Francis Maneke

Maneke adamant to drive oil palm industry

Maneke in a press conference on Monday expressed satisfaction with the replanting exercise and raised concerns that overgrown oil palm plants are not producing sufficient yields which resulted in less income for the growers.

Oil palm is the third major crop with 14 percent of the annual export values in PNG. It covers a land area of 58,000 hectares (estate 33,000 ha and smallholder 25,000 ha, involving about 7,000 families).

The estates produce 65 percent of the output and 35 percent from the smallholders.

WNB leaders visit district

Governor Francis Maneke and Sate owned Enterprise Minister, Sasindran Muthuvel presented the boat to the people.

Located outside of Ulamona village is Lolobao island with a population of more than a thousand people.

The islanders always encounter evacuation challenges every time Mt Ulawun spews or erupts.

The presentation of a new boat by the Talasea District Development Authority will be more than helpful in their time of need.

WNB looking forward to hosting Games

“I’m very glad to see that everything is in place for the Games. I’d like to thank the Governor of West New Britain and the host organising committee who have done so much for this very event.

“This is a very important occasion for the people of PNG, who will all be together in one place and the people of Talasea and West New Britain are there waiting and ready to welcome them.”

He added the province is excited about hosting one of the country’s biggest sporting events.

Minor reshuffle, a slap in face: Talasea

The reshuffle saw Talasea MP, Francis Maneke stripped off the portfolio of Communications and Information Technology Minister and given to Pangu Pati leader and Bulolo MP Sam Basil, who recently moved from the Opposition to join Government.

Chairman of the Nakanai Association Inc Patrick Loku expressed in a statement that Maneke hasn’t been given ample time to prove himself in the portfolio.

He described the reshuffle as a slap in the face for the 300,000 people of Talasea district and West New Britain.

Partnerships vital in ICT sector: Minister

This was according to the Minister for Communication and Information, Francis Maneke, during a recent brief meet and greet with His Excellency, High Commissioner of Australia to PNG, Bruce Davis.

Maneke acknowledged the presence of the Secretary of the Department of Communication and Information, Paulias Korni, and the Managing Director for the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Kora Nou.

Collaborations between the Department of Communication and Information, NBC and NICTA alongside the development partners is the way forward for the ICT sector.

ICT sector launches 100-day plan

This plan provides the framework required for the ICT sector to align its activities to deliver the goals and aspirations of the government’s Alotau Accord II.

The government is continuously challenged to improve information and communication technology, especially for the rural majority, by establishing dialogue between the Ministry and Provincial and Local Level Governments.

Maneke: Department review to help progress of plans

Officially taking over the portfolio from the previous minister Jimmy Miringtoro, Maneke said to review all sectors in the department.

“We have to see to what policies are currently in place and how best we can work on this policies so it can guide the sectors respectively.

Anything that is not in play, we have to make sure it must come to place so that we can be able to move together,” he said.

But more importantly, he is adamant to get a permanent appointment for the head of the Department of communication and information.