PNG Governor-General, Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae, has used Remembrance Day to call on the Government not to entertain any requests from provinces, to break away from Papua New Guinea and seek independence.
Speaking at the 40th Remembrance Day Commemorative Memorial Service at the Remembrance Park at Ela Beach in Port Moresby this morning, Sir Bob says PNG is at the crossroad between prosperity and disintegration.
He says PNG is facing one of its toughest times and the most challenging in 45 years of independence

​Fifty-seven (57) new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours ending midday Tuesday.
Morobe Province recorded 49 cases, East New Britain three (3), the National Capital District and West Sepik two (2) each, and Madang with one (1) case.
This brings the total number of cases to 17,581, but many have recovered, leaving 212 active cases within the last 21 day period.
The COVID-19 death toll remains at 192.

Papua New Guinea has recorded four (4) new COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours ending midday Saturday, increasing the total number of deaths to 191.
Controller of the National Pandemic Response, David Manning, says all four deaths were recorded in the Western Highlands Province.
He says 48 new cases were reported within the same period in seven (7) provinces, increasing the total number of cases to 17,515. 

​DANIEL Kombuk has been suspended as secretary to the Papua New Guinea Department of Agriculture and Livestock following the alleged misappropriation of K22 million in public investment programme (PIP) funding.
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock John Simon said yesterday that the decision was made by National Executive Council (NEC) after due processes were followed through with the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) and the Public Service Commission (PSC). “Letters have been sent to DPM and PSC. The suspension is effective immediately,” he said.
The NEC has appointed Steven Mombi acting secretary pending the outcome of the investigation.
“The NEC had to make this decision amid the confusion over the alleged misappropriation of K22 million in PIP funding by (the department) under the leadership of Kombuk,” he said.
“It’s important that we allow an independent audit to be done so that we can know the truth.”
He said it would also be good for Kombuk as it would give him the chance to clear his name.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says he will raise issues affecting Papua New Guinea and Pacific nations at an international meeting on climate change later this year.

International travel restrictions on Covid-19 has prevented Papua New Guinea  Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae and Madam Dadae from attending the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Sir Bob and his entourage were supposed to have travelled out on Monday but due to strict protocols, the delegation was unable to get connecting flights to Japan in time for the opening ceremony on the 23rd of July.

Papua New Guinea ​TREASURER Ian Ling-Stuckey says US technology giant Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NiuPay Ltd are working to forge more innovative start-ups in public and private institutions.
“The aim is for Papua New Guinea companies to deliver built-for-the-cloud applications and help fuel economic development nationwide,” he said.
Ling-Stuckey and AWS’ Australian-based executive team in Port Moresby met last Monday.
“This is the first time a technology company of this size is engaging with the Government directly,” he said.

​BANK of PNG governor Loi Bakani “succumbed to political pressure” when he distanced himself from regulatory actions taken by the Financial and Analysis Supervision Unit (Fasu) against a commercial bank, claims Opposition Leader Belden Namah.
He was responding to a statement by Bakani distancing the Bank of PNG (BPNG) from regulatory actions taken against the Bank South Pacific Financial Group Ltd (BSP).
Bakani said the action taken by Fasu against the commercial bank was done independently based on the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Act.
“Fasu should have consulted BPNG on the statement before releasing it,” Bakani said.

The final report on the inquiry to declare PNG as a Christian country will be presented to the Government this month.
This comes after the Commissioners of the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission (CLRC) endorsed the final report.
The Commission’s Secretary, Dr Mange Matui says the report in two volumes, will be presented to the Government, for tabling in the August sitting of Parliament. 

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the Bank of South Pacific has performed exceptionally well and he has no doubt about the bank’s compliance capability.
He said this following the allegations that the Bank of Papua New Guinea’s Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit or FASU alleged that BSP was in breach of the country’s anti-money laundering laws.