P.N.G. Gossip Newsletter - 26 Jan 2004

[ Search Newsletters | Newsletter Home | Previous | Next | Newsletter Index ]
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 use the contact form

Articles for this newsletter

To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter -- please use the contact form

PNG Gossip Blog

 

 

 

Neo Melanesian

"Pidgin English"
tok pisin
english
abababa bubble gum
adres address
bel belly
bel i pas constipated
bel i tantanim nauseated
belhevi regret
belisi calm / peaceful (person)
bung wantaim unite
bung maket market
bungim wantaim pack (vb)
bungim painim meet
dua i go ausait exit (n)
dua door
haus moni bank (n)
haus marasin pharmacy
haus marit married quarters

 

 

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 29 - 29.5 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

The official website of the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority can be found at -- http://www.pngtourism.org.pg
The Milne Bay Tourism website can be found at -- http://www.milnebaytourism.gov.pg

An interesting web site dealing with Rimbunan Hijau, PNG's biggest logging company can be found at -- http://www.rimbunan.forests.org.au -- It makes interesting reading.

http://www.jiema.hp.ms -- Jay Ma's web site -- A genuine PNG Blog.

FAQ's about Missionary Aviation Fellowship -- http://www.maf.org.au/info/faqs.php



Education Web Sites



http://www.ibs.com.pg -- International Business Institute
http://www.iea.ac.pg -- International Education Agency
http://www.iti.com.pg -- PNG International Training Institute
http://www.pngmc.ac.pg -- PNG Maritime College
http://www.pta.com.pg -- Pacific Training Academy
http://www.unitech.ac.pg -- PNG University of Technology (Lae)
http://www.uog.ac.pg -- University of Goroka
http://www.upng.ac.pg -- University of PNG
http://www.workersmutual.com.pg -- Computer Training

 

News Items



Medical Licences



Practicing pharmacists, technicians and pharmacies have been warned that all practicing licences must be renewed before the 30th of March otherwise they will be practicing illegally. Since the PNG Pharmacy Board was established in 2001 all individuals engaged in handling or selling medical devices, cosmetics and medicinal products on their premises must ensure that they have a practicing licence to do so.

Records show that there are currently 58 pharmacy outlets, 132 pharmacists and 52 pharmacy technicians licenced in the country.



Central Province Health



Parliament has voted and approved a change in the National Capital District (NCDC) laws to allow a greater amount of money collected as Goods and Services Tax (GST) by the NCDC to go towards Central Province. Central Province has said that the money will be used to boost health in the Province. It is anticipated that this will lessen the need for people from Central Province to visit the Port Moresby General Hospital. Currently people from the four Central Provinces (Goilala, Kairuku-Hiri, Rigo and Abau) are flocking to the Port Moresby General due to a lack of facilities in Central.

NCDC currently collects about K150 million in tax a year. The new law requires the NCDC to pay ten percent of this to the Central provincial government, three percent to the Gulf provincial government and two percent to the local landowners of Port Moresby, the Motu-Koitabu.



PNG Tourism Expo



The PNG Tourism Promotion Authority in conjunction with the PNG Tourism Industry Association will stage a tourism expo in March. The three day expo will be held at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby starting on the 5th of March. The expo will be titled "Lukim PNG Nau" and it is hoped that it will encourage local tourism. Although PNG is one of the best countries in the world to visit many people both national and expatriate have not set foot outside their own little area. It is hope the expo will attract these people to parts of the country that they have never seen before. For those people who will be able to attend there will be a gate fee of K2.00 per person.



Tourism Training



The Tourism Promotion Authority has embarked on a training program aimed at training tourism stakeholders. The course has been put together by the Tourism Promotion Authority and the Australian Targeted Training Program.



Tourism Promotion



After many years with the Tourism Promotion Authority Eri Singin a one time acting CEO of the company has been given the flick. Eri spent many years giving valuable service to the Authority by heading the Madang office.



Fly River



The Fly River (Western Province) provincial budget for 2004 has been given the nod of approval by the Finance and Treasury Department. The budget totalling K62 million reflects a 15 percent increase over the 2003 budget. The budget priorities are law and order, health and education.



Manus



The Governor of tiny Manus has thanked the World Bank for providing funding for the upgrading and sealing of selected roads in the province. The project will cost the World Bank in excess of K30 million. Many roads, particularly the Manus Highway has been allowed to deterioted for many years and as a result it has been virtually impossible to pass along some of it. Manus with a land area of 2,100 sq kilometres is PNG's smallest province.



PNG FAQ's



Here are some of the more common frequently asked questions that keep cropping up.

What is the land area of the provinces in PNG?

More PNG Frequently Asked Question can be found at -- http://www.michie.net/png_faqs -- If you can help expand the FAQ's then visit the site and leave a message. If you find a question with an incorrect or outdated answer please also let the site owner know.-- png.faqs@michie.net



Diving Award



An American magazine with a circulation of 50,000 worldwide has given their Readers Choice Award to PNG. The Rodale's Scuba diving Magazine is the largest dive publication in the United States and each year the readers are asked to vote for their favourite destination.



Atlas Steel



Over 70 workers are on strike at Atlas Steel just outside Port Moresby. They are staying away from work in protest over the dismissal of 19 colleagues recently. Atlas Steel is a part of the large Kenmore Group and two other Kenmore companies have indicated that they will join the Atlas Steel workers protest.



Indonesian Warships



Two Indonesian Warships have completed a successful visit to Port Moresby. The sailors on the ships were greeted by the famous Tapioka dance of the Trobriand Islanders. Many residents were able to view the ships up close. The ships were in PNG under a bi-lateral cooperation agreement between PNG and Indonesia.



Morobe Crime



There has been an upsurge in criminal activity in many parts of the Morobe province. Eight gold miners from Wau were recently held up as they were returning from Eddie's Creek by criminals armed with shotguns and bush knives. Also an expatriate manager was robbed and shot just outside Lae as he was returning to Bulolo from Lae.



Buimo Jail



Some prisoners currently located in the Buimo Jail, Morobe Province will be moved to other jails around the country due to the need to undertake repair work at the jail. More than K1 million has been allocated by the Correctional Services for the repairs. The work should start this week and will include upgrades to the existing coking facilities, cell blocs and night toilets as well as rainwater tanks. A new guard house for the female and juvenile areas will be built.



Aussie Police



The Australian Police coming to PNG to help the local force will be involved in criminal and fraud investigations and prosecution of suspects under the five-year assistance program to PNG. There has been debate in parliament as to who would be the first to be prosecuted under the assistance program; I would imagine that many a thicked skinned white-collared criminal in PNG would not even be worried about that remark.

The arrival of the police from down under has been delayed due to legal and insurance issues. The first batch of police have visited Port Moresby but have now gone back to wait for the completion of the legal framework and other issues.



Defence Guns



Air Niugini staff have discovered a shipment of stolen PNG Defence Force guns destined for Goroka. Six high-powered guns, with serial numbers matching those stolen from the Defence Force, and 120 rounds of ammunition were discovered by cargo staff when they become suspicious that the weight of the shipment didn't tally with what was declared on the documentation. The guns were retrieved with help of police and are currently being held by Boroko Police.



Boroko Market



Second Hand clothes vendors at Boroko Market have had a slight reprieve from the city council (NCDC). The NCDC had decided to change the market back to a food market after many years operating as a second hand clothes venue. The NCDC has delayed he work so that the existing vendors can sell clothes to raise money to pay 2004 school fees.



Ela Beach International



The Ela Beach International School will no longer be used by students. It will be come an administration block for the International Education Agency. In recent years the school merged with Murray International School causing a headache for many parents who had to drop some children off at Ela Beach and then others of at Murray and then drop high school students off at POM high especially during the many and prolonged road works around town.



Autonomous ENB



The East New Britain provincial government is preparing to adapt an autonomous system of government. The people of East New Britain have been waiting for a long time for the agenda to be put through cabinet and then debated properly in parliament. It is felt that the elected members of parliament from East New Britain are spending much of their valuable time debating issues not related to ENB. To help speed the issue along prominent people are working on the system.



Jackson's Airport



Civil Aviation has decided to do all the maintenance themselves at Jackson's airport. This covers electrical, mechanical, communication electronics, air conditioning and building management systems. The job was preciously sub contracted to a company called SimTec. SimTec rose out of the Fletcher Morobe management team who supervised the building of the terminals at Jackson's airport. Most companies are outsourcing and CAA are going the other direction saying that they will save two thirds to three quarters of the costs they paid to SimTec.



Tokua Airport



Air Niugini passengers travelling to and from Tokua (East New Britain) have been given the run-around recently due to the inability of the civil aviation authority to have adequate fuel in the electrical generating equipment. The F28 jets require navigation aids to land at Tokua and without electricity the planes can not land. It is believed that the lack of fuel for the generating equipment has cost Air Niugini many thousands of Kina.



Five Month Break



Parliament has taken a five-month break. It has been adjourned until the 29th of June. The move has shocked many of the opposition MP's who were ready to block the proposed vote to increase the safe period where a government can not be ousted by a vote of no confidence from 18 moths to 36 months. The opposition has declared that the move was to prevent the government embarrassment by not being able to tally enough votes to pass the bill.

The Ombudsman Commission is critical of the long recess and others have said that the five-month break is little more than a paid holiday for the politicians. The move has also left people wondering what will happen about the vacant position of Governor General for the next few months.



Goroka Hospital



The Goroka Hospital has received help from the South Pacific Brewery. The brewery and staff members have donated K2,650 to the Goroka Base Hospital. The money was raised through a walkathon initiated by the SP Brewery's Home Resource Division. The money will be used to buy medicine and antibiotics for the hospital.



Angau Hospital



Patients at the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae are becoming frustrated as they are being told that the hospital does not have the necessary drugs to treat their illnesses. The Chairman of the hospital confirmed the problem and said that the problem had existed for the past few years. Many of the patients can not afford to buy the drugs form the local pharmacies so have to do with out the medicine. The hospital is also short of chemicals to develop x-rays so that is being limited to emergency cases only.



Cancer Unit



Steady progress is being made in getting the country's only cancer treatment centre back up and running at Angau Hospital in Lae. The chairman of the PNG Cancer Relief Society has indicated that thanks to the continued support of the Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge on the issue, the Government has announced that funds will be set aside to purchase new equipment. Air Niugini staff in Lae have raised K1700 through the sale of tickets.



24th Lutheran Synod



More than 1000 people flocked to Aiyura National High School in the Eastern Highlands for the official opening of the 24th Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) in PNG . The Synod was opened by the ELC-PNG Assistant Bishop, Kiage Motoro, on behalf of the head bishop, Dr Wesley Kigasung, who was unable to attend.



ELC Hymn Book



The ELC (Evangelical Lutheran Church) in PNG has launched two new books at the 24th Synod being held at Aiyura in the Eastern Highlands. One is a new hymn book and the other is a concordance. These books will replace the old books of praise and worship currently being used by the Church in PNG.



Real Estate Agents Association



The Real Estate Agents Association has advertised their web site. It is located at -- http://www.reia.org.pg.



Real Estate Agents



Arthur Strachan (Lae) -- http://www.arthurstrachan.com.pg
Century 21 -- http://www.century21.com.pg/ and http://www.siule.com.pg/
Kohoy Real Estate -- http://kohoyrealestates.tripod.com/
L.J Hooker -- http://www.ljhooker.com
Ray White Real Estate -- monian@online.net.pg
Strickland RE -- http://www.sre.com.pg/
The Professionals -- http://www.theprofessionals.com.pg



South Pacific Motor Sports Club




The South Pacific Motor Sports Club has a web site designed by Wolfgang Bandisch. It is located at -- http://www.spmsc.org.pg -- For information about the car club, located along Waigani Drive in Port Moresby, this is the site to visit.



Maprik Police



The police in Maprik district, East Sepik Province now have a new vehicle donated by the Papindo Group of Companies. The Group donated K120,000 towards the vehicle and the Minister for Works and the local member for Maprik, Gabriel Kapris, donated K40,000 towards the vehicle.



South Pacific Exports



If you need that hard to get part for your electrical / communications gear or even a special tool send email to Peter Goleby at South Pacific Exports on -- sp.exports@bigpond.com -- he might just be able to help you out or at least point you in the right direction. Peter claims he will attempt to get anything legal for you so long as he can add a small amount to cover his own costs.



Shuttle Images of PNG



The following web site boasts 1,392 images of PNG from the space shuttle -- http://rove.to/papua-new-guinea. -- I had trouble accesing any of the images. Any comments from anyone?






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 use the contact form.

To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter queue please use the contact form



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




[ Search Newsletters | 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 Jan 2004
Updated 16 May 2004

Sponsored by
www.michie.net
©2004 - 2011 Gia Mann