The 28-year-old Papua New Guinea international established himself as a favorite with the Broncos’ fanbase during his inaugural season in the capital and scored two tries in 15 appearances. Next year will mark Albert’s fifth season in the UK after moving from his homeland in 2018. And the Papua New Guinea international revealed he is thrilled to have the opportunity to play at the Cherry Red Records Stadium again. “I really enjoyed my first season in London,” said Albert. “Playing for the Broncos in 2023 was something I was keen to sign up to, so to be approached by Mike (Eccles, Director of Rugby and Performance) and reach an early agreement is very pleasing. “I’m happily settled in London and have a great balance of Rugby League and home life which I believe allows me to play to my true potential. “This season didn’t pass without its challenges, but the spirit and togetherness of the dressing room never faltered and that’s testament to everyone who works so hard behind the scenes. “With a strong pre-season and extra focus on strengthening our already solid combinations, I believe we’ll be well placed to challenge for the play-offs next year which is our short-term objective. “I’m already excited to get started and look forward to seeing the fans again in the new year.” The Broncos’ Director of Rugby and Performance Mike Eccles shared Albert’s enthusiasm when confirming the news. He added: “Wellington has fantastic size and power. His experience will be invaluable to our squad next season too, so we’re really pleased to have agreed terms. “He’s become a cult figure, and the supporters love him. On the field he has an incredible presence and a lot of our middles are learning so much from his physicality and overall ability. “Off the pitch Wellington is a real coup for us as well. He gives it 100% when playing, but after the game he’ll be the final player in the changing room sweeping the floor, which is testament to his character. “Wellington epitomizes what I want a Broncos player to be. He’s tough and aggressive when playing, but a real gentleman outside the field. Source: London Broncos Website

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape today reaffirmed Papua New Guinea’s relationship with United Kingdom and the Commonwealth calling it “very important” after he had a conversation with PNG’s new Head of State and Monarch, King Charles III. While in London and getting ready to join the formal events that are part of the funeral rites for Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Marape will join Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae in the events with other world leaders to farewell the late Monarch – Britain’s longest-serving royal who has served for 70 years as head of state in the UK and the Commonwealth of Nations. After signing the Condolence Book at Lancaster House with his wife Mrs Rachael Marape, the Prime Minister said the old ‘republic’ debate might pick up again after the burial of the Queen as to whether PNG should retain its current status with England’s monarchy or choose to leave this path as other nations with links to United Kingdom have done. However, the Prime Minister was clear about his position on this matter. “This might seem outdated to some who say it is of history, but in this modern world, belonging to a family of nations is very important,” said PM Marape. “Closer to home, we belong to the Pacific Islands Forum nations; we belong to the Asia Pacific group of nations; and we are an associated member of ASEAN. “For us on the global stage, being a member of the Commonwealth group of nations, more importantly closest group of nations to the monarchy and to be among the 14 nations, the Queen and now the King remain as our Head of State. “While this remains as a symbolic role, the family of nations is linked to a bilateral relations with the United Kingdom and the outside world as we move forward in contemporary PNG and modern times. “Nation-to-nation relationship through the Commonwealth gives us access to 57 other nations.” The Prime Minister said his government was now placing emphasis on bi-lateral relations by expanding existing political ties in the areas of commerce and trade, and would like to move into the trade of Agriculture produce and products besides the usual ones of mineral, oil and gas. “There is always a benefit of having close ties with one of the G5 Nations, and so maintaining a relationship with United Kingdom is very important going forward into the future. “For me to receive a call from the King is very important. It is symbolic but King Charles is no ordinary king. He has visited PNG four times in his lifetime. The Queen is known to have said that the prince (now King) was fond of PNG. So we have someone who has a very close association with us, Papua New Guinea, who is now the King. “So for us coming here and participating goes a long way. It consolidates and cements our relationship with the Monarch and the United Kingdom going forward,” said PM Marape. The phone call today directly from the King to the Prime Minister was for the Monarch to advise PM Marape of the change in meeting dates from 16th to 17th September between the leaders.

On behalf of the Nambawan Super Board, Management and staff it is my pleasure to wish all of Papua New Guinea a very happy 47th Independence Day. PNG is known as one of the world’s most culturally diverse countries with nearly 850 languages and hundreds of different tribes, but every year on the 16th of September we witness an amazing show of unity in diversity when all our people come together to celebrate this day. It is this unity that the Fund aspires to embody in our work as the Trustee for our over 214,000 hard-working Members who come from all walks of life and all Provinces. Regardless of the differences in our languages, traditions, professions and homes, Nambawan Super is committed to providing the best retirement outcomes for everyone. This year 2022, also marks Nambawan Super’s 60th Anniversary of service to the people of PNG. As PNG’s longest serving superannuation fund, Nambawan Super is proud to have been contributing to the growth of the Nation and building better futures for Papua New Guineans over the last 60 years. As we celebrate these milestones we should also take time to reflect on the values upon which this Country was founded and consider how we can all work together to build a free, peaceful and prosperous Nation as our founding fathers had intended. PNG is blessed with rich natural resources, fertile soil and a population of over 9 million resourceful Papua New Guineans, including 2.8 million skilled workers, that are willing to support the growth of this Country. Nambawan Super aims to utilise these resources through our investments and projects as we continue to support the socio-economic growth of the Nation for the benefit of everyone. We also remain committed to maintaining our high level of Member services through the upskilling of our staff, delivering more superannuation awareness, and continuing the rollout of our Financial Literacy Training to better enable our Members to take advantage of our superannuation products and services for a better retirement outcome. We pledge to continue working with the futures of our Members at the forefront of all our endeavours, as we have done so for the last 60 years. Once again I would like to wish you all a safe and happy Independence Day

The Voice Inc (TVI), a civil society organization dedicated to empowering citizens to build a sustainable future, has successfully completed its two-day induction, on Thursday the 8th of September, to the Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) Online Action-Learning Program with 30 of its Coalition Members and Partners from around the country to build local leadership and collective action for change. The PDIA Program is offered by the Building State Capability at the Center for International Development at Harvard University. The two-day induction and introductory session which was hosted at the Hilton Port Moresby allowed all who are involved to meet one another and go through their first online session with the Building State Capability Team. The program will run for a total of 12 weeks and will come to a close in December of 2022. All partners whom are participating in the PDIA Program work in the spaces of Sorcery Accusation Related Violence, Education, Higher Education, Decentralization and Youth Employment. TVI has taken this step to ensure that through its partners and extensive network, policy reforms and action can be taken within these priority areas. Speaking during the 2-day session, Executive Director of TVI, Maliwai Sasingian, stated that the organization is thrilled to be able to provide such an enriching opportunity to its partners and looks forward to seeing how best TVI can support the work that partners take on as a result of their participation in the PDIA program. “We thank all our partners for accepting our invitation to participate in this program and ultimately joining TVI in our journey to address key issues within Papua New Guinea. The network that this program will create is invaluable and one which we will continue to strengthen. We are grateful to the Australian Government for their generous support and funding for this program”. The program culminated with an official launch event for the Local Leadership and Collective Action Program (LLCAP) which was attended by Heads of Diplomatic Missions, Corporate Supporters and Civil Society Partners. The PDIA program is an integral component of the Local Leadership and Collective Action Program (LLCAP) of the Voice Inc. The participants have departed for their respective provinces on Friday 9th of September and will continue their interaction online until December of 2022.

Credit Corporation PNG is pleased to announce it has declared an interim dividend of 10.2 toea per share in respect of its 1H22 performance, continuing the Group’s strong track record of dividend payments over the past 43 years. This compares to an interim dividend of 4.6 toea per share in the prior corresponding period, representing an increase of 122%. The dates for dividend payment are as follows: • Ex-date: 19 September 2022 • Record Date: 27 September 2022 • Payout Date: 18 November 2022. Credit Corporation Chairman Mr Richard Sinamoi said the Board’s decision in relation to the 1H22 interim dividend reflected the Group’s continued commitment to ensuring shareholder return. The Group achieved a 27% increase in Core Operating Profit and an increase in NPAT of 19% in 1H22 compared to the previous corresponding period. “Our decision in relation to the 1H22 dividend is supported by our strong capital position and the current business outlook, while balancing our commitment to support our shareholders given ongoing market and economic uncertainty.” Mr Sinamoi said looking ahead, as Credit Corporation progresses through its transformational journey, growth opportunities, managed spend on cost, disciplined approach to the quality of its loan book and maintaining an overall strong and resilient balance sheet will remain focus areas for the Group. “We will continue to invest in the simplification of our business, new capabilities, technology and our people, which will allow us to become more innovative and agile in responding to our customers’ needs as we continue working towards our strategic objective” Mr Sinamoi said.

Electric robots will soon be crawling along the sea floor and sucking up precious metals through a giant straw in a controversial trial to mine some of the ocean's deepest, most pristine environments. Deep-sea mining operator The Metals Company has been granted approval by the International Seabed Authority to begin testing its collection system in Pacific waters. It will be the first time since the 1970s that this has been allowed to occur. Deep seabed mining companies want to collect deposits of minerals and precious metals that can be used in the production of products like smartphones and computers. The Metals Company chief executive Gerard Barron told the ABC it was a very significant step towards deep-sea mining at a commercial scale. "We'll be mobilising in the coming days," Mr Barron said. One of the company's vessels is now preparing to leave Mexico, while another is already surveying the lucrative mining zone located between Mexico and Hawaii. "It's a really exciting expedition," Mr Barron said. [caption id="attachment_26655" align="alignnone" width="862"] The company hopes the trial will pave the way for deep-sea mining at a commercial scale. (Supplied: The Metals Company)[/caption] The trial involves a robot that will crawl along the sea floor, collecting nuggets of rock that contain cobalt, nickel and other rare-earth metals used to make electric batteries. These rocks will be sucked up to the water's surface through a device called a riser. "Think of that as a big, long straw," Mr Barron said. The company expects to collect around 3,600 tonnes of material between now and December. Concerns over ecosystem disturbance About 100 people, including scientists, will be on board another vessel, observing the environmental impact of the work. Mr Barron urged people to not jump to conclusions about what those impacts may be. "Our view is 'can we just do the science'," he said. "The evidence that we're seeing … is indicating that we can collect these rocks … at a fraction of the environmental and societal impacts compared to land-based alternatives." Mr Barron said rare metals collected from the seabed were essential in the transition to a carbon-neutral planet. [caption id="attachment_26656" align="alignnone" width="862"] The mining company's subsea collector will crawl along the seafloor, collecting nuggets of rock that contain rare-earth metals. (Supplied: The Metals Company)[/caption] But some scientists argue the true risks of deep-sea mining are not fully understood. Gavin Mudd, an associate professor of environmental engineering at RMIT University, said the ecosystems where mining would occur had taken centuries, or even millennia, to form. "We're dealing with a part of the ocean that has incredibly unique biodiversity. And we're only just starting to understand that," Dr Mudd said. "I think there are real concerns around any disturbance of deep-sea ecosystem like this." Dr Mudd said the environmental impacts should be monitored over decades. "That's often not the way that regulators and companies approach things," he said. "They do a trial for a short time, and then they extrapolate." 'We're not dealing with equatorial rainforests' Mr Barron said environmental monitoring would take place over decades, but expressed urgency to push forward with extraction. "We don't have the luxury of sitting back now and saying, 'well, we should be monitoring this for another 10 years'," he said. "We've been studying this part of the ocean … since the late 1960s. "So the notion that we don't know much about this is just plain wrong." Mr Barron said 80 per cent of fauna living on the seabed was bacteria. "That doesn't mean it's not important, and that we shouldn't do everything we can to understand it, and to protect it," he said. "But it helps that we're not dealing with equatorial rainforests." [caption id="attachment_26659" align="alignnone" width="862"] Nodules collected from the seabed can contain essential battery metals. (Supplied: The Metals Company)[/caption] However, Pacific countries are divided in their opinions about deep-sea mining. Tuvalu Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Kofe said there should be consultation within the region before any exploration or extraction takes place. "I note the numerous procedures that were followed toward the approval of the pilot trial, but I feel that the Pacific i Pacific nations watching closely The government of Nauru is sponsoring The Metals Company's activities in the Clarion Clipperton Zone – a part of the international seabed reserved for Pacific states. s quite divided on the issue," Mr Kofe said. "Nations have declared or proposed moratoriums, citing the unknown risks of mining to our ocean and its biodiversity." Last year, Nauru also pushed the International Seabed Authority to fast-track the creation of deep-sea mining regulations. "We understand why countries are moving in this direction, but the risks are immense, and it is a matter that can affect our entire Pacific family," Mr Kofe said. "I believe further consultation should be undertaken among our Pacific nations before these trials begin." Kiribati and Cook Islands have also been exploring the possibility of seabed mining in their own domestic waters. The seabed minerals commissioner for the Cook Islands Seabed Authority, Alex Herman, said her organisation would be watching the trial closely. [caption id="attachment_26660" align="alignnone" width="862"] Mr Kofe, who became widely known for giving a COP26 statement in water to highlight climate change threats, is concerned about the mining. (Reuters)[/caption] "The Cook Islands is only allowing exploration at this stage," she said. "We currently don't have enough information to support moving to the next phase, which would be harvesting nodules." Ms Herman believes individual countries should be able to make autonomous decisions surrounding seabed mining. "Some of these moratorium calls are confusing, ambiguous, arbitrary and cut across the sovereign rights of our country," she said. Last year, Nauru also pushed the International Seabed Authority to fast-track the creation of deep-sea mining regulations. "We understand why countries are moving in this direction, but the risks are immense, and it is a matter that can affect our entire Pacific family," Mr Kofe said. "I believe further consultation should be undertaken among our Pacific nations before these trials begin." Kiribati and Cook Islands have also been exploring the possibility of seabed mining in their own domestic waters. The seabed minerals commissioner for the Cook Islands Seabed Authority, Alex Herman, said her organisation would be watching the trial closely. "The Cook Islands is only allowing exploration at this stage," she said. "We currently don't have enough information to support moving to the next phase, which would be harvesting nodules." Ms Herman believes individual countries should be able to make autonomous decisions surrounding seabed mining. "Some of these moratorium calls are confusing, ambiguous, arbitrary and cut across the sovereign rights of our country," she said. Allegations of backdoor deals Others have expressed concern around transparency within the industry. Greenpeace Aotearoa seabed mining campaigner James Hita said they were concerned about discussions between mining companies and the regulator, the International Seabed Authority. "They meet behind closed doors," he said. "There is a huge issue with us not being able to scrutinise and not being able to hold to account these companies and the licenses they hold to mine." A New York Times report alleged the International Seabed Authority provided The Metals Company with information, which helped it secure licences to lucrative mining zones. Mr Barron denied the claim. "We are absolutely certain that no information exchanged hands between the regulator and between The Metals Company around the permits," he told the ABC. Mr Barron also raised eyebrows when he represented Nauru at an International Seabed Authority assembly in 2019. He said it was "naive" to suggest his company was influencing the government. "If you've ever met anyone from Nauru, you will know that no one pulls their strings as a nation," Mr Barron said. "They are very proud. They're very forthright, and they're nobody's puppet." Source: ABC Pacific

In form Raiders rookies Matthew Timoko and Sebastian Kris may be playing for a World Cup berth in Friday night's semi-final against Parramatta after being named in an extended Kiwis squad. Timoko, 22, and Kris, 23, are the only two members of the 34-man squad yet to pull on a New Zealand jersey, with Bulldogs hooker Jeremy Marshall-King and Eels winger Bailey Simonsson having played in the 2019 World Nines. The pair have earned their selection after being instrumental in Canberra's surge into week two of the NRL finals after eliminating Melbourne Storm 28-20 last Saturday night. The No.1 ranked Kiwis boast a strong forward pack and spine but are light on for outside backs as coach Michael Maguire playing Parramatta's Marata Niukore at centre in the mid-season Test against Mate Ma'a Tonga. Among the players added to the squad chosen for the Tonga Test are Kiwis veterans Shaun Johnson, Kodi Nikorima and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who may not be available until the knock-out stages of the World Cup due to suspension. Canberra's Corey Harawira-Naera and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, and Cronulla prop Braden Hamlin-Uele also join the squad, along with Marshall-King, Simonsson, Kris and Timoko. Gold Coast hooker Erin Clark isn’t included after being ruled out following knee surgery. Seven of the players are yet to make their Test debuts for the Kiwis – Kris, Timoko, Marshall-King, Simonsson, Griffin Neame, Jordan Riki and Scott Sorensen – but Neame, Riki and Sorensen were in camp for the Tonga Test. “We wanted to name a wider squad so we have all options covered while the NRL finals are playing out,” said Kiwis head coach Michael Maguire. “We’re excited about the depth of players available and the form they’re in. The vast majority of them are in sides that made it into the finals which is a real positive as we look ahead to the tournament.” The Kiwis are due to assemble in Sydney on September 27 where they’ll train for two days before flying to England on September 30. Players selected from the two teams in the grand final will travel separately the following week. The Kiwis will warm up for their World Cup campaign with a match against the Leeds Rhinos at Headingley on October 8 when 2008 World Cup winner Thomas Leuluai will be guest captain in the final match of his decorated career before retiring. The Kiwis will then move to their RLWC base in York. Their opening Pool C match is against Lebanon in Warrington on October 16 followed by Jamaica in Hull on October 22 and Ireland in Leeds on October 28. Source: NRL.com

Red Cross volunteers are struggling to access remote parts of Papua New Guinea to assess the impact of a 7.6 magnitude earthquake. At least seven people have been confirmed dead as a result of the earthquake, which struck the country's eastern highlands region on Sunday morning. Red Cross PNG secretary general Valachie Quagliata said the full scale of the damage is not yet understood. "Papua New Guinea is a very geographically tough location to attend to the impacted areas," he said. Source: ABC Pacific

Community members in Morobe Province have expressed mixed reactions and have publicly cried foul over the first-of-its-kind government allocation of funds to mark and celebrate the 2022 National Independence Day tomorrow. Most of them did not support the government's resolution to allocate K1million to each districts just to observe the national event. They said the funds could have been prioritized on other vital services that were lacking in the remote parts of the country. The Marape/Rosso government has announced it had sourced K1million from respective District Development Authority funds throughout the country which are yet to be disbursed to their accounts for them to celebrate the 47th Independence Day which falls this Friday. Only minority of the citizens aired their views supporting the government's resolution saying it's important the government allocated funds to celebrate independence as its the country's national event and should be celebrated using public funds. Already schools, churches and communities started hosting sporting activities leading up to the observation of 16th September. Dramas, traditional dances and other fun activities are part of the local organizers programme contents to witness. Most local organizers said their planned activities are not to observe the national event just because government has announced funding. They said the hosting of activities have been part of their annual celebration of independence day over the years without public funding support.

New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan has expressed sadness at the passing of Wewak Open MP, Kevin Isifu. Sir J said the late Kevin Eziro Isifu, was a strong People’s Progress Party politician for many years and a personal friend. “As the Minister for Inter-Government Relations, the late Kevin Isifu pushed through my agenda for Greater Autonomy among the Governors and the forerunner platform, the Service Delivery Partnership Agreement,” said Sir J. He said, “Through his work, the People’s Progress Party made strong impressions which led to the decision to empower three provinces, Enga, East New Britain and New Ireland to pioneer Autonomous Government Arrangement.” Late Kevin Isifu later joined another political party before the 2022 NGE but Sir J said they shared several hours of private discussions thereafter. To the wife and family of the late Kevin Isifu Sir J relayed,..“I am saddened that I cannot offer words of comfort to you and family at his passing. But God has a reason for everything and I hope you will find peace in the knowledge that your husband and father served his Province and Country well as a faithful PPP advocate on balanced development and autonomy.”

The Voice Inc (TVI), a civil society organization dedicated to empowering citizens to build a sustainable future, has commenced the Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) Online Action-Learning Program with 30 of its Coalition Members and Partners from around the country to build local leadership and collective action for change. The PDIA Program is offered by the Building State Capability at the Center for International Development at Harvard University. The program will run for a total of 12 weeks and has started with a 2-day introductory session at the Hilton Port Moresby which will allow all who are involved to meet one another and go through their first online session with the Building State Capability Team. All partners whom are participating in the PDIA Program work in the spaces of Sorcery Accusation Related Violence, Education, Higher Education, Decentralization and Youth Employment. TVI has taken this step to ensure that through its partners and extensive network, policy reforms and action can be taken within these priority areas. Speaking at the launch of the 2-day session, Executive Director of TVI, Maliwai Sasingian, stated that the organization is thrilled to be able to provide such an enriching opportunity to its partners and looks forward to seeing how best TVI can support the work that partners take on as a result of their participation in the PDIA program. “We thank all our partners for accepting our invitation to participate in this program and ultimately joining TVI in our journey to address key issues within Papua New Guinea. The network that this program will create is invaluable and one which we will continue to strengthen. We are grateful to the Australian Government for their generous support and funding for this program”. The PDIA program is made possible through the Local Leadership and Collective Action Program (LLCAP) of the Voice Inc. The participants departed for their respective provinces on Friday 9th of September and will continue their interaction online until December of 2022.

BSP Finance PNG, an Asset Finance Specialist and a subsidiary of the BSP Group of Companies with the help of a contractor gave an overhaul to the building by replacing the entire roofing iron including ceilings, fly-wires and electrical wiring. Chief Inspector & Manager Operations Dimon Gah said, “With the refurbishment of this building, it will very much ensure a safe, secure and humane facility that will now provide a good healthcare and effective rehabilitation to the 800 detainees we currently have, whenever they need it.” “More importantly, the boost on the facility will encourage Correctional Officers to serve with pride under a more conducive environment for the rehabilitation process of the prisoners and helps them conduct positive daily activities.” BSP Group CEO Robin Fleming when handing over the project said, “It’s a privilege to stand here every time and handover projects like this, but it’s our staff commitments that makes a difference in improving the welfare of our local communities through interventions in education, environment and health.” “As a part of the communities we live in, we would like to build these relationships and strengthen our community involvement. BSP Community Project initiatives provide an avenue for each of our branch staff to contribute to make a difference. This is not only in PNG but also in other Pacific Countries we operate in,” said Fleming. BSP Finance General Manager Andy Roberts also thanked the Bomana Correctional Commanders and Officers for allowing the BSP Finance team to carry out work needed to improve the building facilities, reaffirming that, “Everyone has a right to good health and welfare and these 800 detainees here at Bomana deserve the same.” Meanwhile, BSP Vanimo also handed over a completed Water tank installation project at Lujan Home for Girls in Vanimo East Tower, West Sepik Province. Lujan Home for Girls is a refuge home in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea run by the SSVM Sisters. They take care of girls ranging from 2 years old to 25 years old. The Vanimo branch team delivered four new water tanks which include one 9,000 litres and three 5,000 litres with main fittings of the storage water pump fully installed. This year, BSP has selected 49 projects as part of its 2022 Community Project initiative, all coordinated and organised by the bank’s different branches, departments, units, subsidiaries and the countries BSP operates in.