Kairuku-Hiri District

Parents, teachers, the community and government officials in Kairuku in the Kairuku-Hiri District in Central Province have committed to improving elementary education in their village by launching 50 new School Learning Improvement Plans (SLIP) and a Central Province Elementary School Service Charter in Bereina on Friday 20 September.

The SLIP and School Service Charter under the Together for Education Project support priorities identified by each school, including teacher development, school resources and infrastructure, and gender and disability inclusion.

A request has been given for a 10-year tax exemption by the developers and up to 80 percent control of the rice market in the country.  

Rice is attracting a lot of interest from countries in the likes of the Philippines, India and China to come in and invest.

At the moment, PNG is importing about 350,000 tons of rice per year, which equates to something close to K600 to K700 million.

The Naime Rice project is requesting to have 80 percent of that market and 10 years of tax holiday.

The Vanapa-Brown LLG, which was officially announced yesterday as the newest LLG in the Central Province, was welcome news for the local MP, the LLG president as well as other relevant delegates.

During a small but significant ceremony, LLG president Haoda Rogea, who was clearly delighted by the news, noted that it was a great step towards the needed development boost in Central.

The president highlighted that it was a timely move.

Counting of the last two ballot boxes, 40 and 41, from the Mekeo LLG, was delayed on Thursday after polling and counting officials complained over issues of nonpayment of allowances.

Polling officials for teams seven and eight of Mekeo LLG have refused to be present to open the ballot boxes for counting because they are yet to get paid; the last two boxes were brought in by these two teams.

Kairuku-Hiri Returning Officer Tabu Vaira said the presiding officers from these teams must be present to open the ballot boxes.

Iduhu hit the 1000 mark after the first count and is still maintaining his pace.

The popular FM100 talkback show host passed on late Saturday night at Iare village, in the Kairuku-Hiri District, Central Province.

The show is the country’s longest running radio talkback program with the late Hau’ofa its host for close to 30 years.

Expressing sadness at his passing, MCPNG president Alexander Rheeney said his death is a blow to broadcasting in PNG and robs radio listeners throughout the country of a talk-show host, who knew the issues affecting citizens and held leaders to account on air.

Schools in Central Province and the National Capital District did mainly registration and enrollment of students today before classes get into full swing during the week.

Loop PNG visited schools in the Central Province, including Porebada Primary School.

The school is located within Porebada Village in the Kairuku-Hiri District and has a population of over 700 students, excluding the elementary school.

Students were busy cleaning up the school ground and classrooms to get them ready for classes.