The National Government is working around the clock with local authorities on ground in areas impacted by Tropical Cyclone Maila, to ensure relief assistance gets to the affected communities right away. Prime Minister Marape confirmed that the National Government is working closely with Provincial Administrations, District Authorities, and Local-Level Governments to ensure timely and coordinated Relief efforts. “We will offer assistance as much as possible and ensure that our people are not left stranded,” he said. The Government has begun mobilizing essential Relief supplies, prioritizing immediate humanitarian needs such as: Food Rations Clean Water Supply Temporary Shelter and Building Materials Medical Supplies “Our priority is to help our people pick up their lives again, starting with immediate food relief, water supply, medical assistance, and accommodation support,” the Prime Minister stated. He emphasized that while Reports are still coming in, Government will ensure no community is missed: “At the moment, Reports are still coming in and are scattered, but we will make sure we reach every place, every island, and every community that has been affected.” Prime Minister Marape also acknowledged international goodwill, noting that assistance has been offered by Development Partners. “We have received indications of support from the Australian Government and Partners such as Starlink, and we are processing and mobilizing this assistance.” Meanwhile, the Australia government has released an initial $1 million (K3,093,157.28) in support for Papua New Guinea to respond to humanitarian needs arising from the impact of the cyclone, with a particular focus on regions most heavily impacted including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and islands affected in Milne Bay Province. This initial funding comes from a total of $2.5 million the Australia will provide for humanitarian assistance to Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to support their responses to Tropical Cyclone Maila. Australia will work closely with the Governments of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to coordinate the effective delivery of this assistance and support local response efforts. 

 The National Government stands ready to provide much relief assistance to the people in the communities that are being impacted by Tropical Cyclone Maila.  Prime Minister James Marape has issued an urgent directive to all Project Administrators and Government Agencies across Papua New Guinea to immediately Report on the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Malai, as the Government intensifies its National Disaster Response efforts.  This follows earlier Warnings and precautionary measures announced by the Prime Minister, with the Government now moving into full Response mode to ensure timely assistance reaches all affected communities. Prime Minister Marape emphasized that rapid communication and coordination are critical in saving lives and delivering urgent relief. “We want all Project Administrators to get in touch with the Chief Secretary’s Office and the National Disaster Office immediately to inform us of affected areas. Time is of the essence—we must act quickly to support our people,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister has called for immediate Situation Reports from all Districts, Provinces, and Project Sites, particularly identifying: · Areas impacted by strong winds, flooding, or infrastructure damage · Communities facing medical emergencies or displacement · Locations suitable for the delivery and distribution of Relief supplies “We ask all Administrators to respond at the very earliest so that we can attend to those facing medical conditions and disaster-related hardships,” Prime Minister Marape stressed.  The Prime Minister confirmed that the Government has activated a Whole-of-Government Response, including: · The Papua New Guinea Defence Force · The National Disaster Centre · Central Government Agencies and Provincial Administrations These Agencies are now on standby and actively coordinating logistics to deliver food, medical supplies, and emergency assistance to affected populations.

Ela Motors PNG, the Toyota dealership, has just introduced the new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Electric Vehicle to the Papua New Guinea (PNG) vehicle market. The new 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid offers a 2.5liter petrol-electric powertrain with improved efficiency, multiple AWD (All wheel drive) and 2WD (2 Wheel- drive) variants, and advanced technology for a versatile and eco- friendly Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) experience. The RAV4 GR Sport features a PHEV AWD powertrain with enhanced aerodynamic performance. From a stiffer rear suspension brace and power steering calibration to a wider wheel track and sporty styling, it’s designed to electrify every drive.The Plug-In Hybrid Electric RAV4 gives the owner the flexibility to drive in EV (electric vehicle) mode for everyday journeys, with the added confidence of hybrid power for longer trips. In terms of safety, the All-New RAV4 is among the first to feature the new Toyota Safety Sense, its most advanced suite of safety technologies. Compatible with remote updates so the driver and the passengers can always feel protected. The introduction of Hybrid Electric RAV4 to PNG shows the commitment of Ela Motors PNG to provide to the people a vehicle that is safe and reliable. Ela Motors PNG Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Masaru Mikami said the Toyota brand sold by Ela Motors, has been in PNG for over sixty (60) years. Since entering in 1963, Toyota has been supporting the progress and development in PNG for sixty- three (63) years.Picture: Ela Motors PNG CEO Mr. Masaru Mikami“Ela Motors is more than just a company, it is a big driving force in the country’s progress,” said CEO Mikami when expressing the commitment of the Toyota dealership as well in PNG’s development. The road- test Prior to the official launching of the All-New RAV4 on Wednesday 25th March at the Ela Motors Waigani Dealership in Port Moresby city, the new RAV4 was put to the test on the road to the highlands of PNG. Ela Motors Brand Ambassador Justin Olam was behind the wheel, starting from the Ela Motors dealership in Lae city on a full tank. On the 1,000km trip from Lae to Goroka and onto the final destination in the city of Mt. Hagen and then back, the vehicle did not at one time stop to refuel along the way. The new RAV4 returned to Lae city dealership with a quarter fuel left in the tank. Thanks to its capability of using both electric power and fuel, the vehicle passed the fuel efficiency test. Even Olam was impressed, stating that he was amazed how the vehicle was able to travel that far after only fueling up just once, and being able to also navigate through some of the rough spots along the Highlands Highway. Meanwhile, the All-New RAV4 is now on sale in the dealership in Port Moresby and will subsequently be supplied to the other centers in country.

The recently launched Papua New Guinea (PNG) Foreign Policy Whitepaper aims to enhance the countries national interest through international engagements in the years to come.The Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs Mr. Elias Wonhengu at the time of the launching on Tuesday 17th March in Port Moresby city’s APEC Haus, described it as a significant achievement for PNG’s foreign affairs dealings.“This Foreign Policy Whitepaper provides the department with a clear and coherent strategic framework to guide Papua New Guinea’s engagement with the international community in the years to come,” said the Secretary.“I affirm the department’s core mandate to oversee, coordinate and manage the implementation of Papua New Guinea’s foreign policy, whilst ensuring that our external engagement support broader national development agenda.”Prime Minister James Marape later officially launched the Foreign Policy White Paper, describing it as a historic and strategic blueprint that will guide the nation’s International Relations, Security, and Economic Engagement into the future.The landmark event, hosted by Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko, brought together Ambassadors, High Commissioners, International Partners, and Senior Government officials as PNG marks its 50th year of Independence.Marape said the White Paper represents a defining moment in the country’s journey, aligning the nation’s proud past with a forward-looking Vision in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.“This is not coincidental—it is purposeful. As we celebrate 50 years of Independence, we must position ourselves clearly for the future, anchored in where we have come from,” Prime Minister Marape said.The Prime Minister reaffirmed that Papua New Guinea’s long-standing Foreign Policy doctrine of “friends to all and enemies to none” remains central to the new Framework.

The swelling conflict in the Middle East between Israel, the United States (US) and Iran along with its proxies is being closely watched by the world for its impacts on the world economy, most importantly the impacts it is having on the supply and shipment of oil and fuel.Papua New Guinea (PNG) along with the other smaller pacific island States, are expected to be heavily impacted by this crisis with fears of fuel shortage and the subsequent high cost of goods along with shortages of goods, mostly the imported ones.The Iran war is disrupting the global oil supply because the Middle East is the world’s most important oil-producing regions, and with most pacific countries depending on imported fuel, the people are feeling the pinch of it now.PNG depends on fuel for the transportation of goods, both domestically and internationally. It relies on fuel to generate electricity to power the rural areas and to accommodate the movement of people using the various means of transportation that depends on fuel. So, one can only imagine what it would be like should the war prolongs.The current fuel supply in PNGDespite this happening, Puma Energy (PNG) Limited, the main supplier of fuel in the country, states that PNG is alright for now with the supply of fuel.While Iran is attacking oil tankers on the Strait of Hormuz and hitting oil facilities in the neighboring Gulf States, causing the prize of oil to go up more than a 100 dollars per barrel, Puma Energy PNG’s General Manager, Mr. Daniel Duffau says the fuel storage and supply in PNG is still good.:Picture: The Strait of Hormuz is currently blocked by Iran and its attack on oil tankers is causing disruptions to the flow of oil out of the region.PNG HAUSBUNG received a short massage from the General Manager stating that there is sufficient stocks in-country to ensure security of supply and meet current customer demand.“We continuously monitor market developments, and we are well positioned to manage short-term volatility while maintaining reliable operations,” said the General Manager.“While there are several geopolitical, logistical and market factors at play, supply chains remain operational. In addition, many Asian economies maintain strategic petroleum reserves that provide an additional buffer, reinforcing regional energy security should disruptions occur.”Puma Energy PNG supplies more than 650 million liters of fuel in one year to customers in the country. This includes petrol, diesel, Jet A1, LPG and other oil products. But how long would this hold out?This is because Iran exports over 1–1.5 million barrels per day, mostly to Asia. Key oil terminals such as Kharg Island in Iran handle most of these exports. If the US strikes or attacks these facilities, it can remove large amounts of oil from the market. This could cut up to 2 million barrels per day.Fuel price goes upThe fuel supply in PNG may be good for now, but the price of fuel is expected to further go up due to the conflict in the Middle East says the country’s consumer watchdog, the Independent Consumer and Competitions Commission (ICCC).The ICCC stated in a statement that the prices for diesel, petrol and kerosene have increased for the month of March and is expected to get worse because of the increase in crude oil prices in February primarily driven by unplanned supply outage due to severe weather conditions and the geopolitical tension between the US and Iran, exacerbated by strong demand growth in developing economies.“The most recent US/Israel- Iran War which erupted on 28th February 2026, will affect the domestic prices in PNG next month (April), given the one- month lag in domestic price calculations,” the ICCC said in that statement.Waigani closely watching the situationNevertheless, the National Government at Waigani in Port Moresby city is closely monitoring the world situation and stands ready to step in with solutions should things get out of hand.A confident Prime Minister James Marape on Monday 16th March 2026 came out to assure the country that his government is proactively implementing comprehensive measures to safeguard the country’s fuel security and shield citizens from the impact of rising global fuel prices. :Picture: PM Marape assures the country that his government is aware of the fuel situation and measures are being taken to handle it.Prime Minister Marape said the Government is working on standby fuel supply arrangements to ensure continuity of supply across the country, as global energy markets face increasing volatility.“We are putting in place standby facilities to guarantee fuel security for our nation going forward,” Prime Minister Marape said. “In light of what is happening globally, especially in the Middle East, we are not taking any chances when it comes to ensuring that our country has sufficient fuel reserves.”Marape confirmed that relevant authorities have been directed to explore relief measures for citizens should international fuel prices increase. The focus is to keep fuel prices stable and within manageable levels for households and businesses.Hope for the best outcomeSo, the hope now is that the US along with Israeli find a solution to this war soon and for Iran to stop bombing shipments of oil and the facilities in its neighboring Gulf States. However, even if the war does comes to an end, the damage may take some time to fix.PNG Institute of National Affairs (INA) Executive Director Mr. Paul Barker told PNG HAUSBUNG that the damage to the oil supply and the world economy would take some time to fix up.“It would take time to go back to normal because all the ships are in the wrong places, they are sitting out at sea, or they’ve gone back to port. So yeah, it takes a while to resolve,” stated Mr. Barker.Meanwhile, this conflict is heading into its fourth week and the more it carries on, the gloomier the world becomes.

A new smartphone with the latest in technology was recently introduced into the Papua New Guinea tech market for those intrigued with new and enhanced features in an Honor smartphone.This latest edition in the Honor series of smartphones is the Honor X9d, which boasts impressive technological features that would leave the owner of the phone extremely impressed. The amazing Honor X9d features The Honor X9d is the first smartphone to receive SGS Triple resistant Premium Performance certification, with durable protection against drops, dust and water. It features drop resistance, which means the phone can survive drops from up to 2.5 meters. It is water resistance: IPX9K rated to withstand splashes, rain, and high-pressure water exposure. It features dust resistance: IP6X sealed to keep out fine particles like sand and construction dust. The new handset also features ultra tough tempered glass with an industry first multilayer cushioning design, featuring a ballistic-grade damping layer for enhanced shock absorption. But perhaps the intriguing feature of the Honor X9d is its battery. The silicon-carbon battery sets a new benchmark for capacity and durability. Engineered for high endurance, it delivers long lasting, reliable power; a three- day battery life. Plus, it doubles as a power bank for convenient, on-the-go charging. When it comes taking that perfect picture, the Honor X9d has the means to do so and more. It features a 108MP ultra high-resolution main camera for exceptional clarity at any zoom. It’s Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) ensures sharp, blur-free photos even in low light. The grand launching Honor PNG on Saturday 14th March 2026, introduced the all-new Honor X9d into the market with a spectacular launching event at the Ela Beach in Port Moresby city featuring local artist Kronos, Kabbage Gang, Rhee Gial and DJ Shld along with other performers. The event attracted a crowd of people who witnessed the official launch along with VIPs on a warm but exciting evening at the beachside where fireworks, flame throwers and dances entertained the night. Customers can check out this latest edition at Honor PNG at the Rangeview Plaza in Port Moresby city, and it is expected to be distributed to the other centers as well soon.

The dilemma of the displaced people from the illegal settlements in Port Moresby city has gotten worse following objections from the community where the city’s authority is planning on temporarily relocation them to.This is a sad situation now for these people who are already in dire need of help. The National Capital District Commission (NCDC) has assured them of resettlement but there are implications to that, and it will be challenging given the current situation. It is almost two months since the forced eviction of the settlers at the illegal settlements at 2 Mile Hill and 4 Mile Works following the troubles. So far, many evicted people are scattered living in different places awaiting the NCDC to relocate them to the temporary holding place, which is at Gerehu, but residents there do not want them. The residents of Gerehu gathered recently on the 21st of February 2026 at the suburb’s main recreational area- the Gerehu Sports Center, in a public forum to air their concerns after the office of the National Capital District (NCD) Governor revealed plans to temporarily relocate the displaced people to a vacant piece of land at the back of Gerehu.Most of them do not want them there because to their bad reputation of committing crime. This is a major concern in the community.NCD Governor Powes Parkop, at the time of the evictions of people from both illegal settlements, stated clearly that the NCDC’s policy position on urban planning settlement management and resettlement still stands, stressing that evicted settlers will only be relocated to properly surveyed and serviced land. This has been successful to a point for the settlements on the outskirts of the city like the 9 Mile Quarry project and parts of 8 Mile; however, for those within the city limit, they would be resettled elsewhere to allow for planned developments to take place. This means that to finally have these displace people moved to a secured land, they would require all proper documentations like land titles issued to them, and proper utility services set up for them. Governor Parkop said he would enable the Commission to properly manage resettlement programs in an orderly and structured manner. “Without title, we cannot evict, although we have powers under Physical Planning to demolish, we prefer to obtain title to ensure smooth and orderly resettlement for a win- win outcome,” said Governor Parkop. However, this is not the case for those who were just forcefully evicted as there is no land title awaiting each of the families. The current state of people is concerning Also, recently, the Governor for Central province, Rufina Peter visited one of the groups of the displaced people from Goilala sheltering at the Kassman residence in Badili and shared their concerns. The madam Governor, who also hails from the Goilala district of the Central province, raised concerns about this forced eviction and resettlement, alleging it to be a targeted move by the city authority to discriminate a certain group of people; however, she did acknowledged limits to her authority in dealing with this matter further. “It’s not my jurisdiction. That is why I didn’t come out to speak on the matter,” she said. Meanwhile, Mr. Atu Laian, a Community Leader of the displaced people of 2 Mile Rabiagini community made a desperate appeal to authorities to come to their help because most of them have lived in the city for generations and don’t know anything about the lands of their great grandparents where they came from. There is no way for them to leave, but to continue residing in the city. “So that is why I am asking the national government to seriously look into this, because I am 54 years old, and I was born here, I was educated here and I never knew Goilala and how it looks like because I don’t have a place in Goilala and I understand the fact that I belong to Rabiagini, and this is where I’m going to stay and going to die,” he said.Picture: Central Governor Rufina Peter visiting a group of displaced people from Goilala. Government launches NIDPP While their pleas were raised, the government moved to launch a new policy that will address displaced people going forward, which is a great initiative to help Papua New Guineans facing such situation in the future. This new policy is the National Internally Displaced Persons Policy (NIDPP) 2025- 2035 which was launched by the prime minister on the 26th of February 2026. The NIDPP provides the framework for a more coordinated support to displaced Papua New Guineans (IDPs), those who are returning to their land after displacement, and host communities who put up land to support displaced people as a result of natural disasters or other such adversities. “This policy will support and guide the development of legal and administrative frameworks that enable voluntary, safe, and dignified relocation, return, and local integrations of IDPs,” said the prime minister. “This landmark policy reflects our government’s dedication to ensuring that IDPs are not only protected but also empowered to rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to national development.” What now for the displaced people? While this policy looks great on paper, its implementation is what is important here. So, while this is carried out, for the evicted people of 2 Mile and 4 Mile settlements who will be temporarily resettled to Gerehu for the time being, it could take some time for them to get meaningful help from the authority. So, the questions posed now is will they be eventually accepted by the community they are being relocated to, for how long is the temporary stay going to be for them and what does the future hold for them? PNG HAUSBUNG did reach out to the office of the NCD Governor to get clarification on these questions, including question on the funding for the relocation exercise, but has not received any feedback from the office. In the meantime, it is hoped that these people would be treated with dignity and get the best help from the State in eventually finding a better place to settle down that is acquired through proper processes to enable a proper and legal land for the people to settle on. Picture: A portion of the vacated land at 2 Mile Hill fenced off.

The escalating conflict in the Middle East between Israel, the United States and Iran along with its proxies is being closely watched by the world for its impacts on the world economy and the impacts on the supply and shipment of oil.Prime Minister James Marape in a statement released on Sunday 1st March, said the Government of is closely monitoring developments arising from the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with particular attention on its potential impact on global prices and the domestic economy. The prime minister said his government is monitoring the global conflict and is ready to act on fuel issues and price of goods if things get really bad. In terms of the supply of fuel, which is vital for pretty much everything from service to the supply of goods, the pacific is expected to be hit as well, with analysts warning that fuel prices are expected to jump in the region following the Israeli and US attacks on Iran. This is because Iran borders the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20 percent of the world's oil and gas supply, and the shipments have been suspended so far following the attacks. This could lead to implications on fuel supply and price. Fuel Supply for PNG For PNG, the matter of fuel supply at this stage is not an issue says Puma Energy PNG Ltd. According to a short message from Puma Energy PNG’s General Manager, Mr. Daniel Duffau, Puma Energy PNG has sufficient stocks in-country to ensure security of supply and meet current customer demand. Most of fuel supplies to PNG comes from Asia. “We continuously monitor market developments, and we are well positioned to manage short-term volatility while maintaining reliable operations,” he said. More broadly, he said Asia relies heavily on crude and refined products from the Gulf region, reflecting long-standing trade flows and refinery configurations. He added that while there are several geopolitical, logistical and market factors at play, supply chains remain operational. This is because many Asian economies maintain strategic petroleum reserves that provide an additional buffer, reinforcing regional energy security should disruptions occur.

In recent times there have been a lot of vehicle road accidents that we have seen either on the news, on social media or witnessed firsthand, an unfortunate thing that has now become a major concern bringing into question why road safety is at stake here. The PNG HAUSBUNG team took this into consideration and set out to enquire as to why efforts to ensure road safety is not effective enough to reduce or prevent further vehicle road accidents particularly in Port Moresby city and its outskirts, which are the areas in the Central province bordering the nation’s capital city. One thing that came into attention was the lack of regular road check- points especially on the weekends when people tend to take on leisure activities going clubbing or attending functions or events; a time when the likelihood of drinking and driving is very high. Another thing that came into attention was the lack of police and the Road Transport Authority (RTA) impounding vehicles that are un-roadworthy, unregistered and with no safety stickers. Although some efforts were made to remove these sorts of vehicles from the roads, it was not maintained. Still, in the city there are Public Motor Vehicles (PMVs) and taxies along with private vehicles currently running without proper documents and some of them are visibly un-roadworthy, which is a breach to road safety and the traffic laws of this country. According to the Asian Transport Observatory (ATO) on Papua New Guinea (PNG) Road Safety Profile 2025, road safety remains a significant challenge in PNG. “While progress has been made in reducing fatalities, the country still faces a high burden of road traffic injuries and deaths,” stated the ATO on PNG’s Country Summery.The ATO road safety profiles offer insights into the road safety in 37 Asia-Pacific countries by utilizing road safety related data from various sources and policy information extracted from a range of documents. So, the question posed here is what has been done or is being done to address this matter going forward? One way to address this matter is by conducting regular vehicle road checks. According to general information sourced from the police, all police stations and police units including the traffic police are issued directives from the police high command to carry out routine stop checks, either at police check- points or while on the move. They are to stop and check all drivers of vehicles who are breaching traffic laws, be it driving under the influence of alcohol or of other substances, driving unregistered vehicles, un-roadworthy vehicles, drivers driving beyond speed limits or suspected stolen vehicles. This is being done no doubt; however, it is not done on a consistent basis, hence, most of the time drivers tend to get away with breaches, and when this is happening at a regular pace, it leads to danger on the roads were people become victims of road accidents. PNG HAUSBUNG did reach out to the National Capital District (NCD) police high command numerous times but was unable to get a definite answer on the statistics of road accidents in 2025 and the start of 2026, plus what further actions the police has taken, or is taking, or will be taking to enforce road safety for everyone. The other State body taking care of this is matter is the Road Traffic Authority (RTA) which was established by the National Parliament to administer the regulation, safety and use of land transport throughout Papua New Guinea. PNG HAUSBUNG also reached out to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RTA but to no avail. Nevertheless, according to the Road Traffic Authority Corporate Plan 2025- 2027 that was launched in July 2025, the RTA plan focusses on, • Safety and Sustainability: Reducing Road deaths and injuries. • Digital Transformation: Introducing new digital services for licensing and registration. • Regulatory Enforcement: Strengthen compliance. The plan also includes enhancing road safety compliance improving access and turnaround times for licensing and vehicle registration, introducing new digital services and expanding regional service delivery. All these looks good on paper, but the actual implementation will count.Meanwhile, one person who is eager to see improvements made to how road safety is being implemented, is the President of the National Capital District (NCD) PMV Association, Mr. Jack Waso. Mr. Waso is a prominent advocator for issues affecting PMVs, who usually calls for improvements to be made to public transport infrastructures like proper bus stops, the issue of police harassment of PMV drivers and of course, road safety. Speaking to PNG HAUSBUNG, he said the safety of the people on the roads is at stake as a lot of things are not being implemented to ensure safety, and he said carrying out road safety awareness is one approach that must be stepped up. “There are a lot of things that are not going well,” said the NCD PMV Association President, Mr. Waso. “Police are not doing their job, NCDC (National Capital District Commission) is not doing its job, and the Road Traffic Authority is not doing its job.” He claimed that the lack of action by these State bodies is resulting in injuries and deaths each year caused by road accidents. Mr. Waso also added that with the Connect PNG Programme linking the Southern Highlands province, the Morobe province and the Southern Region to NCD with the new roads being constructed, it could result in more cases of road accidents if there is a lack of commitment to enforcing road safety by the authorities. His call now is simple, the people responsible for everyone’s safety on the roads must do their jobs sincerely. So, road safety is not a joke. When it comes to safety, one must be comforted by the thought that the authorities are out there doing their jobs to keep all of us safe; however, if they are not committed to it and neglecting their duties, who is to say our safety on the roads will be guaranteed.

Another vehicle accident this morning in the city of Port Moresby that occurred along the independence boulevard at Waigani right in front of the National Parliament, is yet another statistic in the rise in road accidents in the capital city.The accident involved two vehicles, a white sedan and a black sports utility vehicle (SUV). Fortunately, none of the occupants of the two vehicles received serious injuries. Only the driver of the white sedan had St John Ambulance officers attend to him. He had a cut on his forehead that was later treated and bandaged. He was up and walking after that.What is even concerning was that the accident took place where the traffic lights are, but unfortunately those traffic lights have not been working for some time to control the movement of vehicles along the road. Police were already at the scene when PNG HAUSBUNG arrived on site. Traffic officers were taking notes and statements from the occupants, and it was discovered that alcohol was involved as a parcel containing beer cans was taken out of one of the vehicles by police and place on it. Once again, the consumption of alcohol and driving is the case here and it is quite concerning too because if drink- driving is going unchecked by road safety authorities including the police, it creates a scary situation on the roads in the city where drunk drivers roam freely posing threat to other motorists on the road especially on the weekends. The way forward now to address this serious matter, is for the police and the Road Traffic Authority to conduct regular road checks to ensure drivers are not intoxicated, or whether a vehicle is registered and road worthy to be running on the roads and highways.

The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) says it is unable to set the right fares for alternate routes used by public transportation compared to the ones already approved by the authority. This was revealed by the ICCC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Commissioner Mr. Roy Daggy when addressing complaints from the public regarding Public Motor Vehicles (PMVs) taking shortcuts or alternate routes from the approved ones and charging extra fares. He explained that in cities like Port Moresby, which is expending at a faster rate, new roads are built and PMV operators sometimes utilize these new routes, or they take an existing alternate route for the sake of efficiency, a quicker route enabling good turnaround time for the PMV buses is an idle option to operators. This he said has created an additional problem for authorities to monitor the routes and fares charged to passengers. However, this issue is not unsolvable. “The ICCC also noted that there were some new routes being utilized out of necessity given the growth in population and expansion of geographic boundaries,” said the Commissioner. Upon explaining this, he said that there is nothing the ICCC can do to address this matter because they are not responsible for allocating fares for these routes. “The ICCC will only set fares for routes that were designated by the Road Traffic Authority (RTA) and its predecessors. Until such time that those new routes are approved by the RTA, then the ICCC will come in to set fares.” In saying this, Commission Daggy said it is up to the partners of ICCC- RTA and the traffic police, to crack down on PMV buses that are doing it so that authorized routes are used and proper monitoring is conducted.

The new increased rate for both the Public Motor Vehicle (PMV) and taxi fares is now in effect, but the challenge now is the enforcement of these new rates to ensure operators do not put additional costs on top of the gazetted rates.The new Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Commissioner, Mr. Roy Daggy said the Commission will be working alongside the Road Traffic Authority (RTA), the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) other concerned authorities to ensure enforcement is in place. The new fare increases are now active after it was officially gazetted on the 9th of January 2026- National Gazette No. 21, which gave the go ahead for an increase of just 20toea for PMV fares and 16toea increase for taxi fares. The breakdown of the increases in the 2026- 2030 regulation period, is as follows for the first three years, For PMVs structure: Fare will increase by 20% in 2026, 2027 and 2028 respectivelyFor taxi fare structure: Fares will increase by 16% in 2026, 14% in 2027 and 10% in 2028 In terms of the annual adjustments, Commissioner Daggy explained that these phased increases will be supplemented by annual adjustments to capture changes in fuel prices (diesel and petrol) and the underlying Consumer Price Index (CPI). Therefore, for the remaining two years, the rates will change depending on the outcome of the review of fuel prices and the CPI. Now that this has been established, the enforcement part of this is now important. Commissioner Daggy said the ICCC will collaborate with RTA, traffic police and Provincial Land and Transport authorities to take a tough stance on non- compliance behavior. “The penalty has been increased to K10, 000 if prosecuted summery (summery offence) and K30, 000 if prosecuted for indictment,” explained Commissioner Daggy. “Therefore, suppliers of regulated services, including PMV and taxi service providers must comply with the requirements of the law.” The gazetted fares are maximum fares which the ICCC encourages PMV and taxi operators to apply at or below these maximum fares. If any PMV or taxis are charging above the approved fares, it will be considered illegal and in breach of the Prices Regulation Act.