NBC Simbu - Karai Blo Mambu

24/09/2026

GOVERNMENT MOVES TO REVIVE Mt. GAHAVISUKA PARK AFTER YEARS OF NEGLECT //

24| September| 2026

GOROKA, Eastern Highlands Province – Minister for Environment, Conservation and Climate Change John Kaupa, First Assistant Secretary Jack Ninkama and delegates from the Department today paid an official visit to Mt. Gahavisuka Provincial Park in Goroka District, Eastern Highlands Province.

The visit follows more than 20 years of neglect of the park, which holds the official distinction of being Papua New Guinea’s second national park after Varirata National Park.

Raymond Gahuno, the Landowner and Chairman of ILGs called on the Government to honour the original agreement made when huge hectares of their traditional hunting ground were given to the State.

He said landowners have not received any benefits in return since then.

Minister Kaupa acknowledged the concerns and assured landowners that his Ministry will now create a separate file for Mt. Gahavisuka and work to secure a development partner to work alongside the park management.

“This park is the second park in the country to be declared. Work needs to be done to maintain it,” Minister Kaupa said.

Minister Kaupa commended Goroka District Development Authority (DDA) and Goroka MP Hon. Aiye Tambua for supporting the park by upgrading road access.

He announced that his Ministry will now look at a joint funding arrangement with the Goroka DDA to upgrade the road from Masi -Kerepa all the way to the park to boost eco-tourism and accessibility.

He urged Incorporated Land Groups (ILGs) to come up with initiatives and organize themselves with their Ward Councilors, Council President, DDA and the Provincial Government.

“This will pave the way for funding support from the National Government,” Minister Kaupa said.

He also said the Ministry will do its best to find a partner to help establish park rangers, tour guides and other opportunities to keep landowners engaged.

He also noted that Papua New Guinea officially has 62 formally gazetted protected areas, covering over 2.2 million hectares of land and sea.

“Because 97 percent of land in PNG is under customary tribal ownership, the Government cannot easily establish Western-style public state parks. Instead, the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) partners with local landowners to gazette specific zones under various protective mechanisms,” he said.

He committed K10,000 to the park to help reorganize with landowners and keep the park operational for now.

Meanwhile,Jack Ninkama the First Assistant Secretary reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to supporting community-led conservation.

Mr. Ninkama said Mt. Gahavisuka is a model for how conservation can work when landowners, government and development partners work together.

He assured landowners that the Department will provide technical support to improve park management and biodiversity protection.

He further announced that a representative from the Mt. Gahavisuka Park will be invited to attend the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference (C*D COP 17).

Joseph Eriso the Executive Officer representing Goroka MP Aiye Tambua acknowledged Minister Kaupa’s visit, saying it is the first of its kind for a Minister for Environment to set foot on the park.

He said the Goroka DDA will continue to work closely with ILGs and landowners regarding any work concerning the park.

Mt. Gahavisuka is located above Nagamiza Village and is traditionally linked to the Gahuku people and the mystical Nokondi spirit. Established in 1989, it features a botanical sanctuary of native rhododendrons and orchids, walking tracks and a ridge lookout at 2,450m to 3,000m elevation.

It fell into closure and neglect from the late 1990s to 2010s due to poor management and deteriorating road access.

Restoration started in 2023 led by landowners and the Goroka DDA, with feeder road sealing from Nagamiza continuing from 2025 into 2026.
Ends//
NBC Simbu - Karai Blo Mambu

24/09/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Gu7Ht2SWL/

Relatives and tribesmen of the late Dr Robert Waiye have staged a peaceful march in Kundiawa, Simbu Province, calling for justice over his death.

Read more: https://www.nbc.com.pg/post/40190/womai-tribe-calls-for-justice-over-dr-waiyes-death

23/09/2026

KUNDIAWA TOWN ~ 1969
An old picture of present day C*D Kundiawa, courtesy of Alex Poignant.sh*t taken from present day PHQ - Ko**um Agaundo Building.

Man-made infrastructures have change but the iconic Mt Porol and the Yongos Range remain same to date.
[Sahred by Frank Kawage]

23/09/2026

Salt Nomane Karamui MP Condemns Killing of Young Simbu Doctor

Salt Nomane Karamui MP and Vice Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Hon. Francis Alua Yori, has strongly condemned the killing of a young medical doctor from Simbu on the eve of Papua New Guinea’s 51st Independence Anniversary.
Mr Yori described the killing as deeply disturbing and said it was contrary to Simbu’s cultural values of respecting educated professionals who return to serve their communities.
He said medical doctors and other health practitioners play an essential role in society and deserve to be respected and protected.
The Vice Minister stressed that justice, fairness and the protection of human rights are essential to maintaining social stability and public trust.
He called for due process of law, saying those responsible must face the consequences of their actions while the victim’s family receives appropriate support and justice.
NBC Simbu - Karai Blo Mambu

22/09/2026

SIMBU HEALTH SERVICES SCALED DOWN TO HALF-DAY AFTER DOCTOR'S KILLING//

22|September |2026

All health services in Simbu Province will now operate on half-day only, effective immediately, following the killing of Dr. Robert Waiye.

Simbu Provincial Health Authority Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ken Kassi, announced this in Internal Memorandum No. 13/2026 dated 21st September 2026.

Dr. Kassi said, in light of the recent killing of late Dr. Robert Waiye and petitioning of provincial authorities, SiPHA will scale down its services to half-day. This will be observed from Monday 21st September 2026 onwards until further notice.

Under the new arrangement, services will be available from 8:00AM to 12:00PM daily.

Key measures include:

- Emergency Department (ED) to operate by its usual arrangement - 24 hours;
- All Consultation Clinics of Sir Joseph Nombri-Kundiawa Provincial Hospital to be closed;
- All Special Clinics including TB, PRAPRA, Physiotherapy, NOPS, and others at SJNM-Kundiawa Provincial Hospital to be closed, and only operate on arrangements with staff for supply of drugs;
- Children's Outpatient Department (COPD) and Adult Outpatient Department (AOPD) to operate until 12-midday only;
- All Rosters of each section to be observed to maintain patient care; and
- Public Health Directorate Headquarters and Primary Health Services to operate up to midday.

Dr. Kassi also directed all Officers in Charge and Heads of Departments of the Wards, Operating Theatre, Pathology Laboratory, Blood Bank, X-ray, CT/MRI/Ultrasound, Dental and Pharmacy to have Rosters and On-Call arrangements to maintain patient care services.

The CEO stressed that scaling down is not a holiday.

“Note that SCALING DOWN IS NOT A HOLIDAY. SiPHA is a critical health providing government body empowered by the PHA Act 2007 and its amendments, and will not tolerate health staff taking this current situation as a reason for being absent from your roster to provide Patient Care to other human beings,” Dr. Kassi stated.

“The matter at hand has been placed in the hands of the law. We are grieving, terrified and demoralized but this must NOT sabotage another human life seeking our mandated life-restoring jobs and responsibilities,” he added.

Dr. Kassi conveyed his deepest condolences to the family of Late Dr. Robert Waiye and said SiPHA stands with the family for justice.

Meanwhile, the general public in Simbu is advised to visit the hospital early, before 12 midday, as all services will close after midday except for the Emergency Department.

Ends//
NBC Simbu - Karai Blo Mambu

21/09/2026

POLICE BRIEF REVEALS HOW YOUNG SIMBU DOCTOR WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED - SEVEN IN CUSTODY//

22| September |2026

Simbu Provincial Police Commander Detective Superintendent Maipe Mazuc Rubiang has released the Major Incident Brief into the wilful murder, attempted murder and assault of Dr Robert Waiye of Kundiawa General Hospital.

According to the police brief, the incident occurred on the night of Tuesday 15th to early Wednesday 16th September 2026 at the Gateway Fuelers premises at Prenorika DPI in Kundiawa.

The victims in the incident are the late Dr Robert Waiye who died at around eight thirty in the morning on 16th September from severe head injuries, Daniel Samla Guna a security guard with Dom Grass Security who sustained serious facial and head injuries and is now admitted to the Surgical Ward, and Dr Roland Conn also of Kundiawa General Hospital who escaped unharmed.

Police have confirmed the arrest of seven suspects who are now in custody for wilful murder. They are Emmanuel Wax aged thirty two from Mogl village, Sandra Emmanuel Limbia aged thirty, Sogan Dilu aged thirty two, Moses John aged twenty five, Kailo Andy aged twenty five, Benjamin Kuat aged twenty five and Polly Boi Kaman aged thirty. Police say additional suspects remain at large and are still being hunted.

The brief states that on Tuesday 15th September, Dr Roland Conn finished work at five in the afternoon and was playing pokies at Gateway Fuelers. Between ten and eleven at night, he met the late Dr Robert Waiye and both were waiting at the fuel station for transport back to the hospital for on-call duties.

After failing to secure transport, they decided to seek help from the owners of Gateway Fuelers, Manu Wax and his wife Sandra, whom Dr Conn knew because he had previously treated Sandra at Kundiawa Hospital. They asked security guard Daniel Samla Guna to allow them into the residential premises. Guna initially refused but later allowed them in after they identified themselves as doctors.

Inside the premises, Sandra sighted them and told them to return to the fuel station area. She then confronted the guard for allowing them entry. While Sandra was speaking to Daniel, a group of people who had been drinking at a nearby construction site approached and questioned why the doctors were allowed in.

The group then assaulted security guard Daniel Samla Guna, punching and kicking him until he fell to the ground. The group then searched for the two doctors. Dr Conn managed to escape, but Dr Waiye was apprehended, dragged back into the premises and severely assaulted. Both injured men were stripped of their clothing and left lying on the ground.

Manu Wax and members of the group then placed the severely injured Dr Waiye and Daniel Guna onto a dump truck and instructed Polly Boi Kaman to transport them to Kundiawa Police Station to be locked in the cells.

At the station, Kaman told the duty policeman that they were OBT, which refers to Operation Brukim Tulait, a term used for persons suspected of night-time stealing.

The duty policeman observed that the two men needed urgent medical attention and refused to lock them up, instead instructing them to take the men to Kundiawa General Hospital.

Dr Waiye later died at around eight thirty on Wednesday morning from head injuries, while security guard Guna is still recovering in the Surgical Ward.

Provincial Police Commander Rubiang has confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that additional charges including attempted murder for the assault on the security guard will be laid against the suspects.

Police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward to Kundiawa Police.
ENDS//
NBC Simbu - Karai Blo Mambu

21/09/2026

PCS GROUP CONDEMNS BRUTAL KILLING OF YOUNG SIMBU DOCTOR//

Monday 21st September 2026

The Pacific Corporate Group of Companies has strongly condemned the brutal and wilful killing of young Simbu Doctor, Dr. Robert Waiye, MBBS.

In a public statement today, Managing Director of Pacific Corporate Security (PCS) Ltd and Chairman of PCS Group of Companies, Mr. Jacob Kaupa, described the murder as very sad and a huge setback for Simbu, the National Department of Health and Papua New Guinea.

Mr. Kaupa said it is unacceptable for a young brilliant doctor who had just begun his career as a medical officer serving the country to end his life in such a brutal manner, especially in the hands of those trusted to protect him at that particular time and premises.

"The termination of his life went with it much promises, all possibilities and a future that is thrashed, curtailed and shattered," Mr Kaupa said.

He said the people of Sinesine-Yongomugl Electorate of Simbu Province have lost another irreplaceable son.

Mr Kaupa said it is absolutely sad, unthinkable and devastating for the immediate family members, especially his parents and siblings, more so his young wife, a 3-year-old child and an infant he left behind.

"As a senior Simbu businessman from SSY and a corporate citizen in the security industry of this country, I condemn this barbaric brutal act in the highest possible way and call on the authorities, police and leaders to apprehend those deplorable perpetrators to justice as a matter of urgency."

On behalf of PCS Group and the people of Gunagi and Dom of Suwai LLG, SSY, Mr Kaupa said they stand united with the immediate family and demand that suspects voluntarily surrender to authorities to bring peace and justice to Simbu and PNG.
Ends//

21/09/2026