New data-driven system to help rural areas get electricity, coffee producer strikes international deal, and Port Moresby’s airport to get new baggage screening system. The news you need today.

A New York-based analytics company says it is working to help several Pacific countries switch to renewable energy sources.

Mining

A new five-year agreement between Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) and the Allied Workers Union was signed last week. The agreement between both parties guarantees workers enjoy additional benefits until the end of 2027.

OTML Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Musje Werror, said: ‘Over the last three years, we started to build on the trust and respect between management and the workforce and to strengthen our culture which is demonstrated by the successful discussions and the signing of the industrial agreement in the same week.’ (OTML)

Agriculture

After eight years, the Magitu Bailey Bridge in the lower Bena area of the Eastern Highlands is now open. The bridge collapsed in 2014 leaving thousands of people, particularly coffee farmers in the area, with no infrastructure to get to into Goroka to sell their products. The new K1.2 million bridge was developed with the assistance of the Coffee Industry Corporation. (The National)

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Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, John Simon, said during the announcement of Dr Nelson Simbiken as the Department of Agriculture and Livestock’s Acting Secretary, that the country needs a rice policy to drive the sector forward. Rosso said: ‘We want to do rice, we cannot continue to import rice, but I need a policy paper on that, it is still not done.’

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PNG’s coffee producer Rumbia Coffee has secured contracts to supply coffee to India and South Korea. To date, Rumbia has been supplying 32 containers of green bean coffee bags to South Korea and will start to supply 48 containers of green bean coffee to India. (Post-Courier)

Power

A platform developed by the Papua New Guinea Electrification Partnership, the PNG Electrification Global Information System (PNG EGIS), will assist off-grid energy companies to locate mini-grid areas for distributing solar products in rural areas.

‘USAID is pleased to be a partner with stakeholders to bring electricity to rural Papua New Guinea. This innovative data-based approach will provide out off-grid partners with live, up-to-date information they need to further bring electrifications to rural communities,’ said Deputy Mission Director for Pacific Islands and Mongolia, Sean Callahan. (Post-Courier)

National

Some business are set to benefit from the general election period, reportedly said the President of the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rio Fiocco. He said that businesses that hire cars, sell outboard motors and dinghies, and provide printing services would benefit.

‘It’s quite selective, not all businesses will benefit,’ he said. Fiocco explained that usually the coffee sector is negatively impacted by the election period because ‘the picking of the cherries happens around the middle of the year and people are too busy in the elections to pick cherries so usually, there will be a drop in coffee production in an election year.’ (The National)

Retail

Port Moresby will soon have another shopping precinct: the Rangeview Plaza. The K300 million shopping plaza is owned by Nambawan Super, Lamana Development and the National District Commission and it is set to open next month. It’s been reported 90 per cent of the plaza has been leased. (The National)

Region

To keep Fiji’s Pearl Resort afloat, the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) is considering selling half of the 80 hectares of freehold land it owns in Fiji, reportedly said MRDC Managing Director Augustine Mano. (Post-Courier)

Superannuation

The Teachers Savings and Loan Society (TISA) has announced its 2021 annual results and declared a net profit after tax of K61 million, K20 million more than in 2020. A bonus interest of K23 million has been paid to its members through their Yumi Account. (Post-Courier)

Travel

A new K3.2 million baggage screening system is being installed at the Port Moresby’s International Airport Terminal. The new screening system will help reduce the time passengers have to queue during peak travel times. It is expected to be operating in September. (Post-Courier)

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From 1 July, Vanuatu will open its borders to fully-vaccinated travellers. To coincide with the momentous occasion, Air Vanuatu announced flights from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to Port Villa. (Executive traveller)