THE NATION BUILDING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2026
OUT TOMORROW
K2.00 POM & LAE/ K5.00 OTHER CENTRES
OPPOSITION WANTS GOVT TO RELEASE FUNDS
STRANDED IN POM AFTER ELC CONFERENCE
HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING LEADER IDENTIFIED
EL NINO: SEE PAGE 2
NEWS: SEE PAGE 3
CRIME: SEE PAGE 5
ELECTIONS 2027! Deputy Electoral Commissioners relieved from duties as Electoral Commissioner takes a break in Australia
PNGEC DEPUTIES SUSPENDED BY STAFF REPORTERS
Deputy Commissioner Kila Vaname.
DISASTER looms for the 2027 National Elections following the suspension of two deputy commissioners with the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission.
CONTINUE ON PAGE 4
Deputy Commissioner Margaret Vagi.
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Clean drinking water running out BY DIANNE WILSON FAMILIES at Sikut resettlement in Sinivit LLG, Pomio District, are struggling to find clean water as the prolonged dry season and El Niño conditions continue to dry up their traditional water sources. Small catchments and wells normally used for drinking, cooking and washing have dried up, forcing families to dig new wells in desperate attempts to find water. At Sikut, one family has resorted to digging a makeshift well at a site where water normally flows, hoping to find enough water to sustain the family. John Paluka, head of the family, said the water shortage had become critical, with the community’s small catchments now completely dry. He said the family had dug a hole in the ground and placed a drum inside to create a temporary well. However, the first water that collected in the well was dirty and not suitable for drinking or cooking. “We have dug the well, but the water in the well is still dirty,” Mr Paluka said. “We will have it drained out first, we will remove the first catchment of water out first, the dirty water, then we will wash some rocks and drop it down the drum well.” Mr Paluka said the family would wait for the water to build up after cleaning the well before using it for drinking, cooking and washing. The desperate measure highlights the growing water crisis facing communities in the area as the dry conditions continue. Mr Paluka said the effects of El Niño were being felt across Sikut, with food gardens also drying up.
“This El Niño is affecting everyone here in Sikut, and the whole of East New Britain,” he said. “Our gardens are also dry. El Niño has hit us hard.” He appealed to Sinivit LLG and Pomio MP Elias Kapavore to assist communities facing severe water shortages. Mr Paluka said communities in the upper Sikut area were particularly desperate for a reliable water supply and were seeking support for borehole systems. Sikut, Gore and Ivon wards have been identified as areas where small wells and other water sources are drying up. Sinivit LLG president and East New Britain deputy governor Boniface Gerep said the LLG was seeking El Niño funding to help provide emergency water supplies to affected communities. Mr Gerep said the LLG needed funding to purchase hoses, pipes, cement and other materials to connect water sources from higher areas to communities in lower Sikut. “Gore and Ivon wards know where their permanent water sources are, the LLG knows where the water sources are from the previous work done by the Sinivit LLG officers under the WASH program,” Mr Gerep said. He said the existing knowledge of permanent water sources could be used to establish water supply systems for communities affected by the prolonged dry conditions. Mr Gerep is calling on the Provincial Disaster Office and Pomio District Development Authority needed to consider urgent assistance for the affected communities.
The well that was dug up by John Paluka and his family at Sikut resettlement. PICTURE: SUPPLIED.
Head of family, John Paluka.
Weather Service says El Nino peak pushed to November-December BY MAGNAM TARA PAPUA New Guinea’s El Niño is now expected to reach its peak in November and December, with the prolonged dry season likely to continue into the first half of 2027. National Weather Service Director Jimmy Gomoga said the peak had shifted from the earlier forecast of August and September as the weather system continues to develop. Mr Gomoga said PNG had not yet reached the strongest phase of the El Niño event declared on June 16. “The El Niño should peak around November, December. It has shifted a bit. We were saying August, September, but it is now November and December,” he said during a NBC Talk Back program. The National Weather Service is monitoring sea-surface temperatures in the El Niño 3.4 region of the central Pacific, a key area used to assess the development of El Niño. Mr Gomoga said current data showed the ocean temperatures were continuing to rise towards the expected peak. He said the El Niño was expected to start weakening around January or February 2027, but the country
National Weather Service Director Jimmy Gomoga. could remain under dry-season impacts until April or May. The delayed peak is raising concerns over water supplies, food gardens, agriculture and other essential services, particularly in communities that depend heavily on rainfall. The Government has already
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
called on provinces and districts to prepare for the prolonged dry conditions and possible impacts on communities. International climate monitoring agencies are also tracking the strengthening El Niño across the Pacific, with forecasts indicating the event could remain significant
into early 2027. The National Weather Service will continue monitoring the system and provide further updates as the El Niño develops. The warning is clear: PNG’s dry conditions are not over yet, and the most intense phase is now expected later in the year.
Lelang assures Kandrian-Gloucester people of relief MEMBER for Kandrian-Gloucester and Minister for Rural and Economic Development Joseph Lelang, has assured the people of the district that preparations for El Nino drought relief are well underway and that the District Development Authority has been actively preparing its response based on assessments conducted across affected communities. He said responding to drought and other natural disasters affecting the district is not new to the DDA, which has continued to provide support to communities during times of need as the experiences of 2014, 2015 El Nino has show. “We have sent out teams who have already been on the ground carrying out assessments in August and September so that assistance can be directed to communities based on their actual needs,” he said. He said teams organised to undertake the drought assessment had carried out surveys beginning in Gasmata and continuing through affected areas towards Kandoka in Kaliai-Kove LLG, with the findings now completed, compiled and brought to Kimbe. The assessment report will be presented to the KandrianGloucester DDA Board next week for consideration as the district prepares to roll out its El Nino relief program. Prime Minister James Marape recently announced that the National Government will provide K5 million in El Nino relief support for each district, beginning with an initial K2.5 million, with the remaining K2.5 million to follow after reporting on the first allocation and further needs. Mr Lelang welcomed the Government’s intervention, saying it is timely coinciding with Kandrian-Gloucester’s preparedness. “Our surveys have been completed and the reports are ready. The DDA Board will assess the report and determine the extent and severity of the drought and how assistance should be rolled out to the affected communities,” he said. “I therefore want to assure our people from Gasmata, Kandrian, Gloucester and throughout the district that relief assistance is being organised. We will ensure that support reaches the communities that genuinely need it.” Mr Lelang also urged curtain critics and opponents not to use the current hardships to play politics and create unnecessary confusion around the relief program. “This is a time to help our people, not create confusion. I encourage our people to rely on official information from the DDA and responsible government authorities regarding the relief program,” he said. “As your member, my responsibility is to ensure that our people are supported when they face hardship. The KandrianGloucester DDA will continue that responsibility and ensure the El Nino relief program is implemented properly and based on the needs identified through our surveys.”
NEWS 3
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ECHOES OF EXCELLENCE Honouring the past, inspiring the future | EVERY Thursday in your POST-COURIER Honou FAITHFULS IN MENDI MENDI GATHERING: Thousands of Christian faithfuls from across Papua New Guinea and overseas converged under the cool skies of Mendi’s Momei Oval in Southern Highlands Province, for the 25th National Rally of the Revival Centres of Papua New Guinea (RCPNG). The major spiritual event officially commenced on September 23, with a march through Mendi town and is set to conclude on September 27. Centered around the biblical theme “You must be born again of water and of the Holy Spirit to enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3–5), the five-day gathering is expected to draw thousands of saints for fellowship, healing, and prayer. PICTURE: KOLOPU WAIMA
Aid post destroyed in tribal fight BY JONATHAN SOPE ANRO A NEW low in social violence has hit Lagaip. Yesterday on Wednesday 23 September, a group of criminals burned down the Porea Rural Health Centre in the Sirunki area of Lagaip District. The facility served close to 18,000 people is now ash. The health centre was built in 2010 under the PNG-Australia Partnership, through the rural health infrastructure program. For more than a decade, mothers, children, and elderly people from Sirunki and Laiagam walked to Porea for treatment. That service ended in one afternoon of fire. Police and community sources claim the attack is linked to a previous political ongoing tribal fighting between the Wairin clan of the Tia tribe and the Pape Ponape clan, of the Lyein tribe. The criminal group from the Pape Ponape have been blamed for burning the health centre. The attackers reportedly said it was a payback for the earlier burning of Kaipale Primary School, allegedly carried out by the Wairin Tia side back in 2023. Johnson Kun a local community leader from Sirunki, said the loss goes beyond bricks and roofing iron. “This health centre was not just a building. It was where our women delivered their babies safely. It was where our children got treatment for pneumonia and malaria. Burning it down is like declaring tribal fight on our own people,” he said. Janet Siki a mother from the affected area described the fear is now spreading through Sirunki and Laiagam. “We used to walk two hours to Porea when our children got sick. Now that place is gone. Where do we take a child who falls sick at night?” she asked.
The fighting has left hundreds of women and children homeless. Families say they have lost gardens, houses, and basic household items to the fire. Two lives are lost from the Pape Ponape side. The number of casualties from the wider conflict is not yet confirmed, and local authorities say a full assessment will take time. Peter Liru a church worker familiar with the affected communities called for both clans to stop the destruction of public services. “Schools and health centres belong to everyone. No one owns them. No one gets rich from them. When we burn them down, we are only punishing our own mothers, our own children, our own old people,” he said. The Lagaip District health officials have not yet issued a statement on how services will be restored for the affected population. It is understood that patients from Sirunki and Laiagam will now need to travel much further for basic medical care, placing extra strain on mothers giving birth, sick children, and elderly patients with ongoing conditions. Caritas Enga and church-based peace structures in Wabag Diocese have previously worked with warring clans in Enga to end similar cycles of violence. Observers say a similar peace intervention may now be needed for the Wairin Tia and Pape clans, before more civil infrastructure is lost. The burning of the Porea Rural Health Centre adds to a growing list of donor-funded facilities damaged or destroyed in tribal conflict across Enga Province in recent years. Each loss removes services that took years, and significant donor investment, to build.
First timers in city stranded after ELC conference
TOP: Members of the Okapa Lutheran mothers with their menfolk outside the Post-Courier office at Lawes Road yesterday. PICTURES: PETER KORUGL.
LEFT: Dorothy Tim, John Manoi, Benson Feru, Rosa John, Tonis Tofu and Suiao Kamane in the Post-Courier newsroom. BY PETER KORUGL ON AUGUST 25, Okapa mother, Dorothy Tim took her first ever flight in a plane for her first visit to Port Moresby, the nation’s capital. A trip that started with much anticipation, thrill and expectation of a Godly experience has now turned into fear and uncertainty as she with 16 other Lutheran mothers and fathers find themselves stranded in the city, with no hope of getting back home. “We all came with oneway tickets; from money we raised ourselves. I remember boarding that PNG Air flight excitedly, got into the wrong seat and frantically tried to fasten the seat belt. “I pretended that I had experience flying. I did not fool the lady sitting
next to me, when we disembarked at Jacksons International Airport, she pressed a K100 note into my hand. “She wrote her telephone number on the note. I am thankful we met, I called her and she took me to around to visit the city,” Dorothy recalled. Suiao Kamane was another first timer in Port Moresby. “We only know of Port Moresby from the stories we were told. It’s a big place, unlike what we expected,” Kamane said, with a smile. Dorothy, John Manoi, Benson Feru, Rosa John, Topnip Tofu and Kamane are from Okapa in Eastern Highlands Province. They are members of the Tarapu Circuit of the Lutheran Church and they are part of the 17 people from their circuit that came to attend
the National Lutheran Women’s Conference. “I held onto the seat in the plane for dear life, scared out of my wits, not knowing that I would end up like this, stranded in a foreign place, far away from home,” another mother, Rosa John said. The group said over 600 Lutheran Church members from EHP came to Port Moresby and all the others have gone home because they have family or friends in the city. “Some of them had their return tickets. We were hoping the church would help us. We walked from Tokorara, wheew we are staying now all the way to Post-Courier to tell our story in the hope that our MP, Saki Soloma, can help us get back home,” Kamae said.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE Lutheran mothers who were in POM for their National Conference had a lot of stories to tell. Many were on their first plane ride and also their first trip to Port Moresby. “I held onto the seat for dear life” was how one recalled her experience when the plane took off on the runway in Goroka. We all remember of first experience in an aeroplane.
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EDITORIAL
FOOD, BETELNUT DISAPPEAR We know drugs or sex objects or pornographic materials are destroyed, and media is invited to take photographs and write stories about this. We have never been invited by the city police to cover an event where these confiscated food stuff are destroyed. Perhaps the Police Boss in Port Moresby can tell us.
BARRACKS MARKETS We are reliably informed that much of the confiscated goods are taken home by the cops for their own markets in the police barracks. These is outright stealing. Those cops who engage in such blatant thievery need to be sacked from the police force.
FRIENDS MEET UP AGAIN Two friends looked at each other in downtown BSP and the faded memories clicked. But age had done them a fair deal of greys and wrinkles. Even they had forgotten each other’s names. But in the bank nowadays, they call your name and you position yourself at the right section for service. Our friend was standing in the internet banking queue when he finally heard the name of his long lost poro. He just could not let him ‘escape’, so he left his own queue and intercepted his friend before he left the building.
MANY YEARS AGO Our long long mate was dating the other guy’s cousin sister. One day, our mate missed his plane at the old Mascord International Airport in Sydney. So, the poor bugger sat on the bench in the international lounge and promptly fell asleep thinking he was in his house in Boroko. The ex tambu was living in Sydney and he just happened to go to the airport to wait for a friend. Lo and behold, there was his countryman fast asleep snoring away. The x tambu woke our mate up. He was so startled that in his drunken stupor, he asked his tambu, ‘oi, na sis blo yu wei?’ That was 36 years ago.
TIMELY REMINDER A peace sign at the Alen De Bosmenu Parish, Waima, Kairuku District. PICTURE: MARK TALIA
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Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
CHIEF OF STAFF Clement Kaupa Ph: 309 1059 Email: ckaupa@spp.com.pg BUSINESS EDITOR Marilyn Paul Ph: 309 1173 Email: mpaul@spp.com.pg
YU TOK Letters to the Editor Ph: 309 1061 Email: yutok@spp.com.pg
And it was quiet another experience in Port Moresby. Many had heard about POM from stories from people who returned home from the city. “We seemed to go from one city into the next” as one described his travel from suburb to suburb. “And it’s really big”. It is certainly bigger than Goroka, EHP, where the man is from.
Many of our table markets in the city involve people who survive from the income from these informal economic activities. The betelnut, cigarettes and small goods that are sold from the table markets represent the livelihood of those people. So, when police confiscate these goods, they usually take them away. Question is do they destroy the betelnut and all the other things they confiscate?
EDITOR Peter Korugl Email: pkorugl@spp.com.pg Ph: 309 1032
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2027 elections must not be deferred, says Nomane THE Opposition has acknowledged Electoral Commissioner Professor Nicole Haley’s first presentation on the 2027 election, declaring the K150 million allocated in the Supplementary Budget now obliges the Commission to deliver — as it confirmed the suspension of two Deputy Commissioners over gross misconduct and abuse of office. The K150 million since appropriated obliges the Commission to convert plans into performance, and to deliver an election that is credible, secure and on time. Opposition Leader James Nomane said Section 50 of the Constitution guarantees every eligible citizen the right to vote and to stand for public office. “That right is the foundation of our sovereignty. Yet elections in Papua New Guinea are dynamic, volatile and unforgiving,” Mr Nomane said. “A single failure in one district can unsettle an entire province. “The Opposition respects the Commissioner’s independence and takes note of the suspension of two Deputy Electoral Commissioners over allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office. “Cleaning up the office is within her purview. Due process must follow, but the principle is settled: the Electoral Commission must be free from corruption,
Opposition leader James Nomane. and from the perception of corruption, by any means,” he said. “Jim Collins reminds us that great institutions first get the wrong people off the bus. Peter Drucker taught that management is doing things right, while leadership is doing the right things. “The Commissioner has done both. Reform must also be measured. “In a distributed system reaching every province, district and ward, change must augment efficacy, not seed total chaos down the line. “The Opposition demands a pragmatic approach, and the immediate removal of any idea of biometric on the eve of NGE2027. “Our people need more time to adapt to
such systems and the Commission must refrain from bulldozing a new system upon our people who must exercise their rights to suffrage with a degree of confidence. “Integrity demands independence. The Commissioner must be free to act without political direction. “Public confidence in that independence cannot reasonably coexist with the present Minister for Administrative Services. “The Opposition calls for the Minister’s immediate removal. We call for published common rolls, standards for roll updates, polling and counting; transparent integrity safeguards at every stage; and fully resourced security force preparations, with joint Police and Defence Force deployment plans settled before the issue of writs. “Only then will the election be credible, secure and on time. “I request an immediate meeting with the Commissioner, and a full presentation on progress since funds were received, including implementation of the Crisis Management Plan she first outlined. Let me be clear. The 2027 election must not be deferred. The Commissioner must ensure compliance with the Constitution and the five-year election cycle. Not delay, but delivery. Not excuses, but execution. Our people deserve an election that is credible, secure and on time.”
Two senior electoral executives suspended FROM PAGE ONE JUST months before the writs for the next general elections are issued, Deputy Commissioners Margaret Vagi and Kila Vaname were relieved of their duties this week, according to sources inside the PNGEC. No explanation had been given for the suspension of the two most senior and experienced electoral officials. Electoral Commissioner, Dr Nicole Haley is on a break in Australia and could not be reached for comment. Mrs Vagi, who was acting PNG Electoral Commissioner until recently following the appointment and official swearingin of Professor Nicole Haley as the new permanent Electoral Commissioner, had moved back to her substantive role as Deputy Electoral Commissioner for Election Administration / Director of Election Operations. Ms Vaname was Acting Director - Elections and Deputy Electoral Commissioner for Papua New Guinea. Professor Nicole Haley was appointed by the Electoral Commission Appointments Committee on July 1, 2026, and officially sworn into office on August 6, 2026, to run the 2027 National General Election. What is of concern to many, even the staff
of the PNGEC is that the suspension of the senior officials comes six months into the issue of writs for the 2027 national general election and this will affect its planning and preparation. Sources deep inside the PNGEC confirmed no formal charges, no official explanation, and no public statement have been released. Late yesterday, the office of the Prime Minister and NEC advised Post-Courier there were serious allegations warranting the suspension, however, could not further elaborate as they wanted the Prime Minister James Marape to respond as the Minister in charge of PNGEC. The timing could not be worse. With only six months remaining before the issue of writs for the 2027 National General Election, the PNGEC is now facing a fullblown leadership vacuum at the exact moment it should be in full operational mode. Insiders warn the chaos will severely impact planning, logistics, and the nationwide common roll update , the most critical exercise that will lay the very foundation of a free and fair election. The suspensions have triggered serious concerns about political interference and administrative instability inside the Commission that is constitutionally mandated to be independent and impartial.
Ms Vaname, who serves as Deputy Electoral Commissioner (Corporate Services), is a central figure in the Commission’s corporate and financial operations. She has been at the forefront of provincial Memorandum of Agreement signings for the common roll updates, including recent high profile visits to Western Highlands and East New Britain, and has been the public face of funding and operational updates. Mrs Vagi, who has been serving as Acting Electoral Commissioner, is the other pillar of the Commission’s leadership team. To suspend both at once is to decapitate the organisation. The financial implications are also alarming. The Department of Finance has confirmed that only the initial K50 million earmarked for election preparations has been released. The remaining K150 million of the budgeted allocation is yet to be drawn down — a process that now has no authorised senior leadership to oversee it. For a country where every national election since Independence has been marred by violence, fraud allegations and court disputes, the collapse of leadership inside the PNGEC is not just an administrative issue — it is a direct threat to national security and democracy itself.
NEWS 5
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Ring leader of human trafficking ring identified BY MIRIAM ZARRIGA POLICE have uncovered the name of an alleged ringleader of the country’s biggest human trafficking case after 45 Indonesian and Chinese nationals were found in a home on Tuesday afternoon in Port Moresby. Of the 45, six were identified as persons of interest, while 39 were allegedly victims. Of the preliminary investigations, 23 of the 39 have completed their interviews with another 16 yet to be interviewed including the five women. The 39 Indonesian nationals have been identified as victims of trafficking following a major joint police and immigration operation that uncovered an alleged network involving deceptive recruitment, forced labour and online criminal activities in Papua New Guinea. Those interviewed reportedly described recruitment through online platforms and recruitment agents, with repeated references to
a person known as “Big Boss”. Several accounts indicate that recruitment and travel originated in Indonesia, with some of the Indonesians travelling through the Philippines before arriving in Papua New Guinea. The employment offered during recruitment allegedly differed from the work and conditions encountered after arrival. Authorities were told that passports and other travel documents were reportedly taken from some of the Indonesians. Those screened also described restrictions on movement and, in some cases, restrictions on their ability to communicate. There were reports of alleged coercion, threats and circumstances in which individuals felt they had no meaningful choice. Financial dependency and debt were also reported, together with discrepancies between remuneration promised during recruitment and what was allegedly
received. The most serious allegations have come from male interviewees, who reportedly said they were directed into online scam or scamming activities and gamblingrelated operations rather than the employment represented to them during recruitment. The five female screenings showed a broadly similar recruitment and control pattern. The women reportedly described recruitment through Facebook and Telegram, facilitated travel from Indonesia through the Philippines to PNG and employment offers involving advertising or online shopping. After arriving, they allegedly experienced restrictions on movement and use of their phones. They also reported receiving remuneration below what had been represented during recruitment. An allegation of intimidation by a person referred to as the “big boss” was also recorded.
Gera people demand justice for late Dr Robert Kamane
The peaceful protest march by the people of Gera. BY DECENDRA ARBA THE people of Gera in the Yongumugl LLG area have petitioned the government and administration of Chimbu province over the murder of late Dr Robert Waiya Kamane, after staging a peaceful protest march to the provincial capital. The protesters also called on their local MP Kerenga Kua to push for the reactivation of the death penalty law in Papua New Guinea. The late Kamane’s family appealed to the Simbu provincial government and administration to support their call for justice to ensure law and order is maintained in the province. The family stated that they will continue to pursue the matter until justice is served for the late doctor. Simbu provincial administrator John Punde commended the people of Gera community and Tabare LLG for their mature and peaceful approach.
“I salute you for the peaceful protest, you have set a new bar for Simbu seeking justice for late Dr Waiya, it shows that you are educated enough to understand what situation you are in. “I assure the people of late Dr Robert Waiya that the provincial government and its administration will work with police to ensure the truth is revealed said Punde. “Chief Superintendent Clement Dala, Highlands Eastern-End Police Commander said the case is now with police, so they will be no police bail for the seven suspect. “ I am asking the family and tribes men to stay calm and cooperate with the investigation team and provide information, I promise the family and tribesman of late Dr Waiye that we will cooperate to ensure justice is served for Dr Waiya,” Mr Punde said. Sinasine Yongumugl local MP Kerenga Kua said Parliament will
consider and review the death penalty law of Papua New Guinea under the Criminal Act to deter willful murder and brutal killings in the country. “I will formally present the petition calling for the reactivation and enforcement of the death penalty law so that justice can be served not only for Dr Waiye but for the other innocent lives lost to wildful murder in the country,” said Mr Kua. A Gera village tribesman, Reverend John Kamane, spoke on behalf of his family and tribe, saying the loss of Dr Waiye has hurt them deeply. “Dr Robert Waiya was not just a son, but a doctor who served all Simbu and PNG, and his life was taken wrongfully, I appeal to our MP Kerenga Kua and the provincial administration to stand with the family and ensure the law takes its full course. And the police must do a proper and honest investigation and refuse bail for the murder suspects.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape share a moment during the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards.
Prime Ministers put their ‘brotherhood’ on world stage PRIME Minister James Marape placed the Papua New GuineaAustralia brotherhood on global display in New York yesterday when he was personally chosen by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to introduce him for the prestigious Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award. In a historic moment at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly High-Level Week, Marape took the stage at the 15th Annual Global Citizen Awards to deliver a deeply personal tribute to “Albo” before an assembly of world leaders, corporate executives and diplomats. The choice — Marape out of all world leaders present — signals to the international community that the PNG-Australia relationship is at its closest in 50 years, built not on bureaucracy but on trust, shared history and blood. Marape anchored their friendship in the mud and sacrifice of the Kokoda Track, recalling their gruelling two-day trek together. “Walking Kokoda reminded us of the terrible human cost of World War II and the extraordinary sacrifices made, and bonds forged, between our peoples,” Marape said. “But Kokoda is not only about looking back. As we walked that difficult trail together...” This choice signals to the international community that the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea is not merely bureaucratic, but a strong, principle-based brotherhood built on trust, shared history, and mutual regional responsibility. Addressing the distinguished assembly of world leaders, corporate executives, and diplomats, Mr Marape layered his introduction with reflections on the deep personal connection he has forged with “Albo”. He recalled their historic, gruelling two-day journey walking the Kokoda Track together, a trek that permanently anchors their personal friendship in the sacred, shared sacrifices of their peoples. “Walking Kokoda reminded us of the terrible human cost of World War II and the extraordinary sacrifices made, and bonds forged, between our peoples,” Prime Minister Marape stated warmly. “But Kokoda is not only about looking back. As we walked that difficult trail together, we were reminded of our responsibility to look forward—to ensure our region remains peaceful and that our children never experience war.” This strong baseline of mutual trust directly birthed the Papua New Guinea– Australia Mutual Defence Treaty (The Pukpuk Treaty), which was signed in 2025 and is now fully
in force as a defensive shield for the peace and stability of the Blue Pacific Continent, said PM Marape. During the high-profile introductory speech, Prime Minister Marape highly commended Prime Minister Albanese for using his global platform to fearlessly elevate the Pacific’s climate message to the world. He praised the Albanese administration’s leadership in the COP31 process, which has successfully supported bringing critical pre-COP meetings directly into the Pacific region. Mr Marape said this initiative forces global leaders to witness the realities of rising sea levels and climate challenges firsthand, bringing the world to the Pacific rather than always forcing vulnerable island nations to take their concerns to the world. The Prime Minister also recognised Australia’s concrete financial commitment to regional survival during his address, highlighting its foundational AUD $100 million contribution to the Pacific Resilience Facility, alongside expanded pathways for Pacific people to learn, work, and build skills in Australia. Mr Marape concluded by noting that by choosing a Pacific leader to share his moment, Prime Minister Albanese shone a bright international spotlight on the entire region. “Tonight, in honouring Anthony Albanese, the Atlantic Council has also shone a light on our Pacific, our people, our ocean, our forests, and our contribution to our shared planet,” Marape stated. “As a fellow Pacific leader and as your friend, I congratulate you. May you continue to use Australia’s voice and influence to advance peace, security, and a sustainable future for our Pacific family.” The Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards, operated by the nonpartisan, Washington, DC-based think tank, recognises exceptional global figures across government, business, and the arts who embody the highest expression of global citizenship and cooperation. Alongside Prime Minister Albanese, the distinguished 2026 honourees included:
HE Alexander Stubb – President of the Republic of Finland, honoured for his exceptional transatlantic statecraft and European security leadership. Stefano Domenicali – President and CEO of Formula 1 (F1), recognised for his transformative global corporate strategy and innovation. Cynthia Erivo, MBE – Emmy, Tony, and Grammy Award-winning actress and producer, celebrated for her contributions to global culture and the arts.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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PM says, time to make polluters pay BY NICK MUGUA PRIME Minister James Marape has backed United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for major carbon emitters to be held financially accountable for climate damage, saying Papua New Guinea supports a shift from voluntary aid to mandatory responsibility. Mr Marape made the position in New York after arriving for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where Mr Guterres opened the general debate with a warning that global divisions were deepening and climate change remained a major intergenerational imbalance. The prime minister said countries and communities with smaller carbon footprints were bearing severe consequences from climate change despite contributing less to global emissions. “Those who hold the largest carbon footprints must pay for the damage their emissions cause,” Mr Marape said. “Developing nations and Pacific island communities continue to suffer the worst consequences of a climate crisis they did not create.” Mr Marape said Papua New Guinea supported Mr Guterres’ position
and called for greater accountability from countries responsible for high levels of emissions. “We must transition from voluntary aid to mandatory accountability. It is time to make the polluters pay,” he said. The statement places climate accountability among the issues Mr Marape is expected to raise during his UNGA program, including engagements with Pacific leaders and international bodies. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Marape is scheduled to attend an Alliance of Small Island States leaders’ breakfast on Thursday to discuss regional climate positions. He is also expected to participate in a high-level meeting with Mr Guterres and Pacific leaders on Friday, where climate change, environmental resilience and regional concerns are expected to feature. Mr Guterres’ current term as UN Secretary-General is due to end at the close of 2026, making this year’s general debate his final UNGA opening, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. The office said Mr Guterres had consistently supported Pacific calls to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which Pacific island states regard as critical to their long-term sur-
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
vival. Mr Marape’s program also includes a United Nations Peacebuilding Commission Ministerial Meeting, where he is expected to speak on Papua New Guinea’s experience with conflict resolution and the Bougainville peace process. The Prime Minister’s Office linked the engagement to Mr Guterres’ previous visit to Papua New Guinea from September 2 to 5, 2025, during which he travelled with Mr Marape to Nuku in West Sepik as part of activities highlighting forests and climate conservation. The office said Mr Guterres had also highlighted Papua New Guinea’s democratic record and the Bougainville peace process during that visit. Mr Marape is scheduled to deliver Papua New Guinea’s country statement to the 81st UN General Assembly on today (Friday), September 25, at 1pm New York time, followed by a private meeting with Mr Guterres at the UN headquarters. Climate financing and accountability are expected to remain key concerns for Pacific states as leaders press larger emitting countries to take greater responsibility for the effects of global warming.
MOTUAN BEAUTIES VIE FOR CROWN Scenes at the 2026 Hiri Hanenamo crowning ceremony at Sir Hubert Murray stadium in Port Moresby. The event coincided with PNG’s 51st Independence Anniversary celebrations.
Fiji brings trade, tourism, cuisine and culture to Pom THE Fiji High Commission in Papua New Guinea (PNG), in partnership with Vision City Mega Mall, Investment Fiji, and the Investment Promotion Authority of Papua New Guinea (IPA) will host the Fiji Trade & Tourism Expo 2026 at Vision City Mega Mall from October 7 to 9. The expo will bring three exciting days of Fijian trade, tourism, culture and cuisine to Port Moresby. Fiji and Papua New Guinea share longstanding diplomatic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The reopening of the Fiji High Commission in Port Moresby in 2023, together with Fiji’s 2025 Trade Mission to Papua New Guinea, has identified further opportunities for co-operation in agriculture, tourism, trade and investment, ICT, health and technical services. With the re-establishment of the Fiji Business Council this year, the expo will connect Fijian businesses, products and services with Papua New Guinean buyers, investors and
consumers, and provide a platform for business-to-business networking and new partnerships between the private sectors of both countries. On October 6, 2026, the Fiji High Commission will host business-tobusiness (B2B) engagement and meeting sessions at the Mission in Port Moresby, ahead of the expo. EXPO HIGHLIGHTS Fijian businesses, products and services. Fiji tourism and destination showcases. Traditional Meke and cultural performances Fijian cuisine and culinary demonstrations, music, entertainment and family activities. Business networking and trade enquiries. Entry is open to the public. The Fiji High Commission invites businesses, investors, tourism operators, government agencies, development partners, the diplomatic community, the Fijian diaspora and the wider Papua New Guinean public to attend.
Over 80,000 children registered as PNG targets nationwide birth registration BY GRACE AUKA-SALMANG MORE than 80,000 children received birth registration services between January and August 2026, as Papua New Guinea steps up efforts to ensure every child has a legal identity from birth. The progress was highlighted by UNICEF as the Papua New Guinea Civil and Identity Registry (PNGCIR), UNICEF and the Australian government continue working to expand birth registration services across the country. The program is supporting PNGCIR to strengthen civil registration policies and systems, expand hospital and mobile registration services, train personnel and raise community awareness about the importance of registering children. UNICEF deputy representative Vikas Singh said the ultimate goal was for every child to be registered from birth, and for every family to receive a birth certificate without unnecessary delays or repeated journeys. The program has already supported the establishment of birth registration services in hospitals across several provinces, bringing registration closer to families who may otherwise face difficulties accessing government services. The next phase is expected to see fur-
ther expansion. A PNGCIR registrar general Leslie Simon said, the registry is working with the Health Department and provincial health authorities, with additional agreements in the pipeline and an ambition to reach all 22 provinces by the end of 2026. “The expansion is aimed at making birth registration more accessible by taking services closer to where children are born and where families already access health care. “The importance of birth registration extends beyond receiving a certificate. A birth certificate provides a child with legal identity and formal recognition by the state and can support access to essential services such as education, health care and child protection. Effective civil registration also helps governments understand their population and plan services and investments according to where they are most needed,” he said. The Australian government is supporting the initiative through UNICEF’s Justice for Children program, which is also supporting policy and systems strengthening, personnel training and community awareness. However, officials acknowledge that reaching every child will require continued investment and stronger coordination between civil registration and health services.
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Timing of STEM, tertiary selections BY MARCIA NEGRI CONCERNED Parents have called for an urgent review into the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarship and tertiary selection timing. Parents, students and concerned education stakeholders are calling on the Department of Education (DoE), the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST), and the responsible parties to urgently
Concerned stakeholders issue urgent call for review address the continuing problem surrounding the timing of STEM scholarship selections and tertiary institution selections. A parent (named) queried the scholarship selection and selections for our local institutions that seem to have serious ramifications on both the STEM and other students. “There is a dilemma here. STEM students not knowing their selection
status are forced to apply for local institutions and take up spaces for other students. “And when they get selected for the STEM scholarship, they deny other students who would have taken those spaces,” he raised. “I think the timing of STEM scholarship selections should be reconsidered to avoid the inconvenience caused to our deserving students
and parents.” Raising the query, he said the STEM scholarship selection and selections for our local institutions seem to have serious ramifications on both the STEM and other students. Suggesting that the timing of STEM scholarship selections should be reconsidered to avoid the inconvenience caused to our deserving students and parents.
UPNG Chemistry students connect with industry
Teacher develops digital school management system BY MARCIA NEGRI A TEACHER has gone ahead to develop a digital school management system to help teaching and learning in schools across the country. Stanislaus Lessie, who is a teacher at the Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in Vanimo, said it took him two years to design and build the system known as EISSELS, the Engaging Interactive System Strengthening Educational Learning Standards. EISSELS is an application programming interface (API) driven, cloud-hosted school management system designed specifically for the Papua New Guinea education context. “A comprehensive, cloud-based school management platform built specifically for PNG schools and the requirements of our Department of Education. “It replaces paper registers, manual compliance returns, and disconnected spreadsheets with a single integrated digital platform connecting all key stakeholders’ administration, teachers, parents, students, and divisional offices into one seamless ecosystem.” EISSELS is not an imported or adopted foreign product. It was conceived, designed, and built for PNG schools, by a Papua New Guinean. Mr Lessie said he has no background in IT, but with the help of Artificial Intelligence, he was able to develop this. “The idea was to try and connect the school administration with the teachers, parents, the Provincial Education Division and the Teachers Service Commission. So that data is seen through a system in real time.” He said that every module in the system reflects the realities of how our schools operate, from the TSC forms our teachers fill out every year, to the financial acquittal reports our principals submit to the division, to the SAPS and SASS compliance requirements that govern our schools’ annual performance assessments.
“The system covers every aspect of school management across 48 modules: student enrolment, attendance, assessments, report cards, fee management, staff HR, TSC applications, timetabling, lesson plans, schemes of work, library management, asset registers, and real-time analytics, all accessible from any phone or computer, including in areas with limited internet connectivity,” he said. “It also features AI tools powered by Claude AI that help teachers generate lesson plans, create assessments, and support struggling students. EISSELS already has schools from across Papua New Guinea registered in the system, including schools from every province, among them schools in Bougainville.” Mr Lessie said the system was deployed and made live on Independence Day and is now operational, but is yet to get schools on board to use it. “EISSELS is my intellectual property, the product of years of work, late nights, and deep knowledge of how PNG schools operate,” he said. “I want every teacher, principal, school administrator, and education officer in Papua New Guinea to know that this system exists, that it was built by one of their own, and that it is available to serve our schools. PNG has always had the talent to build world-class technology. EISSELS is proof of that.” He said he is currently in discussions with provincial education departments and government partners about deploying EISSELS across entire regions of PNG. “My goal is simple: to give every school in Papua New Guinea, from the smallest community school in the Highlands to the largest secondary school in Port Moresby, the tools to manage their operations professionally, efficiently, and digitally.”
Right: A screenshot of the homepage of the EISSELS system. PICTURE SUPPLIED
Uni’s Chemistry Students Association stages talent, industry event THE Chemistry Students Association (CSA) recently hosted its first Chemistry Talent & Industry event at UPNG, bringing together university leaders, government representatives and industry partners, including ExxonMobil, to help final and third-year chemistry students bridge the gap between classroom theory and skills the industry actually needs. CSA president Sebastian Jameney opened the event, saying it was designed to be more than just another networking night. “That is why we are here tonight, to bridge the gap between our students and industry, to create pathways for industrial training,
graduate employment, and formal partnerships,” he said. Speaking afterward about the vision behind the event, Mr Jameney said that students often graduate with knowledge industry sees as too abstract for its actual needs. “We’ve realised that we students have learned a lot in terms of what the industry is really looking for. What we have is more abstract. They want things that are relevant to their needs,” he said. Mr Janeney said that the CSA is working to secure industrial training placements for third year students, graduate development programs for final years, and longerterm memorandum of understand-
ing partnerships between the department and industry players. He also used the event to speak about a wider initiative the CSA is pushing, called the Chemistry Transformation Blueprint, built around two pillars: modernising the department’s laboratory facilities and building students’ practical capacity beyond the classroom. He was open about the state of the current labs. “If you walk into a lab today, you do not see the standard of an academic lab,” he said, adding that aging infrastructure and unreliable gas lines pose a genuine safety risk to students and staff. The CSA has secured endorsement from the university’s vice-chancel-
“My son is doing Grade 12 STEM at Port Moresby National School of Excellence this year, and we the parents are deeply concerned about their fate given the above scenario. “We are organising a collective approach to petition the DoE and DHERST to address this issue immediately so our students are not placed at a disadvantage.” This paper has reached out to the Education Department but is yet to get a response on the subject for clarity.
lor to carry out a full lab audit and is seeking industry and government funding to support the upgrade. On capacity building, Mr Jameney said the association is arranging international certification training for final year students, comparing it to a travel passport. “This is like your passport to the world. You can go work in Australia, in the US, in Europe, anywhere,” he said. The Office of the Chief Secretary of State was the event’s major sponsor, represented by executive officer Saikio Pius, while the PNG Research Science and Technology Secretariat and Pacifica Eagle Chemicals also backed the initiative.
THE University of Papua New Guinea’s Chemistry Students Association (CSA) has hosted its first Chemistry Talent and Industry event, bringing students and industry professionals together at UPNG. The keynote address came from Samuel Koyama, ExxonMobil’s National Content manager, who challenged students to see themselves as the country’s next generation of industry leaders. “We need scientists. That’s chemists, engineers, computer scientists, data analysts, researchers, and innovators,” he said. “In short, we need technocrats, not bureaucrats.” He told students the country’s natural resources alone will not build prosperity without skilled people to develop them, adding: “Knowledge creates prosperity, innovation creates prosperity, and science creates prosperity.” Mr Koyama went on to speak about ExxonMobil’s workforce development program, which he said focuses on training, mentorship and skills transfer rather than simply filling positions, and pointed to openings for chemistry graduates in lab operations, quality assurance, environmental monitoring, and analytical testing. He also pressed students on discipline and integrity, telling them: “Excellence is not an event, it is a habit. It is the result of small decisions made consistently every day, choosing discipline over excuses, preparation over procrastination, integrity over shortcuts.” He closed with a direct challenge to the students. “Dream big. Work hard. Aim high. Pursue excellence relentlessly. And guard your integrity fiercely.” Head of the Chemistry Department Dr Reynold Philip, said landing ExxonMobil as a partner was a significant step forward for the department. “Our objective is basically to get some big industries in, and we are fortunate to get ExxonMobil tonight,” he said, noting the partnership sits under a STEM program with the Education Division, and that the department hopes ExxonMobil can help further with capacity building and equipment in future. He also praised how the students pulled the event together on short notice. “The students have done a very fantastic preparation within the short space of time,” he said, adding that with continued industry support, “next year it will be a big one.” The evening also gave students a chance to show what they can already do. The event is part of CSA’s effort to connect students directly with industry professionals who could be future employers.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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Agency beefs up El Nino response
RPC executive manager, Wesley Gumembi (right) and El Nino response team leader, Dr David Minemba (left) watering seed potato production base at the foot of Mt Wilhelm at Kegla while senior elite seed potato production officer, David Kaupa (second left) and potato seed grower, John Banda look on.
Farmers aided with K1m for drought relief BY TONY PALME – FPDA MEDIA OFFICER
FRESH Produce Development Agency (FPDA) has beefed up its El Nino response with an allocation of K1 million towards water carting service and irrigation roll out for its farmers nationwide. The investment initiative was launched by chief executive officer, Mark Worinu on September 7 at Masumave model farm in the Unggai-Bena district, Eastern Highlands. It is a timely intervention by the food security agency to provide water as an emergency support or rescue package for farmers reeling from the severe drought conditions that had affected their food farms. The relief effort is also aimed at helping farmers with a secured water system that would enable them to protect the dying plants and conserve crop seedlings, thus, maintaining food security. Mr Worinu said farmers faced a tough time in maintaining their food crops in the absence of water. “Water is crucial for growing food, feeding and nourishing. With the water crisis hitting its peak, food production has dropped, posing a threat to food security and affecting livelihoods and the economy. “As a State agency that deals with farmers who produce food for the country, FPDA decided to suspend all its operations and address the water issue.
“Water is an urgent need and by supplying water to our suffering farmers and building reliable irrigation system using innovative technology is the most appropriate option. We will only respond to the water needs because that will solve a lot of problems. Giving people rice or flour bags is only a short term fix. “We’re now focused on the water investment program using our limited yearly operational funds. It is indeed a sacrifice but we believe that the approach we’re taking is holistic. “We want to extend the water carting services and sustainable water supply project roll out to the greater PNG farming communities and wish we had the funds. “If we can collaborate with other partner agencies and local authorities in combining resources and adopt an appropriate strategy, we can tackle this challenge,” Mr Worinu said. FPDA El Nino response team leader, Dr David Minemba believes that FPDA is the first government agency that had responded to the El Nino situation and has put in place the ‘blueprint’ for a national water response intervention. After the launching, an intensive roll out of the water carting exercise started on September 7th and ended on the 17th in the respective model farms in Western Highlands, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, Morobe
(L-R) Minister for Agriculture John Boito, Cocoa Board of Papua New Guinea (CBPNG) chief executive officer Jesse Anjen and CBPNG chairman of board of directors John Kassman launching the Strategic Plan 2026-2035 yesterday in Port Moresby. PICTURES BY GABRIEL ERNEST
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
FPDA Research and development program manager, Dr David Minemba, who is also the El Nino response team leader inspecting dried up cabbages at Karigal’s integrated farm in Kokopo.
and concluded in the East New Britain and Central provinces. Dr Minemba said the water response activities involved three implementation stages: Phase 1 - Water carting services; direct emergency response to the El Nino situation. Water carting trucks were engaged to fill up the tanks at the model farms. This intervention was to encourage farmers to continue their farm activities and also save the dying crops and preserve seedlings. Phase 2 – Solar irrigation system; bore drilling technology. Use of solar energy to pump underground water into the tanks to irrigate the food crops (long term solution), and; Phase 3 – Community water supply establishment; streaming water from nearby sources into the tanks for whole community benefit (long term sustainability). The roll out of the first phase have commenced in a total of 11 model farm sites. Strategic planning for the two latter stages are being undertaken by the El Nino response team and will soon be approved for implementation. FPDA’s executive managers and program managers lauded Mr Worinu for his foresight in initiating a noble undertaking to respond to a crisis situation. Production and value chain innovation executive manager, James Kraip, said the extreme dry spell posed a challenge for farmers in their endeavour to maintaining crop cycles and consistent production due to water sources drying up.
FARMERS at Poahom in the Nabak local level government (LLG) of Nawaeb district in Morobe taking a group photo with FPDA officers and management team in front of the water tank.
FPDA El Nino response team, Dr David Minemba (left), Michael Kora and Wesley Gumembi launching the water carting and irrigation roll out initiative at Preston Laki’s Kuriva model farm, Central.
Government launches 10- year cocoa plan PNG’s cocoa industry took a major step forward yesterday with the official launch of its Strategic Plan 2026–2035, a roadmap designed to build a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable sector that lifts hundreds of thousands of rural families. Minister for Agriculture John Boito described cocoa as “truly our national crop,” grown across every province and now expanding into highland areas as climate patterns shift. The cocoa industry already supports more than 200,000 rural households and an estimated three million people who depend on it for daily livelihoods. He said that in 2025 the country
produced more than 61,000 metric tonnes, generating over K1.8 billion in export earnings, with about 80 per cent of that value reaching farmers directly. He said the crop pays school fees, funds healthcare and builds homes, making it a lifeline that must remain a national priority. The new plan aligns with the Government’s ambition to grow the national economy to K200 billion. Cocoa has been tasked with contributing K4 billion toward the agriculture sector’s broader targets. Key goals include establishing 300,000 new agricultural SMEs, lifting annual production toward 100,000 tonnes, and processing 20 to 50 per cent of the crop domestically
so more jobs and profits stay in PNG. The national government has committed K1.2 billion over the life of the plan to support flagship programmes such as the National Cocoa Nursery Program, freight subsidies, access roads and extension services. Mr Boito also called on provincial and district governments to prioritise cocoa in their own budgets, particularly for infrastructure and market access. He said success will be measured not by documents but by results at the farm gate. The Cocoa Board will enforce rigorous monitoring to keep implementation on track.
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City authority backs electoral office K200,000 funding to support common roll update THE Lae City Authority (LCA) has provided a funding support of K200,000 to the PNG Electoral Commission branch in Morobe Province for the common roll update rollout program for Lae District and parts of Nawaeb District. LCA Chief Executive Officer Robin Calistus presented the cheque today to Deputy Election Manager for Morobe Province Lloyd Kumban. The PNG Electoral Commission enrollment teams in Lae will visit all wards and polling areas to carryout the voter registration exercise in the coming weeks. I call on all Lae residents across Lae District wards in the two LLGs; LULLG Wards 1 - 6 and Ahi LLG Wards 1–10 and Wards 11 - 17 of Ahi LLG in Nawaeb District to cooperate with electoral officers when they visit your wards and get registered so it enables your Constitutional right to vote in the next year’s national general election. Voter enrollment is your legal responsibility. Be counted as your vote matters to the district, province and country. LCA has also given approval to the EC Morobe to put up billboards in selected spots in the city to raise awareness on voter enrollment and other matters relating to free, fair and safe election.
Lae City Authority chief executive officer Robin Calistus presenting the K200,000 cheque to Deputy Election Manager for Morobe Llyod Kumban yesterday.
Reflecting on past choices, finding hope Jailed mother regrets action for better future while serving time BY VELERIE BULUMARIS “BY the time I realised I should’ve controlled my anger, it was too late to go back, and all I can think of sitting in the police cell was, who would take care of my daughters? I am a mother and I should’ve protected them the right way.” These are the words of 49-yearold mother of two, Araga Arisai from Markham district in Morobe Province who is currently serving time at Buimo jail in Lae for taking her husband’s life. Like many Papua New Guinea women nowadays who are put into complicated situations of their husbands having extra marital affairs while they face challenges of financial burden, family obligations and taking care of their children’s welfare, Araga’s tale is no different. She was a happy mother of two beautiful girls aged 12 and 9 before the tragic incident that put her into more pain as she recalled days in prison for the last eight years enduring her challenges with positive attitude. In 2018, Araga was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment following the nature of the crime that she committed and the evidence that was presented in court. The presiding judge of the National Court in Lae, however, saw the reasons behind her case and removed two years off her serving time leaving the mom of two to serve 13 years behind bars and learn from her mistakes. “I have reflected hard in the silence of the night and the early mornings, I’ve learnt many
other skills too while I’m here and it’s really hard, I don’t wish any mother should leave her children for prison, it’s painful,” she said. Eight years ago, Araga was put in a difficult situation to ponder on her own, she watched her marriage fall apart and her two children and the home that she once lived in taken from her. “It’s like another woman has stolen my blessing and the blessings that my two girls should grow up in,” she said. This happened after she had heated arguments with her late husband and one day decided to leave their home to live with her parents for a while. Hoping that her moving out would let the arguments settle down, that hope in time had turned into her worst nightmare as she described the betrayal, she felt when finding out that her husband’s extra marital affair had been brought before their kids. Days after that were consistent arguments, battles over their kids and constant mental torture that she was going through watching her kids being looked after by another woman in a home she once lived in. “I was hurt, I had so many questions that I wanted to ask my husband, I wanted to know why he left me for another woman, we have children together,” Ms Arisai was beating herself up with those thoughts. Additionally, she faced financial crisis because the mother of two was accustomed to shared marital responsibility when it comes to taking care of their children, but that stopped after the girls’ father
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
remarried and they went into their mother’s care. The 49-year-old mother is calling out to women who are going through marriage problems, especially those that are battling custody of their children and those that are having issues with their husband for having extra marital affairs to keep themselves busy and not to let their issues be the centre of their lives. “If you can cook, sew or do sales and marketing, do those things and pour your energy into your work and children, forget about your husband’s doing,” she said fretting over it can only complicate things. Ms Arisai was in a heated argument with her husband over the custody of their children when she tragically took the life of their father. “Life after my crime was just regrettable, my hands couldn’t reach my girls anymore, I can only ask my parents to look after them, which they did to this day,” she shared her story on independence anniversary eve in hope to wish her two girls a ‘Happy Independence’. Araga said she’d learnt to have peace and self-control apart from many skills that she was taught while in prison and hope to use those traits some day when her time is up. However, her pain is much bigger than that as she recalled being locked inside a surrounded fence, being lonely and hungry at times counting days that are still far from reach. Her children are now 20 and 17 years of age and both are in secondary and primary schools
Araga Arisai at Buimo Prison in Lae. PICTURE: VELERIE BULUMARIS respectively in their mother’s home district in Morobe, but the poor woman was not there to watch them grow up, cook their morning breakfast before school or collect their report cards from their teachers. “I’ve missed already eight years
of my girls’ lives, and that’s because of my selfish doing,” she said. In all her past mistakes that she reflected upon many times, Araga believes that she’s a changed woman and didn’t wish any mother to go through what she endured in prison.
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Birth registration campaign begins
Crossing with caution School students dangerously waiting to cross the road at the Waigani traffic area.PICTURE:MARK TALIA
THE PAPUA New Guinea Civil and Identity Registry (PNGCIR) launched a campaign to encourage more parents and caregivers to use birth registration services. The campaign was co-launched with the Australian Government and UNICEF yesterday, and aims to increase public understanding of the rights and benefits associated with birth registration and make services easier for families to access. According to PNGCIR, over the past two years, progress has been made in integrating birth registration into the health system, including by equipping health facilities with the materials and capacity to register children and provide parents with official proof of their child’s legal identity. By offering birth registration where mothers and newborns already receive health services, families can register children more easily and earlier in life. This approach supports every child’s right to a legal identity from birth and provides a practical pathway for expanding birth registration nationwide. Birth registration is the first step towards giving every child legal recognition. A birth certificate helps establish a child’s identity and age and supports access to health care, education, protection and other essential services throughout life. “Children and young people are the future of Papua New Guinea, and every child should begin life with a legal identity,” said Mr Leslie Simon, Acting Registrar-General, PNG Civil and Identity Registry. “A birth certificate is the gateway to being recognised by the State and accessing the services and opportunities children need to grow, learn and reach their potential. Bringing registration into health facilities is an important step towards making that right a reality for every child.” New information, education and communication (IEC) materials were also launched at the event, including posters, folders, notebooks, banners and birth registration office signage. The materials were jointly developed by PNGCIR and UNICEF with funding from the Australian Government through the Justice for Children programme, managed by UNICEF. They will be distributed across Papua New Guinea to help communities understand the importance of birth registration and where services are available. “The Australian Government is pleased to support PNGCIR and UNICEF in making birth registration more accessible to families across Papua New Guinea,” said Minister Counsellor Elizabeth Le Bas, Australian High Commission. “This partnership is helping strengthen practical services for children while also giving families the information they need to understand why birth registration matters.” The Justice for Children programme is supporting PNGCIR to strengthen birth registration systems at both national and subnational levels. This includes supporting legal and policy reforms, expanding birth registration through hospitals and mobile services, building the capacity of registration personnel to assist parents and caregivers, and increasing community awareness and demand for birth registration. From January to August 2026, more than 80,000 children received birth registration services. The programme has also supported the establishment of birth registration services in seven hospitals across seven provinces. Under the programme, UNICEF and PNGCIR are also working towards procuring and distributing 300,000 additional birth certificates to help meet demand and accelerate certificate issuance. The number of children and young people waiting to receive their birth certificates is estimated at more than one million, with new registrations continuing to add to demand. Delivering certificates at this scale will require sustained government leadership, adequate financing and continued support from partners.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2026
PNGEC – GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER
DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT IS CORRUPT?
CORRUPT OR NOT CORRUPT...A GOVERNMENT IS A GOVERNMENT
Access to E pornographic material by youths
T
HE situation at the PNG Electoral Commission is worrying. We have a government agency charged with delivery the 2027 National General Elections in management crisis. It’s an open secret. The new chief Electoral Commissioner Professor Haley is not in Port Moresby. Two of her deputies, both women, have been sidelined. Who sidelined them is open to question. We are nine months out of the 2027 National General Elections. Bearing down on the country is a massive El Nino shake-up. The wheels cannot be falling off the PNGEC leadership at this very critical time. It is next to impossible for a clueless management to deliver a national general election, on time, safely, and transparently. If Professor Haley is in Australia, she must immediately return to Port Moresby and take charge of her office and staff. That’s what she was hired to plan for and deliver. She was mandated to deliver a ‘one vote one person’ election. This is an impossible task given our experiences from the past. The government’s unwillingness to commit funds to all the big-ticket items is another worrying underlying issue. Running a democratic election is not exactly a ‘rock, paper, scissors’ exercise. Security is a huge risk in PNG. We’ve all being through tribal fights, witnessed ballot boxes being wrecked or stolen, polling officials kidnapped, voters help at gunpoint to vote for one person, ballots hijacked and ticked off for a certain candidate. Bribery is commonplace, violence is overwhelming. The last UN observers went away with a sour taste in their mouths in 2023. Their verdict was a highly corrupt process. Securing ballot papers is a huge ask. Common Rolls need to be updated. Ghost names and inflated rolls need to be double checked. Names of deceased voters need to be removed. Indelible ink needs to be sourced. Polling officials and scrutineers need to be trained. The way things are going – at the Treasury Office at Waigani, and at the PNGEC at Boroko – it is highly likely that El Nino will wring the vote out of the people. And the Government’s lack of willpower to finance the vote will come back to haunt it.
Global emitters must pay I WRITE in support of an MP recently, who recently called on the Government to hold large greenhouse-gas emitters responsible for the disasters now devastating our outer islands. He pointed to Tropical Cyclone Maila’s destruction of Budi Budi and Woodlark, now worsened by an intensifying El Niño and severe water shortages. These are not natural accidents; they are consequences of a warming climate driven by major emitters abroad. At the same time, the MP demanded a national shipping policy. The current monopolised shipping sector passes exorbitant costs to consumers and slows relief when storms hit, leaving island communities cut off from food, fuel, medicine and evacuations. LLG presidents in Maila-affected areas have already warned that preparedness and response are inadequate without reliable, affordable maritime transport. PNG’s emissions are small, but our people pay the highest price. MISIMA ISLAND CITIZEN
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LETTER OF THE DAY
Security checkpoints along highways vital THE Connect PNG road project has been hailed as a success by many in the country in that it has now connected the Highlands and Mamose regions with the Papuan region. That means people and goods can now flow easily from the Highlands and Mamose to Gulf and then to Central and eventually to Port Moresby, the nation’s capital. That also means goods and people can now flow in the opposite direction as well. The link from Port Moresby to Rigo and Abau districts of Central Province is also enabling the flow of goods and people in the opposite direction as well. There is a threat though that
is not discussed and I urge the Governors of Gulf, Central and Milne Bay provinces to raise this in Parliament. The respective Open Members of Parliament should also start this conversation. Gulf, Central and Milne Bay as well as Southern Highlands and Morobe ought to build security checkpoints on their borders to monitor the flow of people or goods. We must understand that a road also provides a link for bad elements in any province to transport illicit drugs and illegal weapons from their side to another. Additionally, human traffickers or smugglers will also now use the same Connect PNG roads to move people or
children illegally from one province to another. The Governors and MPs concerned and Police Minister John Pundari ought to start the process of building those security checkpoints immediately before the roads are sealed and that becomes easy for more vehicles to use them. Study how other countries have initiated such projects and do the same in PNG. Do that before it is too late. Build security checkpoints along the borders of provinces where these new roads pass through. Your reader, PNG ANALYST
Security measures for Highlands region vital THE successful Gun Amnesty and surrender program currently taking place in the country is a fundamental move by the government in addressing law and order issues in the country. The Highlands region which is currently under the radar in this voluntary gun surrender exercise has been successful so far because arms strongholds like Hela Province, Enga and Southern Highlands Provinces have taken the lead to surrender high powered factory made guns, some of which are new to the police and PNG defence force. I highly commend these three Western - End Provinces for their genuine action of surrendering guns. Other provinces in the region and rest of the country should follow on to get rid of illegal arms in the communities. The peaceful and conducive environment created after this gun surrender program can
support economic and social services to reach majority of the people. Next important steps to take after this program ends is to put in place preventive and safeguard measures against repetition of arms build up again. One such initiative is for each region to build regional checkpoints at land, sea and air points of entry and exit. Since, the country is now connected by road, checkpoints and rural police posts should be established to monitor movement of illegal
arms and perpetrators when caught should be dealt with appropriately by applicable laws. Without such preventive checkpoints and regular monitoring, illegal arms build up could gradually take place unnoticed. This is an expensive and resource constraining exercise to combat illegal arms surrender and such preventive and mitigating measures can reduce or deter future arms build up.
YOUTHS having access to pornographic material is widespread and is killing our young people. It does not kill your body straight away. It kills your mind first. Your focus, your respect, your future, all gone. Lenin said it true. If you want to destroy a nation, you don’t need guns. Just spoil the mind of the youths. And that is what porn is doing now in PNG. There are two clear signs your brain is rotten from porn. First, you see every woman as sex objects. You don’t see a person anymore. You don’t see a sister, or a student, or someone’s daughter. You just see a body to use. You look at every girl on road, in class, in church and your mind goes straight to one thing. That is not manhood. That is sickness in your head. Second, you cannot be loyal. You become like animal in lust. Always searching. Always cheating. On phone, on Facebook, in real life. You have girlfriend but you still look. You have a wife, but you still search. No discipline. No loyalty. No control. If you cannot control your lust, you cannot control your life. If you see yourself in this, then you must wake up. Your brain is rotting. You cannot live strong and focused life like this. How will you lead your family? How will you respect your wife? How will you teach students if your own mind is chained? Porn makes you weak. Makes you lazy. Makes you scared and alone inside. So it is time to fight back. This is your fight. For your future, for your family, for your country. Start today. Delete that rubbish from your phone. Stop watching. Go work hard. Play sports. Sweat every day. Pray and the read Word. Talk to real people. Your mind is not a rubbish bin. It is a temple. Look after it. I’ve been working with young people. The major issues I found is porn and the addiction to its related effects. If we can stop these, we can be great thinkers. Our nation needs the younger generation to grow up through thinking. DAMIEN BRYELLE ENGIME
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Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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Sentiments on national sovereignty THE social media landscape across Papua New Guinea has shifted dramatically, with a large majority of citizens rallying behind Vanimo-Green MP Belden Namah. This wave of support is a direct response to the highly abusive language and extreme digital attacks directed at Namah by some Bougainvillean social media users. For many Papua New Guineans, the issue has transformed from a political debate into a defence of national dignity, sovereignty, and respect for a long-serving leader. A core reason for the strong public backlash against the attacks is Namah’s historical background. Many Papua New Guineans are deeply troubled by the vitriol aimed at a leader who served as a military captain during the height of the Bougainville Crisis. Commentators across digital platforms are actively reminding
the public of Namah’s historical role, highlighting that he put his life on the line during the conflict. This history has fostered a sense of deep protectiveness among citizens, who view the abusive social media comments as a profound disrespect to a veteran who endured the trauma of the crisis. The aggressive tone used by some online detractors has alienated neutral observers and consolidated support for the MP. Papua New Guineans on Facebook and other digital spaces are calling out the hostility, arguing that robust parliamentary debate is a fundamental democratic right that should not be met with personal insults or threats. The prevailing sentiment among pro-Namah citizens suggest that if Bougainville aspires to become an independent democratic nation, its vocal proponents must respect
democratic dialogue rather than resort to cyberbullying against PNG’s elected leaders. Beyond personal defence, the abusive behaviour has amplified concerns regarding national unity. Citizens backing Namah are using this moment to emphasise his warnings: Constitutional Precedent: Many point that the PNG Constitution does not explicitly mandate breaking the country apart based on a non-binding vote. Preserving the Union: Netizens are increasingly posting that Papua New Guinea’s strength lies in its 22 provinces remaining unified as one sovereign nation. Fear of Fragmentation: There is a growing worry that allowing a hostile departure could trigger a domino effect, prompting other resource-rich provinces to demand secession. BARNABAS YENOWI, BOMANA
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PICTURE TIMELINE
MOMENTS CAPTURED IN PICTURES
GOING GREEN School children, teachers and Port Moresby city residents join in a walk organised by City Hall along the Ela beach to commemorate World Enviornment Day’s theme to rid plastics that destroy the ecosystem. PICTURE: SUPPLIED
Protecting Christian heritage while rejecting violent extremism PAPUA New Guinea's Constitution guarantees every citizen the freedom of religion, belief, and worship. At the same time, our nation has long identified itself as a predominantly Christian country, with the majority of Papua New Guineans professing the Christian faith. Christian values such as love, compassion, forgiveness, humility, honesty, and service to others have played an important role in shaping our communities and national identity. While we should continue to respect the constitutional rights of people of all faiths, we must also remain alert to the danger of violent extremism and organisations that promote hatred, intolerance, or violence in the name of any ideology or religion. Around the world, extremist groups have committed terrible crimes against innocent people, especially Christians, and members of other religious
communities. Such acts are not only criminal but also violate the fundamental principles of human dignity and peace. Papua New Guinea should not allow any of such groups, whether religious, political, or ideological to spread messages that encourage violence, hatred, or the destruction of peaceful coexistence. Communities should be educated to recognise the difference between legitimate religious practice, which is protected by law, and extremist movements that seek to recruit followers, divide communities, or incite violence. Churches, schools, families, and community leaders all have an important role to play in educating people, especially young people, about the values of peace, critical thinking, mutual respect, and responsible citizenship. Few organisations seem to spread religious messages but
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have hidden motives. Once they see that their number has increased, they will carry out their hidden plans of torturing and killing especially Christians and innocent citizens whom they see as obstacles. Any concerns about organisations suspected of promoting violence or breaking the law should be reported to the appropriate authorities so they can be investigated through lawful and impartial processes. As Christians, our response should reflect the teachings of Christ. We are called to stand firmly for truth, love our neighbours, pray for peace, and reject hatred in all its forms. We should support lawful efforts to protect our communities while respecting the constitutional rights of every citizen to practise their religion peacefully.
NEW ROAD WORKS
AMOS KANDATO
A new road constructed at parliament house recently. PICTURE: MARK TALIA
Funding to respond to effects of the El Nino, according to reports, are getting disbursed upon available assessment reports provided. Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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Pacific leaders at a recent meet in Palau. PICTURES: PACNEWS
Surangel Whipps Jr President of Palau and Forum Chair.
The Pacific is our home, not a theatre for geopolitical competition: Whipps BY PITA LIGAIULA
P
ALAU President and Forum Chair, Surangel Whipps Jr has warned that the Pacific must not be treated as a theatre for geopolitical competition, calling for respect for Pacific sovereignty, international law and the region’s right to determine its own future. Delivering Palau’s High-Level Statement at the 81st United Nations General Assembly(UNGA), Whipps said the Pacific was home to people, communities, cultures, fisheries and ecosystems and should remain an Ocean of Peace. “The Pacific is our home, not a theatre for geopolitical competition. “It must remain an ocean of peace where nations meet in cooperation, international law is respected, and the security of the Pacific peoples is never compromised,” Whipps said. Whipps said Pacific leaders had raised concerns at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau over China’s ballistic missile test overflying several Pacific nations without adequate notice. “Let me remind you: our region must never be treated as an empty expanse for strategic competition or test of military power,” he said. He said the Pacific’s approach to security was to address tensions before they became crises, create space for dialogue and uphold respect, restraint and international law. “The Pacific way is to address tensions before they become crisis, make room for dialogue before disagreement becomes conflict, seek inclusion rather than isolation, and uphold respect, restraint, and international law,” Whipps said. Whipps said the Pacific’s security was also tied directly to climate change, ocean health, energy and access to finance. He said the latest findings from the UN Environment Programme showed the world was now certain to exceed the 1.5°C temperature threshold, making delivery on climate commitments more urgent. “This reality must strengthen our resolve to deliver what we have promised, prepare our communities for the impacts science tells us are inevitable,” he said. Whipps highlighted the Pacific’s Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity initiative, launched at COP28 and
Surangel Whipps Jr President of Palau with some of the forum participants.
reinforced by the Pacific Leaders’ Ocean Statement adopted in Palau. He said the initiative brings together 22 Pacific countries and territories to mobilise investment for sustainable ocean management, food systems and resilient livelihoods. Palau was translating the regional vision into national action through its Sustainable Ocean Policy, which commits to science-based and adaptive management of its ocean. But Whipps said the key issue was now delivery. “The task now is delivery,” he said. “We need financing that reaches communities without adding debt, adaptation finance that is accessible to countries already bearing the cost of the problems they did not create, and full support of the loss and damage and the special circumstances of SIDS.” He called for grant-based and concessional finance, support for energy systems and investment that reflects the circumstances of small island developing states. “Those who contributed the least to this climate crisis yet confront
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the worst threats of rising sea levels must not be burdened with debt simply to purchase a life jacket for their survival,” Whipps said. He also backed the Pacific Resilience Facility as a Pacificled mechanism to turn resources into community-level climate and disaster resilience. Whipps said energy security was also climate and national security. “Energy security is climate security and national security,” he said. He highlighted the Mana Bara Call to Action, through which Pacific leaders reaffirmed a vision of 100 percent renewable energy and a just and inclusive transition away from fossil fuels. Palau’s latest national commitment targets a 44 percent reduction in fossil fuel use by 2035, supported by renewable energy generation and policies aimed at making the transition affordable and reliable. He said reducing dependence on imported fuel would also reduce vulnerability to external shocks and prices that Pacific countries could
not control. Whipps said Palau would continue to work with partners but would not compromise its sovereignty. “Partnership must never become pressure, and assistance must never come at the cost of the nation’s values, institutions, or the freedom to choose. “Sovereignty is not isolation; it is the freedom to cooperate through mutual respect, transparency, accountability, dialogue, and international law,” he said. He said Palau remained “a friend to all” and would choose partners based on shared values including democracy, human rights and a rules-based international order. Whipps reaffirmed Palau’s support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the international system, saying the UN should recognise the rights and voices of its 23 million people. He said small states had the same sovereign right to determine their future, choose their partners and pursue development that served their people.
Whipps said the Pacific’s concerns extended beyond climate and ocean issues to global peace and security. He cited the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz as reminders of the consequences of conflict and the need for diplomacy and international law. Whipps said the Pacific continued to call for dialogue over escalation and for differences to be resolved peacefully. He said the region’s vision was ultimately about protecting future generations. “Our children and their children deserve a world that is safe, healthy, and clean. “Knowledge is like ocean waves. It comes in many forms and sizes, yet no wave overpowers another, and they ultimately reach the same shore.” “Let us leave this Assembly committed to multilateralism that honours every voice, values every form of knowledge, and carries us toward a safer, healthier, and more peaceful world,” Whipps said. - PACNEWS
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Kup Reforestation and Conservation program THE Kup Reforestation and Conservation program is recognised by the regional New Caledonia based Kiwa Initiative in its collective efforts to protect PNG’s environment for our future generations. In a recent workshop held in Chimbu Province, representatives of IUCN Kiwa Initiative nominated Kup Reforestation and Conservation as the top performing organisation in Papua New Guinea for the training and skills it provided to 112 trainees. Earlier, the director of NARI, Dr Nelson Simbiken visited the Kup Reforestation and Conservation site and was very impressed by the kind of skills training taught. Without hesitation, he declared that the Kup Reforestration and Conservation be elevated to a Resource Centre for the youths and women in Kup LLG and the surrounding community. Dr Simbiken also suggested that early childhood, coffee wetting, honey production and preserving Spices be taught apart from plumbing, carpentry and motor mechanic. Director of the Kup Reforestation and Conservation, Pastor Peter Pemin Dree’s perseverance,
determination and effort to one day see the Prime Minister of PNG setting foot in Kup is slowly and surely taking shape. Pastor Dree stated that also incorporated in Kup Reforestation and Conservation are other activities that are associated with Reforestation and Conservation such as Bird Watching and Beautification that will one day attract Tourists. “Though we have come this far, we have no support from Members of Parliament from Chimbu and the relevant ministry such as Environment, Conservation and Climate Change and Forestry has not deterred our efforts. And this has got international exposure but we have obstacles such as water supply to help irrigate the seedlings, a building to cater for the increasing number of trainees, Power Supply to help us communicate better with our donor partners and developers.” He said that his vision to extend the Kup Reforestation and Conservation to other parts of PNG is coming to fruition with nine sites in Chimbu, four in Port Moresby, one each in Western Highlands and Jiwaka respectively. An officer said that Kup Reforestation and
Kup Reforestation and Conservation program.PICTURE:SUPPLIED Conservation will venture into bird watching and eco tourism in the next couple of years to better complement the Kup reforestation and conservation initiative. He also extened his acknowledgement to IUCN Kiwa Initiative, AFD of French, European Union, Canada Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Australia Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade through AusAid and New Zealand Aid. Speaking on behalf of the people of Kup LLG, Israel Kua, said that Kup is a very different community when the Kup
Reforestation and Conservation was first established. He added saying before that we thought that trees are for building houses and firewood. Meanwhile, the preparation towards turning Kup into a tourists destination have already began with footpath built along the edges of the mountain, hut for Bird Watching and others that will make it more attractive for the tourists. A date will be set for the launching of the Kup Reforestation and Conservation Initiative.
An unexpected challenge of a three-year-old BY JESSIE KAIGANA UPNG STUDENT LIFE is a precious and irreplaceable gift in this world; some people treasure it and others take it for granted. It can be challenging in various aspects of existence including economic pressures, relationships or health issues. A few put it in danger because of living recklessly, and others find themselves in dangers they never saw coming. Joy Newman is one of those whose life was met with an unfortunate challenge. Joy is currently a final year student at the Goroka Teachers College at Rothmans, Uritoka, she hails from the cold mountains of Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands Province. She is mother to five beautiful children whom her mother is currently in charge of while she’s at college. This year 2026, is the year marking the end of her academic journey where assessment deadlines will finally cease flowever it also marks the beginning of a new challenge that every mother is never ready to face. In March, this year, while Joy was toiling to get through registrations, the unfavourable news from home brought heartache and distress. Her third child, Victoria, was only three years and seven months old when the doctors at the Mt Hagen General Hospital diagnosed her with a disease not only sporadic according to
her family but considered rare for children her age. Bone cancer is a growth of cells that starts in a bone. The common bone cancers that mostly affect older children and teenagers between 10 and 19 years old are osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. Being a rare disease for children aged three to five, Victoria finds herself grounded before takeoff. Starting her young life with this challenge that she isn’t able to fathom is a misery that she’s unknowingly striving to escape. “No one in my family had cancer before, not even my husband’s family,” Joy said. She shared that this was a first case of cancer in her family which came as a shock for both her and her husband, but she didn’t give into the negativity. Two months before the diagnosis, Victoria was admitted at the hospital with her grandmother by her side every step of the way. With no dedicated centre for cancer at the Mt Hagen General Hospital, Victoria got referred to the Port Moresby General Hospital, which was her biggest step yet in winning her first life battle. It was their first time to travel by plane, which made everything about the journey overwhelming, but that wasn’t going to stop her and grandmother from finishing the fight. They arrived in the country’s capital in late March with faith in one hand and hope in the other. Hearing of this great news, Joy felt a slight burden
Victoria and her grandmother at the Childhood Cancer Survivors Day. PICTURE: GRACE AUKA-SALMANG lift off of her; she saw hope and that was enough to keep her away from her stressed mind, even for a bit. “I have faith and hope that my daughter will be healed through God,” she said. Joy shared that all this hardship has encouraged her to enrol her daughter next year in kindergarten and wishes for Vitoria to pursue a doctor’s degree in the near future. “Because of this sickness, I want her to become a doctor,” she stated. Victoria has been under the graceful and attentive care of Dr Benjamin Daur, who organised a little
get-together earlier this month, to celebrate the “Childhood Cancer Survivors Day”. The event was a first of its kind, it celebrated three survivors and although Victoria’s wasn’t one of the survivors, she is not a quitter in this fight. Joy said Victoria will be returning to Mt Hagen next month as per the doctor’s advice. No further detail was given to whether she has fully recovered, but Joy hopes that with the medication the doctor’s have provided, recovery and complete healing
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CHIEF of Defence Force Rear Admiral Philip Polewara, PT Dirgantara Indonesia President Director Gita Amperiawan, Governor General Sir Bob Dadae, Indonesia Ambassador to PNG Okto Dorinus Manik, and Defence Secretary John Akipe after the first signed contract with PT Dirgantara Indonesia on Wednesday at Government House. PICTURE: TANISHA SASSAH.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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Defence signs two contracts
Contract signing between the Department of Defence and PT Dirgantara Indonesia on Wednesday at the Government House. PICTURE: TANISHA SASSAH.
BY TANISHA SASSAH THE Department of Defence has signed two contracts worth around K34 million for the maintenance and recovery of the CASA aircraft. The two contracts were signed on wednesday between the Department of Defence and Indonesian companies PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Panah Asia Angkasa. The first contract with PT Dirgantara Indonesia, worth around US$ 6 million (about K26 million), was signed at the Government House and the second contract with Panah Asia Angkasa, worth around US$ 2 million (around K8 million), was signed at the Department of Finance. The aircraft will undergo a seven-month restoration program in Bandung, Indonesia, before returning to service to support the 2027 general elections and other civil services. Additionally, a team of pilots will also undergo training to fly the CASA P2-502 once it is recovered and transported back to PNG. Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) acting Chief of Force Preparations, Lieutenant-Colonel Eddie Miro said the second contract will support the first contract in the recovery process of the CASA aircraft. “There are two parts to this contract; the first one signed at the Government House (with PT Dirgantara Indonesia) is for the actual servicing that will be conducted by the contractor. “This smaller contract (with Panah Asia Angkasa) is for the administration for the crew, spare parts, equipment’s, trainings towards the servicing. The smaller contract is the support of administration to the bigger contract,” he said. Indonesia Ambassador to PNG Okto Dorinus Manik said the agreements will strengthen the bilateral relationships between the two countries and the beginning to many more collaborations. “This is the beginning to start many other collaborations between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. As a closest neighbour between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, we remain to our commitment to strengthen our bilateral relations between Indonesia and PNG,” Mr Manik said. Additionally, the Defence Council has approved and recommended to the National Executive Council to recover a second aircraft, the CASA P2501 and acquire a new CASA C295.
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NGO visits nature conservation projects BY MICHAEL KOMA A TEAM from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has visited three nature conservation projects in Chimbu province early this month. The three projects in question are; KGWan Eco Habitat (Gembogl), Dikasuna Nature Conservation (DNC) in Sinesine and Kup Reforestation Incorporated in Kerowagi. The 13-day mission was to evaluate and document progress and provide necessary guidance on project
implementation. The team also provided capacitybuilding knowledge and skills for staff at project sites to enable them to effectively implement the environment projects. KGWan has established a Deed of Conservation (DOC) covering more than 12,000 hectares. The purpose of the project was to improve climate resilient livelihoods, support sustainable forest conservation and improve community awareness. The team received a traditional welcome from the community
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and visited KGWan’s mushroom and native plant nurseries which supply seedlings for the community including bee keeping hubs. The team and KGWan have discussed topics like; grant closure, financial deliverable, communications strategy and monitoring and reporting. Dikasuna Nature Conservation (DNC) is established in 2025 to preserve local forests, restore native plant and reinforce community awareness. The team has also visited the Gomani native plants habitat
preservation area; the Kelu’Kelu grassland restoration site and reforestation zones. The Kup Reforestation project also began in 2025 to reafforest degraded lands and conserve local forests. The visit site included a cultural performances and a tour of the project’s nurseries, tree planting sites and office. A three-day joint meeting with Kup Reforestation and DNC workers was held in the provincial capital, Kundiawa early this month. The session focussed on grant management; finance,
communication, capacity-building, Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS). The gathering provided opportunities for project operators to seek real-time solutions, address weak points and boost capacity to manage progress in the long run. “The team’s visit somewhat highlighted a strong sense of partnership that strengthened our local projects,” said DNC’s program manager Philip Kaupa. “The visit boosted our morale and confidence to keep moving forward with our projects.”
Conference aims at refocusing science, technology for future growth THE Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and Sports, Kinoka Feo, opened the 8th PNG Research, Science and Technology conference at the University of Goroka, Eastern Highlands province remotely from China. In his address, Mr Feo, who is the member for Unggai-Bena, highlighted the power of technology via Zoom while on a train travelling at a 400km per hour. The conference has been funded by PNG Science and Technology Council Secretariat in collaboration with the Department of Planning and Monitoring and is hosted by the University of Goroka in collaboration with PNG Institute of Medical Research in the Eastern Highlands Province. Citing the conference theme “Refocusing Science, Technology and Innovation for Inclusive Growth, Resilience and Prosperity for the Future”, he said the value of scientific and technological advancement is reflected in their abilities to improve lives, strengthen institutions, create opportunities, protect environment and respond to national challenges. “In PNG context, research must connect knowledge with national needs, discovery with application, and innovation with measurable impact,” Mr Feo said. He described universities and higher learning institutions as the central hub where knowledge is created, tested, applied and where the nation’s future scientists, teachers, engineers, and leaders are developed. Mr Feo said the urgent need for the higher education system to prepare graduates for a world that is rapidly transformed by artificial intelligence, automation, advanced data analytics, and biotechnology, while addressing PNG’s persistent challenges in health, education, food security, infrastructure and climate resilience. He challenged researchers and universities to apply future technologies to the present-day realities of PNG, suggesting that technology offers a path for the nation to leapfrog in its development. He said the conference program captured a diverse range of topics, all united by the common purpose of using knowledge to solve real societal problems. A major theme of the address was the need to strengthen the pathway from academic research to real-world impact. Mr Feo acknowledged the importance of publication and citation for academic recognition but argued that for research addressing national problems, publication should not be the final destination. He posed a series of questions to encourage a focus on impact such as research-informed policy, improve teaching, strengthen health services, support local enterprise, create intellectual property, or help a community solve a problem? To achieve this, he declared that collaboration among universities, research institutions, government, industry, and communities is not optional but a “must” for high-impact research. He elaborated the word “inclusive” from the conference theme, stressing that technological progress must benefit more than a small segment of society and must not be confined to urban centres. It must respond to the needs of rural and remote communities, actively include women and girls in STEM, and create opportunities for young people.
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Rotary partners with Buka General Hospital BY PETERSON TSERAHA
AT Buka General Hospital with the surgeons and the anaesthetist. From Left: Dr Hilbert Tovirika (anaesthetist), Dr Jackson Nuli (plastic surgeon and team lead), Miriam Peterson (president of Arawa Rotary Community Corps), Francesca Sala (past president of the Arawa Rotary Community Corps) and Dr Mitchel Masin (plastic surgeon).
SIXTEEN individuals have now a second chance of life again after their faces have been reconstructed through surgery. As a result of a successful sixday medical and surgical mission has concluded at Buka General Hospital, delivering life-changing reconstructive surgeries and medical training to the people of Bougainville. Led by Plastic Surgeon Dr Jackson Nuli, the visiting specialist team from Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH), which included Plastic Surgeon Dr Mitchel Masin and Anaesthetics Specialist Dr
Hilbert Tovirika, worked alongside Dr Rasin, Dr Tommy Wotsia, and the dedicated staff of Buka General Hospital. Together, the medical team performed successful reconstructive operations, alongside three noncleft surgical procedures, bringing transformative relief to a total of 16 individuals. Beyond the operating theatre, the PMGH specialists conducted vital educational workshops for local hospital staff and Rotarian volunteers, covering pre- and post-operative recovery, symptom detection, and skin care management to leave a lasting legacy of medical capacity in the
region. This initiative stands as a powerful testament to multistakeholder collaboration driven by the leadership of the Arawa Rotary Community Corps, under the guidance of Sponsor Club the Rotary Club of Boroko, and supported by local leaders and corporate partners. Speaking on the impact of the initiative, Miriam Peterson, President of the Arawa Rotary Community Corps, expressed profound gratitude to everyone who made the mission possible.
SEZ to be launched in B’ville BY STEVEN BUSIN
BOUGAINVILLE is positioning itself to learn from PNG’s “badly failed” Special Economic Zone attempts over the past 30 years as it prepares to launch its first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), the Soraken Integrated Economic Fusion Hub in North Bougainville. The zone is now the region’s inaugural SEZ and the anchor project for the Bougainville economic corridor. The warning and opportunity were outlined at a special seminar at the 9th Chocolate Festival in Buin, where ABG DPI secretary Kenneth Dovaro and Commerce director Raymond Moworu presented the case for SEZs. The presentation acknowledged that SEZ attempts in PNG had “failed badly” over the last 30 years. It cited the Industrial Centres Concept at Malahang in Lae, Morobe province, and Ulaveo in Kokopo, East New Britain province; the Free Trade Zone Act 2000 for West Sepik, Western, Gulf and Bougainville; the Pacific Maritime Industrial Zone; and the Konebada Petroleum Park. It said the failures were caused by a lack of understanding of what SEZs were and what was needed to succeed, no proper regulatory framework or SEZ policy, no technical capacity or qualified management and staff to operate the program, and no SEZ master plan or road map. Turning to Bougainville, the presentation spotlighted the Soraken Integrated Economic Fusion Hub as the proposed Soraken SEZ. It said out of seven proposed Bougainville SEZ sites, Soraken in North Bougainville was ready because it met the basic requirements for SEZ establishment. It was therefore chosen as the anchor project of the Bougainville economic corridor and Bougainville’s inaugural SEZ, in compliance with the SEZA Act 2019 and to be established under the framework of the SEZ Foundation Policy 2025-2032. A map identified a private SEZ of 40 square kilometres. The presentation also reported progress on licensing, saying SIDCL and Bougainville officials had met with international partners and the Prime Minister on the Soraken SEZ, including preparation of the NEC submission and SEZ licensing due diligence. It said a table set out SIDCL’s compliance position against each core licensing requirement administered by the Special Economic Zones Authority. An SEZ is a delimited, declared geographic area with serviced land, usually secured or fenced in, operating under a single regulatory framework and single administration. It offers investors benefits and incentives, operates as a separate customs area with duty-free advantages, and uses streamlined procedures for single or multiauthorised economic activities of scale, citing the World Bank’s 2008 description. SEZs are intended to attract foreign direct investment, promote downstream processing for import substitution, create an internationally competitive value-added export-driven economy, and generate jobs.
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THE CLAY SOLDIERS
They are not statues. They are a heartbeat frozen in earth. Rows upon rows of silent, stern-faced clay soldiers. More than 6000 warriors, horses, and chariots. STORY ON PAGE 24
Statue of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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- Terracotta Army
THE ARMY THAT WAITED 2,200 YEARS FOR ME
The famous Terracotta Army frozen in time.
BY GORETHY KENNETH in XI’AN, CHINA
I
had seen pictures of them in school and even studied them in history classes. Rows upon rows of silent, stern-faced clay soldiers in a textbook. I always thought they were just statues. But I was wrong. They are not statues. They are a heartbeat frozen in earth. Last week, I stood at the edge of Pit 1 at the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an, China - home of the worldfamous Terracotta Army. For the first time in my life, I felt history stare back at me. The air inside the massive hangar-like hall is cool and heavy with dust and time. From the viewing platform, it looks like an entire empire is still in formation, waiting for an order that was given more than two thousand years ago. More than 6000 warriors, horses, and chariots. And not one face is the same. That was the moment my breath left me. The Journey to the Underground Empire! The Chinese call it – the Eight Wonder of the World! Xi’an is a city that does not whisper its past; it shouts it. The old City Wall still wraps around the centre like a giant’s belt. The Muslim Quarter is alive with smoke, spices and hand-pulled noodles. But everyone, every taxi driver, every hotel worker, knows why you are really there. “Terracotta?” they ask. “Bin Ma Yong?” An hour’s drive east of the city, through hazy industrial suburbs and persimmon farms, you arrive. I expected a quiet museum. What I found was a pilgrimage site. Ahead of me, 30 Fijian public servants who have been in China on a government security
and governance tour, imagine meeting your own wansolwaras in a site that has captivated the world. There were 10 Solomon Islanders too, and a few from Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa. Also in the Pits 1, 2 and 3 were media representatives from 30 countries around the world who had been there earlier! Thousands of people from every corner of China and the world move in quiet reverence. There is an unspoken rule here: Speak softly. You are walking on top of a tomb. In 1974, a group of farmers digging a well here hit something hard. It was not rock. It was a life-sized clay head. They had accidentally found the greatest archaeological discovery of the 20th century - the underground army built to protect China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, in death. He was the man who conquered six warring states and made China one country for the first time in 221 BC. He was obsessed with immortality, and so he built an afterlife to match his lifetime. Pit 1: Where Silence Has Weight There are three main pits. Nothing prepares you for Pit 1. You walk in and the sheer scale swallows you. It is 230 meters long, 62 meters wide — bigger than a football stadium. And it is full. The famous photograph does not do justice to the feeling. The warriors are arranged in battle formation, facing east, as if ready to defend the emperor from his enemies. Some are still buried from the chest down, emerging from the earth like men swimming in soil. Archaeologists are still working, brushes in hand, so slowly, so carefully, as if they might wake them. I leaned on the railing and stared at one soldier
24 Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
near the front. His topknot was neat, his armour plates were carved one by one, his moustache was thin and precise. His eyes were looking past me, focused on something far away. The guide next to me whispered, “They made each one look like a real soldier from the real army. Maybe his grandson carved him.” That hit me. This was not mass production. This was remembrance. More than 700,000 artisans worked for nearly 40 years to make this army. Each warrior was sculpted, fired, painted in bright colours - reds, blues, greens - that have mostly faded now after exposure to air. They had real bronze weapons, sharp enough to still cut after 2,000 years because of a mysterious chromium coating that we only recently learned how to do. They were meant to be invisible forever. Pit 2 and Pit 3: The Generals and the Secrets If Pit 1 is power, Pit 2 is intelligence. This is where the special forces are kneeling archers caught mid-shot, cavalry horses frozen mid-step, standing archers with their hands as if holding bows. You can see the soles of their shoes. The stitching on their clothes. And then there is the kneeling archer - the most famous of all. He is preserved perfectly, his face calm, focused. You can see the expression of a man who knows his job. Pit 3 is small, only 68 warriors, but it is the command centre. The generals. It feels different. More tense. These are the high-ranking officers, with their hands clasped, their belly armour, their elaborate hats. You can almost hear them arguing over a battle plan. Between the pits, in the
One of the Terracotta soldier kneeling at the Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an, China. exhibition hall, is where you see the faces up close. This is where I lost an hour. Ten warriors in glass cases, lit perfectly. One old general with deep wrinkles. One young recruit, probably 18, with wide eyes. A middle-aged officer with a thick beard. I am from Papua New Guinea, from an island on the other side of the world, and I was looking at a man who lived 100 generations before me, and I recognized him. He looked like my uncle. He looked tired – my imaginations. That is the magic of this place. It collapses time. The Man Who Still Sleeps The most chilling part? We have not even opened the main tomb yet. A large green mound sits about 1.5 kilometers away from the pits. Under it is Emperor Qin Shi Huang himself. Ancient historians wrote that his tomb has rivers of mercury flowing and booby traps with crossbows ready to kill
intruders. When scientists tested the soil above the mound, they found mercury levels 280 times higher than normal. So they are leaving him alone. For now. Out of respect, and out of fear. I stood looking at that mound from a distance, and the wind came across the plain. For the first time, I understood what power really meant to an ancient king. It was not just ruling the living. It was commanding the dead. On the bus ride back to Xi’an, no one spoke much. Everyone was scrolling through the hundreds of photos they took, but no photo can hold what that place feels like. It is not just a museum. It is an army that waited 2,200 years for someone to find them and then waited for me to come and see them. If you ever get the chance - if you ever save enough, if you ever find yourself wondering if the world is still full of wonders - go. Go and stand before the silent army. They have been waiting for you too.
- El-nino
WHEN THE WATER DROPS THE LIGHTS GO OUT
Papua New Guinea sits on one of the world’s richest hydropower endowments, yet the next drought could darken the Highlands again. The sun may be our best insurance.
BY BERLDON TIMAH
L
ook at the Yonki reservoir in a dry spell and you see the problem plainly: a concrete tower standing above a shrinking pool, with cracked shoreline where water should be. Papua New Guinea ranks third in the world for hydropower potential per person, at about 158,500 kWh a year. Yet only about 20 percent of our people have electricity, and tariffs sit near US$0.30 per kWh. About 87 percent of our 8.42 million people live in rural areas, mostly beyond the reach of any grid.
THE WARNING RECEIVED
WE
ALREADY
The 2015-2016 El Niño, the third strongest since the 1950s, pushed both Yonki and Sirinumu below the output they were built to deliver. Yonki carries the Highlands and Momase regions. Sirinumu serves Port Moresby. With the water gone, the grid fell back on diesel, the most expensive and most polluting power on the system. Around 2.5 million people, roughly 40 percent of the population, also suffered food shocks from drought and highland frost. Hydropower did not fail us. Our dependence on two reservoirs did. Building more dams is no easy escape either, because the remaining sites face the same hydrology and the hard realities of customary land and community consent.
THE SUN IS THE ONE RESOURCE WE DO NOT LACK Port Moresby gets about 2,489 sunlight hours a year. Highresolution modelling shows strong solar potential across much of the northern coast and islands, and the Morobe-Eastern Highlands corridor served by Yonki sits within it. The proposal is solar complementing hydro, not replacing it. Floating solar panels on the Yonki reservoir would generate power in daylight while the dam conserves water. They also reduce evaporation from the reservoir surface. Studies of hybrid systems show striking results, with one review reporting a supply guarantee of 63 percent against 8 percent for a comparable single-source system. The economics need honesty. Modelling shows the case turns on sizing. A small array can fail the cost test, while a properly scaled
THE TOWER THAT NOW STANDS ALONE. Cracked earth where a lake should be at Yonki, the intake tower rises from a retreating waterline, and every metre the shoreline pulls back is power the Highlands and vMomase can no longer count on. When the reservoir shrinks, the grid turns to diesel. one can pass it, especially when the reservoir itself acts as the storage. Evidence from Vanuatu shows renewable systems cost more upfront but far less to run. Our binding constraint is patient capital, not the price of sunshine.
KEY FACTS 158,500 kWh Hydropower potential per person per year, third highest in the world ≈20% Share of Papua New Guineans with electricity 87% Of 8.42 million people live in rural areas, mostly off-grid. US$0.30 Approximate tariff per kWh 2.5 million People (≈40%) hit by food shocks in the 2015-16 El Niño. 2,489 hrs Annual sunlight hours in Port Moresby. 63% vs 8% Supply guarantee, hybrid system vs single-source system. 97% Of PNG land held under customary tenure
THE REAL RISK IS NOT TECHNOLOGY We have been here before. A US$3 million donor project meant to put 2,500 solar kits in the hands of
teachers ended with a single unit sold. Rural solar and micro-hydro
Port Moresby gets about 2,489 sunlight hours a year. Highresolution modelling shows strong solar potential across much of the northern coast and islands, and the MorobeEastern Highlands corridor served by Yonki sits within it. programs have struggled for decades with supply chains, payment systems and weak institutions. The National Energy Policy set a target of 70 percent household
access by 2030, while rural access was around 7.6 percent. That is a slogan, not a plan. Then there is land. About 97 percent of PNG is held under customary tenure. Bougainville taught us what happens when communities feel ignored. PNG LNG showed the scale of engagement required, with more than 30,000 people across more than 100 communities. Any solar project at Yonki inherits that reality. It must offer landowner equity, not just consultation. A Yonki-scale solar investment without landowner equity is not a project. It is a future grievance.
WHAT DECISION MAKERS MUST DO NOW • Approve a pilot floating solar project at Yonki, sized to the seasonal drought window rather than the daily peak. • Ring-fence it under the existing PPP framework, with enforceable performance and benefit-sharing obligations. • Design landowner engagement and equity before the
engineering is finalized, not after. • Back distributed solar across the rural Morobe-Eastern Highlands corridor, where the grid will never reach. • Use AI forecasting for solar output, reservoir levels and demand, so PPL can actually run the system.
THE CLOCK IS NOT OURS Our hydropower potential is among the world’s highest, and our electricity access among its lowest. Resource scarcity does not explain that contradiction. Institutions do. Solar will not fix them. But it takes away one excuse for inaction, because the next drought will not wait for our next policy review.
Berldon Timah is a PhD Research Fellow and independent commentator on oil, LNG, mining and energy. Adapted from his research paper, “Mitigating Hydroelectric Energy Instability via Solar Integration in Papua New Guinea.” Contact: btimah1416@ gmail.com
SUNSHINE ON TAP. An artist’s concept of floating solar panels riding the Yonki reservoir: daylight becomes electricity, a 40MWh battery store smooths the peaks, and the power flows into the existing Yonki substation. The water that is now our weakness could carry our insurance. Concept illustration: PrimeAxis Energy Limited. Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
25
- investment connections
COCCO CONNECTIONS IN PNG AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY COMES TO PNG
P
ROPERTY consultant Fiona Tan brought an international property perspective to a sophisticated networking gathering at Akura in Port Moresby recently. There was a sense of optimism and possibility at Akura Dining Lounge Bar, Alibi Downtown Port Moresby, on Saturday, September 12, as property professionals, investors, business representatives and prospective buyers came together for an engaging property networking event hosted by Cocco Property and Fiona Tan. Set against Akura’s waterfront backdrop, the gathering combined business, conversation and hospitality in an environment designed to encourage meaningful connections and open discussions about property opportunities in Australia. At the centre of the event was Fiona Tan of Cocco Property, who used the occasion to connect with PNGbased clients and businesspeople interested in understanding the Australian property market and exploring opportunities beyond Papua New Guinea. The session highlighted property opportunities in key Australian markets including Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne, giving attendees an opportunity to ask questions, exchange ideas and consider how Australian property
could form part of their broader investment or lifestyle plans.
A waterfront setting for business and conversation Akura Dining & Lounge Bar provided an elegant setting for the occasion. Located at Harbourside South on Stanley Esplanade, the venue complemented the event with its waterfront atmosphere, contemporary surroundings and hospitality. Drinks, canapés and attentive service created an inviting setting for guests to move naturally between business conversations and social networking. The result was an event that felt less like a formal property seminar and more like a carefully curated business gathering , relaxed and focused on creating genuine connections.
Opening doors between PNG and Australia For PNG-based professionals and investors, access to informed advice and trusted relationships can be an important first step when considering property opportunities overseas. Fiona Tan and Cocco Property are positioning themselves to assist clients seeking to understand opportunities in Australia, while
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maintaining a connection with the PNG market. That cross-border relationship is particularly relevant for individuals and families considering property investment, relocation, diversification or simply gaining a better understanding of the Australian market. For Cocco Property and Fiona Tan, the event provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships in PNG while introducing prospective clients to property opportunities across Australia's major cities. And for those who attended, it was an evening that demonstrated the value of bringing the property and business communities together in a setting where good conversations can become meaningful connections, and connections can become opportunities.
COCCO PROPERTY Fiona Tan Property Professional | Cocco Property Australia & PNG Property Connections Mobile: +61 402 889 188 Website: Cocco Propertyfiona.tan@ coccoproperty.com Ms . Fiona Tan
28 MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
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PULSE
Saturday evenings at the Sheraton starts off with background music filling the hotel lobby with soft ballads to keep the early hours mellow. As the NRL semi-finals headed into its second week, the usual setup in the Monsoon Bar was taken to the Communal Lobby while the Monsoon had the big screen on for the clash between the Roosters and the Sharks, with the Roosters proving too strong to book their place for the preliminary with the Panthers this weekend. While the game was on, the Kemp Band got their session going in the lobby with the art perfectionist, Jeffrey Feeger at the helm with his paint brushes and oil paints gracing the stage with yet another masterpiece. His portrait was a timeless portrait of Koteka Wenda, daughter of exiled West Papuan leader, Benny Wenda commemorating their struggles and plight for freedom in their homeland. With his steady hand and mastery strokes, the smile of Koteka filled the room resonating her strength and courage for their people back home. Kossman Joseph, Michael Natera, Helen Ani and Emmanuel Natera of the Kemp Band had just the keys set-
up for the hour while the footy was on but had also attracted a small crowd of music lovers to enjoy their vocals that forged an ambience of love in the room. While a few onlookers stopped in their tracks to absorb the beautiful triad of vocals that had the communal lobby echoing their angelic voices, our Entertainment team was also taken aback by the impressive vocals behind the mic. While Pulse has seen their growth over the years, the three singers Kossman, Michael and Helen Ani especially, have matured over time with the ease in connection they had with the keys by Emmanuel Natera taking their live performance to the next level. An elderly couple had finished from dinner in one of the hotel’s restaurants and were headed back to their room when they heard the triad on stage. Without missing a beat, the couple took up a lounge chair in the muddle of the room and soaked in the ambience of love they felt in the music. Not long after that, they called for service to get them a round of drinks (Baileys & Whisky) for themselves as they reflected on their love story thanks to the beautiful melodies by the Kemp Band taking them back
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
in time. The cheers between their glasses were heard across the foyer as they leaned in for a kiss and drank for the good old times that brought them this far. With the smile of Koteka Wenda gleaming across the room from the beautiful portrait by Jeffrey Feeger, the Kemp Band played their last number before heading into the Monsoon Bar to compliment the supporters celebrating the Roosters win and got the party going. As for the visiting elderly couple, they took the last sip from their drinks and headed back to the room, satisfied with the excellent entertainment by the Kemp Band and Jeffrey Feeger. Catch the Kemp Band every Thursday’s Saturday’ss Thursday s and Saturday at the Monsoon Bar, Sheraton Hotel.
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PULSE
Papua New Guinean reggae-fusion artist Ragga Siai is number one on Vibe-rate’s current Papua New Guinea artist chart, as he prepares to release a new EP and take his music to Australia. Vibe-rate’s latest ranking places Siai ahead of Justin Wellington and Jarahn. The listing is a snapshot of that platform and should not be read as an official combined ranking of every streaming service. The placing comes as he prepares to release a new extended play through Block Music on October 22. He has also released a new music video for his single “I Know”, filmed by Two4Media. The slow reggae-fusion track is sung in the Biak language of Biak Island in Indonesia, reflecting his growing focus on linking Papua New Guinea and Indonesian musical and cultural influences. Siai is also preparing an Australia tour beginning in November,
with dates and venues yet to be announced. He said the tour would help strengthen music partnerships with countries including Australia and Indonesia, but his main aim was to put Papua New Guinea’s local sound in front of international audiences. “I want a lot of audiences to discover our local taste through my music style,” he said. Siai said he also wanted to showcase traditional sounds developed by earlier generations and encourage younger musicians to preserve Papua New Guinea’s unique cultural music. He said strong engagement on digital streaming platforms showed PNG artists could win wider international recognition, and he thanked fans in Papua New Guinea and overseas for their continued support. The October EP and November Australia tour form the next stage of his push to take PNG reggae beyond the local market.
on a line-up framed as a well-deserved celebration of Central music. The Cosmopolitan came alive over the weekend as it hosted Central Night, featuring well-known local groups and a strong lineup of Papua New Guinea music artists in a big night of live entertainment. Hitsy Golou turned the night up a notch and delivered one of his best performances, drawing the loudest cheer of the evening. Although the years are catching up, he showed why he is still active on the music scene. His variations across songs, shaped for a live show, rekindled material from the days that helped shape Central music as it is known today. Irau Jessie opened the night with a polished run of her hits that had the dance floor packed with followers and keen fans. Her father, Jessie Joe, then took the stage, his Shaggy-like vocals belting favourite hits to an ecstatic crowd. Otto Igo and Reezy Gee were also impressive in their slots, encouraging swaying grass skirts and fellow clansmen to swing their hips in time with the melody and rhythm. Shore Vibes lived up to a star-studded name
Viginuts rarely fail to draw a crowd. With expectations high, they delivered original style and energy, giving patrons a full night of local music and entertainment. Organisers said events such as this are focused on celebrating PNG talent and creating a space where artists can perform to a lively crowd. They had encouraged patrons to arrive early to avoid long queues and secure entry before capacity was reached. They also urged everyone to enjoy the event responsibly and show respect while supporting favourite local artists. With strong anticipation in the room and a packed lineup, Central Night delivered a vibrant, highenergy atmosphere. The music, colour and entertainment left the crowd cheerful, as it is with any Central night out, and drew support from every corner of the venue. The night mixed popular names with veteran voices and kept the floor moving from the opening set through Hitsy’s close. Family groups,
clansmen and long-time fans filled the Cosmopolitan, answering choruses they had grown up with and backing the artists who still carry Central music on stage. For organisers, the turnout underlined the point of the night: PNG talent still fills a room when the Iine-up is local, the songs are familiar, and the crowd is given a space to dance.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
30 RAUNRAUN
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Boe Mea Logona Tribe, Independence Family reunion, Hanuabada
Night out at Shady Rest Hotel’s Independence celebrations .
Summer Luv with summer hugs all around at the Gold Club.
e t es Israel Bike and Moses Norman - b best of friends
Size 28!That one how? Trobs people going in styule.
Time out with friends.
Night out at Shady Rest Hotel’s Independence celebrations .
D stri stri st r ct. Bodii and the crew out and about somewhere in the Kuni LLG of Kairuku Di District.
RAUNRAUN
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RAUNRAUN 31
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Familiar faces at Shady Rest Hotel
Night Nigh gh ht out ou o ut at at Shady Sha ha ady d Rest Ress Hotel’s Independence celebrations .
Hustling independence H ustl us stl tlin ing in g through th hro roug ug ugh gh in inde nde depe pend pe nden nd en nce ce ccelebrations. elle e eleb eb bra at
Hard H arrd working a work wo rkin ing in ng static stattic guards gua ards off tthe he e Ultimax security.
RAUNRAUN
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Sprigga Mek and Zayn during the arts and music feastival in Bereina.
Fans meet their idol, Nathan Nakikus at the Shady Rest Hotel Independence celebrations
Girls night out at the Gold Club during Summer Luv concert.
Familiar faces at Shady Rest Hotel and Mr. Mikes Pizza.
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32 NEWS PA PUA N E W GU I N EA
www.postcourier.com.pg THE HEA RTBEAT O F PNG
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Puzzle & Games
NEWS 33
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34 Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
WORLD PHARMACISTS DAY 35
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CPL dispensing hope nationwide A pharmacist’s story of recovery, resilience and purpose HELPING people has always been more than a profession for pharmacist Judith Tepra. Today, as she serves customers and patients at City Pharmacy Lae Top Town, she does so with a renewed appreciation for life after overcoming one of the most difficult challenges she has ever faced. Judith was diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis in August 2025 and by October, the illness had resulted in paralysis, bringing uncertainty to both her personal and professional life. The condition required surgery and months of rehabilitation, permanently changing her mobility. Today, she uses a wheelchair while continuing her recovery. Her story of resilience, courage and purpose is a fitting tribute to pharmacists everywhere as the world celebrates World Pharmacists Day on September 25th. Originally from Western Highlands Province, Judith, a 33-yearold mother of one, is a registered pharmacist with City Pharmacy in Lae. Her daily work includes dispensing medications, counselling patients, supporting her team and ensuring pharmacy operations are conducted safely and responsibly. She said being a pharmacist is not just a job but an opportunity to help people and contribute to the wellbeing of the community. “Walking and moving are things most people take for granted. “When those abilities are af-
Judith Tepra attending to customers and patients at City Pharmacy Limited in Lae, Top Town. PICTURE SUPPLIED fected, you begin to appreciate every function of your body in a completely different way,” Judith said. Through the challenges, the support of her family became her greatest source of strength. She is equally grateful to City Pharmacy
for standing beside her throughout her journey. The company supported her treatment and recovery process, maintained her employment and made accommodations to help her transition back to work when she was ready. “The company understood what I
was going through and accommodated my needs when I returned to work. That support meant a lot to me and my family.” “I missed working and serving people. When I came back, I realized I could still contribute. Even though I work differently now, I am still able to do what I love,” she said. She said her wheelchair may have changed how she moves, but it has not changed who she is. Today, Judith hopes society will look beyond physical limitations and recognise the talents and contributions of people living with disabilities. Her own experience demonstrates the importance of supportive workplaces that focus on people’s abilities and potential. As the world celebrates World Pharmacists Day, Judith’s story also reflects the broader contribution pharmacists make to communities across Papua New Guinea. Pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare professionals in the country. Beyond dispensing medicines, they provide trusted advice, support safe and effective use of medications, identify potential health concerns and often serve as the first point of contact for patients seeking healthcare guidance. For Judith, this year’s World Pharmacists Day carries special significance. Despite everything she has en-
dured, she remains committed to serving her patients and community with compassion and professionalism. Her journey has taught her that while circumstances may change unexpectedly, purpose, hope and determination can remain steadfast. Her message to others facing health challenges is simple yet powerful: “Life may become different from what we originally imagined, but there is still purpose, there is still hope, and there is still something meaningful ahead. Challenges may take time to overcome, but they do not define who you are.” Today, City Pharmacy’s network spans 19 provinces and more than 30 retail stores, supported by 74 registered pharmacists serving in frontline and corporate roles. Through employment creation, investment in future pharmacists through the reintroduced CPL Pharmacy Scholarship, expansion into new communities, and the dedication of professionals like Judith Tepra, City Pharmacy continues to play an important role in strengthening Papua New Guinea’s healthcare sector. The company’s commitment to accessibility, workforce development and patient care demonstrates how pharmacists contribute not only to individual health outcomes but also to the nation’s broader health and development goals.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
36 WORLD MARITIME DAY
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Pacific Towing: Investing in PNG
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OR nearly 50 years, Pacific Towing (PacTow) has been part of PNG’s maritime story. From its beginnings in Lae in 1977, PacTow has grown into Melanesia’s leading marine services company. A service for all of PNG Today, PacTow operates across PNG’s major ports, including Port Moresby, Lae, Rabaul, Madang and Kimbe. It also has a permanent operation in Solomon Islands. The company services all of PNG through its network of operations, supporting not only major industry, but also smaller and more remote communities that rely on safe, reliable maritime services. Investing in stronger maritime capability PacTow’s contribution is not only measured by the number of vessels it assists. It is also measured by the investment it continues to make in PNG. One of the clearest examples is PacTow’s 2026 PGK70 million investment in two new-build tugs, Pacific Responder and Pacific Resolute. These vessels – the most powerful and technologically advanced in PacTow’s fleet – will strengthen PacTow’s ability to service customers, improve fleet availability and reliability, and support safer vessel movements as larger and more complex ships continue to call into PNG. Investing in PNG people PacTow’s investment in vessels is matched by its investment in people. The company employs more than 250 staff, with 97 per
cent of its workforce Papua New Guinean. This strong local content is not accidental. PacTow has a workforce nationalisation policy that prioritises training, employing and developing PNG citizens. No one understands PNG’s ports, harbours, tides, weather, coastal routes and operating conditions better than experienced PNG seafarers who work in them every day. That local knowledge is critical. It supports safer operations, better decision-making and more reliable service for customers and communities. Training the next generation PacTow is also helping train PNG’s next generation of seafarers. It runs two cadetship programs, including the Women in Maritime scholarship program, delivered in partnership with the Australian Government, Swire Shipping and Consort Express Lines. More than 50 women have received scholarships through the program, with many having graduated and now contributing to the maritime industry. This is important not only for PacTow, but for PNG. The country needs more qualified national seafarers to support ports, shipping, resources, LNG, coastal trade and maritime safety. Cadetships, sea time, mentoring and real employment pathways are essential if PNG is to build and retain its own maritime skills. PacTow also invests heavily in training beyond cadetships. Its seafarers, commercial divers and shore-based staff undertake na-
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
PacTow’s fleet of 22 vessels including its two ‘new-build’ tugs are strategically located throughout PNG as well as in Solomon Islands. Pictured is ASD tug Tavurvur assisting a tanker. PICTURE SUPPLIED tional and international training to meet the standards required in modern marine services. This means PNG workers are not only being employed; they are being developed into skilled maritime professionals. Emergency response and protection of PNG waters The company’s role is also much broader than harbour towage. PacTow provides emergency response, salvage, pollution preven-
tion, commercial diving, life raft services, coastal and ocean towage, and other specialist marine services. These services support shipping, mining, oil and gas, agriculture, coastal trade and government agencies. PacTow’s emergency response and salvage work is especially important to PNG. The company has been involved in more than 100 salvage and emergency response projects, helping save lives, ves-
sels, cargo and the marine environment. This year alone, PacTow has conducted four emergency tows of vessels in distress. Looking ahead As PacTow approaches its 50th year of operation in 2027, its role remains clear. It is not just a towage company. It is a PNG-based marine services business investing in PNG vessels, PNG workers, and PNG’s maritime future.
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WORLD MARITIME DAY 37
A new chapter for PNG seafarers Cadets recieve their onboard safety induction from the vessel’s MAster and senior officers. PICTURES SUPPLIED
Deck Cadet Jerry Satauro (left) and Engine Cadet Nigel Neofa aboard NACC Kingdom on the 3rd of August 2026.
T
WO Papua New Guinea Cadets are among the first to train aboard the NACC fleet, gaining direct exposure to international shipping operations. For moer than three decades, navigating some of PNG’s most important domestic trade routes had required a specialised set of maritime skills. From the dynamic currents and shallow channels of the Fly River to challenging operating conditions, local seafarers have built considerable experience and resilience. Today, Maritime Solutions is building on that epertise by creating opportunities for Papua New Guinean cadets to gain experiemce aboard international vessels. Ond 3rd August 2026, two PNG cadets joined the NACC Kingdom, a 154-metre, 23,638 DWT specialiced pnuematic bulk carrier, to begin their international sea-time training. • Jerry Satauro, Deck Cadet – Milne Bay Province • Nigel Neofa, Engine Cadet – Eastern Highlands Province Over the coming months, Jerry and Nigel will work alongside multinational officers and crew on trade routes across the Mediterranean. The Placement will provide hands-on experience in international navigation, specialized pneumatic bulk cargo operations and safety practices aboard an international trading vessel. Maritime Solutions PNG General Manager Captain Joannes Dominic said: “From river to ocean, from cadet to captain, we are creating pathways for PNG talent to go further. Our young mariners are not only the future of our company, but the future of PNG’s maritime industry. “We want to give them the opportunity, experience and confidence to take their place on the world stage and return to build the next generation.” Investing in Papua New Guinea’s maritime future The international placement is part of Maritime Solutions cadet sponsorship programme, delivered in partnership with PNG Maritime College in Madang. Maritime Solutions currently sponsors 19 PNG cadets – seven Deck Cadets and 12 Engine Cadets. Building on previous overseas assignments aboard international vessels operating across Dubai and the Middle East, the programme combines academic support and structured qualifying sea time. By providing cadets with the practical experience required to progress towards professional certification, the programme is helping develop the next generation of Papua New Guinea maritime proffessionals. Voices from our cadets: Jerry Satauro, Deck Cadet: “Training onboard the NACC fleet is a huge step in my career. This opportunity gives me the chance to develop my skills in navigation and cargo operations on international vessels while working with a multinational crew and operating in different environments. The experience will help me develop the standard and skills required to succeed in the global shipping industry, fueling my ambition to one day command my own crew in international trade.” Nigel Neofa, Engine Cadet: “I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, which has broadened my perspective and reinforced my aspiration to excel as a seafarer. I am committed to using this experience to advance my career, contribute meaningfully to our maritime industry and proudly serve Papua New Guinea.”
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
38 WORLD
www.postcourier.com.pg
US condemns plan by UK West Bank sanctions not released WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM: In early September, US officials in Jerusalem and Washington prepared a draft statement attributed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemning plans by the UK, France and Canada to block imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The September 8 dated document, previously unreported and which two sources said was driven by David Milstein, an influential aide to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, proposed that Rubio describe the countries’ actions as a series of hostile measures against Is-
rael that contribute to antisemitism. ”These tactics unacceptably draw from the playbook of the antisemitic boycotts, divestments and sanctions movement,” the draft document, reviewed by Reuters, said. The statement was never released. According to three people familiar with the matter, the statement was not supported by the White House and the State Department’s senior leadership. The people spoke on condition of anonymity. Instead, speaking to reporters on September 8 in Florida before traveling to Latin America, Rubio
refrained from outright criticism of the decision or any particular country. “Obviously, we’re not going to do what the UK did. We saw their announcement today, but I don’t have any comment on it right now,” Rubio said. The episode illustrates a widening divide between the White House and Trump’s senior diplomats in Israel about how best to respond to the expansion of Israeli settlements under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government. It also highlights a growing ideo-
logical split within the American right over support for Israel, with polling showing younger Republicans holding an increasingly unfavorable opinion of Washington’s closest Middle East ally. President Donald Trump earlier this year expressed his opposition to settlement expansion, a growing source of friction with Israel’s Arab neighbors, but his administration has put little pressure on Israel to change its policy. That has at times put him at odds with Huckabee, a Baptist minister who is a staunch supporter of settlements and who refers to the West Bank by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria, a term used by the Israeli government but not formally adopted by the US. - REUTERS
Russian strikes kill eight in Ukraine, damage maternity clinic KYIV: Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and its northeast killed eight people on Thursday in attacks that included a maternity hospital and a farm, officials said. Moscow has stepped up its air war in recent months, deploying more of its faster and harder-to-stop drones while Ukraine is short of interceptors to down ballistic missiles. Two people died in the latest assault on Kyiv, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was in New York for the UN General Assembly.
“As people were sleeping, flashes from explosions lit up the sky,” Zelenskiy said on Telegram. “Once again, the main targets of their strike were Kyiv and civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, a maternity hospital, energy infrastructure, and logistics.” Police said nine homes, a post office, warehouses and dozens of cars were also damaged in Kyiv. A separate Russian attack on a vegetable storage facility at a farm in a village of the northeastern Kharkiv region killed six people and injured a further 12, prosecutors said.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
The overnight barrage around Ukraine included an unspecified number of hypersonic and ballistic missiles, 282 drones and other weapons, Ukraine’s air force said. In Kyiv, eight people were injured as well as the two fatalities, one of whom was in the parking lot of the maternity hospital, city mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Part of the hospital’s facade, windows and doors were damaged, officials said, adding that no patients or medics were injured. Authorities in the northwestern region of Rivne said infrastructure was damaged in overnight
strikes that continued into Thursday morning, without providing further details. Volyn region bordering Poland also came under attack. Insufficient pressure on Moscow was allowing it to launch repeated strikes, said Zelenskiy. “Right now, the United States has the opportunity to respond strongly,” he said. “We need ballistic interceptors to protect lives.” Russia’s defence ministry said its forces hit Ukrainian defence facilities, logistics and telecoms centres, as well as vessels used by the military. - REUTERS
QUICK NEWS US, IRAN APART
IRAN and the United States remain far apart on how to end their war but diplomacy must continue, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday, after Iran’s president told the UN General Assembly that Tehran would never surrender to US pressure. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in his speech in New York, condemned what he called “signs of a bullying mentality” from US President Donald Trump, who had used the same forum on Tuesday to threaten to “annihilate” Iran.
FOUR STRUCK DEAD
PAKISTAN said its air force struck 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, which were being used to launch and store drones, some of which had been used against Pakistan a day earlier, the latest sign of escalation between the allies-turned-foes. Kabul said the strikes killed four civilians. The two Muslim neighbours have increasingly been at odds over expanding insurgencies in their western and northwestern border region.
STORM LOOMS
RESIDENTS of Mexico’s Pacific beach towns were preparing for heavy rain and dangerous surf on Wednesday as Hurricane Polo, a powerful Category 4 storm, tracked northwestward just offshore, threatening flooding and mudslides along the country’s southwestern coast. The US National Hurricane Center said Polo is expected to continue moving slowly along the coast between the fishing town Zihuatanejo and port hub Manzanillo, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph at 3 p.m. local time. - REUTERS
BUSINESS MARKET SNAPSHOT NEW YORK SEPT 23 Dow Jones Transport Utilities S&P 500
51,511.59 19,739.91 1,015.54 7,706.03
−352.10 −147.88 −17.93 −58.61
LONDON SEPT 24 FTSE 100
10,675.07
−30.19
AUSTRALIA SEPT 24 All Ordinaries 8,897.00 S&P ASX 8,702.00
−59.20 −63.30
GOLD SEPT 24 US dollars per ounce London close New York close
3,234.73 previous: 3,261.38 4,284.28 previous: 4,343.89
SILVER SEPT 24 US cents per troy ounce 64.18 previous: 66.64
COPPER SEPT 24 New York
6.7580 previous: 6.8230
OIL SEPT 24 New York - Brent Last
98.41 previous: 98.03
COFFEE SEPT 23 New York London
274.90 previous: 271.75 3,306.00 previous: 3,256.00
COCOA SEP 23 New York London
5,519.00 previous: 5,419.00 4,128.00 previous: 3998.00
STOCKS SEPT 23 STOCKS ADY BSP CCP CGA CPL KAM KSL KSL361 NEM NGP NIU PLC SST STO
BID OFFER 1.25 0 27.95 28 4.66 0 0 0 1.1 1.12 0 0 0 4.38 0 0 490 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.48 0 0 22.9 0
LAST 0 27.95 4.66 0.12 1.1 2.25 4.39 0 490 1.36 0 1.48 50 22.9
Oil extends gains on little sign of progress in US-Iran talks SINGAPORE, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Oil prices extended gains on Thursday after climbing 4% in the previous session as diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran showed no concrete sign of progress. Brent crude futures rose 43 cents, or 0.4%, to $103.51 a barrel at 0630 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 35 cents, or 0.4%, to $92.51 a barrel. The benchmarks fell in Asian morning trade on Thursday but later rebounded as investors struggled to find a clear direction amid the geopolitical deadlock.
EXCHANGE RATE SEPT 24 BPNG SELLING NOTES AGAINST MAJOR CURRENCIES US$
0.2247
Aust $
0.3194
Euro
0.1974
New Zealand $
0.3957
Japanese Yen
35.54
Sing $
0.2875
Eluh: Systemic corruption masked as economic growth BY STAFF REPORTERS PAPUA New Guinea’s economy looks rich on paper because of natural gas, gold, and oil, but this wealth stays trapped at the top and doesn't reach the rural communities through essential basic services. The everyday citizen is left asking why life is getting harder and formal jobs remain nearly impossible to find. Thomas Eluh, deputy commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) says the root cause of this economic disconnect points directly to systemic corruption. In fact, the national revenue and grants projection for the 2026 National Budget has escalated by 15.3 per cent to a historic K29.3 billion, fuelled heavily by mining and petroleum tax revenues that surged to more than K4.1 billion. While billions of kina from gold, copper, oil and gas projects are being pumped into the top of the system, corruption has poked so many holes in the pipeline that the wealth leaks out into private pockets before it ever reaches the community. Mr Eluh reflected on how the
breakdown of institutional discipline and ethics since independence in 1975 has crippled State utilities and law enforcement. "Corruption has grown monumentally," warned Mr Eluh, reporting that it has deeply infected both the public and private sectors. When national revenue is siphoned off through backroom procurement deals and political nepotism, the money meant to build schools, upgrade hospitals, and seal roads disappears. Consequently, while the State boasts large revenue figures, PNG's actual standard of living remains critically low, leaving the country stagnant at a low 154th out of 193 nations on the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI). The formal job market is stagnant because corruption acts as a massive, hidden tax on doing business. For local businesses and entrepreneurs, this breakdown translates into a harsh operational reality:
Money that companies could use to expand operations and hire young graduates is instead eaten up by operational inefficiencies, red tape, and extortion.
Businesses are forced to spend limited capital on private security and backup diesel generators because State infrastructure is failing.
Showing up late to public service offices. Delivering poor work performance or practicing laziness.
Paul Barker, executive director, Institute of National Affairs, in an interview said: “We know from around the world that it's human resources that really determine whether a country has sustainable economic growth. Somewhere along the line we sort of started to let human investment, resource investment, to slip.” Without a predictable, transparent environment, the private sector cannot scale up, leaving the vast majority of the population trapped in lowincome, informal street vending or subsistence farming. A key takeaway from Mr Eluh is that corruption is not just a high-level political issue, it is a cultural one that stalls productivity nationwide. He emphasised that corruption begins with minor, daily habits that the public has normalised:
Expecting small favours or bribes to fast-track basic administrative tasks.
When these behaviours become embedded in government departments, the entire economic machinery slows down. It creates an environment where investors lose confidence, projects face severe delays, and local commerce suffocates under inefficiency. Our country cannot simply grow its way out of this crisis. No amount of foreign investment or high commodity prices will translate into better living standards until the systemic ‘leaks’ are patched. Refusing to treat the forum as ‘just another talk shop,’ Mr Eluh called on all sectors to take ownership of the solution, citing how countries like Hong Kong and Singapore successfully transformed their economies by backing strong anti-corruption laws with absolute public compliance. For PNG to survive and thrive in its next 50 years of nationhood, the business community and ordinary citizens must shift from passive observers to active participants in enforcing transparency.
Papua LNG forum moves to Tier 1 benefit sharing negotiations
Acting Gulf Governor Morris Taudevin meets with Central Governor Ruffina Peter yesterday at APEC Haus in Port Moresby. PCITURES BY ALFRED GEE
Bonds shaky, oil eases off highs amid trade, peace talks TOKYO, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Debt markets were on edge on Thursday with Japanese bonds following Treasuries lower, while Asian equities were mixed as investors weighed Middle East tensions and prospects for talks between the United States and China. As Tokyo markets reopened after a three-day holiday, the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield jumped to a 30-year high after a steep sell-off in the US market overnight. Oil prices eased from recent highs and the greenback held gains after Tehran’s leader vowed to never surrender following a warning by the US president. Central Province Governor Rufina Peter greeted by the facilitators chairman Arthur Somare at the Tier 1 Negotiating meeting at APEC Haus yesterday.
THE Papua LNG Project Development Forum has commenced Tier One Provincial Benefit Sharing Negotiations, as the Government aims for the Tier 1 agreement signing on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Minister for Petroleum, Jimmy Maladina said Tier One Benefit Sharing Negotiations between the Gulf and Central Provincial governments commenced yesterday (September 24, 2026), at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, and will continue Friday, September 25, 2026. He said both impacted governments are to negotiate and, where possible, conclude the Tier 1 Provincial Benefits Split in respect of royalty, equity and development levy, in accordance with the applicable negotiation framework and operational rule no. 1. Mr Maladina said that ‘no subsequent-tier allocation shall be negotiated until Tier 1 has been formally resolved.’ "The Tier 1 meetings are to negotiate and conclude the Tier 1 Provincial Benefits Split between Gulf Province and Central Province. In accordance with Operational Rule No. 1, no Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4 or Tier 5 allocation shall be negotiated until the chairman and deputy chairman of facilitators formally declare that Tier 1 agreement has been reached,” he said. "The outcome sought is the formal adoption of the Tier 1 Provincial Benefits Split, to be recorded in the decision register and to become the common allocation framework for royalty, equity and development levy across all subsequent tiers." "As minister and convenor, I am happy to inform all stakeholders that the forum facilitators, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) forum team and State team, including legal representatives have con-
firmed receipt of more than 35 position papers, including the position of both provincial governments as of Thursday, September 24, 2026," Mr Maladina said, while providing an update on the development forum which has been currently underway in Port Moresby for the past three months. Mr Maladina said a workshop for the NPA team, technical team, forum facilitators and the State team was held on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at Granville Hotel, to ensure that all issues derived from the position papers were thoroughly considered by all State departments and agencies (State team). He said the workshop was also for final preparations, review and planning before commencing and closing Tier 1 benefit sharing negotiations. A final meeting for presentation of position papers was also organised by NPA and facilitators on the same day at the Rita Flynn Netball Centre for the Gulf Provincial Government/administration and their landowner representatives to align and form their final negotiating team for the commencement of the Tier 1 negotiations. State teams include representatives from the State Solicitors Office, the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council, Treasury, National Planning, Finance, Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited, Mineral Resource Development Company and National Energy Authority. Mr Maladina acknowledges both Gulf and Central Provincial governments and the landowners for the continued co-operation despite welfare challenges, as the Government progresses for a final investment decision on December 15, 2026.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
39
40 BUSINESS
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Adyton starts trading on PNGX BY HEZRON KISING CANADA listed gold and copper explorer, Adyton Resources Corporation, started trading on the Papua New Guinea Stock Exchange (PNGX) yesterday under the code ADY, giving PNG investors a direct domestic route into the company’s island-based mineral projects. The formal admission follows a bell-ringing ceremony by 10-yearold Barbara Hale from Hanuabada village, at which Adyton chairman Sinton Spence welcomed the Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru and thanked the teams that made the dual listing possible. Mr Spence praised Adyton staff working on Fergusson Island, many of whom could not attend because of operational commitments. “As they say in PNG, ‘Wok mas go yet’ (work must go ahead),” he said. He singled out managing director Tim Crossley, senior consultant Wishiwara, senior geologist Eugene Matassi and COO Chris Bowden, who have continued field work despite months of rough seas and difficult weather that restrict boat access to the company’s island sites. He also acknowledged joint-venture partner East Vision Investment Holdings for its contribution on Fergusson Island, PNGX staff including David Frank and Reina for their legal and administrative support, the Mineral Resources Authority, local member Wolf Snowball for logistical assistance, and other Government and provincial officials. Mr Spence framed the listing as more than a capital-markets milestone. “It means PNG citizens can participate in the country’s exciting mineral exploration and extraction industries. It means jobs will be created in two rural areas,” he said. “It means development and infrastructure will be rolled out to two beautiful islands, and the very real
Opening gold and copper projects to local investors
BY MARILYN PAUL
Left: PNG Stock Exchange chairman David Lawrence, Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru, Barbara Hale from Hanuabada village (the bell ringer), Adyton Resources Corporation chairman Sinton Spence and Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt at the traditional bell ringing ceremony yesterday in Down Town Port Moresby to officially list Adyton Resources Corp. PICTURE: ALFRED GEE. prospect of downstream industries such as agriculture and tourism. It means superfunds and investors have another option to grow their investments.” Adyton already counts a significant number of Papua New Guinean shareholders on its TSX Venture register. The PNGX listing, conducted through PETS Depository Interests on a one-for-one basis with the company’s Canadian shares, is intended to deepen that local ownership while the company advances toward production. Adyton’s primary assets are the 100 percent-owned Feni Island goldcopper project in New Ireland Prov-
ince and the Fergusson Island gold projects (Wapolu and Gameta) in Milne Bay Province, the latter held in joint venture with East Vision. The company is advancing Fergusson Island toward near-term production while continuing exploration at Feni. Mr Spence said the dual focus would bring infrastructure and facilities that benefit island communities. The company was admitted to the Official List of PNGX on September 17, as an Exempt Issuer, its primary listing remains the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada. Continuous disclosure obligations are unchanged, with announcements filed simulta-
neously on both exchanges. No new securities were issued as part of the PNGX admission. Mr Spence closed by linking the listing to PNG’s recent 51st Independence anniversary theme of national unity, inviting younger participants connected to the provinces to mark the formal entry of Adyton onto the local market. “These are very exciting times for all people connected to Adyton,” he said. “We look forward to a prosperous future for the company and for its investors.” Trading in Adyton shares on PNGX opened at 10am local time yesterday (Wednesday, September 23, 2026).
Adyton Resources Corporation lists, as Maru pushes capital market growth BY HEZRON KISING MINISTER for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru, has hailed the dual listing of Adyton Resources Corporation on the PNGX as a significant step for Papua New Guinea’s capital markets, while urging larger miners to follow suit. Speaking at the bell-ringing ceremony, Mr Maru said the Government’s agenda was clear, to expand the domestic capital market so ordinary Papua New Guineans could share in the ownership and benefits of resource projects. “Our Government’s agenda is
US$30m off-grid solar plan to connect remote PNG communities
clear. We want to grow the capital market in Papua New Guinea,” he told company officials and guests. He revealed that a draft bill would go before the National Parliament in the coming session to rename the Securities Commission of Papua New Guinea as the Capital Market Commission. The new body, he said, would regulate and drive the future of the country’s equity market. Mr Maru singled out Adyton, an exploration company, for choosing to list in PNG when many large mining firms that generate substantial profits have never done so.
“It is notable that an exploration company such as yours is choosing to list in PNG, when there are many large mining companies in this country making a lot of profit and shipping it out, and have never chosen to list in Papua New Guinea so that our citizens could have the chance to take up equity.” He linked the listing to constitutional directive principles on equal participation. When companies remain unlisted, citizens cannot buy shares or receive dividends from the country’s resources, he argued. This situation, he said, must end as part of the Gov-
ernment’s ‘Take Back PNG’ and Reset agenda. Mr Maru encouraged Adyton not merely to list but to raise capital locally through a prospectus so that Papua New Guineans and superannuation funds could invest, particularly as the company expands operations in the country. “There is enough cash around. Please give our local market a chance to invest.” He closed by wishing the company success and expressing hope that the listing would help build a stronger, more inclusive financial sector.
THE Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) has unveiled an ambitious estimated US$30 million (around K118 million) off-grid renewable energy plan targeting 301 remote island communities across Papua New Guinea. During a presentation at the PNG Energy Access and Renewable Energy Development Partners Forum, GGGI senior energy officer Devesh Singh revealed that the initiative aims to replace scattered, smallscale power projects with a consolidated ‘clustered’ approach to rapidly expand electricity access. PNG currently faces a major energy deficit, with only about 20 per cent to 25 per cent of the population connected to power. The National Government has set a target to reach 70 per cent energy access by 2030. “Rather than going for a fragmented approach, we thought doing a portfolio approach, clustering the islands and off-grid sites together, could tackle this situation and meet PNG's energy access goals much faster,” Mr Singh said. The project will roll out in phases, starting with Phase 1 targeting 83 prioritised island communities. Phase 1 will power 13 targeted regions, direct benefit to more than 100,000 residents, and serve as proof of concept to establish technical, operational, and commercial viability for private investors. Unlike traditional electrification projects, the GGGI initiative integrates low-carbon solar and battery storage with satellite-based broadband connectivity. The digital infrastructure will link schools, health facilities, government stations, and disaster earlywarning systems. “Island communities often face loss of life because they lack access to early warning systems. That will be integrated directly into this platform,” Mr Singh said. “Energy is a great enabler. We want to lift economic activities across these islands, so communities become more resilient.” Addressing funding, Mr Singh clarified that PNG’s primary challenge is not the availability of financial capital, but rather the absence of a credible, bankable project pipeline. To ensure long-term sustainability, selection criteria for the 301 islands required a minimum of 100 households, communities where main-grid extension is 15 to 20 years away, and locations accessible by boat within 14 to 18 hours to guarantee ongoing maintenance.
Industries urged to embrace on digital transformation after Ok Tedi upgrades THE National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) has urged businesses across Papua New Guinea to leverage advanced digital technology to drive efficiency, productivity, and global competitiveness, following a major technological milestone in the country’s mining sector. NICTA’s call comes after Ok Tedi Mining Limited deployed state-of-the-art ArcSAR Neo slopemonitoring radar technology at its operations. Designed to deliver high-resolution monitoring of mine slopes and ground conditions, the system enhances early identification of geotechnical risks. Crucially,
the radar retains operational capability during network interruptions, offering a vital layer of resilience in remote environments. NICTA chief executive officer Lume Polume praised Ok Tedi’s initiative as a model for how major industrial operators in PNG can harness digital innovations to transform day-to-day operations. “I commend Ok Tedi Mining Limited for embracing advanced digital technology and demonstrating what is possible when technology is placed at the centre of industrial operations,” Mr Polume said. “This is not simply an investment in a piece of equipment, it is an investment in
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
safer operations, better information, better decision-making, and greater efficiency.” Mr Polume noted that Ok Tedi’s investment reflects a broader industrial trend across Papua New Guinea. Project developers in mining, resources, and other key sectors are increasingly adopting advanced connectivity technologies, such as Starlink, OneWeb, low-earth orbit satellites, fiber optics, IoT, and high-speed wireless, to overcome complex geographic and operational challenges. “We are seeing a fundamental shift in how businesses think about connectivity,” Mr Polume explained.
“Connectivity is no longer simply about people making phone calls or accessing the internet. It is increasingly about connecting machines, sensors, vehicles, monitoring systems, artificial intelligence, and business platforms in real time.” This digital shift aligns with a landmark regulatory breakthrough for the country. NICTA recently confirmed its readiness to license 5G mobile services, having successfully assessed and cleared the key 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum bands for commercial deployment. The CEO encouraged leaders across manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, financial services,
and aviation to explore how 5G and intelligent systems can streamline operations. “With 5G now opening a new chapter for Papua New Guinea, businesses must begin thinking beyond connectivity for people and look at connectivity for machines, infrastructure, and intelligent systems,” Mr Polume urged. “The opportunity is to use technology to do more with less to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, strengthen safety, lower operating costs, and ultimately improve business performance.” To support this rapid digital transition, NICTA is actively modernising its regulatory frameworks.
HAGEN BUSINESS 41
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Businesses, locals suffer due to continuous power outage BY MAL TAIME THE sound of the standby generators in Mt Hagen City, capital of Western Highlands Province, is causing a lot of unnecessary disturbance to the general public futher posing health risks from the smoke that is being discharged. This follows the continuous power blackouts encountered in Mt Hagen which have created a negative impression on business houses operating in the centre of the Highlands region. John Komble from the Dei Council District of the province, raised this concern after noticing that the power outage had affected most small business houses operating in Mt Hagen, and also forced the big business houses to dig deeper, apart from their normal operational budget to purchase diesel for standby generators to supply power and keep their business operating. Mr Komble said the State entity, PNG Power, was not reliable with the service it provided to the peo-
Some of the farmers and officials at the launch of the rice mill listening attentively to an official explaining the functions and basic instructions on how to operate the rice mills.
Flights into Kagamuga airport scaled down for runway upgrade BY MAL TAIME
Rice mills launched Chimbu farming group empowers local farmers BY AMANDA KUMANAL CHIMBU Indigenous Smart-Farming Association Inc has donated rice mills for each district in the province. The small ceremony was held at Mt Wilhelm Hotel in Kundiawa, Chimbu Province, recently. Governor Noah Kool launched the association with the new rice mills and pledged a commitment of K150,000, also making a commitment to buy 20 additional rice mills for each of the local level governments (LLGs)in the province to support the effort. Mr Kool highlighted the importance of local rice production. “Rice is a staple food in our country, and farmers are very important, farming provides food for people to eat and survive,” he said.
He encouraged locals to work hard, till the land, and become self-sufficient, urging everyone to take pride in their work and avoid relying on free handouts. The association was formed to support climate-smart farming and empower local farmers. The launch marks a practical shift away from manual labour towards modern, climate-smart agriculture aimed at boosting food security and rural incomes. The launching event was proudly sponsored by hotel owner Christian Tambagle. The gathering brought together community leaders, church representatives and local growers. Ms Tambagle said for too long, the farmers have depended on manual labour and now, with these machines, it would help them to make strides towards increasing rice pro-
duction, reduce farmer workload, and create income opportunities for the rural communities. To ensure fair access across the province, the six initial machines were distributed to each district: Waiye LLG for Kundiawa-Gembogl, Gena Waugla LLG for Kerowagi, Negapo in Karimui LLG for KarimuiSalt Nomane, Siane LLG for Chuave, Digine LLG for Gumine and Suwai LLG for Sinesine-Yongomugl. Each district machine will be managed by an appointed caretaker to keep the equipment running properly for all local farmers. Supported by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, the Climate Resilience Fund (CRF), and Farmset, this combined effort gives Chimbu farmers the tools and funding needed to grow more rice for the region and PNG.
ple and the business houses in the province. He said they understand blackouts is a norm but PNG Power must do something to minimise power blackouts and not to allow it to continue for weeks. Mr Komble said the power outage during the independence week, when the country turned 51-years old, was an unfortunate situation. That outage a day before Independence Day continued for almost two weeks. “If there is a fault somewhere along the transmission lines, then it is PNG Power’s responsibility to put out a public notice to inform the general public of the fault and not to keep them in suspense,” Mr Komble said. Don Tembon, who operates a small tucker shop and depends only on power, said the continuous outage affected his business and had left him frustrated. Mr Tembon said because of the continued power blackout he had made a big loss and was unable to
COMMERCIAL flights in and out of Kagamuga International Airport in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands Province, have been scaled down following the upgrading of the runway. This is affecting passengers in Mt Hagen, who are now travelling to Goroka to catch their flights. Some flights have also been delayed or cancelled. PNG Air has issued a travelling notice to its valuable customers advising that all flights in and out of Mt Hagen have been scaled down. It said the National Airports Corporation (NAC) had advised that the runway construction work at the Kagamuga Airport would reduce the available runway length from 980 metres to 880 metres. Under this temporary arrangement, PNG Air aircraft will be unable to operate to or from Mt Hagen. “The NAC has advised that the runway length is expected to be restored next Monday and PNG Air intends to resume its Mt Hagen service once the runway is confirmed operationally suitable for its aircraft,” the airline said in the statement. It said in response to the short notice from NAC, PNG Air would increase services to both Goroka in
Eastern Highlands Provine and Lae in Morobe Province respectively, to provide alternate flights for the affected customers. The PNG Air team would contact customers holding confirmed bookings to or from Mt Hagen to discuss and confirm their alternative travel arrangements. Customers travelling during this period are asked to ensure that the contact details recorded in their bookings are valid. PNG Air sincerely apologises for the inconvenience and disruption caused by this late notice, which is beyond their control, and thanked customers for their patience and understanding and will reschedule the flights once the runway work is completed. Meanwhile, Air Niugini has further downsized its passenger capacity to only 18 passengers per flight. The national airline announced that the ongoing runway upgrading carried out by the NAC had entered stage 5, forcing Air Niugini to operate smaller Dash 8-200 aircraft into Mt Hagen. Also, the NAC issued a statement that the asphalt overlay and associated works had reached critical construction stage, targeting the central portion of the runway.
Local entrepreneur turns K80 capital into successful timber business BY AMANDA KUMANAL FROM humble beginnings, local businessman Samuel Andrew from Jiwaka Province, started his business with just K80 and has fulfilled his dream for self-reliance. Mr Andrew, from Banz in North Waghi District, started his timber business through sacrifice and now owns a yard, proving that perseverance and hard work can overcome a lack of formal opportunities. The 32-year-old who grew up in the Anglimp-South Waghi area is operating his timber business at Panga, bordering Jiwaka and Western Highlands Province. After completing Grade 12 in 2012, he was not able to pursue higher education due to financial issues. This did not discourage him, instead he decided to become the boss of his own destiny.
“I finished Grade 12 in 2012, and in 2013, I spent time planning, and I realised I didn't want to work for someone else, I wanted to start my own business,” Mr Andrew said. His journey began in 2014 when he used K80 to buy coffee from local growers to resell. Through determination and small steps, he reinvested his earnings into a small trade store, buying and selling pigs, and eventually expanding into reselling fuel at his trade store, and on to timber processing. Without formal trade or carpentry education, Mr Andrew taught himself the necessary skills by observing others and taking on hands on challenges. Today, his business supplies timber and custom-built furniture, including beds, tables, and cabinets, to local communities, schools, private clients, and construction projects
reaching as far as Lae and Mendi. His business has grown to utilise heavy timber dressing machinery and rental vehicles to support operations. Over the past decade, Mr Andrew’s venture has also directly contributed to local community development, supplying timber for building projects and housing developments stretching out along the Panga area in Anglimp South Waghi. “Many young people feel discouraged when the education system or formal job market turns them down,” he said. “My message to them is that the world is open. You don't always need a formal degree or millions to start a small business or earn an income, if you have a strong mindset, start small, and stay dedicated, you can create your own success.”
Samuel Andrew holding a sample of timber dressing that his clients choose from to place orders. PICTURE: AMANDA KUMANAL.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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STARS ARIES MAR 20 – APR 19
TAURUS APR 20 – MAY 20
Confident as you are about the support you’re expecting and the nature of the situation you’re dealing with, double check arrangements before going further. With both the responsibilities of others and circumstances shifting, if not changing radically, things could be very different. Enough a top to bottom rethink will be necessary.
While, obviously, you’ll want to express concern about the dramas others are going through, try to avoid getting involved. Uncaring as that may seem now, within days, if not hours, you’ll realise things aren’t nearly as bad as they seemed. In fact, with only a little effort, they’ll deal with those dramas.
LEO JUL 22 - AUG 22
VIRGO AUG 23 - SEP 22
Although it’s out of character, over the past several weeks you’ve managed to sidestep certain contentious issues. Now the mood has changed, enough you can discuss these frankly. Not only will you be glad you waited, you’ll benefit from the gratitude of those who hoped you’d be patient about these matters.
SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 20
Every sign will be influenced by Thursday’s rare and powerful link between Jupiter and Uranus, however, because Jupiter is your ruling planet, this promises thrilling if sudden ideas, developments or offers. For now, explore absolutely everything. What seems least likely at the moment could prove to be best in the long run.
CANCER JUN 21 - JUL 21
GEMINI MAY 21 – JUNE 20
Obviously, arguing with those who’re not easy to get along with anyway is unappealing. Still, certain matters need to be cleared up, and the sooner you tackle them, the better. The trick is to gather the vital facts, and those alone, then stick to them. Do that and things should go brilliantly.
If you haven’t already brought up certain increasingly worrying issues, do so now. While those concerns are merited, once you’ve talked things over, you’ll realise things aren’t as bad as they seem. And keep on discussing these. The better informed you are, the easier it will be to make any necessary changes.
LIBRA SEP 23- OCT 22
Usually the influence of the New Moon passes swiftly. However, because last Wednesdays was in Virgo, you’re still reviewing both the insights and new ideas it introduced. While some require fast action, in most cases there’s no rush. In fact, you’d be wise to take your time weighing them up.
It’s been a tricky period, one during which you’ve had to be watchful and, often, cautious about what you said. But, with the Sun moving into Libra on the 22nd and the arrival of the communication planet Mercury there this Saturday, both circumstances and your mood will change, and for the better.
CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 19
AQUARIUS JAN 20 - FEB 17
Despite having been born under one of the most thorough of signs, on occasion you either miss a crucial fact or neglect to explain your intentions in a way others understand. Now, suddenly, several such situations are arising, all at once. Forget about justifying them. Simply explain what’s what, one by one.
SCORPIO OCT 23 - NOV 21
Sooner or later you’ll have to open up about matters that you’ve always regarded as strictly private. However, events have forced them out in the open. Unsettling and uncomfortable as that was initially, you’re beginning to realise there’s little point in concealing these. In fact, you’re nearly ready to discuss them frankly.
PISCES FEB 18 - MAR 19
There are several ways to interpret the recent link between forthright Mars and your ruler Neptune, but most involve taking a tough line over a certain matter or with somebody in particular. Even if you’ve already done so, there are probably one or two other similar situations yet to be dealt with.
For ages you’ve been trying to figure out a way to maintain the parts of your life you enjoy, but reorganise those you don’t. When you’ve mentioned this to others, they’ve told you to be contented with what you have. But now, sudden and thrilling, changes could turn your vision into reality.
PUZZLE #0384
GIANT CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Front of advancing army 14 See in advance 19 A monotreme 20 King with Golden Touch (myth) 22 Not knowing 24 Choices 25 Fossil fuel 26 A young horse 27 Australian plant (3-4) 28 Maker of garments from yarn 30 A word picture 31 A builder’s stand 33 Physically intolerant 36 Baby’s carriage 38 Critique 40 Equally balanced 41 Grinding instrument 43 Give out 46 A herb 47 Surgical instrument 48 In profound sorrow 50 Angular material insert 52 Tree-lined streets 57 Tells tales 60 A lock of hair 61 Forestry workers 63 An invited visitor 64 Withdraw from enemy 66 A child 67 A craze 68 Masterstroke 70 Deferential esteem 71 Dislike 73 Building material 74 Boxes 78 Desert animals 79 Chestnut colour 80 Biblical vessel 83 An alloy 86 A gemstone 88 Angel’s headwear 89 A brown pigment 92 Play happily 94 Calls a meeting 96 To discharge from body 98 A false name 99 Iterate 100 Cutting tools 101 Ocean current 103 Bottle stoppers 104 Short period of work 105 Girl’s name 106 Fabric colours 109 Part of a shoe 112 Types of money 113 Armistice 114 One who tends sheep 116 Old Dutch explorer 118 Group of chasers 120 Amount of bread 122 Small-sized restaurant 123 Bullock 125 High ball 126 Fondle 128 A moss-like plant 130 A sea channel 135 Wind instrument 138 Boldness 139 Fine material 141 Germinating agent 143 A fastener 144 Headwear 146 Experienced person 147 Combine
149 Small fish 150 A passage 152 Close colleague 156 Lawman 157 Petrified remains 159 Place for movies 161 Rowdy protesters 164 A citrus fruit 167 Chaste 168 Noon 169 Type of dog 170 Resident doctor 171 Lacking diplomacy 175 Circumspect 179 Religious hermit 182 Perch 184 Become better 188 A non-professional 189 Eager 190 Female sheep 191 Greed 192 Carve in metal 193 Vagrant (coll) 194 Slender pieces of wood 195 Very clean 196 Abstaining from alcohol
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79 Words for a play 81 Horse neck hair 82 Capital of Italy 84 Sales by lots 85 Cleanse thoroughly 87 Saddle’s boothold 89 Canvas bags 90 Breakfast food 91 High structrued hairdo 93 Gem measure 95 Of sound mind 97 Lovers’ meeting 99 Is regretful 102 Military decorations 104 Hillsides 106 Dispirit 107 Group of fish 108 Capsize 110 Queen’s Counsel (coll) 111 Good soil 112 Wheedle 115 Fortune card 117 Suffers from oppressive heat
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DOWN 2 Coral island 3 Water reptile (coll) 4 Garlic mayonnaise 5 Office table 6 One from Thailand 7 Mine entrance 8 A sport 9 Worrying situation 10 Teaching body 11 Rear body parts 12 Look intently 13 A lure 14 A festival 15 Act in answer 16 Intriguing collectable 17 Become bigger 18 A cure-all 20 Damage 21 Distress signal 23 Warhorse 29 Quiver 32 Put away a sword 34 Newts 35 Burial place 36 A refuse conduit 37 Fewer 39 Choosing for oneself 42 Act of pulling 44 Declines in power 45 Kept silent 49 Keep in store 51 A type of ring 53 An emblem 54 Amount wagered 55 Of the chest 56 A river vessel 58 Keepsakes 59 Weep convulsively 61 Act against 62 Vassal 64 Uncooked 65 Entertain heartily 69 Capers as a horse 72 Deviates 73 Former overseas telegram 75 Large stems 76 Celestial body 77 Takes a chance
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119 A principal feature 121 Sheep’s covering 124 Bullseye 127 A chasm 129 False action 131 Purloined 132 Knocked back 133 Snakes 134 Practise 136 An artist’s stand 137 Paddlelike organ 140 Spoil plans 142 Drain energy 143 A jury 145 Window glasses 148 Make hotter 151 Mechanic’s tool 153 Movies 154 British currency 155 Small wager (coll) 156 A religious group 158 Struck down 160 Flowers of narcissus group
162 A goad 163 John, Paul, George and Ringo, the ... 165 Sang softly 166 A meal course 172 A necklace part 173 Minimum 174 One from Stockholm 176 Angry 177 Egyptian city 178 Medical procedure 179 Greek god of war 180 Parts of toothed wheel 181 A sports group 182 A bright colour 183 A pair 185 A bucket 186 Do as told 187 A direction
T A R A N T U L A T B A S I C L A M A Z O N T O R C H B E A R E R J U C O R G I U O V O I D S E H A E M E R A T A P R O O M A D A C H A R M S I N G L E T R O L L E R V B E D G E S C T E V I T A L R N I N O S E N E A R S I S I G H S I A E R I A L R M E R E E R M I N E S I R N O C O R M S E R A S E C I T E V V A L A S A X L E C O D E W L A P R E S P E C I A L S W O T O P P O S E S E E I O R M E R L V P E A F U R A I D E S T A R E E N M A I D T O I N C E N T I V E R O U E T R O W E L J H I N D U A P P A L C V N R U M L E U V A S E S M R E L Y O U N A B L E D E B I T C A D A S T R E C D A M A S K U S U N O R A L T E R S N N I S L E T S L W E S O R R O W R P I T H E A N N O Y S C E S T M E A D O W R O R E S I T E T E R R O R U T E H R A N W G I R I S H A C R Q U K U L E L E E I R A R I A E K N O C K S E S P O U S E D N O U G A T K V W E E V I L S A S U M P E T O R I B I S T A M I N A S R O R T K N E E S U R P L U S S T A E N I A T T I P T O E S C R E P A R T E E T A L E I V L A S E R E T R E A T E D R U C M L D T R A C H E A K M E T R E U N E E P A R E S E A R C H C O S Y S T E M E M A R M O T L I S O T O P E E G O S O E N T H R A L R A Y O N E B H A S P S E A S Y L E A N T O U S E R G O T S D E D I C A T E S W O R D S I A C I A L R E P L E T E T C X N O M A H A E I O N R U B B L E A S P L A S H A R T I S T N B L A S S O S G H N L U M E D U S A L E R N E I J E T S A M I W Y M U R M U R M R R E T I R E O P S T I E L I N G E R C G R A N U L A R B I L G E T H U M B S N A E O N A F L A I L E E P W I G R R E E S T O C S P A R S E I C A R U S P O L E I N A U D I B L E N E C A T O N S I E G E V S S I D D T V K N I F E R L O E S S N R E C O V E R S I R E V I O L E N C E O S V E L T E L T A L E G S R U E I R E G R A S P U S U R Y T E D I O R U U P E R S I S T S C A R M E S C O R T E M E N D S X E T A L C C N Z S A S P E N A T D A L L Y I V I E W F E T T L E L I M I T E D I E L E A F Y L T R O O P E R I I N D E S E O E R U R A L I E P O C H U I N G A T E C R A S H E R N O O D L E S S I N U S W S E A S O N I N G
ANSWERS FROM PUZZLE # 083823
COMIC 43
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CROSSWORD: 131777 ACROSS 1 Clip wool off a sheep 5 Obtains by begging 9 Right-hand page of a book 11 Flower necklace 12 Build 13 Insect 15 Tree 16 Contrivance 18 Musical instrument 20 Peru’s capital 21 Skin condition 23 Irritate 25 Attempts 26 US state 28 Ballpoint pen (tm) 30 Overtake 32 Conductor’s stick 33 Perpendicular 34 Female sheep
36 Be ill 37 Fruit 38 Fish eggs 39 Aristocratic 40 Sullen and illtempered 41 Pry in a mean sly manner DOWN 2 Courageous 3 Mysterious 4 Nostalgic style 5 Restricted 6 Delight 7 Snakelike fish 8 Foolish person 10 Follow closely (coll) 14 Multiplied by 17 Domesticated animal 18 Any thick-skinned mammal
19 Again 22 Unspoilt 24 Reproach goodhumouredly 25 Woman’s jewelled coronet 27 Imitate 28 Whalebone 29 Art style 31 Storage container for grain 32 Dances 33 Change direction 35 Court
SOLUTION NO. 131776 ACROSS: 1 Aloft,5 Magma,10 Recap,11 Also,13 Antis,14 Correct,15 Steep,16 Basks,18 Linen,21 Lucy,22 Prevents,25 Proxy 26 Rhapsody,29 Dent,31 April,32 Beret,33 Impel,35 Rectify,37 Lamas,38 Plot,39 Italy,40 Lynch,41 Essay
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SUDOKU MINI Complete the grid so that every row, column and 2x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 6 inclusive
SL03615836
SL0361835
hagar
No: SL0361838
blondie
zits
No: SL0361837
phantom
flash gordon
DOWN: 2 Landau,3 Frisky,4 Tests,5 Mace,6 Apoplexy,7 Marine,8 Ale,9 Got,12 Scant,16 Blur,17 Scrap,19 Ivy,20 Enter,22 Prolific 23 Rod,24 Sett,25 Psi,27 Hazel,28 Pretty,29 Delays,30 Nevada,32 Belle,34 Myth,35 Rpm,36 Col
2
Solution to puzzle
Solution to puzzle
SL0361835
SL0361836
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Legends of League
Foundation steps up support for retired Kumuls
RUGBY LEAGUE FORMER Papua New Guinea Kumul players and rugby league administrators facing serious health and financial problems are receiving support through the PNG Legends of League Foundation, with a K112,000 contribution from the National Gaming Control Board helping provide medical assistance to retired national representatives. The NGCB funding, provided in late 2023, helped the Foundation establish its early operations and begin providing direct support to former players and rugby league figures across the country. Since its establishment, the Foundation has assisted 20 retired national players and sports administrators in Port Moresby, Kimbe, Lae, Goroka, Alotau and Kerema through specialised medical examinations, emergency evacuations, hospital treatment and other healthcare support. The assistance has been provided to former players dealing with serious medical conditions, hospital bills and the costs of travelling to Port Moresby for specialist treatment. One of the cases involved former Kumul Darius Haili, who was urgently evacuated from Kimbe to Port Moresby after experiencing a critical liver condition and diabetes. Haili was flown to Port Moresby within 24 hours and received specialist treatment at Port Moresby General Hospital, where he was stabilised. The Foundation also supported the late Kumul Pastor Daroa Ben Moide, who was flown from Alotau to Port Moresby for specialist treatment at Pacific International Hospital during his final illness. In Lae, former Kumul fullback Steve Malum received financial assistance towards outstanding hospital expenses while awaiting specialist surgery in Port Moresby. In Kerema, rugby league legend Hadoa Kourou continues to receive support for medical consultations and travel to Port Moresby. The programme has also highlighted the need for greater support for retired players in the Highlands. In Goroka, former Kumul and Foundation board member John Joseph has helped coordinate support for former players and has seen the demand for medical assistance in the region. The Foundation was established in November 2023 to support former PNG Kumuls and other retired rugby league players who may face difficulties after ending their playing careers. PNG Legends of League Foundation chief executive officer and founder Peter Bebi Snr said the organisation was committed to making sure former national representatives were not forgotten once their playing careers ended. He said some former players faced career-ending injuries, serious medical conditions, unemployment and limited income after retiring from rugby league. “The objective is to ensure former national representatives are not forgotten after their playing careers,” Bebi said. The Foundation’s work is not limited to medical assistance. It has developed programmes covering three main areas – medical assistance, small and medium enterprise development, and vocational skills development and regional community leadership. The medical programme provides emergency medical evacuations,
Former PNG Kumuls representatives and members of the PNG Legends of League. PICTURE SUPPLIED hospital care, specialist treatment and other critical healthcare assistance for former players. The SME programme is aimed at helping retired players establish alternative sources of income through business capital and entrepreneurship training. The Foundation said this was important because many former players had spent most of their working lives in rugby league and needed opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods after retirement. The third area focuses on vocational skills development and Jeffrey Levongo New regional community Board Director leadership. Through this programme, former players can develop practical skills and take part in community initiatives. The Foundation said retired players had made an important contribution to the history and development of rugby league in Papua New Guinea and should have opportunities to remain involved in their communities after their playing careers. Bebi said the organisation would continue working with partners to provide medical assistance, welfare support and opportunities for retired players to become more economically independent. The Foundation has also strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of senior corporate executive Jeffery Levongo as a director. Levongo, who is currently corporate affairs manager at Trukai Industries Limited, brings experience in corporate affairs, supply chain management, business operations and distribution. Before joining Trukai Industries, Levongo held senior management positions with British American Tobacco PNG Limited, including several years as senior supply chain manager. He also previously served as supply chain and distribution manager at Goodman Fielder PNG Limited. His appointment is expected to bring additional corporate and
management experience to the Foundation as it develops its programmes and strengthens its engagement with businesses, communities and other stakeholders. The Foundation said Levongo’s experience would assist with governance, strategic planning, business engagement and decisionmaking. Bebi announced Levongo’s appointment and said his corporate background would add value to the organisation’s leadership. The Foundation’s current board includes Bobby Ako, John Joseph, Steven Malum, Jeffery Levongo and James Wong. Joseph represents the business sector, while Malum, Levongo and Wong bring experience from the board and corporate sectors. The appointment comes as the Foundation looks to strengthen its organisational capacity and expand its support for retired players and their families. The NGCB contribution remains an important part of the Foundation’s early work. The Foundation formally acknowledged the NGCB chairman, board and management for recognising the needs of former national representatives. The Foundation said the NGCB had supported rugby league development and the PNG Kumuls’ international campaigns, but its contribution to retired players was particularly important because it provided assistance to former representatives during a vulnerable period of their lives. Bebi said the Foundation wanted to build on the partnership with NGCB while also working with other organisations and businesses. He said stronger partnerships were needed to ensure Peter Bebi former players could (Snr) CEO receive assistance when they needed it most. The Foundation’s medical work has also shown that retired players living outside Port Moresby can face additional challenges when they require specialist treatment. Former players in places such
ENB Governor and former Kumul Michael Marum. PICTURE SUPPLIED as Kimbe, Lae, Goroka, Alotau and Kerema may need to travel to Port Moresby for treatment, adding the cost of transport and accommodation to their medical expenses. The Foundation’s assistance has therefore included not only medical treatment but also emergency evacuations, travel and other support required to access healthcare. For the Foundation, the aim is to provide practical assistance while also recognising the contribution former players made to PNG rugby league. Many former Kumuls represented the country at a time when rugby league was becoming an important part of PNG’s sporting identity. After retirement, however, some have struggled with injuries and health problems that can be linked to their playing careers, while others have found it difficult to find employment or establish an income. The Foundation said its programmes were designed to address some of those problems by giving former players access to medical assistance and opportunities outside rugby league. Through SME development, retired players can receive support to establish small businesses, while vocational training can give them new skills to use in the workforce or in community programmes. The Foundation also wants former players to remain involved in community leadership by using
their experience and standing to help young people. Bebi said the organisation would continue developing programmes and partnerships across Papua New Guinea. He said the support provided to retired players was not only about meeting immediate needs but also about helping them build a better life after rugby league. The Foundation’s work is now expanding beyond emergency medical assistance as it looks at longer-term support for retired players. With Levongo joining the board, the organisation also hopes to strengthen its links with the corporate sector and develop further partnerships to support its programmes. The Foundation said it would continue to work with the NGCB and other partners to provide assistance to former PNG Kumuls and rugby league administrators who need help. For retired players facing serious illness, medical bills or financial hardship, that support can make an important difference. The Foundation’s message is that a player’s contribution to PNG rugby league should not end when he leaves the field. Its programmes are aimed at ensuring former national representatives receive support, dignity and opportunities to continue contributing to their families, communities and the development of rugby league in Papua New Guinea.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
52 SPORTS
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Special Olympics PNG calls for dedicated school SPECIAL OLYMPICS BY RACHAEL KEAEKE
Brothers Gustave Aisi (right) loses ball possession in a tackle from Harlequins backrower Josh Tunian. Both will be at loggerheads in tomorrows men’s premier division preliminary final. PICTURE BY JOHN PANGATANA
Old rivalry ignited! Brothers, Harlies set for fiery CRU prelim clash RUGBY UNION BY JOHN PANGKATANA OLD rivalry will be re-ignited when Brothers and Harlequins clash in the Pepsi Capital Rugby Union men’s premier division preliminary final at the Bava Park tomorrow. In recent times, Harlequins has come off second-best, since they last went on to win the premiership in 2022. In 2023, Kramer APAC Brothers returned the favour to beat Harlies in the grand final. Then in 2024 and 2025 - Harlequins were knocked out in the preliminary final – and saw the emergence of two-time premiers SWG TSI Valley Hunters. Will this be the third consecutive time for Harlies to falter at the preliminary finals stage? That is the big question that will be asked of Harlequins coach Billy Rapilla. Their form however entering the playoffs has been better this season and look to have that winning edge over Brothers. Considering Brothers lost to Valley Hunters over consecutive weekends, they now face the ultimate test to bounce back. The battle as usual will be won in the forwards, but it is how both sides scramble in general play that will
SPECIAL Olympics Papua New Guinea (SOPNG) is calling for a dedicated special school to provide long-term education, sporting and life-skills support for children with intellectual disabilities and help them transition into mainstream schools. SOPNG president Takale Tuna said the organisation had been advocating for such a facility, but the lack of a designated school means children often receive support only through individual programs and sporting activities. “All schools in the country should have a program for special needs children that allows for a smooth transition into mainstream schools from special inclusive schools, but right now we only have a few, including St. Peters Chanel Primary School and others,” Tuna said. He said SOPNG hoped to establish its own school where children could receive consistent support and develop skills needed for education and greater independence. “We have five programs we run annually, because we've seen that a lot of the kids ... need consistent help, but because we don’t have a designated school, they cannot stay,” he said. Tuna said the proposed school would provide a foundation for SOPNG’s education, sports, life-skills and leadership development programs. “To build a school is our dream, but you know, it’s not easy. You have to secure ground, you have to build, and then you have to sustain,” he said. He said the Department for Community Development and
Religion had previously promised to assist SOPNG with purchasing land for the proposed facility. SOPNG is an independent, accredited non-profit organisation that works with government agencies, including the Department for Community Development and Religion and the PNG Sports Foundation. It also receives support from corporate sponsors, including Moni Plus and Digicel. The call for a special school comes as SOPNG continues its programs aimed at improving the physical fitness, motor skills, confidence and social development of people with intellectual disabilities. The issue was highlighted during the Moni Plus Unified Football Competition 2026, held on September 5 and 12 at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby. Twenty-one teams from schools and inclusive education centres in Port Moresby and Central Province participated, bringing children with and without intellectual disabilities together through sport. Tuna said unified sports were important in building social connections and challenging stigma, while also providing opportunities for athletes to develop leadership skills and take on roles as coaches, officials and global messengers. Established in September 2012, SOPNG continues to operate with five casual staff and a network of volunteers supported by its board and management. For Tuna, the proposed school would provide the continuity currently missing from SOPNG’s programs and give children with intellectual disabilities a place to learn, develop their potential and prepare for a more inclusive future.
Round 3 Commanders Cup RUGBY UNION
Brothers Jonah Kautu Jr fires out a pass from a ruck against Harlequins in a recent clash. PICTURE BY JOHN PANGATANA determine the outcome. Brothers forwards in Barnabas Mundia, Leo Tikot Jr, Geti Raka, Mitch Jonah, Tau Jack, Batiah Nou and Gustave Aisi have the job ahead to make their presence felt. As the likes of Harlequins Caleb Nipal, Elizer Nalamau, Eddie Nipal, Jarret Embahe, Josh Tunian and Ephraim David will push them to the limit in what should be a major arm-wrestle to dominate. While in the backs, the Brothers midfield with Yunni Patrck, Kunak Late, Wesley Vali and Japhet Bejigi will have their hands full with handling the likes of Philip Singoina,
Perial Petakin, Walter Volu, Clyde Lome and Getame Dogono, in what should be an interesting battle to dominate. The winner will go on to play Valley Hunters in the grand final next weekend. Meanwhile, the A grade match-up between Defence and Kone Sharks will be another dicey tug of war that will provide for a tasty entrée, alongside the Niu Power Women’s Open tussle between the Moni Plus Novettes and Chemcare Juggerauts. On standby for the A grade grand final is Harlequins, while for the Open Women is Valley Hunters.
THE Force Support Battalion (FSB) Tigers and the Second Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (2RPIR) Muruks currently hold the lead in the Commander’s Cup tournament following the conclusion of round 3 on Wednesday. The Tigers produced a 27-12 win on home turf against the Air Transport Wing Eagles to see them hold the pole spot in Pool B. After impressive wins in their opening fixtures, the Muruks suffered a 3-12 loss to the Igam Crocs but remain on top of Pool A. Igam, who have only played two matches in the tournament, have a chance to overtake the Muruks today as they prepare for their
third fixture. 1RPIR remain hot on the heels of the Tigers in Pool B after a 15-9 win over the HQ Chiefs and will be favourites in the fourth round of matches today at the Murray Barracks Rugby Field. The Long Range Reconnaissance Unit (LRRU) have also flown under the radar in the Cup with two wins and zero losses under their belt and will be pushing for semi-final spot after Wednesday’s gutsy 17-15 win over the Goldie Warriors. The final of matches will be held on Monday with the top-two sides from the two pools advancing to the semi-finals next Thursday. The grand final will be held on Sunday, October 4, at the Murray Barracks Rugby Field.
Amesii, tribes set for crucial clash with grand final spot on line
BASKETBALL BY JACK AMI
IT is now or never for CIVPAC Amesii and Tribes Coffee when they face off in the PNG LNG ExxonMobil Port Moresby Elite Basketball men’s preliminary final at Sir John Guise Indoor Complex on Sunday. In the women’s preliminary final, Tribes Coffee will take on Kondo East. The men’s winner will book a grand final spot against Southern Sailors, while the women’s winner
will meet Amesii in the grand final next Sunday. Reigning men’s champions Amesii will be determined to deny Tribes and secure another grand final appearance in what promises to be a close contest. Amesii will look to scoring threats Moses Lune, Harold Elavo Jr and Enoch Raka to lead their attack. Tribes will rely on Cornelius Muri, brothers Collin and Allen Pine, and Emmanuel Parapa to provide the points. The Tribes defence will have to
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
keep a close watch on Lune, who can cause problems if given space to shoot. Defence is expected to be important for both teams, particularly in restricting easy baskets around the backboards. In the women’s preliminary final, Kondo East will be led by Lydia Gotuno and Elina Yala, while Tribes will look to Cynthia Baia, Margaret Kevin and captain Jonitha Warabe. Both teams have players capable of producing points, making defence another key factor in deciding who advances to the grand final.
Action between the LRRU Troopers and Goldie Warriors during Round 3 of the Commander's Cup on Wednesday. PICTURE BY PNG DEFENCE FORCE MEDIA
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ECHOES EECHOS EC CHOS OF OOF F EEXCELLENCE EX XCELLENCE
Alotau RL gets boost
SPORT AS AN INDUSTRY Sport in the modern world is no longer merely a recreational activity or contest for medals and trophies. It is a major international industry involving broadcasting, advertising, sponsorship, tourism, technology, merchandising, employment and national branding. Papua New Guinea’s national sporting federations and media organisations particularly the Post-Courier must better understand this commercial and business dimension. The international governing bodies FIFA (soccer) and FIBA (basketball), two global sporting bodies, provide valuable models. They demonstrate that a sporting organisation must do more then organise competitions and select national teams. It must professionally manage its brand events, media rights, sponsorships arrangements, digital platforms, statistics, historical records and relationships with supporters. FIFA’s commercial strength is largely built around the value of its competitions. In 2024, FIFA reported revenue of US$483 million with marketing rights accounting for 63 per cent, licensing rights 10 per cent and television broadcasting rights 8 per cent. Across FIFA’s 2023-2026 budget, broadcasting and marketing rights were expected to provide about 75 per cent of projected revenue, with hospitality and ticket sales providing much of the remainder. FIBA follows a similar business model on a smaller scale. Its 2024 financial statements recorded commercial revenue of CHF47.2 million (Swiss Francs) equivalent to US$ 58.71 million, derived mainly from media and sponsorship rights. FIBA also invests commercial income in competitions, national federations, player insurance, administration and basketball development. The lesson is clear: the playing of sports creates an event, but professional management, promotion and media coverage create its wider commercial value. PNG national federations must therefore regard every competition as a potential business product. A well-organised championship can attract corporate sponsorship, advertising and ticket sales, livestreaming, merchandise, and hospitality. Players profiles, statistics, photographs, historical records and community programs can also become valuable promotional content. However, businesses will not invest confidently in sporting organisations that lack proper governance, audited accounts, event calendars, sponsorship policies, media officers and reliable reporting. Post-Courier also has an important role. It should not regard sport only as several pages reporting scores and results. Sport can become a major media-business division producing print supplements, digital subscriptions, podcasts, video interviews, tournament previews, historical features and sponsored community campaigns. National federations should provide the newspaper with accurate fixtures, results, photographs, statistics, athlete biographies and development stories. In return, the media can provide exposure that increases public interest and strengthens the value offered to sponsors. This relationship must remain professional. Editorial independence should never be surrendered to commercial sponsors, while federations must respect broad photography and intellectual property rights. Written partnership agreement clearly identify what party contributes and receives. PNG may not presently command the enormous audiences of FIFA or FIBA, but the commercial principles remain relevant. Team PNG, national championships, school competitions, women’s sport, para-sport and traditional sporting rivalries all contain valuable stories and audiences. The future requires a change in thinking. Federations must stop seeing sponsorship simply as donations, while media organisations must stop treating sport merely as entertainment. Sport is an industry. Properly governed, documented and promoted, it can generate employment, revenue, national pride and sustainable development. FIFA and FIBA have shown that commercial success begins when sport understands its product and media understand its audience. PNG must now learn the same lesson. Better leadership, better governance, better sport
BY JACK AMI ALOTAU MP Ricky Morris has allocated K20,000 to help stage the Alotau Rugby League grand finals at Alice Wedega Park on Saturday. The funding will support the first grand finals since the Alotau competition affiliated with the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League and resumed competition this season. Morris, in presenting the funding,
thanked the PNGRFL for recognising the Alotau Rugby League board and administration and supporting the revival of the competition. He said the return of rugby league had generated strong interest among youths in Alotau after the competition had been inactive for about 10 years. Morris urged businesses in the province to support sporting codes, particularly programmes involving young people. He also called on clubs and players
to put aside their differences and become involved in sports development programmes. Morris said he was also looking at supporting the development of a better rugby league stadium in Alotau. The grand final will see Spiders take on NGC Magpies for the Alotau MP Ricky Morris Cup in the A Grade competition, while the two clubs will also meet in the Under-20 final.
The Alotau Rugby League executives being presented with the K20,000 cheque. PICTURE SUPPLIED
Pala reflects on coaching course after successful campaign CRICKET GARAMUTS head coach Kila Pala has reflected on his recent International Cricket Council (ICC) Level 3 Coaching Course in Malaysia after returning to Papua New Guinea and leading the Under-19 Garamuts to qualification for the ICC East Asia Pacific (EAP) Division 1 competition. Pala travelled to Kuala Lumpur on August 16 to attend the intensive one-week course, joining coaches from different countries. After completing the in-course component, Pala returned to PNG and continued his work with the U19 Garamuts, who travelled to Vanuatu on September 5 for the ICC EAP Division 2 Qualifier. The Garamuts secured qualification to Division 1 after defeating Samoa in the final on September 12. The close timing of the two commitments allowed Pala to immediately apply lessons from the international coaching programme while working with PNG's next generation of players. “The biggest takeout from the course for me was the players at the centre of focus,” Pala said. He said the course also challenged coaches to reconsider their role by creating situations that allow players to develop their own solutions. “Coaches are the problem setters, players are the problem solvers.” “Reflection of self and everything involved in and around a High-Performance setup were also big takeouts for me,” he added. Pala said the course was valuable because of the experience among the participants, which included former national coaches from top-tier cricket nations, two former
Garamuts Coach Kila Pala. PICTURE SUPPLIED Pakistan internationals and a current Afghanistan Test player. “We had a wealth of experience in the room and it was nice to cohort with all of them,” he said. “It was a very informative week and hopefully I can pass on what I learnt to the players.” Although the in-course component has been completed, Pala still has a 12-week postcourse project to complete as part of the ICC Level 3 programme. Participants have been placed into groups and allocated a Master Tutor to guide them through the final project.
“The first two parts of the course are done, and now I’m on the last leg, which is the post-course project,” Pala said. Pala thanked the Cricket PNG Board and management for giving him the opportunity to undertake the international coaching programme. He also acknowledged Cricket PNG's sponsors and staff, particularly those in the High Performance programme, for their continued support. “To the Cricket PNG staff, especially High Performance, thank you for your continuous support and trust in me,” he said.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
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Grand final spots Voro shortlisted up for grabs Halfback nominated for Championship onship n hpp player ayy r o off tthe he yyear arr RUGBY LEAGUE
Preliminary finals to take centre stage this weekend NRL THE NRL preliminary finals are set for two big clashes this weekend, with the Dolphins facing the Sydney Roosters and the Newcastle Knights taking on the Penrith Panthers for places in the grand final. The Dolphins will have a big home crowd behind them at Suncorp Stadium on tonight as they chase a grand final spot in just their fourth season in the NRL. Standing in their way are the Roosters, who are playing in their 13th finals series in the past 14 seasons and chasing their 16th premiership. The two clubs met in the Dolphins’ first NRL match at Suncorp Stadium in 2023, with the Dolphins winning 28-18 in front of about 32,000 fans. Another big crowd is expected on Friday as Kristian Woolf’s Dolphins look to get past the experienced Roosters. The Roosters last won the premiership in 2019, beating Canberra 14-8 in the grand final. Captain James Tedesco remains an important player for the Roosters after a strong performance in their win over Cronulla last weekend. Angus Crichton also returns to the side after playing 30 minutes in his comeback from a foot injury. The Dolphins have Felise Kaufusi named on the interchange bench for his first NRL game since Round 25. The experienced forward is a two-time premiership winner with Melbourne Storm. Prop Tom Flegler has also been cleared to play after completing the concussion protocols following a failed HIA against the Warriors. The Roosters receive a major boost with halfback Sam Walker ame me m med e to return just 24 days after named
suffering a syndesmosis injury and undergoing surgery. Daly Cherry-Evans moves back to five-eighth, while Hugo Savala goes to the bench. In the other preliminary final on Sunday, Newcastle will face Penrith with both teams chasing a place in the grand final. The Knights have reached their first preliminary final since 2013 after finishing seventh in the regular season and beating South Sydney and the Warriors. After finishing with the wooden spoon in 2025, Newcastle has produced a strong turnaround and is now one win away from a grand final appearance. Their challenge is Penrith, who have reached five grand finals in the past six seasons and will enter the match after a week’s rest. The Panthers are also looking to make up for last season’s preliminary final loss to Brisbane. Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo and Dylan Edwards will again be key players for Penrith as they look to return to the grand final. The Knights and Panthers have met 60 times since Newcastle entered the competition in 1988, but Sunday’s match will be their first finals meeting. Cleary has been named despite suffering a foot injury in Penrith’s win over the Roosters in the qualifying final. Jack Cogger returns from suspension and has been added to the bench, while Isaah Yeo returns to the starting side. The Knights will go into the match with the same 19-man squad that beat the Warriors at Eden Park. Back-rower Dylan Lucas is also expected to receive more game time from the bench after making his return from a fractured ankle last weekend. The two winners will meet in the NRL grand final.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
PNG Kumul and London Broncos halfback Gairo Voro has been shortlisted for the 2026 Championship player of the year award following a breakout season in the English second-tier competition. Voro has finished the regular Championship season as the club’s joint top try-scorer with 28 tries. The man from Viriolo has also been the Broncos’ leading try-scorer across all competitions this season, crossing for 35 tries. A three-man shortlist has been made to crown the 2026 Championship Player of the Year. The winner will be revealed at next week’s Rugby League Awards night in Manchester. The nominees are Josh Drinkwater (Oldham RLFC), Connor Robinson (Doncaster RLFC), and Gairo Voro (London Broncos). They were selected following a poll from all 20 head coaches in the competition. Joining Oldham in 2025, Drinkwater has played a key role in the side’s play-off push, with the Greater Manchester outfit impressing once again this year. As reported by All Out Rugby League last month, the half-back is set to join Hull FC as a coach next season. Robinson set a new rugby league record for successive goal kicks earlier this month. In fact, he has smashed the previous record at 41, which now stands at 58 after his kicks against Barrow. London boss and Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou told Post-Courier recently that Voro’s rise in the Championship came after an impressive off-season with the PNG Kumuls in the 2025 Pacific Championship. The former Hunter was selected alongside five other PNG-based players to rebuild the Broncos under Demetriou. “We’re seeing that confidence in his performances as well, and it’s really helping his development,” Demetriou said. “It took Gairo a little while to settle in and feel comfortable being a leader as a half in a team that isn’t made up of Papua New Guinea players. “He’s learning how to create opportunities for other players and bring the team into the game. The growth we’ve seen from him over the last few months has been awesome to watch.”
London Broncos and PNG Kumuls five-eight Gairo Voro.
Local talent to feature under FROM BACK PAGE Recent editions of the annual exhibition match have seen mostly Queensland Cup, NRL and Super League players considered but the focus will now be on the homegrown talent that will headline the PNG squad. Former Kumul Albert, who is in his first season as head coach of the Port Moresby Vipers, will coach the Prime Minister’s XIII men for the first time. Albert said representing PNG was an important opportunity for the selected players. “Congratulations to all the players selected in the Prime Minister’s XIII men’s squad,” Albert said. “To earn a place in this team is a great achievement, and I want the players to take confidence from the opportunity while understanding the responsibility that comes with representing PNG. “We have a strong group of play-
ers with a good mix of experience and emerging talent, and I’m looking forward to seeing them come together and give their very best against Australia.” The PNG Rugby Football League has also named the Prime Minister’s XIII women’s team, which will be coached by Central Dabaris premiership-winning coach Cathy Neap. Neap guided the Gas Resources Central Dabaris to back-to-back Santos Cup premierships in 2025 and 2026 and has coached the club since the competition was introduced in 2024. The women’s squad features players from the Santos Cup and overseas competitions, including the ACT Brumbies, Brisbane Tigers, South Sydney, Northern Pride and Penrith Panthers. Neap said playing in front of a home crowd would be an important occasion for the players. “I would like to congratulate every
player selected in the Prime Minister’s XIII Women’s squad,” Neap said. “Each of these players has worked hard to reach this level, and now they have a wonderful opportunity to represent Papua New Guinea in front of their home supporters. “I want the girls to believe in themselves, play for one another and show the commitment and determination they have demonstrated throughout their careers.” PRIME MINISTER’S XIII MEN – 20-PLAYER SQUAD 1. Sanny Wabo – SP Hunters 2. Chris Benjamin – ENB Gurias 3.Stanford Talita – Clydesdales 4. Jayden Numapo – Kandes RLC 5. Bruce Bawase – PNG Hunters 6. Victor Ario – Mendi Muruks 7. Francis Sam – Mendi Muruks 8. Koso Bandi – PNG Hunters 9. Stanza Tandoa – Kandes RLC 10. Sylvester Namo – PNG Hunters 11. Murray Connors – Hunters
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Junior Kumuls, Orchids named for PM’s 13 Action between the Australian School Boys team and the Junior Kumuls in Port Moresby last year. PICTURE SUPPLIED
THE T TH HE Papua P pu Pa pua New pua N Guinea Rugby F ottball Fo ball League ba Lea a Football has named the Juniior Kumuls Ku Junior and Junior se Orchids select sides for their respective clashes against Australia in the 2026 Prime Minister’s XIII at Santos NaFo tional Football Stadium on Saturday Saturday, October 3. PNGRF PNGRFL chief executive officer S Stanley Hondina said the matches matc would give the young p players an important opportu opportunity to experience represe representative football and test th themselves against Austra Australia. “The Prime Minister’s XIII is an important opportun portunity for our young player players to experience represent resentative football and test tthemselves against Austral Australia,” Hondina said. “We have invested inv in our national youth competiti competition over the last couple of years and tthis is the testament of the return tha that has been yielded. “We have been c close to a good match in the last two sea seasons, and I believe this year will be m more exciting.” Hondina said the p programme was also part of the PNGRFL’s PNGRFL vision of developing players both on and off the field.
“Through this initiative, we are delivering on our vision of ‘Better People, Better Sport, Better Nation’ both on and off the field,” he said. “Congratulations to all the players selected in the Junior Kumuls and Junior Orchids, as well as their coaches and support staff. “This can be your pathway – look at some players who’ve played on with these jerseys 12 months ago. You can be the next one.” The Junior Kumuls will be coached by PNGRFL Academy and Pathways Manager Joe Grima, who has been closely involved in developing structured pathways for young players across the country. Grima has previously coached the Junior Kumuls and continues to play a key role in the development of young PNG players. “Being selected in the Junior Kumuls is an important step for these young players and a reward for the work they have put into their development,” Grima said. “Our role is to give them the right environment to develop, compete and understand what is required to progress through the pathway. We have players coming through different parts of the system, including the Academy, National Youth Competition and domestic competitions, as well as players gaining experience overseas.” The Junior Orchids will be coached by Godfrey Luke, who guided the Moni Plus NCDC Port Moresby Vipers Under-19 side to the 2026 National Youth Competition grand
rookie coach Albert 12.Jacob Taulani – Newcastle 13. Ila Alu – PNG Hunters 14. Emmanuel Alfred – Gurias 15. Xavier Turi – Hela Wigmen 16. Jordan Pat – Mt Hagen Eagles 17. Modekai Waim – Enga Mioks 18. Dou Tapako – Mendi Muruks 19. Lote Kuman – Hela Wigmen 20. Jeremiah Ben – POM Vipers
PRIME MINISTER’S XIII WOMEN – 20-PLAYER SQUAD 1. Alice Alois – Port Moresby Vipers 2. Anika Butler – Maitland Pickers 3. Belinda Gwasamun – Mt Hagen Eagles 4. Cynthia Peters – ENB Gurias 5. Doreen William – Lae Tigers 6. Gemma Schnaubelt – Clydesdales 7. Gian Kaupa – Lae Tigers 8. Jafinda Sap – Central Dabaris 9. Ivania Wong – ACT Brumbies 10. Jacinta Gerry – Mt Hagen Eagles 11. Jenny David – Brisbane Tigers 12. Josephine Howard – Central Dabaris 13. Joyce Hobert – Port Moresby Vipers 14. Lila Malabag – Port Moresby Vipers 15. Mala Mark – Central Dabaris
final, where they finished runners-up to Gas Resources Central Dabaris. This will be Luke’s second consecutive year in the role. The Junior Orchids squad includes players from the Vipers, Mt Hagen Eagles, Goroka Lahanis, ENB Gurias, Central Dabaris, Northern Pride, Pine Central Hornets and overseas competitions. “This is a great opportunity for these young players to represent Papua New Guinea and test themselves against Australia,” Luke said. “Many of these players are coming through our domestic competitions and development pathways, while others are gaining experience overseas. “Bringing them together is an important part of their development. “Playing Australia gives this group an important benchmark and an opportunity to learn from the experience. “Most importantly, we want them to enjoy the occasion, represent PNG with pride and continue building towards the next level of their careers.” The Junior Kumuls and Junior Orchids will now prepare for their respective matches against Australia on October 3. JUNIOR KUMULS – 18-PLAYER SQUAD 1. Araga Eresi – Port Moresby Vipers 2. Ellyjeh Brive – Panthers 3. Geordan Amaiu – Raiders 4. Gibson Karini – Central Dabaris
5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.
Issac Puan – Mt Hagen Eagles Jack Gasey – Goroka Lahanis James Ken – Port Moresby Vipers Jason Daniel – Mt Hagen Eagles Joseph Martin – Kandes Manase Watt – Port Moresby Vipers Manua Dau – Cowboys Manuel John – Mt Hagen Eagles Nathaniel Apa – Mt Hagen Eagles Otto Thomas – Goroka Lahanis Philape Miale – Kandes Remexson Jocky – Port Moresby Vipers Tai Kapaith – Mabel Park State High School Taufa Taulani – Dolphins
JUNIOR ORCHIDS – 18-PLAYER SQUAD 1. Angela Nane – Northern Pride 2. Bridgit Movoa – Central Dabaris 3. Christine Raim – Port Moresby Vipers 4. Daniella Max – Mt Hagen Eagles 5. Georgina Michael – Port Moresby Vipers 6. Jafita Ropra – Goroka Lahanis 7. Janique Mili – Pine Central Hornets 8. Jarishama Fonataba – ENB Gurias 9. Kala Kup – Mt Hagen Eagles 10. Linda Daure – Central Dabaris 11. Lucy Kodana – Central Dabaris 12. Martha Wal – Mt Hagen Eagles 13. Meriso Jomino – Goroka Lahanis 14. Miharna Artango – Northern Pride 15. Miriam Ekinye – Port Moresby Vipers 16. Miriam Sailas – Port Moresby Vipers 17. Sheteyah Han – Wynnum Manly Seagulls 18. Ukeray Sabumei – Goroka Lahanis
Last year’s PM’s 13 squad. PICTURE SUPPLIED
16. Ruth Gende – Port Moresby Vipers 17. Sareka Mooka – Northern Pride 18. Ua Ravu – South Sydney 19. Sherinda Philip – Central Dabaris 20. Mya Muller – Penrith Panthers
Wellington Albert.
Post Courier, Friday, September 25, 2026
ENB Gurias winger and try-scoring sensation Chris Benjamin is among the 12 Digicel ExxonMobil Cup players selected for the PNG Prime Minister’s XIII squad. PICTURE: FIDELIS WASARI
PROVE YOURSELVES
Local talent to rub shoulders with the might of Australia
RUGBY LEAGUE TWELVE of the 20 players selected in Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister’s XIII men’s squad come from the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup, giving the country’s domestic players a major opportunity to test themselves against Australia next month. The 2026 Prime Minister’s XIII squad announced on Wednesday is heavily represented by players from the national competition, with coach Wellington Albert putting his faith in local talent for the annual clash at Santos National Football Stadium on Saturday, October 3. CONTINUE ON PAGE 54
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HARLIES, BROTHERS OTHERS OT O TTHER HER ERS RS TO BATTLE ITT OUT
VORO SHORTLISTED FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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