BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) continues to build its greatest asset, its People, through mentoring and building professionals to lead the biggest bank in the Pacific. Recently, the bank appointed Ms. Sandra Fore to the position of Country Manager for BSP Solomon Islands. She commenced office in November, 2021, and was into the second week when BSP Ranadi was burnt during the riots and civil disturbances in Honiara. With the confidence and support of the BSP Management and Executive, she was able to provide leadership to her staff in Solomon Islands and ensure the bank’s operations were maintained to the extent possible despite the continued challenging conditions in Honiara. “You go into any new role with confidence to get the job done – but it is important to remain humble and just be nice,” says Sandra modestly when asked of her challenges during her second week on the role when the riot broke out in Solomon Islands. “It was big challenge, ensuring business continuity with minimal impact on operations including cash, and preserving staff and customers’ safety,” She added elegantly. “As we know, at BSP we work with, and for, each other; and we progress together – BSP has a great team of people who really work hard at their jobs to get things done, and so, we were able to maintain operations despite the tension,” asserted Sandra. “The bank’s confidence in appointing Sandra to the position as the first Papua New Guinean to Head one of BSP’s Offshore branches is a milestone, and events of the first month have proven Sandra’s capability to take on country management of BSP’s second largest business behind PNG and Fiji,” says BSP Group CEO Robin Fleming when commenting on Sandra’s new role. “Sandra showed true leadership and confidence and was able to remain calm and lead her team without failure,” added Fleming. "Sandra’s appointment also reflects BSP's ongoing commitment in enhancing and increasing staff developments and career path in the bank. She will now have a responsibility for managing BSP’s business in Solomon Islands," said Fleming. Mr Fleming added that; “the BSP Board and Executives have every confidence in Sandra’s capability to effectively execute and manage this offshore branch and delivering results.” “She is a fine example of Papua New Guineans excelling in their respective fields,” he added. Sandra began her career under the BSP’s Leadership Development Program (LMDP), which aims at developing and growing our own senior leaders. More interestingly, under the LMDP program, she was also one of the staff nominated to be part of the team to undertake leadership and management training in South Africa under the ABSA program. She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Torrens University, Australia and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Massey University, New Zealand. She has over 10 years of experience in the field of retail banking in Papua New Guinea (PNG) as well as OSB Management where she has worked since 2018. Most recently she played a key role in BSP’s successful implementation of FLEXCUBE in Vanuatu, providing on the ground leadership and support to both the Compass SMEs and our BSP Vanuatu business. Sandra concluded saying, “I look forward to the rest of my time here in the Solomon Islands as I work with our team to continue providing seamless service to our customers and to grow our business.” BSP prides itself in developing staff at all levels of the organisation and especially local talents in the countries in which we operate in.

19 Hela men, travelling in a vehicle were apprehended by police for carrying offensive weapons which included bush knives and a homemade gun with live ammunition last night in Port Moresby.  Marijuana was also found in their possession. They were intercepted after police responded to a fight involving two ethnic factions at Bomana yesterday during the festive season operations. Police units were alerted with specific instructions to stop and search suspicious vehicles moving within close proximity of the fighting zone. The vehicle transporting the armed group from Hela province was intercepted near Bomana Junction, and each of them, frisked by police. A Police source involved in this operation said, they were probably going to attack their rivals but ran into a police dragnet. They were all detained and are facing charges relating to carrying offensive weapons and drug. Source: Police - NCD/Central Divisional Command FB page 

Cocoa samples from Bougainville have been recognised as one of the world’s best after winning gold at the 2021 Cocoa of Excellence awards ceremony in Rome, Italy. The win follows nearly 9 months of judging, with cocoa samples from all over the world submitted to the prestigious competition. Samples from Bougainville were grown through a research project supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), as part of the PNG Australia Partnership.  Seven other countries from the Asia-Pacific Region received gold during an awards ceremony last week. In the lead up to final judging, a total of 235 samples of cocoa from 53 different parts of the world were examined and 50 finalists selected. A group of international judges made the final selection based on 12 criteria that included bitterness, astringency, acidity, and floral and woody notes. All judging was blind with samples only assigned a number. ‘This is a remarkable achievement, and it will create opportunities for selling Bougainville cocoa in niche markets in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand,’ said Bougainville Director of Agriculture and Livestock, Wendy Pihau. ‘In the final, Bougainville went up against experienced producers from Hawaii, Indonesia and Malaysia. To be ranked with such company is a great achievement. To win gold along with traditional producers from South America, Africa and the Caribbean is a banner day for the Bougainville industry,’ Ms Pihau said. The prized cocoa samples were grown and submitted to the competition by the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s Department of Primary Industries (DPI) at their Kubu Research Station near Buka. James Butubu, the Bougainville coordinator of the ACIAR cocoa project, said ‘I am just so happy with this milestone achievement for our cocoa industry.’ The Department of Primary Industries has been working in partnership with the University of Sydney, PNG Cocoa Board and the University of Natural Resources and Environment as part of the ACIAR project, which is supported by the PNG Australia Partnership. ‘I would like to express my gratitude to the Australian Government for supporting the ACIAR research activities and the Bougainville Partnership’s Commodity Support Facility. This support is improving the livelihoods for farmers and communities,’ said Mr Butubu. The Commodity Support Facility is a grants program for cocoa farmers which provides seedlings, training, tools and machinery. ACIAR Horticulture Research Program Manager, Irene Kernot, in congratulating DPI and the project team, said this exciting achievement validates long running cocoa research in Bougainville and across PNG. ‘ACIAR, through the Bougainville cocoa value chain project, has been supporting cocoa farmers to access premium markets, while promoting gender equity, community health and well-being,’ Ms Kernot said. The Cocoa of Excellence competition is held every two years, co-ordinated by the Rome-based Alliance of Biodiversity International and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture from South America. It aims to explore and develop cocoa that will add diversity to the varieties available to producers worldwide and ensure the industry can prosper through better genetics and good quality and unique flavour profiles.

Following the successful staging of the PNG Air National Championships in Kimbe earlier this month and the Grand Prix competitions in Port Moresby (July) and Kimbe (November), Athletics PNG has now completed its initial round of selections for the Pacific Mini Games being held in Saipan, Northern Marianas in June 2022. This early selection has been necessitated due to limited major competition opportunities during the first quarter of 2022 and final nominations being due in April 2022. These selections place the listed athletes on notice that they need to remain focused, continue with their training commitment and be well prepared for final selection trials to be held during March and April. Squad members not included in this first round of selections now have time to demonstrate improved performances to gain selection prior to the entry deadline. Discussions will be held with individual athletes to clarify any questions that may arise from the current selections. Headed up by Olympian Rellie Kaputin, a total of 19 male and 14 female athletes are being nominated to PNG Olympic Committee for inclusion in this first round, as follows: Leroy Kamau 100m , 200m 4*100m Emmanuel Anis 100m 4*100m Paias Wisil 100m 4*100m Terrence Talio 200m 4*100m Alphonse Igish 4*100m Daniel Baul 400m , 110H 400H 4*400m Emmanuel Wanga 400m 4*400m Jonathan Dende 4*400m Ephraim Lerkin 400m H , 800m Adolf Kauba 800m George Yamak 1500m Aquila Turalom 1500m , 3000m Steeple Abel Siune 3000m Steeple Dilu Goiye 5000m , 10000m Siune Kagl 5000m , 10000m Eldan Toti LJ HJ Peniel Richard LJ , HJ , TJ Karo Iga Octathlon , HJ Lakona Gerega Javelin Toea Wisil 100m 200m , Relays Isila Apkup 200m 400m Relays Leonie Beu 200m 400m Relays Monica Korowi 100m , 4*100m Adrine Monagi 100m H 4*100m Edna Boafob Heptathlon , 400m H Annie Topal Triple Jump , Long Jump Scholastica Herman 1500m Aina Goir 1500m Mary Kua 1500m Mary Tenge 5000m , 3000m Steeple Rellie Kaputin Long Jump , Triple Jump Sharon Toako Javelin Discus Jackie Travertz Hammer The preliminary selections include a total of 11 athletes who are currently based in the USA along with athletes based in NCD , Central , Lae , Goroka (NSI) , Simbu , ENB and WNB. Provision has been made for additional selections to occur during 2022. Selectors will be targeting events where limited selections have been made and in particular will be targeting the hurdles and the distance running events. Final selection for the men’s 200m and 400m is expected to be very competitive and the final three nominees will be determined after considering the indoor competition results in the USA during January and February. Currently there are many events where only one or two athletes have been named hence there is scope to add further athletes who perform well and therefore prove themselves worthy of selection prior to the April deadline. Athletics PNG hopes to be able to stage specific trials for the 3000m steeplechase in March however this will depend on funding as it requires identified athletes being flown to Port Moresby. A half marathon trial is also planned for Lae no later than the first week of April. Nominations for Team Management and Coaching positions are going through the process of review and endorsed by the PNG Olympic Committee and an announcement will be made early next year.

Jivix Yariki - He’s a busy machine any day of every week here at the Port Moresby Nature Park and is someone you’d be happy to meet. Born to parents Andrew and Amo Yariki, from Kainantu in the Eastern Highlands Province, 27 year old Jivix is an only child who’s humble but with a personal drive to achieve his dreams in the field of horticulture. Port Moresby Nature Park recruited Jivix as a Nursery worker on 15th January 2020. His love for learning and enthusiasm in his work has seen him take on additional roles within the Grounds team with the much deserved recognition of earning a Staff Excellence Award this month for his consistent efforts. “Receiving the Staff Excellence Award is a big deal for me as I feel valued for the job I do knowing that I always keep myself busy with a lot of work in and around the Park”, says Jivix Yariki. He jokingly adds that he finds himself doing so much perhaps because he is always looking out for jobs (mi man blo ‘painim wok’) to do once he is done with a task. [caption id="attachment_17872" align="aligncenter" width="573"] Jivix Yariki (front) taking a break with fellow grounds staff Faro (back).[/caption] Jivix’s tireless attitude towards work is truly remarkable! You might see him air-blowing leaves around the Park, tending to plants in the nursery, mixing fertilizer for orchids in the nursery, delivering indoor hire plants to clients, then stocking up new pot plants for sale outside the Nature’s Gift shop all in a day! But young Jivix says he enjoys working with plants and it’s what makes him the happiest while at work. Apart from his grounds work, every month, as early as 7am, you will be sure to find Jivix out in the Main Picnic Area, starting up the barbeque for Nature Park’s monthly staff breakfast for over 60 staff. Since his employment at the Park, Jivix says he is proud that through the support of his immediate supervisor and Team Leader, Mr Junior Muli and the rest of his team, he has enhanced his skills and knowledge where he now knows the names of many plants, their classification and how to use them in landscaping. [caption id="attachment_17874" align="aligncenter" width="564"] Jivix Yariki busy at work trimming tree branches along the main road at Port Moresby Nature Park.[/caption] It is through such determination and passion that Jivix possesses that many youth find themselves thriving here at the Port Moresby Nature Park. At the park, hands-on training and learning is a pillar for all staff for their betterment and the continued operation of PNG’s only recognised Wildlife Conservation Park. Being an employee of the Port Moresby Nature Park, allows an ordinary individual to be part of a great mission in leading education and conservation efforts towards the protection and preservation of some of Papua New Guinea’s unique flora and fauna. Port Moresby Nature Park is a charity organisation that relies on grants and donor funding to operate. By visiting the Park and joining our Membership, you help support the Park’s efforts in preserving PNG’s unique natural environment for future generations, including the Park’s 350 resident animals, majority of which have been surrendered to the Park for care.

Papua New Guinea’s prominent petroleum company, Oil Search Ltd merger into Santos has been welcomed by the PNG Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PNGEITI). PNGEITI hailed the merger as a milestone achievement for both companies who are prominent and competitive players in the PNG petroleum space. “The smooth transitioning of this merger arrangement demonstrates an independent and vibrant regulatory environment in Papua New Guinea where business can operate free of undue control and influence” PNG EITI Head of National Secretariat Lucas Alkan commented. Santos Limited on Friday 17th December, 2021 announced on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) that the merger of Santos and Oil Search Limited (Oil Search) was effected on the same day. Accordingly, Santos has acquired 100 per cent of the issued capital in Oil Search from Oil Search shareholders. “Papua New Guinea EITI is happy to witness this merger of two strong companies and we believe that this arrangement will bring enhanced benefits for the shareholders and the economy. “Oil Search has been a founding member of the PNG EITI Multi Stakeholder Group (MSG) and has played significant roles in the EITI implementation process in Papua New Guinea. “We thank Oil Search as a company for the support PNGEITI enjoyed for the last eight years and we look forward to welcoming Santos, another significant player in the industry now with boosted capacity and as second biggest player in the PNGLNG project and other significant projects that are in the pipeline- to the PNGEITI MSG,” Mr. Alkan said. “We also extend our warm congratulations to MSG representative Mr. Musje Werror, Managing Director Ok Tedi Mining Ltd for being appointed to the Santos board as non-executive director and we look forward to working with him in that capacity as well going forward. “ Mr. Alkan added.

The Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) exceeded its original revenue target for 2021 amid subdued economic conditions. In a small ceremony signifying the added effort, Commissioner-General Sam Koim presented a cheque of K200 million to Prime Minister James Marape at the Manasupe Haus this week. The IRC has now transferred K8.302 billion, exceeding the original target of K8.102 billion by K200 million. In accepting the cheque, an elated Prime Minister, Marape, commended the Commissioner General and his team at IRC for exceptional performance. “I am proud of IRC because they could have used covid-19 disruptions as a convenient excuse to perform below the target. They’ve had 40 covid-19 positive cases at IRC. Covid-19 restrictions did not allow officers to carry out routine compliance activities, and there is a general contraction in the economy. Despite all odds, IRC performed exceptionally well and beyond expectations. For this, I commend them.” Prime Minister said. He added, “immediately after taking office in mid-2019, I have urged our public servants and public sector agencies to address complacency and corruption — two of the biggest impediments confronting the public service machinery. The covid-19 pandemic has tested whether organisations had taken heed of my words. Those that have, like IRC in this case, have risen above the challenges posed by Covid-19 in delivering on its core mandate.” The Prime Minister urged all other government entities to take this as a challenge to prepare for 2022. “My Government is investing in digital transformation at IRC. On Monday, I launched the first-ever online payment portal called “MyIRC”, already online. That is indeed a quantum leap! Next year, my Governme nt han allocated K25 million for IRC to procure a top integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) and another K12 million to set up a GST Monitoring System at all shops where the GST component will be calculated and wired directly to IRC account” "This Government is intentional, hence putting the money where its mouth is. We are not a government that spends only, but makes productive investments in increasing our revenue," Mr Marape said With digital technology, Mr Marape assured that automating many functions and processes will eliminate opportunities far human manipulation and corruption. “Digitalisation removes human discretions and indiscretions that produce corruption," he added. When a cohesive and robust mechanism to collect taxes efficiently with digital technology is established, this will prevent leakages and inevitably boost the collections. The Government is confident that only then, the Government will be in a better position to explore a reduction in some of the taxes, including Personal Income Taxes and Corporate Income Taxes. “That dream is not far away because we have already taken great strides towards it,” were the reassuring words from the Prime Minister. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

PNG men's national soccer team's coach Marcos Gusmao has finally arrived in the country to prepare the Kapuls in the campaign towards the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifier in Qatar next year. PNG Football Association President John Kapi Natto has warmly welcomed new men’s soccer Head Coach Marcos Gusmao who arrived in the country on Tuesday. “On behalf of PNG Football Association Executive Committee Members, the PNGFA Management, MA Presidents and all the supporters of our football here in PNG, I would like to take this time before our Christmas period to warmly welcome our football instructor and Head Coach of the Kapul Men’s National Squad, Mr. Marcus Gusmao all the way from Sao Paulo, Brazil, South America to our shoes,” Mr Kapi Natto said. Gusmao slipped into the country quietly to take up his new position as the new Head Coach. Gusmao’s major task is to prepare our national team for the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifier in Qatar. Apart from coaching and managing the national men’s soccer team, Marcos will also be tasked to assist PNGFA Technical division in formulating at Technical Development plan and will assist with implementation phase of the plan. It is understood that he is happy to give back to PNGFA and it is just fitting to engage him in the development of the technical development plan. The Brazillian is no stranger to PNG when he came here in 2004 to prepare the men’s national team for the 2008 South Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa at that time. [caption id="attachment_17856" align="aligncenter" width="554"] PNG Men's National Football team Head Coach Marcos Gusmao[/caption] “I was appointed as the Team Manager as we prepared the National Team but unfortunately PNG Mens National Team could not travel because it was ruled out by the PNGOC Justification committee for some reasons,” he said. Mr. Gusmao prepared the team for almost six months leaving with his assistant coaches of Bob Morris and Pius Letenge in the same residence as all Brazillians find it a normal thing to their culture. Gusmao is renowned for his hardness and no nonsense in coaching & preparing the national team under the captaincy of former PNG great Richard Daniel and other great players. PNG men’s team beat Kosa FC 2-2 goal and narrowly lost to once the glamour national team of the Oceania, the Solomon Islands with 2 goals to 1 goal loss in Honiara which quoted the critics of who Mr. Gusmao is and what he can do if given adequate time. PNG playing for the first time the formation of 3 5 2 formation did sent shockwaves to the thirty thousand crowds at the Lawson Tama stadium, Honiara Solomon Island. “I believe Gusmao is not the same person and he will speak for himself and what he can do with a limited time he has before going to Qatar. He is a different person some 10-years ago now his mind set is and I quote when I called him from Brazil and his whatsapp words were; "LETS MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT FEAR" as PNG prepare for its first match on the 18th March against New Zealand. “PNG lost two goals to one in Honiara 2012 and drew one-all with NZ in 2016 in Port Moresby but lost to penalty shots in the extra time. Our record is good and strong. I trust that Marcus will do his best with his assistant Bob Morris who is no stranger to Marcus as his former assistant and now to join him again is a great treat’, Mr Kapi Natto said. Mr Kapi Natto urged strongly the members of the men national soccer team to pay close attention to him as he brings his wealth of coaching techniques and skills to team.

A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed between the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and Brave Security Consortium Limited to provide vehicle tracking and monitoring services within the department. Attorney General and Secretary for Justice, Dr Eric Kwa, PhD and Brave Security Consortium Limited, Managing Director, Mr Wesley Roy signed the official agreement at the new WNB building, in Port Moresby. The contractor will provide Vehicle Tracking Security Services and other related support services to DJAG. “I am really happy that the tracking systems will also track fuel consumption,” he said. Dr Kwa also said that it is important that we support our Papua New Guineans companies who are making a breakthrough into the field of Information Technology. “I want to support Papua New Guineans doing businesses because it’s easy working with them,” Dr Kwa said.

Two new generators funded by the Australian Government have been installed at PNG Power Limited’s (PPL) Daru Station in Western Province to stabilise the region’s electricity grid.  This work is the first stage of Australia’s commitment to upgrade and transition the Daru electricity grid to a hybrid diesel-solar system. The PGK3 million generators have provided immediate relief to the Daru electricity network. The funding initially supported short-term hire of a 1MW generator while two new 1MW permanent generators were purchased and installed at the PPL Daru Station. “Through this project, Australia aims to improve the lives of people living in Daru and nearby communities by restoring their access to reliable electricity,” said High Commissioner Jon Philp.   “Australia worked with PPL to procure and install the generators in line with PPL’s requirements. These upgrades are designed to resolve supply issues, particularly during peak periods.” Prior to the urgent support, PPL’s regional centre in Daru had been experiencing severe technical issues with its existing power generator units. As a result, Daru was sometimes experiencing prolonged blackouts, leaving essential services without power. [caption id="attachment_17847" align="aligncenter" width="541"] PPL Daru staff members gather in front of the newly installed generators.[/caption] The new generators restore reliable power to customers in Daru without the need for load shedding, a technique used as a last resort to balance demand and supply of electricity that leaves customers without consistent power supply.  “PNG Power extends its thanks and appreciation to Australia for their generosity in gifting us two brand new 1MW generators for Daru. Our people in Daru will celebrate this Christmas without load shedding,” said PPL General Manager Generation, Benny Kimisive.  “In response to this very timely assistance, PPL’s Generation team is committed to realigning our processes to prioritise planned maintenance to ensure the longevity of these machines. This will greatly improve reliability and availability of electricity.” As part of a longer-term solution to secure Daru’s electricity supply, Australia is also supporting improvements to the PPL-owned mini grid at Daru Station that will prioritise lower cost electrification models such as solar, batteries and low emission technologies. These upgrades are designed to cut costs and connect more remote villages to reliable and renewable electricity. These improvements contribute to Australia’s commitments under the PNG Electrification Partnership. Under the Partnership, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States are working together to help PNG meet its target to connect 70% of the country to electricity by 2030.

Christmas is a time of giving - It is a season to give back to our people of Papua New Guinea. In this festive period, let us come together and gratefully give to those in need, especially to our people in the rural communities – this is to commemorate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Giving is a choice – One may choose to give while the others may not. It is a choice where we also make sacrifices for the betterment of another person. As we reflect back on this year, we’ve seen many who have given their time, advice and support during our country’s trying times, which we are grateful for. Knowing that Jesus Christ is a gift to all mankind, we should lead by his example to go out and give in order to sustain each other’s lives. This year, my Government has gone to the breadth and length of our country by trying to identify and connect dots to fit the missing links. These missing links are those that cause hindrance to the development and prosperity of this nation. In my tenure as Prime Minister, I have been working closely with Ministries and core Government agencies in ensuring that these missing links are finally connected so basic services are delivered right to the doorsteps of our people. This, to me, is truly giving back to our people, and I want to see that they are getting what they rightfully deserve despite the challenges this Government is faced with. The challenges this year have been unprecedented for families, communities, countries and the global community. One of these challenges is COVID-19, a global pandemic which has caused deaths of our loved ones in PNG, and globally as well. However, my Government is not alone in the fight to protect our people from this deadly virus – we had support from the PNG business houses, donor partners, bilateral and multilateral partners, United Nation, etc. who provided advice, medical and financial assistance and we are humbled by this gesture. I take this opportunity to thank everyone who gave assistance during this crucial time. I want to reassure you, my people that this Government will ensure all line agencies are fully functional by 2022 and are able to continue providing basic services to our people. This assurance is confirmed through the recent passing of the 2022 National Budget during the November Parliament Session. This Budget captures the Capital Investment Budget, which is a critical component of next year’s budget - Theme ‘Lightening the people’s burden and unlocking our rural economy’. Let me inform this nation that the investment budget is focused on investments and interventions that will unlock the great economic potential of our country, especially the rural areas, which allows our people to have access to basic services that they can afford and participate in their fair share of nation building. My Government is now giving back to our people through funding allocations parked under the investment budget. Our efforts as a Government to grow the economy and be economically independent remain high on the agenda. Therefore, my Government envisages that by 2022 and onwards, it will truly give back to the people by ensuring that all missing road links are connected and sealed; construction and completion of bridges, wharves, jetties, ports, improved internet connectivity, improved power and water supplies, equal participation of resource owners in the extractive industry, improved law-and-order and justice system, better education service and improved healthcare system, etc. Our healthcare system is at the brink of collapsing, and for many years, it has been overlooked by previous regimes. Therefore, my Government, in the 2022 Budget has allocated K876, 290 million to the Department of Health and of that total, K518, 900 million is for the investment budget. This makes up 11 per cent of next year’s budget, which is the biggest allocation since independence. Health is our people’s fundamental right, and that is why we give you a greater increase to improve the total deficiency and inherent weaknesses that we inherited in our healthcare system. A country of only 200 ICU beds prior to COVID-19 coming in is totally shocking for us. A nation of eight-million plus and having 200 ICU beds right across PNG is not something we can be proud of. Hence, I made a commitment that COVID-19, which exposed the weakness of our health system, be used as an example, so we can improve our healthcare system and facilities for our citizens. My Government, through the 2022 Budget appropriation, has allocated funds for the construction of modern general hospitals for the 21 provinces and the Special Region of Bougainville. With that, let me reiterate that by truly giving back to our people, it must be shown through an improved healthcare system and facilities right across the country. By giving back to our people, in terms of supporting our children in their education, is something my Government is focused on. In 2022, the National Government through the Department of Education will take the yoke off parents by providing free education to students from elementary to high school level. Free education is one of my Government’s focuses for next year, which aims at ensuring all school-aged children attend classes and are able to complete Elementary level to Grade 12. My Government will continue its focus on improving access, quality and affordability of education at all levels from primary and secondary education to TVET institutions, colleges, universities and other higher education institutions. Let me remind you that, although my Government will be providing free education next year, this does not warrant you, parents, to become complacent. I now challenge all parents to ensure your child attends classes throughout the academic year and be responsible in shaping your child’s future. Shaping a child’s future is an action that is relevant for all parents, teachers and governments to implement, which will result in ‘Leaving No Child Behind’ in the education space. Again, 2021 is a challenging year for all of us but let’s not be bogged down with these challenges, rather, look forward to achieving our individual, group or political goals we have set. Let us give thanks to the Almighty God for bringing us safely to the end of 2021 and as we gradually enter the year 2022. In conclusion, Christmas is a time of giving and also a time to forgive those who have failed to serve our people in the last 46 years of independence. Let’s all put our differences aside and work together in harmony to ‘Take Back PNG’. With that, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2022. Thank you and God bless Papua New Guinea.

Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) is grateful for more than 30,000 Kina in extra support from the organisation’s foundational sponsor - the Constantinou Group of Companies - to ensure the BbP Early Childhood Education program at Lelehoa Primary School in Alotau, Milne bay - can keep running into next year. Companies Hebou Constructions, Monier, Airways Hotel and the Sir Theo Foundation – all under the banner of the Constantinou Group of Companies have been supporting Buk bilong Pikinini libraries since 2008, when the very first library was opened at Port Moresby General hospital. The libraries assist 5-year-old children with an Early Childhood Education program, which includes literacy, numeracy, digital learning and cultural knowledge and provides the children with solid foundations before they start school and gives them the best possible chance of becoming literate from a very young age. The libraries which have served thousands of children over the past 14 years are located at Rouna Quarry, 9 Mile (sponsored by Monier), 6 Mile Police Station (sponsored by Hebou Constructions, Airways Hotel and Airways Residences) and at Port Moresby General Hospital for critically ill children (sponsored by the Sir Theo Foundation). George Constantinou, Constantinou Group of Companies said: Whilst we currently do not operate within Milne Bay, we do know and love the area very well. We as a group, support education at all levels, as it benefits the local community for the long term. We are happy to provide assistance and commit to filling the financial gap needed to ensure the school can continue to operate.” BbP Founder and Chairlady, Anne-Sophie Hermann said: “It is a wonderful gift just in time for Christmas to know that our Library Learning Centre in Alotau can keep going into next year. Our program is well known in Alotau for generating a cohort of children, who are well prepared for school and who go on to have a very strong academic performance. Some parents even move to Lelehoa just to ensure their children can enrol in our program. We are so grateful to Hebou Constructions and George Constantinou for supporting us with an additional Library Learning centre and making sure that children in the regional areas of PNG don’t miss out.” BbP Executive Officer, Leanne Resson said: “We are so grateful to Constantinou Group of Companies for this extra special educational gift for the children who enrol at our Library Learning Centre at Lelehoa Primary. It will greatly boost the literacy levels in the area and go a long way to improve education outcomes.”