Morobe province

Portion 354 at Malahang, in Lae, was the centre of a court proceeding that started in 2006 and finally came to a close on the 25^th of March, this year, when Justice Paulus Dowa ruled in favour of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG.

Settlers occupying that area were given four months to vacate the place; a period that lapsed on the 25^th of July, which saw the ELCPNG advise settlers of the deadline.

Morobe’s Provincial Program Advisor for education, Keith Tangui, said students were psychologically put off with a good number of schools reporting a rise in absenteeism.

No school in Morobe made the top performing list for Grade 12s, while Busu Secondary School’s Grade 10s came second in the 2022 national examination.

“Many students were not coming to school, as reported by the principals,” Tangui outlined.

This year, the arrangement for teachers to receive their leave entitlements was different; fives names from each region were now being called out.

This meant that teachers no longer have to push and shove to get to the front of the queue.

Provincial Program Advisor for education, Keith Tangui, said this year, the name list containing at least 2,000 applications was closely scrutinised, including teachers’ file numbers, place of origin, marital status and number of dependents.

He made this statement during a briefing in Lae on Friday, the 19^th of August, at the Morobe provincial disaster centre.

Rosso was accompanied to Lae on Friday by Huon Gulf district’s new MP, Jason Peter.

The Lae MP and Huon Gulf MP were given a grand reception at Nadzab Airport before they convoyed to the Morobe provincial disaster centre in Lae.

This is his first official visit as the Deputy Prime Minister, to his electorate after the formation of government for the 11^th Parliament.

A water salute was given as the aircraft he was in taxied to a stop, where he was received by a guard of honour.

Accompanying the DPM was Huon Gulf’s new MP, Jason Peter. They were both received by a delegation consisting of officials from the Morobe Provincial Administration and Lae City Authority.

The Christian non-government organisation of City Mission has its vision of “Spreading the love of God and meeting human needs” to guide its day-to-day activities.

Founded by Larry George, City Mission has been operating in PNG for over 25 years, where they take the most at-risk young men out of settlements and villages and train and educate them, protect women in gender-based violence situations, care for abused, abandoned and orphaned children and also work with young women.

The clash started two weeks ago between Kabwum settlers and Sepiks over an argument that residents at the ESS gate to the church bus stop, near the mini dump, did not vote for the candidate who lives in that area.

An argument at a roadside market soon escalated into a confrontation involving stones, knives and bows and arrows.

Residents advised this newsroom that guns were used yesterday and this morning again, when police arrived on scene, where a shootout ensued.

Mathias Awagasi was eliminated in exclusion 27, leaving only 10 candidates in the running for the governor seat.

The progressive tally:

1. Songang Luther Wenge (PLP) – 93,166
2. Kemas Tomala (ULP) – 67,810
3. Ginson Saonu (PANGU) – 32,656
4. Jennifer Baing (PMFC) – 28,368
5. Joshua Menos (Ind) – 22,023
6. Robin Yalambing (Ind) – 16,439
7. Kasiga Kelly Naru (PNC) – 14,761
8. Sheila Pati Harou (Ind) – 13,048
9. Dr Joseph Garap (PNGP) – 12,299
10. Solomon Peter Ikwa – 11,917

Absolute majority: 156,245

The exclusion of Ezra Kelly leaves 13 candidates still in the running.

The progressive tally:

1. Songang Luther Wenge (PLP) – 89,097
2. Kemas Tomala (ULP) – 64,133
3. Ginson Saonu (PANGU) – 31,345
4. Jennifer Baing (PMFC) – 26,018
5. Joshua Menos (Ind) – 21,270
6. Robin Yalambing – 15,153
7. Kasiga Kelly Naru (PNC) – 13,440
8. Sheila Pati Harou – 12,286
9. Dr Joseph Garap (PNGP) – 11,332
10. Solomon Peter Ikwa – 10,994
11. Mathias Awagasi – 9,256
12. Judas Nalau – 8,435
13. Douglas Kawa – 6,866

Citizens are forced to stand in long lines – exposed to the elements – just to get their documents signed or stamped.

A long line forms outside the Lae courthouse every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at midday.

Citizens wishing to get a Commissioner of Oaths stamp on their documents start lining up outside the courthouse premises at 12pm – or earlier – waiting for the counter to open at 1.30pm.

Molina Dennis travelled all night from Madang to get her documents signed in Lae so she could access her superannuation funds.