Short Trade Courses on Offer for School Leavers - Info

School leavers in Papua New Guinea will have the opportunity to take up short trade courses that can help them acquire new skills and knowledge for employment. 

The National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board (NATTB) has announced that they will be offering short courses in welding, automotive, electrical, plumbing, and refrigeration.

National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board (NATTB) 

These courses are designed to equip school leavers with the necessary skills and knowledge to start working in the industry. The courses are also intended to encourage more young people to take up trades and pursue a career in these fields. 

According to NATTB, the courses will be taught by qualified trainers and will have both theoretical and practical components.

The courses are open to all school leavers who have completed grade 10 and above. Applicants will need to pay a registration fee of K100, and the course fees will vary depending on the course. 

The courses will be held in various locations across the country, and interested applicants can visit the NATTB offices and centres for more information.

Getting Help

If you're a school leaver who is interested in taking up a short trade course, there are several ways you can get help. 

The first step is to visit the NATTB offices and local centres, where you can find information about the courses, fees, and registration process. You can also visit its website, here.

You can also contact the NATTB directly for any inquiries or assistance.

Additionally, you can reach out to your school guidance counsellor, provincial guidance officer or career advisor for more information and guidance on which course might be best suited for your skills and interests. 

Your family and friends may also have valuable insights and advice, so don't hesitate to ask them for their input.

Here is information on Australia Award Short Courses

Summary (Short Trade Courses)

The National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board (NATTB) in Papua New Guinea is offering short trade courses in welding, automotive, electrical, plumbing, and refrigeration for school leavers who have completed grade 10 and above. 

These courses aim to equip young people with the necessary skills and knowledge to start working in the industry and encourage them to pursue a career in trades. 

Interested applicants can visit the NATTB local offices or its website for more information and get help from school and provincial guidance counsellors, career advisors, family, and friends.

Golden Sun SCAM: How Much MONEY It Made in 2 Months, Insane!

Recently, a money scheme called Golden Sun was exposed as a scam in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The scheme, which was marketed as an investment opportunity and online movie review website, turned out to be a pyramid scheme.

Thousands of people lost their money. This has highlighted the dangers of easy-money-making schemes online and the need for people to be aware of these scams. 

So, how much did the Golden Sun money scam make?

Unsuspecting Victims of Golden Sun PNG

People in PNG paid PNGK720 for Golden Sun's D level, which is the lowest level people pay to subscribe. 

This means that the scammers were making a lot of money from unsuspecting victims, and paid a little bit to a few subscribers who promote them on YouTube and Facebook.

The scheme started early in 2023 and disappeared this week (the third week of March) when many Papua New Guineans started raising questions about this scam and its business deals.

How Many People Have Fallen Victim?

Using the baseline of PNGK720 and subscribers numbers of 5,000, 10,000, 50,000, 65,000, and 100,000, we can see how much money the Golden Sun scammers were making.

Also, note that the actual number of Golden Sun victims could be more! Many Papua New Guineans are losing their money.

It makes your blood boil!

Number of Subscribers	Amount paid (in PNGK)	Amount paid (in USD)
5,000	3,600,000	1,039,293.76
10,000	7,200,000	2,078,587.52
50,000	36,000,000	10,392,937.60
65,000	46,800,000	13,518,157.44
100,000	72,000,000	20,785,875.20

How much Money do Scammers Make?

As the table shows, even at the lowest level of 5,000 subscribers, the scammers were able to make over a million US dollars. 

At the highest level of 100,000 subscribers, they were able to make over 20 million US dollars. 

This is a staggering amount of money that was taken from unsuspecting victims who believed they were making a wise investment.

The ABC article on Golden Sun highlights some of the key points of the scheme. It states that 

"investors were promised high returns on their money and encouraged to recruit others to invest." 

However, as with all pyramid schemes, the money was not being invested in any legitimate business, and instead was simply being used to pay off earlier investors.

The article also notes that 

"the scheme is estimated to have affected up to 200,000 people in PNG." 

This is a huge number of people who have been affected by this scam. 

If it is true that 200,000 people are affected, the money that Golden Sun made could be doubled. That is an issue that could have raised a lot of questions in the Banking and Financial sector by now.

The magnitude of this scam cannot be underestimated.

It is important for people to be aware of these scams and to be cautious when considering investing their money in any opportunity.

Golden Sun - The Biggest Scam in PNG

The Golden Sun scam in PNG has highlighted the dangers of easy-money-making schemes online. It is easily the biggest scam in PNG given the amount of money they robbed off the poor Papua New Guinean victims.

The scammers were able to make millions of dollars by taking advantage of unsuspecting victims. It is just not fair.

Sadly, people are not aware of these scams and did not take cautionary measures when considering investing their money. 

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

DON'T BE A F*CKING VICTIM NEXT TIME!

The Benefits of a PNG-owned Gold refinery

Establishing a 100% Papua New Guinea-owned gold refinery will benefit the economy by increasing revenue, creating jobs and promoting self-reliance in the alluvium gold and mining sector.

Benefits of PNG-owned Gold Refinery run by Papua New Guineans

The establishment of a 100% Papua New Guinea-owned gold refinery will bring about numerous benefits for the economy. 

The country has been dependent on foreign companies to mine its minerals, refine them and then sell them back to PNG. This has resulted in PNG not getting its fair share of the wealth generated from its own natural resources. 

Therefore, a 100% PNG-owned refinery will provide an opportunity for PNG to refine its minerals, generate revenue and create jobs for its citizens.

Luther Wenge Wants a PNG-owned Gold Refinery

According to Hon. Luther Wenge, the Morobe Governor, PNG has minerals of all kinds which are currently being exported to other countries to be refined. 

If a refinery is established, the minerals can be refined in the country, and the gold can be extracted from other minerals to sell and bring hard currency into the country. This will promote self-reliance in the mining sector, which is currently dominated by foreign companies. 

Hon, Wenge stated in the PNG Parliament Hansard (PDF), 

“we cannot continue to allow these things to happen. We must refine the minerals ourselves… This is ‘hard money’ which is valued higher when compared to Papua New Guinea Kina”.

PNG losing out on job opportunities

The current situation also results in PNG losing out on job opportunities as foreign companies are the ones doing the mining and refining, which reduces the number of jobs created in PNG. 

By establishing a 100% PNG-owned refinery, PNG will have the opportunity to create more jobs for its citizens in the mining sector, which is critical for the economy's growth. 

Sir Ano Pala recorded in the PNG Parliament Hansard in response to Hon. Wenge's statement on PNG-owned Gold Refinery said,

“Governor, what you are raising is what the country needs right now. If you have the resources, organization, and corporate structure ready, I will allow you to set up a refinery because we don’t have a refinery at the moment”.

Economic Benefits of PNG-owned Gold Refinery

The proposed establishment of a 100% PNG-owned refinery will increase the country's revenue. 

Currently, foreign companies are exporting PNG’s minerals and generating revenue for themselves.

By establishing a refinery, PNG can refine its minerals, extract gold from other minerals, and sell it to other countries. This will increase PNG’s revenue, which can be used for development projects that will benefit the people of PNG.

Gold Refinery Holding Act Bill

In a recent parliamentary bill called the Gold Refinery Holding Act Bill (yet to be passed into law), the PNG prime minister is said to have sponsored the parliament Bill.

The details of the 'Bill' is not clear, but is it likely to create a proxy gold refinery outside of PNG, contrary to the idea of a PNG-owned Gold refinery.

It can be damned if the decision to mine and sell PNG Gold Bullion and Gold Bars is left in the hands of proxies and their wanton cohorts.

Whatever the deal is, it has to be transparent so as not to provoke unnecessary speculations. 

PNG-owned Gold refinery way forward

All in all, the establishment of a 100% Papua New Guinea-owned gold refinery is beneficial for the economy. 

It will promote self-reliance, create jobs and increase revenue for the country. 

As Mr Garry Juffa stated in the PNG Parliament Hansard, 

“Let’s state that, if we want to build a refinery, it must be owned by Papua New Guineans 100 per cent”. 

This is an opportunity for PNG to take control of its natural resources, refine them and generate wealth for its citizens.

NGIP Agmark Limited Delivers Profit Despite Drought: FY22 Financial Results Unveiled

NGIP Agmark Limited has announced a preliminary result of K3.97 million after tax for the year ended December 31, 2022. This is a decrease in revenue by K9.4m or 6.33% due to diminished sales in cocoa and coffee exports. However, the company still managed to declare a profit for FY22, proving its resilience despite a challenging year.

NGIP Agmark Limited Decrease in Revenue

The decrease in revenue was mainly due to a drought that hindered cocoa production for most of the year, leading to a significant drop in revenue compared to the previous year. 

However, through key initiatives from past experiences, combined with a robust reporting system and a streamlined management structure, NGIP Agmark Limited was able to minimize costs and take advantage of profit-making opportunities to ensure a profit for FY22.

The company's cost of sales decreased by K8m or 7.5% in FY22, and admin and finance costs grew by 1.31m or 2.8%, mainly due to occupancy costs. 

Despite the increase in occupancy costs, the company closed underperforming branches in the previous year, resulting in a 22% decrease in occupancy costs in FY21.

NGIP Agmark Limited Dividend Payout

During the AGM held in June 2022, the board announced a dividend payout for the FY21 performance of the audited K7.3M profit after tax. A distribution of K0.04 per share was paid in November 2022, marking the second consecutive year that a dividend was paid.

Throughout FY22, the company continued to focus on supporting its customers, especially the cocoa farmers, and solidifying strong relationships with suppliers, providing shareholder value through the challenges of 2022.

Looking forward, NGIP Agmark Limited

Looking forward, NGIP Agmark Limited aims to:

• continue its expansion plans, focusing on investing in technology to improve operational efficiency, and
• enhance customer experience, while also exploring new markets and business opportunities to grow the company's revenue and profitability.

Investors' Takeaway

• Despite facing a challenging year due to a drought that hindered cocoa production, NGIP Agmark Limited managed to declare a profit for FY22, demonstrating the company's resilience and strength.
• The company's focus on cost optimization and taking advantage of profit-making opportunities helped minimize costs and achieve profitability.
• NGIP Agmark Limited paid dividends for two consecutive years, indicating its commitment to creating value for shareholders.
• The company's investment in technology to improve operational efficiency and customer experience, coupled with its exploration of new markets and business opportunities, bodes well for its future growth and profitability.
• NGIP Agmark Limited's continued focus on supporting its customers, especially cocoa farmers, and building strong relationships with suppliers reinforces the company's commitment to its stakeholders and sustainable growth.

In Brief

Despite the challenges faced by NGIP Agmark Limited in FY22, the company has shown resilience and strength, delivering a profit and paying dividends to its shareholders. 

The company's focus on cost optimization and investment in new technology and markets bodes well for its future growth and profitability.