New school facilities will promote quality teaching and learning in Bougainville

Australian High Commission

Current and future students in Bougainville’s Peit Constituency are set to benefit from new school facilities which will promote improved education opportunities for the community.

Gagan Primary School on Buka Island has received a new double classroom and teachers’ housing, which were officially opened yesterday as part of the Papua New Guinea – Australia Partnership.

The school has played a role in the education of some of Bougainville’s most prominent individuals, including Josephine Getsi, Bougainville’s Minister for Community Development and Member for Peit, and the late Dr Alexis Sarei, former Papua New Guinean High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and North Solomons Premier.

Evangelyn Ratsi and Ferdinand Rohen (pictured below) are the head students at Gagan Primary and are certain that their studies will benefit from the new classrooms.

The two students are working hard to achieve their own goals, continuing the school’s tradition of education and aspiration - Evangelyn wants to be a doctor one day and Ferdinand aims to become a pilot.

They are confident they will progress to high school and said the lighting in the new classrooms will enable students to participate in evening classes and studies as they prepare for their final exams.

Gagan Primary is one of 18 schools across Bougainville, including in remote atoll communities, which will benefit from the construction of new learning infrastructure. More than 1,200 new primary school places will be created when the works are completed.

At the ceremony, Minister Getsi commented, “I am so pleased to be here today to see my old primary school upgraded with these new facilities, we have a long history of education at this school going back to 1950s missionary school origins.”

Andrew Egan, Minister Counsellor at the Australian High Commission, said education is vital for poverty reduction, economic growth and social stability.

“Papua New Guinea and Australia have a shared commitment to education,” he said. “Access to education for all children - especially girls - is critical to the future of Papua New Guinea.”

“We are focused on reducing barriers and encouraging girls and boys to attend and stay at school. These new facilities create an environment conducive to quality teaching and learning, which will benefit staff and students, now and in to the future.”

The new facilities also include solar panels and water tanks, which improve the sustainability of the buildings for the school and the local community.

The construction of new school infrastructure is part of Australia’s commitment to quality education for children across Papua New Guinea.

Utilities reform needed for better service delivery in the Pacific — ADB

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (18 July 2017) — Investments in basic services must be complemented by policy and regulatory reforms as well as capacity development to support a shift towards more commercially viable utilities in the Pacific, says the latest issue of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Pacific Economic Monitor (PEM) launched today.

“It is commendable that Pacific governments are stepping up their infrastructure investments, for example, in renewable energy to help reduce electricity costs and progress towards ambitious international climate change commitments,” said ADB Director General for the Pacific Ms Carmela Locsin.

“These efforts must be complemented by critical reforms to improve the efficiency and performance of utilities responsible for providing basic services in Pacific economies, including the promotion of further private sector participation.”   

Economic prospects for the Pacific remain positive, but growth will remain slow compared to other subregions, according to the report.

For 2018, growth in the Pacific is expected to remain flat at 2.2%.

 This is partly due to the impacts of disasters including an earthquake in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Cyclone Gita in Tonga last February.

Economic recovery in PNG and rising investment in Timor-Leste are expected to push growth in the Pacific to 3.0% in 2019.

The monitor, the flagship economic publication of ADB’s Pacific Department, focuses on country issues and current policy themes.

The latest issue focuses on the developments in the utilities sector, particularly electricity.

Access to electricity is low in the Pacific, particularly in the more remote and less developed parts of the subregion.

This is due to the countries’ dependence on expensive fossil fuels for power generation, inadequate investment in infrastructure, and electricity services costs that can be beyond the means of rural households.

About 20% of PNG’s population, for instance, has access to electricity and that number falls to 13% in rural areas, according to the report.

 Without access to electricity, public services cannot be properly delivered, and business activity is constrained—resulting in unfulfilled economic growth potential.

Although PNG has enviable potential to produce power, significant investment in the sector is needed to reach the country’s goal of 70% electrification by 2030.

The Monitor looks at how diversifying energy sources can help to lower costs by reducing dependency on expensive diesel, and how improved regulation can help attract much-needed investment and expand consumer access to electricity.

The monitor includes a series of short articles on efforts to improve electricity access in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu; initiatives to bring innovation and international best practice to Fiji’s electricity sector; renewable energy initiatives in the Cook Islands, Samoa, and Tonga; and strategies for improving energy access in Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu.

 The report also includes a cautionary piece on cryptocurrencies in the North Pacific, as well as an article discussing measures for increasing competitiveness in Timor-Leste.

Topical policy briefs featured in the monitor, meanwhile, include the state of access to basic utilities and services in the Pacific; a strategy for truly sustainable energy in the Pacific based on efficient and financially viable utility operations; and the importance of institutional reform to improve waters services in Timor-Leste.

ADB is working with development partners to provide greater support to help Pacific utilities modernise their business systems and eventually become financially self-sustaining, and effect change in utility sector policies and governance arrangements.

 The report noted that long-term partnerships with utilities beyond project implementation is vital to bring about genuine, transformational change.

PEM is a bi-annual review of economic developments and policy issues in ADB’s 14 developing member countries in the Pacific and includes policy briefs on key policy issues and interests.

 In combination with the Asian Development Outlook series, ADB provides quarterly reports on economic trends and policy developments in the Pacific.

The Monitor welcomes contributions of policy briefs from external authors and institutions.

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.

Indigenous Australian musician to collaborate with PNG artist

Australia High Commission

Award-winning Indigenous Australian singer-song writer, Emily Wurramara, is in Papua New Guinea as part of theNational Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week celebrations hosted by the Australian High Commission.

Emily Wurramara performing at the Australian High Commission on Monday 16 July.

Emily Wurramara with Australian High Commission staff members after her performance.

Emily, 22, from Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory is passionate about her rich cultural heritage, which is reflected through her music. 

She started writing music at nine years-old and continues to create songs in both English and Anindilyakwa, the language of her home.

She has taken her music around the world, with shows and festival appearances in countries such as Sweden and France. 

Emily has just released her first album in Australia, entitled ‘Milyakburra’.

Emily will be collaborating with top performing Papua New Guinea artist, Mereani Masani. 

The duo will be working together on a number of projects, including composing a song based on this year’s NAIDOC Week theme, ‘Because Of Her, We Can!’

NAIDOC week is celebrated in Australia from the first Sunday in July to honour the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Public engage with international experts on why APEC matters

Australian High Commission

Papua New Guineans joined local and international APEC experts on Thursday for a dialogue on the importance of hosting the region’s premier economic forum.

The event – themed ‘Why APEC matters for PNG?’ – was part of the APEC Discussion Series at the Precinct and included a keynote address from Carlos Kuriyama, senior analyst at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore.

Keynote speaker Carlos Kuriyama, senior analyst, APEC Secretariat (Singapore), speaking at the second event of the APEC Discussion Series at the Precinct.

Kuriyama spoke on the benefits APEC brought to his home country Peru, where he was previously a government official at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and served as chief negotiator of the Peru-China FTA negotiation.

The event also included a panel discussion that featured Ken Waller, executive director of the APEC Business Advisory Council, and Lady Aivu Tauvasa, deputy chair of Nambawan Super, who took questions from the audience.

The APEC Discussion Series at the Precinct was launched in May and gives Papua New Guineans unprecedented access to visiting international experts and the APEC discussions taking place throughout 2018.

Thursday’s discussion was the second in the series, which is held at the University of Papua New Guinea, and the events will continue each month until November.

The series is hosted by the PNG APEC Secretariat and the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct, supported by the PNG – Australia Partnership, and explores APEC themes and policy issues relevant to Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.

As the 2018 APEC host, Papua New Guinea will hold approximately 200 meetings with up to 15,000 delegates, including global business and government leaders, policy and technical experts and academics.

The Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct is a partnership between Papua New Guinea and Australia to support the development of ethical and capable leaders.

Australia and Papua New Guinea partner on transformative high-speed internet project

The strength of the Papua New Guinea – Australia partnership was demonstrated further this week with the signing of a memorandum of understanding for a trilateral project to deliver the Coral Sea Cable System. 

Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O’Neill, Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, and Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Rick Houenipwela at the MOU signing in Canberra

The three Prime Ministers from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Australia led the signing event. 

In Port Moresby today a subsidiary arrangement was also signed.

The Coral Sea Cable System is a showcase of how Papua New Guinea and Australia continue to enhance our bilateral ties and common interests through transformative projects.

The new cable system will better connect Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia through the installation of undersea telecommunication cables. 

The project will enable high-speed internet capability to Papua New Guinea, resulting in significant improvements to internet reliability and quality.

The new system will enable local businesses to access new opportunities in the region and globally, and provide opportunities to leverage technology to deliver improved government services. 

This will result in substantial economic and development opportunities for Papua New Guinea.

At the signing event in Port Moresby to confirm arrangements with the Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Australia’s High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Bruce Davis said that Australia is proud to be partnering with Papua New Guinea on this exciting project.  

Chief Secretary to the Government Isaac Lupari (PNG), Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Dr Martin Parkinson (Australia), Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O’Neill, Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Rick Houenipwela, and Undersecretary for the Ministry of Finance and Treasury Harry Kuma (Solomon Islands) at the MOU signing in Canberra

Davis went on to say that “the new cable system underscores Papua New Guinea’s efforts to promote economic integration in the Pacific in its 2018 APEC host year, and to foster domestic growth opportunities".

The Coral Sea Cable System is scheduled for completion by the end of 2019. 

Australia will fund the majority of the project, with Papua New Guinea to provide an important co-contribution. 

Solomon Islands will also provide a contribution as a partner in this trilateral project. 

Celebrating Indigenous Australian-Papua New Guinea linkages

Australian High Commission

The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby is hosting a special programme of events through to Thursday July 19 in celebration of the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee or NAIDOC Week.  

The programme began on Monday July 9 with a ceremony at the High Commission to raise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags alongside the Australian flag.

Raising of the flags: Australian High Commission second secretary Yasmine Davis raising the Torres Strait Islander flag, chief executive officer of Indigenous Community Volunteers Stephanie Harvey raising the Aboriginal flag and Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis raising the Australian flag.

This year two exceptional indigenous Australian women have been invited to participate in the programme – Stephanie Harvey, chief executive officer of Indigenous Community Volunteers and rising star in the music industry, Emily Wurramara.

The two week programme includes the formalisation of a partnership  between Papua New Guinea’s National Volunteer Service and Indigenous Community Volunteers and a creative collaboration between Emily Wurramara and Papua New Guinea’s top female artist, Mereani Masani, which includes performing for and mentoring youth in performance skills.

Australian High Commission second secretary Yasmine Davis, National Volunteer Service acting executive director  Molly Willie, National Volunteer Service council chairman Bernard Maladina, Secretary for Department of Youth Religion and Community Development Anna Solomon, Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis, chief executive officer of Indigenous Community Volunteers (ICV); Stephanie Harvey, co-chairman of ICV Board Bill Edwards, ICV general manager for business development and innovation Tom Layton and Australian High Commission second secretary; Jacqueline Herbert.

NAIDOC Week first emerged in the 1920s when Aboriginal groups sought to increase awareness on the status and treatment of indigenous Australians.

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme ‘Because Of Her, We Can!’ celebrates the important role that women have played, and continue to play, as active and significant role models at all levels of society.

Crime fighters trained in latest fraud and corruption investigation techniques

Australian High Commission

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary is boosting its efforts to crack down on financial crimes in Papua New Guinea. 

By the end of the year, almost 80 police officers will have received specialist training in investigation and prosecution of fraud and corruption.

East New Britain Deputy Governor  Cosmas Bauk (centre, front row) and RPNGC Assistant Commissioner, Island Region, Anton Billie (fourth from left) join instructors and participants at the commencement of the Fraud and Corruption Investigation training, in Kokopo, East New Britain.

The RPNGC Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate is conducting the Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions course nationally.

 The training was held for 28 officers from the New Guinea Islands Region in Kokopo, East New Britain, recently. 

The training will strengthen the capacity of these officers to investigate and prosecute complex fraud and related matters in a coordinated way.

 This is the second group of officers to undergo this training, following one conducted in March for 29 officers from the Southern Region in Port Moresby.

Course Instructor, Chief Sergeant Kila Guma said the training significantly increases the effectiveness of police in detecting, investigating and prosecuting fraud, corruption and similar crimes.

“This course is very important. 

"We want to train more officers to be able to investigate fraud and corruption effectively as there is a real appetite among officers for this sort of training.”

He added that by bringing investigators and prosecutors together in the same room, the training will foster mutual understanding and teamwork in the successful prosecution of offenders.

The course covers practical issues such as investigation planning and management, as well as interactive sessions on elements of offences, file preparation and evidence. 

Participants will also receive training on the recent legislation concerning money laundering and the proceeds of crime, which is essential to combatting increasingly complex financial crimes.

Senior Constable Tina Nikints, a fraud investigator based in East New Britain, said the training was “something I have been longing for”.

RPNGC fraud and corruption investigator Senior Constable Tina Nikints: “I am so happy to be doing this course. It is something I have been longing for.”

“When I started in the Fraud and Anti-corruption Unit I didn’t have any formal training. 

"I used to read old court files to understand what was involved. I was the only lady in the unit, and at first I was afraid to ask for advice.”

Senior Constable Felicitas Mare, a police prosecutor based in West New Britain, said the course, which covers the latest trends and techniques, would lead to more effective and efficient investigations and prosecutions.

“After this course I will really know how to deal with fraud matters and I am pleased,” Senior Constable Mare said.

Plans are in place to conduct the next training in Mt Hagen for officers based in the Highlands region.

This initiative is supported by the Australian Government through the Justice Services and Stability for Development Program.