Links
Jane's Oceania Home Page Newsletter -- http://www.janeresture.com/png_home/index.htm
-- See article below about HIV/AIDS in PNG reprinted from Jane's newsletter.
http://svc015.wic118dp.server-web.com/www/html/1509-home-page.html
-- The Law and Justice Sector website has been developed to provide easy access
to information and services provided by the agencies and partners within the
sector. The sector strategy focuses on the implementation of positive change
associated with the many aspects of law and justice within PNG. A shortcut
to the site can be found at -- http://www.lawandjustice.gov.pg
http://www.justice.gov.pg -- The Department
of Justice and Attorney General delivers a diverse range of services that
contribute to a just, safe and secure social environment for all people living
and working in Papua New Guinea.
http://www.datec.net.pg/~phowley/
-- Restorative Justice - Papua New Guinea Style web site
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/misc/b3recs1.pdf
-- Australian Report on PNG Aid (Post Courier)
http://www.pngonline.gov.pg -- Papua
New Guinea Government Online
http://www.upng.ac.pg -- University of
PNG
http://www.bankpng.gov.pg -- Bank
of Papua New Guinea
http://www.pngembassy.org -- Embassy
of Papua New Guinea to the Americas, Washington, DC
http://www.pngtourism.org.pg --
Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority
http://www.unitech.ac.pg/ -- Papua
New Guinea University of Technology Home page
http://www.pngbd.com/ -- Papua New Guinea
Business Directory and Tourism Information
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/papua_new_guinea.html
-- PNG Maps, County Maps, Historical Maps
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.
Internet Service Providers
Daltron -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
Data Nets -- http://www.online.net.pg
Datec -- http://www.datec.net.pg
Global Technologies -- http://www.global.net.pg
Computer Companies in PNG
Able Computing -- http://www.able.com.pg
Comserv Computer Centre -- http://www.comserv.com.pg
Daltron -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
Data Nets -- http://www.datanets.com.pg
Datec -- http://www.datec.com.pg
Global Technologies -- http://www.global.net.pg
Don't forget the rumours that Daltron has put in a bid to buy Datec and Datec
has also put in a bid to buy Daltron. Further rumours have it that DataNets
and Datec and a few other companies around town have put in unofficial bids
to buy ConXions a local communications company specialising in Ericsson telephone
equipment.
News Items
Governor General
The Governor General, Sir Paulias Matane, has retuned from Buckingham Place
after having his position officially sealed by the Queen. Sir Paulias has
said that the Queen was keenly interested in the nation's economic situation
and education development. She was also interested in the proposed celebrations
for the 30th anniversary of Independence next year.
Aussie Heavies
A high-powered delegation from Australia consisting of political heavies,
Australian Treasurer Peter Costello, Aussie Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister,
Alexander Downer is heading PNG way. The two heavies and five other ministers
will be in Lae, Morobe Province for a single day ministerial meeting with
their PNG counterparts on the 15th of December. The visit has prompted Lae
to rethink its position on the deteriorating condition of the roads in and
around Lae. Lae residents are hoping that a magic wand can be waved to get
some of the main roads repaired in time because there is not other way the
roads could be repaired in such a short space of time.
Manam Island
The volcano on Manam Island in Madang province has erupted with a massive
bang. It has been reported that the volcano sent clouds of thick smoke 6,000
metres about 20,000 feet into the air and tonnes of red hot lava has flown
down into the sea. At the moment there is no immediate danger to the villagers
living on the island.
Holiday Inn
The Holiday Inn upset one of its customers the other day. It seems that if
you are a National the housekeeping staff come into the room and remove the
contents of the bar fridge except this time housekeeping did while the guest
was in the room. To the person on the receiving end it seems like discrimination
is alive and well in Port Moresby. The guest wondered if an overseas visitor
would have been treated the same way.
Airways Hotel
A gourmet shop has been opened at the Airways Hotel at seven-mile near the
airport. The shop called Deli KC is yet another move by the hotel to develop
the hotel and apartment complex. Many of the products will be imported but
the hotel will manufacture others locally. Cheeses will be imported from suppliers
in New Zealand and Australia.
Guam
Steps are underway to remove an unwelcome visitor from Manus Province that
has found its way to Guam. The Manus Island brown tree snake has run amok
in the US island territory of Guam. The snakes are causing power blackouts
and wiping out much of the island's native bird population. It is believed
that the snakes stowed away on a military cargo ship in the 1940's from Manus
Island, where the US military had a major base during the Second World War.
The snake has no natural predator in Guam and has spread quickly. It has been
estimated that there are as many as 1300 brown tree snakes per square kilometre
on Guam.
Political Merger
Rumours of a political merger of parties to topple the Somare led coalition
have been denied by one of the players mentioned in the newspapers. Melanesian
Alliance Cabinet ministers Sir Moi Avei and Lady Carol Kidu have denied the
rumour emphatically.
HIV/AIDS in PNG
The following article has been reprinted from Jane's Newsletter and is about
HIV/AIDS -- http://www.janeresture.com
Of increasing concern is the evidence that Papua New Guinea is in the grip
of a burgeoning AIDS epidemic on a scale already being compared to that experienced
in some African countries. Official records point to just under 9,000 people
having been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea, but some health authorities
have estimated that the numbers could be as high as between 50,000 and 80,000.
Indeed, Australian experts have predicted that more than one million people
may have the disease in six years. In a country with a population of about
5.4 million, this is a frightening statistic.
Sadly, it is the women of Papua New Guinea who seem to be most affected.
For example, in the 15-29 year old age group, twice as many women have been
infected as men, according to 2003 statistics from Papua New Guinea's National
AIDS Council Secretariat. More than one in every 100 pregnant women has tested
positive to the virus. The main cause of infection is heterosexual transmission
followed by parent-to-child transmission.
Indeed, 90 per cent of Papua New Guinea women have contracted AIDS from their
husbands. The women know that their husbands have more than one partner but
they do not know who the other woman is and, if they talk about it, they can
be beaten up. Sadly, these women simply have no control over their sex life.
http://www.janeresture.com/png_home/index.htm
HIV/AIDS Update
PNG has over 9000 confirmed cases of HIV/AIDS out of a population of approximately
5.5 million. This is the highest number of confirmed cases in the Pacific
region. It has been reported that 14 people die of AIDS every day at the Port
Moresby General Hospital and a further 115 new cases are diagnosed every month
at the same hospital.
Chimbu Province
AusAID under the Australia PNG Aid Programme plans to upgrade 35 primary
schools in Chimbu province over the next two years. The programme will fund
17 new double classrooms and 43 houses for teachers creating a further 1,300
additional primary school places at an estimated cost of K7.4 million. This
follows ion from a successful pilot program in the province that saw 18 classrooms
and 6 teachers houses built.
Sir Pita Lus
Controversial ex-politician Sir Pita Lus may be out of politics but he still
manages to get his name mentioned in the press. This time the Boroko District
Court has placed Sir Pita on a six-month good behaviour bond for assaulting
the Minister for Works, Gabriel Kapris, at Morauta Haus in Port Moresby on the
31st of August. Sir Pita was the longest serving politician until he lost his
seat in the 2002 General Elections.
India Night
The Indian Association has recently held a very successful India Nite for
2004 at the Holiday Inn ballroom. The Governor General of PNG, Sir Paulias
Matane, Lady Carol Kidu, the Indian High Commissioner to PNG along with other
dignitaries and over 400 other people attended the function. After the obligatory
speeches the evening was toped off with a splendid Indian buffet .The Indian
Association donated K40,000 to charity last year and was able to increase
this to K57,000 this year. The association also celebrated 25 years of being
in PNG.
Coconuts and Tearooms
Do not forget to try and get a copy of an excellent book that covers an attempt
by one person to record some of the history of coconuts, tearooms and Rabaul.
The book, called appropriately Coconuts and tearooms, covers the eruption
of the volcanoes around Rabaul in 1937 and the preface covers the reason why
Pat's book is of extreme historical value. In 1942 the Japanese invaded Rabaul
and destroyed irreplaceable records. I recommend that you somehow get to a
library and grab a copy of the book titled "Coconuts and Tearooms"
by Pat Boys. National Library of New Zealand ISBN 0-473-01724-5
It is copyrighted in 1993 but covers a six-year period in the 1930's. The
book started out as ten foolscap, single-spaced pages that Pat's mother had
written about her experiences. With this meagre beginning an a keen interest
to preserve a little bit of the history of the Rabaul area and helped by over
200 photographs taken by her father Pat has been able to produce a wonderful
140 plus page book. The only complaint I could find about the book was that
I wish the photos were in colour! Now if I could only buy a plantation for
the price mentioned in Pat's book but using the money I earn today without
subtracting anything for inflation!
PNG Defence Force
The PNG Defence Force has recently conducted war games in the bush around
Brown River in Central province. Soldiers based at Taurama barracks spilt
into two platoons. One platoon carried out the offence against the others
who waited in ambush for the first group. The exercise was used to rate each
individual soldier and let them now how they performed during the training.
The PNG Defence Force is often ill equipped to perform even the simplest of
tasks but all soldiers performed well in the war games.
Coming Events
Miss Warehouse Corporate Fundraising event for the PNG Red Cross Quest will
be held on the 29th of October at the Grand Palace Restaurant in Port Moresby.
Tickets are K79.50 each.
The 2004 Morobe Show will be held on the 30th and 31st of October at the
Showgrounds in Lae city.
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.
Do not forget the coming Milne Bay Canoe Festival to be held from the 5th
to the 8th of November 2004. Please contact Tim Seeto at Alotau Enterprises
(+675 641 1246), Eimi Kigolena at the Milne Bay Visitors' Bureau (+675 641
1503) or Gretta Kwasnicka on telephone number is +675 641 1290 or +675 641
0588 for more details.
PNG Provincial Governors
Hon. Bill Skate, MP -- National Capital District
Hon. Alphonse Moroi, MP -- Central Province
Hon. Dr Bob Danaya, MP -- Western/Fly Province
Hon. Christopher Haiveta, -- MP Gulf Province Hon. Timothy Neville, -- MP
Milne Bay Province
Hon. Bani Hoivo, MP -- Oro Province
Hon. Luther Wenge, MP -- Morobe Province
Hon. James Yali, MP -- Madang Province
Hon. Henry Ariro, MP -- East Sepik Province
Hon. Carlos Yuni, MP -- West Sepik Province
Hon. Ian Ling Stuckey, -- MP New Ireland Province
Hon. Dr Jacob Jumugot, -- MP Manus Province
Hon. Leo Dion, MP -- East New Britain Province
Hon. Clement Nakmai, MP -- West New Britain Province
Hon. John Momis, MP -- Bougainville Province
Hon. Mal Kela Smith, MP -- Eastern Highlands Province
Hon. Peter Launa, MP Simbu Province
Hon. Paias Wingti, MP Western Highlands Province
Hon. Peter Ipatas, MP Enga Province
Hon. Hami Yawari, MP Southern Highlands Province
Enhanced Co-operation Program
The Australian Assisting Police Commander has made an assurance to the Governors
at the recent Governors Conference in Madang that Australian police officers
seconded to PNG will work with their PNG counterparts to improve the law and
order situation - not to replace them. He went on to say that they would share
their experience with their PNG counterparts and help to build up the capacity
of the Royal PNG Constabulary
.
Coin Shortage
Port Moresby and the rest of the country seems to be still suffering a shortage
of coins despite the banks advertising that they need them returned. Many
shops in town are rounding the cash register amount so that they do not need
to give back one or two toea's in the change whilst other shops have even
attempted to give out lollies instead of the copper coins.
Elections
The one-day Monday polling for the Moresby North East seat managed to cripple
many businesses as individual workers were released to try and find what polling
booth their name was registered at. Many workers came back telling stories
of visiting three or four booths until they were allowed to vote. Many school
children, who were scheduled to sit their all important grade ten exams, were
also disrupted due to a polling booth being located in the local school hall.
In the midst of all this Moresby experienced several downpours just enough
to dampen the roads but not the spirits of the voters. The results of the
poll will be known in several weeks time.
Cape Gloucester
An aid post has been opened at Kandoka in the Cape Gloucester district of
East New Britain province. The post will serve over 7,000 people in the area
as well as people from Kou, Talgone and other neighbouring villages. The aid
post cost K100,000 to be built and was funded with money from the Kandrian-Gloucester
Member of Parliament.
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
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's)
It is hoped that chemicals that affect the ozone layer and are still in use
in PNG will be phased out by the year 2010. Some of the chemicals contain
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) and other such as methyl bromide is used by quarantine
for pre-shipment purposes and various pesticides. These chemicals destroy
the ozone layer. It is expected that CF's will be able to be withdrawn by
2008 and methyl bromide by 2010. The phasing out of CFC's by 2008 is two year
ahead of a general international agreement of 2010.
PNG Media
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