P.N.G. Gossip Newsletter - 26 Jul 2003

[ Latest Newsletter | Newsletter Home | Previous | Next | Newsletter Index ]
Index to all Newsletters

PNG Gossip Newsletter Meri Milne Bay

Welcome to the

Papua New Guinea Gossip Newsletter


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@pnggossip.com

Articles for this newsletter

To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter -- please e-mail your contribution by clicking here

 

 

 

Neo Melanesian

"Pidgin English"
Neo Melanesian
English
kain kind / sort
kainkain all sorts of
kainkain various kinds of
kakao cocoa
kakaruk chicken / chook / fowl
kala colour
kalabusim imprison
kalabusim lock up / imprison
kalabusim shut up/away
kalap board (a vehicle)
kalap jump (vb)
kalap long PMV board a PMV
kam come
kam hariap come quickly
kamap become / come up
kamap / kamap long arrive

 

 

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 in this newsletter, is currently worth around 27.5 - 28 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

Want to find out more about Papua New Guinea? Try searching at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo and http://www.michie.net/png_faqs. The PNG Business and Tourism Directory located at http://www.pngbd.com is also an excellent place to look for PNG information.

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. Go to this link for a quick start to a link to a map of Port Moresby. http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/pom-map.html

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



Links

Aitape / Sissano




On the 17th of July 1998 a tidal wave hit the Aitape area of PNG. Here are a few websites dealing with Sissano and Aitape.

http://www.chron.com/content/interactive/voyager/sail/news/98/07/980720png.html
http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/PNG/aitape.html
http://www.ssc.uwo.ca/anthropology/jorgensen/tsunami.htm
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/~tsunami/PNG/Upng/Et_981117/factors.html
http://nativenet.uthscsa.edu/archive/nl/9604/0120.html
http://www.multimap.com/wi/136865.htm




Keith Buxton



Don't forget that the book "The Golden Years" by Keith Buxton is still on sale. I have heard that about half of the original shipment has been sold and now the price has been reduced. If you are interested in obtaining a copy then either visit the web site at http://www.keithbuxton.com or email info@keithbuxton.com for more information. The book was great value at the original price and now with the reduction it is even better value. You can also write to PO Box 3102, Pallas Street Post Office, Maryborough Queensland 4650, Australia for information.

Keith Buxton first travelled to PNG in 1956 to commence employment with the Public Health Department as a Field Medical Assistant serving ion the Morobe, Sepik and Highland Regions. In the later part of the 1960's he left the government and then spent over two decades in the tourist industry in PNG. With credentials like that his book is a wealth of experience with a particular emphasis on the more humorous side of living and working in PNG.




Strange Meals



Thanks to Rick for the following link -- http://www.familyhaven.com/travel/melanesianman.html -- Make sure you are not eating when you read the contents of this page!




Trukai Rice



The Trukai Rice company has an official website located at -- http://www.trukai.com.pg/ -- if you want to find out about what Trukai does then this is the site to visit. When you hear the name of Trukai you may think of the familiar yellow, red and green packs of PNG's favourite rice.
But Trukai Industries encompasses much, much more than rice. In fact Trukai Industries has since 1970 been a major producer and marketer of a whole range of important foods for PNG. Trukai supplies over ninety five percent of the PNG rice market.

 

News Items



Aitape FM Radio



Thanks to the generosity of the United States Embassy in Port Moresby the people of the Aitape region of the country will soon have an FM radio transmitter. The transmitter will be used to help warn the inhabitants of any future Tsunami's as well as other community broadcasts.




Mining



A mining seminar will be held from the 28th to the 29th of July at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Port Moresby. It is organised by the Department of Mining, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy with the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum. Metals Refining Operations, Terra Search and Hastings Deering are sponsoring it.




Buimo Correctional Institution



The Buimo Correctional Institution recently opened an elementary school classroom that is a result of their hard work. The staff and prisoners at the prison camp built the new classroom. The materials used, to build the classroom, were recovered from an old office that was torn down. The prisoners, who helped to build the classroom, used the exercise as part of their industrial training.




Preferential Voting



The PNG Electoral Commission will soon start explaining the new Limited Preferential Voting, LPV, to the nation. To help achieve this a National LPV Community Awareness Advisory committee has been set up. Members of the committee include: Representatives of key government departments and organisations like education, health, police, the National Statistical Office, the Department of Planning and Monitoring, the Prime Minister's Department, Treasury, Finance; and Members of the Community Coalition Against Corruption (CCAC) like Transparency International, the churches and women's groups.




Oil Search



It has been reported that Oil Search Limited will buy Chevron Niugini Limited for US$96.6 million. Chevron Niugini is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Texaco. Oil Search plans to fund the purchase from existing cash reserves and new debt, presently being negotiated as part of a refinancing program.




Genetics Lab



The University of PNG has opened a molecular genetic laboratory. The laboratory, costing K2 million, was officially opened by the Japanese Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Katsuo Yamashita. The Japanese Government helped to fund the project.




Chief Justice



The first National Judge of PNG, Justice Sir Mari Kapi, will become the next Chief Justice of PNG. The term of the current Chief Justice expires on the 15th of August 2003. The name of the next Governor General is being hotly debated amongst many people in high places. This assumes that the current Governor General doesn't nominate for a second term. Under the PNG Constitution a Governor General can only hold the office for a maximum of two terms. One of the candidates mentioned is the current Chief Justice Sir Arnold Amet.




Sports Planning



Lady Carol Kidu has warned all athletes that they must plan ahead for all sporting competitions. She said the PNG Sports Federation and national federations must map out programs for their teams now and work toward implementing them.




Port Moresby Roads



The National Capital District Commission has admitted that it has been forced to concentrate on the completion of the roads in Port Moresby to the detriment of other areas such as health, education, law and order etc. The commission is hopeful that a balanced allocation will be possible from next year, as it is anticipated that all major road projects in Moresby will be completed.




Kundiawa



The Kundiawa police station was nearly blown up recently. Criminals broke into the station and wired up 16 sticks of dynamite, but the tiny township had a lucky escape when the sticks did not ignite. Five policemen, who were rostered for duty on that night, have been suspended without pay. The sticks of dynamite were recently confiscated at a roadblock and kept at the station as possible exhibit in court.




Paradise Magazine



What has happened to the Air Niugini in-flight Paradise Magazine? Is there any truth in the rumours that a non PNG company has won the quote to print the mag but the previous people are reluctant to give the job away?




Mendi



Air Niugini has advised that the Mendi runway will be closed to their aircraft (Dash-8) for approximately eight weeks starting on the 27th of July. This is to allow for runway maintenance and repairs to be performed by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The normal Air Niugini flight to Mendi will only operate from Port Moresby to Tari and return during this eight-week period. Please contact Air Niugini for further updates.




F28 Incident



Passengers on an Air Niugini Fokker F28 aircraft were put through an emergency landing procedure recently when a warning light indicated (falsely) that there was an engine fire. The pilot in command of the aircraft followed standard operating procedure and activated the engine fire extinguisher bottles as a precautionary measure and shut the engine down. On landing safely at Jackson's International Airport the plane was met by fire trucks as a precautionary measure. Pilots undergoing refresher training practice the landing of any aircraft with only one engine frequently.

Air Niugini is currently looking at replacement aircraft for the aging Fokker fleet.




Jackson's Airport



An K8 million upgrade of the radar display at Port Moresby's Jackson's International Airport will bring a new dimension to air traffic control in PNG with the use of the latest in radar display technology. The new system will enable radar controllers to have full control and situational awareness of both domestic and international aircraft operating within 250 nautical miles from the Jackson's International Airport. This will help to improve air safety at the airport.




Cairns



Another announcement from Air Niugini -- Effective from the 27th of July to the 9th of December 2003 Air Niugini is introducing a "wantok" fare from Port Moresby to Cairns. The return wantok fare is advertised as from K1094 but as usual please check with your travel agent for more details and to find out what conditions apply.




Measles



The Government has announced a K6 million nation-wide special immunisation program concentrating on measles to start at the end 2003. The Health Department will look after the implementation of the program by regions.




Port Moresby Crash



The driver of a police vehicle and six security guards died as a result of an accident on the Poreporena highway the other night. It is alleged that a police vehicle clipped the curb and bounced into the air landing on top of a 3 tonne truck carrying security men in the opposite direction. Many others were injured but thanks to the speedy treatment at Port Moresby Hospital managed to survive the ordeal. My condolences goes out to the families of the men as well as the company who has lost many good workers.




Lae



The residents of Lae have had to suffer days and days of rain. Many people have had to use the same clothes without washing to go to work whilst others have given up and taken a day or two off. Other residents have found their gardens underwater and some of the smaller markets have been flooded.




United Church



260 women delegates from 24 circuits of the East Papua Mainland Region of the United Church are converging on Saroa village in the Rigo District for a six-day fellowship and workshop. The delegates are attending from Delena in Central Province to Suau in the Milne Bay Province.




Solomon Islands



Any PNG soldiers deployed to the Australian-led regional intervention force to curb lawlessness in Solomon Islands will be immune from prosecutions. The immunity, passed by the Solomon Islands Parliament after two days of debate, is provided under the Facilitation of International Assistance Bill of 2003. The man most likely to be the special coordinator of the force will be Australian diplomat Nick Warner. Mr Warner was formerly the Australian High Commissioner to PNG. It was initially announced that policemen would accompany the soldiers but it has now been announced that only soldiers will participate.




Jimmy Maladina



After many years Jimmy Maladina, the man at the heart of the controversial National Provident Fund (now NASFUND) enquiry, has come back to Moresby. He was arrested and interviewed on his arrival back into the country and allowed out on K10,000 bail. Mr Maladina, in a statement sent by a facsimile machine belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock headed by his brother, said he was innocent of the allegations made against him and he would disprove each of them. He said the NPF inquiry was a "political stunt and a witch hunt" against him and the inquiry had nothing to do with getting the truth behind the management of the NPF.

He has been told that he cannot leave the country without obtaining court approval.




NasFund



The NasFund is on target to achieve its 2003 forecasted profit of K28 million despite a less than expected half-yearly result. PNG's largest superannuation fund recently reported a six-month unaudited profit of K12.799 million, down from the forecasted K16 million. It is expected that the results will improve in the second half of the year with strong performances from Bank South Pacific, government securities and Nasfund subsidiary Tower Ltd.




Water Payments



Settlement dwellers in Port Moresby now have to pay for the supply of water. This is part of the government's user pays policy for services. The company responsible for supplying water in Port Moresby (Eda Ranu) has been conducting an awareness campaign in the settlements so that the residents understand the reasons why they are being asked to pay.




Markham Valley



Two groups of landowners in the upper Markham Valley have agreed to resolve their differences. The people on the border of Morobe Province and the Eastern Highlands Province have agreed to work together in the name of development for the area.




Longest Email Address?



Is this one of the longest legitimate email addresses for a PNG company? It came from an email received from the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby announcing that they had transferred all food and beverage promotions to come under one email address: food_beveragehappenings@holidayinnportmoresby.com.pg -- I hope I spelt that right and didn't add too many letters. The Crowne Plaza hotel is just as bad with email addresses in the following -- reservations@crowneplazaportmoresby.com.pg




Remembrance Day



A parade was held to remember those who died or fought in the various wars and conflicts. It was hosted by the acting Commander of the PNG Defence Force, Captain Ur Tom, and witnessed by the Governor-General Sir Silas Atopare, the Deputy Prime Minister Dr Allan Marat and other dignitaries.




Tomaringa Barracks



The Tomaringa police barracks are in ruins. A report by the Post Courier says a visit to the barracks has revealed broken fences, falling buildings, exposed live electrical wires, leaking toilets and kitchens, no power and water to a lot of the houses and broken house posts only to name a few of the problems. Policemen say that despite their problems they have continued to do their work.




Red Cross



The Red Cross has recently opened a two-storey, K115,000, office in the Western Highlands at Mount Hagen. Funds for the new building came mainly from the fundraising efforts of two Miss PNG Charity Quest entrants and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.. The building will be the focus for the Red Cross activities such as raising HIV/AIDS awareness in the future.




Kokopo



The Kokopo Secondary School has set up a self-reliance project to generate income for the school. They have started on three separate projects - guesthouses, furniture-making and balsa timber. In fact the guesthouse is already bringing in some income for the school. The two self- contained duplex guesthouses renting at K40 per night - has already earned K5000 within the first six months of this year.




Quote



Nobby has the following comment to make on the quote below.
>
> Thanks to Mark Wilson I can say that the following quote can be
> attributed to Douglas Casey (1992) -- "Foreign aid might be defined
> as a transfer from poor people in rich countries to rich people in
> poor countries".

hi,

considering the well-described boomerang effect with tied aid (which is the bulk of what "PNG" "gets" from Australia, AusAID is basically "a transfer from poor people to rich people in RICH countries, with the poor country playing only the role of a catalyst." confer AID/WATCH @

http://www.aidwatch.org.au/

cheers, Nobby Tobby.




PNG Defence Force



The HMPNGS Tarangau and HMPNGS Basilisk are both representing PNG in a Royal Australian Navy seven-nation maritime exercise off the northern coast of Australia. Exercise Kakadu is being conducted from the 20th of July 20 until the 1st of August 2003. It is hoped that the exercise will provide valuable operational experience for the two ships and their crew and will further enhance the skills that the PNGDF maritime element already employ in monitoring PNG's maritime borders and fisheries protection zones.




Moresby Costs



Some prices recently advertised as special in the local papers

Pork Mince - K16.50 per kilogram
Pork Shoulder Chops - K 13.70 per kilogram

Flora Margarine 1Kg - K11.95




Melanesian Brothers



The Melanesian Brother held by rebels on Solomon Islands is safe, according to our High Commissioner to Solomon Island Parai Tamei. Brother Robin Lindsay was well according to reports the High Commissioner had received from Weathercoast where Solomon Island's rebel Harold Keke is holding him and other Melanesian Brothers hostage.

Robin Lindsay is from Oro Province and is the regional head of the Anglican Church's Melanesian Brothers.




Tolukuma Gold Mine



The Tolukuma Gold Mine is confident of reaching the 22,000-ounce of gold mark in the last quarter of this year. The mine's gold production reached an all-time high of 21,217 ounces during the June quarter.






PNG Media


If a friend has given or sent you a copy of this newsletter and you would like to keep receiving free copies then please visit ../news/index.html for instructions on how to join the list.

Articles for this Newsletter

If you think you have a PNG page worth mentioning then please send e-mail to giaman@png-gossip.com.

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



If you want to subscribe please fill out the application on the following page.

If you want to unsubscribe then select the unsubscribe option on the next page.


ArchivesView PNG Gossip Newsletter Archive




[ Latest Newsletter | Newsletter Home | Previous | Next | Newsletter Index ]



-- THE END --

Some of the ways of saying "that's all" are courtesy of Liz and her friends at the University of Technology in Lae. http://www.unitech.ac.pg

If you can add to this list then please send email to PNG-News@pnggossip.com

 






Created 26 Jul 2003
Updated 16 May 2004

Sponsored by
www.michie.net


©2003 - 2011 Gia Mann