New Ireland

Air Niugini will operate daily Fokker jet services between Port Moresby and Kavieng, as well as connecting the provincial capital of New Ireland with Rabaul, Hoskins, Lae, Manus Island and Buka. 

The resumption of Fokker flights follows the completion of runway maintenance and upgrading works by the National Airports Corporation (NAC). 
Since the works on the airport runway commenced over a year ago, Air Niugini has been operating to Kavieng using smaller Dash-8 aircraft, but with passenger numbers restricted to as few as 20 at times because of the shortened runway.

New Ireland Provincial Police Commander, Felix Nebanat, said offenders are capitalising on the constraints faced by local police, hence the escalation in crime.

The mobile squad unit was called in by PPC Nebanat after his officers were attacked when responding to a wilful damage report involving over K20,000 worth of goods.

Furthermore, following the rise in lawlessness on the Tigak islands, Chief inspector Nebanat urged all New Irelanders to cooperate with police to restore normalcy on the islands.

Seventeen candidates are contesting the Kavieng Open seat, 19 for Namatanai Open seat, while 14 for the New Ireland Regional Seat.

Rhodie Paut-Nawara, running as an Independent candidate will contest the New Ireland Regional Seat.

Ruthy Watlen, Marianne Millie, Lucy Siki Aiyia, Rubbie Kerepa are all running as Independent candidates for Kavieng Open.

In the Namatanai Electorate, candidates Getrude Salir and Grace Nakamai are also contesting as Independent candidates.

Namatanai Open Returning Officer, Tifi Taylor told this newsroom that the 13 candidates nominated in Namatanai town. Each nominee came with two witnesses.

Sitting MP Walter Schnaubelt running under the National Alliance Party, also nominated, as well as former Namatanai MP Byron Chan, who nominated under the People’s Progress Party. One of the 13 is female candidate, Gerthude Sialir. Mrs Sialir is running as an independent candidate. 

The Returning Officer said as off midday yesterday, no candidate approached the nomination grounds.

The team looked into logging camps and business houses in New Ireland last week, where they charged 30 individuals for breaches in their visa and work permits.

The acting provincial administrator at the time, Moses Taram, said the state team, comprising officers from Immigration, Labour and the Police, found that up to 80 percent of the foreign workers did not comply with the provisions of their work permits, while others did not have customs clearance to work in Papua New Guinea.

Chief Ombudsman Richard Pagen and senior staff from the Ombudsman Commission made this request following their visit to Kavieng yesterday.

They further asked the MPs to extend the lockup in Kavieng to avoid containing men, women and juveniles in the same cells.

The visit to Kavieng follows their trip to Manus on Monday.

The Member for Kavieng, on behalf of the Kavieng District Development Authority, was delighted to host the meeting held at the Nusa Island retreat.

New Ireland Governor, Sir Julius Chan who officiated at the event said the new chamber captures the high status of authority and governance.

The council chamber was built at a cost of K700, 000.

“You are not only ward councilors but are law makers. You have the power of making laws and oversee the proper implementation of those laws for the good of our people.

“I want the people to realize that the office of the president and ward councilor and their roles and duties are legal under the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Governments,”
said Governor Chan.

To catch a shark in the waters off Papua New Guinea, first the men sing.

They sing the names of their ancestors and their respects to the shark. They shake a coconut rattle into the sea, luring the animals from the deep, and then catch them by hand.

The custom, called “shark calling”, is practised in the villages of Messi, Kono and Kontu on the west coast of New Ireland province in Papua New Guinea, a country of about 9 million people just north of Australia.

Spearheading the project is company NIHT Topaiyo in partnership with REDD+. New Ireland through the Konoagil LLG has put PNG on the world map by becoming the 15^th Country out of 4,500 projects worldwide to start paying out carbon credits.

CEO of NI Holdings Essrom Toligur gave an update of the project during the opening of the Todave Council Chamber at Silur, Konoagil LLG on August 25.

The supported was extended to 36 rugby teams from New Ireland Province who will converge in Kavieng to participate in the Douglas Guise Rugby 7s Cup in Kavieng from the 16th to 18th of September.

Nancy Inai, Skel Rice Brand Manager said: “An emphasis is placed on encouraging healthy living and active lifestyle within the community.

She also said: “Sport contributes to the positive development of individuals and the community at large. It also keeps our youths occupied and focused, as such we are pleased to support through this donation.”