Wantok Nius

 The head of Papua New Guinea's consumer watchdog has called for the termination of Puma Energy's contract to supply fuel in the country, Post Courier reports. Commissioner Paulus Ain of the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) said he is disappointed at the fuel supplier and they (ICCC) are looking for alternative suppliers to meet the local demand.  The same sentiments were shared by former Petroleum and Energy Minister, Kerenga Kua, when resigning from office and described the supplier as "persona no grata" to the Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) and most of the commercials banks.  

Three directors of the National Airports Corporation (NAC) have reportedly resigned after political interference from ministers of state. The National (August 17) reported that directors Michael Koisen, Joseph Kintau and Jerry Agus tendered their resignations on Friday (14 August) after a board decision to revoke the appointment of the acting Managing Director (MD)/CEO and revert to his substantive as General Manager (GM) - Commercial was overturned by Civil Aviation (CA) Minister Lekwa Gure and Finance Minister Renbo Paita as nominee shareholders.  The trio said the decision by the board was based on an audit report (BARCC Report), and came after lengthy deliberation. They further warned that turning a blind eye to the report could place the corporation at significant financial risk and an erosion in its corporate governance and compliance process.  Koisen, Kintau and Agus were all sworn in as directors early this year after being appointed by the National Executive Council (NEC). 

Port Moresby - The four men allegedly involved in an attempt to smuggle more than 500 kg of cocaine to Australia are yet to be charged, the Post Courier (6 August, 2020) reports.  According to the Police's Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Operations, Donald Yamasombi, they wanted to be sure of the charges before taking action. He said there were other avenues of the inquiry that are opening up and they wanted the exhaust these before laying charges. Yamasombi also added that the men were assisting police with their investigations.  Meanwhile, journalist Simon Eroro has come out on social media implicating rogue policemen trying to tamper with evidence. He posted that a Hevilift helicopter was seen at the crime scene a day after the crash trying to airlift the wreckage of the Cessna 402C twin engine.  Photograph shared by Eroro on Facebook showing a helicopter at the hidden airstrip the next day.        Eroro said other policemen arrived before any evidence could be taken away and

Port Moresby - Firebrand politician Gary Juffa is calling for Papua New Guinean authorities who harbored Indonesian fugitive Djoko Tjandra to be investigated and charged.  The Oro Governor made the call after Tjandra was arrested in Malaysia and repatriated to Indonesia after more than a decade on the run. According to the Jakarta Post , Tjandra spent 11 years on the run.  Juffa had raised the issue back in 2012 warning the government from dealing with Tjandra. He says the former government knowingly harbored and conducted business with the international fugitive.  He added that the recent arrest should signal an investigation into those involved in harboring Tjandra and commended the Malaysian police for taking action - something PNG authorities could have done long ago.  Juffa also said the arrest should be a wake up call for PNG to improve her security systems including immigration, foreign affairs, customs and other state agencies.     Tjandra fled Indonesia in 2009 after being fo

Port Moresby - Four Papua New Guinean nationals have been arrested in connection to the recent million kina cocaine hau l. According to Commissioner of Police David Manning , two male suspects were arrested at the Sunset Lodge in Papa-Lealea on July 30 and a further two were arrested at Manu Autoport the next day with around AU$40,000 (PGK100,000) cash in their possession along with a few electrical items intended as gifts for locals who had assisted them. Manning said the suspects confessed the location of the drugs which was retrieved the same day.    Meanwhile, Post Courier (04 August) has reported a "highly placed intelligence official" saying high profile Papua New Guineans, politicians. rogue members of security forces and businessmen are linked to the drug trade.  The source said their reports indicate the pilot, David John Cutmore, had flown numerous "drug sorties" from Australia into Papua New Guinea. He further added that certain elements in Foreign Affai

Port Moresby - Police in Port Moresby suspect that a Cessna 402C twin engine plane that crashed in a hidden airstrip near Papa-Lealea was part of a drug running operation. It is believed that the crashed happened during takeoff.  Police suspect that the pilot was supposed to pickup the drugs between 1 pm - 2:30 pm on Sunday but crashed while attempting to takeoff.  The pilot, David John Cutmore, has reportedly turned himself in at the Australian High Commission and is assisting police with their investigations.  Cutmore, who does not have a passport, has been charged with illegal entry, according to the acting Chief Immigration Officer Robert Kennedy. It is understood that he is being interrogated by Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers in a secure location in the city.   Meanwhile, according to an investigation by PNGiCentra l , the Cessna 402C twin engine with registration number VH-TSI is registered to Port Moresby based company RAVENPOL NO. 69 Limited in the Australian Civil