Prime Minister Peter O'Neill condemns Mendi Airport incident

"The actions we have seen today in Mendi are an absolute disgrace.
"A State of Emergency will be declared, and additional security forces being deployed to prevent further unlawful behaviour.
"An emergency meeting of the National Security Council will take place tomorrow at 9am to approve emergency arrangements under appropriate laws.
"Those involved will be detained by police and prosecuted.
"There is no place in in politics for this type of behaviour, and leaders involved with this activity will be held to account.
"All leaders must respect the rule of law, respect decisions of the court and respect the safety of people and property."

59 local community rangers graduate in South Fly District

Australian HighCommission

Twenty-two women are among 59 community rangers from the South Fly District of Western Province who graduated this week through the Building Resilience in Treaty Villages (BRTV) project.

The dignitaries with the rangers following the graduation.

Managed by the Cairns-based Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, the BRTV project aims to build the resilience of the South Fly’s 13 coastal villages by training community rangers in food security, construction, sanitation, first aid and leadership.

Dobrag Done (right) from Sigabaduru village graduated from Phase 1 of the project while Cece Wainetti from Tais village was among the recent cohort. 

The graduation ceremony was held on Daru Island on 11 June and attended by the Western Governor Taboi Awi Yoto and Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta, Minister for Defence Solan Mirisim, Minister for Police Jelta Wong, Minister for Immigration and Border Security Petrus Thomas, the Australian Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, Australian Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Claire Moore and Australian High Commissioner, Bruce Davis.

Monica from Mari Village (left) is one of the 22 women who graduated as a community ranger.

“Papua New Guinea’s South Fly District and northern Australia share a long history of social, cultural and economic connections, formalised through the Torres Strait Treaty which came into effect in 1985,” said Mr Davis.

“It is through these ties that we are supporting a community ranger model for the 13 Treaty Villages in this remote area, which is based on an Indigenous Australian model operating in the Torres Strait Islands.

Following intensive training, the rangers are able to use their new skills to support the delivery of basic services, while also becoming role models and future leaders in their communities.”

The rangers demonstrate how to attend to a snake bite victim, a common issue for villages along the South Fly.

Mr Davis added that there is no separation of roles for male and female rangers, regardless of traditional cultural norms. 

Female rangers are treated equally throughout the training and learn the same skills as men, such as small boat handling, safety and maintenance.

The rangers demonstrate their carpentry skills in building school furniture.

The BRTV program is supported by the Papua New Guinea- Australia Partnership.  

New log bridges for Kokoda Track

Australian High Commission

In April, the Australian Government supported Kokoda Track communities to construct two river crossings along the Kokoda Track.

Community members float logs down the river to build the bridge crossing.

 The crossings were at Emuni Creek near Manari village and Eora Creek adjacent to the campsite.

The projects are a part of a regeneration and conservation programme supported by the Kokoda Initiative, a partnership between the Papua New Guinea and Australian governments to protect the Kokoda Track and surrounding areas.

 Rita Sori was one of the women who assisted with the works.

Rita Sori from Manari village sharpens a stick to build support rails on the log bridges.

She said the Kokoda Track was not only an important link for local people to move between villages and the two major towns of Popondetta and Port Moresby, but was also a major source of income through the trekking industry.

 “We rely on the track for money," Sorisaid.

"Our husbands and sons work as porters and guides for tourists coming in, so keeping the track safe is not only important to the trekkers, but to us as well.

" If the track is safe and open, it means more tourists can come in and provide more income for us.”

 Seven similar track regeneration and conservation projects were conducted and funded through the Kokoda Initiative partnership in March 2017.

Community members and track rangers transport a log to Eora Creek as part of the bridge construction.

Upgrade activities include maintaining bridges, building steps and repairing safety fencing.

 The Kokoda Initiative also provides vital education, health and water and sanitation services to local communities.

In addition to service delivery, these activities directly inject funds into communities through paid employment opportunities.

Tari-Pori MP James Marape commends local leaders for working for peace

Tari- Pori leaders are showing partnership and teamwork to bring peace and also arrest of murderers and associates of crime at the community level，says MP James Marape.

Tari-Pori MP James Marape (third from left in front row) with local leaders during one of a series of meetings in the district.

He is back in the district to witness handing over of five suspects of the murder of late Lae Tagobe, a councilor of Ajukali Ward 1 in Pori.
”Real work and effort was put in by the local leadership of other village leaders and youths,” Marape said.
“Other councillors of Pori LLG - Cr Pipe, Cr Agiru, Cr Hebale and Cr Belo - led by local Tade councillor Timothy Lembo and Pori President Charlie Apalu were also instrumental.
“Great commendation to leaders and people of Pori for working for peace in their district.“
Marape is  spending a week  in his electorate linking up with village elders from all over Tari-Pori  who have been working to bring warring factions to the table.
This  includes bringing to police various murderers in the electorate.
“Iam now mobilising elders and youths of electorate who want peace，” Marape said.
" Hulis have traditional dispute resolution methods，yet these are not being embraced in Hela， with fullest working of modern law and justice sector.
"The basic structure of peace resolution in my electorate is to be restored with 79 ward  structures, which should link to modern village courts and higher courts， including ensuring that police and Correctional Service are correctly functioning in Hela."

Oil Search finds new gas in Papua New Guinea


by Daniel J. Graeber, upi.com
June 7, 2018

June 7 (UPI) -- A new gas discovery was made in Papua New Guinea and data assessments are now geared toward commercial developments, a key regional player said.

Oil Search announced Thursday it encountered gas in an appraisal well dubbed Kimu 2. The prospect could be linked to other nearby reservoirs.

"Evaluation of the well data acquired has now commenced and will be used to help assess options for the potential commercialization of the Kimu field," the company stated.

Oil Search is a partner in a liquefied natural gas facility in Papua New Guinea. The country is positioned well to take advantage of the growing energy demands from economies in the Asia-Pacific region. Many of the island nations in the region lack adequate domestic reserves, so the super-cooled LNG, which has more options for delivery than piped gas, fills in the gap.

Construction at the LNG facility in Papua New Guinea began in 2010. The facility is expected to produce more than 9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas over its 30-year lifespan.

Led by Exxon Mobil, the facility marked a milestone with its 100th delivery three years ago. More than 7 million tons of LNG has been shipped from the facility since it opened.

Exxon shut down much of its infrastructure and evacuated non-essential personnel from the areas impacted by major and deadly earthquakes that shook Papua New Guinea in February. Oil Search said some of the transit infrastructure, bases and a refinery were damaged, but "the operating facilities generally withstood the earthquake well, with no loss of oil or gas containment identified."

The company added, however, that while production was disrupted, there was no impact on plans to expand LNG activities. Its insurance loss adjuster outlined an initial estimate for damages to its assets at between $150 million and $250 million.

ADB SUPPORTS OVER $1 BILLION IN CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENTS IN THE PACIFIC UNTIL 2021 — REPORT

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (7 June 2018) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will support over $1 billion in energy investments in the Pacific between 2018–2021, including 19 projects to help countries in the subregion have better access to quality, affordable, and sustainable energy sources, according to a new ADB report.

The Pacific Energy Update 2018 provides a comprehensive overview of ADB’s energy-focused work in the Pacific. The publication highlights the impacts of ADB-supported energy initiatives completed in 2017 and ongoing in 2018, while providing details of ADB’s future plans in the subregion’s energy sector.

“ADB is helping the Pacific region plan for a renewable energy future and improve regional energy systems by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy; maximising access to energy for all; and supporting energy sector reform, capacity building, and effective governance,” said ADB’s Transport, Energy, and Natural Resources Division Director for the Pacific Mr. Olly Norojono.

The report highlighted ADB’s efforts and partnership with governments, communities, private sector, and other development partners to help improve the availability and quality of clean and affordable sustainable power in the Pacific region. It also provides a country-by-country snapshot of various energy projects and technical assistance, which Pacific governments have prioritized for ADB assistance.

Cofinanced by ADB, the European Union, and the Government of the Cook Islands, the Cook Islands Renewable Energy Sector Project will help lower the country’s reliance on fossil fuels by building solar-powered plants on five of its islands and help the government achieve its goal of supplying 100% of inhabited islands with renewable energy by 2020.

Meanwhile, ADB is assisting the Government of Fiji in developing the institutional capacity for regulation of the country’s electricity sector, while developing a sector investment planning framework.

The Yap Renewable Energy Development Project in the Federated States of Micronesia, funded by two ADB loans, supported the construction of a wind farm capable of withstanding typhoons. Grid-connected solar panels were also installed on about five government buildings across the island and new fuel-efficient diesel generators replaced aging ones.

Nauru’s power outlook improved dramatically when the government installed two new energy-efficient, diesel generators—completed under the Nauru Electricity Supply Security and Sustainability Project, with initial grant funding from ADB and the European Union, and later supported with additional funding from the governments of Australia and Nauru.

Together with other ADB-financed renewable energy interventions, ADB is assisting Papua New Guinea achieve its national electrification objectives while promoting a shift to clean energy from power generated from fossil fuels. Meanwhile, ADB’s energy assistance in the Solomon Islands include supporting the country’s drive to tap more of its energy from clean sources, including hydro and solar power.

ADB approved the Pacific Renewable Energy Investment Facility in June 2017 to help fund a series of renewable energy projects and sector reforms in the smallest 11 Pacific island countries. For instance, a project to help reduce the Marshall Islands’ consumption of fossil fuels and increase renewable energy generation—20% of the country’s energy mix by 2020— received a $2 million grant from the facility in December 2017.

ADB is currently supporting 15 active projects in 11 countries in the Pacific worth $426 million.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2017, ADB operations totaled $32.2 billion, including $11.9 billion in cofinancing.

PNG demands new name for Taiwan office

by Stacy Hsu, taipeitimes.com
June 2, 2018

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday confirmed that the Papua New Guinean government last month insisted that Taiwan’s representative office change its name due to repeated pressure from China.

Since late last year, China had taken advantage of its status as the second-largest provider of aid to Papua New Guinea (PNG) to keep pressuring the government to change the name of Taiwan’s representative office and its treatment of the office’s staff, ministry spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) said.

“Despite the office’s best efforts, the PNG government was not able to withstand China’s carrot-and-stick pressure and eventually demanded a change of name,” Lee said, adding that the name change does not have any substantial impact on the office’s operations.

China’s demands first came to the ministry’s attention in February when Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang (耿爽) praised the PNG government’s adherence to the “one China” principle when responding to reporters’ questions over allegations that Taiwan’s trade office had been asked to rename itself.

The ministry acknowledged at the time that the nation’s trade office in PNG had been asked to change its name, as well as remove its nameplate and diplomatic license plates from its vehicles, but stressed that bilateral negotiations were still underway.

The office, which was previously named the Trade Mission of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Papua New Guinea has been renamed as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Papua New Guinea.

It is not the nation’s first overseas representative office to have been forced to undergo a name change due to Chinese pressure.

The nation’s trade offices in Ecuador, Bahrain, Nigeria, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have also been forced to remove the term Republic of China or Taiwan from their designation.

Taiwan and PNG, despite not having formal diplomatic relations, have had close exchanges in the areas of energy, trade and fisheries since the 1990s, Lee said.

“Taiwan has also begun cooperating on agriculture and medical health,” he said.

The ministry understands the situation the nation’s international friends face due to Chinese pressure, Lee said, adding that Taiwan would continue its substantial exchanges and cooperation with PNG to safeguard its dignity and rights.