The Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) in partnership with BCFW together with other partners, launched the “Leadership Matters: Benchmarking Women in Business Leadership in the Pacific” report today at the Stanley Hotel in POM. The report aims to provide data and guidance for private sector businesses and organisations. Civil society development partners and governments to develop in business and ultimately, women’s leadership in all aspects of society. Executive Director of BCFW Evonne Kennedy added that, PNG has one of the lowest rates of gender equality in the world and not only is this bad for women and girls but also for businesses. “She said, this report is an excellent resource that informs us where we need to invest to create a fertile ground for the growth, performance and leadership excellence of women.” PNGID President Sharon Kupp Tendui made a call to action for business houses and other organisations to take measures or further set targets to support women into higher levels of leadership. “Women’s leadership is critical to social, economic and political development. That is why this report is important, she said.” “She further stated that, the women representation in our political leadership is and continues to be deplore. However with many social and economic advancements we hope that the launch today will provide the platform for business leaders, the government, stakeholders, all and key persons to start conversations of driving this agenda.” New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner Dr Nathan Ross stated that internationally, women are not represented in leadership roles, including the private sector. Deputy High Commissioner Dr. Ross said, globally women hold only 29% of senior management positions, 5.3% of board chair positions and 4.4% of CEOs. “This low levels of women’s representations internationally reflect a range of issues, especially outdated workplace cultures, systemic challenges and because of sexism and exclusion, he said.” But research shows that women entering or taking up leadership roles impacts positively on companies’ performance and results and this must be encouraged more in organisations, he said. From the data collected, out of the 274 organisations in the Pacific only 50 organisations in PNG took part in the data collection. According to Rosanda Kora from the Private Sector Development Initiative, in PNG, there is no women in Parliament, yet the report found that in the sample of 50 organisations, women held 19% of Board positions, 4% of chair positions and comprised 5% of CEOs. These figures compare favourably with global rates of representation but are lower than the pacific regional averages. She added that, In PNG and across the Pacific, social norms and organisational policies and practices continue to slow down women’s ability to assume leadership roles. Meanwhile, former Secretary General Pacific Islands Forum Dame Meg Taylor said, if we want this numbers to change, then we need to focus seriously into education. “We have to be innovative in terms of what systems we can set-up and to find a way to work with universities to get students engaged with senior leadership programs and to train them to take up those positions, she said.” It all starts with the younger generations, we need to educate them and equip them with the skills set and help them build that confidence to take up rolls like that once that complete their academic year.

Graduating with his diploma in Business Management during the Port Moresby Business College 35th graduation ceremony held at the Sir John Guise Stadium last Friday, Hosea Manas said he wished his mother was there to witness his special day. Hosea comes from a mixed parentage of East New Britain and East Sepik and is also a father to a beautiful little girl. He said it was really tough especially coping with parent-life and schooling at the same time. “Doing my studies and coming back home to being a father was quite a handful for me to deal with but it was all worth it and I am happy,” said the young father. During his exams last year in the month of September, Hosea lost his beloved mother which was the toughest and most difficult experience during his college academic year. It was in the week leading to the exams when he lost his mother and it was a very challenging time for him and his family. During the graduation last week, Mr Manas wore all black to show that he was still mourning the loss of his mother. “She was my firm foundation and my tower of strength. In fact, she was my everything. Her passing last year was really difficult for me during my studies but I managed to pull it off and graduate this year,” he said. Present at his graduation were his big sister Laisani Manas, his wife, daughter and aunt (mother’s small sister). Laisani said, “It was very challenging for the family especially with him welcoming a child and losing our mother at the same time but we all managed to pull this off and for that I am grateful.” “It’s very emotional to not have our mum here but we know that she’s up in heaven watching over us and witnessing his achievement,” Laisani said. Hosea is currently working as a temporary election worker specifically as a data processing officer and said with his experience and his diploma, he is planning to look for a more suitable full-time job which he can use to build his professional career as a college graduate.

Friday 1st April 2022 marked the 35th graduation ceremony for the 2021 graduating class of Port Moresby Business College at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby. Port Moresby Business College Principal Mrs Carmela Mokulabeta congratulated the 539 graduands on completing their respective diploma courses. She said it is only fitting to celebrate the 2 years of hard work and effort each student has put in to make it this far. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not easy for the students and the teaching staff of Port Moresby Business College but they all pulled through and have come this far, she said.” Mrs Mokulabeta said she is happy and proud of her teaching staff that have stood and maintained their standard of delivering quality education to the students. She said, 2020 & 2021 were tough years for the college because most students were infected by Covid-19 or were just sick but despite of this, continued their studies at home with the online learning programs and the school also had the teachers on in-service to teach on modules. The school principal said, “Whether sicknesses or other circumstances comes your way, always stand up and strive to overcome them and that’s exactly what the school and students have done, through the graduation witnessed today.” Students were encouraged to return back to further their education studies with the first degree program to be offered by the school as of 2024 onwards. Mrs Mokulabeta said, as per the strategic plan launched in 2020, a first degree program will be offered most likely for accounting program because UPNG has already accredited their program in Diploma in Accounting. She added that they have already written a couple of diploma courses in preparation for the school to get the degree course. Meanwhile, many graduating students expressed their joy and happiness over the great achievement they had accomplished after 2 years of studies. Hosea Manas from East New Britain and East Sepik expressed his sentiments of joy and said he wished his mother was there to witness his special day. “My mum is my root and my everything, I owe it all to her. I wish she was here today but I know she’s happy and looking down with a smile, he said.” While giving her final remarks to the graduating students, Mrs Mokulabeta encouraged them to press on no matter what. She said, “I believe that you are willing and more than able to do anything and always allow God to be the centre of all your plans. When you face challenges, it’s an opportunity to redefine it and improve a particular process whether in the workplace or somewhere else after you leave today.”

Being the first university in the Pacific to have a 3D technology called the Anatomage Table, president of the Divine Word University Fr Philip Gibbs says he is proud that his students now have the privilege to have such technology to work with. He said normally at a medical school, they use corpses most especially of pigs where they learn to operate on them but at some stage they have to start working on human bodies. Fr Gibbs said that it is very difficult to find human bodies to work with especially in PNG because families don’t like to donate the bodies of their loved ones nor their relatives. With this new technology it makes teaching and learning a lot easier and a lot less messy. "It’s the size of a human person and more detailed for the students to work with by using the digital tools to actually operate on the digital person." “It is a 3D version of a person and you can use it to go right inside a person’s body at the different layers whether it is the muscle structure, the bones or the internal organs to basically operate on a person digitally," Fr Gibbs said. Divine Word University has taken in roughly the same number of students for this year as well. DWU president Fr Philip Gibbs says, people seem to be struggling to find school fees, possibly because of the down turn of the economy due to COVID and a good number of them do not have the financial support/funds to register. He said regardless of this, a total of 1800 students have registered with the university for this year with over 400 first year students receiving their new laptops to assist with coursework over the four years of their studies.

Isolated rural elementary and primary schools in Sogeri especially those far from road access will by the end of this month or the first week of May receive books through the Sogeri Hikers & Adventures “Book Drive”. Founder for Sogeri Hikers & Adventures Mr Kevin Rau said, after his first donation to Kododa, he saw a great need for books for schools up in Sogeri including Iarowari Technical Secondary School where his team will have a 3day hike to deliver the books. “You can help by donating new or gentle used (age appropriate) children books for preschool to grade 10”. Many children in the isolated area of Sogeri do not have books, and without books to read, literacy suffers and when literacy suffers, education and opportunities decline. “Apart from Iarowari Technical Secondary School, we are aiming to visit 3 schools which are Doe, Kaulaki and Utiki Primary Schools.” Mr Rau said he is also looking at visiting more schools by next year and so those who wish to donate books can call or send a message through their WhatsApp number 79423238 or email them on SOGERIHOKERS@gmail.com. “All you have to do is give us a call and we will do the pickup of books from your location only on Wednesdays. Whether it’s one or two books, we will come and pick it up because we see that students need these materials to read and further their literacy skills”. "All are welcome to donate not only library books but drawing, textbooks and any stationeries that you would like to donate for the children up in Koiari," Rau said.

The UPNG ENB Students Association will be hosting its' first mini ENB Night for the year to raise funds towards their end of year Book Drive Project and also towards supporting the welfare of the ENB students on campus. UPNG ENB Students Association President Mr Joachim Lolok said the Night is scheduled for the 22nd of April at Club Illusions and all are welcome to come and support the cause. “Due to the result of most students back home not making it into tertiary institutions; the funds raised will go towards transporting the books over to ENB after receive them (books) from Australia under the partnership with South Pacific School Aid,” said Mr Lolok. "We want students back in the province to make a difference in their lives and we believe that reading enhances knowledge and helps students in their learning," Mr Lolok added. Within the 4 districts in the province, Rabaul, Pomio, Gazzelle & Kokopo, different schools will be selected by the team to receive the books. Mr Lolok said they will not only look into schools in the rural areas but schools in the urban areas of the province as well. Apart from the Book Drive, the students association will also concentrate on one of their big fundraising events which is the Commemoration Day of the Twin Volcanic Eruption that happened in Rabaul. Mr Lolok said, this will take place during the middle of the year here in POM where funds raised through this will go towards their Book Drive Project as well. He added that it is a stressful job but the students make time out of their busy schedules to carry out these projects to help their people back home. “We want that change from our province. We can’t wait on the government to do everything. Sometimes we have to step up and help the people from our provinces,” Mr Lolok said.

Little Franko Barnabas only 10 years of age from Lese Oalai, a small village in Gulf province went missing around 2:30pm on Thursday 24th of March 2022 at Gordons in the Nation’s Capital. Jenny Toivita the mother of the missing boy says she brought in her 3 sons from the village because they were sick and took them to Gerehu General Hospital to seek medical treatment however it has only been two weeks into her visit and she has lost her son. Ms Toivata said they are simple village folks and her kids know very little of the city and she is worried that her son may be having a hard time out there. “Ol pikinini blo mi no save lo Mosbi gut, mipla sa stap long ples (My children do not know Port Moresby city very well). Ol liklik na bigpla long ples tasol (They have grown up in the village). Ol I no save long wanpla man lo Mosbi na mi save osem pikinini blo mi em poret bikos em liklik na em sa toktok liklik tasol (They do not know anyone else in Port Moresby and I know that my son is definitely scared and alone out there because he rarely talks to anyone).” Ms Toivita says, she left her second born son Eugene Barnabas at home with little Franko and headed for the market (Gordons) with her first born son, but minutes later Eugene ran out of the house and left little Franko without any supervision. Ms Toivita said, Franko ran out of her elder brother’s house at Gordons where they have been residing for the last 2 weeks and was missing from then on. She filed a missing persons report firstly at Gordon’s police station and then at Boroko and Hohola Police Stations around 9am on Friday 25th of March 2022. According to Senior Constable Bairen Jimbe, they have filled in an OB entry and have asked Ms Toivita to bring in a picture and other important details (colour of clothes he was last seen in, description of how he looks like, etc.) to complete the missing persons report but she hasn’t gone in yet. Whilst speaking to the PNGFM News team this morning, Ms Toivita said she has informed friends, family and familiar faces around Gordons to keep an eye out for her son. With deep sadness, Ms Toivita is appealing to the general public in NCD and especially around Gordons area to report to the 3 police stations mentioned above if they come across a little boy walking alone and to make sure to ask him for his name & if it is him or if they have any information to call up the stations.

Kavieng Hospital in the New Ireland Province has been running without a CEO since last year. Dr Alex Wangnapi, the former CEO for Kavieng Hospital said, since his contract ended and his suspension without reason on the 10th February 2021, no appointments have been made yet. His suspension is still in place however no chargers have been laid against him yet. Mr Wangnapi is calling on NDOH and the Department of Personal Management to see through this incident that has happened within the Hospital board of management. Furthermore, Mr Wangnapi stated that he is not pleased with NDOH trying to sort out Madang CEO PHA’s problem which arose recently and when they have not done anything yet in the New Ireland province since last year. “They are responding to the incident in Madang very quickly whereas in New Ireland province it is taking a lot of time for them to resolve this issue”. He is also certain that all documents have been given to NDOH & DPM and has said that once there is a suspension, processes and procedures are in place according to DPM employment contract and that has not been followed. Meanwhile, morale and staff performance at the hospital has been down and patients sit and wait for more than 2 hours before they are checked and given treatment. The hospital board of management have not taken proper procedures to put up advertisements & selection of new CEO and the executive management.