PNG Insight Blog

Air Niugini Online Booking Domestic Secial Fares Flight Cancellation

Before Independence day, the Christmas period or the school holidays, Air Niugini must stop cancelling flights. In fact, the cancellation of flights can be described as a wound that Air Niugini needs to find a remedy for.

Often, the reason for Air Niugini schedule cancellations is either not made known to the customers or communicated to them prior to arrival at check-in. Apparently, the sad norm is many customers turned up at check-in to find out that their flight is cancelled.

Recommended for you
Air Niugini Online Booking and Check-in Using Mobile Phone - Beat the Queues

Air Niugini must put the interest of customers first

Air Niugini must put the interest of customers before its aim to make money. For example, if there are two or three passengers to pick up at Lae Nazab Airport, the company must make every effort to fly them on schedule.

It must not cancel a flight just to create a backlog so that it will relieve the backlog on the next flights. This is about business ethics and the ethics of the operations managers to stay true to schedule unless it is really necessary to cancel a flight.

It is also sad that many passengers are normally sent away to cater for themselves during a flight cancellation.

Understandably, if/when Air Niugini cancels a flight it has a duty of care to provide accommodation and transportation for ALL delayed passengers, not just a few. For example, if you leave Simbu and travel to Goroka to catch a flight and it's delayed, you'll have to travel back to Simbu or stay the night with wantoks at Goroka.

Only the affected customers who may have produced a hotel receipt will probably be accommodated.

It is a question of business ethics and responsibility to customers - regardless of their status - who are supposed to be on the cancelled plane. All delayed customers must be provided with accommodation, meals and transport. This is the right thing to do!

PNG Air Niugini's scheduled cancellations

Understandably flight cancellation happens under respectable situations. But PNG Air Niugini's schedule cancellations have been regular and are fast becoming a norm. The management must now look at ways to stop cancelling flights at regular intervals. The management must fly its passengers to their destinations on schedule.

The two issues:

Firstly, Air Niugini's flight cancellations are now a norm and widely accepted or ignored or expected by many. It's a problem that needed addressing immediately.
Secondly, many delayed passengers are not always accommodated. The company has a duty of care to all passengers who may have been delayed due to the company's decision to cancel a flight.

These are serious issues that bring Air Niugini's business and management ethics into question and it's time the company does something about it.

~~~

The Air Niugini Bird of Paradise taxing to stop at Nazab Airport outside Lae Morobe Province. This was a flight after a cancellation the day before.

PNG Workers Taxed 34%, MPs Only 5%

With the economy nose-diving, the country drowning in debt and O'Neill Government facing a serious cashflow crisis, many Papua New Guineans are struggling to survive.

Article by Bryan Krammer.

Tax in PNG: Workers Pay 34% in Tax

Many PNG workers have questioned why they are taxed so much? I explained taxes are necessary to ensure essential services are provided to the people.

For example, policing, judiciary, correctional services, hospitals, and education to name a few, are all funded by tax collections.

PNG Workers pay 34% in Tax

Real Problem is Corrupt Politicians

The real problem is that corrupt politicians only end up mismanaging and misusing (stealing) these funds to enrich themselves and their cronies.

They become overnight millionaires on the people's hard-earned tax money.

MPs Pay Only 5% in Tax

However, after making inquiries into just how much salary and wages tax Members of Parliament pay versus ordinary workers, I was shocked to discover that workers pay up to 34% in wages tax while a Government Minister is taxed as low as 5%.

For instance, let's say a worker's gross wage is K400 a fortnight where his employer provides him a company vehicle and medium-cost housing.

Their wages would be calculated as follows:

Gross Wage K400.00
Add Taxable Vehicle Allowance K125.00
Add Taxable Housing Allowance K400.00
Total taxable salary & wages = K925.00
Tax on K925.00 = K135.20

Their net take-home pay would be K264.80 (actual pay K400 less tax K135.19).

Average PNG Worker Pays Over 40%, GST Included

What is alarming is that the average Papua New Guinean worker whose gross pay is over K900 can expect to lose up to 30% of his pay in taxes.

Not to mention a further 10% GST when he spends it at the store on goods and services.

Meanwhile, Members of Parliament, Government Ministers, and the Prime Minister are paid tens of thousands every fortnight and only pay between 5%-13% tax.

Members of Parliament Pay

Gross fortnight pay K14,600

Less K1,280 tax and K668 retirement benefit

Net take-home pay K12,600. (Wage Tax represents only 8%.)

Government Ministers Gross fortnight pay is K25,400

Less K1,300 tax and K1,330 retirement benefits

Net take-home pay K20,100.

Where the tax represents only 5%.

Prime Minister Gross fortnight pay K38,000
Less K5,100 tax and K2,000 retirement benefits,
Net take-home pay K30,900.

What is shocking is this is nothing compared to what corrupt Members of Parliament steal in DSIP and Development Funds annually.

It is interesting to hear Union leaders who have close associations with Government Ministers publicly announce they do not support the one-day boycott on Friday, yet very silent about their workers' welfare.

What is absurd is that these Union leaders feed from the workers' contributions just like Politicians are paid by taxpayers' money only to end up stealing from them.

As a Member of Parliament, it would be one thing to be paid well if we actually earned our wages by running the country properly.

MPs Proposed Pay Increase

I have received information that the O'Neill Government is proposing to increase MPs wages and backdate the increase to 2016.

The justification is the sharp increase in the cost of living (CPI).

What is absurd is that the O'Neill Government is responsible for the sharp increase in the cost of goods, so Members of Parliament may give ourselves a pay rise but what about the rest of the country who essentially pays for our wages.

---

Post and image: Facebook/Bryan Kramar

An article by B. KRAMAR outlining the high tax paid by PNG workers in October 2018 - was reposted.

How to Roast Pork Belly and Get a Nice Crispy Skin

Slow Roast pork belly is an absolute classic dish in many cultures. Easy to cook and entertain families and friends on the weekend.

Many Papua New Guineans know the taste of a nice piece of pork and kaukau or taro hot from the mumu pit or open fire. Salivating already?

Here is how to make slow roast pork belly with crispy skin in under 3 hours in the oven. Make a side dish of taro/kaukau and kumu to go with it.

1. Dry the skin thoroughly with kitchen towel.

2. Slice the pork skin with a sharp knife

3. Apply a decent amount of salt over the skin. (Hint - this is key to getting a nice crispy skin)

4. Put the pork belly in an oven tray and roast on high heat (175/180 degrees Celsius) for 30 minutes.

5. Take out the now nicely roasted pork belly from the oven and thoroughly remove the salt on the skin. (Hint - use the juice to roast kaukau/banana/taro)

6. Transfer the pork belly onto a metal tray/stand and insert back into the oven. Slow roast for 2 hours on 100/150 degree Celcius.

7. Delicious

How to Get Lost Certificates for Grade 10 and 12 - Application Form and Fee Info

Replacing lost certificate results, or getting a Statement of Results, is an important thing to do for those who do not have the original Grade 10 or 12 certificates with them.

If you do not have a certificate, due to one reason or another, replacing it comes with lots of benefits. Some benefits include meeting the requirement of job searching, applying for scholarships and many more.

How to Get Grade 10 and 12 Statement of Results (Statement of Results)

Getting the lost certificate results comes at a cost, both money and time. That means that you will have to do the following:

complete the application form,
sign the state declaration. (Download the PNG State Declaration Form)
pay the fee (K25) at Vulupindu Haus.
take/send the completed 'Statement of Result (SoR) Form and Original Receipt to Measurement Services Division to get your lost results replaced.

It can take up to a month (even longer) to process the statement of results.

The best time to apply for the lost certificate results would be February - July. You may be able to get the results faster during those times.

Lost certificate results - statement of results NDOE MSD

6 Instructions for the filling Application of Statement of Results

If your certificate is lost or stolen, you must report it to the police.

This is how you should complete this application.

1. Complete part 1 yourself. Attach your passport-size photo to the application using some glue.

2. An official who has known you well must complete part 2. This official must be a senior education officer or church minister or senior Government officer. This officer must also sign and stamp across the bottom half of your photograph.

3. Complete the statutory declaration and sign it in the presence of the Commissioner of Oaths. The Commissioner must also sign and stamp the declaration. There should be no correction on the declaration.

4. Take the completed application and statutory declaration to a Government Pay Office and pay a fee of K25.00 and obtain a receipt.

You must tell the paying officer to write MSU trust account Code 361-08 (639) on the receipt.

This will be effective from May 5, 2003. Those who live in NCD and central province should pay the fees at the government pay office in Vulupindi Haus or the Accounts Section of the Department of Education on the 4th floor of FinCorp Haus. Those who live in other provinces should pay the fees at the Provincial government pay office (BMS).

5. Staple the original receipt to the completed application form and the statutory declaration.

6. Send the original receipt together with the completed application form and statutory declaration to the following address by hand or mail.

The Measurement Services Unit

Department of Education

P.O. Box 446

WAIGANI

National Capital District

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM HERE.

Some other points to note after applying for Grade 10/12 SoR

Always keep a copy of the application form.
If you are living in Port Moresby follow up at the MSD office.
If you are living outside of Port Moresby, make a phone call or ask a friend/family to follow up on your behalf.
Make sure all the information on the application form is correct and true. If there is any hint of falsehood, your application will be ignored forthright.

Leave a comment at the bottom with your email address if you need further help.