British HC visa goes digital
Effective from yesterday, all visas issued by the British High Commission in Port Moresby will be biometric. British High Commissioner David Dunn said the introduction of biometric visas was part of the global enhancement programme, which brings PNG on line with other UK visa operations around the world. This was to prevent identity theft, combat visa fraud and to speed up the issue of visas. All applicants would now be subject to a 10-finger data capture and exercise and digitally photographed upon visa application.

US$30,000 Chinese aid
CHINESE ambassador to PNG Wei Ruixing has expressed sympathy and deep condolences to the people of Oro for the tragic loss of life and property sustained during Cyclone Guba. In a letter to the acting Prime Minister Dr Puka Temu last month, Mr Wei said China had pledged to support the PNG Government in its disaster relief efforts. The Chinese Red Cross Society had provided US$30,000 disaster relief cash aid to PNG Red Cross Society, through the Chinese embassy in Port Moresby.

Police college donates clothes
CONSTABLE training wing of Bomana Police College yesterday donated 15 bags of clothes and four boxes of utensils and footwear to the people of Oro affected by Cyclone Guba. Senior Insp Joe Puri said clothes and kitchen utensils were some of the essential items that the people needed in the light of reports that many people had lost their clothing during the disaster and had to wear the same clothes and use sticks and other metal objects as utensils.

Wanted criminal shot dead
A HARDCORE criminal wanted for a string of holdups in Kokopo and Takubar area in East New Britain was shot dead by police last Thursday. According to police, Linus Vincent, 36, from Arawe in West New Britain was allegedly planning a holdup when police caught up with him after a tip-off. He was shot on the left knee when he attempted to shoot at the police. Vincent sustained pellet wounds and was rushed to Vunapope St Mary’s hospital but later died. Other suspects have been arrested and charged with possession of firearms and shotguns.

NGO official locked out
AN advocate of women’s rights in Kokopo has been locked out of her office since last week amidst alleged in-house fighting. Dove Sanctuary director Elizabeth Konmil and a group of women who spearheaded the protest march on sexual abuse and violence against women in the province recently, was locked out and said she was yet to be told why her office was locked. She said though she was from another part of the country, she had the heart to provide leadership for the women in the province.

30 graduate in theology
THIRTY students graduated with certificates and diplomas in theology at Ogelbeng Lutheran Highlands Seminary outside Mt Hagen city recently. Twenty-two graduated with certificates while eight graduated with diplomas. Principal Charlie Wereka urged them to stand strong while preaching the word of God to the people. A successful person in life managed his or her time properly, Mr Wereka said.
Guest speaker Bishop Rev David Piso from the Gut Nius Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea said it was a vocation from the Lord and assured the graduates that the good Lord would continue to stay with them in good and bad times because they were his ambassadors.

NIG wants help to combat violence against women
NEW Ireland Government has encouraged non-government organisations and other stakeholders to assist in combating violence against women and children. Deputy Governor Derrol Maisi during the closing of the weeklong workshop on Domestic Violence and Child Abuse urged participants to combat violence against women and children in areas of education and training and move the community to greater awareness.
Mr Maisi said violence and abuse were often not reported and challenged the participants would play an important role in education and reporting these matters to the right authorities.

NHC to evacuate tenants who fail to pay rentals
The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has warned that it would evict tenants who continually ignore debt notices issued for outstanding rental payments.
NHC assistant general manager Michael Wasiura said debt was mounting and they had to take action against defaulters.
Mr Wasiura was reacting to concerns raised by a number of tenants in Wewak who felt that it was unfair for NHC to serve eviction notices on them when the houses they occupy were not fit for human habitation.

ENB hospitals, clinics to undergo facelift
HOSPITALS and clinics in districts in East New Britain will see major upgrading and maintenance of its wards and respective facilities in the new year.
With funding support from the National Government’s Supplementary Budget through the Health Department, the Division of Health in East New Britain will undertake major upgrading work to its health facilties.
The scope of work and components of the health facilities maintenance and upgrading project will cost in access of K16 million.
According to a statement released to The National in Kokopo, facilities that will be upgraded include the expansion and general maintenance of wards of all hospital and clinics in each district.
A cheque for K5.125 million was released to the Gazelle Restoration Authority (GRA) last Thursday.

Punter calls police for help
A punter called police yesterday for help after his claim for a payout of K200,000 in a pokies parlour in Mt Hagen was rejected by the site owner. Southern Highlander Buri Kibby, an avid pokies player, claimed he hit more than the jackpot when the credits on his State of Origin poker machine shot up to 4,664,013 credits after the slots showed a “full house”. But the owner Thomas Pepa said something must have gone wrong with the machine, as the maximum credits one can get in a single hit was 200,000 which would pay out K10,000.

Businesswoman robbed
A businesswoman and her employees were held up in Kokopo and robbed as they set out to buy cocoa beans. Police said the incident happened last Saturday at the Ravalian cocoa buying point at Vunamami village in Kokopo. Police said men armed with guns held up Josephine Warmang and her workers and robbed them of their cocoa beans, clothes , foodstuffs and money. No arrests have been made and police are investigating.

Alleged rapist still at large
Police in Vanimo are still looking for a 16-year-old schoolboy who allegedly abducted and raped a 14-year-old girl who is a class-mate of his. This happened two weeks ago. It was alleged that the boy abducted the girl at 8pm last Nov 25 and sexually assaulted her until 4am the following day when she was released. Police said the boy had gone into hiding and have asked the father to look for his son and bring him in.

Suspect to appear in court
A civilian staff at the Sandaun provincial police headquarters in Vanimo, who was arrested and charged with stealing more than K7,600 from a pensioner, will appear before the Vanimo District Court today. Senior Insp Sakawar Kasieng said that the suspect was employed as an assistant administration clerk when he was arrested and charged with the allege offence on Nov 23.
Police allege that Alex Paim of Aitape stole the money belonging to a pensioner. The incident allegedly occurred between 10am and 11am on June 6 at the Vanimo Police station. Paim is out on a police bail of K300.

Health centre for Gembogl
By SIONI RUMA
A MODERN health centre was built by the Goglme community in Gembogle, Simbu province who raised K13,000 from K1 collected from each household.
Support for the K500,000 health facility then came from the Catholic Church of Simbu and the PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd (PNGSDP).
In Oct 2007, the initial funding agreement between PNGSDP and the Catholic Health Services of Kundiawa for the Goglme Health Center was signed in which PNGSDP provided K200,000.
Plans are underway to increase household contributions to K5 and secure counterpart funding to build staff houses for health workers.