service on Friday 03rd September in Port Moresby was significant because it also marked the 10 years of partnership between Digicel PNG and MiBank in their mobile money journey, since they partnered in 2011. “Digicel has been a strategic partner for MiBank since 2011 and MiBank is an existing agent to Cell Moni customers in each of our sixteen branches located nationwide,” said Mr. Egi. “It is on this note that MiBank is grateful and thanks Digicel for being its strategic partner in delivering digital financial services for the ten years, and this launch strengthens this partnership that has been built in these two great organizations and hopes to bring new heights for the next ten years of more.”

Soon to hit the market in the country is a new product that was launched yesterday by South Pacific (SP) Brewery dubbed the Heineken 0.0 (zero, zero). SP Managing Director Mr. Ed Weggemans, said this new product is a non- alcoholic beverage, meaning it has zero alcohol percentage in it. “Today South Pacific Brewery is launching Heineken 0.0. It is a malt lager, its real beer with no alcohol,” said the Managing Director. Mr. Weggemans said the product has had huge successes in all markets where it was launched before and fulfilled a consumer need that is driven by great innovation and brewery techniques. He said SP expects to replicate this success here in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) market. The distribution of this new product in PNG is also part of SP Brewery’s bold move to address issues affecting the society, such as promoting responsible consumption and choices, addressing harmful use of alcoholic products, and promoting moderate consumption of alcohol. “The non-alcohol beer segment is non- existent in Papua New Guinea, our ambition is to link the category development here with a premium proposition from a brand that consumers are proud to be seen with,” said Mr. Weggemans. “We take our responsibility extremely seriously and although Heineken 0.0 does not contain alcohol, we do not target consumers below the legal drinking age.” SP Brewery now joins 59 other Heineken operating companies who have introduced this zero-alcohol product in the markets. The Heineken 0.0 will soon be distributed to shops, bars, and restaurants in both Lae and Port Moresby cities. [caption id="attachment_14342" align="aligncenter" width="707"] Pictured: L to R, Sergey Penchev is SP Brewery's Marketing Manager posing with Mr Ed Weggemans, the Managing Director. [/caption]

The working class will continue to be taxed highly for personal income tax for some time until the country’s economy picks up. This is because the reduction of the personal income tax rate for the working class at this time would be impossible as the country's development and recurrent budget depends heavily on it. That's the response from the Prime Minister (PM) James Marape to the Member for North Fly district James Donald in parliament, when the member asked about possible ways to reduce the rate of personal income tax at a time when the country is in a bad economic state induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. “What I think is that we should cut down the tax for personal income tax for everyone, reduce it down to half and what we can do is we can put up a mechanism to control the collection and collect the envelope, because the moment you cut tax you give the purchasing power to the people. Our people will have enough money to spend,” said the member for North Fly. The PM in response said the personal income tax has gone past corporate tax and the GST (Goods and Services Tax) over time to be the leading tax revenue source for the country. “It means that our workers are now supporting the country; however, at this stage we cannot afford to make this very critical call as yet,” said the PM. “The demand for money to service our development aspirations as well as recurrent aspirations for us in the country is almost at seventeen to nineteen billion Kina each year, but the actual money we collect in our country is about ten billion Kina. So, it will be irresponsible for me to just say drop the personal income tax.” “When our economy is bigger and corporate tax picks us up and the economy is expended, then we can look into areas to cut our personal income tax. If we reduce it, then the revenue envelope that we collect around ten or eleven billion Kina will come down,” said Marape. However, Marape said there are initiatives being taken by the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) and the government to ensure the tax burden is shared to with the corporate sector as well so that in the near future, the reduction of income tax can be a possibility. He said the IRC has started reforming and will bring everybody into the tax radar, so that those companies that have been avoiding paying tax, will be ordered to start paying their corporate taxes. This will then level the playing field where the tax burden can be shared.