PNG TODAY NEWS

  March 25, 2022 Sports By MICHAEL PHILIP PORT Moresby Vipers Academy coach Godfrey Luke says prop Thomas Mek and hooker Max Tonia continue to impress in their development as young rugby league players. The pair were instrumental in the Moni Plus-sponsored Vipers’ 16-12 win over Moresby South Blacks in the inaugural Southern upper League National Gaming Control Board Cup grand final earlier this month. The side also claimed the minor premiership in an impressive campaign that saw them finish the season unbeaten in the country’s second-tier rugby league competition. “Both players are still young,” Luke told  The National. “Tonia and Mek turn 19 and 20 respectively this year. “Physically, they are like David and Goliath. “They are performing well, despite this being their first time in our development squad. “Their attitude towards training and matches has been great.” Luke said the pair deserved a call-up to the first-grade squad as they had shown maturity beyond their years. “...

  March 25, 2022 Sports By PARKER TAMBUA CENTRAL Queensland Capras’ Papua New Guinean players say they are prepared to face their countrymen, the SP Hunters, at Browne Park in Rockhampton tomorrow (3.50pm kick-off). Capra McKenzie Yei told  The National  yesterday that he and fellow Papua New Guineans Nixon Putt, Zev John and Jedidiah Simbiken were aware of the South Pacific Brewery-sponsored visitors’ capabilities. But the bench forward said they were confident of registering their second win of the Hostplus season following their round-one win over Souths Logan Magpies last weekend. “Zev, Nixon, Jedidiah and I are looking forward to the challenge,” former Hunter Yei said. “There will be no pressure as we will take this game as another Hostplus Cup match. “We know the Hunters’ style of the game, they are always physical, and run and tackle hard. “But we will be playing our own style and I am confident that it will be an even contest. “We are taking it one game at a time....

  March 25, 2022 Sports SP Hunters squad members training on the Gold Coast. – hunterspic By PARKER TAMBUA COACH Matthew Church has dropped Benji Kot with Emmanuel Waine promoted to the second-row for the SP Hunters’ round-two Hostplus Cup clash with Central Queensland Capras tomorrow (3.50pm kick-off). He told  The National  yesterday that the former Kimbe Cutter needed some improvement in his game. Church has retained the majority of his South Pacific Brewery-sponsored line-up from their opening-round win over Mackay Cutters last weekend. “Kot has a few things we need him to work on with his game,” Church said of the forward. “He (Kot) is not injured, he is right to play, but Waine returns to our line up in his place.” Kot got sin-binned in the 35th minute last week which placed his side under pressure for the next 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the Australian said co-captain Ila Alu would not be available for some time after he underwent surgery on a fractured collar bone whic...

 Moresby Northwest MP Lohia Boe Samuel who is facing murder charges was granted bail by the Waigani National Court this afternoon.   Presiding Judge Justice Teresa Berrigan awarded bail based on new information presented to court by lawyer Edward Sasingian of Sasingian Lawyers assisting Samuel in the case. The court found that there was change of circumstances in the police information based on the statement of co-accused Fabian Hera and that promptedthe court to allow bail. Hera initially remained silent during police interviews but later gave his statement to police. The court ordered Samuel to pay K10 000 bail and K2000 each from his two gurrantors.  Samuel was charged for the alleged shooting to death of one of his associates in a restaurant in Port Moresby few weeks ago. His co-accused Hera was granted K7000 bail earlier.  Samuel is expected to be released from Boroko Police custody this evening upon payment of the bail fees impose by the court.

  March 21, 2022 Sports By ROBINSON LEKA PORT Moresby Vipers proved too strong for a visiting Kerowagi Coffee Cup side with a 28-0 thumping in Saturday’s trial match at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby. It was a full-strength Vipers outfit with marquee players Ase Boas, Stargroth Amean and Brendan Gotuno setting the tempo for the Moni Plus-sponsored side to post five unanswered tries. Kerowagi, under skipper Kasi Gabriel, showed promise in their defence early in the match with forwards Peter Taia and David Kora repelling the Vipers’ attack. Poor discipline by the visitors saw the Vipers get repeat sets inside their red zone with five-eighth Simon Arana crossing over for the first try of the match 20 minutes in. Quick hands by Vipers rake Presley Soto saw Gotuno finish off on the right edge for their second try while fullback Manu Soli added a third for the Vipers to lead 16-0 at halftime. Kerowagi found some relief in the second-half with skipper Gabriel producing some strong...

  March 21, 2022 Sports THE Hunters kicked off their Hostplus Cup season with a 16-10 win over hosts Mackay Cutters at BB Print Stadium on Saturday. Youngster Judah Rimbu bagged half of the Hunters’ points, thanks to two successful conversions and as many penalty goals. The Hunters enjoyed an excellent start, getting through their opening set before strong contact in defence forced the Cutters into an error with their first possession. Starting props Casey Dickson and Sylvester Namo consistently bent the line with their carries and Mackay had no answer. Edge back-rower Benji Kot came close to crashing over the line after collecting a late offload before the Hunters forced yet another error in Mackay’s half. From the attacking scrum, right-centre Roderick Tai summed things up smartly to put Solo Wane over in the corner for the opening try. Dilbert Isaac was next to score for the Hunters, crashing over under the posts, courtesy of a lovely pass from Wesser Tenza at dummy-half. The Cu...

  March 21, 2022 Main Stories PRIME Minister James Marape wants the Usino-Bundi rural folk to also use their new sports complex to promote agriculture, Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and second-chance education. “This stadium must not only be a place to play rugby, soccer or basketball,” he said. “I want our young sportsmen and women to link themselves to second-chance education, cocoa and vanilla.” Marape said the World Bank’s latest economic update highlighted the importance of agriculture to grow Papua New Guinea (PNG)’s economy. “More importantly, land is in the hands of people,” he said. “If this land is used, and the Government focuses on agriculture, all citizens will enjoy a higher standard of living. “People will pay tax, people will pay for goods and services and the country will grow and grow. “Our future looks bright but it all depends on today’s generation going back to (toil their) land,” he added. Marape said the Government was not only talking but putting money int...

  March 21, 2022 Main Stories PRIME Minister James Marape has announced a slew of road contracts totalling K1.4 billion. It includes a K159 million contract for the Ramu Highway in Madang and K43 million to extend the North Coast Road from Bogia to Awar. He made the announcement in front of hundreds of people in Usino-Bundi’s Walium Station on Thursday when presenting K5 million to Madang Governor Peter Yama for the construction of the Banu-Bundi Road that will eventually link up to Chimbu’s Gembogl. The Ramu Highway is among the new road contracts in Papua New Guinea under the Government’s “Connect PNG” programme which has to date disbursed about K1 billion in two years. The contracts awarded are: K159 million for the Ramu-Madang stretch of the Ramu Highway in Madang; K147.5 million for the first stretch of the Wewak-Vanimo Highway up to Aitape; K115.9 million for the Momote Airport-West Coast Road in Manus; K164 million for upgrade of Imulima Bridge-Moreguina stretch of Magi High...

  March 21, 2022 Main Stories DEFENCE Minister Win Daki says K100 million has been given to the defence force by the Prime Minister’s Department to facilitate soldiers in their security operations during the General Election. He announced this when he visited soldiers at Taurama Barracks during their pre-deployment training for the election last week. “The first funding of K50 million is available for the pre-deployment training and the next half shall be paid into the account next month for the election security operation,” he said “Our soldiers have been training very hard during the past weeks and they are ready for their deployment to various parts of the country for election operations.” Daki said if the Defence Department provided strategic guidance and financial administration support to the soldiers, they would be dedicated to their work. “The soldiers can perform to the best of their ability in terms of providing security to this nation if they are well paid and all of the...

  March 21, 2022 Main Stories THE definition of fully vaccinated has been changed to remove the requirement of a booster and the timeframe of being vaccinated within six months, according to Coronavirus (Covid-19) National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning. Manning, who is also the Police Commissioner, highlighted this key change when issuing new measures which come into effect today (Monday). He said a person is considered fully vaccinated if they have received: A SINGLE dose vaccine; A SECOND dose of an accepted two-dose vaccination as listed in Schedule 2; and, RECEIVED two doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted Covid-19 vaccines. The other key measure Manning said was that no person, except citizens or permanent residents, were permitted to board an aircraft, vessel or vehicle bound for Papua New Guinea or otherwise enter Papua New Guinea, unless they have been fully vaccinated against the Covid-19. Manning said that no person was permitted to board an ai...

  March 21, 2022 Main Stories THE casket bearing the remains of Minister for Commerce and Industry and Goilala MP William Samb will lie in state at Parliament House on Thursday, according to Clerk of Parliament Kala Aufa. He said in a statement that MPs could convey their condolences in Parliament at the time. Aufa said that the casket would depart Parliament after midday for the Central Administration Office at Konedobu for officers there to pay their respects. According to the statement from Parliament House, Samb was born in Kambise village, Vetapu, Goilala in Central on Oct 25, 1973. He completed grade one to six at Kambise Community School then grades 7 to 10 at Tapini High and grades 11 and 12 at Sogeri National High. Samb graduated with Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Papua New Guinea University of Technology in 1995 and worked with a number of companies before completing a Masters in Project Management from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia in 2012. He...

  March 21, 2022 Main Stories Robert Jerry, Samuel’s campaign coordinator By BEVERLY PETER and SCHOLAR KASSAS WHILE Moresby North-West MP Lohia Boe Samuel was denied bail by the National Court for murder, his co-accused and protocol officer Fabian Hera (also known as Fabian Hera Taunakekei) was freed on K5,000 bail on the same charge. And police have alleged that Samuel shot his campaign coordinator Robert Jerry, 38, following a disagreement at a dinner discussion on March 11. According to the police summary of facts tendered in court, Samuel and Fabian were having dinner in a restaurant in Waigani at about 8pm. While discussing some issues, a disagreement must have arisen and Samuel allegedly drew his licensed firearm, loaded with five rounds of ammunition, and shot Jerry on the right side of his neck under his ear. The bullet exited Jerry’s back close to the left, killing the father of seven almost instantly. Samuel allegedly put the weapon on a seat, stood up, banged the table a...

  March 21, 2022 Main Stories MORESBY North-West MP Lohia Boe Samuel’s protocol officer Fabian Hera, 26, (also known as Fabian Hera Taunakekei) who was charged with murder was released on K5,000 bail on Friday. Judge Teresa Berrigan also imposed the posting of K1,000 bail for Fabian’s guarantors. Judge Berrigan said it was unclear what was meant by the state submission and the arresting officers’ statement on bail refusal. “The State opposes bail submitting that the police were not punishing the applicant for not cooperating in the record of interview and the statement by co-accused Samuel: ‘Fabian, Fabian, why did you do that, why?’ suggests Fabian could have discharged the firearm. “In any event, he was present at the time. “The investigating officer opposes bail because the offence involved the use of an offensive weapon and he charged the applicant alongside Samuel because he was the only person close to the deceased (Robert Jerry) when he was shot,” she added. Judge Berrigan s...

Port Moresby North-West MP Lohia Boe Samuel was arrested and charged for Murder and locked up at Boroko Police Station cell today. Commander NCD/Central Assistance Commissioner Anthony Wagambi Junior said the MP was escorted to the NCD Homicide section and charge today under section 300 sub section (1) (b) (ii) of the PNG Criminal Code Act. The firearm is owned and licensed to the MP. Mr Wagambi said the investigators had to piece together information and evidence before effecting the arrest Today. Commander Wagambi said while we understand the emotions and public outcry through different forms of media, the constabulary has a constitutional duty to perform and must remain focus throughout the investigation. He stated that police investigators had to gather evidence and information to ensure that the right person is charged for discharging the firearm resulting in a death. The Member for Moresby North -West has been detained at Boroko Police Station cell and refused Police Bail. His...

  March 17, 2022 Main Stories David Manning By MIRIAM ZARRIGA POLICE Commissioner David Manning has confirmed that Moresby Northwest MP Lohia Boe Samuel was in the restaurant when the father of seven, Robert Jerry, was shot dead on Friday. “We have also established that the pistol that was used in the shooting belongs to Samuel,” he added. Manning said: “We are also alleging that he (Samuel) and his associates are responsible for the incident (shooting). “The police investigations will support the allegation and when we have sufficient evidence to corroborate our findings, he (Samuel) will be taken into police custody for his statement to be recorded.” “There is no cover up,” Manning said. “We are ensuring the evidence that we uncover strengthens the charges we are alleging that took place at that time. “I know people out there want us to act more swiftly, but we have a duty of care that the evidence we gather is watertight, regardless of how simple the offence can be investigat...

  March 17, 2022 Main Stories   By MIRIAM ZARRIGA POLICE Commissioner David Manning has confirmed that Moresby Northwest MP Lohia Boe Samuel was in the restaurant when the father of seven, Robert Jerry, was shot dead on Friday. “We have also established that the pistol that was used in the shooting belongs to Samuel,” he added. Manning said: “We are also alleging that he (Samuel) and his associates are responsible for the incident (shooting). “The police investigations will support the allegation and when we have sufficient evidence to corroborate our findings, he (Samuel) will be taken into police custody for his statement to be recorded.” “There is no cover up,” Manning said. “We are ensuring the evidence that we uncover strengthens the charges we are alleging that took place at that time. “I know people out there want us to act more swiftly, but we have a duty of care that the evidence we gather is watertight, regardless of how simple the offence can be investigated and arr...