Dede Sophie

 Statement by Commissioner of Police David Manning. “I have been briefed by our team at the National Command Centre that has been stood up at Morauta Haus. “At 9:46 yesterday morning, Sunday 11th September, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck in the Markham Valley, reported by the US Geological Society to be at a depth of 90 kilometres. “A second 5.0 magnitude earthquake was recorded at 10:42 occurring 70 kilometres north of the original tremor, at a depth of 101 kilometres underground. “The most significant damage reported to date has been in districts of Morobe, Eastern Highlands and Madang provinces. “The tremors caused damage to buildings and public roads in these provinces, and a number of landslides were triggered. “Sadly, seven people have been confirmed dead as a result of these landslides. Three in Kabwum District and three in Wau Town, Morobe Province, and one in Rai Coast, Madang Province. “I offer our condolences to the families of those who have died in these tragic circumst

Discussions are underway to establish a sister-city initiative between Papua New Guinea’s Capital Port Moresby and Da Nang city in Vietnam. This was agreed to in a bilateral meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko and Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son during the APEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. PNG Minister Tkatchenko, who is also the Member for Moresby South, said he fully supports the initiative, because it opens many opportunities for the nations capital. Vietnam’s Foreign Minister said Da Nang is one of the fastest growing cities in Vietnam and is an attraction for tourism and other sectors. NCD Governor Powes Parkop, who also sat in the meeting, expressed keen interest in the management systems that Vietnam employed to maximise their Special Economic Zones.  He said Vietnam is leading in terms of that model of stimulating that economy and creating employment and businesses – an area Port Moresby can venture into mainly in agriculture, fisheries and touri

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Justin Tkatchenko has apologised to the people of Papua New Guinea for remarks he made on Australian Broadcasting Corporation. PM Marape said he was also offended by Tkatchenko’s remarks, labelling social media critics of his daughter as “primitive animals”, but had accepted the minister’s apology and asked all Papua New Guineans to do likewise and forgive him. PM Marape  “We should not be labelling our citizens as ‘primitive animals’ even if they have wronged us” he said. “Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso and I summoned Minister Tkatchenko today to explain the circumstances behind the public outburst, especially against his use of the words ‘primitive animals’ on ABC. “DPM Rosso and I expressed concern about the use of these words, to which he responded that it was not directed at all Papua New Guineans, but a spur-of-moment response to social media attacks on his daughter. “Minister Tkatchenko apolog