Eastern Highlands Province

This has been confirmed by the members of the ‘Save Bongre’ fundraising drive, which was raising funds to support him.

The three-year-old succumbed to a rare form of cancer for children – retinoblastoma, that had affected his right eye.

It became his parents’ nightmare over the last two years.

Bongre’s story caught the country’s attention when mother Sinta and father Anton brought him to Port Moresby in search of answers.

Counting for Tari-Pori Open electorate commenced today.

After count five, sitting MP, James Marape, is leading with 3,315 votes.

On second place is Jonny Pokaya Philip with 792 votes and Michael Joseph Pajawi on 451 votes.

Counting for Komo-Margarima and Koroba-Kopiago has been disrupted because of the issue of a petition.

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato says additional security personnel have been deployed to provide security at the disrupted venues.

In Eastern Highlands Province, counting will commence on Friday, July 7.

Election Manager Steven Koupa told Loop PNG this morning that remote areas of Wobura and Luda are yet to cast their votes.

He said since yesterday, they had been waiting for the chopper to airlift ballot boxes.

He added that the delay will affect the schedule for counting.

Koupa also raised concerns that this is a priority area therefore the helicopter firm should make it their priority to airlift the ballot boxes.

Meanwhile, all districts have completed their polling and ballot boxes have been extracted to the police station in Goroka for counting.

Provincial Election Manager Steven Koupa confirmed this today.

He said the delay is on the transportation of ballot papers, which a helicopter company is yet to deliver.

The frustrated Koupa said they already paid an advancement to the firm and didn’t see any reason for the delay.

He further reiterated that the four days of delay will affect their start of counting as well.

“We are planning to start the counting period this coming Sunday but cannot do so because of the delays.

Operations second-in-charge commander, Chief Sergeant Tari Wilsen, in his briefing to his men this morning, told them to be always alert.

He said rumours of illegal activities have been the hot topic and urged his men to be extra careful.

Wilsen also raised concern on funding, which is likely to affect the election operations.

He said his men are conducting the operations within the budget they were given.

Meanwhile, the one day polling for the three highlands provinces begins today. The provinces include Eastern Highlands, Simbu and Hela.

Koupa said so far the polling teams have been dispersed and have been briefed on their deadlines.

He told Loop PNG that he is looking forward to completing the counting on July 3 before returning the writs.

Despite financial constraints, he had assured the people of Eastern Highlands that everything will go as planned.

Meanwhile, more than 460,000 people of EHP will be going to the polls tomorrow, June 26, 2017.

Sensitive and non-sensitive election materials have been dispersed to various polling venues along with the polling teams.

Provincial Election Manager Steven Gore Koupa told Loop PNG this morning that most of the sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been moved out of Goroka to various polling venues as of last night.

He said Obura-Wonenara and Kainantu districts have gotten their materials and are currently sorting them at the police stations.

Okapa and Lufa will be getting their materials today while Henganofi received theirs yesterday.

Koupa said most of the teams, who are using the roads, have been dispersed to all the polling venues.

Eastern Highlands election manager, Steven Kaupa, confirms that the province has nine electorates where over 300 candidates are contesting either for the regional or the eight electorate seats.

Kaupa said the campaign period, for some reason, has been too quiet.

He commended the security and provincial policing partners for making sure the campaign period was very peaceful.

The discovery was done following a first exploration drill to test for extensions of the Kora Deposit.

K92 Mining announced this week that the first drill test intersected high grade gold mineralszation hundreds of metres away from the point of the currently defined Kora Deposit inferred resource.

In a statement the company says the recording of 5.4 metres at 11.68 grams/tonne gold (g.t Au), 25.5 grams/tonne Silver (g/t Au), and 1.33 per cent copper (Cu), and a gold equivalent grade of 14.1 g/t AuEq is typical of the Kora/Eutompi mineralization.

The Gasagasa Development Association (GDA) was launched with a dedication service event on Monday, February 27.

GDA was just formed with a mission to empower rural village people with life skills and knowledge while bringing basic services to the community.

Most of its goals are adapted from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Villager Josupo Hollowe highlighted that they formed the association to work together with government agencies, donors and non-government organisation.