P.N.G. Gossip Newsletter - 12 Oct 2000

PNG Gossip Newsletter Meri Milne Bay
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Welcome to the Papua New Guinea Gossip Newsletter - 12 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 34 - 35 United States cents but varies on a daily basis.

If you are really keen on finding out what the Kina is worth you can find a currency converter for most world currencies 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 http://maps.expedia.com and then click on the find a map option. Or click on this option for a Map of Papua New Guinea from expedia.com


Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

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

If a longer URL in this newsletter appears to be broken, please manually cut and then paste the link into your browser.

Places to visit. The Alotau International Hotel in Milne Bay has a website located at http://www.alotauinternational.com.


Toes per litre

Oops! I've been highlighting a few of the errors that appear in the daily press in PNG but luckily I have always said that this newsletter is no exception here is one picked up by Michael in the last newsletter. The word toes is supposed to be toea but when you type like I do then anything is possible.

8.29 toes per litre, eh? ;-) Nogut masalai i pumpim petrol, em bai kaikaim pinga bilong lek!

Michael.

Computer Dealers.

Seems that I have left out one of the computer dealers in town so here is a joke from the person who brought it to my attention and also, of course, the URL to the computer company website -

Hi,
Thought u will like to include another computer company under the Computer Companies in PNG
Comserv Computer Centre at -- http:\\www.comserv.com.pg -- (note this website no longer exists)
Regards,

Late one night in Port Moresby, a rascal wearing a mask jumped into the path of a well-dressed man and stuck a gun in his ribs.

"Give me your money!" he demanded.

Indignant, the affluent man replied, "You can't do this. I'm a member of Parliament!"

"In that case," replied the robber, "give me my money!"

ends


Value Added Tax

The VAT collection for the first eight months of the year 2000 has totalled K362 million of which K139 has come from the provinces. In return the Internal Revenue Commission has returned K93 million to the provinces.


Education

Despite nearing the end of the school year there are still schools that have not received their allocation of textbooks and materials for the year.

Coastal Cleanup

Despite missing some areas of the coast the coastal cleanup was declared a success. Hundreds of people turned out in Lae to clean Voco Point. To add colour to the event the army and the police took part.

Sir Mekere Morauta has said that pollution around the national capital of Port Moresby posed a serious health risk especially to the many villages. He said the cleanup must not be seen as a once only event rather it should be seen as the start to a regular cleanup.


Highlands Highway

The highway was recently blocked in three places due to landslides in the Enga province. Locals collecting K10 from trapped vehicles have helped to clear the dirt and rubble from the road. That is K10 at each of the three blockages.


Mental Health

Health Secretary, Dr Temu has said that mental health in PNG is getting worse and the government is doing all it can to tackle the problem however mental health services in the country have been neglected.

World Mental Health Day was celebrated earlier in Port Moresby than the rest of the world because many doctors were already in Port Moresby attending a department of health mental health conference.


Medical Faculty

The University of PNG Medical Faculty has received library equipment and furniture to the value of K173,000 from the European Union.


Malaria

An increase in malaria has been reported by the Vanimo Hospital. The chief executive of the hospital has said that almost 100 percent of the patients showing up at the outpatient department were malaria positive.


Madang Hospital

A new mortuary will be built at the Modilon General hospital in Madang to help alleviate problems with the old one. AusAID has already helped by buying the new mortuary equipment, which is now ready to install.


Madang Hospital (again)

The food for patients at the Modilon General Hospital in Madang was stolen in a recent theft leaving patients without food to eat.


Dame Josephine Abaijah

The Dame has rejoined the ranks of the opposition in parliament saying that she was bitter over the fact that she was toppled from her role as the Governor of Milne Bay by a government MP.


Healthy Skate

It is rumoured that Bill Skate, the leader of the opposition, who recently suffered a heart attack, has dropped his hard drinking for a better lifestyle.


Cocoa Production

The PNG Cocoa Board has recorded a record production of more than 44,000 tonnes for the 1999 - 2000 season. This is equivalent to about K100 million in foreign exchange.


Madang Technical College

AusAID has allocated approximately K2.2million to fund projects at Madang Tech.


Flight Centre Airfares

Economy Fares

Business Class

Remember these return fares are starting prices and they only go upwards and not downwards. They do not include Value Added Taxes, departure and arrival taxes etc.


Third Party Insurance

Insurance premiums for motor vehicles are set to rise by 25 percent. This the first increase for nearly 10 years. The average private use sedan will now cost K185 to insure. The ever popular utility will be hit K262. Trucks and Public Motor Vehicles will now have to pay K447 per annum to have third party insurance.


Cairns Conservatory

After many years of investigating the Government of PNG and the Public Officers Superannuation Fund are now ready to claim damages against the people allegedly responsible for the scheme whereby the Conservatory was purchased for AUD$9.75 million and then sold a month later for AUD$18.72 million to the POSF. The government was also paying more than three times the market rental for the property.


East New Britain

Polling will start on the 18th of November for the East New Britain Provincial and the Pomio Open electorate by-elections. Thirteen candidates have been nominated for the contest.


Hidden Poverty

Searchlight has said that "Absolute poverty in PNG in terms of hunger over an extended period of time and homelessness", are not observed in PNG because of the existence of dependable network of social relationships - especially a kinship system that lends support to the needy or shares wealth.

This is the "wantok system" which has many good and many bad points. A wantok is literally a person who speaks the same language as you and with over 800 plus languages in PNG some people might only have a handful of wantok's clambering after their hard earned Kina each fortnight.

The positive side of the wantok system provides hardship alleviation whilst the negative side sees it undermine the economic advancement of entire kinship groups and retards progress towards escaping temporary poverty because it adversely impacts on a households income.

Searchlight goes on to say that hidden poverty is dominant and is emerging as a robust social problem as it can no longer be hidden by the wantok system.

The East Sepik Governor, Arthur Somare, has called for government policies and strategies to alleviate poverty in PNG.


Tsunami

The Department of Education, National Disaster Management Organisation and the Geology Department of the University of PNG have combined to produce a brochure on what to do and what is a Tsunami.

The following are recorded dates of Tsunami's in PNG


Passport Scam

Authorities are investigating people, who supposedly helped supply fake passports, to foreigners, who either stayed in the country or moved one to other countries such as Britain, Australia and Canada.


Visa on Arrival

To: All travellers originating from Philippines to Papua New Guinea Re: Requirement to obtain visa before departure

Due to the increasing cases of illegal and undocumented entrants(tries) to Papua New Guinea, the provision of obtaining visas upon arrival at the Jackson International airport Port Moresby and any other Papua New Guinea port of entry is now temporarily suspended.

All travellers originating from any port of exit in the Philippines are now required to obtain visas from the embassy of Papua New Guinea prior to their departure either by vessel or any Air Niugini flight or any airlines that have connecting flights to Papua New Guinea.

This instruction is to take effect immediately as from the date of this circular 06 Oct 2000.


University of PNG

UPNG has a new Vice Chancellor to replace Dr Rodney Hills who resigned over a year ago. The new VC, Les Eastcott, is currently the Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Newcastle.


Wapenamanda

Air Niugini services to Wapenamanda remain suspended until further notice due to tribal fighting and threats against Air Niugini property / personnel. PX894 / 10 Oct will overfly Wapenamanda and operate Port Moresby / Mendi direct.

Wapenamanda passengers may rebook via Mount Hagen at their discretion and airfare reassessed, however Air Niugini is not responsible for any expenses incurred or onward transportation between Mount Hagen and Wapenamanda or vv

A decision on Saturday's flight will be advised on Thursday or Friday of this week.


Miss PNG Quest

The following girls have entered the Miss PNG Quest being run by the Red Cross Society.

Links to visit ----

http://www.altnews.com.au/kali - a web site dealing with Manus. This site also has a map of the main islands of Manus.

http://archaeology.about.com/science/archaeology/library/atlas/blpapua.htm An archaeology site with links to archaeological excavations at the Kamgot site, on the island of Babase, New Ireland and also a link to Origins of Agriculture in New Guinea.

The Papua New Guinea Woman a bi-monthly (July-Aug, Sep-Oct, Nov-Dec, Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, May-June) colourful magazine dedicated to PNG http://www.pngwoman.com

Recommended Sites

Take a look at the sites below to read and hear about Papua New Guinea

Visit the PNG section of the World Wide Web Virtual Library at the following URL http://coombs.anu.edu.au/specialproj/png/wwwvl-png.html from there you will find a whole heap of information on Papua New Guinea.

PNG related RealAudio Radio Sites

Listen to live radio at http://www.naufm.com.pg/naufm.ram Listen to http://www.abc.net.au/ra/png/insait.ram - Tok Pisin news each day from Radio Australia Listen to http://www.abc.net.au/ra/pacbeat/pbeat.ram - Pacific Beat each day from Radio Australia

If you want to see what sort of things we get thrown at us via our television sets then pay a visit to http://www.hitron.com.pg for a full list of most of the television stations available in PNG or visit the local station at http://www.emtv.com.pg

PNG newspaper sites

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Articles for this newsletter

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Created - 12 Oct 2000
Updated - 18 Feb 2001
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