A convoy of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Government and UN partners reached Pilikambi Rural Local Level Government (LLG) last week to monitor food distributions to communities affected by El-Nino-related drought and frost.
Officials were welcomed as ‘wantoks’ as several hundred Engan tribe members, local leaders and local government officials celebrated the convoy’s arrival.

WFP and UN partners have been concerned about hunger and food insecurity in Papua New Guinea caused by El Niño. Even as the El Niño effect has wound down, its impact continues with, 180,000 people are suffering from agricultural loss and require food assistance.
WFP, in partnership with CARE International and provincial authorities, has to date reached 45,795 people (9,159 families) with rice in the Highlands, specifically in Pilikambi Rural and Wage Rural LLGs, Enga Province. Each household received a 70 kg ration of rice, fortified with essential vitamins and minerals and calculated to last six weeks. WFP plans to reach 180,000 people in the country in total.

WFP is particularly concerned about the effect of agricultural losses on women in the country. Reports show that Papua New Guinean women frequently skip meals during periods of food shortage, such as the one caused by El Niño. Nearly half of the people who have received food to date are women, including widows and divorced women.
In Western Province, WFP continues to provide logistics coordination and technical guidance to local Government authorities for distributions of rice provided by the private sector.

WFP relies entirely on voluntary funding from governments, companies and private individuals. The cost of the three-month operation designed to support the government response to the drought in PNG is US$12.6 million. WFP thanks the governments of Japan, the European Union, and the U.S. as well as OCHA, the UN agency for the coordination of humanitarian affairs, for their generous funding support. WFP also thanks private partner Digicel for their contribution.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.

The Papua New Guinea  Government has successfully  unsecured syndicated loan, for up to US$500million (K1.5 billion) arranged by Credit Suisse AG-leading international financial institution. This was officially announced by Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch in a paid advertisement yesterday.

The first tranche of this loan is to be drawn down immediately. Mr Pruaitch said all legal and procedural requirements havd been met to the letter of law in respect of this loan as is the case with any other loan or financing which the government enters into.

He said the Department of Treasury and the Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) had worked hard and diligently to acquire this loan so that government would be able to finance the budget deficit for 2016 on the best possible terms for the state, its institution and the people of Papua New Guinea.

 He said government has been working closely with the State Solicitors Office and leading international and Papua New Guinea law firm-Gadens and Aust to ensure that all legal requirements have been complied with and due process is followed. He had stated that any legal challenge to the legality of this loan would be a waste of time and tax-payers money and that the government respectfully requests those who threaten to undertake such malicious legal action to reconsider their motives which are politically driven and not in the best interest of Papua New Guinea.

Mendi 5-star Hospital

By Jacob Marcos

The Southern Highlands Provincial Health (SHPHA) Authority and Oil Search Foundation (OSF) have  signed a Memorandum of Agreement  to strengthen the delivery of effective and accountable health services in the province.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) strengthens the existing relationship and facilitates stronger cooperation between SHPHA and OSF.

CEO of the Oil Search Foundation Kymberley Kepore said during the event that the agreement acts as a catalyst for improving governance systems and increases patient access to essential health services in the province as per the National Health Plan 2011- 2020.

“One of the key things about this agreement is that, as partners we have the opportunity to share resources and technical services to deliver better health services in the province. It widens our scope and increases our ability to cover a greater area by utilising the existing networks, be they church run, private or government," Kepore said recently.

As part of the National Health Sector Partnership Policy, we are strengthening partnerships and coordination with all our stakeholders to achieve the Government’s health priorities, the Chairman of SHPHA Peter Nupiri said.

"We need to move forward together, take joint responsibility, but as the Provincial Health Authority of Southern Highlands we know that in the end we will remain accountable for the delivery of health services to our people,” Nupiri said.

Newly appointed acting Chief executive Officer of SHPHA, Dr Joseph Birisi commended the OSF for the collaboration, describing the agreement as a fine example of a public-private partnership aimed at improving the lives of Papua New Guineans.

By signing the MoU both organisations set out to identify all opportunities to share resources and technical support to deliver better health services Dr Birsi said.

This includes improving service delivery partners’ ability to maintain minimum standards; employing sufficient staff who are registered and licensed to deliver the services in line with National Health Standards and regulations; provide appropriate support and non-monetary incentives to increase recruitment and retention of health professionals in under-serviced communities; and collaborating to identify training needs and develop plans to address them.

District Treasury Office in Unggain Bena

Power line in Nipa, SHP

Papua New Guinea’s economic and trading relationship with China will continue to strengthen with the official visit by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill next week to China accompanied by a high level government and business delegation.

The visit will include meetings with the President of China Xi Jinping, the Premier Li Keqiang and senior government leaders.

"The relationship we have with China continues to strengthen and this delivers real economic benefit to the people of Papua New Guinea," Mr O’Neill said in a statement yesterday.

"On this visit to China we will advance a number of agreements that will contribute to trade, infrastructure development and travel between our two countries.

"There is a great deal we can do to strengthen co-operation in areas that include agriculture, forestry, fisheries, transportation and communications.

"China has developed technologies that have direct application in our primary industry sectors, and we will enhance co-operation in these areas."

The Prime Minister said there are also a range of policy matters that will be discussed in Beijing.

"At global and regional levels there are a number of issues that are of interest to PNG and China, and we look forward to an engaging dialogue." Post Courier/ PNG Today

Vanuatu government has not taken any decision on the fate of Vanuatu students studying at the University of Technology in Papua New Guinea following the killing of a student and arson at the campus in Lae.

Nine ni-Vanuatu students are currently studying the Unitech.

The situation there is reportedly tense but calm after police reinforcements were able to bring the weekend event under control.

The Ministry of Education has told the media it is yet to receive a report from the fact-finding-mission that went to PNG two weeks ago to assess the status of students following the riots.

It said any such report will be tabled at the Council of Ministers meeting for a decision.

Of the 20 ni-Vanuatu students in PNG, nine are studying at the UNITECH, five at the University of Papua New Guinea and six are at the Medical Faculty of PNG.

So far, only the Central Provincial Government in PNG has made a decision to repatriate 70 of its students who are studying at the Unitech, back home.

Media reports from PNG say the Unitech campus had been deserted by students in fear of their lives following the killing of a first year student from Southern Highlands on Saturday night. Loop Vanuatu

Indonesia has strongly rejected statements about West Papua by Vanuatu and Solomon Islands at the UN Human Rights Council session last week.

Delegates of the two Pacific Islands' countries accused Indonesia of failing to prevent ongoing human rights abuses against West Papuans.

But Indonesia's delegate at the session, Michael Tene, said Vanuatu and Solomon Islands' statements showed a lack of understanding of Papua.

He said they were politically motivated in support of separatist groups which incite public disorder and terrorist attacks against civilians and security personnel.

“Indonesia as a democratic country is committed to promoting and protecting human rights, including by taking necessary steps to address the allegations of human rights violations and abuses in Papua. No one is perfect. We are always open to have dialogue on human rights issues, but we reject politicisation of these issues. We deplore the way Solomon Islands and Vanuatu have abused this council and the universal principles of the promotion and protection of human rights by supporting the cause of separatism” said Tene.

Tene has described Vanuatu and Solomon Islands as being far from perfect on protection of human rights.

He said the two countries still face serious human rights problems, have rampant corruption in all segments of society and government, human trafficking, mistreatment of children and daily abuse of women.

"It would be for the betterment of their populations if the governments of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu give attention and priority to seriously address their respective own domestic human rights shortcomings."

Furthermore, Mustika Hanum, the third secretary at Indonesia's Permanent Mission, expanded on her country's concerns about domestic violence in Solomon Islands

   
Source:  PACNEWS

Two suspects have been apprehended and in police custody now after the murder of late Dr. Alphonse Rongap on the weekend in Lae.
Police said one of the suspects was captured on the night of the incident and the other had surrendered himself to police yesterday.
Other suspects are still at large as the Lae Metropolitan Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jnr appeals to the public to continue assisting and supporting police with information to capture the others. PNGFM/ PNG Today

Lupari

The National Government’s economic advisers chief among them, Chief Secretary to the government, Isaac Lupari must be blamed for leading the country into financial woes and uncertainty.
As a result,Opposition Leader, Don Pomb Polye who is frustrated with the way in which government continues to bury the country by obtaining loans after loans, has called on Lupari to resign.
“Isaac Lupari is professionally and morally unfit to be the government’s chief secretary,” said Mr Polye.
“Twelve months ago, I called for a supplementary budget to be introduced by the government to factor in the down-turn in the world oil prices but my call was politicized. Lupari brushed that aside saying that the LNG price was based on forward fixed contract agreement and that our revenue will not be affected. He said PNG was on a sound economic footing and there was no need for a supplementary budget.
“But now, 12 months after, what Lupari said turned out be an absolute false and that the country’s economy is facing signs of recession. Time is the better judge and Papua New Guineans can see that country is facing financial problems,” said Mr Polye.
The Opposition Leader is frustrated that none of the so called good thinking ministers and members in the current government can not open their eyes to see that PNG is further sinking by the day.
He highlighted that PNG has a depressing foreign reserves forcing inflationary effects on the people while the government continues to go in search of loans, thus further sinking the country with accumulated debts.
Polye said as a result of the borrowings, the country’s debt to GDP stands at 60% which is way beyond the accepted level as per the law.
He said other signs of economy in serious trouble includes Treasury finding it difficult to raise treasury bills and inscribe stocks.
Mr Polye said there a huge backlog of foreign orders totaling over K800 million which is affecting business operations in the country.
He said by now, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill must own up that his government has mismanaged the economy, squandered the country’s resources and personalized both police and defence forces, thus dividing the people.
He called on Peter O’Neill to step aside and allow thinking Papua New Guineans to save the country.

The public is well aware of the recent and continuing disruption of the academic year by a faction of university students.

As I previously indicated students have a right to protest against the Government and I support their rights as enshrined under the Constitution. But with rights comes responsibility. Protesters must abide by the law. They cannot attack other students who also have a democratic right to take an opposing view or who simply want to finish their studies. The actions of the SRC executive in continuing protests within UPNG and blocking students from attending classes is simply unacceptable and illegal.

Yesterday students from Goroka visited my office and advised me that they wanted to continue their studiers but had been told by SRC members that either they stick with the protestors or they had to get out of their accommodation at UPNG. They were being bullied by an unrepresentative SRC executive more interested in a political agenda than the welfare of students. These people are a disgrace to the SRC institution and should be removed from office.
As Member for Goroka and Chairman of the Goroka District Development Authority, I point out that we have financially supported students to attend university and parents have scrimped and saved to pay tuition fees. We cannot now allow thugs to impose their will on the majority and for the lives of committed students to be ruined as a consequence.

I therefore call on the Government and the University Council to take whatever steps are deemed appropriate to secure the Waigani Campus, provide a safe learning environment for our students and to expel any student who attempts to coerce other students to continue protests.
The public, parents and MPs have had enough of mindless violence, wanton destruction of Government property and intimidation of committed students. Thugs have no place in institutions of learning and need to be removed and face the full force of the law. In dealing with this situation, I would also like to encourage the Courts to enforce the letter of the law and show no leniencefor those who transgress.

We want a peaceful democratic country that removes Governments at the ballot box not via fermenting violence, exploiting regional differences and use of extortion.

L- PM O'Neill                   R. Opposition leader Don Polye

By Peter S. Kaulga

A Grade 11 female student from Yangoru Secondary School was beaten up by the Deputy Principal Mr. Philip Pena. She has been beaten on her face and sustained cuts and her right eye cannot be opened. She is seeking medical assistance. Meanwhile, the relatives of the student are taking the matter to court, saying it was an assault and child abuse.

Photo caption: The assaulted student.

Dr James Naipao

The Prime Minister,. Peter O’Neill has extended the nation’s condolences and sympathies following the death of a student at the hands of thugs at the UNITECH campus in Lae overnight. PM O’Neill said Cabinet will discuss the imposition of a curfew on campuses to ensure safety and the respect for law and order. “The attack on this young man was an act of brutality and an innocent life has been lost,” the Prime Minister said.

 “I would like to extend the condolences of the nation to the family of this man and our commitment to see those responsible brought to justice.

“The cruelty of what happened last night is very disturbing. “The thugs responsible will be identified by police and they will be charged. “It is believed there were people involved from outside the campus and police will follow every lead in this case.

“If there were students involved, regardless of how much or how little they were involved, they are clearly not fit to be in our tertiary education system." The Prime Minister further called on all members of civil society to condemn such acts of violence and to work together.

“All of this nonsense with people interfering in student affairs is a serious problem for our country. “Students should not become political footballs and we must all work through these issues. “Our priority must be to get our young people back to school and all involved must respect the rule of law.” The Prime Minister said the National Executive Council will discuss options this week that will ease tensions and ensure safety for all.

 “A curfew needs to be imposed on affected campuses and strict controls must be in place to ensure that only students, staff and people with a legitimate reason to be there are able to visit campuses. “The curfew is intended to maintain law and order, and protect the lives of people and property at the universities.  "This will further allow for normal classes to resume. “A new police controller will also be in place to ensure order and normalcy can be restored to campuses."