Since the ground breaking ceremony for the proposed new state of the art hospital for the Central province two years ago, the construction work on the K700 million health project is yet to start. This is because the Central Provincial Health Authority (PHA) is still waiting on the technical team from the National Department of Health (NDoH) to do the tender evaluation for the best bidder so that construction work for the proposed Central Provincial Hospital can start, hopefully next year, Central PHA Chef Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. James Amini, said they have sent out the tenders for the master planning and design documentation for the Central Provincial Hospital late last year. They are now awaiting the NDoH to choose the best bidder so that they know the total expenditure before the government can negotiate with other foreign governments to help fund the construction of the Central Provincial Hospital. “For example, if it’s going to cost K700 million, than they will have to negotiate for next year’s budget. So that anything on the construction side will be next year.” But in the meantime, Dr. Amini said they have some funds that are available which can be used to go towards installing the power lines and the water system which they plan to acquire from the provincial medical store warehouse by this year. Dr. Amini also stressed that plans are underway to build their office complex in Bautam and not in NCD.

The SP PNG Hunters squad for the 2024 Hostplus Cup Season in the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) is all set to go with Head Coach Paul Aiton stating that he is proud of how the players and staff navigated a tough and enduring pre-season period, to get to this stage. Coach Aiton proudly unveiled his 30-men squad amidst esteemed guests and sponsors of the Hunters at the Stanley Hotel and Suites in Port Moresby recently. “I am extremely pleased with how the squad has come together and is looking forward to round one this weekend," Aiton said. The SP PNG Hunters will play their very first home game at the Santos National Football Stadium as they host the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls this weekend in Round 1 of the 2024 Hostplus Cup season. Here’s your SP PNG Hunters for 2024: 1. Morea Morea 2. Sanny Wabo 3. Solo Wane 4. Brendon Nima 5. Elijah Roltinga 6. Robert Mathias 7. Clent Lama 8. Gairo Voro 9. Zachariah Selu 10. Jamie Mavoko 11. Joshua Lau 12. Sakias Komate 13. Judah Rimbu 14. Tapia Solu 15. Finlay Glare 16. Whallan Tau-Loi 17. Junior Talin 18. Seal Kalo 19. Junior Rop 20. Jordan Pat 21. Anthony Worot 22. Koso Bandi 23. Manase Kai 24. Weiyah Koi 25. Valentine Culligan 26. Joshua Mire 27. Ila Alu 28. Wendle Kipsy 29. Bruce Bawase 30. Alex Max

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, under the EU-funded STREIT PNG Programme, has collaborated with the PNG government through the National Youth Development Authority (NYDA) to establish Provincial Youth Councils (PYC) in the West and East Sepik provinces to promote youth leadership in agriculture. This initiative aims to empower youths, particularly in rural areas, to have a platform to table youth issues, to become good leaders in their localities, and to contribute significantly to the country's sustainable development through active participation in the agriculture sector. Under this initiative, a series of capacity-building workshops and training sessions where hosted in West Sepik and East Sepik. Through these sessions, 87 youths from the 10 districts representing cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries farming groups, acquired leadership skills and were educated on the structure and mandate of the NYDA, the divisional functions of youth programs, the intricacies of the partnership between the EU-STREIT PNG Programme and the Provincial Administrations, and the importance of youth involvement in decision-making and agri-food value chains. FAO's Gender & Youth Inclusion Specialist Ms. Patu Shang said that the initiative is crucial as it serves as a platform for advocacy and the promotion of youth leadership and innovation in development. "We emphasize the importance of professionalizing agriculture and the participation of youths at all nodes of the cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries value chains, which are key economic drivers in the Sepik region." Mr. Christopher Usuka, the National Director of Programs and Extension Services for NYDA reiterated this in his opening remarks at the workshop. “A formalized Provincial Youth Development Council is a prerequisite for acquiring any form of intervention or support, financial or otherwise from any national or provincial funding basket.” Meanwhile, this initiative also facilitates the establishment of Provincial Youth Councils, providing a formal platform for young people to engage with stakeholders and contribute to policy discussions at Provincial and National levels. This includes mobilizing fellow youths to participate in upcoming elections for their councils and advocating for support from district, provincial and national funding to pursue agribusiness careers. "The Provincial Youth Development Councils will empower young people to become effective community mobilizers and advocates," said Ms. Zilpah Yahamani, Gender & Youth Inclusion Officer of the Programme. "They will play a vital role in fostering the development of a Youth Development strategy, action plan and outreach programs, particularly focusing on promoting agriculture at the local level." During the workshop, the East Sepik’s Youth Development Council Working Committee (ESP-YDCWC) was elected, nominating 7 members (3 women and 4 men). Following the workshops, district youth representatives are expected to engage actively in their communities by organizing awareness campaigns and facilitating the election of District Youth Council Executives with the support of the NYDA. These executives will then be confirmed by the NYDA, which will oversee the establishment of the Provincial Youth Council and will support its efforts in sustainable agricultural and community development.

The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Rugby Football League (RFL), as a full member of the International Rugby League (IRL), is pleased with the completion and the meeting of compliance obligations with the IRL after its 2023 audit submission. Asia Pacific Rugby League (APRL) Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Jeremy Edwards said the APRL Confederation continues to work closely with both the International Rugby League and its members to ensure governance is universally implemented and standards are continually improved. APRL is one of three global confederations that combine to form the IRL. In highlighting one of the sport’s core objectives, Mr. Edwards said it is to improve governance at all levels. “Part of this process is the Annual Membership Audit, which member organizations and the international and regional federations can use as a gauge of progress from year to year. The audit is also a gauge of members’ continuing adherence to the minimum standards for each category of membership.” Following an evaluation of its submission, the PNGRFL was advised that it was compliant with the provisions of full membership. “The PNGRFL is a leader in Asia Pacific and a nation with many years of rugby league tradition and a role model for other nations.” Meanwhile, PNGRFL Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Stanley Hondina said that the game is ever growing and PNG must continue to raise and set standards domestically. “It is important that we stay abreast of the governance requirements and practices on the international front, and meeting the success of this audit is a milestone for our organization," said Hondina. “These are standards that we hold ourselves against at the PNGRFL level.” “We are aware of our journey and that there are key areas that we will continue to work on improving as we keep progressing and will work closely with the IRL in ensuring these areas are addressed this year and going forward,” Hondina added.

The People of the Nakanai District of West New Britain (WNB) province have been urged to unite and work together with the Member and Minister for Oil Palm, Francis Galia Maneke, to develop the new District. Former Talasea Member Francis Marus who had challenged Mr. Maneke’s win in Court said he respects the Court’s decision which has dismissed his election petition. “The right forum to settle election disputes is through the courts not by any other means. I took the matter to court but Court has found that my case lacks substance for the court to progress further and the Court has made a decision to dismiss my case today,” said Mr. Marus. Addressing supporters from both sides, he said the election petition case has ended and he will not pursue the matter in the Supreme Court. “I have the right to take it up to Supreme Court within 14 days but I will not. I will allow my brother to do his job and serve us,” he said. Mr. Marus said WNB and the New Guinea Islands (NGI) region must remain peaceful and anybody who takes the law into their own hands will be dealt with by the law. Meanwhile, in welcoming the Court’s decision Mr. Maneke thanked Mr. Marus for his stance and appealed to supports from both teams and everyone in Nakanai to work together to develop the District. “Our agenda is clear, we have a new District, we are all responsible for our new district and we need to settle down and work in our respective communities,” said Mr. Maneke. The Minister appealed to the people of Nakanai District to stand together and develop the new district to be a model district in the country.

The health staff at the Special Care Nursery (SCN) of the Port Moresby General Hospital can now have ease in making sure that linens which their young patients use will be properly laundered to minimize infections, all thanks to a recent donation of a washing machine. The washing machine was donated by the ex-students of the Sogeri National High School on Wednesday, 21st February. According to SCN Coordinator Dr. Gamini Vali, the gesture brought a sense of relief to the staff because initially a washing machine and a dryer were items needed by the division under the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) this year. “Infection control in our very vulnerable babies is one of the things that is of concern to us so this donation is very timely,” Dr. Vali said. “We had an old washing machine but the carpenters took it out already so this (washing machine) is going to go straight in and then we start doing our own laundries here for the babies.” Interim Team Leader for the ex-students, Mr. Bill Moi Tau shared that the group had come together to do some alumni work to commemorate the school’s 50th anniversary some years back but had gone their separate ways after that. However, he said a loss of one of their members last year had moved the team to regroup and discuss ways to give back to the community. The group itself consists of a lot of members around the country and evern abroad. “Just before we came in, they were sending in their moral support." " They are all happy that we are doing this, “he said. “Thank you to all my school mates from Sogeri from 1992 to 1993 for making your time available today (Wednesday 21st February) for this small but significant event for our babies and our mothers.”

The Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) is pleased to announce the extension of its sponsorship agreement with Trophy Haus Limited, the leading sports equipment and apparel retailer in Papua New Guinea. The renewed contract was effective from 15th January 2024, and will last for another period of 12 months which includes various benefits for the PNGOC and its members and affiliates. As per the agreement, Trophy Haus Limited will provide Store Credit worth K20,000, a Corporate Discount of 28.5% on PNGOC and Team PNG purchases, and a 20% Discount to members of National Federations. Additionally, Trophy Haus Limited will provide an extra K20,000 to support the running of sports clinics through the Olympic Values Program, while continuing to support PNGOC’s Trukai Fun Run event by selling T-shirts in their various retail outlets. “The extension of our partnership with Trophy Haus Limited is more than just a sponsorship agreement; it's a collaboration that brings real value to our athletes and current 40 member and affiliate National Federations who are looking to purchase sporting equipment and gear for their upcoming preparations and events whilst also supporting our programs and fundraising initiatives", said PNGOC’s Secretary General Desmond Kaviagu.

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.