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PNG in the News
Parliament has no powers to defer election, says O’Neill -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/31842
PM making contradictory statements on elections -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=67722
PNG's deputy PM says party ready for mid-year poll -- http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201204/3488859.htm
PNG children in sex work -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/31659
Five cops charged -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/31628
Cop praises city public -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120425/news01.htm
Plot to kill sorcerers -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120425/news18.htm
Minister slams attack on Lange -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120425/news09.htm
RAB Queen Overloaded -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/31916
Media freedom watchdog condemn attack on PNG journalist -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e46ee8
Death in childbirth rising -- http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=45877
Spy twins' top-secret war -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0b8e93
Misc PNG Links
Asian Development Bank -- http://www.adb.org/countries/papua-new-guinea/main
PNG Sustainable Development Program -- http://pngsdp.com
IT Job Training Centre -- http://www.itjc.com
Used Cars -- http://www.usedcarspng.com
Boroko Motors -- http://www.boroko-motors.com
PNG Defence Force - http://www.defence.gov.pg
Cloudy Bay Timber - http://www.cloudybaytimber.com.pg
Thread Needle Embroidery -- http://www.threadneedlemb.com
PNG Embroidery -- http://www.pngembroidery.com
Memories of Port Moresby's Drive-In theatre -- http://members.optusnet.com.au/~p.berrett/drivein/png.html
Travellers Concessions -- http://www.customs.gov.pg/03_travellers/4_traveller_concessions/1_travellers_concessions.php
Need a shipping container? -- http://www.tradecorppng.com
PNG Images
Madang - 1996 -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/57597477@N03/7109050925/
Rabaul Volcano -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Her8njlGtQI
Air Niugini - P2-ANO -- http://giaman.com/pg/?6f277e(br />
News Items
Election Dates
The following dates have been put forward for the 2012 elections.
Issue of Writs - 18th May
Close of Nominations - 24th May
Polling commences - 23rd June
Polling finishes - 6th July
Return of Writs - on or before 27th July
The Electoral Commissioner, Andrew Trawen, has urged Parties and Candidates to observe the new dates. The government is questioning the legality of the appointment of the Electoral Commissioner as they say he was past the official age of retirement when he was appointed.
Rabaul Queen Enquiry
The enquiry into the sinking of the Rabaul Queen has heard that three RD Fishing boats had to seek shelter in coves along the coast and suspend fishing operations due to the bad weather when the Rabaul Queen sank. The fishing vessels are made to be tough as they are meant to be at sea in rough weather for long periods of time with no coast line in site but the three vessels equipped with long range weather equipment opted for the safety of the coast.
The enquiry has also heard the ship was grossly overloaded and listing to one side with life jackets locked away and difficult to get at. It has also been mentioned that the rescue efforts by the PNG authorities was very poor. Many of the survivors were rescued by International Merchant Ships and not by PNG rescue authorities.
Pacific Dawn
The cruise ship, Pacific Dawn, is set to visit Milne Bay in 2013. The ship, operated by P&O Cruises Australia, will visit Alotau, Doini Island and the Trobriand Islands during a nine-night cruise from Brisbane on the 31st of October 2013.
National Health Plan
The National Health Plan from 2011 through to 2020 was launched last year and will need K14.17 million to transform health service delivery in the country. 2012 will be the first year of full health sector implementation against the health plan and provinces and the National Department of Health are ensuring that annual planning is linked to the high level objectives of the plan. It is anticipated that 2012 will be the first year where declining health services and health outcomes will be reversed.
Rural Airstrips
Captain Michael Butler of Sunbird Aviation an aviation company wholly owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Vanimo said PNG has a good network of airstrips which could be used for the distribution of all government services including health and education. However, over the last 20 years, the maintenance of these rural strips has been lacking resulting in the closure of a large percentage of them. Many others are in a poor and dangerous condition. The decline started in the 1990's when maintenance of the airstrips was handed over from the National Govt. to the provincial Govts.
Capt Butler said he knew of 140 airstrips that once had regular air services in the 1980's and now they do not. This has resulted in the needless death of thousands of Papua New Guineans.
LNG Structures
The main Cryogenic Heat Exchanger at the PNG LNG Site has been raised into place and is now standing 54 metres high. The exchanger, often describe as the heart of the project, will convert the temperature of gas down to 160 degrees Celsius turning it into a liquid ready for transportation to overseas markets aboard tankers. The first export of gas is expected to commence in 2014.
Kenu Festival
November 2nd t the 4th is the date set for the annual Kenu (Canoe) and Kundu Festival held in Alotau. The main sponsor of the event is the Bank South Pacific (BSP) and has been for the last three years. This sponsorship comes to an end this year and it is hoped it will be renewed. The bank has paid out K75,000 over the past three years. A Corporate Dinner Fundraiser has been scheduled for the 2nd of June in Port Moresby.
Next Prime Minister
Forget the debate as to whether Somare or O'Neill is the real Prime Minister it looks like there could be 109 possible people vying for the position of PNG PM after the elections unless of course the present government legislates against the elections or something similar.
Agricultural Show
The 2012 PNG National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is hosting the annual Agricultural Innovation Show at the Air Alkan Tololo Research Centre just outside Lae at 10 Mile on the 4th of May. The event will focus on the theme "Investing in Innovation Agriculture for Prosperity". The show this year will involve demonstrations and displays of materials and technologies.
-- http://www.nari.org.pg
Blackhawk Emergency
An Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter has had to make an emergency landing while preparing for Anzac Day commemorations in Papua New Guinea. The Army says an engine fault caused the helicopter to land at the Kokoda airstrip.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c0cf03
Community Health Post
The Community Health Post will help to phase out the Aid Post system by 2050. The Community Health Post is intended to be a one-stop shop for health services at the community level.
New Gecko
The bumblebee gecko on PNG's Manus Island, possibly the new species' only home. The latest buzz in the reptile world is a new "bumblebee" gecko species discovered in Papua New Guinea. Dubbed Nactus kunan - kunan meaning "bumblebee" in the local Nali language - the black-and-gold striped animal belongs to a genus of slender-toed geckos, a new study says.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?111f5b
Sea Floor Mine
Remote-controlled robots will drill for sulphide deposits 5250 feet below sea level on the rocky ocean bed near PNG. Located about 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of New Britain's port city of Rabaul, Solwara 1 is a deposit of what is known as "sea-floor massive sulphides" - rocks containing high grades of copper, gold, zinc and silver.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?837a0d
New Anti-Malarial
A new method of treating malaria has been launched by the Health Minister and will replace current procedures. The treatment comes with a rapid diagnosis test that will be made available at all health facilities in PNG. The treatment is a combination of artemether and lumefantrine and is to be administered after a positive malaria blood test.
Malaria affects 90% of the PNG population.
Central Aviation
Central Aviation has taken delivery of its fourth aircraft from Pacific Aerospace in New Zealand. (PAC-750). The aircraft was purchased about 1 month ago and is a single- propeller aircraft powered by a turbo engine and can carry eight people and 1100kg of cargo.
Pacific Aerospace -- http://www.extol.com
Cops vs Cops
Three members of the police Air Transport Unit and two from the mobile squad from the Highlands flown down from Mt Hagen to help keep law and order in the city of Port Moresby have recently attacked police serving in Port Moresby. The attack has shocked senior officers of the police force. National Capital police have threatened to close all police stations in the city if their grievances over the assault are not addresses adequately.
Walk Against Corruption
The annual Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption is scheduled for the 27th of May in Port Moresby. The walk is expected to raise almost K100,000. The walk this year will be led by Dame Carol Kidu and the theme is "It's time to Wake Up"! PNG. 44 Corporate teams and 35 school teams have registered for the event.
TV Programming
One of the questions that I get asked frequently is - "what sort of television do you watch?"
I'll list some of the stations that we are able to receive. Along with local TV stations EmTV (http://www.emtv.com.pg) and the NBC run Kundu service residents of Port Moresby also have access to over 100 satellite broadcasters though -- http://www.hitron.com.pg -- such as -
HBO (br />
Cinemax (br />
National Geographic (br />
Star Movies (br />
Star World (br />
Star Sports (br />
BBC (br />
Country Music (br />
Cartoon Channel (br />
Discovery Channel (br />
Hallmark (br />
ESPN (br />
etcetera (br />
Australian Channels (ABC, GWN, SBS, Central)
No matter how many channels you have access to you still can't find anything decent to watch!
Coming Events
Note: please verify any date mentioned as dates change and events can sometimes get cancelled. Of course I may also put down a wrong date.
Morobe Golf Open - 24th - 29th April
PNG Federation of Savings and Loans Society AGM - 3rd May at the Madang Resort Hotel.
Oil Search AGM - 8th May at the Crowne Plaza
2012 Milne Bay Critter & Adventure Expeditions with Bob Halstead & Graham Abbott(br />
Milne Bay-Critters-Milne Bay: 1st May 2012 to 13th May 2012(br />
Alotau-Adventure Diving-Kimbe Bay: 15th May 2012 to 30th May 2012(br />
-- http://diving4images.com/trips/milne-bay-critter-cruises
South Pacific Export PNG Golf Open - May 2012?
Walk Against Corruption -- 27th May 2012
National Elections - Scheduled for June 2012 - when will they be held?
Solomon Islands welcomes you to the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts -- http://www.festival-pacific-arts.org.sb. -- from 1st to 14th July 2012
Mt Hagen Show - 11th and 12th of August 2012
Samarai and Milne Bay Reunion - Rydges Oasis Resort, Caloundra, Australia between the 7th and 9th of September 2012 -- http://www.loosenuts.com.au/www/index.php -- http://www.facebook.com/groups/121192744602253/
Fifth PNG Games, Kokopo, East New Britain - 17th to 30th November 2012
Pacific Mini Games - Wallis and Futuna 2013
2013 Pacific Netball Series (hosted by Fiji)
Full Pacific Games - PNG 4th July to 18 July 2015 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?081f78
Pacific Mini Games - Vanuatu 2017
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - Use the submission form located at -- http://www.pnggossip.com/misc/ctc.html
PNG Media
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