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PNG in the News
Sir Julius Threatens to Lead Closure of PNG Gold Mine -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f987f7
Wafi gold project in PNG shut down by disgruntled landowners -- http://giaman.com/pg/?5c73d3
Bird-brained in PNG -- http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10542426
PNG Expanding Rice Production to Meet Demand -- http://giaman.com/pg/?370540
Health services fail to cope with cancer increase -- http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=81396
Transparency International PNG applauds crack down on illegal aliens -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9ccefc
PNG Blogs
How PNG can benefit from Blogging - Malum Nalu -- http://giaman.com/pg/?4d000b
Jac & John's PNG Adventure -- http://giaman.com/pg/?771af9
Tidbits from an unmotivated blogger - Trupela.com -- http://giaman.com/pg/?1d17f1
Papua New Guinea by Margaret -- http://marganddiadventures.blogspot.com/2008/11/papua-new-guinea.html
Joel's PNG blog - Life lessons from PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?7254dd
Final Stop in PNG -- http://suziroberts.blogspot.com/2008/11/final-stop-in-png.html
Diving Links
Diving is so popular in PNG that if you use Google, Yahoo or some other search engine you will find plenty of links. Here are a few to save you the trouble but just because a site isn't here doesn't mean it is not good. All diving in PNG is good. Diving in PNG is possible all year round although optimal seasons vary depending on different geographic locations. PNG is one of the last, true frontiers for adventurers and dive enthusiasts.
http://www.madangdiving.org.pg -- Madang Diving
http://www.pngdive.com/AboutPNGDA.htm -- PNG Divers Association
http://www.scubakavieng.com -- Diving in Kavieng
http://www.divediscovery.com/png/ -- PNG Diving
http://www.lissenung.com -- Lissenung Island Resort
http://www.niuginidiving.com -- Niugini Diving
http://www.underwaterphotos.com/tiata2.htm
http://www.cathychurch.com/png.html
http://www.diversionOZ.com/epngdive.htm
http://www.loloata.com -- Loloata Island
http://www.walindi.com -- Walindi Resort
http://www.chertan.com -- MV Chertan
http://www.febrina.com -- MV Febrian
http://www.tawali.com -- Tawali
http://www.tufidive.com -- Tufi Dive
http://www.tufi-experience.com -- Tufi
http://www.telitacruises.com -- MV Telita
http://www.nusaislandretreat.com.pg -- Nusa Island Retreat
http://www.mikeball.com -- MV Paradise Sport
http://www.peterhughes.com -- MV Star Dancer
http://www.mtspng.com -- Melanesian Tourist Services
http://www.mvgoldendawn.com -- MV Golden Dawn
http://www.rapopo.com/ -- Rapopo Plantation Resort
http://www.divecentre.com.pg -- The Dive Centre
http://www.kabairadive.com.pg -- Kabaira Dive Rabaul
http://www.spiritofniugini.com -- MV Spirit of Niugini
http://www.adventuresinparadise.com.pg -- Adventures in Paradise
Misc Links
Kairuku Hiri Home Page -- http://www.kairukuhiri.gov.pg
Pioneer Bible Translators -- http://www.pioneerbible.org.pg/
Interesting location -- http://giaman.com/pg/?81fabe -- For those that know where Korobosea try and find it.
Port Moresby Anglican Church -- http://portmoresby.anglican.org
News Items
World Class
Here is some great news from Sue Robb
Bernice Yeweh, a 45 year old Siwai lady, has for the second year in a row won the Best Attache Sub dealer in the World award. Attache is an accounting and payroll computer package that is used in well over 1000 sites in PNG and the South Pacific islands. It is the most widely used system used in Australia and the South Pacific for middle sized businesses. She is the first non-Australian to win this award and the first woman to win this award.
Changed Flight Schedules
As reported in a previous newsletter Air Niugini has changed its flight schedule as it normally does this time of year. Here is an interesting story about the lengths some people have to go to to reconfirm flights while they are in PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?771af9
The schedule was thrown into total confusion recently when members of the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) stopped work over the Civil Aviation Authority handling of the payment of their accrued entitlements. The dispute meant that Air Niugini's scheduled flight from Manila had to divert to Cairns. Another airline, Pacific Blue, which started its operations in the country recently, also cancelled its flights for safety reasons.
Air Niugini General Manager Marketing, Colin Lyttle, said the cancellation of the flights came after Air Niugini management learned that members of the ATCA refused two proposals offered by the Civil Aviation Authority management. The airline took drastic action in the interests of safety only to learn that the ATCA members were going back to work. This caused more headaches for passengers.
see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20081114/news02.htm
CAA chief executive officer, Joseph Kintau, has assured the striking members that they would be paid their accrued entitlements backdated to 2001 starting next Tuesday (Nov 18) to Nov 30. After being given this assurance the striking workers returned to work.
New Guinea Gold
Army Newspaper Scooped the World -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9c10c7 -- Guinea Gold veterans recall wartime in jungle. "Overcoming incredible production problems, the newspaper came out seven days a week without missing a single day, from November 1942 to June 1946. Its 1,320 days' continuous publication was easily a world record for service publications. At its peak in 1944, it produced 64,000 copies (US edition 37,000, Australian 27,000). Maximum readership was estimated at 800,000.
Fuel Prices
The cost of Petrol and Diesel has dropped around the country. Petrol prices drop by 51 toea a litre to sell at K2.95 a litre and diesel has decreased by 60 toea to sell at K2.56 a litre in Port Moresby. Household users will see a drop of 60 toea a litre for kerosene. It will now sell at K2.49 a litre. Previously the price for petrol was K3.46 a litre, diesel was K3.16 a litre and kerosene was K3.07 a litre.
Will the airlines drop their fuel surcharges?
Bio Fuel
It has been revealed at a cassava harvesting ceremony in Central Rigo, Central Province that bio-fuel has the potential to cut the cost of fuel prices in the country. Cassava is a crop that should be easily cultivated and has less effect on the environment than other crops.
ICC Cricket
PNG will host the International Cricket Council (ICC) East Asia Pacific (EAP) Under 19 Cricket Trophy tournament next year. The tournament will be held from the 1st to the 7th of June and would be used as a qualifying tournament for the ICC Under 19 World Cup to be held in Kenya in 2010.
Chief Justice
Sir Salamo Injia, the current deputy chief justice, has been appointed as the new Chief Justice. He holds a Masters of Law from the prestigious Harvard Law School in the United States. He is currently acting in the position since former Chief Justice Sir Mari Kapi retired on the 31st of August for health reasons. The National Executive Council decision ends months of speculation, with the Post-Courier even suggesting the Government was looking as far away as Africa for the new chief justice.
Cannon Fodder
Unskilled workers from the big village of Hanuabada have been employed to dispense highly dangerous explosives from MV Kokopo Chief at the main wharf in Port Moresby. President of the PNG Maritime and Transport Workers Union John Mahuk said this happened when his workers refused to unload the explosives recently due to the lack of safety and security measures.
Evening School
National Capital District Governor, Powes Parkop, has made a proposal for schools in Port Moresby to operate classes during both the morning and evening. Mr Parkop said students at primary school could attend classes in the first part of the day starting at 8am, while students in secondary schools would have their turn in the second part of the day starting at 2pm, using the same school facilities. Teaching Service Commission chairman, Michael Pearson, backed the proposal, but said the safety of students and teachers must be ensured.
Somehow I think current security problems in National Capital will be a major spanner in the works as well as the desks might be a bit small going from Grade 1 to Grade 12.
Hospital Donations
The PNG Sri Lankan association (Sri Lanka-Papua New Guinea Friendship Foundation Inc) has donated about K15,000 worth of bedding to the paediatric ward at the Port Moresby General Hospital. Seventy pillows, 150 pillow cases and 150 bed sheets were presented to the Minister for Community Development Dame Carol Kidu, POMGH chief executive officer Dr Alphonse Tay, nurses, mothers and children in the ward.
The Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints has donated 50 quilts to the special care nursery at the Port Moresby General Hospital.
Vanimo-Jayapura
The Government has proposed that the official opening of the Wutung-Skouw border posts and the Vanimo-Jayapura road should coincide with the visit next year of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Hiri Queen
19 year old Rere David from Tatana has been crowned the 2008 Hiri Hanenamo Queen in front of crowd at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, Port Moresby. There were 23 young ladies contesting the Hiri Queen title. The contest is part of the Hiri Moale festival usually held around the Independence celebrations in Port Moresby but this year it was delayed until November.
see -- http://www.skerah.com/lagatoi.htm
Arms Cache
A large number of bullets and a gun have been discovered in a police search conducted on a residence owned by an expatriate employed by Paradise Foods Limited. An Australian man has been arrested and charged with possession of an unlicenced firearm and thousands of bullets as well as pornographic material after the raid.
Google or Rain Forests
Sir Michael Somare has said that Google is worth $A150 billion while the world's last great tropical forests, left standing, are worth nothing. How can this be right? Sir Michael said climate change was real and happening in Australia and PNG.
Lissenung Diving
New dive boat for Lissenung! Lissenung Dive Resort is happy and proud to announce the purchase of a new dive boat called "Andiamo". She's a 7.9m Ozycat with a 3m beam. "Andiamo" provides stacks more space than any other day dive boat in Kavieng and is powered by twin Suzuki 4-stroke 140HP outboard engines. She cruises at 20 knots and has a top speed of 28 knots. Carrying up to 10 guests, 2 dive guides and a boat
driver, "Andiamo" offers world-class diving in style and comfort. Lissenung claim that there simply is no other way to dive in Kavieng!
Gambling Ring
The Organised Crime Unit (OCU) has uncovered an organised, illegal gambling network in a home at Six-Mile in Port Moresby. It would seem that the network also had close connections with some members of the police force as confiscated mobile phones showed calls were made to nearby police stations by the gamblers as the raid was underway. While the OCU were at the site with the suspects, two police vehicles from nearby police stations loaded with policemen arrived at the complex and questioned the OCU detectives.
Old Pilots
Air Niugini is looking at enticing PNG pilots back to the country. In fact six former pilots who had worked with foreign airlines had returned due mainly to Air Niugini adopting a single line salary for national and expatriate pilots.
See also - Air Niugini - ibin laik bringim bek ol pailot blong em -- http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/tokpisin/news/stories/200811/s2415928.htm
Air Niugini is expecting to top the one million passenger mark by the end of the year. Air Niugini now has a fleet of one Boeing 767, a B757, an Embraer 190 and an Embraer 145, covering the international routes and six Fokker 100 and eight Dash 8 aircraft covering the domestic network.
The Prime Minister and his son, Arthur, are both under scrutiny for purchasing properties in Cairns, Australia. PNG's Ombudsman Commission said it would investigate to see if Sir Michael
Somare, who bought a AUD $350,000 Cairns apartment, and his son, who spent
AUD $685,000 on a beach side home, had breached the country's leadership code.
see -- http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/07/2413616.htm
Coming Events
Bilum Wear -- will be hosting a PNG Traditional & Cultural Show at the Gateway Hotel Poolside on Saturday 6th December 2008 from 3pm - 10pm -- For more information, contact events coordinator Sharon Sijam on 71994668 or email -- Sharon.sijam@oxpalm.com.pg
Anti Corruption Day - 9th December 2008
Inaugural Madang Golf Classic February 2009 sponsored by Airlines of PNG.
Symposium on Sea Turtles - to be held in Brisbane, Australia between the 17th and 19th of February 2009.
Oceania Snooker and Billiards titles in Port Moresby from the 20th to the 29th of March, 2009
34th Games Fishing Association PNG National Game Fishing Titles - Madang - from the 3rd of April to 13th of April 2009.
Arafura Games - 9 to 17th of May 2009 -- http://www.arafuragames.nt.gov.au/
The International Cricket Council (ICC) East Asia Pacific (EAP) Under 19 Cricket Trophy tournament will be held from the 1st to the 7th of June 2009
5th National Tourism Conference -- June 2009 (date to be confirmed) - to be held at Madang Resort Hotel.
45th Medical Symposium - Port Moresby - sponsored by the Pacific International Hospital from the 1st to the 5th of September 2009
National Elections - June 2012
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - use the submission form located at -- ../misc/ctc.html.
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