Singapore has pledged to support Papua New Guinea’s bilateral trade and economic relations.
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his delegation are due in PNG for the APEC leader’s summit in November.
And Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Rimbink Pato has met with his counterpart to acknowledge the “well-established and strong” relationship between both nations and said that he and Prime Minster Peter O’Neill are looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Lee Hsien and his delegation to PNG for the APEC leader’s summit in November.
In a meeting between Pato and his counterpart Mohammad Maliki Osman, senior State Minster for Foreign Affairs and Defence in Singapore earlier this month, PNG was told that Singapore had agreed to offer training in the fields of education, airport management, port services, water and public space management and for potential orcurrent diplomats through the diplomatic academy.
In 2015, 15 foreign service officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs were trained through the Singapore Foreign Service Program.
Other exchange programs are also offered to other line government and private organisations. Statement 

​The new Coral Sea cable will bring benefits in greater speeds and band width (10 terabits per second on each fibre compared to 1000 gigabits per second

The recently endorsed Australia-PNG undersea cable initiative now under way will move Papua New Guinea to be a closer to faster, more reliable and affordable IT telecommunication services.

Communications Minister Sam Basil announced last week that he had already endorsed the multi-million kina communication infrastructure project.

Mr Basil said the undersea cable that Australia will fund, construct and handover to PNG will transform information technology communications.

“It will help move Papua New Guinea closer to faster, be more reliable and provide affordable IT telecommunication services,” he said.

“The new Coral Sea cable will bring benefits in greater speeds and band width (10 terabits per second on each fibre compared to 1000 gigabits per second now). It will be 200 times faster than the existing cables and definitely reduce the cost of internet to the consumer. “The pricing structure is yet to be determined which will also depend on the wholesale costings by Dataco. But it will greatly reduce the overall cost of internet in the country and make us competitive in internet costs with other countries.”

Mr Basil has thrown his ministerial support including line government agencies – Department of Information and Communications (DCI), National Information Communications Technology Authority (NICTA), and the National Broadcasting Corporation(NBC) to the underseas cable project.

“I am also calling on all line agencies which are not directly under my ministry – and all National Government stakeholders – to provide every support and assistance to this project which will ensure reliability, affordability and speed in IT communications in the country,” he said.

Mr Basil wants to see an all-of-government coordinated approach on this vital ICT infrastructure led by line agencies – DCI, NICTA, DataCo, Telikom PNG and backed by stakeholder Departments – Treasury, National Planning, Finance and APEC ICT.

Read more on : PNG Technology website : PNG eHow

Statement 

​THE Government is not going to release to the public an administrative inquiry report into the Manumanu land deal, although it presented Prime Minister Peter O’Neill with a copy last October.

Administrative inquiry manager Mathew Yuangu said yesterday that the inquiry chaired by John Anthony Griffin, QC, had presented the report to O’Neill on October 19.

“The report was presented to O’Neill but has not been published nor made available for the public as yet. It’s not being cleared by the Government for public consumption,” he said.
The Secretary of the National Executive Council had advised against the release of the inquiry,” Yuangu said.

O’Neill during the last Parliamentary sitting only delivered a statement on the inquiry but did not table the report.

Yuangu said there were State agencies heavily implicated in the report but it was only an administrative inquiry and not a Commission of Inquiry.

The findings of a commission of inquiry are binding and available for public viewing, with disciplinary actions taken against those implicated through its recommendations.
“It’s an administrative inquiry. Its findings are currently subjected to further investigations,” he said.

“The report is only with the Ombudsman Commission, police and the prime minister. The Prime Minister received the report and referred it to police and the Ombudsman Commission to do further investigations.

​Sixteen private sector businesses in Papua New Guinea are reportedly owed more than $US88 million by the government.

Discussions were recently held between treasury minister Charles Abel and the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce.The chamber's Rio Fiocco said discussions went well, with the government acknowledging the debts and making assurances that it was taking steps to address them.

The minister told the chamber "there were no quick or easy fixes" but that Mr Abel would try to do what he could, Mr Fiocco said.

The chamber also had a discussion with the Internal Revenue Commission on the issue of companies being penalised for overdue taxes even though they were unable to pay because the government still owed them money.

The chamber asked that there be some level of compromise and fairness applied, Mr Fiocco said.

The commission indicated that if base tax levels were met, consideration would be given to waiving penalties, he said. RNZ/Pngfacts

​Solomon Islands police are reported to have arrested popular Papua New Guinea-based Solomon Islands singer Samson Saeni, popularly known as Sharzy.
He has been arrested for allegedly entering Solomon Islands.
Solomon Island Broadcasting Corporation released a statement from Solomon Islands immigration officer Benzly Kasutana that Sharzy had been arrested for illegally entering Western province after illegally crossing the maritime border from Buin in the Autonomous Region Of Bougainville.
Bougainville police commander Francis Tokura said Sharzy performed at the Oasis Nightclub in Buka last weekend, “but I don’t know where he went after performing”.
Solomon Islands police media officer Johnson Tautai said a 34-year-old man was arrested by police in Western province on April 19
following instructions from the Immigration Department.
“The man has been interviewed by police and formally charged with one count of failing to present himself to an immigration officer when arriving in the Solomon Islands to obtain permission to enter Solomon Islands,” he said.
“This is contrary to section 6 (1) of the Immigration Act 2012.
“The man has been released on bail to appear before Gizo magistrate’s court on April 30.
“It is alleged the man, on April 17, 2018, having arrived in the Solomon Islands from Papua New Guinea at Gizo designated port of entry in the Western province, failed to present himself to Gizo Immigration to obtain permission to enter Solomon Islands.”. The National/PNGfacts

​Hundreds of people in Papua New Guinea's Bougainville looted goods from two shops owned by Asians in the capital Buka on Friday.
The looting was in protest at the sale of goods that bore images of the 'Upe', which is revered in the Wakunai region of Bougainville.

The Upe headress was worn by young men when they are initiated into adulthood, the website said.

Women were not allowed to wear Upe yet its image had been printed on clothing, including underwear, it said.

One of the stores was reportedly stripped of its produce and its windows were smashed.

Loop PNG said it understood Bougainville president John Momis convened an emergency session of parliament to address the matter. RNZ/PNgfacts

A refugee from Iran was arrested and charged for damaging property and using abusive language towards a local Manus woman.

PPC Manus chief inspector David Yapu said the refugee, named Ali Reza Razmi Zirakan, aged 41, was drunk and insulted the victim and damaged their property.

The incident occurred on Saturday night (April 21) at Katen Tingou upper ward 5, Lorengau town.

The victim was offended by such abusive words referring to her private parts and reported the matter to Police, which resulted in Zirakan’s arrest.

PPC Yapu once again warned the refugees who are married to local women and living with them in the community to respect the community and abide with the laws of PNG.

“They should not be abusing them, otherwise they will face the full force of the law. No one is above the law,” said Yapu.

In another incident, a remandee at CS Lorengau awaiting National Court for armed robbery escaped from CS on April 11.

“Upon his return to CS on the same day, he was under the influence of alcohol and used a spanner and damaged the windscreen and glasses of the hired CS government vehicle (Toyota LandCruiser),” stated the PPC.

PPC Yapu said the CS commander and CS duty guards intervened and fired a warning a shot, where he escaped into darkness.

Yapu warned the prisoner, Kelly Kuwoh, to surrender immediately to Police or CS, otherwise Police will go out in full force to arrest him.

Yapu said this is a serious matter where a State property was extensively damaged by a prisoner and would cost CS a lot of money for repair work.

Prisoners being drunk in prison compound is another concern by PPC Yapu and he requested an internal investigation by CS higher authorities.

Yapu said at one time a prisoner was drunk and was causing nuisance in the CS compound and brought to police cells and locked up.

“He continued to misbehave and acted disorderly, causing disturbance in police cells,” Yapu stated.

“I personally went to the cells with my duty policemen to investigate the noise and the prisoner swore and threatened me.

“I did not want to react with my officers because he was fully drunk and also to avoid police brutality and abuse of human rights. This is a classic example of prisoners being drunk in prison compound.” Press Release 

​Commonwealth countries have agreed to further enhance efforts to deal the threats posed by the spread of malaria, particularly in developing nations.

Speaking at the 2018 Malaria Summit London, that was held in conjunction with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London this week, Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Hon. Peter O’Neill CMG MP, committed to enhance regional efforts to combat the disease.

The Summit, that included presentations from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair, Bill Gates, the Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Charles, and a number of world leaders, discussed plans to overcome malaria within the next generation.

PM O’Neill provided insight on current efforts in Papua New Guinea to treat the disease and to enhance preparedness for affected areas.

“Commonwealth countries have made great progress in dealing with malaria over recent decades,” the Prime Minister said.

“At the same time in our own country, and around the Commonwealth, there have been increases in the number of cases of Malaria in certain areas.
“We all know that Malaria affects the poorest in our communities, particularly the most vulnerable, our children.

“Malaria affects productivity and leads to economic and social hardship.

“Being poor should never deny a person’s right to a healthy and productive life.

“Papua New Guinea joins with our Commonwealth partners to better deliver care to those who contract the disease, and to work harder on prevention.”
The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of international co-operation to strengthen efforts.

“In Papua New Guinea, we thank the many partner countries, NGOs and the private sector, who have joined with us to fight malaria in our country and in other nations.

“I would like to thank the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their generous contributions to combat the spread of malaria and other disease such as tuberculosis.

“I look forward to continuing our commitment to eliminate malaria from our country, from Melanesia, from the Pacific region and from the Commonwealth.

At the conclusion of the Summit, the Prime Ministers of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands signed a joint communique to maintain focus on eliminating malaria.
In the Communique, the Leaders: “Reaffirmed commitment to the goal of an Asia-Pacific free of malaria by 2030. We endorse the Asia-Pacific Leaders’ Malaria Elimination Roadmap as a framework for shared action. We are committed to the Roadmap’s six priority areas.”

Prime Minister O’Neill said through the Asia-Pacific Leaders’ Malaria Elimination Roadmap, Pacific countries are uniting national efforts and regional action to combat this disease.
“This includes better mapping of infections, and strengthening preventative measures.

“We are enhancing the delivery of high-quality malaria services, with better testing and the delivery of medicines, and the distribution of mosquito nets and insecticides.

“We are further increasing domestic financing and working with global partners, while undertaking real innovation in all of our measures to prevent the spread of malaria.”

The PNG Hunters rugby league team have partnered with Child Fund to educate and carry out awareness about violence in Papua New Guinea.

The team visited the Bomana Primary School outside Port Moresby this week to spread the message of "singaut lo stopim pasin bagarap", or stopping violence.

Hunters lock forward Rhadley Brawa said it was important to educate kids at a young age.

"We came here to talk about violence and it's very important to educate these little kids as young as they are," he said.

"To educate them and when they grow up it's going to help them with their mindsets so it's very good we came here and it was really good for the students too seeing the Hunters boys and what the Hunters does for the community.

"To educate the kids that violence against sports and any violence at all - which involves school bullying - it's not good for students or schools in PNG," said Brawa.

"So it was very important for us to come here and talk to the students because we know that as young as they are if we instil their minds with good respect and education in the future it's going to be play a lot for developing our country."

Statistics by the Medecens Sans Frontiers shows that in PNG four in five homes have experienced family violence, eight in ten homes have experienced domestic violence and one in two women had been treated for partner violence.

The Hunters host the South Logan Magpies in Port Moresby on Sunday as they seek to end a two match losing run.  Radio New Zealand 

​Students hit by a near doubling of tuition fees at the University of Papua New Guinea are complaining about the cost of graduation. As well as having to pay an annual $US8 (25 kina) fee for the Student Representative Council that was abolished in 2016, they said $US300 graduation costs were exorbitant.

Graduating student Charity Daniel said paying US$120 to rent a gown on top of the $US180 graduation fee was too much.

"It's really frustrating you know. After four years our parents paid our school fees and for he graduation we have to pay another fee again just to get the degree and it's so frustrating for the parents, especially when most of out parents come from a village it's really a struggle for the parents to pay."

Final year science student from the Highlands Alphonse Alex said students were paying the $US8 (25 kina) without having a student council or representative on the university's board.

"The decisions making in the school board, there's no representative for students inside, so it's biased. They make the decisions and the student doesn't have any say - since 2016 on that issue. [In] 2017 and this year 2018 we are still paying 25 kina."

Alphonse Alex and 1200 other students will soon graduate from the University of Papua New Guinea which nearly doubled its tuition fees this year.

The council was abolished after it led a weeks-long class boycott against Prime Minister Peter O'Neil that resulted in the academic year being cancelled. Source: Radio New Zealand