Dede Sophie

The National Court in Waigani will make a ruling today on an application filed by the State to dismiss a second judicial review proceeding by the former Returning Officer for Hagen Open electorate, Willie Ropa. Mr. Ropa’s first judicial review proceeding filed on June 14th, 2022 was dismissed by the Court on July 4th, and the current proceeding was filed again on July 8th, through Henao Lawyers. The judicial review proceedings is in relation to the decision of the Electoral Commissioner made on June 2nd, where Mr. Ropa’s appointment as the Returning Officer for the Hagen Open electorate for the 2022 National Election, was revoked and Pius Nop was appointed. Submissions were made yesterday.  The Plaintiff claims that he was not given a Notice of the purported revocation, including reasons for the revocation, and this is in breach of his right to be heard.  Therefore, after being unsuccessful in his previous judicial review matter, he filed this current proceeding again to cha...

Prime Minister  James Marape has given his support to development of the oil palm industry in Papua New Guinea on a massive scale. PM Marape gave his support after he and East Sepik Governor,  Allan Bird, met with representatives of Pacific Elite Palm Oil Group in Singapore on Monday (November 21, 2022). The company currently runs an oil palm project in East Sepik, which it wants to emulate in all provinces, saying that it will be an economic gamechanger for the whole country. The company aims to create the largest agriculture-based wealth in the South Pacific, as well as generate electricity for PNG, using oil palm. Governor Bird told PM Marape that if a long-term oil palm development plan was drawn up, with the aim of economic independence for PNG, one million hectares of oil palm grown all over PNG would bring in an extra K100 billion for the country. “We can double our GDP just from palm oil,” he said. “If we go into downstream processing, this K100 billion could double, so that we...

A senior female officer has for the first time been appointed the Acting Governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea.  PNG Prime Minister James Marape in a statement announced that Elizabeth Genia who has 35 years of experience serving in the bank has been given the role. He said the timely appointment is based on merit and has nothing to do with former acting governor Benny Popoitai’s competence. Also, the constitution does not allow for an extension on the acting appointment for another six months. Mr. Marape has directed the process of a permanent appointment to be fast-tracked and looks forward to working with Mrs. Genia. NBC News / PNG Today  Next :  PNG Higher Education Minister Polye embarks on Restoring Power of Student Representative Councils