Dede Sophie

A week-long official induction for the newly-elected Members of Papua New Guinea Parliament for the 11th National Parliament is currently underway at the State Function room. From head-count, over 60 MPs are in attendance including Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and Opposition leader Joseph Lelang and the two female MPs Rufina Peter and Kessy Sawang. PNG Parliament Induction for New MPs gets underway [NBC Photo] The purpose of the induction is to introduce to the new MPs about the Parliamentary Procedures and Standing Orders among others. Parliamentary Service staff are currently introducing their respective divisions and functions to the members.  The presentations include; Public Accounts Committee, Parliamentary Counsel, Parliamentary Committee, Inter Parliamentary Relations, Retirement Benefits Fund, Sergeant-At-Arms and Salaries and Remunerations among others. Second session of the induction program will commence after lunch which will see heads of key Government agencies delive...

A vacation is something we all look forward to. It’s a chance to get out of your regular routine, rest, relax, and let someone else take care of all the stuff that makes life monotonous, like dishes and making the bed. Not to mention, you’re likely to have a lot of fun! Unfortunately, your vacation isn’t guaranteed to go off without a hitch. There’s still a lot that can go wrong, but there are also things you can do to stop your vacation from going off the rails completely. Serious Car Accident Whether you’re renting a car on vacation or you’re driving your own car, an accident can really bring down the mood. No one wants to deal with a crinkled bumper or a scratched car door, but regular fender benders are nothing compared to a serious accident. You especially have to pay close attention to the road if you are going to be spending a lot of time driving on highways and interstates. Car accidents can turn deadly, which will ruin more than just your vacation. Avoid a head-on collision w...

You might be familiar with Deborah Geary’s A Modern Witch series, featuring stories about a beloved clan of modern witches with lots of magic, enduring life lessons and a perfection that’s to be read to be believed. Geary continues with the same characters in her new Witch Central series beginning with An Imperfect Witch  (Ki ndle Edition , 250 p, Fireweed Pub).  Read my review below to see why, despite my fondness for this author’s works, I decided to stop reading this story. Read more »

The freezing depth are becoming ever nearer and so any gardener worth their salt will have winter protection on their mind. On such plant in need of at least some winter protection (even in the mildest regions of the UK) is the brilliant Musa basjoo – commonly known as the ‘Hardy Banana’ and ‘Japanese Banana’. While te hardy banana is considered root hardy, which mean the root system will tolerate temperatures down to -10 degree Celsius, the pseudo stem (truck) is less hardy and should be protected when freezing temperatures or hard frost are forecast. If the pseudostems are damaged in freezing conditions then luckily all is not lost as they will generally grow back through in the spring. However if you are aiming to achieve the impressive height that Musa basjoo pseudostems can attain then you will need to manage their winter protection so that they survive intact in order to add to the existing growth. So in this video English horticulturist Simon explain...