Mineral Resources Authority to decentralise functions, new hotel in Port Moresby, and Papua New Guinea says goodbye to the submarine cable that connected it to the world for over 15 years.

K92 contributes K1 million towards the construction of a market in Kainantu. Credit: Global News Wire

Mining

During a visit to Kainantu last Friday, Mining Minister Johnson Tuke said the Mineral Resource Authority was set to be decentralised with an office ‘likely to be set up in Kainantu’. The Post-Courier says it confirmed with Jerry Garry, Managing Director of the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA), and there is a plan to decentralise functions, which may include small scale mining, geological survey, development coordination and safety branch.

Tuke said during the visit: ‘The Prime Minister has given approval and the National Executive Council decision has been made already.

‘What needs to be done is some final touches so that the MRA office will be set up in Kainantu so the work MRA does will be divided.’ (Post-Courier)

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Prime Minister James Marape and K92’s John Lewins. Credit: Global News Wire

K92 Mining has announced a K1 million contribution towards the construction of a new market to support local business in Kainantu. (Global News Wire)

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Landowner oil and gas services company, Kutmor Limited, has paid K1 million in dividends for 2019 to shareholders. This is the fourth consecutive year the company has made this payment. (Post-Courier)

Hospitality

Façade of the S&J Hotel. Credit: S&J Hotel via Melbourne

Port Moresby has a new K12 million hotel: the S&J Hotel.

Located in Gordons, the S&J is the brainchild of entrepreneur Nathan Milyo, who also owns the Comfort Taxi Service.

Powes Parkop, Governor of the NCD, and William Powi, Governor of Southern Highlands Province, attended the opening ceremony last week.

The new hotel offers a range of rooms, swimming pool, conference room, balcony and a cafeteria. (LOOP)

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COVID-19

On Februrary 16, PNG reported 10 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 955. The latest cases were reported in West Sepik, Madang, East New Britain and the NCD.

Video of the week

After 16 years of service, the PNG-2 submarine cable was decommissioned, marking the end of an era in telecommunications in PNG. It is now the turn of the Coral Sea Cable to maintain PNG’s connection to the world.

‘We have reached the end of an era from 2005 to 2021, 16 years of efficient service in communication that has brought benefits especially to our country – PNG,’ said the Minister for State Owned Enterprises William Duma, who attended the decommissioning alongside Jessie Wangua, Kumul Telikom Holdings Acting Manager Director, Paul Komboi, DataCo PNG’s CEO and consortium partners. (The National)