Department head urges officers to implement plans

Posted on The National

FOREIGN Affairs secretary Barbara Age urged officers from her department to implement the plans and programmes in the corporate plan 2018-2023.
Speaking on behalf of former minister Rimbink Pato at the launching of the plan on Friday, Age said it was an important task.
“I consider this as a very important outcome product and I thank the minister and all those involved in putting together the documents in close collaboration with all stakeholders, including key government agencies and the private sector.
“Our next task is to implement the plans and programmes for action from today until the end of 2023 and ask ourselves what positive difference we can make in promoting our foreign policy.”
Age said the launching of the corporate plan 2018-23 at this time of the year marked yet another excellent outcome by the department in implementing a decision by the government on the foreign policy review report 2017.
She said guided by the experiences from the first corporate plan, and supported by the required level of financial resources provided by the national government through the annual budgetary processes, she was convinced that with the monetary resources support the department would give priority to effectively manage the institutions and human resources both at headquarters and abroad.
“In doing so, we will be able to realise the outcomes on the plans and programmes as well advance PNG’s interest abroad. More so we must commence and where progress, work on some of these important policies and institutional development-related programmes for action under the corporate plan.”
Age said the theme of the corporate plan and programmes for action PNG connecting for peace and prosperity in a changing world was very strategic.
“It clearly signals the internal commitment by our government to advance cooperation arrangements we have with all our global partners, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
“I am convinced and expect the department to give priority to action many of these plans and programmes in the strategic objective relating to institutional strengthening, modernisation and operational process is imperative.
“I encourage the department to actively pursue arrangements to improve the welfare of the Foreign Service officers and their families on housing needs.”
The event was attended by heads of departments and government agencies including, Agriculture and Livestock, Labour and Industrial Relations, Provincial Affairs, Health, Education, Science, research and technology, Defence, Department of Personnel Management and Religion, Youth and Community Development

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/department-head-urges-officers-to-implement-plans/

Namah Responds To Kramer On His Misleading Statement

By Belden Namah Vanimo-Green MP

  Kramer's report is inaccurate, misleading and baseless. I say this for the following reasons;

1) I have never heard or seen Bryan lobbying for Marape.

2) his numbers don’t add up. The reason being; not all 67 MPs in Laguna voted when the secret ballot was conducted on Tuesday morning. Both Puraitch and Marape were excused from the room and both never took part in voting. Only 65 of us voted minus Puraitch and Marape. The results as we all know was: Puraitch 37 and Marape 28 and not as recorded by Bryan, Puraitch 39 and Marape 28.

3) Bryan never knew anything about Marape’s next moves after the results of the secret ballot on Tuesday morning.

4) he had no idea whatsoever about ‘The Angoram Manoeuvre’ as we call it now, defused a major political move and saved the day for Marape to be elected PM.

5) imagine the final outcome of the election of PM if PO was still in contention and if he didn’t withdraw his acceptance of the nomination.

Bryan never read Marape’s next plan of moves after the parliament adjourned on Tuesday and Marape’s subsequent meeting with PO at 4am on Wednesday morning.

Even on Wednesday’s parliament session, Bryan was all confident that our Laguna 67 was still intact. He had no idea whatsoever about what was actually happening when Marape changed his sitting on the floor of parliament that morning. He never knew that numbers had already shifted. Bryan is and was politically too dumb to read the serious political manoeuvring and undercurrents that was taking place.

That’s why you could hear him screaming on Wednesday’s parliament session, ‘yupela traim kolim disen na bai yumi testim namba.’ He had no idea whatsoever that numbers had already shifted.

He was actually dumb founded when Marape and his team crossed the floor and left with Crown Team after the adjournment of parliament on Wednesday.

His assertion that we were trying to block Marape from being elected as PM is totally untrue and misleading.

We actually exposed what was happening within their 76 Crown Team who made Marape believed that he had secured the support of 76 MPs when in fact he didn’t. The acceptance of PO’s nomination by Opposition Leader and Seconded by myself is the testimony and record prove.

In actual fact ‘The Angoram Manoeuvre’ defused a major political move and saved the day for Marape to be elected PM.

Bryan only bolted to Grand Papua and later to Crown following Marape and his team just to make up this inaccurate, misleading and baseless story and also for his own political survival.

Bryan in my view is very dangerous to our nation’s sovereignty.

PM: Play by the rules

Posted on The National

PRIME Minister James Marape has warned there will be no room for shady deals in the awarding of state contracts, telling bidders and public servants to “play by the rules”.
He said in a statement those who wanted to offer inducement to him, his cabinet ministers and public servants through offers in favour of government contracts, should forget it.
He expects “nothing in return for awarding state contracts”.
“All we expect is (for companies to) do your fair bidding with (the) right price. And get your job done,” Marape said
“I will instruct the new justice minister to bring (to Parliament for approval the) Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC Bill), in the first instance. So let us all play by the rules going forward.”
He advised contractors to “earn your money to limit as per the work scope”, and public servants and politicians to “earn your salary and don’t ask for special favors”.
“It must start now if it hasn’t started yet,” he said in a statement.
“I will ask the National Procurement Commission to polish the contract ceilings where contracts under K10million are strictly for citizens and local companies. Contracts above that threshold to have local partnership involvement also.”
In a message to companies in the country’s resource sector, he said “I am not here to chase you away but to work with you so that we can add value to the benefits that emanates from the harvest of our natural endowment”.
Marape plans to meet officials from key resources sector who he wants to advise him on how to develop the economy.
“I look forward to your interventions and I have a fresh team of PNG advisers looking into all our resource laws,” he said.
He is also putting everyone “on notice” that laws would be tailored for implementation in 2025 “when the country moves past 50 years of independence”.
“Presently all projects agreements that are in compliance and congruent to all our laws will be honored,” he said.
“We are here to protect our genuine foreign investors who can respect our laws.”
He plans to look into the civil service “to ensure those leading them or working in the rank and file have a belief that they will meaningfully contribute to making Papua New Guinea a truly wealthy country as it supposed to be, where quality health, quality education and quality infrastructure and effective law and order system secure our country”.
Marape said the caretaker cabinet he had come up with was to “appreciate the political structure the government has”.
“But this week I will fill in ministers I assessed that can work in key sectors for productivity and not just for politics convenience,” Marape said.
He urged all citizens including those in his Hela province to stop tribal fights, killings, corruption at all levels and “honor time by being punctual, do little things like stop littering and spitting the red stain of betel nuts”.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/pm-play-by-the-rules/

Prime Minister Marape to address the Nation this week

Posted on PNG Today

Prime Minister James Marape is adamant of transforming Papua New Guinea into a what he has termed as, "richest black Christian nation"within the next decade.

Marape acknowledge in a facebook post that he has made a huge commitment and he intends to make this a reality.

The Prime Minister is anticipated to spell out clearly as to how his government intends to do this when he delivers an expected state of nation address to the country which will be broadcast on radio and television mid this week.

Amongst many issues, Mr Marape is banking on PNG's natural resources to drive this initiative.

The Prime Minister has also made it clear that National Procurement Commission will be polished up to ensure that contracts under ten million kina are strictly for citizen and local companies and contracts above that threshold to have local partnership involvement also.

Mr Marape said for the local Small to Medium Enterprises and contractors, there will be a special incentive plan, given that they tidy their company books, pay honest tax and if they want to go the next phase of their business, the Government will inject very soft term loans possibly 5% repayment rate over a 40 year period.

Date and timing of the Nation Wide Address event is yet to be confirm from the Prime Minister's Office.

Go to this link for more: https://news.pngfacts.com/2019/06/prime-minister-marape-to-address-nation.html?fbclid=IwAR2_LS3621qImGniE8H-5ODBV0OJeJ4o6ra5W-ldtr-lgFUmQNk6yhmwFtw

Promoting women in ICT in PNG

Posted on The National

Kina Bank discusses with Lena Korugl and Zeenith Nonggorr, two senior project managers at the bank who have the skills to combine banking and finance with ICT, how they have managed to come this far.

According to the International Telecommunication Union, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is male-dominated.
One of the reasons this day is celebrated is to promote and encourage more women to consider studying Maths, Engineering, Computing and Science.
These are the skills in demand for digital transformation, and there is a growing gap between the digital skills needed by employers. To celebrate Girls ICT Day, Kina Bank discusses with Lena Korugl and Zeenith Nonggorr, two senior bank employees, how they have managed to come this far.
At Kina Bank, Korugl and Nonggorr are a reflection of this talent base. Korugl was the first female Computer Science graduate in Papua New Guinea.
Nonggorr received the University of PNG Vice-Chancellor Academic Excellence Award in 2004.
Both are senior project managers at the bank having skills to combine banking and finance with ICT.

Kina: Did you receive the Vice-Chancellor Academic Excellence Award while studying Computer Science at UPNG?
Nonggorr: Yes. I chose Computer Science because I was interested in working with computers but I didn’t know exactly what area in information and communication technology.
By the second year, I was more interested in IT, working with people and how ICT can add value to the way they work.
An example of how ICT can add value to the way people work is in process improvement. The payment of the EsiLoan loan process was too lengthy to meet our 24-hour processing time value proposition.
I worked with the team to understand the way the process currently worked and the preferred future state.
I then took the requirements to ICT team and had changes made to accommodate the future state.
Today, the EsiLoan team is able to payout approved EsiLoan loan’s processes within a 24-hour timeframe.

What was it like knowing you were the first female to graduate from the PNG University of Technology?
Korugl: When I graduated, it did not cross my mind at all that I was the first female.
I was just glad to get a degree in a new field that would give me an edge in finding employment.
Now, when I look back, I am pleased with the decision I made in taking Computer Science as it has opened doors of opportunities for me throughout my professional career.

Tell us about accomplishments and professional background.
Nonggorr: In November, it will be my ninth year with Kina Bank. I’ve grown with the bank and seen changes.
I initially started within the IT department as a business analyst and worked on different IT projects including implementing the finance and human resource systems, and an integrated workflow and document management system.
The IT team back then was small, less than 10 people.
This empowered the team to be multi-skilled and develop a strong foundation on our ICT management capabilities.
The biggest accomplishment for me was being the project manager of the IT fit-out of Kina Bank’s Vision City branch.
As this was Kina Bank’s first official branch and it meant a lot to everyone involved, as it solidified the change from Kina Securities to Kina Bank. It was a privilege to be part of Kina Bank’s history which makes it very memorable – something I will always have with me.

Korugl: It has been 22 years since I graduated.
I have been working in the Information and Communication Technology field for over 21 years.
The journey has not been easy, especially as a female contesting with male counterparts in roles usually only taken up by men.
I started from fixing computers as a graduate to managing an IT department in a large organisation.
I have worked in various industries, in different roles that have been very challenging.
This has helped build my professional career as a technical expert with sound knowledge around businesses and corporations.
This was a stepping stone for me as I pursued and acquired an MBA.

How does your background in IT give you an advantage when working on transformation projects within Kina Bank?
Korugl: It is a great opportunity to use my expertise here at Kina Bank.
We are going through a major transformation at the moment after we announced the acquisition of ANZ’s retail, SME and commercial businesses in June last year.
Automation is key in achieving efficiency and at Kina Bank we have the opportunity to automate processes and deliver digital products and services to our customers that can set us apart from other banks.
This can be achieved by harnessing and leveraging the technology infrastructure and systems that we have at Kina Bank or by using any emerging technology solutions.
These will give Kina Bank an advantage in delivering secure digital services and products to customers, locally and internationally, with confidence.
I find this is an opportune time for me to lead the technological transformations and change happening here at Kina Bank and be a part of a larger team to ensure a smooth transition for ANZ customers and staff.
Nonggorr: There are two key aspects that provide the advantage. ICT in general is a driver for change, and I recognise that ICT skilled employees are well placed in roles to contribute – despite gender.
Having analytical skills, it’s a continuous search to look for better efficiencies and better ways to manage risk for the bank.
I’ve had the amazing opportunity to grow with different stages of the business, being part of knowledge transfer, interactions with different people, experts and coaches.
This comes with my roles as a business analyst and now as a senior project manager.
From experience, my business analyst skills gave me the end-to-end view of different Integration projects which is the key advantage.
Being part of the journey for nine years, Kina Bank has given me endless opportunities to develop and grow.
I understand the history and culture of the organisation.
This provides me with a sense of pride and loyalty, a sense of ownership.
I have a personal ambition in seeing transformation within the bank – this I believe is my advantage.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/promoting-women-in-ict/

PNG Interim Cabinet Ministers announced

By PNG Today

Prime Minister elect, James Marape has announced his 7  member interim cabinet.

1. Charles Abel  - Treasure, Police and Education
2. Michael Nali - Works , Bougainville Affairs and Immigration and Border Security
3. Steven Davis -  Justice, Labour and Industrial Relations, Agriculture  and Livestock,  Lands and Physical Planning
4. Johnson Tuke -  Mining, Transport, Toursim Arts and Culture, Correctional Services, Environment Conservation and Climate Change
5. Sam Basil - National Planning, Health, Housing, Communication and IT, Higher Education
6. Richard Maru - Finance, Petroleum and Energy, Inter-Government Relations and Community Devleopment

7. Solan Mirisim - Foreign Affaris, Defence, Commerce and Industry, Civil Aviation, Fisheris and Forestry,

Prime Minister James Marape  heads Public Service, Public Enterprise and State Investments.

The  care taker ministers were sworn in after 3pm today.

Meanwhile, Alotau MP, Charles Abel  has resigned from People's National Congress Party and joined Sir Puka Temu’s Our Development Party.

Go to this link for more: https://news.pngfacts.com/2019/05/png-interim-cabinet-ministers-announced.html?fbclid=IwAR2c535w7EICsBedOD04ew4HAuVOi3qMdSHhREEWQ7cvVY5812sAjCJUn5s

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