Students to pay 50-75 per cent of adult bus fare: ICCC boss

Posted on The National

ALL students are supposed to pay 50 to 75 per cent of the maximum adult PMV (Private Motor Vehicle) bus-fare, says Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) chief executive officer Paulus Ain.
Ain told The National the consumer price control arrangement allowed for students to pay below the maximum fare chargeable by operators.
Ain said that applied to students from the primary schools to the tertiary institutions.
“In the current price control arrangement that we have in-place, ICCC provides concession fares for students from primary to tertiary institutions which we consider are reasonable for everyone across the country,” Ain said.
“For example, the adult fare for all NCD (National Capital District) routes is K1, therefore 50 percent and 75 per cent of the maximum fare is 50t and 80t respectively.
“The current ICCC’s approved fares is applied to all operators providing PMV services along declared routes throughout the country.”
Ain said that as a regulator, it also considered the high cost of running a PMV business and could not totally remove busfare payments for students as had been the requests lately by members of the public.
“We also consider the high costs of running the PMV businesses and associated costs of wear and tear operators pay during the period of operation while at the same time trying to make a profit. We are of the view that provision of transport services to the travelling public is an essential service.
“The operators provide this service without subsidy support from anyone including the Government.
“Recently, we also received views from some PMV operators requesting to increase students’ fares to adult fares.
“This is something that will be addressed during the current review into pricing for the PMV and Taxi service industry.
“The PMV fares is set only for declared routes and urban routes through the country. The distance is one factor that attributed to the increased PMV fares.”.
The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission sets the PMV fares for declared routes and urban routes annually through a national gazette notice.
The PMV fares schedule can be obtained from the ICCC office.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/students-to-pay-50-75-per-cent-of-adult-bus-fare-iccc-boss/

Call For Investigation Into 2016 UPNG Shooting During Student Unrest

Posted on PNG Facts

FORMER University of PNG student representative council president Kenneth Rapa has asked Prime Minister James Marape to order a commission of inquiry into the police shooting of UPNG students during the 2016 student unrest.
In a letter dated June 11, 2019, Rapa wrote: “as we look towards the future now with renewed hope, we ask that you heal all the wounds from the past.”

He said students at that time had no personal or political agenda, but had the people’s agenda to respect the integrity of the office of Prime Minister and restore democracy by demanding the then PM Peter O’Neill to step down, but they were suppressed by police.

Rapa said that students were a relevant voice in the country and they had taken the responsibility to protest the government’s decisions that were negatively impacting their lives – mismanagement of the economy and the lack of good governance and true democracy.
He wrote: “We, the students, assumed the mantle of God’s eternal purpose to be the voice of the silent majority and called for our prime minister (at that time) to be accountable to his people and to the honour, integrity and dignity of the office he occupied.
“We did not request, nay, we demanded, that he humble himself before the laws of our nation and yield to due process by submitting himself for questioning in relation to the allegations that were demeaning and denigrating to the office.”
Rapa said the students had been shot at on roads and even inside the institution just because they conducted a mass protest, as a the student leader , he therefore, felt a duty to revisit the incident and to make right by pursuing a proper investigation into the matter.
“My team of leaders and I bear a responsibility towards those students and their parents. As such, we humbly request that your office and the offices of the ministries responsible carry out a commission of enquiry”. 

Go to this link for more: https://edu.pngfacts.com/education-news/call-for-investigation-into-2016-upng-shooting-during-student-unrest?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

UPNG Hela Students Congratulating Prime Minister James Marabe

By Hangupe Jack Yulupa - Student Repreentive

On behalf of the 200 plus Hela Students in Premier University of Papua New Guinea, we would like to congratulate you on your appointment as 8th Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.

You as the Hela Son being elected as Prime Minister of this Beautiful Nation is our pride, our honour and great achievement of our newly granted Hela Province. You and your team have fought the best fight for Our Land, Our Resources, Our Population and Our Country – purposely to change Papua New Guinea into “Richest Black Christian Nation”.

Our moral supports and prayers are with you as you work harder to achieve your aims and objectives for this nation. We will always available to step in as a student to contribute towards your intention. Hand in hand, we will work together for the betterment of our communities, province and country as a whole.

We wish you the best wishes as you execute the leadership role of Prime Minister to change the status que of this nation and eventually to bring on the good image of this nation that you want it to be.

May the Good LORD above will continue to bless your family, your leadership and inspire you with powerful wisdoms to make the accurate decisions for the best interest of the people of this nation.

Thank you
Regards – UPNG Hela Students

Hela Students Studying in China Congratulate James Marabe

By Yupi Henry - Student Representive

On behalf of the Hela students studying in China and around the world, wishes to congratulate you, Rt. Hon. James Marape, CMG. MP., the 8th Prime Minster of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
We are proud to see that you have gone to the top of Papua New Guinea’s top political structure, where on seven people have reached. We are pleased to say that you have created history for our new province. In doing so, you have changed the negative image about Hela. You have proved negative thinkers wrong when you have rose to the top. We are grateful to say that you have given us, Hela, hope that we can achieve that which seem is impossible. 

Your achievement has not only made us proud but also challenged us as young people to aim high and work together toward achieving it. We embrace your saying, “let no older man tell you, you can’t do anything or fight for your rights’’. You have proved it and we are encouraged and empowered by your words, Prime Minister, Hon. James Marape. 

We know that our educated elites across the country will pay an important role to support you in this leadership. We also pledge to support you in whatever ways we can in different fields of study to bring our country forward.

We pray that the good Lord in heaven will continue to guide and lead you as he always does and did over the years, so that you can achieve the slogan “To take PNG back and make it the rich black Christian nation in the world”.

Again congratulation Prime Minister!