John Simon

The executive was driving back to Maprik when he was held up and met his fate. In retaliation, the family of the deceased burnt down the village of the suspects involved in the killing. 

Two more people were killed in related violence. Government facilities are at risk with the health center being burnt down.

Simon is urging the police to act promptly and take this matter under control before it gets out of end. 

He also called for the two factions not to take law into their own hands but allow the police to deal with the issue. 

In a recent press conference, Simon said the death of sitting MP Gabriel Kapris has left the people confused. The absence of leadership has also stalled some much-needed services, including inconsistent power supply.

Simon said in his last visit home, that the town’s services and even people are in disorder, public asserts are being misused, while law and order issues have somewhat increased.

Simon who lost his Maprik open seat stormed into the government office at Waigani, banging down the door of the acting secretary and using abusive languages at staff. 
 
Mr Mombi said Simon told everyone in the office that he remains a Minister of State responsible for the department until the Return of Writs dateline ceases, which is tomorrow, August 5 at 4pm. 
 

He expressed his fears when addressing a coffee meeting in Banz in Jiwaka Province last Friday February 4 2022. Minister Simon told the meeting that a case in point was coffee, a commodity currently enjoying high world prices, but the production in PNG was not increasing.

“We are growing a generation that is just not interested in agriculture and this is very dangerous for this country and one day we will lose this country.

“This is why I am travelling all over the country and promoting agriculture, as I am so passionate about this country,” he said.

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, John Simon made these remarks during a meeting with Wahgi Mek shareholders and Jiwaka Governor, Dr William Tongamp, in Banz on Friday Feb 4, 2022.

He said it is in the best interest of Jiwaka and Papua New Guinea that the rundown Wahgi Mek Plantations are revived.

Wahgi Mek Ltd is jointly owned by South Wahgi LLG, North Wahgi LLG and Hunter Richard Hagon. It was once the single biggest coffee exporter in the country until it ceased operations due to landowner disputes.

He made the announcement following the presentation of 5000 poly bags for cocoa nursery to the villagers. Minister Simon presented the cocoa bags to the locals during his visit to the village on Tuesday, 4th January 2022. 

He said the farmers would be able to source cocoa seedlings from this nursery free and grow on their land. Minister Simon urged the locals, especially youths to work hard and produce best quality cocoa, adding that the current price for wet beans sits at K3 per kilo. 

Five hundred students in NCD will receive K1000 each from the funding.

The financial support will go towards subsiding their school fees and alleviating the burden off from the students and their parents.

On Tuesday, six student leaders from six tertiary institutions in Port Moresby on behalf of their associations received funding. These institutions are, UPNG, PAU, DBTI, POMTECH, APEX, ITI and Admin College.

The Maprik District Administration has spent K5 million since 2013 investing in its human resource.

The company recently opened the first rice processing plant in Port Moresby which was officiated by the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, John Simon.

The opening was witnessed by the members of the PNG Commodity Board as well as the PNG Manufacturers council, other wholesalers, staff and management of Goodman Fielders.

General Manager for Goodman Fielder, Manish Randev proudly announced that after 40 years of operation, the company has reached another milestone of packing rice in country.

This follows a recent development involving person(s) identifying themselves as representatives of Pangu Pati and requesting membership sign-up and fees from individuals around Maprik district.

It has been alleged that some ‘person of interest’ belonging to a newly established church have been prompting individuals to sign up for membership with promises of thousands of kina credited into their accounts as rewards; those who sign up are asked to do so with a certain amount, including a cost of K50 or more.

General Manager Mark Worinu and his technical team were in the district at the invitation of Maprik MP and Minister for Agriculture and Livestock John Simon on the weekend.

Speaking to a huge crowd at Sologun village of Yamil Tamawi LLG, Mr Worinu said FPDA was happy to be a long-term partner with East Sepik province to provide training and expertise on the indigenous and introduced crops for commercial production.