Powes Parkop

He made the announcement today, when announcing NCDC’s plan forward during the extension of the SOE lockdown.

Seventy percent of the people living in the city depend on the informal sector for survival. The betel-nut business alone has helped a lot of families in the city and the Central and Gulf Provinces to put food on the table, pay for school fees and to provide for necessary needs.

NCD Governor Powes Parkop says, there has been enough information disseminated to city residents by the awareness team and also through the media.

As of Monday penalties to persons who do not comply with the rules under the SOE will take into effect.

In a press conference today, Governor Parkop says he has asked the Defence force to help with police to mend the streets of Port Moresby during this two months lockdown.

The Governor outlined that the main markets around the city will continue to operate. However, road side markets are prohibited.

The plan is in line with the National Government’s commitment to make sure that the country contains the spread of the deadly COVID-19.

Governor Powes Parkop says the city must be prepared.

“It is very important that we must understand that there is a high price to pay if we fail to prepare. To be prepared for an emergency, we must plan as follows, plan on their reduction of the risk, we must be in a state of readiness and we must respond and have a plan to recover,” Parkop stated.

Parkop described the killings as barbaric and senseless, saying the alleged perpetrators cannot be allowed to go unpunished.

The first incident saw a Gulf man being slashed to death by a Hela man with a bush knife last Thursday over a K100 dispute whilst the second involved a Wapenamanda man allegedly killing Biou Pasa of Western origin with a bush knife attack which almost decapitated his neck over a 20 toea dispute. 

The governor said he was impressed with the performance of the Lagatois invitational side that played against a strong Mendi select side at the inaugural Hope Cup Rugby League match in Mendi recently.

While giving his remarks on the success of Hope Cup main match between Port Moresby Vipers and Mendi Muruks, Governor Parkop also praised the young Lagatois outfit for putting up a brave performance with great display of strength, skill and speed, saying they are ready and can match any team in the intercity competition.

In his New Year message, NCD Governor Powes Parkop said: “Make sure you keep the goals as simple as possible. Use the SMART strategy – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

“But, you can also be innovative and creative too. Whatever goals you set, make sure you work out the process needed to achieve them. Otherwise, 2020 will be just another 2019.

Speaking at a media conference on Wednesday (Oct 9), flanked by Noel Anjo of People’s Power Movement, Jeffrey Bomanak who is the Chairman of Free West Papua Movement or (OPM), Rex Buka of NCDC Youth Desk and James Yalya of NCD Governor’s Regional Office, Governor Parkop called on everyone in the city to declare this Friday as ‘stop work’ and show their solidarity to the fellow Melanesians suffering from the autocratic rule of Indonesia.

He also called on business houses and departmental heads to release their staff to express themselves freely to support this cause.

Speaking at the end of the Active City Development program’s weekly Walk and Yoga for Life at the Paga Hill Ring Road on Sunday, Parkop admitted that the Municipal Government, with the support from the National Government, cannot solve all the development challenges in the city alone.

The deal, a first of its kind for PNG, is aimed at demonstrating a model for large scale affordable housing for low- and middle income families in Port Moresby, to help ease the growth of the city’s informal settlements.  It was announced by Governor Parkop during the Pacific Urban Forum, now underway in Fiji, which is focusing on the challenges of urbanisation in Papua New Guinea and other Pacific Island nations.

He raised this in parliament today, saying he visited the Bomana prison recently and found there are prisoners with a death sentence still in limbo because parliament has yet to decide on their fate.

Parkop argued that death penalty was not really punishing prisoners but giving them easy access to death.

“There are 11 prisoners in limbo, and all from other provinces, who are on death row and have been waiting for at least 10 years now, for parliament to decide their fate,” stated Parkop.