Goilala District

Provincial Police Commander, Senior Inspector Patterson Birigi said the five suspects were slain by angry relatives, after they found them while hiding in a remote village in Fane LLG.

“The gang led by Awa Pilot was believed to be responsible for various crimes around the Tolokuma area until they met their fate,” said PPC Birigi.

The Supreme Court reinstated the case after it was dismissed on 9 April 2014.    

It was filed by James Gabe and hundreds of locals in the Goilala District against Tolukuma Gold Mine Ltd.

The full court, in a unanimous decision, found the National Court erroneously dismissed it on the basis there was a delay of seven years in prosecuting the case.     

Local member William Samb said they have received a report from the Catholic Church alerting them of the situation.

Samb said a budget has been drawn up including this (emergency) specifically as well as for the medical assessment on ground.

But he said receiving funds was the cause of delay.

Speaking to Loop PNG this morning, Samb said he is aware that the funds into the district treasury should be confirmed today.

He said according to the budget, at least K50,000 each should be allocated for the two exercises.

The suspects were caught by police during a road block at Eight-Mile in Port Moresby after traveling along the Hiritano Highway from Tapini on a PMV.

Gordon’s police confirmed that the men and woman were carrying dried marijuana stuffed in three 50kg bags of vegetables.

Police say they had walked from their village in Goilala before getting on the PMV along the highway.

The drugs were taken to the Gordons Police Station along with the criminals before they were brought to the drug unit to be weighed.

The suspects are now in police custody.

This question was directed to the youth of Woitape LLG in Goilala District by the local member William Samb.

Locals have organised a rugby tournament that has seen 16 teams for both male and female from surrounding villages will participate.

The teams will have knock-outs this week leading up to semi-finals on Saturday.

Samb, who was on ground the previous weekend, returned over the weekend with K48,000 to sponsor the competition.

Goilala Member William Samb was on ground over the weekend to talk with the people regarding initiatives to revive services in the area.

He presented K30,000 cash to the Auga-Dilava community to build a classroom and teachers houses.

“Time is of essence and we cannot prolong the denial of our children from education,” he said, when presenting the money to community leaders.

He told the people to use the available resources referring to materials from the bush to renovate two classrooms, build a new grade three classroom and two teacher’s houses.

Through songs and short dramas, they retold the story of how they've been neglected for the past 40 years.

Located 40 kilometres outside of Port Moresby, the community has been denied the most basic services such as schools, health centres and road links.

Samb sympathised with his people but told them to take the negativity as a challenge.

"I don't want to visit this place next time and hear sad songs or all negative talk.

"From here on, we should all be speaking one language and that's positivity," he said.

Local member William Samb says to date, at least more than 20 emergency cases have successfully been medevac into Port Moresby by Manalosa Aviation as per the understanding with the company.

This has further been made easier with the VSAT installation program rolled out through the district this year, enabling smooth communication.

In a media conference on Friday, Samb extended gratitude to all key players that have allowed for the services to translate.

And this has only been a saying until the recent opportunity provided by a helicopter company, Airbone Logistics PNG has proven so.

From providing flight services into these remote areas, Airbone Logistics in June this year started buying fresh garden produce from farmers which they bring and resell in Port Moresby.

This has now become a daily routine where dry freight from Port Moresby is flown into Goilala, Koiari and Dorobisoro and the aircrafts returns with fresh garden produce.

 Mr Polye raised the concern when speaking at a gathering in the Central provincial government headquarter in Konedobu, Port Moresby, to launch the Goilala district’s projects valued at K6 million.

“Slashing funds of over 50 per cent of K15 million is intolerable and that downturn in commodity prices should not be an excuse.

“With the cash flow problem at hand we would be happy if at least K8 million was dished out.

“At the end of this year those of us in the Opposition received around K5 to K6 million from the budgetary appropriations,” he said.