Links
Warning: PNG web sites seem to come and go. The fact of life is that it costs money to host a web site (try -- http://pngwebhost.com -- for an excellent, reliable but cheap deal) and there is not much return on the outlay to most businesses in PNG. If you do click on a link and use the services or even have some comments to make then please contact the people at the relevant web site and let them know so they at least know that someone has gained some value from their efforts. If you are so inclined then mention that you heard about them from this web site. -- The PNG Gossip Newsletter.
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Do you have a web site or link to a PNG related area on the WWW? If so do you want it mentioned here? Then send an email to -- pngnewsqueue @ pnggossip.com
Tiki Turtle
The Tiki Turtle Eco-Adventures web site can be found at -- http://www.tikiturtle.com/
Should Michael Somare Retire?
http://pnginfo.com/survey.html
Global Constructions
Global Constructions was established in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea in 1993 by Mr. Francis Awesa -- http://www.globalconstructionltd.com/
Pel-Air
Going back through historical records I have found it interesting to read the following web pages about Pel_Air and the wheelings and dealings with past governments.
http://www.asianlii.org/cgi-asianlii/disp.pl/pg/cases/PGNC/1996/62.html?query=692
http://www.pngbd.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18223&page=1
http://www.thenational.com.pg/0110/letter4.htm
http://www.usp.ac.fj/fileadmin/files/Institutes/piasdg/Electoral_Systems_2004/es2004_Standish.pdf
Bush Walking / Hiking
If anyone is considering a bush walking / hiking trip to PNG then I suggest a read of the following site "A Papua New Guinea Story" by Ehud Reiter located at http://www.travel-library.com/pacific/papua_new_guinea/trip.reiter.html
The story consists of three parts --
Part 1: On how I spent two days waiting for an airplane in a small "end of the road" town in PNG
Part 2: On how I spent a week in the PNG "cities" of Mt Hagen and Wewak, trying to track down my lost companions
Part 3: On the sad tale of a truly "buggeredup" trek through the PNG Highlands.
You can also take a stroll or walk to Wamira, Milne Bay Province -- http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/wamira.html
http://www.kokodatreks.com/
http://www.blackcattrail.com.au/Black%20Cat%20Trail.htm
Aussie High Comm
From time to time the Australian High Commission revises its travel warning for Australians visiting PNG. The most up-to-date text can be found at -- http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-
cgi/view/Advice/Papua_New_Guinea
Morobe Province
http://www.png.aqualagoon.com/png/export/sites/TPA/provinces/morobe/morobe.htm
http://www.tourismmorobe.org.pg/morobe.html
http://www.anu.edu.au/rspas/asal/morobe.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morobe_Province
http://www.morobeshow.org.pg
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/png_morobe.html
http://www.thenational.com.pg/033007/nation2.htm
PNG Blogs
http://camnjaneinpng.blogspot.com/2007/04/goodbye-alotau.html
http://blog.svandermark.com/index.php?cat=65
http://masalai.wordpress.com/2007/03/07/save-png/
http://savepng.blogspot.com
http://bomana.blogspot.com/
http://islandbaby.blogspot.com/
News Items
Fuel Prices
A short lived reduction in the price of fuel for the country has now been overshadowed by an increase. The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) has announced increases in the price of fuel. The petrol price in Moresby will now increase by 11.5 toea to K2.84 per litre and the price of petrol in Lae will now be K2.95 per litre. Diesel and kerosene prices will also increase by 7.7 toea and four toea per litre respectively. Diesel prices for Port Moresby and Lae will now be K2.31 and K2.44 per litre respectively while new kerosene prices for both centres will be K2.21 and K2.33 per litre respectively. Domestic fuel pump prices for other centres have also increased but the extent of the final retail price will vary depending on the applicable freight rate.
Mendi Jail
Two prisoners have died from a suspected typhoid outbreak at the Bui Yebi jail outside Mendi in the Southern Highlands province. It is believed that the whole jail has been affected by the outbreak. A medical team from the Mendi hospital has visited the prison to conduct medical examinations and confirm the outbreak. According to police, the team found that the 'entire' male inmates were infected by both malaria and typhoid. The outbreak has been blamed on overcrowding, unhygienic conditions, contaminated food and water
Water Upgrade
Following National Executive Council approval a proposed K200 million Port Moresby water system upgrading project is set to take off. Minister for Public Enterprise, Information and Development Co-operation, Arthur Somare, announced this, saying the current water consumption demand in Port Moresby far exceeds the initial design from pre-independence that only catered for a population of 35,000 in 1975. He said since Port Moresby had a population of 400,000, there must a review of its water consumption demands along with that of waste water treatment or sewerage treatment systems.
False Logging Claims
RH (Rimbunan Hijau) has said that the company is disappointed that despite its new efforts to confirm the legality of its timber operations in PNG, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has persisted with its false accusations and unsubstantiated claims against the industry.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/041307/nation24.htm
Wewak Earthquake
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 occurred near Wewak, at 18:25:28.60 UTC on the 14th of April, 2007 -- http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/catalogs/cap/us2007bdbc
Teacher's Pay
The Education Secretary, Dr Joseph Pagelio, has announced that 5,791 teachers out of over 35,000 serving over 8,000 schools have been suspended from the teaching payroll. This is because the Department of Education has not received their Resumption of Duty Summary Sheet, and without this the department does not know whether they are actually teaching or are "ghosts" on the payroll.
Teachers who have been suspended from the payroll by provinces are as follows: 431 in Southern Highlands, 386 in Western Highlands, 327 in Enga, 312 in Simbu, 279 in Eastern Highlands, 629 in Morobe, 371 in Madang, 322 in Sandaun, 101 in Kiunga-Lake Murray in Western province, 79 in Gulf, 392 in West New Britain, 262 in East New Britain, 263 in New Ireland, 167 in Bougainville and 66 in Manus.
PNG Country Party
The PNG Country Party has announced that the Member for South Waghi, Jamie Maxtone-Graham, has been terminated from the Country Party as party leader. The party has been concerned that Mr Maxtone-Graham had not consulted them on a number of sensitive issues and had acted purely on his own with the support of a few people who have been rejected by the Country Party.
Asian Development Bank
The president and chairman of the Asian Development Bank has paid a recent visit to PNG. Haruhiko Kuroda accompanied by senior bank officials held meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye, Treasurer Sir Rabbie Namaliu and senior PNG Government officials on economics, aid and development issues. This is Mr Kuoroda's first trip to PNG since being elected president in February 2005. This is the second visit to the country by an ADB president - the last visit was 10 years ago.
Health Expo
The annual National Health Expo is scheduled to take place on the 5th and 6th of May at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby. The theme for the Expo is "Invest in Health, Build a Safer Future" with an emphasis on tobacco.
Southern Highlands
Another court order has been issued restraining William Powi from taking up the position of administrator of the Southern Highlands province. Justice Kandakasi ruled in Mt Hagen that Alphonse Hayabe was the legitimate acting provincial administrator for now until a full hearing of the matter later this week. The orders virtually gives Mr Hayabe free rein to withdraw funds held in any government or bank accounts in the name of the Provincial Government.
Election Comments
Some old and some new election comments. I am sure the old comments are probably already ringing true again.
http://www.voy.com/9785/5418.html
http://www.voy.com/9785/5426.html
http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/stories/s650290.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s607631.htm
http://www.thenational.com.pg/041307/nation2.htm
The Catholic Archbishop of Port Moresby, Sir Brian Barnes, has stressed the need to find good honest leaders who are prepared to serve the interest of the people in the coming elections.
The archbishop described corruption among other things as the saga of the Moti inquiry, which sought to establish responsibility for an event damaging to our credibility as a nation.
It was marked by moves to impede and even nullify it, he said. "The people of PNG should not be taken as fools".
Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, will celebrate his 71st birthday on the 9th of April, 2007 - one month before he hits the campaign trail. He hopes to return his National Alliance Party to victory for a second term in office.
Tiny Url = http://tinyurl.com/ys3wvd
-- or -- http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=17356/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl
Along with many others Usino/Bundi MP and People's Labour Party (PLP) leader Peter Yama wants to be the next prime minister of PNG -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/041307/nation20.htm
Wahgi Mek
One of the biggest coffee plantations in the country, Wahgi Mek, will soon go into receivership. The company is jointly owned by the North and South Wahgi Local Level Government Council (75 per cent) with the rest owned by Dick Hagon - the Managing Director. The business was shut down in 2000 when disgruntled landowner group comprising ward councillors and locals disputed Mr Hagon's management and attempted to take over the company.
Best Buy Goroka
Quick action by police in Goroka has foiled an attempted armed robbery at the Best Buy Supermarket in the centre of the town on Easter Sunday. -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/041107/nation2.htm
Airman's Mystery
Army Airman Steve Zayac has been gone from Old Brooklyn nearly seven decades, leaving behind the mystery of what happened to him and a few photos of him and his crew in front of their B-24 Liberator bomber.
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/117619397844290.xml&coll=2
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usnatl105165358apr10,0,6231802.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-print
http://www.livehouse.com.au/police/6086/
http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/pentagon/392665.html?remains-of-two-texans-among-10-world-war-ii-soldiers-identified
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070413/BREAKINGNEWS/70413018/1002/NEWS
Guilty Fijians
The district court in Buka has found four Fijians guilty of illegally remaining in PNG without valid visas and sentenced them each to a four month jail sentence. The Fijians pleaded guilty to the charge of illegally remaining in the country without a valid visa as stipulated under section 16 (1) (a) of the Migration Act, 1978. The court heard that the four Fijians had entered PNG through Solomon Islands on Oct 28, 2005, using visitors' visa valid for 60 days.
East Sepik Floods
More than 50 families from the Sepik Plains in Papua New Guinea's East Sepik province are appealing for food, relief and supplies after flooding destroyed their villages two weeks ago.
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=31490
http://www.thenational.com.pg/041307/nation1.htm
Coming Events
25th to the 27th of April -- 2007 Gogodala Canoe Festival
May Coffee Festival 2007 - cancelled due to 2007 National Elections.
Tufi Cultural Show, Oro Province -- 9th to the 11th June
Sepik Iron Man Contest -- 11th of June 2007
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 of September
Hiri Moale Festival, Port Moresby - National Capital District -- 15th to 18th of September
PNG 30th Independence Day Celebrations -- 16th September
Morobe Show, Lae -- 27th and the 28th of October
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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