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Douglas Tomuriesa, Pope Francis and James Marape

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  Opposition Leader Douglas Tomuriesa said he is disappointed and embarrassed over the way His Holiness Pope Francis was treated by Prime Minister James Marape over the last three-days during the Papal visit, and the lack of courtesy and respect shown by the Prime Minister. He said the Prime Minister continuously declares PNG as a ‘Christian country’ and prides himself on being a religious individual but he was surprised when the Pope was continuously snubbed by the PM over the weekend since the Pope’s arrival on Friday. “The Pope is the head of the Catholic church, the largest Christian church in the world and he is also a head of state. “PNG not only being a Christian country, but a country that prides itself as a ‘friend to all, enemy to none’, the PM should be according the Pope with the highest level of respect,” Tomuriesa said. The Opposition Leader pointed out that on Friday, the Prime Minister did not welcome the Pope at the airport, a tradition he had accorded to many other wo
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PMJM Supports UBS Loan in 2014 | Marape: Napu is misleading people

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June 6, 2014 webmaster National ,  Normal Source: The National, Friday 6th June 2014  FINANCE Minister James Marape said he was shocked to read suggestions made by lawyer John Napu against the K3 billion UBS loan. Napu said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch and Acting Treasury Secretary Dairi Vele could be in breach of the Leadership Code by defying instructions of the Ombudsman Commission not to allow loan repayments to go ahead.  Napu, who represented sacked Treasurer Don Polye in a dismissed USB loan case against the Government, said the best option for the three men and Papua New Guinea was to cancel the loan. Marape yesterday rubbished the suggestions. “I am shocked by the comments made by John Napu,” Marape said.  “He does not know what he is talking about when it comes to this deal with the Oil Search share.  “More importantly it is not a new loan, it has never been a new loan. It is simply replacing another loan.  “He should get it into his head that this
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Confirmed Election Dates for 2022 National General Election

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Seagulls thrilled to have pair

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  April 22, 2022 Sports By MICHAEL PHILIP REIGNING Hostplus Cup runners-up Wynnum Manly Seagulls say they are confident that Papua New Guinea pair Epel Kapinias and Stanford Talita will bolster their campaign this year. Coach Adam Brideson told  The National  that the inclusion of prop Kapinias and centre Talita had added more confidence to the eighth-placed side ahead of Sunday’s round-five clash with Souths Logan Magpies (3pm kick-off). “It’s a great feeling having them on board here with us,” he said. “Everyone here enjoys every session with them. “There have also been positive responses from the whole management. With the wealth of experience they have, we expect more from them and we will build upon what they know.” Following Kapinias’ two-try debut against Redcliffe Dolphins earlier this month, Brideson has confirmed that the former SP Hunter would start in the No.10 jersey at BMD Kougari Oval, Brisbane. “He has the ability, he earned the jersey,” he said. “We want to use him mor
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Team to look into findings

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  April 25, 2022 Main Stories By STAFF REPORTERS AN investigation will be conducted into the “main players” in the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) K3 billion loan deal, says Prime Minister James Marape. He said the Government would set up a team of investigators to also look into the UBS and Oil Search Limited. The team will include Transparency International. The investigation will focus on the K30 million-Commission of Inquiry into the UBS loan report which was tabled in and accepted by Parliament last week. Marape said the K30mil spent on the commission to collect evidence was “big money”. “I didn’t spend it for academic or a political exercise,” he said. “I had a view that it was illegal and not done correctly.” The team will study the commission’s findings and recommend “who to bring to court, police or leadership tribunal”. Marape is also considering taking the UBS to court plus the “consultants involved” in the loan deal. “We want to claim for damages,” he said. “To take to cour
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Hunters look to bounce back

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  April 8, 2022 Sports THE SP Hunters will target a return to the winners’ circle when they host Sunshine Coast Falcons in round four of the Hostplus Cup at Bycroft Oval on the Gold Coast tomorrow (3pm kick-off). The South Pacific Brewery-sponsored Hunters have made a fair start to the season, winning their opening game before losing tight contests over the last two weekends. In both losses, the Hunters finished strongly to win the second half and the focus would now be on starting well against the Falcons. Sunshine Coast have also begun the year with mixed results, making light work of the Dolphins in round one before being comprehensively beaten by Tweed Heads Seagulls in round two. It’s no coincidence that hooker Tyson Smoothy managed limited minutes in that loss to Tweed Heads, and with him playing the full 80 minutes last week the Falcons eased past Souths Logan Magpies in round three. The last time the Hunters and Falcons met was in round 13 last year with Sunshine Coast coming o
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3,000-plus to work when mine reopens

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  April 8, 2022 Main Stories MORE than 3,000 people are expected to be employed when the Porgera mine is reopened, following the signing of stakeholders’ agreements yesterday. “Over the next couple of weeks, the company will hire 3,100 people, most of them Papua New Guineans, (who) will head back to Porgera valley, open the gate and start digging the ground,” State negotiation team chairman Dairi Vele said. “We are hoping that during June, July, August, they can announce that the first gold has been processed.” The cost of restarting the Porgera mine is around US$300 million (about K1.052 billion), according to Barrick Niugini Ltd (BNL) president and chief executive officer Mark Bristow. Vele added that the signing of the agreement in Port Moresby “signified the reopening of the project”. “The main one is the shareholders’ agreement, that is, the coming together to build the company. “That’s not for the Government. “That’s for Kumul Minerals Holdings Ltd (KMHL), the landowners and Barr
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Alert on child prostitution

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  April 8, 2022 Main Stories By REBECCA KUKU CHILD prostitution is on the rise in Papua New Guinea and the situation is likely to worsen with a free flow of cash in 2022 General Election, an official says. Child and Family Services Office executive director Simon Yanis said: “Parents, communities and churches must step up their vigilance and work closely with us to address the issue. “When there is a lot of cash flowing in the economy (during the election), girls aged 14 and above are often sexually exploited. There are paedophiles everywhere, and we must all work together to protect our children.” Yanis said in preparation for the general election, “we have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and the Solomon Islands to implement the Lukautim Pikinini Act through the church’s nationwide network. We now have officers in all the provinces right down to the district level and we want to be there for our children. “If you are a young woman or
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Storm look to re-sign Olam

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  April 7, 2022 Sports MELBOURNE Storm say they are looking to re-sign Papua New Guinea international Justin Olam whose contract expires at the end of the National Rugby League (NRL) season. Storm general manager Frank Ponissi told  The National  on Monday that the club was “definitely” considering making a move to retain the 2020 premiership winner. When asked whether the 28-year-old would be re-signed, he said: “Definitely yes.” However, Ponissi did not say how soon the club was going to make a move to secure the services of the centre. A new deal would be a fitting reward for the former SP Hunter who had been a consistent performer over the past two seasons. Olam emulated Storm great and fellow Papua New Guinean Marcus Bai by winning an NRL premiership in 2020 and winning a Dally M award for centre of the year in 2021. The Chimbu native has so far played 67 games for the Storm and scored 30 tries since making his NRL debut for the Storm in round nine against the St George Illawarra
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Douglas Tomuriesa, Pope Francis and James Marape

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  Opposition Leader Douglas Tomuriesa said he is disappointed and embarrassed over the way His Holiness Pope Francis was treated by Prime Minister James Marape over the last three-days during the Papal visit, and the lack of courtesy and respect shown by the Prime Minister. He said the Prime Minister continuously declares PNG as a ‘Christian country’ and prides himself on being a religious individual but he was surprised when the Pope was continuously snubbed by the PM over the weekend since the Pope’s arrival on Friday. “The Pope is the head of the Catholic church, the largest Christian church in the world and he is also a head of state. “PNG not only being a Christian country, but a country that prides itself as a ‘friend to all, enemy to none’, the PM should be according the Pope with the highest level of respect,” Tomuriesa said. The Opposition Leader pointed out that on Friday, the Prime Minister did not welcome the Pope at the airport, a tradition he had accorded to many other wo
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MARAPE: INCORRECT WORDING ON WARRANT

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 MARAPE: INCORRECT WORDING ON WARRANT Post Courier  24th July 2024  PRIME Minister James Marape has assured the Gulf people that no funds meant for them including the Papua LNG project, have been diverted elsewhere. And Treasurer Ian Ling Stuckey on Friday also announced that Gulf funds were intact and the earlier warrants were withdrawn and that the issue has been rectified due to an incorrect wording. But yesterday an irate Gulf Governor Sir Chris Haiveta said his position still stands – that he will file the court proceedings today and allow the courts to correct the system and get to the bottom of this. This is over the K60 million IDG and Business Development Grants of which K20 million is supposedly for Gulf Province that Sir Chris is now taking to court. Marape said the Pangu-led government is committed to allocating development funds to all resource areas, including Ramu and Lihir, and will uphold fairness in all resource projects. This comes after an incorrect wording on a war
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PAITA CORRECTS MARAPE’S WRONG CLAIMS

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 PRESS STATEMENT Tuesday 11 June 2024 For Immediate Release – Finschhafen MP and Alternative Prime Minister nominee Hon. Rainbo Paita has expressed his disappointment in Prime Minister James Marape over what he described as “blatant misstatements” and a “poor choice of words” by Mr Marape in reference to the recent PANGU Pati caucus meeting. In response to Mr Marape’s media statement on Sunday June 9, 2024, Mr Paita corrected the Prime Minister on several misleading points expressed in the statement, and again defended the decision of the 12 MPs, which includes him, to leave not PANGU Pati, but the Party Leader Marape.  Mr Paita said: “Mr Marape proudly stated that the party unanimously voted to maintain his position as party leader, and maintain the position of the deputy party leader, but I place on record that we, the PANGU MPs who have challenged Marape’s leadership, were NOT given an opportunity to vote on this matter. “At the time of the meeting, we were still PANGU Pati MPs and
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PNG fighting 3 battles: Onglo

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  May 4, 2021 Main Stories By MIRIAM ZARRIGA POLICE Minister William Gogl Onglo says the country is fighting three huge battles: the fast – multiplying Covid-19 pandemic, the spiralling economy and escalating law and order issues. “Ethnic clashes in the National Capital District, the Alotau issue and tribal fighting in Kainantu are all matters that need urgent intervention,” he said. In a phone interview with  The National,  Onglo said the fear and anxiety within the community should be addressed. “The reality is that we now have three huge battles to fight,” Onglo said. “We have the pandemic, the economy and the escalating law and order issues. “Law and order is everyone’s business and any under-lying causes into the ethnic clashes need to be identified and resolved by the leaders of the communities. “The law has to work due to the breakdown in law and order around the country. “We are commencing preparations for the 2022 General Election and we need to resolve the disputes and ethnic
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4 held over cop’s killing

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4 held over cop’s killing POLICE arrested four suspected cop killers in Dobel’s Tari Camp in Mt Hagen on Wednesday, Western Highlands Commander Superintendent John Sagom says. “They were arrested by Mt Hagen-based Mobile Squad members in connection with the murder of Senior Constable Nelson Kalimda (on Oct 20),” he added. Sagom said the suspects would be under strict watch by Mt Hagen police throughout the process of investigations. “While they are in police custody in Mt Hagen police station, they will not be released under any special circumstances. “The arrest of the suspects is the first step to pave way for the criminal investigation process to run, and thus the Mt Hagen-based police must not under any circumstances let them go or release them on bail,” he added. According to the mobile unit, it is believed that the suspects were in Mt Hagen earlier this week and they drove around in a white Toyota LandCruiser when caught. It is also believed that the prime suspect came to the pro
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