Links
Links - NDC
A new web site for the National Disaster Centre has just come on line. It
can be found at -- http://www.pngndc.gov.pg
-- worth taking a look.
PNG Automotive Web Sites
Boroko Motors -- http://www.boroko-motors.com
Ela Motors -- http://www.elamotors.com.pg
Hertz Hire Cars -- http://www.leasemaster.com.pg
Walindi Plantation Resort
If anyone is looking for accommodation in West New Britain not far from Kimbe,
the provincial capital, then try Walindi Plantation Dive Resort. Walindi is
situated just ten kilometres from Kimbe on the road to Talasea. Close to the
Resort is the Walindi Nature Centre sponsored by the owner of the resort.
-- http://www.walindi.com
Russell Crowe
PNGBD reports that actor Russell
Crowe, one of the biggest names in the International film industry and the
man who led some very engaging roles in some of Hollywood's biggest movies
including Gladiator, is looking at directing his film debut in Papua New Guinea
based on a novel by John Hepworth - The Long Green Shore. The Long Green Shore
focuses on the Australian Battalion's mission to Papua New Guinea during WWII
and Crowe will take up his first role as director in the this moving story.
Crowe has already got the support from the award wining American producer
Mark Johnson for the production of the film. For the full story visit the
PNGBD website at -- http://www.pngbd.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11611
News Items
PNG Rice
The new trade representative to PNG from Taiwan has said that he would like
to see PNG fully self sufficient in rice production before his term of office.
Rice is currently being grown in six PNG provinces. PNG imports over K100
million worth of rice each year. It has been estimated that PNG should be
able to produce up to 180,000 tonnes of rice a year.
Manus Rice
The people of Manus will soon be able to grow their own rice and have it
milled locally. The Agricultural Minister has delivered three rice mills and
one tonne of rice seedlings to farmers in Manus. The rice seedlings will be
distributed throughout the province and the three mills will be located in
suitable areas to benefit the majority of the people. The people of Manus
spend about K4 million annually on imported rice.
Goods and Services Tax
The Governors of the various PNG provinces have voted to allow the Goods
and Services Tax (GST) to remain in its present form for another year. A committee
has been tasked to come up with a better alternative during that time period.
Once this is completed the proposed changes will be tabled in Parliament and
formalised. The present GST was an interim measure after the Governor of Morobe,
Luther Wenge, successfully challenged the Value Add Tax arrangement previously
in place.
Measles
Six districts in Madang province have begun to implement a special immunisation
program aimed at preventing the transmission of measles amongst children.
The objective of the program is to reduce the number of children that get
measles each year, reduce the number of associated deaths due to measles,
increase the oral polio vaccine coverage to prevent the reintroduction of
polio and to strengthen the routine immunisation programs.
Bomana School
Students from the Bomana Primary School held a cultural show recently to
celebrate the opening of a new double story classroom. The National Capital
District Commission (NCDC) funded the classroom at a cost of K485,000. The
NCDC has a program to improve all school training facilities in the NCD.
Missionaries Attacked
Two young missionaries, waiting for the end of high school results from Germany,
have been attacked in the Western Highlands by a group of young men armed
with bush knives. One student managed to escape and raise the alarm but only
after the first student was assaulted and raped. Two offenders has been arrested
and charged in connection with the rape. The two girls, only in PNG for a
month, were studying the culture and traditions of PNG. They young ladies
have flown back to Germany.
Police Operations
Police are set to enforce the Motor Traffic Act for a period of 12 days.
Police will be on the look out for unroadworthy vehicles, vehicles travelling
too fast as well as stolen vehicles. The operation is aimed at minimising
the high rate of road accidents in the city and to remove unroadworthy vehicles
from the streets.
Police Pay Rise
Hopefully from the start of next year members of the police force will receive
a ten percent pay rise. The National Executive Council endorsed the pay rise
recently. The decision follows a submission by the Minister for Internal Security.
Horse Racing Machines
The police have started to raid the various horse racing machine venues in
the National Capital District. Several policemen have been implicated in helping
the owners and operators of the equipment to evade the law. The exercise has
also uncovered many illegal aliens, mainly from China, who appear to have
false passports and visas.
Eleven police have previously been arrested and charged for using police
vehicles to go into illegal horse race machine operator's premises where they
confiscated the machines and later took them to another operator's site.
Assassination Plot
A plot by two Chinese-speaking people to assassinate Internal Revenue Commission
(IRC) officials has been uncovered when they were overhead plotting the murder
attempt in a restaurant. It is thought that the plot was because the IRC had
been attempting to shut down the horse racing gaming machine business in PNG.
It is estimated that this segment of the gaming machine industry is worth
K60 million annually. The IRC is losing much needed tax revenue from the machines.
It has been estimated that each machine is capable of producing K150 profit
per day. It is understood that security has been increased for IRC officials.
Mystery Jet
The pilot of a mystery Lear jet that landed on the disused Aropa runway in
the no-go zone of Bougainville has had his passport confiscated by police.
The Civil Aviation Authority will also file charges against the pilot of the
plane. The minimum charge for breaching the PNG civil aviation laws is K200,00
for the aircraft and K10,00 for individuals. The flight plan for the jet indicated
that it would fly from Cairns to Port Moresby and then Buka, Tokua for refuelling
and back to Port Moresby before heading back to Australia. Two passengers
who hopped off the plane in Bougainville are still at large.
Coming Events
The eighth PNG Mining and Petroleum Investment Conference will be
held at the Sheraton on The Park Hotel in Sydney, Australia on he 6th and
7th of December this year. A brochure and online registration form can be
found at -- http://www.pnginvestment.cia.com.au.
The 2004 Morobe Show will be held on the 30th and 31st of October
at the Showgrounds in Lae city.
If you are in England then the PNG (Anglican) Church Partnership will
be hosting a special event on Saturday the 23rd October between 11.30am to
3.30pm. The Bishop of Popondota, The Rt Revd Roger Jupp, will be at St. Mary
Abbots Church, Kensington (Nearest Underground Station - High Street, Kensington).
The PNG High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, HE Ms Jean Kekedo OBE will
also be attending. Bishop Paul Richardson will facilitate the afternoon. --
Visit -- http://hometown.aol.co.uk/pngcpluxton/
PNG Cabinet
There are so many changes in the make up of the PNG government that it is
almost impossible to keep track of who is in government and what members are
part of the cabinet. Here is a list that I think is fairly accurate (today!)
Can anyone let me know where the mistakes are so I can update the list?
- Hon. Sir Michael Somare Kt, CMGC Prime Minister
- Vacant Deputy Prime Minister
- Hon. Jeffrey Nape, MP Speaker
- Hon. Bob Dadae, MP Deputy Speaker
- Hon. Peter O'Neill, MP Opposition Leader
- Hon. Bart Philemon, MP Minister for Finance & Treasury
- Hon. Robert Kapaol, MP Vice Minister for Finance & Treasury
- Hon. Paul Tiensten, MP Minister for Trade & Industry
- Vacant Vice Minister for Trade & Industry
- Hon. Sir Peter Barter, MP Minister for Inter Govt Relations
- Hon. Sir Rabbie Namaliu, MP Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Hon. Sinai Brown, MP Minister for Public Service
- Hon. Lady Carol Kidu, MP Minister for Community Development
- Hon. Sir Moi Avei, MP Minister for National Planning (Acting)
- Hon. Patrick Pruaitch, MP Minister for Forest
- Hon. Peter Laimo, MP Minister for Education
- Hon. Don Polye, MP Minister for Transport & Civil Aviation
- Hon. William Duma, MP Minister for Environment & Conservation
- Hon. Bire Kimisopa, MP Minister for Internal Security (Police)
- Hon. James Togel, MP Vice Minister for Internal Security
- Hon. Brian Pulayasi, MP Minister for Higher Educ,Resrch,Science and Technology
- Hon. Mark Maipakai, MP Minister for Justice
- Hon. Thomas Petrus, MP Minister for Lands & Physical Planning
- Hon. Ben Semri, MP Minister for Fisheries
- Hon. Posi Menai, MP Minister for Culture and Tourism
- Hon. Roy Biyama, MP Minister for Labour & Industrial Relations
- Hon. David Basua, MP Minister for Correctional Services
- Hon. Matthew Siune, MP Minister for Agriculture & Livestock
- Hon. Gabriel Kapris, MP Minister for Works
- Hon. Francis Kunai, MP Vice Minister for Works
- Hon. Dr Puka Temu, MP Minister for State Enterprises & Comm
- Hon. Matthew Gubag, MP Minister for Defence
- Hon. Melchoir Pep, MP Minister for Health
- Hon. Sir Moi Avei, MP Minister for Petroleum & Energy
- Hon. Sam Akoitai, MP Minister for Mining
- Hon. Atimeng Buhupe, MP Minister for Housing
Lae PMV's
The Morobe Provincial government plans to hire an overseas public transport
company to run a new bus service in Lae. The plan is to set up a joint ownership
company using bigger more economical buses managed by Transit Australia based
in Cairns Australia.. The proposal has the backing of Luther Wenge the Governor
of the province. It has been estimated that up to K1.3 million would be needed
to purchase the bigger buses.
Tubusereia Primary School
Tubusereia Primary School, just outside Port Moresby, has celebrated its
55th anniversary. The school was established on the 11th of October 1949 and
was one of the first government run schools in Central province.
Pomio - East New Britain
Some people from Olaioun and Marmar villages in the Pomio area of East New
Britain have had to resort to eating wild yams and coconuts to survive. This
is because the prolonged wet season has hindered the planting and harvesting
of food crops. Unreliable shipping services have also meant that store goods
are also in short supply. many school children are attending school and not
having anything to eat during the day.
2004 Miss PNG Red Cross
Judging for the Miss Traditional title of the Miss PNG quest will be held
at the Port Moresby Grammar School on the 31st of October from 1 pm to 4:30
pm. An entry fee of K20 per person is being charged. Last year (2003) Miss
Traditional, Cynthia Asi, went on to become Miss PNG for the year.
2004 Miss PNG Contestants
The following girls have entered the Miss PNG Red Cross contest for 2004
-
- Ashwin Samson -- Miss Warehouse
- Dani Kunia -- Miss Koiari
- Julie Joseph -- Miss Rabaul Travelodge
- Linda Natera -- Miss NCD/Central Province
- Maria Boromu -- Miss Vanimo Beach Hotel
- Priscilla Daniels -- Miss WHP PNGRC
- Sheryn Bernard -- Miss Manus
National Housing Commission
The National Housing Commission (NHC) has been blasted by the Public Account
Committee (PAC) for not maintaining a register of fixed assets. The PAC also
revealed that the NHC has not had any proper evaluation done of the properties
under their control. The PAC went on to say that there must now be thousands
of NHC houses with illegal tenants and even some houses that have simply disappeared
off the register and now have been stolen by unscrupulous individuals.
Water Rate Review
The ICCC - Independent Consumer and Competition Commission -- is investigating
the rates charged for water by Eda Ranu, responsible for supplying water to
Port Moresby and the PNG Water board, responsible for supplying the rest of
PNG. The investigation will result in a five-year price structure for both
of the utility companies starting from the first of January 2005.
Air niugini (PX) Woes
An Air Niugini Fokker F28 plane under the control of Captain Joe Kumasi has
had to divert to Port Moresby after an indication that the landing gear had
malfunction. Captain Kumasi was heading from Madang to Lae but headed for
Port Moresby and then followed the standard Air Niugini operating procedures
to use an alternative method to extend the landing gear. The plane landed
safely and the passenger were carried on another aircraft to their original
destination. Safety is the prime concern for all passengers and Port Moresby
has better equipment to cater for an emergency landing.
PNG Debt
The PNG Treasurer has told the National Governors Conference that PNG has
to learn to live within its debt and in fact attempt to reduce that debt.
PNG currently owes K8 billion to various organisations around the world.
Prison Literacy
A literacy program for prisoners at Bihute jail in Goroka has seen 50 prisoners
display their reading skills at a graduation ceremony held at the jail. The
program had to be held in the chapel and a carpentry shed because the jail
does not have facilities to run training courses.
Jails in PNG
The following is a list of some of the prisons in operating in PNG supplied
by Uve.
- Bomana in Port Moresby, NCD also for Central
- Buimo in Lae, Morobe Province
- Baisu in Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province
- Keravat in Rabaul, East New Britain Province
- Bui-Iebi in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province
- Bihute in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province
- Biru in Popondetta, Oro Province
- Bundaira in Kainantu, Eastern highlands Province
- Boram in Wewak, East Sepik Province
- Vanimo in Vanimo, West Sandaun province
- Daru in Daru, Western Province
- Ningerum in Kiunga, Western Province
- Beon in Madang, Madang Province
- Barawagi in Kundiawa, Simbu province
- Giligili in Alotau Milne Bay Province
- Hawa in Tari, Southern Highlands Province
- Wabag in Wabag, Enga Province
- Lakiemata in Kimbe, West New Britain Province
- Kavieng in Kavieng, New Ireland Province
- Manus in Lorengau, Manus Province
Gender Equality
Australia, through AusAID, is helping to bring gender equality to the village
level under a programme called the Basic Education Development Project. The
programme will be aimed at the five provinces in PNG with the lowest literacy
level. The provinces are - West Sepik, Oro, Simbu, Western and Gulf.
Bareji High School
Students from Bareji High School in Oro Province will not be able to sit
their grade ten exams because most of them have been away from school for
more than 55 days during the year because of difficulties in paying school
fees. Many of the students have pais no schools fees for since the start of
the year. Bareji High School is a government owned school about 20 kilometres
from Popondetta. Access to the school and nearby villagers have been cut off
because of excessive jungle growth along the road due to failure by the provincial
authorities to maintain it properly.
148 grade 10 and 48 grade 12 students from Kokopo Secondary School in East
New Britain have also been sent home for non payment of school fees. The move
is aimed at getting parents to realise their responsibility towards the education
of their children.
PNG Media
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