The announcements will be made according to this timetable:

Sunday 3 August – Buk bilong Pikini Award for Writing for Children

Monday 4 August – Cleland Family Award for Heritage Writing

Tuesday 5 August – People’s Award for Short Stories

Wednesday 6 August – PNG Chamber of Mines & Petroleum award for Essays & Journalism

Thursday 7 August – Kina Securities Award for Poetry

Friday 8 August – Ok Tedi Mining Award for Book of the Year

THE WRITERS & THEIR WORKS

Eleanor Maineke, 25, was born at Boku in South Bougainville on the day the PNG government placed a state of emergency on Bougainville. She completed a degree in Arts, Social & Religious Studies last year. Eleanour is currently on attachment to the Buin District Administration as support staff. She says she has a passion for Bougainville and wants to contribute in the restoration of peace after the crisis.

Creation: What the PNG national goals mean to me

Emily Sakepe Bina, 50, was born in Kotiyufa village in Eastern Highlands Province. She graduated from the University of PNG and Balob teachers College and is a teacher at Kila kila Primary School in Port Moresby.

Creation: Lo! The pickpocket

Emma Tunne Wakpi, 34, is from Tombil in the Minj District of Jiwaka Province. She is a business graduate and community development worker with Evangelical Brotherhood Church Health in Goroka. Emma says she was discouraged from pursuing a career in writing by her family due to the “lack of opportunities” it afforded. “However, I have always been interested in writing,” she says, “especially essays and poetry and in my spare time try to write and have done so since 2006.”

Creation: PNG made

Emmanuel Marosi, 30, from Vidaro village, Bogia, Madang Province is a university drop out who says he has been on the streets for seven years trying to make ends meet and be a productive Papua New Guinean. He has worked as a freelance technician, troubleshooting and repairing computers and has also planned, designed and built computer networks. He also does HIV/AIDS awareness with his performing arts group.

Creation: If I could

Essy Joyce, 19, from Gera village, Sinesine, Simbu is a Grade 10 student at Ku High School.

Creation: Books

Euralia Paine was born in Tufi but is from the north coast of Oro Province. She is a journalist who has branched out into public relations and marketing in Port Moresby. Euralia was previously employed by banks and financial institutions.

Creation: Tapa & tattoo festival: A glimpse of the rich Oro culture

Felix Baraka, 23, is from Pou village, Aitape, Sandaun Province. He is a third year student in PNG Studies & International Relations at Divine Word University. He says he is in love with politics, international relations, leadership and development.

Creation: The meaning of nationalism in post-colonial Papua New Guinea

Francis Saliau, 36, is from Manus and a primary school teacher by profession. He has been writing simple unpublished books for his students and now wants to share his stories.

Creation: Guma culture is not what it means to be Papua New Guinean

Francis Sina Nii, 52, was was born at Yobai, Karimui Nomane in Simbu Province. He has a degree in economics from the University of PapuaNew Guinea and was a banker with the National Development Bank until an accident left him paraplegic. He is now a patient at the Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial Hospital in Kundiawa. Francis was an entrant in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Crocodile Prize and his work features in the anthologies for each of those years. He won the Crocodile Prize for Essays last year.  Francis’s most recent novel, Fitman, Raitman and Cooks: Paradise in Peril, was published last year.  He is a founding member of the Simbu Writer’s Association.

Creation: Parakagate: Is Peter O’Neill behaving like a truthful man

Gabriel Kuman is from Kerowagi, Simbu Province, and is a social researcher at the Melanesian Institute. He has a masters degree in international public health from the University of NSW in Sydney.

Creation: I am innocent but responsible

Gabriel Ramoi is from East Sepik. He is a law graduate and former member of parliament. He was a young Minister for Communications and a prime ministerial hopeful until he used public funds to charter an aircraft to fly two rock bands to his electorate just prior to an election.

Creation: PNG needs to toughen up dealings with mining companies

Gary Juffa MP is the Governor of Oro Province.  He was formerly Papua New Guinea’s Customs Commissioner, a role he occupied for five years following 10 years as a customs officer. He is widely credited with transforming the department into a highly efficient organisation. Gary is a thinker and a writer with a clear idea of his mission. He wrote earlier this year: “Leaders are elected to serve, promote and protect the interests of their people, those who elected them into parliament for that purpose.”  This year he has let his muse wander into the realms of fiction and memoir and he is a significant talent.

Creation: Corruption & pesonal responsibility: One hand washes the other....

George Kagl, 24, is from Simbu and says he loves literature. He is head librarian at one of the Buk bilong Pikinini libraries in Goroka.

Creation: That’s me

George Kuias is a registered nursing officer at Divine Word University in Madang having previously spent many years as a senior nursing offiecr with Catholic Health Services. He is a graduate of the Highlands Region College of Nursing.

Creation: Money

Getrude Bakaie, 18, was born at Goglme Rural Health Centre and attends Rosary Secondary School in Simbu Province. She says she wrote the short story, Patience has its limits, after seeing too many young people making quick decisions about who they would like to be their life’s partner.

Creation: Patience has its limits

Godwin K Aiawa, 40, works as legal officer with PNG Power. His home province is Morobe and he lives in Goroka with his wife and children.

Creation: Is Papua New Guinea truly prepared for the death penalty

Gregory Jaze Avira, 21, from Madang, is a Communication Arts student at Divine Word University. He is interested in development issues and wants to bring about change in PNG.

Creation: Why must my people suffer....