Member for Bulolo, Sam Basil Jr, has expressed frustration over the looting of shops in Bulolo Town in Morobe Province in which he has now appealed to the youths as well as the general public in Bulolo to remain calm and refrain from violence. “The country is going through a tough time as we speak and let me remind everyone in Bulolo and Morobe that this looting and vandalism started in Port Moresby and then spread to other districts.” Bulolo district unfortunately came under the same spotlight in regards to the civil unrest of the alleged increase in income tax. “I as the Bulolo MP of the day, am very sad and frustrated with the recent situation and I call on my youths and people to remain calm and let our government deal with the grieviences of our law enforcers.” He stressed that grievances must be handled through proper channels to avoid opening up windows for a civil unrest such as what is happening now. Basil also said that during such times, people are using social media to spread misleading and provoking information that can spark problems in other centers around the country. “Such times are perfect for fake politicians and failed leaders to emerge out of their caves and TAKE ADVANTAGE of the situation by beating their chests and telling everyone they have the solution to every problems.” In addition to this, he has now appealed to the people of Bulolo and the country to be ware of misleading and incorrect information and social media trolls. “These are people who love social media platforms like Facebook so much that they can manipulate readers and instigate violence through their posts.” Furthermore, he stated that law and order must be left to the police force to uphold the rule of law and to maintain peace and restore normalcy.

Prime Minister James Marape has announced that the government's allocation for school fee assistance for this year, 2024, will see a significant boost to K856.686 million, marking an increase of K88.846 million from the 2023 allocation of K767.84 million. The announcement comes after an extensive meeting with Education Secretary, Dr. Uke Kombra, on the outcomes of the Department of Education in 2023 and priorities set for 2024. This will see the first quarter allocation of K214 million which is anticipated to be disbursed this month, just before the commencement of classes. Prime Minister Marape emphasized the need for accountability in the utilization of these funds during the announcement and urged all school administrations to responsibly manage the annual disbursements, covering both school fees and project fees. “The Government is making a substantial annual contribution for school fee assistance, encompassing various fees.” “We expect school administrations nationwide to uphold transparency and responsibility in utilizing these funds dedicated to the education of the children of our country.” Having served as the Minister of Education from 2008 to 2011, Prime Minister Marape stressed on the importance of ensuring that every child receives an education, aligning with the government's continued heavy investment in the education sector. “No child should be left behind! All the interventions we are making are geared towards empowering the next generation to contribute to a better Papua New Guinea.” He further called for a collaborative effort, highlighting the shared responsibility between the government, parents, and citizens. He also urged citizens to recognize their role in supporting the education of their children and not solely rely on the government. “This year, in addition to the K856 million for school fee assistance, we are also supporting programmes like the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP), Higher Education Contribution Assistance Scheme (HECAS) and Tertiary Education Study Assistance Scheme (TESAS)." Moreover, Prime Minister Marape encouraged parents to actively participate in supporting schools through various means, such as contributing resources, working for the school, ensuring security, and engaging in activities that benefit the educational institutions.

Prime Minister James Marape recently extended a warm welcome to the Department of Higher Education Research Science and Technology’s (DHERST) 2024 Management Action Plan (MAP). The welcome came following a comprehensive session last week with the Minister of Higher Education Research Science and Technology, Don Polye and Acting Secretary Professor, Father Jan Czuba. The primary objective of the meeting was to evaluate the advancements made throughout the year in 2023 in the higher education sector where the discussion held were based on the implementation of the 2024 MAP for the ministry and the department. Importantly, the plan will facilitate the creation of additional space in higher education institutions (HEIs) to accommodate the increasing number of grade twelve school leavers. This involves establishing elevated standards of education and welcoming private HEIs to complement government schools. “This comprehensive plan meticulously outlines the department's strategy and roadmap for fulfilling its coordination and regulatory responsibilities within the higher education sector,” said Prime Minister Marape. “It recognizes the ongoing reform in the higher education sector, geared towards achieving our government's development objectives of enhancing access, improving quality, and ensuring student success." "Collaboration and support from key government agencies and development partners are imperative, therefore is through their collective efforts that we can fully realize the transformative benefits for many years to come.” Prime Minister Marape said that he is confident that the MAP DHERST has developed will guide the department in advancing the government's reform agenda, aiming to transform and unify the higher education sector. “Through the implementation of the initiatives outlined in this plan, we will make significant progress towards achieving the policy goals of the government, particularly the commitment to leaving no child behind.” In addition to this, there are five key components of the 2024 Management Action Plan which are: 1. Enhancing Access: • Implementing measures to improve access to higher education for disadvantaged and marginalized groups. • Strengthening partnerships with educational institutions at the provincial and local levels to expand access to quality education. • Developing and implementing scholarship programmes to support underprivileged students. 2. Improving Quality: • Enhancing the accreditation and quality assurance mechanisms for higher education institutions. • Establishing quality benchmarks and standards for various academic programmes. • Promoting research and innovation to elevate the quality of education offered. 3. Ensuring Student Success: • Implementing student support programmes to enhance retention, progression, and completion rates. • Improving career counseling and placement services to facilitate successful transitions into the workforce. • Enhancing the quality of teaching and learning by providing professional development opportunities for educators. 4. Strengthening Governance and Regulation: • Streamlining regulatory processes to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in monitoring and evaluation. • Enhancing transparency and accountability in financial management within the sector. • Collaborating with relevant stakeholders to develop and enforce policies that govern the higher education sector. 5. Collaboration and Partnership: • Strengthening partnerships with national and international organizations to leverage resources and expertise. • Engaging with industry leaders and employers to align curricula with labor market demands. • Promoting knowledge exchange and collaboration among higher education institutions both locally and internationally. Prime Minister Marape further stated that by focusing on these areas, DHERST aims to foster an enabling environment that supports the growth and development of higher education in the country. “The successful implementation of this MAP will significantly contribute to the advancement of our government's vision for an inclusive and prosperous society.” “I thank Minister Polye and Secretary Czuba for their continued support and guidance in ensuring the success of these initiatives.” “I look forward to working closely with them and the respective stakeholders to transform our higher education sector for the benefit of our nation.”

St Mary Medical Centre in Port Moresby finally re-opened its maternity ward and also opened its operating theatre as of November of last year, 2023. The maternity ward reopened after being closed for nearly two and a half years due to no gynecologists specialist available at the medical centre. It was then in September of last year that a female gynecologist and obstetrician, Doctor Gwenda Tabagua, finally came on board to work for St Mary after being asked by the previous gynecologist who had worked there for a short period of time, to apply for the gynecologist position. According to Dr Gwenda, she told PNGHAUSBUNG that the previous gynaecologist had only been working there for about two months however had taken up another job therefore, had reached out to Dr Gwenda informing her about the vacancy and was from there that she decided to apply in which she successfully took up the job. After coming on board, it then took a month for the maternity ward to undergo renovations and maintenance work before being able to operate again as well as give Dr Gwenda and her team time to get themselves together and prepare themselves before the ward’s reopening with support from the hospital board. “This is an affordable hospital compared to other private hospitals and clinics in the city and with that, the board has been working towards opening the maternity unit again to help those seek services that are easy for them to pay for.” Subsequently after a month’s work of maintenance and renovation, the ward finally opened in November and since then has so far seen a total of five deliveries that took place in the newly renovated ward. “In the month of November, we had two deliveries and in December have seen three deliveries.” “Currently at this time, we are only attending to easy and normal deliveries whereas for those who face or may face complications during their delivery, we quickly refer them to Port Moresby General Hospital where they have more than one specialist doctor that can be able to attend to them.” In addition, the maternity ward has been designed to be built in a family-oriented space where families can be able to visit their newest member of the family and this is what the staff and board of St Mary aim to create. The ward itself, contains a labour room with a self-contained bathroom and toilet, followed by a lounge area where the families can sit when they go to visit and also a post-natal room contained with four beds and four cribs each for the new born babies. Meanwhile, not only did the medical centre witness the reopening of the maternity ward in November but also saw the opening of their operating theatre as well. Dr Gwenda stated that as for the theatre, it only conducts and operates on minor cases such as bone surgery, paediatric surgery, men’s health surgery and other general minor surgeries. She also shared that she is eager to give back go her community the help they need especially after being away from the country for fifteen years since 2008 where she also served as a gynaecologist in Australia. Furthermore, St Mary is dedicated to providing affordable health care within NCD and has been in operation under the Catholic Health Services since 1998 in which was recognised by the Health Department and PNG Medical Board. The medical centre has then expanded over the years with services encompassing general outpatient, obstetric and gynaecology, surgery and point of care services.

Wests Tigers have announced the signing of star five-eighth Jarome Luai on a five-year deal. The three-time premiership-winning playmaker will join the club from Penrith at the end of next season. Luai has played 107 games for the Panthers over six seasons, making his NRL debut in 2018. The 26-year-old has helped Penrith to three consecutive grand final triumphs over the past three years, during which time he made seven State of Origin appearances for New South Wales. Wests Tigers head coach Benji Marshall believes the addition of Luai will be great for the club. “We are super excited to announce the signing of Jarome for the 2025 season on a five-year deal,” said Marshall. “His experience as a genuine premiership-winning playmaker will be great for us and the future of our club. “We love the way Jarome plays his footy and even better, he is a great person. “We very much look forward to welcoming Jarome and his family to our club in 2025, but right now, season 2024 is our focus.” Luai is excited about joining Wests Tigers but wants to focus on his final season at the Panthers. Luai will make the move to Wests Tigers at the end of next season and reunite with a few of his former Panthers’ teammates Api Koroisau, Brent Naden, and Charlie Staines. Luai informed the Panthers of his decision to accept a long-term deal with another club before Christmas and his departure was confirmed after the club waived the NRL's new 10-day cooling off period for contracting. He has played 107 games to date for the Panthers since his debut in 2018, helping the club to three consecutive premierships, as well as making seven appearances for the NSW Blues (2021-23) and 11 appearances for Samoa (2017-22). Wests Tigers' pursuit of Luai comes after confirmed that new interim CEO Shane Richardson had withdrawn the club's offer to Tongan forward Addin Fonua-Blake, to instead focus on the star playmaker. Richardson has previously tried to recruit Luai to South Sydney and made it clear at a press conference upon his arrival that the Penrith and NSW Origin representative would be the No.1 target for Wests Tigers. "I've made my feelings well known on Luai for a long time," Richardson said. "In my opinion, he was the best young half coming through. He's proven at the highest level that he's the best young half coming through. "Not only that, he's a great team leader – that Penrith side revolves around Luai. He is a great person off the field, despite what many people like to try and make out. "You couldn't meet a better person than him or ask for a better person than him at the club." Despite the star playmaker's decision to move on at the end of the 2024 season, Penrith remain well stocked in the spine with co-captain Nathan Cleary signed until the end of 2027 and young playmaker Jack Cole until the end of 2026. Former Raiders playmaker Brad Schneider joins on a two-year deal from the start of 2024 while rising star fullback Isaiah Iongi joins the full-time squad in 2025 and could be an option to shift into the halves with Dylan Edwards signed until 2028. More to come. Source: NRL.Com  

The Assemblies of God, Life and Hope Church at Tubusereia in Central province recently kicked off their annual Carols by Candlelight event which began on the 24th of December and will conclude on the 31st of December. Missionary Charlie Vagi who is also assisting in the coordinating this event, told PNGHAUSBUNG that this is an annual event held at Tubusereia to bring together every family in the community to celebrate the spirit of Christmas. According to Vagi, this year’s event was organized and hosted by the youths of the Assemblies of God, Life and Hope Church to involve other youths in the village and nearby communities in taking part in such activities that will refrain them from attending to illegal activities. Just like previous years, the church formed four groups in which each group presented a number of items including gospel dances, singing, dramas, etc. Vagi stated that the groups represented different pacific nations including, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand and Cook Islands. “We wanted to do something out of the ordinary by adding colour to our event by portraying other pacific cultures in our event and with that is why we came up with this idea.” The event includes giving away consolation prizes as well as judges who will also be present to award the best performing group. This Vagi shared, was an initiative that they took upon themselves as a Church to making it a memorable, spiritual and also a fun activity for everyone to enjoy. “As we all face our own conflicts and hurdles in life, such activities like this can bring the community together in the power of unity and by celebrating on such times of the year like this especially during Christmas, will bring joy and happiness to our lives, as long as we follow the true meaning of Christmas.” Furthermore, Vagi has extended an invitation on behalf of the Church for those interested to join and see what the Church and the community has planned out, can do so as it is open to the public. The program will conclude on New Year’s Eve with a bonfire to welcome the New Year and farewell 2023. This will also give the opportunity to the people to reflect and be thankful for the year that has gone by and to look forward to what the New Year will bring.

The Kangaroos have retained No.1 spot in the IRL World Rankings, despite suffering a record 30-0 loss to the Kiwis in the final of the Pacific Cup. The Jillaroos are also No.1 after splitting their two Tests against the Kiwi Ferns, winning one apiece, while the Wheelaroos are fourth in the wheelchair IRL World Rankings. The Kangaroos rose to the top spot after winning last year’s World Cup and Mal Meninga's men beat Toa Samoa in Townsville and New Zealand in Melbourne before suffering their biggest loss in 115 years in the final in Hamilton. The result sparked criticism of the Australian team and may cost some players their representative careers, while Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris won the IRL Golden Boot as the best international player. However, the Kangaroos are still regarded as the best team in the world, with the Kiwis in second post in the IRL World Rankings, ahead of England, who are now No.3 on the back of a 3-0 series win against Tonga. A year after their shock World Cup elimination by Toa Samoa, England have leapfrogged the Pacific nation, who suffering a 50-0 loss to Michael Maguire’s record-breaking New Zealand team and a 38-12 defeat by Australia in October. Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, France and Lebanon, who have swapped places, are next, with Cook Islands rounding out the top 10. Cook Islands have climbed into the top 10 at the expense of Serbia, who rose from 15th mid-year but are now 11th after heavy losses to France and Netherlands. The Dutch have risen from 18th to 12th spot after winning all five of their matches in September and October, while Serbia have climbed eights spots to 20th following a 2-0 series triumph against Greece, who played in last year’s World Cup. In the women's IRL World Rankings, the Jillaroos remain No.1 while the rise of the PNG Orchids to fourth spot completes a top four of the semi-finalists from last year’s World Cup, who have qualified for RLWC2026. Tonga has climbed three places to 13th spot after their 28-10 defeat by New Zealand – a respectable loss against a highly rated opponent. Cook Islands are sixth, ahead of the other three Pacific nations vying for World Cup berths - Tonga, Samoa (20th) and Fiji (21st). Netherlands are 18th after beating Greece in their recent international debut, while Kenya, Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana and Uganda also feature in the women’s rankings for the first time – taking the number of participating nations to 28. There has been almost as many sanctioned international matches involving women’s teams in the past two years as there was in the previous seven years. In the wheelchair IRL World Rankings, England retained No.1 spot from France after last year’s World Cup finalists enjoyed a win apiece in their recent two match series. IRL Chair Troy Grant said the rankings reflected the volume of internationals activity in 2023, with 64 sanctioned international matches being an unprecedented number outside a World Cup year. “In a nine-day period alone we had 23 sanctioned international matches, which was wonderful to see,” Grant said. “We have the Pacific Championships up and running in the Southern Hemisphere, with Papua New Guinea as winners of the Pacific Bowl and New Zealand as winners of the Pacific Cup. “We also had an historic tour by Tonga to England in the Northern Hemisphere, which was well won by England. “The Kiwi Ferns upset the Jillaroos for the first since 2016, as well, and in the women’s game, we had 18 senior matches this year compared to 12 non-Rugby League World Cup matches in 2022. “That is a 50 per cent increase, which demonstrates the growth of the women’s game, with women’s matches in all four IRL regions. “We had the first ever women’s games in Africa, for which Nigeria and Ghana will be credited in our sports annals and is a wonderful step forward, and in the women’s Americas Championships Canada enjoyed a convincing victory. “The on-field activity is what it is all about, ultimately and I have every confidence that the on-field content will only continue to grow, as will the competitiveness and status of international rugby league.” The IRL World Rankings are determined by the following criteria: Teams are awarded ranking points each time they play a sanctioned international fixture. Result and margin: The bigger the win, the more points the winning team receives and the fewer points are awarded to the loser. Strength of opponent: The higher the ranking of the opponent the greater the weighting of the result. Importance of the match: Games in official competition are weighted higher than bi-lateral arranged games. Rugby League World Cup games carry the greatest weighting. More recent games are weighted higher than older games and only games since the 2017 World Cup are considered. The rankings reward teams who are active and win games. Source: NRL.Com

It was a joyful moment for the needy children at the Tembari Children’s Care yesterday when visiting the BSP Head Office to share their Christmas. The BSP staff at the Waigani Head Office made a choice to open their hearts and show kindness when donating gifts through personal contributions for these needy children. BSP Corporate Sponsorship Manager, Amelia Minnopu, when presenting the donation to the children said that Christmas is a truly remarkable time of the year as nothing makes someone feel better than being a socially responsible member of society. “It gives us an immense amount of happiness that we are able to bring a smile on the orphans’ faces by providing them with these gifts to show love and care.” “We thank our staff for their contributions as well, as your generosity to give back and bless others to make Christmas feel special to these children,” said Minnopu. She further said that children in orphanages are not fortunate to celebrate Christmas with parents and family. Therefore, in capturing the true meaning of Christmas and sharing it with others, she believes that this signifies the bank’s continued support to its community and people. Meanwhile, Founder and Director of Tembari Children’s Care Inc., Hayward Sagembo, thanked BSP for choosing them, as it was a surprise for everyone at the care centre. “Thank you for the good heart in donating to us and making sure every child in our program feels special this Christmas.” Christmas is a time of giving and sharing and BSP continues to make it special for the needy; not only children but the sick and less fortunate people in the community through their donations including hospital visits and treating the homeless and women at the Family and Sexual Violence Centres around the country.

The Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) Board at a special executive meeting held this week, received a comprehensive report from the Secretary General and Treasurer on the 2023 Pacific Games’ budget, revenue, and expenditure. It was reported to the Board that the seven Air Niugini charter flights to send Team PNG to the Games which cost a total of K1, 965, 846, were paid for directly by the PNG Sports Foundation and that K3 million was deposited into the PNGOC account. This Government contribution of K4, 965, 846 almost fully covered Team PNG's total expenditure on the Games, which amounted to K5.2 million including some preparation costs over and above those funded by Kumul Consolidated Holdings Annual Sponsorship. In addition to this K3 million received from PNG Sports Foundation, PNGOC also obtained K1 million for the Medal Rewards. After considering the report and recommendations concerning the break up, the board resolved to pay medal rewards to Team PNG athletes, officials, and National Federations (NFs) for their contributions to the medal tally at the 2023 Pacific Games. Team PNG athletes’ rewards are Gold medal in the amount of K5, 000 (per medal per athlete, where each athlete received K5, 000 each), Silver which is K2, 500 and Bronze, K1, 000. Meanwhile, Team PNG officials’ rewards are Gold medal Head Coach is K2, 000 (fixed rate, not per event) Gold medal Managers and Assistant Coaches is K1, 000, Silver medal all officials, K750 and Bronze medal all officials, K500. Officials will be paid a fixed rate for the highest medal won by the sport. Reward payments to officials are subject to their final Games Reports being submitted to PNGOC. In alignment with the original proposal submitted to the Minister for Sports regarding Incentives, the PNGOC Board has agreed to distribute the remaining balance from the K1 million to National Federations after athletes and officials' rewards are disbursed. The Board will determine a fair and reasonable basis for sharing the available funds among the medal-winning sports. Taking into consideration the Government support and PNGOC’s fundraising efforts, the PNGOC Board has agreed to reimburse levy fees to National Federations. Individuals who paid directly to PNGOC will be reimbursed directly, while National Federations that imposed levies on their team members must reimburse those individuals. Moreover, PNGOC is working to process all medal rewards for athletes and officials by this Friday and the processing of related payments will continue into the New Year. After the completion of all payments, PNGOC will submit a comprehensive report and fund acquittal to the Government through the Ministry of Sports and PNG Sports Foundation.

The Catholic Diocese of Alotau in Milne Bay Province and one of the twenty successful recipients of the Digicel PNG Foundation’s Community Grants program for this year, recently launched its sanitation facility project for Ho-Owalai Primary School in Milne Bay Province on the 17th of November, 2023. Through the Leadership for Change Community Grants Program, Digicel Foundation provides grants up to K50, 000 to local organizations across the country who deliver projects in the areas of health, education, water and sanitation, sustainable livelihoods, and safety. In terms of grants, Digicel Foundation provides support in terms of capacity building, coordination and monitoring to ensure that these organizations successfully deliver their projects. The Community Grants Program has been provided annually since 2019 and to date given K3.5 million. Sr. Esther Pizarras from the Catholic Diocese of Alotau thanked the Foundation for the K50, 000 grant that was used to build the sanitation facility for Ho-Owalai Primary School which has seen the school using pit toilets since its establishment in the 1970s. It has also been a challenging exercise to build pit toilets, as the soil in the school area is mostly clay and muddy. Thanks to the Amethyst Builders & Engineering, the facility which includes six septic toilets was constructed within a period of less than two months. Meanwhile, Head Teacher for Ho-Owalai Primary School, Mr. Vase Guniniei, was also grateful for the ongoing support received from the Catholic Diocese of Alotau and thanked Sr. Esther for her commitment and efforts in pushing for the school’s development. He also expressed that everyone including the school Board of Management, teachers, parents, and students were excited to receive the much-needed facility that will improve hygiene and sanitation in the school. “We are very thankful to Digicel Foundation for giving us this opportunity, as we will enjoy and take care of this facility for as long as we can.” “I would also like to encourage others who have received support from Digicel Foundation to take care of these assets that are provided freely.” To date, Digicel Foundation has invested K169 million into projects in all 22 provinces and over K2.1 million in Milne Bay Province. Furthermore, for the past fifteen years, Digicel Foundation continues to invest with a goal of creating a connected, educated, safe and healthy PNG.

Air Niugini has now issued an advice to its valued customers that the airline has now resumed flights to Cairns Airport in Australia as of Tuesday, 19th December. Flight PX 98 departed Port Moresby for Cairns as of Tuesday afternoon and returned at night with those passengers who were disrupted from the previous flights. Air Niugini suspended operations to Cairns’s airport since Monday, 18th December, due to continuous rain and flooding that resulted in the closure of the airport. Furthermore, Air Niugini will now return to its normal scheduled operations today.

The Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) has expressed both gratitude and anticipation as it has announced a significant transition within its leadership. After nearly three decades of outstanding service, the Secretary General, Mrs. Auvita Rapilla, has now decided to retire. Rapilla's leadership and unwavering commitment has left an indelible mark on the PNGOC, contributing significantly to the advancement of sports in Papua New Guinea and the Olympic Movement. Her tenure including thirteen years as Secretary General has been characterized by loyal, distinguished service, astute guidance and an unwavering dedication to the promotion and development of sports in Papua New Guinea. Her contributions have been integral to the success of the PNGOC, and her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire those within the sporting community. Whilst bidding farewell, the PNGOC has also announced the appointment of Mr. Desmond Kaviagu as the new Secretary General, effective January 2024. Kaviagu, who has served as Rapilla's understudy for the past four years, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position. As a modern-day manager and sports administrator, he is well-versed in the intricacies of the three respective games movement and our organization's operations. His appointment follows a stringent and transparent recruitment process conducted by the PNGOC Executive Board with the assistance of Vanguard International, and we are confident in his ability to lead the organization into a new era. Additionally, Rapilla, in her capacity as an International Olympic Committee member continues her invaluable association with the PNGOC as a Board Member. Her ongoing involvement ensures that her experience and insights will remain a guiding force within the organization. This transition signifies both an end and a new beginning for the PNGOC and has expressed gratitude for her remarkable tenure and also look forward with optimism to the leadership and vision that Kaviagu will bring to the role of Secretary General. The PNGOC is confident that with the continued support and collaboration of National Federations, sponsors, and stakeholders, it will reach new heights in promoting and developing sports in Papua New Guinea.