Australia to give K597mil for electrification programme

Posted on The National

AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Scott Morrison, pictured, has announced a K597 million investment into the Papua New Guinea electrification programme to support electricity generation in the Ramu grid.
Morrison made the announcement during his meeting with Prime Minister James Marape on Monday, the first of his five-day state visit to Australia this week.
“Today we’ve made some important agreements to elevate our relationship into comprehensive strategic and economic partnership,” Morrison said. “There is an economic relationship that’s about enabling the joint prosperity of both of our countries, and supporting and enabling the health and wellbeing and education of our citizens.
“This is a relationship that is tackling and addressing the security challenges that we face together and we work in addressing and through programmes like the secondary school programmes and church programmes and broader part of the Pacific step up programme,” Morrison said.
The other announcement included the Enga electrification programme which was part of the broader relationship with the United States, Japan and New Zealand in supporting what was a transformational project for PNG combined with the Coral Sea cable project.
Morrison also announced the K129 million for the rural primary health services initiatives and another project of K24 million for the immunisation programme covering about 400,000 children across 12 provinces. He said Australia was also continuing its support of K35 million ($15m) for the next phase of controlling the drug resistance Tuberculosis programme.
“There is also the Defence partnership which is celebrating 40 years and working together in the PNG initiative in Lombrum in Manus is an important part of what Australia is doing in the region and we than asked Papua New Guinea for the invitation to join them in that facility together with the United States.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/australia-to-give-k597mil-for-electrification-programme/

Query over LNG cash

By REBECCA KUKU - The National

THE Public Accounts Committee wants to know where the proceeds from the multi-billion kina PNG Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project are.
It has therefore given the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (KPHL) two weeks to provide the committee with information on the aggregate income generated from more than 500 shipments of LNG to overseas buyers since the first one in 2014.
Committee chairman Sir John Pundari, pictured, said they wanted KPHL to explain:
How much has been has been made so far from the export of the liquefied natural gas;

• How much of that money had been given to the State and landowners;
• how much has been given to the provincial government of the affected areas for development and infrastructure; and,
• How much was used on KPHL’s cost of operation. Sir John said people had the right to know how much was made from the shipments of LNG and where the money was right now.

“KPHL is not a private business. It is not your money or my money,” he said.
“It is the people’s money. So why are we being secretive? KPHL belongs to the people and the Public Accounts Committee has the mandate to enquire.”
But KPHL board chairman Andrew Baing said it was a government business governed by its own legislations and was not subjected to the Public Finance Management Act as the other state-owned enterprises.
Baing said yesterday that he had said all he needed to say on the matter.
“I will comment later in the week after I consult my office and lawyers,” he said.
The committee wants KPHL to provide all the information by August 7, failing which officials will be summoned before the committee.
The first shipment of LNG from ExxonMobil PNG Ltd’s US$19 billion PNG LNG project left the country on May 25, 2014, carrying a cargo bound for Japan.
It was reported at that time that the cargo had been sold on the spot market to Tokyo Electric Power Company Inc.
Since then over 500 shipments of liquefied natural gas had been made.
The committee published a notice this month on its intention to hold an inquiry into the operations of KPHL.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/query%e2%80%86over-lng%e2%80%86cash/

Prime Minister invites Australia shipping firm to set up in PNG

Posted on The National

PRIME Minister James Marape has invited that Australian ship-building company Austal to set up a facility in Papua New Guinea, similar to the US and Philippines.
He visited the Austal headquarters and ship-building facility in Perth, Western Australia on Tuesday.
Austal Ship Building is the company which built the first of four military patrol boats – HMS Ted Diro – donated to PNG by the Australian government, under the Pacific Patrol Boat Programme, last December.

PRIME Minister James Marape and wife Rachel with the PNG community at the State Memorial in Perth, Western Australia. – Picture courtesy of PM’s Media Unit

Marape thanked Austal for its commitment in building the Guardian Class patrol boats to help maintain maritime border security, eradicate illegal fishing and combat trans-national crimes in PNG waters.
He said similar arrangements should be established between PNG and Austal, like the United States and the Australian Navy and Border Force.
“I suggest that Austal come to PNG and establish a facility to, not only cater for PNG’s needs, but to provide for other smaller Pacific Island nations in the region as well,” Marape said.
Austal is expected to commence construction on the second and third patrol boats, later this year, and will supply them to the PNG Defence Force in 2021, while the fourth one will be delivered in 2022.
The company vice-president Andrew Malcolm said the company would consider the offer. The second patrol boat once completed and delivered to Papua New Guinea Defence Force would be commissioned as HMAS Lokinap. HMAS Ted Diro has already been commissioned and used by the Papua New Guinea Navy.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/pm-invites-aust-shipping-firm-to-set-up-in-png/

Hela delivers successful 2019 LLG Elections

By Hon. Philip Undialu - Hela Governor

Kundus to Hela Election Officials and general community for successful/trouble free LLG Elections20l9. Time and again Hela continue to prove critics wrong by deliverying elections on time, under budget and most importantly without trouble. I am informed that out of almost 280 boxes, less than 10 only have issues. That is remarkable achievement for us. I am satisfied that our commitment of K800, 000 towards running of the electionhas paid off.

Let me at this juncture congratulate those who won and pay tribute to those who didnt make it. Irrespective of the results, I urge you all to provide leadership at your respective wards. It was encouraging to learn the level of interest you all have shown during the campain period and deminstrated leadership during polling and counting. Some of the attached pictures just demonstrate that.

Within the few days, elected councillors will decide on the LLG Presidents. I urge public servants tasked to manage this final process to do honest job. Soon after formalities are completed, we will have formal swearing i ceremony so the Presidents elect will be sworn into office as Members of Hela Provincial Assembly.

Thank you and credit goes to Ana Pame (PRO) EMJT, PA, all AROs and all officials and collectively we did it... Team Hela.