Southern Highlands Province

Chairman of NDB, Michael Yake Mel and his team visited Imbonggu District this week and inspected the newly set up banking facility at the district's headquarters in Walume.

Mr Mel commended the Imbonggu District Development Authority for the efforts and initiative taken in providing office space to accommodate for the operations and banking services for NDB staff.

He said this would enable the bank staff to provide efficient banking services to the people of Imbonggu and the province.

Petitioner Pastor Bernard Kaku, the fourth runner up candidate in the 2017 Southern Highlands Provincial seat general elections, is challenging Governor-elect William Powi.

Submissions from legal teams from both sides and the Electoral Commission presented their arguments to Justice David Cannings on Tuesday afternoon.

Lawyer representing Pastor Kaku argued that the Provincial Returning Officer, Steven Kaupa, failed to complete and determine the results of the counting, by prematurely declaring William Powi as the elected leader.

The Mendi Airport is currently undergoing a K40.2 million development under the Civil Aviation Development Program (CADIP) implemented by the NAC.

Recently a landowner and busissman and the Southern Highlands Provincial Government raised concerns over projects ono-completion.

Landowner and businessman, Alex Awesa, queried the delay in the completion of the Mendi Airport Redevelopment saying the delay is creating an economic vacuum.

Southern Highlands Governor, William Powi, concurred and said the Provincial Government has raised the matter with the NAC.

Local Alex Awesa says five years after the contract was awarded the building has not been built. 

Landowner and businessman Alex Awesa is questioning the status of the proposed development of the Three (3) Story Seat of Good Governance Building in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province.

Awesa says the contact for the K16 million project was awarded to Pacific Industrial Resources (PNG) Limited in 2016 but to date there is no structure, let alone any ground work. 

The proposed site of the building is directly opposite the Agricu Centre.

The incident occurred between June 28^th and the early hours of June 29^th when masked men entered the Agiru Centre and made off with important documents.

Community leader and former advisor to Government interface, Martin Firmin Pat, told this newsroom the incident occurred when an audit was about to be conducted into the province’s spending of public funds.

The K20 million was part of the K400 million 2020 provincial budget break up.

The Provincial Budget consisted of K218 million in the National Government grants and Provincial Government Internal Revenue of K192 million.

The Southern Highlands Provincial Host Organising Committee of the PNG Games is very excited about the support it received from the provincial government.

PRK Mendi Muruks Chairman,  Isaac Luke, mande the announcement on Wednesday (Jan 30^th).

Isaac said the announcement is part of the club's rebranding and re-strategy for a new and improved flagship team for the Southern Highlands Province.

Speaking for the first time as the Head Coach, Nami said he was happy to join the club after being released from the Lahanis.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Crimes and Commander of the Investigative Task Force (ITF) in Mendi, Hodges Ette, alleged that the defendant, who is a local policeman, negligently and without lawful reasons discharged a firearm resulting in the pellet which ricocheted and caused the death of another person.

The policeman, Constable Moses Snow of Kware village in Nipa, and attached to Nipa Police Station, was arrested and charged for the murder of the youth. The incident occurred last weekend.

O’Neill said now is the time for parties involved in the court decision that preceded the unrest to work together.

In a media conference yesterday, PM O’Neill said the leaders of Southern Highlands have organised themselves, particularly those involved in the election dispute, so they can work together to manage expectations of the people in the province.

He said every time there is an incident around the country, the Opposition always calls for his resignation.

This newsroom was reliably informed that over 2,000 items, including water tanks and food such as tinned fish and noodles, are in Mt Hagen ready to be transported to Mendi Town.

These items are part of the government’s relief efforts after declaring a State Of Emergency following the earthquake in February this year.

Food supplies were necessary after the earthquake destroyed most of the food gardens that the affected people depended heavily on.

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