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PNG in the News
PNG coup leader has no regrets -- http://www.smh.com.au/world/png-coup-leader-has-no-regrets-20120129-1qnzp.html
Mutiny leader out on bail -- http://www.smh.com.au/world/mutiny-leader-out-on-bail-20120201-1qtcw.html
Soldiers Granted Amnesty -- http://giaman.com/pg/?caf812
PNG volleyball pairs ready for Continental Cup challenge -- http://giaman.com/pg/?983984
PNG players relishing academy -- http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/6359936/PNG-players-relishing-academy
Somare has left PNG a broken nation -- http://giaman.com/pg/?090efb
PNG leader suspends chief justice -- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-02/png-leader-suspends-chief-justice/3808040
Bad weather hampers search for PNG ferry survivors -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a15689
Misc PNG Links
PNG Wedding: Face paint, grass aprons and pigs -- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16730782
Critters of Milne Bay -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ab77ec
Magisterial Services -- http://www.magisterialservices.com.pg
PBS Communications (site under development) -- http://www.pbspng.com
South Pacific Brewery -- http://www.sp.com.pg
Trukai Rice -- http://www.trukai.com.pg
IT Job Training Centre -- http://www.itjtc.com
Coral Sea Hotels -- http://www.coralseahotels.com.pg
Milne Bay 1942. The RAAF's Forgotten Finest Hour -- http://www.3squadron.org.au/subpages/MilneBayBattle.htm
NCS' new base in Port Moresby -- http://ncs.com.pg/new-pom-base
Blogs about PNG
Milne Bay District - My Magic Moments -- http://islandmeri.wordpress.com/tag/milne-bay-district
Malum Nalu: Glory days of Goroka -- http://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2012/01/glory-days-of-goroka.html
Shipping Office Deserted -- http://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2012/02/rabaul-shipping-office-deserted-after.html
A message to Peter Sharp and Rabaul Shipping -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e3e737
Fingers pointed at Somare -- http://namorong.blogspot.com/2012/01/png-coup-fingers-pointed-at-somare.html
Port Moresby hums, despite media-perceived crisis -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3475b0
Investigating the Tumbi Quarry landslide -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9c7785
PNG Images
Photos around Port Moresby -- http://kiwiexpat.com/2012/01/26/photos-around-port-moresby-2
Stilt houses at Hanuabada -- http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/world/daily-life-in-png-20120201-1qt3r.html
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/life-raft-mv-rabaul-queen-seen-helicopter-floats-photo-115954164.html
Unpleasant weather in Moresby -- http://yfrog.com/obmqejhj
News Items
Chief Justice Suspended
The O'Neill government has suspended the Chief Justice of PNG, Sir Salamo Injia, again. A three man bench of the Supreme Court then sat and stayed the suspension of the Chief Justice placing the judiciary on a head on collision course with the O'Neill led government.
Kidu - Opposition Leader
Dame Carol Kidu has continued to attend the Parliament sittings; compromising with a seat on the middle benches, most days she is the only member not on the government side. She has now written to the Deputy Speaker asking to be allocated a seat on the opposition benches. This would make her the sole member on the opposition side and therefore the Opposition Leader. Politicians loyal to Sir Michael Somare have refused to take their seats on the opposition benches, arguing that this would only concede defeat.
The Speaker, Jeffrey Nape has acknowledged receiving a request from Dame Carol to be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition. He is yet to announce his decision on the request.
-- http://www.smh.com.au/world/dame-steps-up-as-onewoman-png-opposition-20120128-1qnbs.html
WWI Submarine Mystery
Is a 100-year-old mystery about to be solved? Search teams believe they are on the brink of recovering the first Australian submarine lost at sea, almost 100 years after a tragedy that killed 35 men in the early days of World War I. The 800-tonne submarine AE1, believed to have eight unstable torpedoes on board, has evaded the best endeavours to locate it. The vessel was stationed in Rabaul Harbour on the island of New Britain in what is now Papua New Guinea, where it was deployed for the invasion of Germany's Pacific colonial headquarters.
-- http://www.smh.com.au/national/race-to-solve-the-ae1-mystery-20120128-1qmy7.html
Bumbu Dam
Residents of the Talair compound in Lae have called on the provincial and national authorities to dam the Bumbu River. Floods affected many houses in 1994 and recent ongoing heavy rain has heightened the fears of residents that this will be repeated without a dam on the Bumbu.
Credit Rating Dropped
PNG's credit rating from the ratings agency Standard and Poor has dropped as a result of the present political turmoil. The ratings agency has revised its outlook for PNG's long-term sovereign credit rating from stable to negative.
-- http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201201/s3419342.htm
Cricket
A PNG side has beaten the Hawthorn Cricket Club in Melbourne, Australia by 1 run making for an exciting game. The man of the match was Chris Amini from PNG.
Mutiny
This has been widely reported in all media. There was an attempt by several soldiers to install 65-year-old retired Colonel Yaura Sasa to the post of Brigadier General of the PNG Defence Force. The attempt appeared to not have the backing of the rest of the soldiers and was put down. The trouble started at Taurama Barracks, home of the 1st Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (1RPIR), and then went to Murray Barracks. The events that unfolded have been described as mutiny bordering on treason. However Sir Michael's supporters insist that Colonel Yaura Sasa is the legitimate commander of the country's Defence Force.
-- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/26/papua-new-guinea-coup-fails?newsfeed=true
Sasa was PNG's military attaché to Indonesia in 2003.
It has been reported that Air Niugini was instructed to halt flights to areas outside Port Moresby where PNGDF barracks are located in a bid to stop more soldiers mobilising and coming to the National Capital. -- http://www.traveldaily.com.au/news/port-moresby-closed/86889 -- and -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=65777
Touch Rugby
A new Port Moresby Touch Rugby association has been set up to cater for working class people who don't have a great deal of free time to socialise and keep fit. The competition will target white-collar workers as a recreation and fitness tool. Games will start on the 13th of February at the Sir john Guise Stadium in Port Moresby
Black Cat Needs Funds
The Black Cat Track in Morobe province requires funding to allow for the annual maintenance of the track. Trekkers are charged K200 to traverse the track but this does not cover the costs of maintaining the track. Maintenance money was previously sourced from the Morobe Tourism Bureau but the Bureau closed last year.
Bridge Collapses
The Angabanga bridge connecting Gulf province and parts of the Mekeo area of Central province to Port Moresby has collapsed stopping vehicles from being able to cross. The bridge collapsed as a result of heavy rain over many days and the poor state of the bridge that has been allowed to deteriorate over many years with little or no maintenance being done. The heavy rain and subsequent flooding has washed away many food gardens.
Marijuana Confiscated
Security guards at the Goroka airport have discovered a shipment of 4Kg of Marijuana. Guards caught the man travelling via Port Moresby on to Kimbe trying to smuggle the marijuana through the security checkpoint. The man's family was travelling with him so the whole family had to stay back in Goroka.
Census Results
The result of the recent census should be known by April (2012). At the moment only estimates are used to calculate the population and associated services can suffer where the guesses do not match the actual population figures.
Blood Shortage
The Angau Memorial Hospital has reported a shortage of blood and made an appeal for blood donors. The collection of blood has declined over recent months. The hospital needs at least 40 donations each day to keep up with demand. To make an appointment to donate contact the Blood Bank on +675 430 6771.
Ferry Lost
The Star Ships owned 22-year-old MV Rabaul Queen travelling between Kimbe and Lae sunk with over 350 people on board. So far rescue vessels at the scene, about 16 kilometres off the coast of Finschhafen and about 80 kilometres from its final destination of Lae, have been able to rescue over 200 survivors. Australian diplomatic staff are monitoring the situation, but there have so far been no reports of Australians on board. Children under three travel free and may not have been on the ship's manifest.
Over 100 missing from PNG ferry -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e00090
Red Cross helping PNG ferry disaster survivors -- http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/asiapac/stories/201202/s3422951.htm
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines operated containership rescues 116 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?12e2fa
The first bodies have been recovered -- http://giaman.com/pg/?1463f0
Telikom Billing
Telikom is to go to paperless billing and charge extra for those customers that want a paper bill. Maybe they should make it cheaper for those customers that are in a position to receive an electronic bill after all they have the additional cost of paying for internet access and the necessary computer to receive an e-bill? If Telikom do not reduce the cost then effectively they have raised the cost of receiving a bill. Peter Loko, the Telikom CEO, has been quoted as saying it costs K15 to print each page of a bill.
IMR Reward
The PNG Institute of Medical Research has offered K30,000 reward for info about the 5 missing people from IMR that wen missing last year while working. The five are Leonard Vavana, Gibson Gideon, George Dogoya, Tania Oakive and Lydia Petrus. For reliable information related to the whereabouts of the five missing PNG IMR Staff contact PNGIMR on +675 525 0943 or Kimbe police on +675 983 5075
The families of the missing are upset that only IMR have offered a reward and the government has not at least matched the IMR reward.
-- http://www.pngimr.org.pg
Rice Monopoly
The National Research Institute (NRI) wants the government to abandon its plans to monopolise the rice industry. The current competitive market in the rice industry has helped to lower prices and it is feared changing this will lead to higher prices.
Early Poll
Will there be an early poll? Peter O'Neill has said he will move to dissolve parliament soon and go to early polls to end the current political impasse. O'Neill claims to be Prime Minister as does veteran politician, Sir Michael Somare, based on a recent ruling by the Supreme Court. Apart from a slight hiccup by a minority in the military key institutions have opted to keep backing Mr O'Neill as the head of government and he has the backing of the majority of MPs but is he legally in the position?
Hides Emergency
Due to the recent landslide at Tumbi Quarry a State of Emergency is likely to be called in the Hides, Komo and Nogoli areas of Tari. The National Executive Council is set to meet to decide on the terms of reference of the State of Emergency.
Coming Events
Note: please verify any date mentioned as dates change and events can sometimes get cancelled. Of course I may also put down a wrong date.
Water Vending Summit - 14 and 15 Feb at the Gateway Hotel
International Mother Language Day 21 Feb
Ride the Rivers Enduro - 24 and 25 March 2012
2012 PNG Games - Kokopo, East New Britain
Olympic boxing qualifying tournament - April 2012
Easter (Good Friday 6 Apr, Easter Monday 9 April)
2012 Milne Bay Critter & Adventure Expeditions with Bob Halstead & Graham Abbott
Milne Bay-Critters-Milne Bay: 17 April 2012 to 29 April 2012
Milne Bay-Critters-Milne Bay: 1 May 2012 to 13 May 2012
Alotau-Adventure Diving-Kimbe Bay: 15 May 2012 to 30 May 2012
-- http://diving4images.com/trips/milne-bay-critter-cruises
South Pacific Export Papua New Guinea Golf Open - May 2012?
National Elections - Scheduled for June 2012
Solomon Islands welcomes you to the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts -- http://www.festival-pacific-arts.org.sb --
from 1 to 14 July 2012
National Remembrance Day - 23 July
Mt Hagen Show - 11 and 12 of August 2012
Samarai and Milne Bay Reunion - Rydges Oasis Resort, Caloundra, Australia between the 7th and 9th of September 2012 -- http://www.loosenuts.com.au/www/index.php -- http://www.facebook.com/groups/121192744602253/
Christmas Day - 25 Dec
Pacific Mini Games - Wallis and Futuna 2013
2013 Pacific Netball Series (hosted by Fiji)
Full Pacific Games - PNG 2015 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?081f78
Pacific Mini Games - Vanuatu 2017
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - Use the submission form located at -- http://www.pnggossip.com/misc/ctc.html
PNG Media
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