PNG to seek damages on UBS loan deal
PORT MORESBY — An investigation will be conducted into the “main players” in the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) K3 billion (US$1.3 billion) loan deal, says Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape. He said
PNG
Qantas and Travel Air to resume service in PNG
PORT MORESBY — Qantas has put Papua New Guinea (PNG) back on its international route, with services between Brisbane and Port Moresby restarting on Friday after more than two years due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Fiji, PNG writers shortlisted for short story prize
Fijian and Papua New Guinean writers have been shortlisted for the prestigious 2022 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Mary Rokodravu, who won the 2015 Pacific prize, has been shortlisted for her work ‘The
ATH launches new PNG broadband telecommunications network
Vodafone PNG is now live following the rollout of its 4G+ mobile broadband network. Fiji’s Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Limited (ATH) and Vodafone Fiji were the primary investors in the new network construction
Time for UBS to come clean on PNG loan
Swiss investment bank, UBS, needs to lift the transparency around how the sovereign lending sausage it sold to the PNG government was made, and what it earned from making it. UBS can respond in one of two ways to the
PNG K3billion UBS loan report released
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says those implicated in the controversial K3 billion UBS loan will be criminally
Digicel considering legal options after Papua New Guinea tax
Digicel is considering an appeal against a “sudden, bizarre and unprecedented” new tax announced by the Papua New Guinea
$5m for PNG PM’s one-day state visit to Jakarta
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape this week leads a 71-member delegation to Jakarta, Indonesia today in what could be his last state visit. Marape and his large delegation will spend 24-hours in Indonesia, in
Additional COVID funding postpones aid cuts
Faced with the prospect of another cut to aid while the COVID-19 pandemic continues – and in some ways intensifies in our region – the government has again reached for the “temporary and targeted” lever to avoid
Women MPs should be the norm, not a novelty: Bale
The absence of any women in the Papua New Guinea parliament is a matter of deep national shame, says candidate, Tania
Cobb seeks ‘Freedom’
Chris Cobb’s song Freedom is inspired by two tragedies, the ongoing human rights abuses of the indigenous people of West Papua, and the sinking of the MV Rabaul
Fiji outclassed, PNG victory at FIFA Oceania qualifiers
Fiji outclassed by strong New Zealand side After a 2 – 1 win over New Caledonia in the first round, Fiji has suffered a devastating 4 – 0 loss to New Zealand in their second outing at the FIFA Oceania qualifying
The Lazy Little Frog
A new children's book from Papua New Guinea unfolds through the eyes of a little green tree
44 parties to nominate candidates for PNG elections
Papua New Guinea Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission has confirmed that only 44 parties will field candidates in the elections. Registrar Dr Alphonse Gelu said the commission had de-registered 10
Australia asked to allow PNG athletes in to train
PNG Weightlifting Federation in conjunction with the PNG Olympic Committee (PNGOC) has written to the Australian Government requesting for its athletes to be allowed into Australia to train and prepare for the 2022
PacTow ‘Workhorse’ Back in the Water
Pacific Towing (PacTow) is celebrating the return of its tug ‘Waiowa’ to the water. One of PacTow’s 12 tugs, Waiowa is back at work following an engine replacement. Predominantly used for open ocean
PNG election polling date moved to accomodate threat of COVID-19 surge: Sinai
The PNG election polling date has been moved forward to 18 June from 25 June, Papua New Guinea Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai has announced. Sinai said this cut the campaign period to 52 days from 28 April to 18
‘New Dedicated Harbour Tug for PacTow’
Pacific Towing (PacTow) has expanded its fleet with the purchase of a dedicated harbour tug ‘Koranga’ from Singapore. Koranga is scheduled to arrive in Lae in March where she will be permanently stationed to better
Pacific corruption scores continue to stagnate: Urgent action required
Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index adds Fiji as a fourth Pacific nation, as stagnation demonstrates the critical importance of corruption reform in the region to secure basic rights and freedoms.
Low vax rates threaten PNG economy
By Kevin McQuillan COVID-19 will remain a threat to the Papua New Guinea economy throughout 2022, due to the low rate of vaccination and poor health infrastructure, compounded by a lacklustre foreign investment climate.
Political leadership in PNG: women parliamentarians in the 2017 election
The three women parliamentarians who were elected in the 2012 Papua New Guinea (PNG) election failed to win re-election in the 2017 general election. Their electoral defeats only deepen the concern for gender
Five-year timeline to vaccinate
By Kevin McQuillan New modelling has revealed that Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea will have vaccinated less than 20% of their adult populations by the end of this year and it could take five years to
Refugee processing in PNG to end
Australia and Papua New Guinea have announced the closure of Canberra’s offshore refugee processing program by the end of this year, leaving responsibility for the remaining asylum seekers and refugees to Port
