A flight from Australia has arrived in Papua New Guinea with the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines as well as experts to support local experts in responding to the virus. The first supply of vaccines for frontline health staff was made on Tuesday, March 23rd, with an initial rollout for the National Capital District. In addition to AUSMAT experts,...

With the recent rise in COVID-19 positive cases in PNG, peak bodies representing industry, the private sector, and development partners are urging their members to take the lead in promoting and enforcing necessary virus prevention protocols. In a joint statement released recently, the PNG Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PNGCCI) and the Business Coun...

According to a study by the National Research Institute (NRI), the investments needed to increase the tax base for the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) require significant upfront investments. The report said that increasing revenues for the Bougainville Government, public expenditures also necessitate capacity to prepare, budget, execute, and ...

According to PNG Manufacturers Council chief executive officer Chey Scovell, businesses support the urgent need to stop the current spread of the Covid-19 but agree that a full-scale, literal lockdown isn't feasible in Papua New Guinea. When asked whether companies were preparing for a lockdown due to the increase in Covid-19 incidents, Scovell said ye...

Bank South Pacific (BSP) is thinking of being listed on the Australian stock exchange (ASX). Sir Kostas Constantinou, chairman of the bank's board of directors, said the bank intended to call a special meeting of shareholders to seek approval for amendments to its constitution that would allow BSP to apply to join the ASX's official list. It would b...

As a result of a high number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases recorded in the country, Papua New Guinea will be placed in a nationwide quarantine. This was revealed by Prime Minister James Marape at a press conference in Port Moresby. He stated that this would not be a "severe lockdown," and that companies and government would be able to function normal...

The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has been given regulatory approval for use in Papua New Guinea. The government is planning for the vaccine rollout, aimed to launch by the end of April, as PNG struggles to control the spread of Covid-19. The PNG Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee reviewed the various Covid-19 vaccines produced, according to P...

The United Nations' theme for International Women's Day is "Women in Leadership: Creating an Inclusive Future in a Covid-19 World," a celebration of global progress toward equal representation of women in leadership roles. Women's leadership in the Pacific has focused on women's political participation, which is among the lowest in the world at just 7%...

As a need under the EITI 2019 global practice standard, the Papua New Guinea Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PNGEITI) has published its first Beneficial Ownership (BO) Report. Head of PNGEITI National Secretariat Lucas Alkan said that this has already been published on its website last December 2020. “All EITI implementing countries includi...

Falling export earnings have impacted the external sector of Papua New Guinea. But surging gold prices and import compression contained the damage. According to the World Bank PNG’s economic update titled “Dealing with a triple crisis”, the current account surplus broadened in the first half of 2020, which increased by 14 per cent. This was supported by a...

There will be confidence in the PNG economy in 2021.According to Bank South Pacific Group Chief Executive Officer Robin Fleming, this was attributed to the resource sector with several major projects in the pipeline - such as the Fiscal Stability Agreement signed between the Government and Total and Joint Venture Partners of the Papua LNG Project. This al...

The Morobe government has recently passed its budget worth K662,675,000.Morobe Governor and finance chairman Ginson Saonu said that this budget is for developmental and rural growth, adding that the budget had K204,026,700 from internal revenue and K458,648,300 from the national grants.“The 2021 internal revenue total estimate is increased by 10 per cent,...

In order to achieve full radio, television and internet coverage, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology plans to help the Autonomous Bougainville Government through improved tower infrastructure and fibre connectivity. In a statement, ICT Minister Timothy Masiu plans to seek cabinet approval to roll out these programs. He said that his ...

The Internal Revenue Commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Gulf Province in Port Moresby. IRC Commissioner-General Sam Koim said that they have also forged similar partnerships with other provinces except for Hela, Southern Highlands, and Gulf and that this partnership is very timely because they will also be forming relationships w...

The Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) has welcomed the country’s Fishing Industry Association (FIA) as a funding partner. According to Fishing Industry Association (PNG) president and chairman Sylvester Pokajam, this partnership was an achievement for them to improve and to raise their commitment to the conservation of the ecosystem and to prot...

Papua New Guinea has lost a great man. Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare, the man who led the country to independence in September 1975, died of pancreatic cancer at the Pacific International Hospital in the country’s capital. He was 84 years old. The national government has urged all flags to lower at half-mast to honour the great man.In a statement,...