Dede Sophie

 The Social Democratic Party today welcomed the inclusion of an independent declared candidates who recently joined the party. Party Leader and incumbent NCD Governor Powes Parkop welcomed the inclusion of newly declared MP for Kagua Erave Maina Pano along with its declared MPs at the Hilton Hotel in Port Moresby. SDP MPs at Hilton Hotel. Photo by SDP Media Alongside him was newly declared member for Nipa Kutubu Billy Joseph and Central Bougainville MP Simon Dumarino. The inclusion of Pano now takes the total number of SDP’s parliamentary MPs to four with Parkop yet to be declared. Parkop says the party has made a strategic decision to join the coalition of the Pangu led government not just to make numbers but with working and substantive policies to contribute in delivering for the people. He further called on other independent candidates to join SDP and be mentored in politics. SDP had endorsed 34 candidates in the 2022 National General Elections and have four declared MPs so far. SD

 The Santos PNG Orchids selection process ahead of this year’s Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) will continue in Port Moresby this week, with 34 eligible players to face off in a trial match on Saturday 13 August at the Santos National Football Stadium to assist with final squad selections. Orchids coach Ben Jeffries will travel from Australia to Papua New Guinea this week to observe training sessions and the match, which are being delivered by PNG-based Orchids staff and Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL). Initially it was hoped that 10 Australia-based potential Orchids players would travel to PNG to participate in the trial match alongside their PNG-based counterparts, but this has been deferred in line with a recent decision by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) to delay the SP PNG Hunters’ season return to Port Moresby out of an abundance of caution due to national election processes. Instead, Jeffries will continue to consider the selection claims of overseas-based player