The Deputy Chief of PNG Defence Force, Commodore Philip Polewara, has presented the PNGDF Investigation Report on the Kupiano Training Incident to the General Board of Inquiry on Wednesday 09th of August 2023. The Board – convened by the authority of the Minister for Defence – summoned Commodore Polewara following its first sitting on Tuesday 10th of August 2023, at APEC Haus, Port Moresby. While handing over the report, the Commodore said the PNGDF investigation, from which the report is furnished, was conducted independently, without interference from the force’s higher command. “It is the initial PNGDF report into the training mishap that occurred on 4th July 2023 in Kupiano, claiming the lives of two members and injuring another along with a civilian.” “The report will serve as a key document for the Board to conduct their investigations.” He further stated that the Inquiry is a fact-finding mission, and the Board will inquire into and scrutinize all areas of Defence administration, operations and training, and provide appropriate recommendations to the Defence hierarchy for improvement of administration, process and procedures. He said that this will ensure accidents such as the one in Kupiano do not occur again during PNGDF trainings. The procedure of the Inquiry is as directed by the Chairman and the Board, is not bound to observe strict legal procedures or rules of evidence but may admit and consider information as is available and relevant to the Inquiry. In the interest of fairness, the Board may order that all or any evidence given before it be given in private. Session was adjourned on Wednesday afternoon and will resume on today Friday at 10am, giving Board members Thursday to read through the report.

“More than K16.0 million Constitutional Grants went stale and were forfeited back to the state this year.” . “This is due to non-submittal of acquittal reports of Constitutional grants which consists of Provincial and District Support Grants (PSG & DSG).” The Department of Implementation and Rural Development (DIRD) Secretary Aihi Vaki said to qualify for the release of next lot of Constitutional Grants depends entirely on the previous year’s both physical and financial reports. Mr. Vaki said there were 36 discretionary and 31 non-discretionary components of PSG & DSG that added up to K16, 750,000.00 in 2022 that went stale. In 2021, there were K6, 250,000.00 PSG and DSG of which 12 discretionary and 13 non-discretionary cheques that had been re-issued, however it will go stale again in September 2023, if not collected by the provinces and districts. “These PSG and DSG cheques went stale because of the failure by the provincial or district finance managers including their administration and we blame them for not complying,” he said. He said because of such issues and actions by those in authority, people suffer. “Districts and provinces must identify gaps in important areas that need serious consideration and intervention, especially at the LLG and ward levels where most of the people live. “Funds must be spent on intended purposes such as law and order, education and health sectors including other sustainable programs in partnership with local communities to empower and improve their living standards and submitting of acquittal reports to access such development grants are very critical.” Vaki further challenges public servants at the sub-national administration to comply with the administrative guidelines and financial instructions by submitting all outstanding Provincial and District Services Improvement Program (PSIP and DSIP) dated back to 2018-2022. “I call up on every implementer at the sub-national administration to use the funds wisely and hand over the report back to us as part of compliance that stipulated under the Public Finance Management Act (2014) because huge development grants were frontloaded to sub-nationals who fail to hand over reports.” He said this is to ensure accountability, transparency and practice good governance at the sub-national administration.

PNG Power has commenced work to restore faulty generators at the Boram Power Station in Wewak, East Sepik Province. A technical team from Port Moresby arrived in Wewak on Wednesday, August 2, and commenced work on the faulty generators. Heavy load shedding has been undertaken on the Wewak grid due to only two (machines) in operation, while the other three generating units have been offline due to mechanical faults and parts replacement. The Technical Team will also work on Units 5 and 1 and has scheduled Unit 5 to be restored by this Saturday with a capacity of 600 kilowatts. Immediate work will begin with the installation of the new 2.5-Megawatt (MW) generator for the power station, and it is anticipated to be online by this week. Unit 1, with 700 kilowatts, will undertake an overhaul with parts flown in from Port Moresby and will be commissioned by the end of August and parts are expected to arrive in Wewak on August 20. A new service block exchange will also be installed for Unit 6 with parts already purchased and will also be shipped to Wewak in mid-August with a capacity of 800kW. A replacement machine for Unit 4 is being shipped from Port Moresby and is expected to arrive at the end of August, with an added capacity of 700kw. The short-term goal for PNG Power is to ensure that some of these generators are up and running by this weekend while working on a longer-term solution for the Wewak grid. PPL is now apologizing to its customers in Wewak for the inconvenience caused due to the generation shortfall, causing heavy load shedding. Genesis Top News.

A Memorandum of Understanding was officially signed between Marie Stopes PNG (MSPNG) and the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s (ABG) Department of Health. The special ceremony was held at the Buka General Hospital (BGH) recently, paved the way for more meaningful and effective partnership between the two. The signing of partnership was officiated by MSPNG External Relation Director, Anthony Nagul; and Acting-Secretary for ABG Department of Health (ABG DoH), Dr Ruline Pokote and present to witness the occasion were Buka General Hospital CEO – Dr. Tommy Wotsia, BGH senior management and staff, ABG representatives, stakeholders, and media personnel. The partnership is to develop and facilitate collaboration between the Parties as set out in the areas of cooperation towards strengthening Family Planning and Sexual Reproductive Health service provision for the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB). MSPNG External Relation Director, Mr Nagul said the partnership will see two Marie Stopes’s nurses embedded or stationed at Buka General Hospital’s Post Natal Ward and Arawa District Hospital’s Post Natal Ward. “These nurses will provide family planning services and counselling to post-partum mothers and it is also hoped that these nurses can offer education and awareness on family planning and sexual reproductive health to the wider catchment areas across Buka and Arawa, respectively”. “Marie Stopes PNG is excited to recommence service delivery in ARoB and it is great to see other development agencies, NGOs, Civil Societies and partners working closely with the ABG to delivery much needed services to the people of AROB,” he further added. Also speaking at the signing ceremony,Acting-Secretary for ABG Department of Health (ABG DoH), Dr Ruline Pokote thanked MSPNG and the people and government of New Zealand for their support and steadfast commitment to assisting the ABG achieve its development goals in the space of family planning. “Your willingness and commitment to re-engage with our region given our past history is greatly appreciated so I give you assurance that we are committed to fostering a conducive and enabling environment that can result in all of us achieving our shared goals of increasing family planning access to our local population.” Dr Pokote described the partnership as the cornerstone for more sustainable family planning programs and said it was important for the future plans of Bougainville. “It is our hope that through this partnership which will act as a cornerstone to more sustainable family planning programs, progress can be made in increasing the awareness to our general population.” “Thus, we can normalize and increase the acceptance and uptake of family planning or better future planning services in Bougainville,” Dr Pokote said. Mr Nagul stated in conclusion, “Through the generous funding of the New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Marie Stopes PNG has embarked on renewing its partnership with ABG Department of Health to support Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights for the people of AROB and PNG.” “The goal of the project is to create awareness and educate our citizens on the importance of spacing our children to ensure families can prosper within their financial means.”

The Ameng and Munuiguwin clans from Simbukanam village in the Sumgilbar Local Level Government area in the Sumkar District of Madang Province recently signed a Conservation Deed (CD) to protect their land and natural resources. These two clans agreed to put aside their differences and unite to work together to protect their land and natural resources. Over the years, initial support had been provided by the Bismark Ramu Group (BRG) through conservation awareness that had resulted in the development and signing of an initial conservation deed. Through engagement with the Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the support provided through the USAID PNG Lukautim Graun Program (LGP) the CD was revised and renewed as part of the Community-based Natural Resource Management (CbNRM) Plan that LGP helped the community to develop through its participatory land-use management planning process. The Conservation Deed covers a total of 2,260 hectares of customary land which is now part of an active and ongoing environment protection management area. USAID PNG LGP, Chief of Party, Tom Pringel, although unable to attend the event, provided a formal statement on behalf of LGP acknowledging the great work and commitment of the community in achieving this key milestone. He acknowledged that although Papua New Guinea is a land of rich biodiversity, with multiple languages and cultures, it is also living through a time of great environmental degradation resulting in increased biodiversity loss. Mr Pringel further highlighted in his statement that the increase in human population and demand for more resources there is now a greater need to promote biodiversity conservation and environmental protection in PNG. “We are proud to be part of the milestone achievement of the Ameng and Munuiguwin clans who have taken the initiative to sign this Conservation Deed.” “Congratulations to the two clans, TNC, Gildipasi Civil Society Organization and everyone who has been a part of the journey in creating the Conservation Area.” The Chairman of the Gildipasi CSO, Laurence Micah, also expressed his gratitude on behalf of the CD communities. “Thank you TNC for being here in our community from the beginning to ensure we achieved this milestone activity, and thank you to USAID PNG LGP, for supporting TNC in making it possible.” Mr Micah added that this is the beginning of more conservation work and livelihood opportunities for the community. The CD signing event was witnessed by representatives from USAID LGP, the Madang Provincial Government, the Sumkar District officers from Madang Governor’s office, Village Court representatives, the Divisions of Commerce, Fisheries and Civil Registration as well as Mi- Bank and the Madang Police.

Japan plans to start releasing treated nuclear wastewater from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as soon as late August, Japan's Asahi Shimbun daily is reporting, citing government sources. The paper said the release is likely to come shortly after the prime minister, Fumio Kishida, meets the US president, Joe Biden, and the South Korean president, Yoon Suk-yeol, next week in the US, where Kishida planned to explain the safety of the water in question. Japan's nuclear regulator last month granted approval for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) to start releasing the water, which Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say is safe but nearby countries fear may contaminate food. Bottom-trawling fishing was scheduled to start off Fukushima, north-east of Tokyo, in September, and the government aimed to start the water discharge before the fishing season got under way, the newspaper said. In July the UN's nuclear watchdog approved plans by Japan to release the water, despite objections from local fishing communities and other countries in the region. About 1.3m tonnes of water stored in huge tanks on the site has been filtered through TEPCO's advanced liquid processing system (ALPS) to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is difficult to separate from water. The treated water will be diluted with seawater so that the concentration of tritium is well below internationally approved levels before being released into the ocean 1km from the shoreline via an undersea tunnel. The water - enough to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools - becomes contaminated when it is used to cool fuel rods that melted after the power plant was hit by a powerful earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Discharging the water is expected to take 30 to 40 years to complete. Attempts by Japanese government officials to win regional support for the plan have had limited success. China denounced the plan as "extremely irresponsible" when it was announced in 2021. Hong Kong has threatened to ban food imports from 10 Japanese prefectures if the water release goes ahead as planned.  

The people of Tonga know how to adapt to the extremes of the natural environment. Cyclones, volcanic eruptions and the impacts of climate change are elements they've learnt to live with. But the cold weather? That is a different matter. "Right now we're experiencing much colder temperatures than normal," Rita Prema, a shop owner in the capital Nuku'alofa told the ABC. "We've got customers coming in for coffee mugs, vacuum flasks, teapots and insulated bottles to keep their hot beverages warmer through these colder nights." In a place synonymous with tropical heat, coconuts and warm waters - complaining about the cold might seem like a stretch. But last week, the country recorded its second-lowest temperature ever, at 9.3 degrees Celsius. According to Tonga Meteorological Services, the lowest temperature recorded in the country was 8.7 degrees Celsius in September 1994. The near-record low temperature was so chilly that residents were walking around with beanies, scarves and puffer jackets. It was so cold some of the country's institutions had put out a desperate call for blankets. "It's been a big surprise to everyone" said acting Tonga High Commissioner to Australia Curtis Tuihalangingie, who was in the capital Nuku'alofa this week. "Normally, it will just go down to 18 [degrees]. And at some points it'll go down to 15. But to go down to 10. This [is] a first for me. "It got so cold the prison [and] the psychiatric ward were asking for blankets . . . so Her Royal Highness with the help of Her Majesty donated some." The cold temperatures in parts of the region come as intense heatwaves hit southern Europe, South-East Asia, northern Africa, the United States and South America. They smashed records and fuelled wildfires in Greece, Spain, Italy, Canada and Algeria. In July, 21 of the 30 hottest days on record led to it becoming Earth's hottest month on average. And in Australia, parts of the eastern states are experiencing unseasonably warm weather, partly due to interactions with the weather events bringing chilly conditions to parts of the Pacific. What's causing the colder temperatures? Tonga's location near the edge of the tropics, a developing El Niño event and a weather system that has channelled air from south of the country have likely helped drive the colder temperatures. "The major factor in this case will be the flow of air from further south coming up into this region bringing cooler temperatures," Professor Janette Lindesay from the ANU's Fenner School of Environment and Society told the ABC. It was also helping to keep the skies clear. "When you've got clear skies like that, at night the heat that's absorbed at the Earth's surface during the day when the sun's shining escapes, so it cools down overnight," Professor Lindesay said. The record cold day Tonga experienced in 1994 was during an El Niño that lasted until the next year. Professor Lindesay said it was hard to know if Tonga would continue to face chilly winters in the coming years. If the developing El Niño continued into a moderate or strong El Niño, it would likely bring a period of below average rainfall and lower night-time temperatures. That could lead to things like droughts and severe frosts, which could kill food crops. Professor Lindesay said a severe frost hit Papua New Guinea in spring 1997, devastating staple food crops. "There was a lack of food in that area and there were some real sociological problems and issues for the people at that time," she said. 'Complete change' of weather patterns The conditions in Tonga were being felt across the region, with puffer jackets and beanies being seen in Fiji and colder temperatures recorded in Samoa. Samoa Meteorological Services assistant chief executive Afaese Dr Luteru Tauvale said Samoa's average maximum temperature was around 28 or 29 degrees Celsius. He said some places near the capital were hitting the low 20s this week. He said the lowest minimum temperature on record was 10 degrees Celsius, which the country had not got close to hitting this year so far. But he said, they were still "on the hunt" to gain accurate temperatures across Samoa and its more remote areas. "In the past some of the villages have called in and they told us they'd seen frost so, you know, we're still wanting to get instruments out there to record that." As the world continued to feel the impacts of climate change, Dr Tauvale said predicting weather patterns in the region would become more "complicated". "We've seen a complete change of climate and weather patterns," he said. "You know, we are in a transition. [For example] we are experiencing heavy rain from time to time. And it's a very big challenge for not only for Samoa, but for the whole of the Pacific. "It's a global challenge." For 82-year-old Samoan Reverend Vaiao Ala'ilima Eteuati the cold weather is much more meaningful than just putting on an extra layer. For him, and the people of Samoa, the cold winds are referred to as "tuaoloa" - and it holds special meaning. "It means richness, abundance, prosperity, plenty," he told the ABC. "It can be gentle, it also can be very violent and cold. It connects the people with the environment. "So shark snaring, bonito fishing, you can't do it because tuaoloa is precarious." According to Reverend Eteuati, it's a period that also brings danger. "[In this period] we usually take very good care [and] attend to our elders. Because we know the consequences of our life [if] we don't look after our elderly. "People in Australia might see the weather get down to 19 and not think about it, but 19 degrees in Samoa, that's very cold. "And that's too much for the elderly." This story was first published in the ABC - Source: Radio NZ

The new Edevu Hydro Power project construction is on schedule with all work expected to be completed by the end of September. PNG Hydro Development Limited Managing Director Mr Allan Guo stated that Edevu Hydro Power Station will be supplying about 132 kilovolts (kv) to Moitaka Power station, where it will receive 132 kv where Moitaka will become substation to Edevu Hydro Power Station. “Edevu will be transmitting 132 kilovolts to Moitaka Substation and then from Moitaka out will be 66 kilo volts.” The whole Moitaka Power station is now under critical transmission construction, where there will be a State-of-the-Art Control room and Regulating Room as well as Transmission Towers. “The cable track is designed for conservation and the whole transmission line of the structure lines are high standard so it can supply for the whole Port Moresby for many years to come,” said Mr Guo. Mr Guo highlighted that total number of towers of the main transmission lines built from Edevu to Moitaka Substation is 104. “Work on erecting towers and stringing the lines has been completed for towers 1-39, however from tower 39- 89 towers have been erected already but without stringing.” “By this week contractors will be working on tower 90-95.” With Edevu Hydro coming on board this should help stop frequent blackouts in the Nation’s Capital. PNG Power Chairman Mr McRonald Nale reiterated that PNG Power is now tapping into Renewable Energy supply, and they have two aims. “Firstly, we want to make this environmentally friendly because we are looking at going green and secondly, we want to supply cheap power and that is basically to put off the use of generators.” Mr Nale added that right now in most cases PNG Power Limited has been doing Load Shedding but with Edevu Hydro, it will supply 54 mega watts into the Port Moresby Grid, and this is 2 x turbines each producing 27 megawatts. “With Edevu’s biggest sized generating units with higher inertia, it will add stability to the Port Moresby Grid and Port Moresby will have an improved ability to with stand electrical shocks and disturbances therefore reducing network blackouts.” He said with high inertia machines from Edevu, this will significantly reduce total system outages caused by network cascading effects. Right now, all construction is on schedule and all work should be completed by September 2023. “PNG Power will do official technical commissioning and will run a full operation for three days before the final test and official commissioning and full generation of power should be in October.”

The stray bullet wounding of National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) senior journalist Ms Gwendella Rea was quite unfortunate and it again exposed the precarious environment the media industry operates in. That is according to NBC Managing Director Mr Kora Nou in a statement. “I happened to be at the same hospital when Gwendella was brought in by PNG Power staff after she caught a stray bullet in her left arm from an unrelated incident in their vicinity”. “Along with PNG Power and NBC news staff, we ensured Gwendella was treated for her wounds after x-rays showed a fracture in her left arm and she was admitted for further observation.” He was relieved after visiting her, stating it could have been worse and she was just doing her journalistic work. “This again demonstrates the real danger that our media workers are exposed to in their daily pursuit for information to give to our people.” “I thank the quick-thinking officers of PNG Power for taking her to safety and then to Paradise Private.” Mr Nou further added that NBC will assist the police in their investigation in the coming days to bring the perpetrators to account for their actions. “However, our overriding care and concern is for Gwendella to ensure she recovers from this traumatic incident and receives the medical attention she deserves.”

The Commander of Indonesia's National Defense Forces says weather is proving a barrier to delivering aid to drought-stricken areas of West Papua. The long-lasting dry season and extreme cold weather caused crop failure in parts of Puncak District in Central Papua. Six people - five adults and an infant - have died. The authorities said access to the region is hampered by difficult terrain and threats posed by armed separatists. Admiral Yudo Margono told Antara News the aid distribution can only be conducted via air. Margono said when the weather improves personnel will immediately fly there to drop the aid off. He added that troops are prepared for any interception by armed independence groups. "I ensure that our troops are there to guard the humanitarian aid. There is one platoon there and a team from the National Police as well," he said. He noted that about 50 troops were prepared to guard the airport and the access to Agandugume and Lambewi. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said in a statement the first shipment of aid will include food and milk. It said the disaster has affected about 3000 people in Agandugume sub-district and 4000 in Lambewi sub-district. Source:rnz.com

It was supposed to be an ordinary working day for us journalists as we set out for our news runs with PNG Power on site visits to Edevu Hydro and Moitaka Power Station at 8 mile, minutes outside of the Nation’s Capital, but the day took an ugly turn when one of our fellow journalists was hit by a stray bullet. This is the firsthand account of PNG HAUSBUNG senior journalist Kerebi David from location today. It was around 1pm when we were having our lunch under the trees after the Moitaka Power Plant visit. I was sitting almost a meter away from my colleague, the reporter who was hit, I stood up to get a bottle of water and when I came back to sit down, I heard 3-gun shots. I remember saying to my colleague, these must be gun shots and the next minute something just hit the very front of where we were. I could remember seeing something fast from the corner of my eye and then a bang and the next sec we had a reporter down. In my mind I thought some electrical fault had sent out shock waves or something, but then I felt my mouth and tongue was numb with some foul taste and I realized that my colleague was hit. Suddenly realising she was hit by a stray bullet, I screamed “stray bullet”, and ran. Every one of us ran but where to, we were shocked and confused, and could hear another 2 or 3 shots again. Then someone shouted, “take cover, lay down”, so I dived behind a rain tree. My body was shaking. In my mind I thought we, the journalists, were under attack or had been targeted. We stayed down on the ground for some minutes until there were no more sounds of gun shots, and the male reporters and the PNG Power employees ran to the reporter’s side to help her. The PNG Power bus was moved to where she was seated, while all of us made our way slowly to where the bus was. Someone took out his belt and tied it around left her arm; another tied a piece of cloth around her left arm where she was hit. Even now we are not sure what really happened or if it was shootout or whose stray bullet that was that hit the NBC journalist. A PNG power employee called the ambulance, but it took longer to arrive, so we convoyed out of Moitaka Power Station, and she was rushed to a private hospital in one of PPL’s vehicle. The incident itself was traumatizing and I can see it replaying in my mind over and over. What is now of concern is what is supposed to happen when such an ordinary job turns as scary as this one did. Companies hosting such events need to consider what security measures must also be taken when reporters are called out of the city. What replays especially is my mind and will most probably haunt me for a long time yet is the thought in those moments of my children and if I would go back home safely to them. Journalists are just like you, we are mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, friends, husbands, brothers, sons, and what happened today has reminded us of the fragility of life and just how precious it is. The thoughts and prayers of the PNG HAUSBUNG news team of NAU FM NEWS, YUMI FM NEWS and LEGEND FM NEWS are with our colleagues of NBC and our sister colleague, and we wish her a speedy and uneventful recovery.

The United States Agency of International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power will be travelling to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in early August; she will be here from August 12-14, 2023. Her visit was announced by Prime Minister James Marape during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin recently. Administrator Power leads USAID’s global efforts to respond to the world’s most pressing development challenges, such as the climate crisis, food insecurity, and extreme poverty, while strengthening democracies, furthering women’s empowerment, and bolstering economies. Marape also stated that Administrator Power also helps to advise and assist U.S. President Biden as part of the National Security Council, the President's principal forum for considering national security and foreign policy matters. “Administrator Power is the third high level American official to visit PNG this year, following U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s visit in May and Secretary Austin’s visit last week.” “These successive visits underscore the United States’ commitment to PNG.” “Delivering on President Biden’s promise at the 2022 U.S.-Pacific Islands Summit, Administrator Power will officially elevate USAID’s presence in Port Moresby to a Country Representative Office covering PNG, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.” Marape also added that in addition to the launch event, Administrator Power will visit USAID project sites and participate in a range of high-level meetings and public events with government officials, USAID partners, USAID staff and other U.S. Embassy personnel. “Power will also visit local leaders and communities including women and youth and will also visit private sector partners and meet with media representatives too.” USAID is significantly increasing their presence, programming, and partnerships in Pacific Island countries and deepening their engagement on shared priorities. Building on more than four decades of partnership, USAID works to advance the economic and social development goals of PNG, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.