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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Olympic News Items
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200808/s2328096.htm -- Team PNG greeted in Beijing
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200808/s2331015.htm -- PNG's Pini swims PB in 200m freestyle
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080815/sport01.htm -- Pini splashes into semi-final. Ryan has now qualified for the final of the 100m Butterfly due to be run today (16 Aug) at around midday PNG time. He is now officially rated in the top ten in the world for the 100m Butterfly.
http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/countries/photos/zoom/-/4870312/PNG -- PNG flag bearer - Pini
http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/athletes?l=&c=PNG&s=&x=10&y=11 -- PNG team
Blogs About PNG
http://giaman.com/pg/?d66102 -- Useless Internet Stuff
http://giaman.com/pg/?22eb6b -- Leading academic heads Qld planning group
http://giaman.com/pg/?a7afb9 -- Galip nut development gains momentum
http://giaman.com/pg/?2f8921 -- 60th Anniversary of The Madang Club
PNG in the News
PNG, Australia Joining Forces to Fight Bee Mite Threat -- http://giaman.com/pg/?af79de
Sir Julius Chan has said "The difference between Robert Mugabe (president of Zimbabwe) and Papua New Guinea is that Mugabe assumed dictatorship powers whereas in PNG, they are legalised throughout the grace period". See -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/081508/nation1.php -- for the full news item.
PNG's Economy Is Booming, But What Of Villagers? -- http://giaman.com/pg/?199387
UNICEF strives to help Papua New Guinea break cycle of violence -- http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/papuang_45211.html
Footy 'a running man's game' - Triple-premiership defender Mal Michael will retire at the end of this year from Australian Rules Football -- http://afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=65588
Misc Links
http://www.pngtourism.org.pg/ -- Official web site of the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority
http://www.brianbell.com.pg/ -- Brain Bell
http://www.umw.com.pg/ -- UMW PNG
http://www.allcompng.com.pg/ -- Allcom PNG
News Items
Migrate to Australia?
http://business-visas-australia.com/ -- If you are thinking of migrating to Australia then I can highly recommend this web site run by an extremely professional PNG woman who offers professional guidance through the Australian Business Visa Maze. If you have ever dealt with the Aussie High Comm in Port Moresby then you know how difficult navigating through all the forms and procedures can be.
Jail Officers Suspended
Two sergeants, two security officers and three ordinary staff members at the Bomana jail just outside Port Moresby have been suspended allegedly over their part in the escape of wanted criminal William Kapis Nanua in 2005. A curfew from 9pm to 6am has been imposed at the jail. Forty extra officers have been brought in from around the country to help existing warders following the recapture of Mr Kapis and his accomplices.
A Port Moresby Taxi driver, who is alleged to be in possession of K65,000 from the Kerema and Madang Bank South Pacific robberies, has appeared before the Waigani Committal court.
Prisoners Strike
Over 200 remandees at Buimo jail in Lae, Morobe province have gone on a hunger strike in protest about the prolonged delays in being brought before the courts. Despite the strike the acting Buimo jail commander, Supt Simon Lakeng has said the warders would continue to provide meals three times a day for the remandees. Convicted prisoners are not participating in the strike.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/081508/nation5.php
Miss PNG Quest
The 2008 Miss PNG Red Cross quest crowning has been scheduled for the 29th of October. The announcement by the PNG Red Cross Society chairman Prof Winston Jacobs was made recently during the official launch of the Miss Ox and Palm 2008 entrant Vinia Genia, who is being sponsored by Hugo Cannery.
Last years quest was cancelled due to cyclone Guba in Oro province. Confirmed entrants are Miss Milne Bay, Miss Oro, Miss Goroka and Miss Ox and Palm.
for a list of previous winners of the quest please visit -- http://michie.net/pnginfo/missredx.html
Rabaul
The town of Rabaul is suffering worse visibility problems than what has been reported at the Olympic Games. In the last two to three weeks the town has been severely affected with the accumulation of ash fallout from the active Mt Tavurvur volcano. People living in the area have been affected by the heavy ash fall that has been covering their homes, food gardens and cash crops.
Finance Probe
Chairman of the commission looking into the Finance Department, Maurice Sheehan, is still waiting on the K13 million promised by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare in May. The commission has three months remaining to finalise a report for the Prime Minister to present to Parliament.
Festival of Pacific Arts
The 10th Festival of Pacific Arts was recently held in American Samoa from the 22nd of July to the 2nd of August 2008. Here is a web site about the Festival -- http://pacartsas.com/ -- Photos can be found here -- http://pacartsas.com/pictures/pictures_home.htm
Around PNG Trip
See the final report on a trip by canoe around the coast of the mainland of PNG -- http://www.expeditionclass.com.au/august/ -- see also - Tasmanian reflects on kayak adventure -- http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/09/2329780.htm?site=northtas
see also -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/081408/nation11.php
Albert Kipalan
Sir Albert Ango Kipalan has passed away at the age of 51. He was from Teremanda in Wabag, Enga province. Hundreds of people including his family, relatives and friends packed the St Joseph Catholic cathedral to pay tribute to Sir Albert. The Governor General, Sir Paulias Matane has passed his condolences to the three wives and nine children of Sir Albert.
Prof Renagi Lohia (CBE, OBE, PhD) has also died. See -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/081508/nation9.php
Commonwealth Secretary General
After an unexpected delay in Singapore, due to defective airport equipment in Port Moresby causing the PX aircraft to be delayed, the Commonwealth secretary general, Kamalesh Sharma, has paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare. Sir Michael said they discussed issues of relevance to the Commonwealth and the Pacific region.
Mr Sharma is visiting PNG, Australia, New Zealand and Niue for the Pacific Island Forum Summit and it will be his first attendance at the summit as Commonwealth secretary general.
The Minister for Culture and Tourism in the PNG Government, Charles Abel, has said that the national flag carrier Air Niugini is a major impediment to tourism development in the country. Mr Abel said rising fuel prices, poor infrastructure like roads, airports and wharves, bad publicity and law and order problems were also hampering tourism in the country. Air Niugini is owned by the government of PNG and the government is responsible for the maintaining the infrastructure.
Sporting Web Sites
Here are some of the sporting web sites - do you know of another?
Aussie Rules -- http://www.afl-png.com
Game fishing -- http://www.gfa.com.pg
Motor Sports -- http://www.spmsc.org.pg
Rugby League -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_league_in_Papua_New_Guinea
Soccer (football) -- http://www.pngfootball.com.pg
Surfing -- http://www.surfingpapuanewguinea.org.pg
Swimming -- http://pnginfo.net/basc
Yachting and Boating -- http://www.rpyc.com.pg
The Motor Sports Club also has sub-pages dealing with -- go karting, snooker, game fishing and speedway. Visit the -- http://www.spmsc.org.pg -- web site and navigate from there.
Copra Trading
http://www.islandsbusiness.com -- reports the copra trade is flourishing again in the coastal islands around Madang and neighbouring provinces. The revival of the copra trade has been made possible by the introduction of two copra barges by the coconut oil exporter Coconut Oil Production Madang Limited (COPM).
see -- http://giaman.com/pg/?c1e6d5
InterOil Profit
InterOil has reported a net profit of US$15.6 Million for the quarter ended the 30th of June 2008.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/081508/biz1.php
Kokoda Mishap
A Melbourne women, rescued from near death along the Kokoda Trail by a US Navy helicopter and flown to the USNS Mercy, is doing well. Debra Paver, 44, from the south-eastern city of Melbourne fell unconscious while walking the historic track recently. Luckily for her the USNS Mercy was already in the area as reported in a recent Newsletter so the rescue was relatively quick although the helicopter had difficulty landing in the confined area of the track.
see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080813/news02.htm
also - 17,500 patients treated by Mercy -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080815/news03.htm
The hospital ship Mercy is anchored off the coast of Port Moresby in support of Pacific Partnership 2008, a humanitarian civic assistance mission to Southeast Asia and Oceania. Over 200 free surgical operations have been performed onboard the ship.
Aussie Rules
The team for the AFL National Cup to be held in Melbourne has been announced during a fundraising sweepstake at the Aviat Club in Port Moresby recently. The 2008 Telikom Mosquitoes squad includes 13 Port Moresby based players, nine Australian based players, four players from Lae, three from West New Britain and one from Mt Hagen.
The Mosquitoes are: Rex Leka, Joe Ila, Joe Ila, John James, Willy Aisi, Desmond Nalong, Augustin Bede, Elijah Barowai, Slyvester Mangoea, Boas Keu, Alois Baleko, David Evertius,Emas Wartova, Zahcery Rava, Peter Milaure, Desmond Waluka, Jimmy Logha, Stanis Susuve, Amua Pirika, Peter Labi, Mesa Dorogori, Raga Raga, Overa Gibson, Donald Barry, Alisair Sioni, Henry Henry, John Vincent, Bruce Savara, Emmanuel Tupia, Niki Appamumu, Ali Pinda.
Emergency reserves are: Seanan Carby, David Meli, Jonny Vogoe, and Tienan Carby.
Also - 50,000 smiles for Mosquitoes -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080815/sport04.htm
PNG Fire Services
The Post Courier has reported that firemen are being paid on a casual basis and that they are not as full time public servants.
See -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080813/news04.htm -- for full story
PNG-Aussie Military Exercise
The annual PNG and Australian defence force partnership exercise PukPuk has been launched at Murray Barracks in Port Moresby. Fifty-five Australian military engineers and 23 PNGDF engineers will be engaged in infrastructure renovation at Murray and Taurama Barracks for six weeks. The joint engineering exercise will renovate the Murray Barracks chapel, two single soldiers' accommodation blocks and see the building of a module classroom for the Ted Diro elementary school.
Inter School Fight
Two students from De La Salle High School have been arrested by police after an inter-school fight at the busy Gordon market bus stop in Port Moresby which saw a student from Gordon Secondary admitted to the Port Moresby General Hospital with knife wounds. After the fight broke out police patrol units intervened and fired warning shots to disperse the students before detaining and arresting the two students. It is expected that both schools will suspend classes so that a peace ceremony can be conducted.
see - schools talk truce -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080815/news01.htm
Medical Symposium
The Minister for Forests and MP for Vanimo Green, Belden Namah, has donated K50,000 towards the 44th Medical Symposium to be held in Rabaul next month at Vudal University from Sept 1-5. The theme of this year's symposium will be "Strategic health planning for the future".
Border Closed
The border between Indonesia and PNG at the Wutung border post has been closed to traditional border crossers and only passport holders would be allowed to travel back and forth. The tough stance has been taken in response to increased illegal activities in the area.
Chief Justice
Sir Mari Kapi, the Chief Justice of PNG, is expected to formally retire from the judiciary at the end of the month for health reasons. He is the third PNG chief justice. The first was Sir Buri Kidu (deceased) and the second was current Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet. Sir Mari's impending retirement falls five years short of his 10-year tenure.
Coming Events
This weekend -- 47th Mt Hagen cultural show at the Kagamuga show ground.
30th August, Casino Night at the Aviat Club in Port Moresby.
Goroka Show held on the 13th and 14th of September 2008. See -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ff9344
PNG Tourism Expo -- September
Hiri Moale Festival -- September
PNG Independence Day Celebrations -- 16th September
16th September - NBC to launch its National TV Station.
Medical Symposium. The symposium will be held at Vudal University from the 1st to the 5th of September. -- http://www.medsymp.org.pg
Morobe Show -- 18th and 19th of October -- the Show is held on the weekend closest to the full moon in the month of October each year in Lae, Morobe Province. -- http://www.morobeshow.org.pg
Milne Bay Canoe Festival -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ab7f63 -- always held during the first weekend in November.
2008 Kokoda Reunion Dinner - Friday, 7 November 2008 - Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney.
Anti Corruption Day - 9th December 2008
34th GFA PNG National - Game Fishing Titles Madang - 3rd April to 13th April 2009 -- http://www.gfa.com.pg/
Arafura Games - 9 to 17th of May 2009 -- http://www.arafuragames.nt.gov.au/
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - use the submission form located at -- http://www.png-gossip.com/misc/ctc.html.
PNG Media
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