Links
Travel Advisory
UPDATED LINK -- The following Travel Advice has changed or been added
for PNG by the Australian Government -- http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Papua_New_Guinea
Random Links
The links below have all been taken from the current Paradise Magazine,
the in-flight magazine of Air Niugini.
Bank South Pacific -- http://www.bsp.com.pg
Daltron Electronics -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
Oil Search -- http://www.oilsearch.com
Coral Sea Hotels -- http://www.coralseahotels.com.pg
Air Niugini -- http://www.airniugini.com.pg
-- http://www.air-niugini.co.jp
Hastings Deering -- http://www.hastingsdeering.cat.com
Kokoda Trekking -- http://www.kokodatrail.com.au
NCS -- http://www.ncs.com.pg
KK Kingston -- http://www.kingston.com.pg
UMW Niugini -- http://www.umw.com.pg
PNG Institute of Banking and Business -- http://www.ibbm.com.pg
Kina Securities Limited -- http://www.kina.com.pg
TE PNG -- http://www.tepng.com
PNG Surfing -- http://www.surfingpapuanewguinea.org.pg
Airways Hotel -- http://www.airways.com.pg
Budget Rent a Car -- http://www.budget.com.pg
Avis Rent a Car -- http://www.avis.com.pg
ConXions -- http://www.conxions.com.pg
PNG Trekking Adventures -- http://www.pngtrekking.com.pg
Walindi Resort -- http://www.walindi.com
Kokoda Trail Map
Charlie Lynn of Adventure Kokoda Pty Ltd in Australia is offering an
800 x 300 mm map of the Kokoda Trail for sale at AUD$149.50 including
GST and postage within Australia for the poster size map. You can order
the map online from his web site located at -- http://www.adventurekokoda.com.au
News Items
PNG Sick
Markham MP Andrew Baing, has said in Parliament that "We are now
living in a sick society". He said that there was a clear breakdown
of the social fabric of our society and the legal system does not seem
to be addressing the problem. Mr Baing said it was disgusting to see
reports of fathers raping their daughters and sons raping their
mothers and small children being raped.
Corporal Punishment
Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare, has suggested the introduction of
corporal punishment for universities and colleges in the country to
bring in line undisciplined and errant students. Sir Michael told Parliament
lack of discipline in schools, colleges and universities around the
country was contributing to the deteriorating state of facilities in
these institutions.
Remembrance Day
The 23rd of July has been declared a public holiday by Parliament to
celebrate Remembrance Day. In 2004 Parliament amended the Act to change
the name and date from the 23rd of July to 25th of April to coincide
with the ANZAC Day but now it is thought that ANZAC Day was for Australia
and New Zealand to celebrate, and not PNG so PNG should have its own
day to remember.
Fake Toothpaste
Consumers in PNG often complain about the quality of goods they buy.
Recently counterfeit photographic film has been discovered on sale in
PNG shops now health authorities have discovered fake toothpaste on
the shelves of some shops. The toothpaste branded as Colgate does not
meet the strict specifications of genuine Colgate toothpaste. The offending
toothpaste is manufactured in Turkey and some of the tubes have a picture
of an Asian family and Chinese writing on the box. Colgate-Palmolive
have said that the products are not theirs and that the products do
not contain the active ingredients necessary to prevent cavities and
gum disease
Enga Road
Australian Aid Agency, AusAID, has committed half of the K22 million
required for the maintenance of the Wabag to Wapenamanda road this year.
The main airport for Enga is at Wapenamanda and the provincial headquarters
are at Wabag.
Lihir Mine
The managing director of Lihir Gold, Arthur Hood, says the company
is "focused" on making the next step to becoming a 1 million
ounce per annum producer. Lihir produced a total of 596,000 oz in 2005
and expects to produce a record 670,000 oz this year.
Air Niugini
The Opposition Leader is questioning the recent terminations at Air
Niugini. Recently the CEO, Board Chairman, General Manager Engineering
and Supply Manager have all been given the flick. The Opposition Leader
raised concerns about alleged fraud over the procurement of aircraft
parts.
Bus Fare Increase
An increase in the bus fare from Goroka to Kainantu has caught many
passengers by surprise. The approved fare between Kainantu and Goroka
is K6 but passengers are being forced by Public Motor Vehicle (PMV)
operators to pay K8.00 Officials claim that they are not aware of the
illegal increase.
More Coffee Problems
It seems that there is one problem after another with coffee growers
trying to get their coffee to the market to sell. A report has just
come of coffee growers in parts of Marawaka in Obura-Wonenara district
in Eastern Highlands province not being able to get their coffee transported
because a heavy flood washed away the Norneda bridge that linked them
to Kainantu in October last year. Some of the people are so desperate
for money that they have resorted to shouldering their coffee bags and
walking 10 hours to reach Aiyura before boarding PMV trucks to Kainantu
to sell their coffee to raise funds for school fees.
Gurney Airport Upgrade
The provincial airport for Milne Bay, Gurney, just outside the provincial
capital of Alotau, will be upgraded at a cost of K3 million so that
it can take direct international flights. The project is scheduled to
commence in September of this year. It has been mentioned that overseas
budget airlines such as Virgin Blue and Jet Star could offer direct
services to Milne Bay if the airport was upgraded to an international
standard.
Reserved Businesses
Once again a politician has called on the government to ensure that
reserved business activities be restricted to Papua New Guineans. Foreigners
are currently running many restricted businesses and the government
seems powerless to enforce the reserved activity list. Many PNG businessmen
find it difficult to get a foot off the ground when it comes to applying
for finance and are being pushed pout of the equation by foreigners
with ready access to money.
Angau Hospital
Governor of Morobe Province, Luther Wenge, has said that a qualified
doctor must be appointed as the chief executive officer of Angau Memorial
Hospital in Lae. The term of employment for the existing chief executive
officer has expired.
Mt Hagen Ammunition
The case against a man accused of transporting ammunition from Port
Moresby to Mt Hagen has been adjourned to next month. The man has been
charged with three counts of transporting more than 1,500 rounds of
ammunition on board an Air Niugini flight. He has been charged with
transporting dangerous goods on an aircraft and thereby breaching the
Civil Aviation Act; illegal possession of ammunitions; and, transporting
ammunition without a licence. The latter charges were in breach of the
Firearms Act.
It is believed the ammunition came from the Defence Force barracks
at Goldie River just outside Port Moresby.
Port Moresby Hospital
Co-founder of the PNG Friends of the Hospital Foundation Dan Kakaraya
has called on business houses in the National Capital to once again
fund improvements to the Port Moresby General Hospital. The Westpac
Bank has recently helped ward 4B with K12,000.00 Mr Kakaraya has also
proposed that corporate naming rights be issued to wards so that each
ward could be taken care of by individual business houses. He has issued
a challenge to the other banks to help with other wards. He has even
suggested that British American Tobacco take up sponsorship of the cancer
ward.
Robbery Conviction
A man accused of a robbery at the Hoskins Airport more than eight years
ago has been found guilty of three counts of armed robbery. Sentencing
has been deferred to a date to be fixed. The accused along with three
others held up a banker and stole K380,000 in cash belonging to the
Westpac Bank. A police officer was wounded in the robbery.
Drug and Alcohol Wewak
Sponsored by the Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Major Religious
Superiors of Papua New Guinea, a small Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre
has been opened in Wewak, and is under the Direction of the Hospitaller
Order of St. John of God.
Because of persistent telephone difficulties, contact is best made
with the Director through PO Box 771, Wewak, East Sepik Province, 531.
Koki Battle
The famous Koki market in Port Moresby became a battle scene recently
as a fight erupted between two ethnic groups. One person was hospitalised
and many others received injuries in the clash between Southern Highlanders
and Central province people. Police were called to scene of the clash
and with the help of community leaders, managed to get the situation
under control.
Bully Beef War
Bully Beef was a staple for diggers during the Second World War but
now it looks like a trade war looms over the exporting of PNG processed
corn beef to Fiji. The Trade and Industry Minister has threatened a
55 percent import tariff on Fiji's Island Corned Beef. He has said that
if that does not bring the Fijians to the roundtable then similar tariffs
will be imposed on all products imported from Fiji. The Fijians have
stated that the beef in PNG's Ox and Palm must come from either Australia
or New Zealand or must be certified as being free from mad cow disease
if it is to be exported to Fiji.
Madang International Primary School Reunion 2007
Any ex students and teachers that are interested in attending the Madang
International Primary School Reunion around January or February 2007
please contact Karin Hunter (nee Beschel) on -- karinmhunter@hotmail.com.
Place/Venue has not been finalised yet but would probably be held in
Brisbane or Cairns, Australia.
Phone Cards
A fake phone card racket has been exposed in the National Capital District.
It is believed that the racket had fetched a total of over K100,000
for both the supplier and the buyers. Police have also confiscated K1,550
worth of pre-paid mobile and Telikad cards.
Telikom have issued a warning that they will deactivate illegally sold
prepaid mobile phone and Telikad cards if these are found to be missing
from licensed dealers.
Highlands Highway
Criminals are making good use of the deteriorating road conditions
along the Highlands Highway to rob vehicles. Due to the recent rainfall
parts of the highway have collapsed allowing criminals to loot trucks
shipping goods to other parts of the Highlands. To make matters worse
in many of the affected areas, villagers are also demanding for payment
before lending a helping hand to stuck vehicles.
Simbu Payroll
Eight senior Simbu public servants living in Port Moresby but on the
Simbu Provincial payroll have had their pay axed and employment terminated
because they have not been to work in the province for over a year.
The employees have been receiving a regular pay packet yet have not
been in the province to do any work. Police have also arrested and charged
six public servants from the province with misappropriating thousands
of kina in public funds.
East New Britain
East New Britain province is expecting tourist numbers to increase
this year. Several cruise ships have indicated they will stop in the
province with the first, the MV Orion, set to arrive in Rabaul on the
27th of March. The provincial tourism board is also hopeful that there
will be direct international flights between Honiara, Solomon Islands
and Tokua airport.
Swimming Commonwealth Games
The PNG swimming team for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne has been
announced: Ryan Pini, Anna Liza Mopio Jane, Judith Meauri, Nicole Ellsworth
and Disabled Swimmers are Benjamin Warkit and George Dikimbi. The team
management consists of coach Liz Wells and manager Sarenah Pini. The
team leaves on the 12th of March, the Games open on the 15th of March
and the swimming competition will start on the 16th of March.
Swimming Sponsorship
PNG Swimming has secured K80,000 from Bank South Pacific, their major
sponsor, for the next four years leading up to 2008 Olympic Games in
Beijing, China. PNG Swimming will target four events this year and they
are the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne (March 16-26), FINA World Short
Course Championship in Shanghai, China in April, Oceania Swimming Championship
in Cairns, Australia (July 7-12) and Pan Pacific Championships in Canada
later in the year.
AIDS Fight
Former health secretary and now Lands Minister, Dr Puka Temu, has warned
recently that if a concerted effort was not put in to halt the spread
of AIDS over half a million people in PNG would be infected by 2025.
Dr Temu has called on all NGOs, faith-based organisations and developing
partners to work with the government to fight against the spread of
the disease.
Maritime Navigational Aids
Phase one of the rehabilitation of the Maritime Navigational Aids Systems
project has been completed in Milne Bay at a cost of K12.8 million.
PNG Media
If
a friend has given or sent you a copy of this newsletter and you would
like to keep receiving free copies then please visit -- ../news/index.html
-- for instructions on how to join the list.
Articles
for this Newsletter
If
you think you have a PNG page worth mentioning then please click here and use the submission form.
To
send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter queue please click here and use the submission form.
.gif)
.jpg)
View
PNG Gossip Newsletter Archive