Dede Sophie

 A member of  Papua New Guinea Parliament has died. The incumbent Member for North Bougainville, William Nakin  passed away on Tuesday at the Port Moresby General hospital  Mr. Nakin had suffered a massive stroke in Buka and was medivac to Port Moresby Monday.  Mr Nakin’s passing has been confirmed by both the incumbent Regional MP and Vice Minister for Bougainville Affairs, Peter Tsiamalili Junior, as well as the incumbent Member for South Bougainville and Minister for Information Communication Technology, Timothy Masiu. Both leaders have also passed their condolences to the late Mr. Nakin’s immediate family as well as the people of Gogohe and North Bougainville.  NBC / PNG Today Next :  Air Niugini Suspends Flights to Kagamuga Airport , Mt Hagen

 High cost of power is a major hinderance to trade and investment in Papua New Guinea (PNG), says Minister for Trade and Investment,  Richard Maru.  PNG’s electricity sector is unreliable, expensive and has very low access, making the country one of the least electrified countries in the world with only 13% of the population having access to electricity. “We continue to rely on the expensive diesel generators when we have vast cheaper and cleaner energy options available- the rivers (for hydro projects) and the sun (for solar farms),” said Minister Maru. Minister Maru raised this concern after meeting with a team from the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) this morning where they discussed about a feasibility study into the Sowom Hydro Project in East Sepik Province. SMEC has done an initial high-level feasibility study into the potential of the hydro project along the Sowom River in 2014. “The Marape-Rosso Government is keen to have a full feasibility study done on the via...