Links
Warning: PNG web sites seem to come and go. The fact of life is that
it costs money to host a web site 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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Misc Links
ASOPA -- Keith Jackson's weblog for people associated with the former Australian School of Pacific Administration -- http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/
CyberMasta web site designs -- http://www.cybermasta.com
East New Britain -- http://www.eastnewbritain.com
Friends of the Disabled Association -- http://www.foda.org.pg
Haus Poroman, Mount Hagen -- http://www.hausporoman.com.pg
Jane's Papua New Guinea web site -- http://www.janeresture.com/png_home
Jason's Travel Information -- http://www.jasons.com/000574,PNG,,,,PG,1,0.MEL#scroll_0:0
Madang Resort Hotel -- http://www.madangresort.com
Malagan Beach Resort, New Ireland -- http://www.malaganresort.com
PNG Government Online -- http://www.pngonline.gov.pg
PNG Medical Symposium web site -- http://www.medsymp.org.pg
PNG People and Places -- http://www.aboutpng.com
PNG Web Hosting -- http://www.pngwebhost.com
Port Moresby Water Ski Club -- http://www.nla.com.pg/pomwsc/home.htm
Summer Institute of Linguistics -- http://www.sil.org.pg
Vabukori Village, Port Moresby -- http://www.vabukori.com
West New Britain -- http://www.tourismwestnewbritain.org.pg
Weather Links
Most of the links for PNG weather have now disappeared the only reliable
ones seem to be the following --
Kerema -- http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/PPXX0001.html
Kikori -- http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/PPXX0002.html
Morobe -- http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/PPXX0003.html
Port Moresby -- http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/PPXX0004.html
Samarai -- http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/PPXX0005.html
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free web based encyclopaedia and the information it
has on PNG can be located at the following web address -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea
Wikipedia has started a Wikipedia in Tok Pisin. It can be found at
-- http://tpi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
A page about Air Niugini can also be found at -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Niugini
-- This page has some information that is not accurate but it is a start
at documenting some of the history of the airline.
PNG Aviation
Air Niugini, National Airline of PNG -- http://www.airniugini.com.pg
Airlines of PNG -- http://www.apng.com
Airlink -- http://www.airlink.com.pg
Bill Purcell's Site -- http://www.billpurc.com/aviation.htm
MAF Australia (PNG Info) -- http://www.maf.org.au
-- and follow the links. Or try this one -- http://www.maf.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=125
Michie.NET PNG Aircraft Register -- http://michie.net/balus
Online Airline schedule -- http://www.pngbd.com/travel/flights.php
PNG Balus Project -- http://www.balus.gov.pg
TNT Air Cargo -- http://www.tnt.kenmore.com.pg
News Items
Port Moresby Show
After more than ten years the Port Moresby Show has been revived as
the Port Moresby Cultural Show. The show was held at the Sir Hubert
Murray Stadium in hot and dusty conditions and not at the Moitaka showgrounds.
As an initial event, the first of its kind, the show rated as "okay"
but it is hoped that the event picks up and is able to rival the other
cultural shows around PNG. The Sir Hubert Murray Stadium offers very
little shade in the main arena area for spectators and dancers but what
other area in the heart of Port Moresby can offer anything better?
2007 Elections
It looks like that Sir Michael Somare may be on the way to achieving
something that has not happened before and that is running for a full
term as an elected Prime Minister. Previous Prime Ministers including
Sir Michael have had to contend with votes of no confidence motions
on the floor of Parliament that have sometimes been successful in ousting
the prime office holder. Work is underway by the Electoral Commission
to stage the 2007 Elections. They are looking at the 2002 elections
to see what problems were encountered and how they can be solved. The
elections will be the first full election that uses a limited preferential
voting system rather than the "first past the post" system
used in previous elections. The limited preferential voting system,
only introduced since the 2003 elections, has only been used in by-elections
to date in PNG.
Last Elections Flawed
The Chief Electoral Commissioner, Andrew Trawen, has said that the
2002 General Elections were flawed. He has said that the 2002 elections
had too many ghost names on the common roll and double voting by voters.
Golden Chainsaw
Six Greenpeace activists were detained for 45 minutes at the Rimbunan
Hijau (RH) timber company's Port Moresby compound recently when they
tried to present a "Golden Chainsaw" award to the company.
The Greenpeace golden chainsaw award is reserved for the worst forest
destroyers in the world.
Tubuans Performance
The performance of Tolai Tubuans outside their home province have
some members of the Tolai community up in arms especially when the Tubuans
are not supposed to be seen by women. Tubuan is sacred in the Tolai
society. Hundreds of people turned up at Port Moresby's Ela Beach early
in the morning to witness the famous Tolai Tubuans perform the Kinawai
dance.
-- http://michie.net/pnginfo/dukduk.html -- and -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duk-Duk
Rosetta Project
The Rosetta database contains information about languages spoken in
PNG -- http://www.rosettaproject.org/live/search/browsebycountryresult?searchtype=countries&searchkey=Papua%20New%20Guinea
-- A rather long URL that may need to be pieced back together if you
are receiving the text only version of the newsletter.
Tok Pisin Classes
PNG has three national or official languages -- they are Hiri Motu,
Tok Pisin and English. PNG Development services are offering Tok Pisin
classes primarily targeted at expatriates who want to be able to communicate
with their workers. The classes are run on-demand, the minimum group
size is four. Classes can be two hours per day by five days (consecutive
or weekly) OR - one and a half days intensive. Please contact PNG Development
Services for further information. Phone / Fax (+675) 325 4860 / 323
4518 / 325 3043 / 686 8917
e-mail pngds@online.net.pg
Multi-user ATMs
The banking population of PNG has had to put up with single bank Automatic
Teller Machines. If you have an ATM card with one bank it has not had
the capability of working in any other ATM operated by an opposing bank.
The Bank of South Pacific will soon have the capability of allowing
non-BSP customer access to their ATM equipment. The Bank South Pacific
has contracted with Australian company BankTech Limited to install an
initial order of 15 generic ATM machines in PNG that will be accessible
by all debit cards irrespective of which bank the user belongs to. These
machines will be located in non-bank locations such as supermarkets,
clubs and shopping centres.
SHP Liquor Ban
The National Executive Council has voted to impose a liquor ban in
the Southern Highlands Province (SHP). The decision will no go before
the Southern Highlands Provincial government to be made law. The move
has been made to try and make the province a peaceful and harmonious
place. The SHP Governor has indicated that it is fairly probable that
the provincial assembly will pass the law. Over K1 million in taxes
is generated annually from the sale of liquor in the province.
Honiara Transit Approved
The Solomon Islands Government has given approval for PNG to use Honiara
as the transit point to fly to other Pacific Island countries. It was
now up to PNG to negotiate landing rights with other neighbouring countries
such as Vanuatu and Fiji.
Are PNG Men Violent?
According to a report prepared by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
PNG men are the second most violent group of men in the world. The WHO
report says that over half the female population (56,1 percent) have
been physically assaulted. That does not include sexual abuse or rape.
It has been suggested that the figure could be higher because many women
are too scared to report violence against them. PNG was only second
to Uganda in terms of violence against women. -- http://www.pnginfo.com/survey.html
Swamp Ghost
The American B-17E warplane that crash-landed in the Agiambo swamps
of Oro (Northern) Province will remain at the Lae Bismarck Maritime
Wharf pending a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry on the 1st of
July. The Internal Revenue Commission will not issue an export permit
pending the inquiry. The PAC is responsible for protecting public funds
and state properties.
Swamp Ghost II
Bruce Hoy, the first curator of Modern History with the National Museum,
says that he received several requests to recover the B-17E aircraft
while he was in charge of the museum. One of the proposals he received
and passed on to the politicians for consideration was that no money
would change hands but rather the B-25 on display at Girua Airport Oro
Province was to be restored externally, the Museum's P-38 fully restored,
and an L-5 observation aircraft provided. Bruce adds that it was a far
better offer than money because money can be so easily squandered on
the wrong projects. Unfortunately because politicians get moved around
in a typical PNG cabinet this proposal never eventuated.
Bruce says his main concern about selling any "wreck" to
a private group of people is that their only object will be to make
money out of the deal.
Port Moresby General
Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) seems to go from one crisis to
another due to lack of funding. The latest problem is related to water
or rather the break down of pumps creating a lack of water. This poses
a health risk to the patients and health workers at PMGH. Last week
the hospital was only able to have access to water for an hour at a
time. Patients are made to feel even sicker than what they are because
there is no water to flush toilets and the resulting stench is intolerable.
Buka Internet
Online South Pacific has commissioned an Internet point of presence
(POP) service in Buka. Online engineers and Telikom PNG were on the
site in Buka recently to complete the installation. Online South Pacific
has said this was the first local Internet service available in the
Autonomous Region of Bougainville. The local POP increases the quality
of the Internet connection to Buka residents. The expansion builds on
the rollout in other towns, including Kokopo, Mt Hagen, Goroka, Tabubil,
Madang and Lae undertaken by Online South Pacific. The next expansion
is to Porgera, which is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.
UN Concert
The United Nation's Concert held at the Port Moresby International
School once again proved to be a drawcard for spectators. It was announced
that all the 9,500 tickets had been sold and the school oval was the
fullest I have ever seen it. Once again a few of the many events dragged
on for too long and I counted at least three items based around the
Cook Islands with some provinces of PNG not even represented. Overall
the event was worth attending and unlike the Port Moresby Cultural Show
was value for money.
Operation Open Heart
The recently launched Operation Open Heart 2006 will be conducted from
3rd to the 11th of August at the Port Moresby General Hospital. Operation
Open Heart is a successful medical programme run every year that enables
children, who would otherwise not survive to adult life, to be given
a new lease on life. It is estimated that if the operations were to
be carried out in Australia they would cost between K70,000 and K80,000
per patient. Donations are always gladly accepted for the event.
Cheetah Gas Strikes
Cheetah Oil and Gas Company has struck gas at its Kuru-2 well located
in the Gulf Province. The company said it had successfully perforated
the upper part of the Miocene Puri Limestone in the Kuru-2 well, and
had subsequently flowed dry gas.
2RPIR
One hundred members of the Wewak-based Second Royal Pacific Islands
Regiment (2RPIR) have travelled to Townsville, Australia to take part
in a military exercise. The soldiers will be involved in a two-phase
exercise code named "Wantok Warrior" with the Bravo
(B) Company of the Royal Australian Regiment based at Lavarek Barracks
in Townsville. The exercise was a reciprocal to the Delta (D) Company
First Royal Australian Regiment exchange trip to the 2RPIR in Wewak
that ran from the 19th of October to the 19th of November 2005.
Data Nets IT Certification
Data Nets has signed a agreement with Pearson VUE, the electronic testing
business of Pearson Education, to provide Information Technology certification
test delivery using the Pearson VUE Testing System. The company said
the Pearson VUE advanced computer-based testing system administers exams
for leading IT certification programs such as Microsoft, Cisco Systems,
CompTIA, IBM through a global network of quality test centres that now
includes Port Moresby.
Employment In New Zealand
A New Zealand decision to consider employing seasonal workers from
PNG has been welcomed by the PNG government. The PNG Foreign Affairs
and Immigration Minister, Sir Rabbie Namaliu, said that he is hopeful
the New Zealanders will give the proposal serious consideration.
Coming Events
Swimming -- WESTPAC Dolphin Sprints 2006 -- Starting Friday the 9th
of June and concluding on Sunday morning the 11th of June at the Taurama
Pool, Port Moresby.
Tufi Cultural Show -- Tufi from the 9th to the 11th of June.
Sepik Iron Man Competition. The competition is an annual triathlon
event held in the East Sepik Province between the scenic Wewak Hill
and along the picturesque Meni Beachfront - 11th of June 2006.
Lukim PNG Nau Expo -- From the 16th to the 18th of June at the Holiday
Inn in Port Moresby.
National Tourism Conference to be held at the Holiday Inn -- 19th of
June 2006
Tolai Warwagira -- from the 5th to the 11th of July.
42nd PNG Medical Symposium will be held in Madang from the 4th to the
8th of September 2006 -- http://www.medsymp.org.pg
PNG 31st Independence Anniversary - 16th September 2006
Kiwi Ball - The fabulous ball held by the Kiwi's will be held on the
28th October this year. This year the New Zealanders hope to have a
five-piece band to entertain the crowd.
PNG Media
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