West Sepik

Kumbakor filed the petition on August 30, disputing Joe Sungi's re-election as Nuku MP.

Sungi was declared member elect on July 20^th.

His lawyer filed a motion, objecting the petition saying it was incompetent because it was filed late.

The two issues brought to court in that motion was that two public holidays fell between that period of declaration and the date the petition was filed.

The public holidays were Remembrance and Repentance day respectively. 

From West Sepik Province, Constable Valentina Kowa, joined the Royal Papua New Guinea in 2013.

She becomes the first policewoman to join the Police Dog Unit since policewomen were first recruited into the Constabulary in 1976.

Constable Kowa successfully completed her eight-week intensive specialist canine handlers and dogs training with 13 male officers.

“I am so happy and very grateful today. It is very challenging but I have made it and I want to encourage policewomen to join the Dog Directorate,” Constable Kowa said.

He made the call during the provinces Independence celebration held over the weekend in Vanimo.

Thousands flocked to the Vanimo Town Oval where the Governor addressed his constituents urging them to use the occasion to reflect on the challenges of the past and improve them for the future.

This he said can be achieved by putting all differences aside and working for the betterment of the country.

Various activities were held by school children and the Business community in Vanimo to commemorate Independence Day.

The event, which was scheduled for yesterday, was deferred to today.

“Security on the ground consists of 13 Special Services Division personnel, 10 PNG Defence Force personnel and 50 local policemen and women who have been ready since Monday,” members of the team told Loop PNG.

“Only the Electoral Commission knows the reason behind these delays.”

Counting for the electorate was scheduled to start yesterday but was deferred to this morning.

Apart from that, the extraction of ballot boxes was also postponed.

International news agency, Reuters, reports that a statement emailed to them from Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch, confirmed the signing of the MOU with investors from Shenzen Province, China’s third largest city, worth $4 billion (K11, 979, 634, 621.14).

The MOU paves way for the building of a series of processing and manufacturing plants at two industrial parks in West Sepik Province, in a dense jungle region 30 kms (20 miles) from the Indonesian border.

These includes large-scale processing of timber products, fisheries, cassava and tropical spices at one park.