WNBPG Media Coverage

07/10/2026

New Era for Culture and Tourism in WNBP

NMAG and WNB Partnership Deepens with International Training
PORT MORESBY — A historic partnership signed earlier this year is already yielding significant professional development opportunities for provincial cultural preservation in Papua New Guinea.
On 27 June 2026, the West New Britain Provincial Government (WNBPG) and the National Museum and Art Gallery (NMAG) executed a milestone Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the WNB Tavur Centre. The agreement effectively ended a 20-year absence of "official" NMAG presence in WNBP, paving a new path for cultural preservation, historical documentation, and tourism infrastructure within the province.
A central pillar of this MoU is localized capacity building and skills transfer. Specialized curatorial training ensures that historical artifacts and distinct regional histories are preserved according to rigid international management standards, allowing local officers to independently manage and safeguard their province's unique heritage.
In a major milestone for provincial human resource development, West New Britain Provincial Museum Curator, David Mundawi, has become the first provincial officer to be endorsed by NMAG and co-sponsored with the WNBPG for advanced international studies. Mundawi, alongside Mukta Magaiva (Curator of Aviation at NMAG), are departing for Tokyo today to begin a rigorous, three-month specialized training program.
The program is hosted under the prestigious annual Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) training initiative, Osaka, Japan. They will be based at the Minpaku National Museum of Ethnology. Upon completion, the knowledge gained from this intensive program will be integrated directly into local workplace action plans, drastically modernizing museum operations, artifact digitization, and tourism administration across both national and provincial levels.

Dr Gregory Bablis
Acting Deputy Director
Science, Research & Consultancy Division
NMAG

06/10/2026

Provincial Disaster Officers today delivered urgent relief assistance to the 17 families at Kavui section 10 who had all their their oil pal blocks and houses gutted by fire.
The relief assistance include canvas, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene kits.
The Provincial Government through the Disaster office is working together with Opic and others to get a full assessment report to provide further relief assistance.

06/10/2026

A week-long workshop facilitated by the Department of Justice and Attorney General is underway in Kimbe .It is attended by participants from stakeholders involved with Correctional Services and the parole services program. The outcome of the workshop is for the participants together with the facilitators to come up with a draft policy on Offender Rehabilitation and Reintergration.
This initiative is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia-PNG Law and Justice Partnership Program.
The workshop which started yesterday was opened by Provincial Administrator Leo Mapmani who thanked the Government of Australia for its continued support to six Provinces under this program. The Six Provinces include WNB, Madang and Western.

04/10/2026

Director of Provincial Disaster and Emergency Response Center Clement Bailey says the Team is on standby 24/7 to respond to any dituation.
The number to call the Disaster Center is 75461106.

01/10/2026

The Department of Transport is on a nationwide consultation to get input and feedback from Stakeholders to draft the National Railway Policy Framework 2026.
It held the NGI Consultation on Wednesday 30th September which was attended by Provincial Administrator Leo Mapmani and senior Administration Managers and NBPOL Acting Senior General Manager Ramesh Devaraju with his Manager for Sustainaibility Benjamin Osa .
Information and data received from the consultations will go toward drafting the National Railway Policy Framework 2026 which is intended to establish the policy foundation for considering the future role of Railway transport in PNG and its national economic and social development.
WNBPG supports the proposed policy but has urged for concerns, interests and benefits of all parties like landowners, wards, Districts, Provincial Government, Private Sector Partners to be considered in the policy.
Mr Mapmani and Provincial Transport CEO John Esau said the current roads must be well maintained before delving into the new Railway policy.
Officers from the Deapartment of Transport which included other line agencies said they noted all comments raised. The Railway policy to introduce this mode of transportation is to complement the current modes of transport in the country.

01/10/2026

28/09/2026

Ismin Primary School is in the process of building its double classroom. The School has received K200,000 in School grant from the Provincial Government.
Governor Sasindran Muthuvel recetly presented the school grant to Head Teacher Bruno Laupu witnessed by WDC Sylvester Taroa.
The other Provincial Dignitaries who witnessed the cheque presentation included Kimbe Town Mayor Nick Tupi, PPC Chief Inspector Fred Kaiwa and PNG Medical Board Chairman Professor Dr Mathis Sapuri.

28/09/2026

Four Square church in Wilelo will now be able to build their house of prayer
after receiving assistance from the Provincial Government.
Provincial Administrator Leo Mapmani presented a cheqye of K20,000 to Pastor Miriam Ikinun thanking the Churches in the Province for their partnership.
He said Governor Sasindran Muthuvel with the Provincial Government acknowledges the contributions made by the churches in the development of the Province.
Pastor Miriam has thanked the Provincial Government for the assistance given

18/09/2026

The four boat survivors from Milne Bay who were looked after for two months by WNB Provincial Disaster Office are now back in their village safe and sound. The four Michael Tomowau, his 9 years old son Docky Michael, Norrie Taugira and Bobby Makera are from Muria LLG in the Samarai Murua District.
They went adrift on July 14th due to the bad weather with rough seas and ended up at Kaskas at Amio, Gasmata LLG.
The four used local knowledge and survived the ordeal. Team leader Michael Tomowau has praised the Provincial Disaster Office and the Provincial Government for the hospitality.
He said he had only heard about pasin west and experienced it first hand during the two months of being in Kimbe .
They were farewelled by the Disaster officers this week before they flew out .