Links
Australian PNG Business Council
The Australia Papua New Guinea Business Council is an independent
association of businesses based in Australia which either invests in
or trade with PNG -- http://www.apngbc.org.au
Also the Business Council of PNG has a web site located at -- http://www.bcpng.org.pg
New Ireland Tourism
New Ireland Tourism have launched their new web site -- http://www.newirelandtourism.org.pg
PNG Connect
Another web site by CyberMasta can be found at -- http://www.pngconnect.com/.
-- CyberMasta has some more web sites in the pipeline almost ready
to release. Watch this newsletter to find out when the sites come online.
If you are interested in PNG Orchids then I suggest visiting -- http://www.orchidspng.com -- this is another web site with layout and design by CyberMasta.
ICCC Web Site
The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission has a web site
located at -- http://www.iccc.gov.pg --
The ICCC is PNG's economic regulator and consumer watchdog.
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 < 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.
National Disaster Centre
Do not forget to visit the web site for the National Disaster Centre.
It can be found at -- http://www.pngndc.gov.pg -- The site is worth
taking a look. This website serves as an information base for all matters
regarding disaster management and other essential
The site contains information about disasters in PNG and around the
globe. It is the aim of the National Disaster Centre to provide useful
information related to natural and human-caused disasters
Taklam Guest House
The Guest House, actually it is now called Taklam Lodge and Tours,
was originally located in Rabaul but was relocated to Kokopo after
the twin volcanic eruptions destroyed Rabaul in 1994. They commenced
operations in 1990 offering a home away from home service. A web site
is located at -- http://www.taklam.com.pg/
Yet More Blogs
http://avoiceofdissent.blogspot.com/2007/02/non-white-savagery-once-again.html -- and the same article is repeated at -- http://www.downundernewslinks.com/index.php/?p=812
http://www.schilt.info/blog/_archives/2007/3/2/2776285.html
http://witwatw.blogspot.com/2007/02/trip-to-doctor.html
http://nick-paula.blogspot.com/2007/02/this-weeks-events.html
http://unreachedpeeps.blogspot.com/2007/02/papua-new-guinea-bring-it-on.html
http://milnebayelections.blogspot.com/2007/02/sitting-members.html
http://speakerofthetruth.blogspot.com/2007/02/witchcraft-brings-murder-to-pacific.html
http://samaritanaviation.blogspot.com/2007/02/jungle-adventure.html
http://samaritanaviation.blogspot.com/2007/02/we-made-it.html
http://samaritanaviation.blogspot.com/2007/02/island-time.html
http://www.pananufa-web.com/blog/archives/001209.php
http://coralnotesfromthefield.blogspot.com/2007/02/savusavu-here-we-come.html
http://coralnotesfromthefield.blogspot.com/index.html
http://koroboronews.blogspot.com/2007/02/monday-12th-february.html
http://camnjaneinpng.blogspot.com/2007/02/cam-adds-touch-of-class.html
http://camnjaneinpng.blogspot.com/2007/02/blackouts.html
http://fiddlingwithfibre.blogspot.com/2007/02/museum-visit-some-fibre-seen.html
http://islandbaby.blogspot.com/2007/02/blade-to-blade.html
http://la-travelhunter.com/articles/?p=28
http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2007/02/blog-logs-papua-new-guinea.html
http://samaritanaviation.blogspot.com/2007/02/medical-supplies-from-denver.html
http://lockfamilyramblings.blogspot.com/2007/01/wilting.html
http://sharminime.blogspot.com/2007/01/news-from-black.html
http://pngfords.blogspot.com/2007/01/2007.html
http://world-passenger.blogspot.com/2007/02/new-guinea-pacific-coast.html
http://cleanacleo.blogspot.com/
PNG Photos
Thousands of Papua New Guinea Images and Photographs -- http://www.pngbd.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/9208/sort/1/size/medium/cat/500/page/
News Items
State of Emergency
The Southern Highlands State of Emergency has been declared null and
void by the Supreme Court at Waigani. Southern Highlands Governor Hami
Yawari successfully obtained a restraining order against the NEC decision
which saw Justice Timothy Hinchliffe granting the restraining order
preventing the Governor-General from signing the instruments and restraining
the Government Printing Office from publishing the Gazettal Notice.
Education Gift
Sir Michael Somare has promised that the government will hand over
K100 million during the election year to pay school fees. This will
go towards paying 80 percent of the fees normally paid by the parents.
Many sceptics are likening it to a bribe for votes. The money will
come from funds initially set aside for the failed PNG Gas project.
Under the proposed scheme parents will have to pay the full fees again
next year. One politician has said the money would be better spent
repaying some of the debt that the country owes.
Telikom
Telikom are trying to sweeten angry customers who have had no telephone
service for at least 3 months by handing out free mobile telephones
complete with call credits. Telikom PNG refuse to attend faults in
some areas of Port Moresby due to continuos problems in the area.
Air Niugini
In a bid to stamp out the misuse of tickets by other than the person
buying them has introduced a photo ID card. The card will cost customers
K5.00 and will be valid for three years. The ID card system will gradually
replace the password system being used to identify passengers travelling
on an electronic ticket and will be introduced in Port Moresby and
gradually phased in to the all other destinations. Air Niugini has
been concerned that the present system is open to abuse leading to
various legal issues especially in an emergency situation.
Rigo Death
A man, believed to be in his 50s, from Ginigolo village in Rigo district
was hacked to death last week. Police are still trying to identify
the suspect or suspects involved in the brutal murder. Central provincial
police commander Chief Insp Peter Taiang has appealed to the villagers
who may have information concerning the identities of the suspects
to come forward to the police.
State Lease
The 99 year lease on customary land in Port Moresby has expired. The
Government has made a submission that landowners in the nation's capital
be given some seed capital of K4 million to K5 million to help them
develop their idle customary land. However, the landowners of Koitabu
are demanding their leased customary land be given back to them which
they alleged the Government had stolen from them at the time of the
British colonial administration. They said that the K4 million to K5
million package for economic land development "is peanuts".
In a separate issue the traditional Koitabu landowners of the land
that the Jackson's International and Domestic airport occupies have
threatened to close the airport. The landowners have demanded over
a K1 million in compensation for the use of the land.
RAMU Nickel
with the help of their MP Peter Yama, RAMU nickel mine landowners
are taking legal action against the National Government and the developer
of the mine, MCC, for allegedly failing to honour commitments in a
Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed in 2000. The MoA provides for
the Government and the developer to make available to the landowners
certain benefits, including spin off businesses and seed funding for
them to engage in business. The landowners claim at least two articles
in the MoA have been breached, and they have instructed their lawyers
to go to court to halt work at the mine while the MoA is being reviewed.
Prisoner Rehabilitation
Fifteen inmates from the jail in Kavieng are on a week-long fishing
trip with Correction Services officers in the waters off New Ireland
as part of their rehabilitation program. Twenty-one others are currently
employed by several companies in the province.
Kavieng jail is one of the few in the province that has put emphasis
on prisoners' rehabilitation.
Eastern Highlands AIDS
It has estimated that there are between 10,000 and 20,000 people with
the HIV virus in the Eastern Highlands province. The status report
prepared by the Eastern Highlands provincial AIDS council (EHPAC) was
presented to Health Minister Sir Peter Barter during a recent visit
to Goroka by EHPAC member Ken Wai. The estimate was based on the ratio
of an infected person with the potential to infect another 10 people
during "unprotected sexual activities".
PMV Accident
A Public Motor Vehicle (PMV) overturned two times at a roadblock set
up by criminals along the Hiritano Highway. A child died and several
other passengers required admission to the Port Moresby General Hospital...
The three-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
The incident happened several kilometres from the Laloki Psychiatric
Centre, just outside the National Capital District.
MRO Robbery
Four people have appeared before the Waigani Committal Court in relation
to the theft of K1 million and 15 gold bars at the Metals Refining
Operations office, last month. The four men were charged and made their
mention appearances at the court early this week. Police are still
investigating the theft as there believe there are more people to be
questioned.
Queen Elizabeth II
One of the largest ships in the world, the Queen Elizabeth II (QE2),
recently berthed at Rabaul's Simpson Harbour for a day after meeting
sister ship the Queen Mary in Sydney. The QE2, which is 293.5m (963
feet) in length with a breadth of 32m (105 feet), is owned by one of
the passenger shipping company, Cunard. The ship could not dock at
the Rabaul wharf as it was too big. It anchored out at the harbour.
It is believed that all of the 950 tourists on board the ship came
ashore and were met by traditional singsing groups and people selling
artefacts and souvenirs.
Unitech Conned
The University of Technology (Unitech) in Lae may have been conned
by a Minnesota registered company run by an African pastor. Unitech
made a payment of K135,838.43 in a cheque (No. 89731) to the company
on the 29th of March, 2005, for two tractors with slashers and a four-tonne
truck. The Minnesota based company claims to be setting up an office
in Lae and hopes to be able to deliver the tractors shortly.
23rd Australia PNG Business Forum
The 23rd Australia Papua New Guinea Business Forum will be held at
the Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns from the 18th to the 20th of March
2007. The Forum theme is: "Australia and Papua New Guinea: Business
As Usual".
The annual Forum is a major annual bilateral business meeting between
Papua New Guinea and Australia where businesses will have an unparalleled
chance to learn about business opportunities in Papua New Guinea, and
to network with senior policy makers and senior business people.
The Forum will also feature a Trade Expo for Papua New Guinea and
Australian companies wishing to use the opportunity to market their
goods and services.
Corrupt Police
John Hevie, the head of the Ombudsman Commission team, has branded
the Royal Papua New Guinea Police Constabulary as "the most corrupt
government agency in the country". Mr Hevie made the declaration
during a daylong anti-corruption workshop at Lamana Hotel in Port Moresby.
Common Roll
Forms for the recording of voters in many areas of the country have
run out and photocopies are being used. This has sounded alarm bells
in Morobe Province where concern has been expressed that photocopied
forms will not be acceptable to register voters.
Watut Landowners
Landowners from Watut area of Morobe province are gearing up to go
into partnership with the developer of the Watut-Ongga Waffa forest
resource in the province. The Watut people have already appointed an
interim board for a landowner company they were forming to go into
partnership with the developer of the timber resource.
Moti Enquiry
Using Parliamentary privilege, Sir Michael Somare, has accused members
of the PNG Defence Force Board of Inquiry of illegally conducting the
probe beyond the 4th of Feb and convicting him using a trial in the
newspapers. It has been reported that the board of inquiry had sought
an extension of time to the 23rd of March. The Prime Minster has also
had his legal staff file an application to void the entire proceedings
of the inquiry and to prevent its final report from being published.
Many observers comment that this sort of action is not the response
of an innocent person with nothing to hide.
Infrastructure Funds
It has been reported that PNG has K1.1 billion for infrastructure
development but does not have the ability to do the work. It is claimed
that PNG not have the capacity to spend this money to build roads and
bridges because there were not enough big construction companies to
undertake such major projects. Currently all existing major contractors
in the country are reportedly occupied with projects such as building
roads, bridges, wharves, airports and airstrips with no capacity for
expansion.
Coming Events
The 23rd Australia Papua New Guinea Business Forum will be held at
the Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns from the 18th to 20th of March.
32nd Gaming Fishing Association of PNG titles will be held from the
1st to the 4th April
May Coffee Festival 2007 - cancelled due to 2007 National Elections.
Tufi Cultural Show, Oro Province -- 9th to the 11th June
National Mask Festival, Kokopo - East New Britain Province -- 12th
to the 15th of July
International Orchid Spectacular -- 5th and 6th of August
Lukim PNG NAU Tourism Expo -- 9th to the 11th September
National Tourism Conference -- 12th September
Hiri Moale Festival, Port Moresby - National Capital District -- 15th
to 18th of September
PNG 30th Independence Day Celebrations -- 16th September
Morobe Show, Lae -- 4th to 5th of November
The Milne Bay Canoe and Kundu (drum) festival is to be in November.
Do you have an event that you want advertised? Send email to -- PNGNews[@]pnggossip.com
PNG Media
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