P.N.G. Gossip Newsletter - 4 Oct 2000

PNG Gossip Newsletter Meri Milne Bay
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Welcome to the Papua New Guinea Gossip - 4 October 2000. A very special welcome is extended to any new readers. If you have comments or suggestions to make then please e-mail them to giaman@png-gossip.com

Articles for this newsletter

To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter -- please e-mail your contribution to pngnews.queue@png-gossip.com

Remember that this mailing list is mainly meant for people who have an interest and already know a little bit about the people and geography of Papua New Guinea. The PNG Kina, which is mentioned from time to time, is currently worth somewhere around 35 - 36 United States cents but varies on a daily basis.

If you are really keen on finding out what the Kina is worth a currency converter for most world currencies can be located at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/moni.html

For those who are not so familiar with the geography of Papua New Guinea I suggest taking a look at http://maps.expedia.com and then click on the "find a map" option.

Also remember that the accuracy of the information in this newsletter should not be relied upon - it is, after all, a gossip newsletter.



Links to Visit

TRANS NIUGINI TOURS is the leading inbound tour operator in Papua New Guinea. In addition to being an inbound tour operator they also own and operate a series of world famous Wilderness Lodges in PNG. They own and operate their own mini coaches in Port Moresby, the Highlands and Madang. They operate their own boats on the Sepik and in Madang. They also have their own aircraft which link these Lodges. You can therefore be assured of consistency in service while being looked after on one of Trans Niugini Tours.

Ambua Lodge
Ambua Lodge
Picture courtesy of Trans Niugini Tours




Tourism

The Tourism Promotion Authority has indicated that tourism has earned PNG K200 million last year. A survey has found that 99.9 percent of the tourists who visited PNG returned satisfied to their own countries. 67,000 tourists visited PNG last year with 50 percent of these staying in Port Moresby. This figure is down from previous years. In the same period 400,000 people visited Fiji which, in my opinion, has less to offer than PNG.


Air Fares

Yet another increase in airfares has seen domestic fares go up by 5 percent. This is the second part of a ten percent increase awarded by Price Controller recently. The aviation industry had requested an 86 percent increase in fares.


MBA Airlines of PNG

In a bid to absorb the ten percent increase MBA have announced that they will attempt to cover additional costs by imposing fees for people that fail to travel on flights that they have booked for.

It was also announced that some people even check-in on the day of travel and then do not show up to fly. This causes all sorts of problems as the baggage for that particular customer must be found and off-loaded before the plane can depart.

Air Niugini

It has finally been officially announced that Air Niugini has a new Chief Executive Officer. The CEO has a wealth of airline experience behind him as well as a Masters of Business Administration along with other degrees.

Telikom

Telikom PNG has claimed that the organisation has lost over half a million Kina in the last 18 months due to the vandalism of telecommunications equipment in various areas of PNG.

Boroko

A recent clash between police and soldiers over the weekend saw Boroko cordoned off and most shops closed. This follows the shooting of a criminal at Vadavada settlement recently by police. It has been alleged that the criminal was a current member of the PNG Defence Force.

Despite a claim by the Defence Force, a post mortem has revealed that the criminal was shot rather than being beaten to death.

Land Convention

PNG has signed an international convention to protect its land. It is hoped that this move will enable PNG to source financial support, technical advice as well as enlist the help of developed countries to develop long term plans and strategies to safeguard PNG land resources.

Madang Governor

The Leadership Tribunal has dismissed Jim Kas, the Governor of Madang. Following on from various misdemeanours such as the alleged attempt to stop a plane from taking off and a fatal road accident he has been disqualified from holding a public office for three years.

Here is an item copied from a commentary on aircraft delays in AvWeb's AVFlash for this week.

...AND DELAYS WITH A FEISTY FOREIGN FLAVOR

Not all delays are created equal. Take for example, these two recent incidents overseas. Ship captain Feng Shi-an was arrested by Japan's coast guard late last week for obstructing air traffic at Okinawa's Naha Airport after his 12,406-ton cargo hauler ran onto a reef roughly 2400 feet off the end of the Naha runway. Officials considered that that location of the ship was a threat to air traffic, so they cancelled and diverted flights for the next nine hours. In Papua New Guinea, Jim Kas, the governor of Madang Province, is likely to be booted out of the national parliament after ordering his driver to speed onto the Madang Airport runway to prevent a plane from taking off. Kas was supposed to be on that plane, but he arrived at the airport late and drunk.

Thanks to Scott for bringing that article to my attention.

Leadership Tribunal

Although in the code it is not common knowledge that the Leadership Code also covers the spouses and children of leaders. Officers of the Ombudsman Commission highlighted this recently.

Psychiatric Ward

The Psychiatric Ward of the Port Moresby General Hospital has received a radio and television set as well as 26 sheets and an electric jug for staff from the Victorian League Commonwealth of Friendship. The League has also recently donated chairs, a white board and a refrigerator to the ward.

Overseas Jobs

The Member for Karimui-Nomane has suggested that formal arrangements be entered into with countries such as Australia for qualified PNG people to find jobs overseas.

I feel that if a person is good enough then employment overseas should not be a problem. As an example of this many PNG pilots formally employed by Air Niugini are now flying for overseas airlines with little or no overseas assistance. Some of these pilots are holding senior positions with Emirates airline.

Kupiano

Local Port Moresby business man, Anderson Vele has helped to kick start a village poultry project for a small village of about 250 people about an hour's drive from Kupiano in Central Province. The village has seen no direct government assistance for many years.

Cairns Travel Agents

Travel agents from Cairns in Australia will soon enjoy complimentary visits to PNG courtesy of Air Niugini, PNG Tourism Promotion Authority and local hotels.

Radio in PNG

AusAID is providing a total of K7 million to upgrade radio facilities at Vanimo, Lae, Wewak, Rabaul, Madang, Alotau and Goroka.

Motor Vehicle Insurance Ltd

Despite being a monopoly the MVIL appears to be almost bankrupt due to the fact that the liability for any claims cannot be met from the assets that the MVIL currently has available.

The Post Courier reported that the assets of MVIL have gone from K150 million down to less than K4 million in three years.

As reported previously the MVIL is the owner of the yet to be opened private hospital which has been finished for many months now.

It is tipped that the fees paid for motor vehicle insurance will have to rise dramatically to cover current and future debts.

National Housing Corporation

The government owes the NHC K18 million for services dating back over the last three years.

Hela

The previously reported bid by the Hela people of the Southern highlands to become a separate province has been rejected by the Prime Minister under the grounds that other provinces would follow suit. The PM reiterated that the call for a separate province would have to be viable and would require careful study and justification.

Errors

Recently I have highlighted a few of the mistakes made in the daily press. Sometimes they are the responsibility of the editor and sometimes the problem lies with the person submitting the copy. In this case Air Niugini made a monumental stuff up in one of the adverts it ran in a local paper recently. It advertised the special K699 rate to Brisbane as being a business class fare rather than the economy fare it was supposed to be.

Of course we all make errors especially me when my fingers trip over the keyboard!

Census

Preliminary census figures indicate that the figure of four million has definitely been topped for the population of PNG but it will be many months before a final figure is given.

Rabaul, East New Britain

The management of Nonga Base Hospital were forced to close most of the wards recently due to heavy ash fall from the increased volcano activity of Mount Tavurvur. Patients were transferred to Vunapope Hospital in Kokopo.

The East New Britain Chamber of Commerce has declared Rabaul as being safe despite concerns voiced by the health authorities.

A stage two alert has been called for Mt Ulawun located on the border of East and West New Britain.

Elavala village

A house built along traditional lines over the water more than five decades ago has finally succumbed to old age and collapsed into the water. The house gave enough warning for the family to be able to move most of what they owned to a relative's house close by.

Eastern Highlands

The Bihute jail in the Eastern Highlands has run out of gas to cook food for the prisoners. It is believed that the Correctional Institution Services has not paid the gas bill since January. Firewood is currently being used to cook food for the inmates but even this is running out.

Petrol Prices

The price of petroleum products has risen in PNG. Petrol has gone up 8.29 toes per litre and diesel has increased by 7.73 toea per litre. The worst increase is a rise of 22.87 toea per litre for aviation gas.

Fast Money Scheme

The principal of Money rain has said that he is determined to pay off all the investor in his pyramid scheme despite claims by the liquidator that the company had no money to pay anyone.

Goroka Show

The 45th annual Goroka show has been described as one of the most spectacular events in the world by many of the overseas tourists who attended. The show attracted more than 80 traditional singsing groups from the Highlands, Mamose and New Guinea Islands.





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Created - 4 Oct 2000
Updated - 9 Aug 2009
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