With its funding now legislated, we asked David Wereh, Secretary of the Department of Work and Highways in Papua New Guinea, whats next for the ambitious 20-year Connect PNG road-building program.

Papua New Guineas under-maintained and incomplete road network has long been considered a brake on the countrys economic development, especially in the populous Highlands region, where the poor state of roads has a negative impact on farmers ability to get produce to market.

While PNG had a 20-year program Connect PNG to renovate and expand its 30,000 km road network, the 2023 National Budget finally guaranteed its funding for the first time.

The Connect PNG (Implementation and Funding) Act 2021 comes into effect this year, which protects the funding going forward, says Wereh the man tasked with implementing Connect PNG. With the law and the Prime Minister and governments commitment, were now seeing improvements in funds.

Theres about one million people here to be reached in PNG. Its all about leaving no one behind. In the next five years, we want to connect those remote villages that have been left out since Independence.

From now on, the government will allocate 5.6 per cent of its annual budget toward the program, 50 per cent of which will come from government revenues and 50 per cent from external loans and grants.

We have a budget of K20 billion up to 2040, and around K1.6 billion for 2023 alone, says Wereh. This is the biggest budget allocation ever, he says.

Priorities

In the first phase of the Connect PNG project, up to 2027, about K1.2 billion will be spent each year to bring around...

Statement

It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that Air Niugini announces the passing of our Chairman, Sir Kostas Constantinou OBE. Sir Kostas died on Saturday afternoon, leaving behind an indelible legacy at Air Niugini. He was 66 years old.

Sir Kostas served as Chairman of Air Niugini for the last five years, until his death. During his tenure, Sir Kostas presided over numerous initiatives that positioned Air Niugini as a symbol of excellence and reliability in Papua New Guinea and beyond. His strategic vision, coupled with a profound understanding of doing business in PNG, steered the airline through challenging times, especially the covid pandemic in 2020 through 2021 which decimated the airline industry, and the 2018 aircraft incident at Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. 

Air Niugini is acutely aware of the abundant time and energy Sir Kostas expended across multiple industries from banking to oil and gas. His influence and vision have been of benefit to Air Niugini, and we now continue to progress our turnaround, building a more sustainable, reliable, and accessible airline for the advancement of the citizens of Papua New Guinea. 

Beyond his professional achievements, Sir Kostas was known for his kindness, humility, and deep commitment to the people of Papua New Guinea. He was a philanthropist at heart, supporting numerous charitable causes and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of those less fortunate.

On behalf of the management and staff of Air Niugini, our deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Sir Kostas, including his children Constantia, Andrea, George and Theo. 

During this difficult time, we request that the privacy of Sir Kostas' family be respected. Air Niugini will provide support and assistance to his family in their time of grief, and we will ensure that his memory is honoured in a befitting manner.

The loss of Sir Kostas is felt deeply by everyone at Air Niugini. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his friends and colleagues particularly those in his personal businesses within the Constantinou Group, who have lost a remarkable individual. Sir Kostas' exceptional lega...

 Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. James Marape presented a reciprocal visa waiver agreement between China and Papua New Guinea to Parliament on Thursday, June 15, 2023, for ratification. The agreement received unanimous support from Parliament, reflecting the shared commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

The visa waiver agreement aims to facilitate travel for holders of official and diplomatic passports between China and Papua New Guinea by enabling visa issuance upon arrival. Prime Minister Marape highlighted that this agreement will allow diplomatic and official passport holders from both countries to travel seamlessly for a specified period, fostering closer government-to-government ties.

PM Marape with Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, last November[Photo: PM' Media]

This reciprocal visa waiver agreement is a significant step towards enhancing business and tourism potential between China and Papua New Guinea, stated PM Marape.

Furthermore, it will streamline travel arrangements for state and official representatives, facilitating their important duties.

In addition to promoting economic and diplomatic ties, the Prime Minister emphasised the convenience this agreement will bring to travellers. This visa waiver arrangement will alleviate the travel preparation burden, benefiting not only government officials but also individuals engaged in trade and tourism between our nations, he explained.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the efforts of former Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Justin Tkatchenko, for his role in advancing visa agreements, including those with China and Indonesia. PM Marape expressed gratitude for the swift action taken to bring these agreements to Parliament, ensuring their timely implementation.

Once ratified, this bilateral visa waiver agreement will mark a significant milestone in the relationship between China and Papua New Gu...

Economist and lecturer Andrew Anton Mako, who left his own rural community at the age of 13 in search of an education, outlines what is needed to reverse the decline of many of Papua New Guineas rural communities.

I was born in the mid-1980s, and grew up in the Highlands, in Enga, in Porgera District, in a beautiful government outpost called Kolombi.

During its heyday, Kolombi was more than just a government outpost. It had a well-functioning health centre that supervised more than 10 aid posts.

There was a police post with a permanent police officer, and a formidable village-court magistrate. Together they ensured law and order was maintained.

There was an agriculture extension officer to promote agriculture services, particularly for cash crops, and a kiap or government administrator.

There was an LLG [local level gvoenrment] chamber, which ensured regular local council meetings were held, and a community school which I attended as a boy.

However, disaster struck in 1996 with the closure of Kolombis airstrip, apparently due to a lack of funding for maintenance.

When the airstrip closed, Kolombi started to face rural decay. All the vital government services slowly ceased: the police post closed down, the kiap left, most health workers left and all the aid posts shut down; the agriculture extension officer departed, and the community school closed down as the teachers left.

Without the presence of a government authority, law and order started to deteriorate.

Economic diversification requires a conscious government policy shift to alter the structure of the economy away from the resources sector.

I myself made the decision to leave. As a 13-year-old, I walked for 12 hours to Porgera town, in bare feet over tre...