Column 1

Flag thieves
TWO men who admitted stealing replicas of the national flag from a street vendor to celebrate Independence Day are in custody awaiting their punishment. Jackie Joe, 28, and Jacob Michael, 26, from Nipa in Southern Highlands asked Mt Hagen District Court Magistrate Donald Joseph for leniency saying they regretted what they did. They will be sentenced on Friday.
Special fare
Some people spent the weekend debating whether there is a catch to the K44 special fare offered by the national airline. It’s one-way only and the trip, to be paid during the long weekend, can only be taken next month. Something amiss. By the way, the 44 is for the number of years of PNG independence.
Poor service
Banks should have prepared for the Government pay week coinciding with the long Independence Day weekend. Some ATMs had run out of cash by Saturday. Poor service.
Odd drug
Patient saw on the label of the medicine she was prescribed to buy from the pharmacy that it was manufactured in China and imported by India. She is still trying to find out how it ended up in PNG.
New carrier
The decision by Qantas to resume its services to Fiji has been met with resistance from national airline Fiji Airways which says the market is flat and any additional carrier will drastically affect the profit margin. But the travelers are smiling because of the competition.
Broncos flogged
Broncos fans would have been thoroughly embarrassed by that 58-0 flogging at the hands of the Eels last Saturday. No one was expecting that king of score line in the finals stages of the NRL. Such a pathetic and unacceptable performance by the Maroons. The Eels will face the Melbourne Storms on Saturday.
Japanese welcome
The Japanese are doing everything they can to make the teams and guests to the 2019 Rugby World Cup feel welcome and to enjoy their hospitality. Reigning champions All Blacks were also greeted by a group of Japanese students with a local version of the Haka.
Top quote
“Papua New Guinea will become Asia’s food basket. So if you are not doing anything here in Port Moresby, you must return to the village (and farm the land)”. – Prime Minister James Marape