Links
PNG Tourism Promotion Web Site
The official website of the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority
can be found at -- http://www.pngtourism.org.pg
-- If you are interested in Papua New Guinea then this is the web site to
visit at least once before you arrive.
Airlines of PNG
The Airlines of PNG web site can be found at -- http://www.apng.com
-- Airlines of PNG were formerly known as MBA and prior to that Milne Bay
Air.
Tourism Sites
Air Niugini -- http://www.airniugini.com.pg
DIVErsion Dive -- http://www.diversionoz.com/en/png.htm
Lonely Planet Website -- http://www.lonelyplanet.com.au/dest/aust/png.htm
Madang Diving -- http://www.madangdiving.org.pg
Melanesian Tourist Services -- http://www.meltours.com
MV Golden Dawn -- http://www.mvgoldendawn.com
Niugini Art -- http://www.global.net.pg/niugini-art
Niugini Diving -- http://www.niuginidiving.com
Tourism Promotion Authority -- http://www.pngtourism.org.pg
Trans Niugini Tours -- http://www.pngtours.com
PNG Religious Sites
Anglican Church of PNG (Diocese of Port Moresby) -- http://portmoresby.anglican.org
Bible Society Work in PNG -- http://www.biblesociety.org/bs-pap.htm
Catholic Church of PNG and Solomon Islands -- http://www.catholicpng.org.pg
Christian Brethren Churches of PNG. -- http://www.dg.com.pg/~cbcpng
Church of God in PNG -- http://www.zip.com.au/~openshaw/begin02.html
Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG -- http://www.lutheranworld.org/Directory/ASI/EvangelicalLutheranChurchofPapuaNewGuinea.EN.html
Hetune - Community of the Visitation, Popondota -- http://orders.anglican.org/arcyb/cvl.html
MAF Service in PNG -- http://www.maf.org.au/png/pnginfo.php
Melanesia Field has its headquarters in Kudjip, PNG -- http://www.melanesianaz.org
Nazarene Hospital at Kudjip in the Highlands of PNG is a mission hospital
operated by the Church of the Nazarene. It has been serving the people of
PNG since 1967 -- http://www.kudjipnazarenehospital.org
New Tribes Mission Aviation in PNG -- http://www.ntmpng.org/ntma.htm
PNG Christian Links -- http://www.geocities.com/jbnirenga/christ-a.html
PNG Church Partnership -- http://hometown.aol.co.uk/pngcpluxton/PNGChurchPartnership.htm
Pioneer Bible Translators: PNG. -- http://www.pioneerbible.org.pg/
Religious Television Association of PNG -- http://www.rtapng.com.pg
Society of St Francis -- http://orders.anglican.org/arcyb/ssf-pac.html
The meaning of the Vow of Poverty in the third world -- http://orders.anglican.org/arcyb/2000-RichardCarter.html
The United Pentecostal Assemblies of PNG. -- http://www.upcpng.org/
News Items
Fuel Prices
The price of fuel has risen substantially in recent weeks. Diesel now costs
K1.83 per litre with petrol costing K2.38 per litre. Kerosene will cost K1.57
per litre. The increases were blamed on the effects of the continued conflict
in Iraq and the recently imposed two percent general import levy.
Highlands Highway
A landslide that swept away 30 village houses threatens to disrupt the Highlands
Highway traffic.
More than 200 people were left without homes after the land collapse at Chuave,
Chimbu Province. The collapse was caused by a torrential downpour and has
left a big crack on the bitumen surface of the highway from the edge of the
Chuave rocks, threatening to cut off the inner Highlands provinces.
In the Eastern Highlands, landslides in the province have left semi-trailers
stranded in Goroka.
The landslides occurred at the summit of the Daulo Pass and Watabung.
PMV Accident
A 24-seater public motor vehicle (PMV) supposedly racing another PMV has
flipped out of control smashing into a car killing the car driver and injuring
15 others. The accident happened just outside the old Cathay Club, now called
the Waigani Country Club in the morning and many of the injured were school
children travelling to school. It is believed that parts may have broken on
the bus as it raced the other bus at between 80 and 100 Kilometres per hour.
Markham Bridge
The Markham Bridge connecting the people of Wau, Bulolo and Menyamya with
PNG's second largest city Lae has collapsed. Floods cut through the base of
the bridge on the Lae side creating a five-metre split. The Morobe provincial
administration wants an inquiry into the handling of the bridge that led to
its collapse and subsequent closure.
Porgera / Enga
The province of Enga now owns 10 per cent of the Porgera Joint Venture gold
mine located in Enga province.
Pilot Death
Alan Mourilyan, an Airlines PNG pilot, shot dead by criminals as he left
an Automated Teller Machine in Mount Hagen recently has been described as
a true humanitarian. Airlines PNG managing director Simon Wild said the Australian
pilot would often purchase used clothing and soft toys in Australia and then
distribute these to needy families in PNG.
The Australian Foreign Minister has said that the murder of the pilot in
PNG showed the seriousness of the law and order problems facing the country.
University Of Goroka
Through careful use of the existing allocated operating budget the University
of Goroka has managed to increase its enrolment by 70 percent. The university
is now very conscious of how scarce money is in PNG and is managing it far
better than what is was in the past. It is hoped the university will be able
to cement its role as the centre for teacher education and training in PNG.
Annual Profits
The total asset value of the Bank South Pacific has grown from K1779.1 million
in 2002 to K1904.9 million in December 2003. The Bank made a net profit of
K39.981 million for 2003.
Credit Corporation (PNG) Limited continues to ride the waves of success recently
announcing a K25.6 million profit for 2003, an increase of 233 per cent on
its profits for 2002.
City Pharmacy made a loss of K4.398 million last year and said a slim trading
surplus of K134,903 prior to depreciation and Finance Department charges of
K640,126 and K1,804,836 respectively. The company said they would offload
some properties to concentrate on their core business. They said they returned
to profitability in the last quarter of 2003.
Steamships Trading Company announced a net profit of K6.912 million for the
period ended December 31, 2003 and will pay a dividend of 10 toea per share
after its annual general meeting in May 2004.
Ramu River
Flood water from the Ramu River have isolated a mission station, high school,
four primary schools, several health facilities and many villages in Madang
Province. The flood waters have washed away hundreds of houses as well. The
Ramu Highway that links Lae and Madang has been cut off with the Saussi bridge
- the longest along the highway - swept away. Power from the Yonki hydro-electric
scheme has also been cut following the collapse of two PNG Power pylons causing
a shortage of power in Madang town. Flooding is normal during the wet season
but it is particularly bad at present.
Buka Power
The Buka passage has potential to solve the power problems for Bougainville.
Plans are underway to generate electricity for Bougainville from the fast
flowing and aggressive sea in the Buka passage. Electricity will be generated
from this harnessed energy.
Clothing Donation
Mondo Clothing has donated 51 second-hand bales of clothes to the Port Moresby
General Hospital. The clothing will be used to clothe patients at the hospital.
Many patients especially patients with HIV/AIDS have been left at the hospital
by relatives without adequate clothing. The owner of the second hand clothing
company said the company was proud to help the hospital because the clothing
business "feeds on the goodwill of the community so you have to give
back something to the community".
Anglicare StopAIDS
The Anglican run StopAIDS has recently opened a new centre to assist PNG
citizens with various diseases. The centre is primarily concerned with helping
people who are living with HIV/AIDS. The building costing more than K1 million
was funded by various groups such as AusAID, the British High Commission,
the American Episcopal Church, PNG Anglican Church, New Zealand Anglican Church
and a district support grant from Sir Mekere Morauta the Member for Moresby
North-East.
In a separate news item the National AIDS Council director, Dr Ninkama Moiya,
has said that the PNG Government has not funded HIV/AIDS projects rather it
has relied on the support of various donor agencies. Dr Moiya said it was
unfair on the aid agencies and he called on the government to help share the
bill. The number of HIV/AIDS cases in the National Capital District has now
been reported as being 7,800.
Survey
A recent survey held in Port Moresby has revealed that the most sexually
active group of people are the 13 to 25 year-old group. This group mainly
consists of high school and university students who do not ascertain the background
of their sexual partners. 636 people participated in the survey that was handed
out with condoms. The survey also revealed that one in one hundred children
on the street were there because their parents had dumped them after they
found out they had AIDS and were dying.
Birth Registration
A national campaign on birth registration has revealed that only 3 per cent
of the total population of PNG have birth certificates to show they are citizens
of this country. Up until the end of March there is an amnesty being provided
for the issuing of birth certificates. Everyone is urged to take the opportunity
and register and get a free birth certificate. After March every certificate
will be charged the normal fee of K15.00 The birth registration process is
also in compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and
by not complying with the convention, PNG has been rated as one of the lowest
performers on this indicator.
Staple Food Demand
As a result of a rapidly growing urban population the demand for traditional
staples, vegetables and fruit is increasing in PNG especially since the downfall
of the Kina has increased the price for imported staples such as rice and
wheat flour. Unfortunately with growing demand for these local staple items
such as sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, taro or cassava, the prices of these
are also on the rise.
PNG Power
PNG Power officials have signed a K1 million deal to put the debt-ridden
electricity supplier through a major restructure to return it to profitability.
The deal will see Ernst and Young consultants of Australia put together a
business rehabilitation plan over the next 12 months for the power supplier.
The rehabilitation program would be implemented over 12 months and he hoped
that the beginning of next year would see their objectives being achieved
according to the business plan.
Once again Port Moresby residents have had power problems. This time it has
been reported as being due to a cracked insulator on a power pylon between
Moitaka and Boroko. Almost the whole city was in darkness last Tuesday.
Mobil Oil
Mobil PNG has denied rumours that it would be leaving PNG but the company
is watching with interest the proposed acquisition of BP (PNG) Limited assets
by Canadian oil and gas company InterOil Corporation.
Legal Immunity
The Prime Minister has said that legal immunity for Australian specialists
coming to PNG under the enhanced co-operation package will not be granted.
More than 300 officers from Australia will act as advisers in various PNG
government departments. Of these, 230 police officers will join the PNG Police
Constabulary. I wonder if the PNG soldiers recently sent over to the Solomon
Islands to relieve an existing group there have been given immunity?
Sandaun Province
A major logging company in Sandaun Province is set to build a K4 million
office complex for the provincial government. The two-storey office complex
will be a landmark for the provincial government in Vanimo. The building will
have 38 rooms and will house the offices of the administrator and the governor
as well as all the government departments. A conference room and canteen have
also been provided for in the plans of the building.
Rice
Tolukuma Gold Mines Ltd has shown an interest in buying PNG grown rice from
the people through the Central Provincial Government. A rice mill, donated
by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, will be used to prepare the
rice.
Aviation News
The head of the Rural Development Bank, who carried a handgun on to an Air
Niugini aircraft bound for Singapore, will be charged next week according
to the Commissioner of Police. The police have completed their investigation
into the incident and all that remains was for the detectives to arrest and
charge the man. The comments by the Police Commissioner came only days after
the Australian Deputy Prime Minister commented that terrorists could use PNG
to launch an attack on Australia due to lax security at Jackson's airport.
Madang Money Problems
Political differences between the parliamentarians from Madang province have
been blamed for the Madang administration slowly grinding to a halt due to
a lack of funding. Three months into the year and Madang is still waiting
for the release of monthly grants from the National Government to run the
provincial administration as well as provide services to the people in the
province. Money budgeted for projects is currently being used to run the administration
and provide services.
Shell Money
Port Moresby based cargo handlers at TNT have intercepted an illegal shipment
of traditional Tolai shell money [http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/monitabu.html]
destined for Brussels. Along with the shell money was traditional Tubuan masks.
The matter has been reported to the National Museum and Art Gallery. A special
traditional ceremony had to be performed before the items could be removed
from the packing boxes "to avoid the spell being broken". The traditional
shell money (Tabu) is still in use in East New Britain and the shipment would
have depleted the supply of shell money.
Marine Experts
Two young PNG girls, recently graduated from UPNG with science degrees specialising
in marine biology, are working as marine biologists with the World Wide Fund
for Nature (WWF). One, Rebecca Samuel, is employed as a marine policy officer
and the other, Luanne Losi is doing marine fieldwork.
Game Fishing Titles
The 29th PNG National Game Fishing Titles will be held in the lead up to
the Easter break from the 3rd of April to the 11th of April 2004 . Over 250
anglers from overseas and within PNG will converge on the capital of East
New Britain Province, Rabaul, to compete in the National Game Fishing Titles
over nine days.
Commencing the week prior to Easter, on Saturday the 3rd of April, and running
each day through to Easter Sunday (11th April), teams will fish the cobalt
waters surrounding Rabaul town and the still active volcano, Tavuvur, which
overlooks the impressive Simpson Harbour.
High Risk TB
Both Lae and Port Moresby are now considered high risk centres for tuberculosis.
The disease is killing 1000 people a day in the Western Pacific region. In
PNG the disease is now spreading towards the highlands area of PNG. The disease
is treated easily but there are many factors stopping this in PNG such as
a lack of political will, lack of transport and the ever present financial
constraints.
Baked Sweet Potato
3 Cups mashed Sweet Potato or Kaukau
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons finely sliced onions
3 eggs
1/2-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon milk
salt and pepper to taste.
After mashing the cooked sweet potato,
mix in the butter, onion, milk, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Beat them separately.
Fold the egg yolks into the mashed potato followed by the egg whites.
Place mixture in a greased baking dish.
Brush the top with butter and bake in the oven with the dish placed in a pan
of water for 35 to 40 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. (325 degrees Fahrenheit)
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