East New Britain Province

Kokopo Counting Underway

Returning officer Darius Kunai officially opened counting at 12pm today.

Twenty-seven ballot boxes for Kokopo District will be counted. Eight from Bitapaka LLG, five from Duke of York LLG, nine from Vunamami LLG and five from Raluana LLG.

Twenty-eight candidates have contested the Kokopo Open seat. They wait in anticipation as their fate is being decided by the people.

More updates to come.

Pomio ballot boxes arrive in Kokopo

Election Manager Joab Voivoi said the boxes were unloaded by police from the Francis Agwi patrol boat and then transported and locked up at the Kokopo Police station.

All provincial seat ballot containers were then labeled by the Election Manager and witnessed by scrutineers at the Kokopo Police station.

Candidates Reminded Of LPV benefits

When discouraging negative campaigning tactics against other candidates, and especially the sitting Members of Parliament, Deputy ENB Provincial Administrator for District and LLG Services, Nicholas Larme, told candidates during last week’s voter awareness and candidate forums that they should promote themselves and fellow candidates.

He says the beauty of the LPV system is that, voters get three choices and instead of tarnishing other candidates’ characters, candidates should campaign together, to secure their primary or secondary choices.

Two Die In Overloaded Vehicle Incident

Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector Januarius Vosivai said that the overloaded vehicle was making a steep climb when its engine failed, forcing the vehicle to roll back downhill.

PPC Vosivai said that while the vehicle was rolling backwards, two male passengers jumped off directly into the path of the reversing vehicle and they were run over. 

The PPC said they were pronounced dead at the hospital. He added, “Overloading of vehicles is an ongoing issue that police traffic officers in the province had been stressing on, but the public is ignorant about risks.”

Chinese Donate Dental Equipment To ENB

The Chinese Ambassador to PNG handed over the equipment to Governor Nakikus Konga and members of the provincial administration on Monday 15 November in NCD.

Governor Konga said, “In such a pandemic as COVID-19, we should not neglect our health. We must take care of our health. This was the rationale behind the donation of the dental equipment by the Chinese Embassy to the East New Britain province.”

It is a donation made in response to a request by  Governor Konga to the former Chinese Ambassador to PNG.

New Jetty Progressing

Dr. Tom was taken on a tour of the new jetty and was impressed with the progress of works. The jetty construction is the first phase at the cost of K5 million and is funded by NFA.

The second phase is the establishment of Onshore Fisheries Facility Development in 2022. The Onshore Fisheries Facility Development would be approximately K3-4 million.

Raniolo water supply opened

The project was funded by the Japanese government under its grant assistance for grassroots human security projects.

Speaking at the event, the Ambassador of Japan to Papua New Guinea, Kuniyuki Nakahara, said 15 tanks were bought and installed at a sum of K52,696.

“I believe this assistance will go a long way in improving the daily lives of people in the community who will now have access to clean, safe and healthy water supply and storage,” he stated.

New sea ambulance for Pomio

Health Minister Jelta Wong officiated at the event in the presence of New Zealand High Commissioner Phillip Taula.

Taula visited East New Britain from July 23 to the 26th upon invitation by Minister for Health & HIV and Gazelle MP, Jelta Wong. The aim was for him to see some of the New Zealand funded projects in the province and identify potential opportunities for partnership.

Families homeless after widespread flooding

Newly appointed Caritas coordinator of the Archdiocese of Rabaul, Fr. Gabriel Pabet, had the chance to visit some of these families who are currently taking refuge at St. Joseph’s Malagunan Parish hall, and also visited the village to make his own assessment.

He said Malagunan No 3 village comprises of five zones, of which zones 1 and 2 consist of seven small Christian communities and are the ones heavily affected, noting that the number of families affected is due to rise as more people are entering the Parish grounds.

M6.8 quake rattles ENB

The Port Moresby Geophysical Observatory (PMGO) says the earthquake, which occurred about 40km South-West of Pomio, was a result of interaction between the South Bismarck and Solomon Plates.

“The earthquake was felt in Rabaul but no damage from this earthquake has been reported, however, communications in the Pomio area are challenging,” said the PMGO.

“Based on the available data, it is unlikely that this earthquake would have generated a tsunami.