Teachers throughout the country still face issues regarding their leave fares even after schools close and festivities reaching its peak. Utmei Secondary School’s Principal, Mr. Benard Manau, who spoke on behalf of his teachers stated that all his teachers had already received their leave fares however, they still encountered setbacks. “Although our teacher’s received their fares, they did not receive the expected amount.” “Me for instance, I applied for my quotation which stands at K33, 000, however, they only paid me K7,500.” When asked if the Education Department has explained the situation, he stated that there was no explanation provided and assumes this is the full amount. “No one has come out and clarified what has happened to the rest of the funds.” Mr. Manau added that this has happened before in 2023 and also in previous years. Teacher's will resume on 20th January 2025, meanwhile students will resume classes on 27th January 2025.

Prime Minister James Marape has urged churches to serve as the unifying factor and anchor of Papua New Guinea's ethnolinguistically varied populace. When he declared that the government will be heavily involving churches in celebrations of the 50th anniversary of independence in 2025, the prime minister made the call. On Tuesday, the Prime Minister met with pastors and church employees from across the nation during a Christmas luncheon in Port Moresby city where he reminded the spiritual leaders of the importance of integrating people into a loving culture that is based on God, the Creator. “If we do not secure our people with the love that we preach about at the foundational level – true love for each other that is anchored in the love for Christ – then our efforts are in vain.” “True love transcends beyond the family, beyond our tribe and goes outward toward everyone. It is anchored in the love for the Creator.” “True love unites and bonds. For a nation as diverse as ours, we need this kind of love, this unity.” “In our country of so much diversity, no other philosophy, no other dogma, or teaching that is devoid of Christ can hold our country together.” “Real authentic Christian teaching has all ingredients of unity in it.” “The Church has a great role to play to help people see the bigger meaning of life, to recognize their place in life, in their communities and country.” At a time when the nation was dealing with numerous social issues, he said, this was particularly crucial. He gave a very personal example of how the church affected his life, since Bougainvillean missionaries raised his father, married him off to his mother, and eventually gave birth to him. In addition, Prime Minister Marape recognized the significant contribution that churches have made to the provision of health and education during the colonial era and in the years following independence, up to the present. “Church has preceded government in most parts; we cannot ignore the role churches play, and we have to give churches their rightful place as we step into our 50th anniversary.” “Next year, churches will be involved heavily in our activities for the 50th anniversary.” As the nation approaches its 50th anniversary, Prime Minister Marape also urged churches to help spread the message found in Leviticus 25: return to the land. Meantime, the Prime Minister leaves today to join the people of Bougainville for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Seventh Day Adventist mission in Bougainville.

Andrew Tobe, a former employee of SP Brewery, has been named the Cluster Cyber Security Officer for HEINEKEN in Malaysia, Laos, and Myanmar, and will be headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Andrew was raised in Port Moresby and is originally from Milne Bay Province and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. He graduated from Papua New Guinea University of Technology in 2008 after finishing Port Moresby National High School in 2004. After his father died in 1992, Andrew's life became difficult because his mother was left to take care of him and provide for him. Despite his financial struggles, Andrew remained committed to his goal of success. Through hard work and determination, he earned the scholarships needed to continue his education. “I dedicated myself to studying rigorously to achieve good grades, which were crucial in winning those scholarships.” “The hard work and perseverance paid off, and I was able to secure the financial support needed to pursue my academic goals.” “My mother was an incredible source of strength and resilience, and we managed to overcome the many obstacles life threw our way.” “These experiences have undoubtedly shaped who I am today and have instilled a deep sense of perseverance and determination in me.” As the Cluster Cyber Security Officer for three HEINEKEN breweries in Myanmar, Laos, and Malaysia, Tobe started a six-month in-person Short-Term Assignment with HEINEKEN Myanmar in January 2024. His short-term appointment was extended until December 2024, and he was also hired as the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) Manager for HEINEKEN Malaysia Berhad, building on the success of his first position. Tobe was later given the opportunity to work as the Cluster Cyber Security Officer for HEINEKEN's activities in Malaysia, Laos, and Myanmar, and he will be based in Malaysia as a result of his exceptional contributions during the Short-Term Assignments. As Andrew’s short-term assignment changed to a permanent position, he expressed profound gratitude to South Pacific Brewery’s ICT Manager, Lena Korugl, the South Pacific Brewery Management team, the APAC ICT Regional Security Lead, and the HEINEKEN Asia Pacific (APAC) team for the opportunity. “He also thanked his mother (Rebecca Kiali), family, friends, and colleagues for their unwavering support throughout his career.” As the leader of D&T activities in PNG, Tobe has extensive experience in ICT operations and a thorough understanding of the Digital & Technology (D&T) sector. Among his accomplishments before being appointed was his 2021 appointment to the position of Information Security Supervisor at SP Brewery, where he made sure SPB adhered to HEINEKEN's Cyber Security Standards. He played a key role in raising SPB's level of security awareness and compliance. Additionally, he contributed significantly to significant ICT projects in a number of company functional areas. Tobe started a virtual short-term assignment in 2023 (July 1–December 31) as a Cluster Cyber Security Officer for Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore. During this deployment, he was stationed in Papua New Guinea. In congratulating Andrew, SP Brewery Managing Director Ed Weggemans stated that SP Brewery is committed to developing people to compete on the world stage.

Tokarara Christian Fellowship (TCF) during Sunday’s Service, just three days before Christmas was led by Peter Pyambaru, speaking on the significance of Christmas as the birthday of Jesus the Son of God as well as our counselor. Referencing Isaiah 9:6, he emphasized the importance of Jesus not just during Christmas season but also in our everyday lives. Mr. Pyambaru urged the congregation and especially the youths to seek out Jesus during times of crisis as the Bible refers to him as a wonderful counselor ["For to us a child is born, ... And he will be called Wonderful Counselor...” Isaiah 9:6]. “If we are facing problems in our lives, we must seek God; come to Jesus who will counsel us from God’s perspective, not man’s.” “God has given our youths a purpose, but young people still stray away from the right path because we neglect the wise teachings of our Saviour.” “Jesus will show us the way because he knows the mind of God.” He further gave examples from the Bible itself from figures like Nicodemus and the apostle Peter. “Jesus counseled Nicodemus, a pharisee, and gave him God's perspective – he was confused about God’s word but Jesus helped him.” “Peter was also counseled by Jesus, despite being an expert fisherman, and Jesus made a him a fisher of men.” Mr. Pyambaru further stated that too often we seek out solutions from human teaching and philosophies which leads to unfruitful results and a distorted view of God. He further thanked the youths and Sunday school children who put up a wonderful Christian drama during the church’s carol's night depicting the birth of Christ. A presentation which he commented was well done, amazing and inspiring. The church will also have a Christmas Day service at 9:30 am Wednesday (25/12/2024).

Thanks to recent improvements made possible by the Incentive Fund Project, the Kapuna Rural Hospital in Gulf Province has been officially acknowledged by The National Department of Health (NDOH) as a Level 4 Health Facility on November 8, 2024, after approving the Certificate of Accreditation. Following a general health assessment of the facilities in September 2023, the NDOH National Standards and Clinician Team recommended that the facility be certified as a Level 4 Health facility, serving a catchment area of 15,000 people in the Baimuru LLG as well as the eastern regions of Kikori and Ihu LLG. The rural hospital is now able to satisfy the expanding demands of its community thanks to its renovated facilities, which include a new emergency centre, dental clinic, birthing suites, operating rooms, and 24-hour solar power, among other amenities. These facilities are a vital part of public health services for these areas. In her remarks about the achievement, Kapuna Medical Superintendent Dr. Valerie Archer cited Nehemiah Chapter 6:16 in the Bible, which describes how our God has enabled this task to be completed. Throughout the years of physical labour, she also praised the dedication of the volunteers from the Netherlands, Brazil, the United States, and New Zealand, as well as the local employees. “Looking back, it was a big undertaking for us but I believe that God gave us the right time to rebuild. A time when Curtain Brothers had a spare pontoon, a time when TotalEnergies were able to help with regular logistics. A time when we had the right people willing and able to help us.” “May the people of Gulf benefit from this new status, may we all benefit, and may it point in the direction to a brighter future for the people of Gulf.” As the Papua LNG project operator, TotalEnergies EP PNG Limited assisted the Kapuna Rural Hospital team with land title, logistics for transporting building supplies from Port Moresby to Kapuna, and logistics for transporting the National Department of Health Assessment team to Kapuna. As of right now, the project has helped Kapuna by training 200 volunteers to combat tuberculosis and installing a new TB ward and sanitary mess for 60 community health workers. The renovation of Kapuna Rural Hospital, which ushers in a new era in healthcare delivery for the area, is the result of the combined efforts of several stakeholders, including Gulf Christian Services, the Incentive Fund of the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership, and other partners. The recognition as a Level 4 health facility, highlight’s the hospital's commitment to providing high-quality healthcare and its preparedness to handle more complex medical cases, benefiting the entire population it serves.

Title: Red One (2024) Director: Jake Kasdan Rating: PG Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Comedy Duration: 2hr 4mins Stars: Dwayne Johnson • Chris Evans • Lucy Liu • J.K Simmons After Santa Claus (J.K Simmons) gets kidnapped, Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), commander of Santa’s Security Team must join forces with independent hacker and bounty hunter, Jack O’ Malley (Chris Evans) to find him before Christmas Day. At its core the film, is about bringing Christmas cheer back to the world, helping people during the hard times. Red One with its action-adventure packed scenes and cheesy Christmas dialogue could easily be a heartwarming holiday addition, if it did not contain suggestive themes. The film does not seem to know its audience. Initially, Red One has what you would typically expect from a Christmas movie, consisting of themes of hope, faith, love and as well as the duality of life. But as the story progresses, there are certain scenes that are unsuitable for children. For instance, in a resort scene, Jack O’ Malley is inappropriately checking out a woman wearing a bikini. Then there’s a scene cut of profane words. Very uncharacteristic for a Christmas movie. When it comes to acting, Dwayne Johnson does not seem to have a lot of range when it comes to playing characters. A lot of films he stars in, he is casted as the stereotypical action hero and Red One is no different. On the positive side, Red One does bring an action-packed twist to a traditional Christmas story. The concept of the North Pole being a technologically advanced society with supernatural creatures is refreshing from the usual setting of a magical village. Overall, Red One isn’t bad but it’s not necessarily good either and I would definitely not recommend it for children.

Port Moresby Nature Park is no stranger to having fun activities for families and this festive season is no different as the park is holding a Jingle Bell Family Fun Day on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd. Activities will include mini-races, puzzles and even a visit from Santa. Port Moresby Nature Park stated that they wanted kids residing within the city to have fun during this festive period. "These programs were designed for kids who are unable to travel out and enjoy their holidays elsewhere." “By participating in our park events, you will not only have a great time at our Jingle Bell Family Fun Day but also support our ongoing conservation efforts.” The event will take place on the park’s Central Lawn. Normal Park admission fees apply. Apart from the Family Fun Day, Nature Park is also having Santa’s Workshop, a holiday program designed for children between the ages of 6 –16. This program helps children develop their arts and craft skills by creating their own Christmas decorations from recycled materials.

Four children enrolled in BbP’s Early Childhood Education program have been photographed in action with their role models by Photographer Roan Paul this week. This year's themes include jobs in construction, law enforcement, hospitality in restaurants, and auto repair and maintenance. Professional role models and BbP partners collaborated to create the series. To find out what the job involves, kids spend a day with their role model. Additionally, the kids are given a little version of a professional uniform so they can feel and look just like their role models. 5-year-olds Quinten Tonny Robie had the opportunity to learn what it takes to be a Mechanic with role model Greg Koyou at Ela Motors training program, Billy Garu Kuri went to the market to source produce and got cooking in the kitchen of The Locker Room Café & Bar with Chef Julz Henao (who is also Ambassador for Trukai), Gracelyn Patrick went to see a construction site with Ruth Dee Guma, QA & Control Engineer for Hebou Constructions and Sandrian Paul took the Water Police boat for a spin in the Port Moresby Habor with Police Chief Inspector, Sylvia Reu, to learn all about policing. Priscilla Kamene will learn what it takes to produce concrete water pipes for civil engineering projects with Peter Auru, Precast Manager at Monier Ltd. Buk bilong Pikinini is very grateful for the amazing welcome the children have received by their role models and teams, making it a memorable and fantastic life-changing Experience. BbP has worked with role models from Brian Bell, CPL, Nasfund, Steamships, Niunet, St John Ambulance, Hastings Deering, BSP Financial Group Limited, PNGAir, Pacific Palms Properties, NAQIA, RSPCA, 9 Mile Farm / Ilimo Dairy Farm, TotalEnergies, Dentons, Theodist, Airways Hotel, ExxonMobil PNG, Ase Boas / Gurias, Pacific Towing and Port Moresby Nature Park to publish 25 reader books already. In addition to giving kids an idea of the kinds of jobs they might like to pursue, the When I Grow Up (WIGU) series teaches pupils about various themes, subjects, and concepts. These are usually explained with plenty of visual cues and interactive exercises that help with comprehension and learning. Favored by both educators and learners, these books depict professions that are both necessary and reachable in Papua New Guinea. These books give a lot of kids a great chance to learn about careers they might not otherwise know about. Besides being a great reading resource, the WIGU series includes lessons in science, design, health awareness, financial literacy, PNG culture, history, environmental science and agriculture, animal welfare, and wildlife conservation. All of these subjects enhance students' general knowledge. The financial investment in creating, producing, editing and printing the WIGU series, is in the hundreds of thousands of Kina, most of which has been sponsored by the Sir Brian Bell Foundation over the past 4 years. The aim of the readers is to inspire the children to value education and think about what they want to be in the future. The WIGU series of readers has also received editing and design support from Wild Dog Books (Australia). Photography is done by Roan Paul Photography and Richard Bridger of Buk bilong Pikinini. Production and scripts by BbP and all written and compiled by BbP Founder Anne-Sophie Hermann. The readers are available for purchase from Theodist , City Pharmacy Limited, SVS Mart or directly from Buk bilong Pikinini’s office and webshop: https://bukbilongpikinini.charity/

Following a four-day Financial Literacy Retail Training held last week at Pimaga Station in the Kutubu Local Level Government (LLG), Nipa-Kutubu District, Southern Highlands Province (SHP), 71 participants received certification. As a component of its "Going Rural" campaign, the Department for Community Development and Religion collaborated with the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) to offer the training. More than 500 individuals, including public workers, community leaders, youth groups, women's organizations, and other local stakeholders, attended the official opening ceremony on December 9 at Pimaga Station. Haotex Kurao, president of the Kutubu Community Development Association, praised the Department's Secretary, Jerry Ubase, and his staff for working with the association to provide the training, which was designed to give the community financial literacy skills. Enoch Kaiyabe, the Manager of Kutubu LLG, expressed gratitude to the Department for coming to this isolated portion of the district, which is known for producing oil, and for bringing financial literacy instruction to the center of the neighborhood. On behalf of Secretary Ubase, Rex Hibuya the Assistant Secretary for the Church-State Partnership Program, expressed gratitude to the attendees and residents for their warmth and excitement. “Education is the foundation for any community transformation, and financial education is a basic skill that enables us to manage and grow our incomes.” “According to the national informal economy audit report for 2018, approximately K12 billion circulates in the informal sector without being banked and this training aims to transition participants from the informal economy into the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector.” Assistant Director for Informal Economy, Cecelia Wrondimi, congratulated the participants. “Kutubu is the first area in the country to host Financial Literacy Retail Training.” “As part of this effort to transition informal economy participants into SMEs, we have partnered with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) and Commercial Banks to facilitate business registration and help participants open bank accounts.” Under the guidance of CEFI representative Paul Tamate, trainers delivered sessions on budgeting and savings using customized training modules. One of the participants, Kambo Junior Vege, spoke on his experience. “We’ve always struggled with budgeting and saving.” “After this training, we can now use our money wisely and create clear budgets.” Primary school teacher Mary Pumuye, speaking on behalf of the women participants, expressed her appreciation. “As a public servant, I’ve realized the importance of budgeting. I encourage my colleagues to take budgeting and saving seriously.” Most participants thanked the Department for providing the training free of charge and promised to make meaningful changes in their financial habits.

East Gate Karate Academy held its 4th Kyu Grading Ceremony on Sunday 15th, Dec 2024 - an event which graduates karatekas (karate practitioners) to the next color level belt. This day witnessed 27 students from various age groups get certified and advance to their new respective karate levels after demonstrating techniques of kihon (基本) - basics or fundamentals; kata (型) - form; and kumite (組手) - sparring. - White to Yellow Belt - Yellow to Orange Belt - Orange to Green Belt - Green to Blue Belt - Blue to Purple Belt - Purple to Brown Belt Speaking at the ceremony Sensei Julius Piku, described Karate as more than just a sport. "Apart from learning karate, martial arts training helps the children develop their confidence." Additionally, he stated that by 2025, the academy should be sending its students to competitions overseas. East Gate Karate Academy is located at Stratos Building, Level 1, Ekere, Savannah Heights, Waigani.

Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP), which offers a free Early Childhood Education program and library services to children throughout Papua New Guinea, raised money for the organization on Friday, December 6, 2024, by hosting an exciting Christmas Charity Golf Tournament with the kind sponsorship of Ela Motors. The Lane Lawyers team emerged victorious following an incredible round of golf, which featured an incredible Hole-in-One on the fifth hole by Greg Downer of ExxonMobil. The NWTL/Fonehaus donated a 75-inch Smart TV to the winning team. Two 50-inch flatscreen TVs sponsored by the Brian Bell/Sir Brain Bell foundation were awarded to MVIL, the "runner up" team that took second place. The 3rd prize was won by the Rotary Club of Boroko, who each won a Callaway Golf bag donated by Ela Motors. 13 additional prizes, went for categories like ‘closest to the pin’, ‘longest drive’, ‘the Tarzan’ (shooting the ball into the trees), ‘best shot’, ‘worst shot’ as well as the ‘water hazard’ (shooting the ball into the pond to unsuspecting resident crocodiles) was great fun for all. Support for additional prizes came from BNBM, CHM, Theodist, Hannah’s Beauty Box, BNG Trading, Kumul Golf Gear, Hilton Hotel, Trukai, Puma Energies, Panamex Pacific Ltd and Budget-Rent-A-Car. With sponsorship support from 9 Mile Farm, SVS Sweetheart Bakery, Waterfront Foodworld, CPL, and Alibi Bar & Grill, the participating teams had a healthy dinner prepared by the BbP team after meeting the BbP children and enjoying a delicious breakfast provided by SVS Sweetheart Bakery, Waterfront Foodworld, and Sanitarium. They also enjoyed "on-the-course" snacks from Lae Biscuit Company and Paradise Foods, bottled water, and drinks from CPL, Alibi Bar & Grill, Ilimo, and Sanitarium. Many participants praised the charity event as the "best organized" and "most enjoyable" they had ever attended, and BbP is thankful to Ela Motors for the opportunity to host it. BbP Founder and Chairperson, Anne-Sophie Hermann expressed her gratitude to their Diamond sponsor, Ela Motors. “We are so grateful to our Diamond sponsor Ela Motors for the amazing opportunity for us to host a second Golf Tournament in support of our programs and services for children’s education.” Thanks to a great “BbP family of donors”; Brian Bell Group of Companies, Sir Brian Bell Foundation, NWTL, Budget Rent A Car, Trukai, Supreme Industries Ltd, Sanitarium, Australian Export Consortia and Market 2000, Ilimo, 9 Mile Farm and Ela Motors coming together to support the event, players had a great time and were able to support BbP to welcome more children to attend its free Early Childhood Education program in 2024.

The Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNGFA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) collaborated to train officers from the PNGFA and representatives from ten forestry companies in Madang and Morobe provinces, on the updated PNG logging code of practice (LCOP) and planning, monitoring, and control procedures (PMCPs) for sustainable forest management. This training was finished as part of USAID's PNG Sustainable Landscapes project, a five-year, $15 million initiative aimed at lowering the factors that contribute to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. The director of the USAID/PNG Environment and Energy Office, David Sean Burt, reaffirmed the US government's pledge to support PNG. “The United States is committed to helping the government and people of PNG to develop climate resilient livelihoods, to support the sustainable development of PNG's forestry sector and to protect Papua New Guinea’s unmatched biodiversity." Trainees included timber industry surveyors, planners, and supervisors. The training is part of PNGFA’s work to increase the environmental sustainability of the forest industry. The revised LCOP includes greater protections for forests and new tools to address climate change. Acknowledging USAID’s support to PNGFA, Alois Jenkihau, PNGFA Manager of Policy and Aid Coordination Branch of the Forestry Policy and Planning Directorate, stated that the training of the revised PNG’s Logging Code of Practice and the Planning, Monitoring and Control Procedures, will help to protect the environment, support the sustainable harvesting of timber and reducing impact of logging on PNG’s forest. “This is a milestone achievement with funding support from both USAID and JICA for the timber industry and the government to part-take in this significant event.” Masato Okabayashi, Chief Advisor JICA-PNGFA Forest Project commended this initiative. “JICA applauds the initiative taken by USAID-PNGSL to partner with JICA to co-fund and support the training of the revised logging code of practice to the Forest Industry Participants in Madang and Morobe.” “JICA intends to ensure PNG’s forest be sustainably managed to meet PNG’s sustainable development goals.” “JICA is hoping for continued partnership with USAID PNGSL and other development partners to support the capacity building of PNGFA and the forest industry in PNG.”