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PNG in the News
Aussie ship rescues PNG fisherman after 3 weeks lost at sea -- http://giaman.com/pg/?81dea5
ADF support to Pacific Partnership 2010 concludes -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f7122d
Lihir gold mine operators ignore needs of PNG's New Irelanders, says Governor -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=55811
Environment history clouds PNG Lihir-Newcrest merger -- http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201009/s3007872.htm
Call for "immediate rehabilitation programme" for PNG coconut palms -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=55817
Aussie detective brings peace to warring PNG tribes -- http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/10/3007995.htm
Tight security after fatal brawl in Lae at UniTech -- http://solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=5530
PNG Blogs
PNG Local Tourist -- http://www.papuanewguinealocaltourist.blogspot.com
Soaba's Storyboard -- http://soabasstoryboard.blogspot.com
New Dawn on Bougainville -- http://bougainville.typepad.com/newdawn
The Post Courier seems to have had some trouble with English recently -- http://giaman.com/pg/?54de53
U.S. Pacific Fleet Band brings jazz to PNG -- http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/090910/tester_28307.shtml
BerlLinks Blog -- http://berlmlinksall.blogspot.com
Goroka and Back - Living Letters -- http://livingletters.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/goroka-and-back
In Port Moresby -- http://islandmeri.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/in-port-moresby-papua-new-guinea
Landowners tell their story in powerful new video -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ceee47
Overlooked & on the move: escaping Rabaul -- http://giaman.com/pg/?10c389
PNG Images
Pacific Pulse film on Children's University of Music and Art's work in Kaugere -- http://australianetwork.com/pacificpulse/stories/2962366.htm
PNG Coastline -- http://giaman.com/pg/?61fc8b
PNG orders alcohol ban -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWKedWuO6aw
PNG is a country of adventure -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il_weWOWAcw
Confirmation Lutheran Church Nadzab, PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ad983a
Shopping in Kainantu -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFsRCvPgsn4
Porgera Gold Mine -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q88Zom8mPQ
Bensbach Barramundi fishing -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wOggwbXPcU
Misc Links
Children's University of Music and Art - Kaugere Settlement, Port Moresby -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0b7e73
PNG Cars -- http://www.pngcars.com
PNG Weather and Climate information -- http://www.worldtravelguide.net/papua-new-guinea/weather
The grief of tribal violence wracking PNG's highlands -- http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201009/s3009683.htm
A One Of A Kind Experience Found Only In Papua New Guinea -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e61d4c
Dogura revisited -- http://theanukicountrypress.blogspot.com/2010/06/dogura-re-visited.html
Bensbach Wildlife Lodge -- http://www.pngtours.com/lodge5.html
News Items
35th PNG Independence Day
Thirty-five years ago on the 16th of September 1975 Papua New Guinea celebrated its independence from Australian rule. For some it was a defining moment, for others it was a day off school and for most, Independence Day was a mixture of confusion and celebration. It was a day to say goodbye to Australia and hello to PNG. Many people in Port Moresby went to see the lowering of the Australian flag and the raising of the new flag of Papua New Guinea even a young Prince Charles and the King of Tonga attended the ceremony. No matter what the population thought the day marked an extremely important moment in the nation's history. Governor General elect, Sir John Guise, made the following remark after the lowering of the Aussie flag for the last time "My dear friends, we're only lowering it, we are not tearing it down". No blood was spilt and the two flags changed places peacefully something that has not always happened as a country becomes independent.
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/09/147113.htm
Photos from Madang's Melton Grammar celebrating PNG's 35th -- http://giaman.com/pg/?8c87ff
Euralia Paine - Happy Independence Celebrations -- http://giaman.com/pg/?06e6a1
Rare dance put on show -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20100915/news09.htm
Buk Bilong Pikininis
Join the effort to create libraries for kids in PNG. Schools in PNG often look vey different to the schools that many of us were lucky enough to attend. Many students in PNG sit on the floor or even under a tree outside. Not many schools are able to boast a collection of books let alone a library. What are you able to do?
Read more -- http://www.causes.com/causes/343851/about?m=08ba580d
Goroka Show
The Goroka Show is on over the coming weekend. Over 70 singsing groups will take part at the Sports Institute Grounds. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) will broadcast parts of the two day show.
NBC frequencies -- http://www.nbc.com.pg/tunein.htm
Kainantu Shops Raided
The town of Kainantu came to a stop recently when shops run by foreigners were looted by a rampaging mob. The trouble came the day after the town of Goroka was brought to a standstill and trouble makers tried to loot Asian-run shops. Police described the mob as opportunists taking advantage of a planned nationwide protest march led by a non-government organisation. The Post Courier reported that reliable sources in Kainantu said young adults had taken the law into their own hands as they were unhappy with how the Government was handling the country's affairs.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/13/3010578.htm
Businesses counting losses -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20100914/news04.htm
Melanesian Arts Festival
PNG is taking part in the fourth Melanesian Arts Festival being held in New Caledonia and is to run until the 24th of this month. This year's festival is to be moved from one area to the next, starting in Kone in the northern province before going to the Loyalty Islands province and finally to Noumea.
HIV
A report in the Melbourne Age has indicated that HIV infection rates may be declining in PNG. The actual estimate of the percentage of the adult population infected by the virus in 2009 is 0.9 per cent, a figure endorsed by the world's peak body, the United Nations Joint Program on HIV and AIDS. PNG was likened to Africa but the dynamics of the epidemic in PNG are very different from southern Africa. An important milestone in PNG's response to the problem was the passing of a law in 2003 that outlawed discrimination on the basis of HIV status.
The Age -- http://giaman.com/pg/?32e99f
Churches lead HIV/AIDS war -- http://giaman.com/pg/?54296e
APNG Profit
Airlines PNG (APNG) is set to return a profit this year after suffering a loss of K6 million for the first half of the year. The turn around is expected to come from new long-term contracts that were operating for the full six months and growth in the airline's domestic regular passenger transport (RPT) operations.
Airport Bomb Threat
Jacksons Airport was recently brought to a standstill due to a bomb threat. Both Airlines PNG and Air Niugini had to suspend flights for several hours while sniffer dogs from the police bomb squad conducted a thorough search of a plane bound for Mt Hagen. The airport returned to normal after clearance was given by the bomb squad declaring the threat as a hoax.
See -- http://giaman.com/pg/?dbf37e
The airport is partially secured by G4S Secure Solutions. G4S is a global company operating in over 110 countries around the world -- http://www.g4s.com.pg/en-pg/
AFLPNG Junior National Championships
The Annual Coca Cola AFLPNG Junior National Championships will take place in Lae, Morobe province from the 28th until the 30th of September.
Full story -- http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20100910124737986
New Supermarket Opens
The new RH Hypermart has opened at Waigani. It is the country's newest and biggest supermarket occupying more than 10,000 square metres selling more than 45,000 items. The new hypermart is part of the Vision City complex to be completed in 2013. The two existing smaller RH supermarkets in Port Moresby will be renamed RH Hypermarket Express.
Angau Memorial Hospital
Lae's Angau Memorial Hospital will soon have a radio oncologist that knows how to run the cobalt machine locate at the hospital. Dr John Niblet, who was at the hospital until April, will hopefully return before the end of the year to help treat cancer patients.
http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/12549
Kokoda Track
Access to and from Port Moresby to Owers' Corner is once again accessible to two-wheel drive vehicles. Kokoda Track Authority chairman James Enage said: "Improving the access to and from Port Moresby benefits local communities living in this region and contributes to providing a safer trekking experience." The maintenance work will continue with the Dekenai Construction Company applying more gravel to the surface to improve the road condition even more. The work is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
Malaysia Supports PNG
Malaysian High Commissioner to PNG Datin Blanche Olbery is reported as saying Malaysians have invested a total of K3 billion in PNG and remains as one of the leading job providers with 36,000 jobs provided to Papua New Guineans since 1994.
Another Hiritano Highway Accident
The Hiritano highway has claimed another life. This time a man is dead and 13 others are nursing severe injuries at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) after the vehicle they were travelling in ran off the highway and crashed into nearby trees. The driver of the vehicle is in police custody while the body of the dead person is in the PMGH morgue.
http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/12528
A Mother's Life
This time last year Jo Chandler wrote about the plight of women and the hospital system in PNG. She started out by stating "the trail of blood running down the concrete path to the maternity wing of Papua New Guinea's main referral and teaching hospital tells the story. Eloquent splashes of red, falling centimetres apart at first, becoming a continuous stream by the time she reaches the admission doors.
Little has changed in the past year. Read more by following the link to The Age web site --
http://giaman.com/pg/?668d85
See also - "Where there are no doctors" -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20100914/news07.htm
Illegal Miners Killed
Two illegal miners near the Porgera gold mine open-cut pit in Enga have been killed by falling rocks. Four others are recovering in Porgera hospital from injuries.
Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League has announced that a match between Prime Minister's XIII and Papua New Guinea will be played in Port Moresby on Sunday the 26th of September.
See associated story - Uate returning to Papua New Guinea in green and gold colours -- http://giaman.com/pg/?1eb1fd
Morobe Province Storm
A freak storm has left 100's homeless in Morobe province. Almost 500 people are reported as being homeless around Maiama village in the Huon Gulf district of Morobe province after a freak thunderstorm flattened their homes. It is the second disaster to have affected the village in a week after the recent 2-metre-high flooding of the Masira River.
Vale Eunie
Occasional readers of "Madang - Ples bilong mi" will know the many wonderful photos taken by Jan Messersmith, many of them around Madang. Regular readers will also know the love of Jan's life as Eunie. Nearly every post mentioned his wife. It is with much sadness that I read a recent post by Jan saying his wife, Eunice, had died.
http://www.messersmith.name/wordpress/2010/09/09/sunset-sunrise
See also -- http://steveinpng.blogspot.com/2010/09/for-eunie.html
Screw Loose Being Restored
Screw Loose, the smallest yacht to win (Overall Winner) the 628 nautical mile Sydney to Hobart blue water classic described as the toughest race on the international sailing calendar, is being restored at Airlie Beach in Queensland, Australia. The record, of being the smallest yacht to win the Sydney to Hobart set in 1979, is unlikely to be beaten.
Screw Loose was based at the Royal Papua Yacht Club Marina in Port Moresby for many, many years.
Note: Line Honours goes to the first yacht to cross the finishing line. The Overall Winner is determined by each yacht's finish time adjusted by several factors set down in the prevailing rules. In other words, the fastest boat is often not the Overall Winner.
Coming Events
PNG Independence Day - 16th September
Hiri Moale Festival -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9463fc -- (usually celebrated at the same time as Independence Day) -- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hiri-Moale-Festival/113085322066634
Goroka Show - 17th to the 19th of September -- http://gorokashow.com
The 35th Annual PNG Independence Day Celebrations in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - 18th of September 2010.
The Laughing Samoans - 18th of September at the Crowne Plaza, Port Moresby, PNG
Morobe Agricultural Show - 23rd & 24th October -- http://www.morobeshow.org.pg
Air Niugini will be celebrating its 37 years of operation on the 1st of November
National Canoe Festival - Alotau, Milne Bay province - 5th to 7th of November
Air Niugini staff reunion will be held on Sat November the 13th, 2010 at the Rydges Oasis, Caloundra, Queensland, Australia -- http://www.angreunion.co.nr
11th Mining and Petroleum Investment Conference - 6th to 8th December, 2010 - Hilton Hotel, Sydney -- http://giaman.com/pg/?aefb78.
Arafura Games - 7 - 14th of May 2011 -- http://www.arafuragames.nt.gov.au
Full Pacific Games - New Caledonia 2011
National Elections - Scheduled for June 2012
2012 PNG Games - Kokopo, East New Britain
Pacific Mini Games - Wallis and Futuna 2013
Full Pacific Games - PNG 2015 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?081f78
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - Use the submission form located at -- ../misc/ctc.html.
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