New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins paid today an official visit to the Gordons market at 10:30 am. The new Gordons market was a project that was funded by the people and the Government of New Zealand. The New Zealand Government gave K15million for the new Gordons market. The market which was opened in November 6th 2019 has become a business hub of the city. Prime Minster Hipkins was welcomed with the sound of whistles, claps and cheers by the vendors and the general public also there to witness the official visit. NCD Governor Powes Parkop thanked the NZ Government adding that Gordons Market has become an avenue for financial empowerment for local women. This has enabled the country to achieve gender equality in terms of financial freedom. Parkop further highlighted that through this financial empowerment, women in the country will be in a position to share power, decisions, and platform with the men and that is the national goal. “The NZ government by funding the establishment of this market has helped PNG to achieve this.” “By investing in Gordons Market, NZ Government is supporting human empowerment and it strengthens also our cultural heritage.” Parkop further said that Gordons market also serves as a social space where people can meet and interact, not just financially but also to build friendship. “This market brings together individuals from different clans, tribes, and nationalities, over 1000 tribes and 800 languages interact daily here and this place is major hub of our city and an integral part of our community progress”. Meanwhile, NZ PM Hipkins thanked the people of PNG and Gordons market for the warm welcome and for the partnership PNG has with the people of NZ. Hipkins was presented a gift from NCD Governor has a token of appreciation for his visit to the market and as appreciation for his visit to the market. The NZ Prime Minister was also gifted by Mama Bank, who added they were thankful for NZ’s support to fund this market which has helped more women achieve financial freedom in banking with Mama Bank. Hipkins visit ended with a short visit into the market where he stopped by the fruits stall and had a short interaction with the mothers before he departed.

The Prime Minister (PM) of New Zealand, Chris Hipkins is now in country after arriving at the Jackson’s International Airport APEC Terminal on a Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft at around 7:20pm, Sunday evening.  Today, PM Hipkins will pay a curtesy visit to Governor General Grand Chief, Sir Bob Dadae at the Government House around 9:55am. Later on, around 10:25am Hipkins will proceed to visit Gordons Market, which is a New Zealand Government project. And around 11am he will pay a visit to the New Zealand High Commission Chancery. PM Hipkins later on in the afternoon will have a bilateral meeting with his Excellency Narendra Modi, Prime Minster for India at Airways Hotel and then after the meet, he will proceed to US-PNG-Pacific Islands Leaders’ Summit at the APEC Haus. Hipkins departs APEC Haus for APEC Terminal and will leave for New Zealand around 7pm this evening. 

Drilling and blasting is currently happening at the land slide site at Pausa, Wapenamanda in Enga Province. Clearance work has been going on for 3 days now and will continue into the weekend. That’s from Mr Peter Jimbi, Supervisor for Highlands Drilling and Blasting Contractors. Mr Jimbi told PNG HAUSBUNG that there are two contractors engaged in the clearing exercise, the Holden Blasting Contractor and the Highlands Drilling and Blasting Contractors. “Holden Blasting for the last two days was trying to blast the boulders but the boulders were too strong and huge and as a result some of their machines were spoilt so Highlands Drilling and Blasting contractors now came in to help.” “We are providing the machines, blasting machine, excavator and bulldozer to assist Holden and to fast track the clearance process.” Mr Jimbi added that clearance is happening from both sides and they are working their way in and most of the debris, earth and masses of rocks are push down the cliff into Wara Lai. “The boulders are huge and so much came down the mountain during the land slide so the clearance exercise will most likely continue into the weekend and onto next week Monday or Tuesday.” Jimbi stated that most likely by Wednesday or Thursday next week the road should be fully clear with all clearance exercise finishing on Tuesday next week because the boulders look like they need about 3 to 4 blast before they can be cleared down into Wara Lai. “Currently any traveller coming from both sides trying to go into Enga or coming back down to Mt Hagen has had to pay certain amount of money to the landowners who are assisting the contractors in clearing the landslide as well as assisting the travellers across the land slide.” “The landowners have been helpful in clearing the landslide and assisting travellers,” said Jimbi. “Whenever the machines stop working the landowners quickly go in and clear the earth and make way for travellers to cross, and when they cross they give like K1, K2, even K5 or K10 to the landowners for their assistance over the landslide.” Mr Jimbi further stated that Police and PNG Defence Force are monitoring the situation and making sure that crossing is safe and that there are not tension between the travellers and the landowners. They are also providing security to the machines and the contractors. It’s understood that Provincial Works team too is on the ground monitoring the land slide clearance exercise. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgrqvoI9mt8[/embed]

The Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) met this week to prepare for their first round public hearings that will run on the 24th -26th May at the Parliament Haus. Chairman of the Committee, Governor Powes Parkop stated that the committee will use all its powers to hold government agencies to account on how they respond to matters that affects our mothers and girls. “We have to make sure in this term of Parliament that we use our oversight powers to demand better responses from Government agencies.” “We want to know what funds are being allocated, what activities are being implemented – and why the women and girls of our country are still not feeling any tangible change in their daily lives despite gender equality being a core priority for the country.” The Day 1 public hearing will be on Wednesday 24 May, and it will start with testimony from a range of NGO representatives and women’s experts who will provide the Committee with insights from the field on the real-life experiences of women and girls around the country. The second half of the day will then review the current GEWE institutions and policies that are supposed to be driving the GEWE agenda across the country. Days 2 and 3 will focus on reviewing the Government’s efforts to address gender-based violence (GBV) and sorcery-accusation related violence (SARV). ALL these discussions will build on the work of the Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV from the 10th Parliament and Deputy Chair of the Committee, Governor Allan Bird, was very clear on his expectations of the hearings, stating: Governor Bird stated that, “I want us to be very focused on action . Officials need to come prepared to answer questions and explain why the Government is still failing to protect our women and girls and ensure they can safely enjoy their human rights.” “I’m tired of ‘talkfests’ that don’t result in any changes.” “We are taking these hearings very seriously and will use them to drive change and hold public officials to account where they are failing to properly do their jobs and implement their mandates”. Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) other members of Parliament as its members apart from the Chairman Governor Parkop and Deputy Chairman Governor Bird (East Sepik) are Governor Rufina Peter (Central Province); Hon. Ricky Morris (Alotau); Hon. Lohia Boe Samuel (Port Moresby North West); Hon. William Bando (Koroba Lake Kopiago); and Hon. Marsh Narewec, (Wau Waria). The public hearings will be live streamed on the Committee’s Face book page as well as on the National Parliament’s committee’s platform.

A workshop was held this week in Lamana Hotel, Port Moresby by the Climate Change Development Authority (CCDA) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) which was centred on strengthening the country’s system for effective reporting on climate actions in the country. Climate reporting is an important tool for promoting transparency, accountability and for informed climate actions and the workshop was a key step under phase two of PNG’s Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) project. The CBIT project was established to build institutional and technical capacity for international climate reporting under the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) of the historical Paris Agreement on climate change signed in 2015 to keep global temperature below two degrees Celsius CCDA is pleased to collaborate with FAO on the second phase of the project, which will further enhance the capacity for Enhanced Transparency Framework and enable the country to meet its reporting requirements under the Paris Agreement. During the workshop they also launched three climate change policy documents which are the Energy Mitigation Plan 2022-2025, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use Mitigation Plan 2022-2025 and National Green House Gas Inventory Improvement Plan 2022-2024. CCDA’s Acting Managing Director William Lakain highlighted that the system for Green House Emission in Data Base is difficult to set up and having FAO work with CCDA is actually helping CCDA set up systems necessary to enable the climate change Green house emission data base. “We get a number of technical assistance from FAO, and FAO have come this far to do the National Determine Contributions and under this we deal with a number of different Sectors.” Mr Lakain highlighted the different sectors as the Agriculture Sector, Energy Sector, Forest Sector and the Land Use Sectors and FAO is helping CCDA to find out how much green house gas emissions have being emitted from these sectors. “The three climate change policy documents launched now are the way forward, and that is where FAO comes in with its funding capacity that will help us there.” He added that this project will help support CCDA to prepare its Biennial Transparency Report and submit by December 31st 2024 to the United Nations Frame Work Convention on Climate Change Secretariat under the Paris Agreement.

Gas Resource Central Dabari’s hope for a 4 straight back-to-back win on home ground on Sunday at the Santos National Football stadium was destroyed by the visitors from East New Britain Province, the Agmark Rabaul Gurias. Central Dabaris Coach Steve Gunua stated that Gurias was a strong side on the field yesterday, with height, weight, and stamina they dominated the first half leading 4 tries and two conversions, finishing at half time, Gurias 22 and Dabaris 4. “There were many silly mistakes, our defence were not too strong and we did not play our footy in the first half,” said Coach Steve Gunua. “We gave away the first half to the visitors so easily, by slacking on our defence.” Dabaris came back after the half time and put up a strong challenge, made a comeback with 3 tries and two conversions out of the three. However Gurias also scored a try in the 2nd half but missed the conversion. Full time score was Gas Resource Central Dabari 20 and Agmark Rabaul Gurias 26. Coach Gunua said in the past games, the Dabaris boys had come backs after first half to recoup what they should have done in the first half and they succeeded and won however with Gurias it was different, the margin Gurias set before half time was quit a distance. “My boys need to realise the importance to score in the first half as well as to avoid silly mistakes,” Gunua said this week’s focus is defence, stamina, ball handling and just getting the basics right again. “Despite Gurias shattering our dream for a 4 straight back-to-back win on home ground, I congratulate my boys for an awesome comeback in the 2nd half and I want to also congratulate the Agmark Rabaul Gurias for a great game.”

“Minister Tkatchenko has betrayed the people and national interest; he has lost the confidence of the people”. That’s from President of Catholic Professionals Society PNG, Mr Paul Harricknen in a statement today. The Catholic Professionals Society PNG has joined other mounting voices around the country for the Prime Minister to sack MP Justin Tkatchenko from Cabinet. “The Minister in his position failed in his conduct when he chose to respond for his daughter in the way he did.” Mr Harricknen said that Tkatchenko could have responded in other responsible ways and that he cannot be excused now that he responded the way he did. He added that Tkatchenko must face the consequences of his actions. “The Minister has committed misconduct in office and breached the leadership code therefore the Ombudsman Commission is duty bound to investigate and lay appropriate charges and prosecute him under the leadership code.” “The PM does not have to wait for the OC or such other legal proceedings.” “The Minister should be sacked from the Cabinet.” Harricknen further stated that Immigration should also determine possible breaches of the Minister’s naturalized citizenship. “For the PM to accept the Minister stepping aside is a decision of compromise.” “It implies that the PM is not in control of Cabinet and allowing actions like this to undermine the integrity of the Cabinet.” “Our Prime Minister must be decisive with his actions because the decision to accept the apology is a relational decision and not in the national interest!”

A powerful cyclone has hit the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar after intensifying into the equivalent of a category-five storm. Cyclone Mocha brought with it heavy rain and strong winds, leaving residents in low-lying coastal areas fearful they may lose their homes. More than 1,300 bamboo shelters in Cox's Bazar, the world's largest refugee camp, have been destroyed. At least five people have been reported dead in Myanmar. Landslides and floods are also hitting the area. As the storm approached, police patrolled the coastline in the town of Cox's Bazar carrying loudspeakers, urging people to stay indoors. The streets emptied as the cyclone intensified - the skies darkened, the winds picked up pace and the rains pounded down. Hundreds of people crammed into a school in the city which had been turned into a temporary cyclone shelter. Mothers with babies, young children, the elderly and the frail packed into any available space in the classrooms, sleeping on desks and sitting under them. Authorities here say more than 500,000 people were evacuated from their homes in this south-eastern stretch of Bangladesh. As many arrived at the shelter in rickshaws and on foot, they brought their livestock - cattle, chickens, goats - as well as mats to sleep on. They had come from fishing and coastal villages, as many as two hours away, making a difficult choice. "I didn't want to leave my house," said Sumi Akter, who lives on a riverbank. Sumi and others we met here say they have lived through other cyclones in recent years and are resigned to the regular pattern of leaving their homes to the mercy of nature. Storm surges of up to four metres could swamp villages in low-lying areas, Sumi and others here are fearful their homes may be submerged. "I wish the homes we lived in were built more strongly," she said. Jannat, aged 17, who we had met the day before in the same shelter, said she too was terrified of what state her home, on the riverbank, would be in once she went back. Last year, another cyclone, Sitrang, destroyed her house, forcing her to spend what little money she had on repairing it. "How can I live if this keeps happening? I can't afford to rebuild it - we are very poor," she said. Nature was also punishing the poor in the world's largest refugee camp nearby. Bangladesh's government does not allow Rohingya refugees to leave the camps, nor to build permanent structures. As the cyclone hit, they hunkered down in flimsy bamboo shelters with tarpaulin roofs. Some were moved to community shelters within the camps, which offered little more protection. Authorities told the BBC that more than 1,300 shelters were damaged by the wind, as were 16 mosques and learning centres. Trees had fallen in the camps, while two landslides also caused some damage. The tarpaulin that covered Mohammed Ayub's shelter was torn off by the winds. Now he and his family of eight are living in the open, in wet and miserable weather. Having spent the days before terrified of what Cyclone Mocha could bring, Mohammed was relieved the camps didn't take a direct hit from the storm. Mizanur Rahman, from the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner said that as far as he was aware, there were no casualties in the camps as a result of the cyclone. Forecasters warned Cyclone Mocha could be the most powerful storm seen in Bangladesh in nearly two decades. It also hit neighbouring Myanmar with great force. Heavy rain and driving winds battered the region as the storm system moved to the coast, with reports of increasing disruption near the city of Sittwe, in Myanmar, from about 13:00 (07:00 GMT). Electricity and wi-fi connections were disrupted across much of the Sittwe area, where videos showed the tide rising dramatically and carrying debris down flooded streets. A telecom tower was brought down by the high winds as the cyclone approached. Videos shared on social media also showed roofs being blown off houses and billboards flying off buildings in Yangon amid teeming rain. Images from the city of Mrauk U showed palm trees bending in the wind, metal roofing sheets being swept into the street and a few people still hurrying to take cover in storm shelters. Local media reported that a 14-year-old boy was killed by a falling tree in Myanmar's Rakhine State, while there were reports of damaged and collapsed buildings in various parts of Myanmar. The Bangladeshi meteorological department office said the maximum sustained wind speed within 75km (45 miles) of the centre of the cyclone was about 195km/h (120mph), with gusts and squalls of 215km/h. In preparation for the storm's arrival, nearby airports had been shut, fishermen were ordered to suspend their work and 1,500 shelters were set up as people from vulnerable areas were moved to safer spots. Authorities in Cox's Bazar said no lives were lost as a result of the Cyclone, despite the ferocity of the storm. As families began to leave their shelters once the storm had passed, there was relief. Evacuations in this area have been credited for saving lives, as the extreme weather continues to disrupt them.   Source: BBC

Central Dabaris Rugby League Club now sits comfortably on the 2nd place of the ladder in Pool B of the PNGNRL Digicel Exxon Mobil 2023 Cup. Central Dabaris have so far registered only one loss in the opening round against the Snax Tigers in Lae, however they have had an incredible 3 straight back-to-back win on home ground here at the Santos National Football Stadium. Dabaris Coach Steve Gunua said that in Round 2 Dabaris beat the Gulf Isou, 16 -14, In Round 3 they defeated the Kimber Cutters 16-10 and the Round 4 game last week they prove to be too strong for the Sepik Pride when they registered their third back-to-back win, full time score 22-18 in favour of Dabaris. Despite the wins Coach Gunua stated that there is still a lot of improvement that needs to be made because as seen from the margins all the 3 games were close games. “This week we were working on our defence skills and tactics and also on our ball work.” “We just need to polish the little things and we are good to go.” Coach Gunua said this weekend’s game is an important game for the people of Central, for the Central Dabaris Club and for himself as the coach. “The club has never registered 4 straight wins on home ground, and if they beat Rabaul Gurias this weekend Sunday, it will be history for the Dabaris Club as well as for me as the Coach.” “If my boys register 4 straight back-to-back win on home ground, that will make me so proud, and it will be a highlight for my coaching career too.” “Gurias is a strong Team and I know it is going to be a tough game but with the return of my two skippers, Whallen and Aigiru as well as the return of young Wala Somoa, this will help to accelerate the team’s performance for this weekend Sunday 14th May 2023.” Captains Run will be tomorrow Saturday 13th May at the Sir John Guise Stadium Field number two, and Coach Gunua said it is open to the public and those who are Dabaris fans are most welcome to come and watch the boys run during the Captains Run. “Captains Run is Saturday 13th May, will be from 9am -10am in the morning so if you are Dabaris fan and you want to come and watch the boys do Captains Run you are most welcome to do so.” All Dabaris fans and supporter are urged to come along for the game this weekend Sunday 14th at the Santos National Football stadium as they take on the Rabaul Gurias at 3pm in the afternoon.

The SP Sports Awards for this year will be happening on Saturday Night May 27th at the Crown Hotel and the event will feature an important icon in the boxing arena, Australian former world champion boxer Jeff Fenech, who will officiate as a guest speaker for the event. Jeff Fenech who is also known as “Marrickville Mauler” Fenech won titles in three weight divisions in the span of 20 fights in just 3 1/2 years. Fenech in his seventh fight captured the IBF bantamweight title on April 26, 1985, with a one-sided ninth-round TKO over champion Satoshi Shingaki of Thailand. He defended the bantamweight crown three times, including a rematch win over Shingaki (TKO 4) and a 14th -round TKO over 1984 Olympic champion Steve McCrory of the United States. Fenech went on to win his second title on May 8, 1987, when he attacked WBC super bantamweight champion Samart Payakaroon from the opening bell and turned in another signature performance where he steadily wore down the champion before the referee stepped in and stopped the contest in the fourth round. And in 1988 he was forced to move up to featherweight and did not disappoint when he is captured his third world title via 10th – round TKO on March 7, 1988, defeated Puerto Rico's Victor Callejas, who was a former champion. Fenech made history when he defeated Callejas for the vacant WBC featherweight crown, because the win made him the first undefeated fighter to win titles in three divisions. Despite a successful career in boxing, Fenech had brittle hands which caused him so much pain that had him hang up his gloves after defeating Marcos Villasana in his third defense of the featherweight belt, on April 8, 1988. After surgery to his hands, his retirement was short-lived and he returnrd to the ring that November with a 12-round decision over Mario Martinez. He then went to the United States, the scene of his last defeat, for his challenge of WBC super featherweight champion against Azumah Nelson of Ghana, a well-schooled boxer who himself was a two-division champion. On June 28, 1991, in Las Vegas, Fenech attacked Nelson, from the opening bell, Fenech seemed to dominate the fight and often had Nelson pinned against the ropes and in Round 12, Fenech exhausted the champion but was unable to finish him off. The Australian was shocked and heartbroken when the fight was declared a draw. He attempted two more comebacks after this controversial bout, but both ended inside the distance. He retired in 1996. More than 30 years later after being controversially denied the super-featherweight belt, Fenech was awarded the strap retrospectively at a World Boxing Council convention in Acapulco, Mexico last year. Jeff Fenech now sits among an elite group of boxers to have won world titles in four weight divisions and he was also inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Moderns category in 2003, and he became the 4th person to be elevated to Legend status in 2013. This year’s SP Sports Award night will be a sit-down event and it will be live streamed to the people of Papua New Guinea on the SP Sports Awards Face book page where everyone can witness the award ceremony as well as see and hear Jeff Fenech.

Locals and community leaders of Rau village in Wakunai District in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have recently celebrated the official opening of a permanent and fully furnished community government building. This is an initiative from the Australian government who is partnering with the Autonomous Government of Bougainville (ABG) and the Government of Papua New Guinea. This partnership will see the roll-out of 19 community buildings across Bougainville. The Rau community hall is the first to be completed out of 19 community halls that will be built across the region of Bougainville. It is a 225 square metre building fully equipped with a kitchenette, a storage room, a disability access ramp, 30 chairs and storage racks, ceiling fans, and a 9,000-litre water tank. Other locations Bougainville that will also benefit from the initiative are Baubake, Lenoke, Siwai, Motuna Huyono, Baba, Arawa, Kongara, Ioro, North Nasioi, Selau Suir, Tonsu, Peit, Tsitalato, Haku, and Halia. Most of these buildings are nearing completion and three more are still in the planning stage. The community halls will provide a space for regular dialogue between men, women, and youth to participate in the decision-making processes of their communities, and these buildings once all completed will also serve as venues for government agencies and private sector companies to share their services with the members of the communities. In a Ministerial Statement to the Bougainville House of Representatives, ABG Minister for Community Government, Theonila Roka Matbob, stated that these community meeting spaces are designed principally to support community governments and wards. “Theses spaces will be providing functional spaces for elected women and men, to exercise leadership and administrative duties together, and for community meetings and local activities.” At the Rau Community Hall opening, Australian High Commission Minister Counsellor, Paul Lehmann, highlighted that Australia is happy to work alongside the Department of Community Government, supporting ongoing capacity building and institutional strengthening work for community governments in Bougainville. Mr Lehman from the Australian High Commission Port Moresby added that the Australia prioritises contracting local Bougainville based service providers. “This initiative is also creating employment opportunities for Bougainvilleans, and through the construction works of the community halls and government offices, more than 100 people all around Bougainville gained employment, income and benefited from skills development.”

More than 400,000 people are to receive a medal in recognition of their contribution to the King's Coronation. Made of nickel silver, it has the royal cypher on one side and images of the King and Queen Consort on the other. Recipients include police, ambulance workers, choristers and military personnel working at the Coronation. It will also be given to emergency service workers, prison staff and members of the armed forces with more than five years of full service. And living recipients of the George Cross or Victoria Cross will receive the medal. The first coronation medal was awarded to mark the accession to the English throne of James I in 1603 and featured a bust of the king in the costume of a Roman emperor. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the medal is a gift from the nation to commemorate the coronation for the people who will make the service happen. Source: BBC