New Goroka Airport to boost agriculture and tourism, says MP

Goroka MP Henry Ame says agriculture and tourism are set to boom in his town and Eastern Highlands following the opening of the new airport there.

The airport was opened on Tuesday, June 5, by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.

UN returns to Mendi, resumes humanitarian operation

Port Moresby, June 21, 2018 – United Nations (UN) staff returned to Mendi in Southern Highlands province to resume humanitarian relief activities which have been ongoing since February’s M7.5 earthquake which took place in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

The staff were warmly greeted with chants of ‘welkam back’ by communities including children, religious and local leaders. The UN relocated its personnel from Mendi following the outbreak of violence there on 14 June.

“We stopped at Ilo Elementary School, Yebi Primary School and Kalape Elementary School in Imbonggu District to see the progress on latrine and water storage installations, . . . .the three schools organised a celebration, welcoming (back) UN. 

"Chants, songs, posters – big and small, speeches, all thanking and welcoming UN. 

"Community leaders were there and also welcomed the UN team . . . saying people in Imbongu are peace loving.

" I was personally touched when the MC announced ‘mangi Mendi em kambek’” said Ali Ramly, UNICEF Team Leader. 

“As we entered the town and approached the Diocese where we stay. . . . the reception was incredible – children ran up to us, nuns and priests and brothers were coming to approach us.”

UN Resident Coordinator, Gianluca Rampolla said： “UN is committed to serve the people of Papua New Guinea and support the communities affected by earthquake in addressing their immediate needs. 

"Our immediate return is a testament to the commitment and dedication of our staff who are ready to work in the most difficult and challenging situations. 

"The welcome that the communities have extended to our staff is a very clear indication of the value of our work. 

"It is a proud moment for all of us.” 

The UN Resident Coordinator accompanied by the UNICEF Representative and a World Bank delegation will be travelling to Mendi over the weekend.

Operating from its base in Mendi, the UN has been providing relief assistance to earthquake-impacted communities in Southern Highlands and Hela provinces. 

These include providing emergency shelters and households items while also supporting the rehabilitating of facilities in schools and health centres; establishing temporary learning space for children and empowerment spaces for women; undertaking province-wide immunization campaigns, malnutrition screening and treatment while providing access to psychosocial support, sexual and reproductive health and family planning services. 

The UN has also provided food assistance to remote communities in Southern Highlands, Hela and Western provinces experiencing severe food insecurity.

The UN continues to support the PNG Government with humanitarian and logistics coordination for the earthquake response.

New Goroka Airport a boost to tourism: Tourism Promotion Authority

The new Goroka Airport will bring in an increased number of tourists to Goroka and Eastern Highlands, says Tourism Promotion Authority chief executive officer and National Airports Corporation deputy-chairman Jerry Agus.
He said this when commenting on the opening of the K110 million Goroka Airport upgrade project on Tuesday June 5 by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill (click to watch full interview).

Agus said apart from the terminal, there were other things that made tourism click, if it was to grow in Eastern Highlands.

Nadzab Airport redevelopment to begin in 2019

Work on the much-mooted Nadzab Airport development in Morobe will begin in 2019 and be completed by 2022, says National Airports Corporation chief executive officer Richard Yopo.

Funding agreements between Japan and Papua New Guinea were signed in 2015 but work has not yet begun on this project, which is planned to be developed as an alternative international airport to Jackson in Port Moresby at a cost of K692 million.

Work was to have begun in 2017 and finished in 2020, but nothing has happened as yet.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and PNG Ambassador to Japan Gabriel Dusava in 2015 signed agreements for a K578 million loan to PNG for the Nadzab upgrade.

The balance of K114 million will come from the PNG Government. 

Western provincial administrator puts education first

Education is high on the priority list of new Western administrator Aquila Sampson.

Sampson, in his first media interview on Tuesday June 19 as the administrator, said education remained a major obstacle to development in the country’s largest province.

Aged 53, from Parama Island at the mouth of the Fly River, he was appointed administrator by Cabinet last Thursday.

Sampson did his primary and high schooling in Lae before going to Sogeri National High School and University of PNG where he studied law.

He is currently the acting-Commissioner of the National Lands Commission, and before that, was a deputy state-solicitor.

Sampson, has also worked with national and supreme court judges and the Fly River (Western) provincial government.

Hela has many mountains of underdevelopment to climb：A message to the people of Hela from James Marape

by JAMES MARAPE

I appeal to our citizens in Angore , Hides and Komo areas to cease the use of threats, intimidation and guns as a means of getting your grievances heard and settled.

I say this in light of the blockage and looting that took place on the fringes of Angore and Hides gas fields yesterday.

I know the present issue they have is a K20 million claim for Angore township and another K12 million for their business development grant allocated in 2011, which is presently locked in court by the doing of one of their own tribesmen.

Our people must restrain from threats and intimidation.

If genuine issues remain outstanding, then civilised dialogue is the way to go for us now and into the future.

Whilst there might be some elements of genuineness in those issues raised, the continuous use of unlawful means to secure attention is repulsive.

This in the face of many issues our Government must handle not only for Hela and Southern Highlands, but the entire country.

The O’Neill-Abel Government is not far from you landowners.

In fact, on record we are the most-fulfilling Government in the history of our nation responding  to the plight of many of our landowner issues.

This not only in oil and gas areas but mining as well in terms of delivering to outstanding commitments.

The  O’Neill Government has signature policies like greater free carry equity empowerments.

For Hela and Southern Highlands, our gas and oil fields have been producing since 1990.

Yet,only after 2012 are we seeing serious signs of development happening or about to happen.

Has Tari ever seen a sealed road?

 No,but it started to happen after 2012.

From what I am told, the Halimbu-Nogoli Road sealing was to have seen its first laying of bitumen yesterday but the uprisings of Angore forced its closure again.

This project was awarded in 2015, but lawlessness continues to hamper work.

I appeal to our local leaders of youths, clans, and PDLs as well as leaders of facility site areas like Komo and the Pina plant site：Use myself and my two colleague MPs and our Governor to be your middlemen with National Government in a peaceful way to get your grievances out to National Government.

If genuine legitimate commitments aren’t responded to, then I will be the first to support you tribesmen for court action as a final resort but not the use of violence and destructions.

So far, I have received no invitation personally to hear your issues and relay to Government.

How then can you say Government has not been responsive,hence your resort to lawlessness?

I am again opening my office to our people in Hela to channel your issues through,  instead of your continuous use of threats.

One day soon your guns will be rendered useless.

Mark my word as the hand of Government is much much longer then what many of you think.

In July I will take officers from national departments through our project areas in Hela to hear you again.

We will also tell you all how we are going in as far as getting your due benefits in royalties and equities.

One-off payments like outstanding commitments will disappear.

You only have to see how your cousins from PDL 1 and 7 have used up K20million and K15million respectively into thin air just this year.

I ask you all to be fair to the Government, assist us get the clan-vetting complete and we start to get your entitlements out to you all.

For your other issues, please channel through me and Governor Philip Undialu plus our two other colleagues in Minister Petrus Thomas and Vice -Minister Manase Makiba to pass on to Government.

Our Government is in office, hence why are you evading us?

I ask you all to remove blockages and we work through the normal channels of dialogue again.

This Thursday my office will facilitate a meeting between all concerned leaders of project areas.

 I encourage you all to meet us to air issues of common concerns and we collectively map a way forward.

Sometimes,answers may be right in front of us yet our differences of opinion, including politics, continue being blockages.

Hela has many mountains of underdevelopment to climb.

Hence we all cannot afford the luxury of differences to hinder us.

There is no long-term winner in an environment of differences.

New Western Provincial Administrator on his appointment and challenges

Lawyer Aquila Sampson has been appointed by Cabinet as Provincial Administrator of Western, putting to rest controversy over the position since the jailing of former provincial administrator Modowa Gumoi in Nov 2016.
Sampson was chosen from a shortlist of three names submitted to Cabinet by the Western provincial executive council.
Here he speaks about his appointment and the challenges ahead: