16 to part take in leadership programme

SIXTEEN Papua New Guineans have been accepted to take part in the regional leadership programme Emerging Pacific Leaders Dialogue (EPLD) 2010.
The EPLD is a regional leadership development programme that is staged every four years under the auspices of the Commonwealth Study Tours Programme and under the patronage of Britain’s Prince Philip.
The aim of the programme is to identify emerging leaders from the Pacific and provide for them an experiential based learning programme that is designed to deepen their appreciation of regional issues whilst challenging their understanding of what it means to be leader.
The regional nature of the programme creates fierce competition for the 130 spaces allocated and Papua New Guinea has been fortunate to secure 16 places in this year’s programme.
The search for suitable PNG candidates has been exhaustive with more than 140 applicants.
The PNG EPLD organising committee is headed by prominent Papua New Guinean Robert Igara with the support of Lady Mina Siaguru chair of Leadership PNG as well as former NEC secretary Winnie Kiap.
Mr Igara said the challenges as with all past EPLD and LPNG alumni was to encourage the participants to give something back to their respective communities once they return.
The EPLD programme comprises of a week-long leadership workshop and a week-long study tour.
This year’s programme will open in Samoa and ends in Tonga.
In between, the various teams will be visiting 10 Pacific Island nations as part of the study tour.
In addition to the participants, PNG will be represented with the attendance of Deputy Prime Minister Sir Puka Temu and Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet, both to speak during the official opening of the programme in Samoa.
While the 16 Papua New Guineans visit other Pacific nations, 13 emerging leaders from other neighbouring countries will come to PNG to undertake their study tour.
The PNG participants are: Andreas Pu’u – executive director (Foundation for Rural Development); Bernadette Ombu – accountant (New Britain Palm Oil); Donald Gumbis – lecturer (University of Goroka); Emmanuel Narokobi – managing director (Masalai Communications); Felix Kipalan – environment superintendent (Lihir Gold Ltd); Fiona Gola – project officer (Unicef); Godwin Dukaduka – officer in charge (transnational crimes unit – RPNGC); Gunzee Gawin – director medical services (Popondetta Hospital); John Topal – manager policy and licensing (Bank of PNG); Lynette Simbil – financial accountant (Digicel); Meck Minnala – human resource adviser (Barrick PNG); Tanya Alone – conservation planning officer (Wildlife Conservation); Carol Cholai – information systems (PNGOPRA); Ruth Pune – environmental campaigner (Celcor); Linus Ayu – economic analyst (Bank of PNG); and Owen Makindi – human resource (ANZ).
A comprehensive programme has been put together for the team that will see them arrive on Sunday and then travel to Goroka and Madang before coming back to Port Moresby.