The Government of Papua New Guinea is adamant to go into downstream processing of most of the country’s resources and what better way to do it than to learn from one of the leaders in the region- Indonesia. That is why the Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru is strongly appealing to Indonesia through the PNG Indonesia Ministerial Committee, to send its envoy to attend the PNG Investment Week planned from the 31st of August to the 3rd of September. “This is part of our independence celebrations,” said the minister when announcing this upcoming investment week at the recent launching of the PNG Indonesia Business Council Incorporate in Port Moresby city. “We are going to have a specifically targeted investment conference, where we are going to look at investments that will transform our economy into the future.” Minister Maru went on to say that for so long the country has been relying on the mining and petroleum sectors and now it’s a time to change the focus as PNG marks its 50th Independence Anniversary. He said it's time PNG refocus on downstream processing in the agriculture sector as priority then go into the non-renewables sector for downstream processing. He then went on to say that what country to better learn from going into downstream processing than Indonesia, PNG’s closest neighbour sharing the same land border. Indonesia has a huge market and a population that has a big demand. It is also big in downstream processing, manufacturing most of its products and selling them abroad. This according to Minister Maru, makes Indonesia a preferable trading partner for PNG and a country that’s worth learning from. “We must not continue to do business the same way and expect a different result,” said the minister. “Indonesia will be a fantastic country to learn from.”

The BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) and a local commodity buyer have teamed up to make things easier for cocoa farmers when it comes to making payments for their cocoa beans, through the bank's new Wantok Wallet product. This was recently made possible when the commodity buyer- Elliven Limited in Lae city was recently commissioned as a BSP Payment Processor on Wednesday 21st May, establishing an innovative payment solution that would enable commodity buyers to transfer funds directly to growers’ and farm entry owners’ accounts- eliminating the need for cash payouts. BSP Agency Banking Senior Manager Stanley Seimoni said this digital payment system offers a safer, faster, and more efficient alternative to traditional cash-based transactions. “Since 7th May, Elliven Limited’s Lae buying point has processed a total of 562 transactions, valued at K2.4 million – payments made as a BSP Payment processor. As part of our commitment to financial inclusion, our teams were at Elliven Limited’s Lae buying point this week, conducting awareness sessions on Wantok Wallet, actively assisting farmers open an account opening or activate a wallet. Farmers who do not have accounts with us can have a Wantok Wallet activated by our team. All they need is a mobile phone to access their payments at any BSP ATMs or Cash Agent,” Mr. Seimoni added. To date, BSP has deployed 7 Payment Processors across 28 buying sites, with a strong presence in the New Guinea Islands (NGI) region. This initiative is part of BSP’s ongoing efforts to expand financial access and inclusion—this time focusing on rural farmers—through practical, technology-driven solutions. Elliven Limited Founder, Mr. Ron Neville described this initiative as a game changer and to expand the Payment Processing Solution to other buying points; Kerevat, Rabaul, Wewak, Maprik and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. “Our customers here in Lae are smiling – the new payment system has changed everything. In the past they waited hours, even days to receive their payments. Today it takes just five minutes for payments to reach their accounts,” said Mr.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) shareholders in the BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) continue to benefit from the bank’s good performance over the years than any other commercial bank, says the Board. The BSP Board Chairman, Mr. Robert Bradshaw, when opening BSP’s 2025 Annual General Meeting on Friday 23rd May, stated that the bank’s track record has been one of excellence in the past decade where most of the PNG shareholders get to benefit from. “Over the past ten years, BSP has delivered a compound annual return to shareholders of 16%, including both dividend and share- price appreciation. Few banks globally can match such as record,” said Mr. Bradshaw. The share- price appreciation is the increase in the value of a stock over a period of time. “Importantly, 86 per cent (%) of BSP shares are held by Papua New Guineans. Meaning these returns flow directly back to the families, communities, churches, superfunds, landowners and provincial entities who invest in BSP across the country.” For the superfunds, Mr. Bradshaw said members also benefit from the good performance of BSP as most of the superfunds are a large shareholder with BSP and when BSP makes good, that is then passed on to the superfunds, and then to the members’ contributions in those superfunds. The BSP Group continues to work towards improving its service and its performance to better serve its customers. “At the same time, we are investing in our future through our modernizing for growth strategy, now well into its second year." "In 2024 we rolled out our new values- “we care, we inspire, we grow”. This reflects the culture we are building as we embrace change without losing the traditional part for our service." As part of that change going forward, Mr. Bradshaw said earlier this year BSP launched a refreshed brand identity and established a new digital enabled flagship branch in Port Moresby city’s waterfront just recently. Also launched this year was the new ‘Wantok Wallet’ product as BSP sees an increase in its digital transaction by 20% as customers increasingly adopt modern banking channels. Other efforts to improve banking include expending efforts in foreign currency capability for BSP’s business clients and the graduation of over 140 staff from the new BSP academy. BSP group also commenced the next training of regional leaders. “New ATMs and new EFTPOS Terminals have been procured, supporting twenty- four- seven banking services across the network, beginning later this year.” “This is more about strategy, it’s about building a bank that is simply faster, more inclusive and more responsive to our customers across the south pacific,” said Mr. Bradshaw.

The ethnic clash this week in Port Moresby city between two groups, one from Goilala in the Central province and the other from Enga province, has left people in fear of more retaliatory attacks between the two groups; however, the police high command has assured that things will be okay. This is because police in the National Capital District (NCD) and the Central province are hard at work to ensure that the murder and arson incident at Waigani in the early hours of Monday morning does not escalate to other parts of the city and the Central province. The Commander of NCD/Central, acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Turi, has confirmed that police officers from both NCD and Central have been tasked to monitor the command and ensure that nothing like this happens again. He said the investigators are doing their job to firstly identify the deceased, obtain statements from possible eyewitnesses, and create a file that will guide them in further investigations. Commander Turi said the report is sketchy at this time because the Engans and the Goilala's who are involved are yet to come forward to provide statements on what really happened that led to the death and destruction of the market. He also said there are many social media posts regarding this incident that are misleading, which the police are also working to verify and provide updates to the public. He stated he will comment on what really happened when the investigation team collects statements from both sides. He added that police officers in Central are patrolling their areas of operation in Central Province and have confirmed that there are no roadblocks along the Hiritano Highway, contrary to social media posts. He also added that in the city, police units are monitoring possible locations where they think either group may meet to cause trouble in relation to the Waigani killings. Commander Turi said it is an unfortunate situation that has caused many people to suffer, as vendors have lost their food to sell inside the market, and the people who buy from Waigani market now have to travel to other locations to do their buying of fresh garden produce. “I want to assure the public that the situation at Waigani is under control, and my police officers, along with other support units, are hard at work to ensure the city is safe,” Mr. Turi said. “My call now to the city residents is to respect each other. Port Moresby City is Papua New Guinea, and it is not a village where people move around in ethnic groups to harm others and cause trouble in the city.” “We have noted that many people are moving into the city every day, making policing a challenge for us daily,” he said. He further added that the number of unemployed people has increased in the city, which has led to criminal activities. He said police have limited powers to control the movement of these people coming into the city. “I do not want my police officers to correct these unemployed people and get blamed for correcting them because most of them do not know the basic laws on how to respect others who are living in the city. Awareness after awareness is made, but people do not listen; that is why we see people losing lives and properties.” “The incident that started at Waigani involved unemployed people asking a security guard for money, and when they received a negative response, they attacked him, which led to the destruction of properties and lives lost,” Turi said. Commander Turi also commended police officers for their efforts to quickly respond, carry out the investigation, and maintain their presence in the command.

The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Constitutional & Law Reform Commission (CLRC) has launched its latest Corporate Plan that will guide the Commission to deliver on its mandated role in the next four years. The CLRC is a Government Commission established by parliamentary act in 2004, the Commission is charged with considering reforms to the laws of Papua New Guinea. Speaking at the launching ceremony on Friday 16th May in Port Moresby city, the CLRC Secretary, Mr. Mange Matui stressed on its significance and clarified that this is their third corporate plan. “Having a corporate plan is more than just having a legal document, it provides clarity, direction for our work,” stressed Secretary Matui. The CLRC’s first Corporate Plan was made in 2018, and the second one was in 2020, which plans out how CLRC delivers on its mandate for those many years. “Today, I’m proud to present to you our third corporate plan for the period 2025 to 2028. It is our organizational compass.” Apart from focusing the CLRC on its role, the corporate plan also them to reflect on the lessons learnt on the implementation of the CLRC’s mandate. “It allows us to take stock of the past, improve or correct approaches and design a forward strategy for an effective law reform in PNG,” said Mr. Matui. Mr. Matui then went on to say that the most important thing now, is to implement that corporate plan. “A plan is only as good as its execution. No plan will succeed unless we the custodians of this organization (CLRC), own it and act on it.” The CLRC at the same occasion, launched the new official CLRC logo, the first for the Commission. Mr. Matui stressed on the importance of a logo. “A logo gives a face to our name. It allows the public to instantly recognize the Commission, whether on official documents or a policy report.” “Secondly, it talks about trust and professionalism. In the legal and public policy space, trust is paramount.” Meanwhile, the Attorney General (AG) Pila Ninigi MP, who was special guest at the occasion, applauded the CLRC for this milestone achievement in the new logo and the launching of the Commission’s third corporate plan, saying it marks another new chapter in PNG’s development journey.

The Disaster and Emergency Response Mechanism in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is currently being reviewed with the aim to improve the response to disasters, both natural and man- made disasters. The Minister for Defense Dr. Billy Joseph announced this recently (May 6th) in Port Moresby city, saying that the review was a decision of the National Executive Council (NEC)- Decision No: 300/2024, which gave the approval. He said this review is important as it will improve effectiveness on the process of managing the impact of disasters in PNG, whether natural or man-made. The purpose of the review is to put in place an effective disaster management mechanism called the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) as a long- term strategy aimed at establishing an effective process of managing the impacts of disasters, in which provincial governments, Local Level Government (LLG) and the communities should work together to better prepare for respond to, and recover from naturally occurring and rapid onset events that cause serious distributions to communities. “The review will basically set the stage for the establishment of the National Emergency Management Authority. NEMA will bring together players in disaster response and management together under one organization for effective prevention for elective prevention, response and management of natural and man- made disasters,” said the minister. The Review Team will be led by Mr. Ray Paul- former Commissioner of Customs and will be assisted by Retired Major General Gilbert Toropo and former Chief of Emergency Medical at Port Moresby General Hospital Dr. Sam Yokopua (who is now member elect for Porgera Paiala). This exercise will further look at the provisions of the existing legislations governing; I. National Weather Service, II. PNG Fire Service, III. Volcanic Observatory Center, and aspects of Department of Geohazard and Mineral Policy to fall under the ambit of the NEMA, IV. National Disaster Center, V. National Maritime & Safety Authority, and VI. National Ambulance Service, VII. NDoH Emergency Medical Services. It is envisaged that the proposed NEMA will have the capability to cover all Disaster Risk Management Cycle. The Review is expected to be completed in six (6) months.

What better way to let everyone know about what you do and what you are all about than to have a massive digital billboard to do the talking for you. Well, that was exactly what the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) went ahead to do to make it known to everyone out there about what they are all about when they launched a new digital billboard at its premises in Konedobu, Port Moresby in a small ceremony witnessed by staff and curious on-lookers. The Managing Director of the MRA Mr. Jerry Garry, cut the ribbon to mark the launching. He said that the occasion was a demonstration of the organization's commitment to transforming the entire institution and to be on par with the latest technological advances in all areas of its work. Mr. Garry then challenged all MRA staff members and divisional heads to be innovative, smart and creative in their respective work areas, to be able to contribute to the sustainability of the mining industry in the country. "The MRA has a mammoth task of finding the next lot of mines. There are technologically advanced systems available which MRA must utilize," he said. Meanwhile, also present to witness the small launching ceremony was the General Manager for Creative Arts Limited PNG, Ms. Ghem Opinaldo. Creative Arts Limited is the contractor that was engaged to create and install the billboard.

The people of New Ireland can expect fisheries-based projects in the province to commence following the recent signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the National Fisheries Authority (NFA). This MoA is to enable the implementation of the National Fisheries Strategic Plan (NFSP) 2020- 2030. The signing took place at the NFA headquarters in Port Moresby on Thursday, May 08th between New Ireland Governor, Walter D Schnaubelt and NFA Managing Director, Mr. Justin Ilakini and witnessed by Provincial Administrator Mr. Richard Andia. The signed MoA now paves way for more collaborative dialogue in developing the fisheries sector in New Ireland. Since the province hosts the National Fisheries College (NFC), the Nago (island) Research Facility and with rich marine resources, Governor Schnaubelt understands this as a significant maritime province for NFA to partner with in terms of fisheries and tourism. Under the MoA there are nine projects listed to be implemented over three years, and this year’s priority projects considered for the province include: · Kavieng Urban Shorefront Fisheries facilities and urban uplift. · Kavieng Foreshore Feasibility study. · Namatanai Fisheries Facilities and urban shorefront uplift which is currently underway for scoping, feasibility planning and design stages. Apart from the MOA, NFA has commitment through the NFC expansion and the Nago Facility to expand for the development of coastal fisheries in the province. The NFA Managing Director Mr. Ilakani, excited by the opportunity to tap into New Ireland Province with the new Governor with openness and determination to implement the MOA, highlighted NFA’s commitment through JICA’s K61 million funding to expand NFC Training Shorefront facility, Nago Research Facility upgrade to PNG Marine Research hub, and expansion of the National Fisheries College. Meanwhile, Governor Schnaubelt wishes to see more work in effective partnership with NFA and noted that the upgrade of Namatanai and Kavieng shorefronts and the proposed development of Kavieng Fish Market, marked as priority projects.

The annual recognition of employers’ efforts in having their members’ contributions sent in on a timely basis to the National Superannuation Fund (Nasfund), is to ensure members get the best from their life savings. That was the message from the Deputy Chair of the Nasfund Board Mr. Anthony Yauieb in his address at the recent 7th Annual Nasfund Employer Awards 2024 in Port Moresby on Thursday 8th May. He stressed on the importance of members' contributions, stating that the Superannuation Act 2000 guides superfunds to ensure employers on a regular basis submit their employees’ contributions, updating their savings to ensure when they retire, they are financially secured. He said the Annual Nasfund Employer Awards celebrates the outstanding achievements and unwavering dedication of the employers (organizations contributing to the superfund) for contributing to Nasfund. “Since 2017, the awards have fostered strong collaboration between employers and Nasfund, ensuring the wellbeing of our members during retirement,” said Mr. Yauieb. “So, this event has become a cornerstone of our efforts to promote compliance and corporate governance.” Referring back to the Superannuation Act 2000, he said adherence to it ensures financial security and wellbeing for the employees, which is one of the benefits of contributing to superfunds. Mr. Yauieb went on to thank the contributors, its members. “Our employees play a crucial role in the superannuation system,” he said. “Your unwavering commitment fortifies our nation’s economic stability. You are our integral part of our progress."

A man from the East Sepik province was arrested and charged by police in the Central province for possession of an offensive weapon. The 25-year-old man who resides in Edai Town outside of Port Moresby city was arrested by police on Monday 12th May for having in his possession a wire catapult, a weapon with the capability of injuring and evening killing another human being. Central Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Chief Inspector Joseph Salle confirmed that the man initially assaulted his wife on Saturday while under the influence of liquor. He said the matter was reported to the police, who responded and apprehended him yesterday. PPC Salle said that during his apprehension, based on the complaint lodged, it was discovered that the man had in his possession the offensive weapon. "He was charged accordingly with three charges that include domestic violence, insulting words, and possession of an offensive weapon. He is now detained at Boroko Police Station," PPC Salle said. PPC Salle said there are reports of people in possession of such weapons and the police in Central are closely monitoring that to ensure those using them are arrested and charged. He stated that, according to records, the wire catapult is very dangerous. "I am from East Sepik, and I do not tolerate such behavior in my command. The number of wire catapult victims at Boram Hospital in East Sepik has increased in the past, and I do not want that in Port Moresby or Central Province,” stated the PPC. “I want to thank my officers for the arrests made, and we will continue to arrest more if we receive information about people having such weapons in their possession.” He said the suspect is now detained at the Boroko Metropolitan Cell and will appear in court when his court files are ready.

Major progress in the assault and abuse case in Madang involving a mother and her daughter, of which a video of the incident went viral on social media over the weekend. Police in Madang today arrested the culprits responsible for the assault of the two females in a shop (Yaho Supermarket) in Madang town. The video of the assault was uploaded on social media by a bystander. It was through this video that police were alerted and took action, calling on eyewitnesses to come forward and give information, leading to the arrest of the suspects, who are allegedly employees of that supermarket. According to a short police statement released this afternoon to update on the investigation, the mother and daughter have been identified and are assisting police with their investigation. The mother, who comes from Mugil village, Sumgilbar Local Level Government (LLG) in the Sumkar District of Madang province has been interviewed by police while the daughter will be brought in soon for police formalities. The victims are expected to file a formal complaint at the police station regarding the incident, and then police will proceed with the case. The Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Robert Baim has thanked the public for their assistance, particularly those who shared information and tagged police in the social media posts. “Your engagement has directly contributed to progress in this investigation,” he said. Meanwhile, what led up to the men assaulting the mother and daughter in the supermarket is yet to be established. This now pending the investigation to establish what had happened. A full briefing on the incident will be provided soon through official media channels.

Local producers and farmers stand to benefit from a market that is perhaps the closest to Papua New Guinea (PNG) thanks to the creation of a business council. The creating of the Papua New Guinea (PNG)- Indonesia Business Council Incorporate now paves the way for a much stronger trade with Indonesia for PNG goods. Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru at the official launching of the Business Council at the Parliament State Function Room in Port Moresby on Wednesday 7th May, said this is an historic moment especially with the 50th Independence Anniversary this year. He said for so long PNG and Indonesia have had border relations but not so much about trade and investment, the business aspect of the relations. But now, this is being realized with this Business Council that will also enable PNG producers get good returns on their exports to the Indonesian market. “It’s an historic event, it’s taken this country 50 years to realize the importance of trade and investment,” he said. Minister Maru thanked the Marape/ Rosso Government for making this a reality for PNG because Indonesia is important with a huge market with 280 million people and with an economy that is sitting at 1.4 trillion. It’s a huge market for PNG exports. However, he said it is time now to get down to business. The government now must move to enable the transportation of goods along the PNG Indonesia border at Wutung in West Sepik province, enable electricity to flow from Indonesia to Wutung and the establishment of trade enabling facilities at Vanimo, the capital of West Sepik province. Prime Minister James Marape fully supports this initiative, saying that Indonesia is a major market in the Asia Pacific region and it is in the best interest of PNG to trade with Indonesia. Indonesia Ambassador to PNG, His Excellency (H.E) Andriana Supandy said the launching of the Business Council marks a milestone in relations between PNG and Indonesia. “It is an event that expresses how far we have progressed, when we set aside differences and focus on building economic ties for the benefit of both people,” said H.E Ambassador Supandy. He believes the bilateral relations will continue to grow with this new PNG Indonesia Business Council Inc. The Ambassador said this because the Business Council is an addition to the already signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) PNG has with Indonesia from the previous visits and bilateral talks between the previous Indonesian President Joko Widodo and PM Marape. “These MoUs solidify commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said the Ambassador. It was also announced that the interim President of the PNG- Indonesia Business Council is Ambassador Peter Illau, Commodore (Retired). Meanwhile, prior to the launching of the Business Council the National Executive Council (NEC) appointed Ms. Seline Leo- Lohia as the new Trade Commissioner to the Republic of Indonesia. All these latest developments in the relations between PNG and Indonesia has marked a major shift in PNG’s bilateral priorities from border and security concerns to trade, investment and economic development going forward.