At yesterday's (Tuesday) launch of the Pacific Australia Skills in Papua New Guinea program, the Australian Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency, Mr. Ewan McDonald emphasized that skills training and employment are central to Papua New Guinea's economic growth, workforce development and long-term resilience.As demand for skilled workers is increasing in Papua New Guinea, Pacific Australia Skills works with Papua New Guinean partners to strengthen pathways between training and employment, ensuring skills development is practical, relevant and connected to industry demands. It is a locally led approach to ensure the training supports Papua New Guinea's broader development priorities and creates opportunities for inclusive economic participation. The current and emerging areas of collaboration is based on: Strengthening national skills and training systems and providers, Supporting nationally recognized qualifications and locally relevant training pathways, Delivering in-demand, employment-focused training through local, regional and Australian providers, Improving links between training, industry and employment, Supporting workforce linked to Australian Government investments such as the PALM scheme, Supporting inclusive skills development for women, youth and people with disabilities, and Strengthening regional learning, collaboration and knowledge exchange. Even though Pacific Australia Skills in Papua New Guinea was just launched, it is already supporting practical training and workforce development activities across Papua New Guinea, including: Delivering work health and safety, and safeguarding training for Kimbe Wharf construction workers, in partnership with the AIFFP, Strengthening skills for Meri Tradies, which supports women in non-traditional trades such as welding, carpentry and automotive among others, Providing meat works pre-departure training linked to PALM scheme employment opportunities, Upskilling instructors from Bougainville Technical College in automotive training, and Providing hospitality and cookery training for workers in hotels and companies. The current activities focus on partnerships, sector strengthening, short courses, micro-credentials, and non-accredited training. Longer Certificate-level courses will be introduced where they align with Papua New Guinea's priorities and workforce demand. Pacific Australia Skills will also be supporting Papua New Guinea's first ever National Skills Competition, planned for November, to celebrate Papua New Guinea's excellence in TVET to inspire the next generation of skilled workers.

While the recently launched Pacific- Australia Skills program is primarily focused on three key areas to build a stronger skills system and developing skills for employment and collaboration of regional partnerships and learning, it also focuses on inclusion and resilience.According to Ms. Lagaaia Lealilifano Easter Manila-Silipa, who is the Director Skills, Pacific Australia Skills, supporting inclusive skills development for women, youth and people with disabilities is one of the current and emerging areas of collaboration. She told PNG HAUSBUNG that inclusive skills development is about creating a system that promotes inclusion, with training facilities that are easily accessible, adaptable, and responsive to meet specific needs. An example Ms. Manila-Silipa referred to, is accessibility to the training tools, training facilities and training systems especially for people with disabilities. She added that Pacific Australia Skills is not only about inclusion, but it also supports skills systems and training linked to sustainability and industries, especially with countries in the region that are affected by climate change and environmental challenges. She said that it is a regional collaborative effort. That is why Pacific Australia Skills works closely with governments, training providers, industry and communities to respond to PNG's skills priorities, support labor market needs, and improve access to training.

Today marked a historic occasion for the women folk in New Ireland Province as Governor, Byron Chan officiated the launching and Signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between New Ireland Provincial Administration, New Ireland Development Corporation Limited and Mama Bank (Women’s Micro Bank).The event took place at the Sir Julius Chan Stadium in Kavieng, New Ireland Province witness by mothers and women of the province, and other important dignitaries. A total of K1.5 million was given to Mama Bank as loan grants for those 3,000 mothers in the province that already have existing accounts with Mama bank. In his speech at the official launching program, Governor Chan said that the launching of this significant development was supposed to happen a long time ago, but the recent politics in the province did not allow it. New Ireland Provincial Assembly’s Women’s Representative, Fiona Cheong when speaking on behalf of the women, said that today’s signing was more than just a signing of a document. “Today represents hope and opportunities. Most importantly today represents the commitment to empower the women from New Ireland province to become stronger and equal participants in the country’s development agendas in financial inclusion,” said Cheong. She urged her fellow women not to open accounts for the sake of having a bank account, but to use this to open doors to financial opportunities, financial dignity and financial independence. “I encourage our women to fully embrace the opportunity to open savings account, learn financial management, build savings habits and support one and other. Most importantly, use this opportunity to build sustainable businesses to support your families and communities,” said Mrs. Cheong. While he thanked the women of New Ireland province for turning up in numbers to witness this significant signing, Governor Chan also reminded them that they are securing a future for them and their family when opening an account with Mama Bank. According to Governor Chan, he heard about this idea of establishing a women’s bank in the province from his father, the late Sir Julius Chan, about 18years ago. Three years ago, Late Sir Julius Chan mobilized the women and brought in Mama Bank. However, the actually launching never took place, following his passing. “Regardless, this idea or policy to have Mama Bank established here was late Sir Julius’s dream with the mothers. I’m only here as the Governor to implement the actual signing and fulfil my old man’s dream,” said Governor Chan. Mr. Gunanidhi Das – CEO of Mama Bank, thanked the Marape/Rosso Government for their support towards Mama Bank with a K30 million in SME grants, to support the mothers and women in the country. He also thanked Governor Chan and the New Ireland Provincial Government for ensuring the signing of the MoA took place for the benefit of the mothers and women in the province. While Mr. Das made mentioned some of the other products and brands offered by the Mama Bank, He encourages the mothers to utilize the financial literacy training they acquired and learn to save. He told the mothers that when they earn to save and keep a good report of their financials, it helps create other opportunities for other investment opportunities. The K1.5 million funding will give the mothers that already have an account with the bank to obtain loans for up to K500 per women to use as seed capital or to support their business, especially for those that have SMEs or other businesses.

The Papua New Guinea Women’s 3x3 Basketball Team has departed Port Moresby for Gold Coast, Australia, for the Final Oceania Development Camp which started on May 22nd and will conclude on May 28th. The Team members taking part are Jacky Asiba, Philomena Isei, Normalisa Dobunada and Lynnette Tongia along with their two coaches Garvin Dela Cruz (Head Coach) and Fenimore Salilum (Assistant Coach). The development camp is part of the team’s major preparation for the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July. Speaking to PNG HAUSBUNG, President of Basketball Federation PNG, Mr. David Peter wished the girls well and emphasized the importance of the opportunity. “My only message for the team is to grab hold of this opportunity to improve your individual performances and as well as the team performance.” “It will be a good learning experience for the girls. As they prepare for the Commonwealth Games.” According to the President, the list for Commonwealth Games has not been fully finalized as yet. The high-performance training in Gold Coast will help firm up their trainings and team in the coming weeks.

In a major boost for rural connectivity, residents of Danu in New Ireland province are now officially connected to the digital world following the successful installation of a new community Wi-Fi network recently. This initiative was made possible through a collaborative effort between the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) and Offgrid Master, who successfully completed the installation project on the ground. Prominent New Ireland local leader and advocate, Jonathan Mesulam, confirmed the successful rollout, expressing gratitude for the partnership that brought the project to life. He emphasized that the newly established network is a cornerstone of a broader, long-term vision to deliver four essential pillars of development directly to the community: Education, Health, Financial Services, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT). ​The immediate impact of the Wi-Fi setup is already being felt, with the service expected to improve educational opportunities and administrative efficiency in the area. Beneficiaries from this successful project implementation are New Ireland’s Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE) students, who can now have reliable, high-speed internet access to support their online learning modules, research, and distance training programs. Banking and Financial Institutions can now provide other services such as Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS) machines and support agency banking services, bringing financial access to a traditionally underserved population. ​At the same time, local businesses and residents can now access online ticketing, Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) registrations, and Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) tax services without the need to travel into town. This is Digital Transformation removing barriers and bringing essential services right down to the doorstep of communities that have being without such services for years. Furthermore, the Niu Ailan Savings and Loan Society (NASALS) will utilize the connectivity to streamline its agency services, ahead of their official opening of their new building, scheduled in June 2026. The newly connected infrastructure ensures that the facility will be fully operational and digitally equipped from day one, providing seamless financial services to the people of Danu. ​The network will be open, allowing community members to access the internet for personal use, connect with family, and stay informed on national and global news. “We are currently using this Wi-Fi connection today. The infrastructure lays the groundwork for sustained socio-economic growth in Danu,” Mr. Mesulam concluded as he extended his sincere gratitude to NICTA for the WiFi support.

The Hiri-Koiari District Development Authority (DDA), under the leadership of Keith Idihu, donated a new police vehicle to Biura Police Post recently, to boost policing work along the Motuan coastline. At the presentation ceremony of the vehicle, Central Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector Joseph Salle expressed his appreciation to the Hiri-Koiari DDA for their continuous support to the police. As it clearly shows the importance of police presence in maintaining law and order in the Hiri West sub district and Central province as a whole. When being interviewed by PNG HAUSBUNG, Chief Inspector Salle said the current number of vehicles presented to Police by the respective Electorate Parliamentary Leaders is eight. Hiri-Koiari DDA has the most vehicles donated to respective police post with a total of 4 vehicles so far. He said, Laloki, Sogeri, and 15 Mile police stations, had previously received police vehicles from the DDA, which are currently serving the people in the district. He also stated that Hiri-Koiari is a large district therefore, mobility is a problem, which is why the DDA saw the need to provide these vehicles. “This vehicle donated by the Hiri-Koiari DDA to Biura Police Post will now serve the people of Hiri West, which covers the Motuan coastline from Manumanu to Papa-Lealea villages,” said PPC Salle. PPC Salle also said that it has always been the geographical setting of Central province, with its wide stretched land mass which makes police movement more difficult when responding to distress calls or attending law and order matters. “With the support we are getting from the local MPs with the vehicle donations, it will help us to move quickly and on time to respond to issues and also, help us to carry out our policing work more efficiently and effectively.” PPC Salle has urged all police officers to be responsible when using these vehicles. He said, these vehicles must be well maintained and used only for policing work in their respective areas. Moreover, PPC Salle has also extended his appreciation to Digicel PNG, for their support through its mobile and other digital services that they continue to help the police with. “Using Digital technology and other ICT tools in this time and age is very vital, with the rapid growth in the ICT and Digital sector.” “What Digicel has done for us over the years, through their variety of service and products.” “This is an essential means that we really need to help with the delivery of our policing responsibilities in the province.” Meanwhile, the PPC is calling out to the people of Central province, especially the villages and communities living along the Magi and Hiritano Highways, to be always vigilant and avoid walking or sitting on the roads or roadsides. “Accidents happen all the time, we have no control over it. As police we cannot stop accidents from happening.” “We can only raise awareness to protect you from accidents and deal with the offenders when the actual accidents happen,” PPC Salle concluded.

The public has expressed outrage on social media following the upload of a particular team from the Electoral Roll Display and Verification Exercise carried out by the PNG Electoral Commission in Port Moresby on the evening of Wednesday, May 20th. PNG HAUSBUNG reached out to the PNG Electoral Commission to get clarity on the content of this video which shows a unanimous man arguing with the electoral officials on site as to why they are conducting this exercise in the night. According to the Assistant Election Manager Alfred Laho, the team leaders are given strict instructions and also guidelines to follow. While all the other teams in the North-East and North-West electorates are complying to the instructions, this one particular team, especially the team leader decided, by himself to allow the exercise to continue into the night. “For this particular team leader, we will deal with him administratively,” said Mr. Laho. “We are trying to identify which laws in the election offence to charge him.” “We are also trying to set some precedents to arrest and charge electoral officers who misconduct by not following our instructions to carry their task in the field.” An agitated Election Manager, Mr. Roney Hawengao told PNG HAUSBUNG that the team leader’s actions were completely out of compliance with the standards the PNG Electoral Commission is establishing for the roll display and verification process. “I just want to make it clear that what happened that evening is not from us, the PNG Electoral Commission,” said Mr. Hawengao. “This team leader knows very well the operating time for this exercise, and the exercise stops at 4pm and not beyond that.” He added that his decision and action to work into the night is a decision from himself, and they are not sure what was his intention to do what he did, as the instructions were straight and clear that 4:00PM sharp is the finishing time for all sites. Mr. Hewangao, further stated that they have reported the matter to the police to also make arrest the person in the video, who threatened the officials and kept on saying stuff which is not true. “What the person was saying in the video is misleading and not true.” “The person that posted this video has to come forward and apologize for circulating falls information to tarnish the work we are doing.” “Such misinformation can have a negative impact on the bigger things we are trying to do, and that is the Electoral roll update which is scheduled to start in mid-June to July of this year and might extend to August.” “This is the most important part of the exercise.”  “But here we are, just doing the roll display and verification for people to come and see and check against your names, if some details are not correct.” “We want to collect and register your correct details, so that we capture correct stats.” “What we are doing also now with this exercise is to gain back the confidence of the people in NCD, particularly, the voters.” “That is why, I made myself clear during our briefings to adhere and comply with the time.” “If they don’t follow, they will face the full consequences. This will only set the precedence that we are serious to delivering results,” Mr. Hawengao concluded. Currently, 15 teams from Moresby North-west and another 15 from the North-East are rolling out the Roll Display and Verification Exercise. The exercise for Moresby South will be conducted after North-East and West complete, while Motu-Koita has recently and successfully completed their Roll Display and Verification exercise.

The victorious PNG Barramundis returned home today, following their successful campaign at the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East-Asia Pacific Qualifiers in Japan, held from 8th-18th May 2026.The tournament champions arrived at the Jacksons International Airport, where they were welcomed by their excited family members, friends, and the media. PNG HAUSBUNG spoke to Barramundis Captain Assad Vala, who was really pleased with the team’s overall performance throughout the entire tournament especially, the senior players in the likes of Sese Bau, Tony Ura and Lega Siaka, who were all well supported by the young players. The skipper was very impressed with the debutants in the team, and how they handled themselves in the game, by playing to the structure of the team, which helped win their matches. “Overall, I was happy with the squad we assembled and the mixture of the players we have, and it looks really good for the future of the team as well,” said Vala. “However, there are some areas that we need to work on. Areas where we did not do well in the tournament against tougher opponents, still need a lot of work to be done.” He added that their focus now is to get back to training, work on areas to improve in the next coming months to get themselves prepared for the next Qualifier or any other ICC tournament. Meanwhile, Vala mentioned that the team is still waiting on the official final standings from the tournament in Japan to confirm whether they have qualified directly for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, or if they will need to compete in another qualifying round. The Barramundis players will now be taking two weeks break to spend time with their families before they get back into training to prepare for upcoming tournaments and matches.

The PNG Barramundis are the Crowned Champions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East-Asia Pacific Qualifier in Japan, following their all-round top-class performances that had them finish as the top team after the completion of the Super Six stage.The Barramundis produced a dominant performance throughout their campaign at the qualifying tournament by recording wins against Indonesia, Cook Islands, Samoa, and Vanuatu, while their only loss was to the host Japan in their final match yesterday (Monday 18th May). Both PNG and Japan finished with eight (8) points apiece; however, PNG had the highest and more superior net run rate of +2.1200 compared to Japan’s +1.4807, as PNG took out the honors of Champions. “We’re really happy; the team had prepared the opportunity to give themselves to play their best, and we’ve done that through different stages of the tournament, and we gave ourselves a buffer with the net run rate. So, I’m really happy for the team,” said Head Coach, Tim McCaskill. The Barramundis next assignment after this tournament is uncertain; however, McCaskill believes that they have secured a direct qualification spot for the T20 Men’s World Cup after their success in Japan. “With the win in this tournament, we’ve given ourselves an opportunity to go to the next qualification stage. And I’m really happy and thrilled for the team,” said McCaskill. The winning coach told PNG Haus Bung in an interview that the highlights for him and the team were the selection of four PNG players in the Team of the Tournament. “Tony Ura was terrific with the bat, Lega Siaka was the Lynch-pin to run chases and to setting totals at different stages, and Sese Bau was a big contributor with both bat and ball, and John Karioko has proven everyone that he is a real talent and a dangerous left arm spinner to lookout,” said the coach. The coach was very appreciative of the support they have received from back home in Papua New Guinea from all cricket supporters, as it really helped lifted the team. At the completion of the tournament, PNG scored a Total of 751 Runs across 100 Overs, while restricting opposition teams to 539 Runs scored against them from their allotted 100 Overs. The May 12-18, 2026, Qualifiers in Japan saw a total of six (6) Nations from the East-Asia Pacific Region competing for progressive opportunities towards the ICC Men’s T20 World cup. PNG’s strong all-round performances across the tournament highlighted the team’s consistency with both bat and ball, including dominant victories and disciplined bowling displays throughout the competition. Further details regarding the ICC qualification pathway and progression to the next stage are expected to be confirmed by the International Cricket Council in the coming weeks.

More than ten (10) Public Motor Vehicle (PMV) buses in Port Moresby city were removed from the roads and taken into the impound, as police continue the crackdown on road un-worthy and unregistered public transport buses.This morning the main Waigani-Morata bus stop was seen packed commuters scrambling about on any available buses to find their way to school and work, as police were on sight to remove buses breaching the traffic rules. Mostly, the old PMV buses that service the public on the Waigani-Morata route were removed by the police. PNG Haus Bung was on site and spoke to a Police Senior Constable from the Road Traffic Division. When asked what was happening? He said this was part of the ongoing operations to remove road-unworthy and un-registered buses on the roads in the city. He said apart from that, they were also looking at buses that were overloaded and continued to breach road safety rules. PMV buses that broke simple traffic rules were also taken off the road and were served with infringement notices according to the traffic offences they had committed. He added that they are also charging the bus crews that do not have the proper crew permit to operate. However, the general public especially the working population and school children were left stranded at the bus stop, to scramble for the few PMV buses that were given the all clear to operate. For those few buses operating, they were warned by the police to follow their correct routes and collect the normal approved bus fares from the passengers. Failure to comply will result in the buses remove and locked up, and the bus driver and crew charged.

Young 24-year-old Shanelle Rahman, a recent graduate of the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) with a bachelor's degree in human resources management, is happy to be part of the 12 pioneer interns of the inaugural Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) Internship Program.The MVIL Inaugural Internship program was launched today at the MVIL Head Office in Port Moresby city. The inaugural program provides an opportunity for Ms. Rahman and 11 other interns who just graduated from various universities and tertiary institutions from around the country. The intern group consists of 6 females and 6 males. Speaking on behalf of the very first cohorts of the MVIL Internship Program, Ms. Rahman thanked MVIL Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Bafino Koi and his Executive Management team for their vision in establishing the internship program and providing such opportunity for her and the other interns. “Special thanks to our mentors and supervisors, who in the next 3 months will be opening their doors and their busy schedules to guide us through this program. Your willingness to invest in us, not just as interns but as future leaders, will not go unnoticed,” said Ms. Rahman. She called on her fellow interns, that as pioneers of this program, they hold a unique position as the first of MVIL’s internship program and it is their responsibility to set the benchmark, to learn and actively contribute to the principles and programs that defines MVIL. Ms. Rahman also expressed her deepest appreciation to MVIL for trusting them to bring their energy, fresh perspective, and dedication to serve in the organization. “This isn’t just a task-oriented internship; by inviting us into your professional world, you are showing a commitment to bridging the gap between academic theory and industry practice. And we appreciate this investment in our personal and professional growth,” said Shanelle. She concluded by emphasizing the importance of this program launch day, saying it marks the beginning of a legacy of excellence for the MVIL internship program. “We are ready to work, ready to learn and ready to contribute to the continued success of MVIL. And we are grateful and thank you again for this incredible opportunity.

Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) today launched its Inaugural Internship Program with the first 12 Interns as the pioneers, at MVIL head office in Port Moresby.The MVIL Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Bafino Koi welcomed the 12 university graduate interns into the organization and gave them an overview of the mandated functions and operations of the organization. “The MVIL internship program that we are launching today basically emphasize on MVIL’s commitment to young Papua New Guineans. We’ve seen a lot of applications coming through MVIL. But our workforce capacity is we can employ only up to 330 at the moment,” said Mr. Koi. The MVIL internship program is a means to also address the unemployment gap that continues to increase in each passing year. The aim is to give young graduates that come out each year an opportunity to start off their careers, a good way of giving back to the people. “Seeing that need, we decided as part of our plans and the way forward is to actually introduce this Internship program. We actually came up with this program last year and was included in our corporate plan this year. And with the necessary policies and guidelines put in place to operationalize it, we are actually seeing this internship program launched today,” said Mr. Koi. According to Mr. Koi, they are taking the first batch of 12 interns from the 30 or more applications they have received as they have met the criteria and passed the screening process. The program will carry on with another batch of interns to be taken in, once the first batch completes their internship after 3 months. The internship program will run for three (3) months. After completion, the interns will be given the opportunity to continue employment with MVIL or venture out to other organizations.