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PNG in the News
Ex-deputy PM Belden Namah left out of PNG cabinet -- http://giaman.com/pg/?38e0e6
PNG parliament unconstitutional - Namah -- http://www.skynews.com.au/politics/article.aspx?id=779015
O'Neill invited to form PNG govt -- http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8508974/oneill-invited-to-form-png-govt
Rotarians Against Malaria Casts Wide Net Against Malaria -- http://giaman.com/pg/?8d8aef
Somare + O'Neill = Gov't? -- http://shareholdersunite.com/mybb/showthread.php?tid=1170
Pacific Institute of Public Policy -- http://www.facebook.com/pacificpolicy
Report released into PNG chopper crash -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a4b618
Misc PNG
Landowner Company Wins Ramu Nico Road Contract -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3bc3bc
Power station deal on -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120727/news03.htm
Mt Hagen Cultural Show -- http://www.png-tourism.com/png-tours/mt-hagen-cultural-show/13.html
Port Moresby Mosque review -- http://www.zabihah.com/d/Port-Moresby+30446+Port-Moresby-Mosque
Shell says in talks to buy into InterOil's PNG assets -- http://giaman.com/pg/?c98076
Goroka Cultural Show -- http://www.png-tourism.com/png-tours/goroka-cultural-show/14.html
Air Niugini Limited (PXPNG) on Twitter -- https://twitter.com/PXPNG
World War II Japanese film footage from Rabaul -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a4178e
Send money Pacific -- http://www.sendmoneypacific.org
Air Niugini 767 taxing to Brisbane 19 -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/shebalso/7645777226/
PNG Warrior, Kick Boxing -- http://pngwarrior.com/tag/wewak-kickboxing-association
PNG Sustainable Development Fund -- http://www.pngsdp.com
Introducing the 'World's Dullest Culture' -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9fba7e
PNG Blogs
When I was a Game Show Contestant in Port Moresby -- http://giaman.com/pg/?479ad5
The Port Moresby kids who inspire me -- http://giaman.com/pg/?718d4b
Next Stop Wewak, Madang & Lae -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3db113
President & Sis. Kaufusi travel to Mt. Hagen -- http://giaman.com/pg/?2df1a7
Loujaya Toni keeps the Lae fire alive -- http://giaman.com/pg/?da3408
Singapore - Port Moresby Flight -- http://giaman.com/pg/?776080
Seen in Madang -- http://giaman.com/pg/?d06f44
Alotau -- http://blessingsandbubbles.blogspot.com/2012/07/alotau.html
No engine for 3 days, returning to Rabaul -- http://www.sailblogs.com/member/yarramundi/?xjMsgID=234869
The best way to stuff a chicken? -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ffcfc9
PNG Images
Full size photo of Air Niugini P2-PXD Boeing 737-7L9 Sydney. New aircraft type and special livery "Kokoda 70" for Air Niugini -- http://giaman.com/pg/?665424
Lutheran Missionary Photos - Thomas Slone was kind enough to send me the following info a while ago.
Hi, here are some recently posted Lutheran missionary photos of PNG:
-- http://www.flickr.com/photos/elcaarchives/sets/72157621675850131
-- http://www.flickr.com/photos/elcaarchives/sets/72157607161488058
-- http://www.flickr.com/photos/elcaarchives/tags/png/
News Items
New PM
PNG has elected a new Prime Minister, Peter Charles Paire O'Neill, hopefully ending some of the chaos ending a bitter, yearlong power struggle between the new leader and his predecessor Sir Michael Somare. O'Neill won with support from an overwhelming 94 of the nation's 111 members of parliament. There were no other nominees for the post. O'Neill's former deputy, Belden Namah, a former military officer who in May led soldiers and police into the nation's courts to arrest the chief justice for alleged sedition, now becomes the main opposition leader.
O'Neill becomes the country's ninth Prime Minister. Member for Finschafen, Theo Zurenuoc has been elected to be the Speaker of Parliament. He won by an overwhelming majority of 88 votes to 17 over MP Francis Marus (from Talasea) in a secret ballot.
An earlier attempt by Tom Olga and Sam Basil to prevent parliament from electing a Speaker failed.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?54c2c5
Timber Sell-Off Revealed
a Greenpeace report says the former Somare government introduced a controversial concession that allegedly accelerated deforestation of its tropical forests and gave away a potential $US23 billion in carbon-trading rights to foreign interests. The political time-bomb that awaits PNG's new government, in a report by Greenpeace Australia Pacific gives details of how a new type of concession introduced by the Somare government in 2003 called Special Agricultural and Business Leases has hastened the deforestation of the country.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?f5bf3e
Mount Hagen Show
The Mt Hagen Show is on from the 11th to the 12th of August. On average there are only around 300 visitors from overseas that get to experience the show each time it is held. The shows roots are in colonial times when the Europeans sought to reduce tribal fighting by channelling inter-tribal rivalry through competitions for the best cultural performance. Today, the tribal groups compete for cash prizes along with honour and glory.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?9c1b40
Party Swapping
Papua New Guinea's Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates says this week he will make a ruling on a bid to switch political party allegiance by a candidate expected to win the West Sepik regional seat.
Although leading the count to become the new West Sepik Governor, Amkat Mai, has announced his decision to shift from the Triumph Heritage Empowerment party to the PNG Party, even before the conclusion of counting.
-- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=69764
Amet Loses Seat
Former Attorney General Sir Arnold Amet has lost his Madang provincial seat to Jim Kas. Mr Kas is a former one-term Governor of Madang and his win on preference votes brings the number of seats that the PNG Party has won to eight while Sir Arnold's party, the National Alliance, has won five.
New Britain Palm Purchase
New Britain Palm Oil Limited has acquired Vitroplant Orangerie Bay Limited for a cash consideration of USD4,432,500. Vitroplant holds 99 year state leases located in Central Province covering a total area of 5,351 hectares with environmental permits issued from the Department of Environment and Conservation for oil palm plantation development.
New Britain Palm Oil is one of the world's largest fully integrated producers of sustainable palm oil.
-- http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120723-701401.html
Traditional Fishers
Traditional Fishermen from PNG villages close to Australia, that are entitled to fish in Australian waters, are in the process of having their boats labelled to help Australian officials identify legitimate border crossers / fishers. Australian authorities have recently travelled to the traditional fishing villages of Parama, Kadawa and Katatai in PNG to put the first labels on boats.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?656b69
Barras Win
The PNG Barramundis wrapped up the Air Niugini cricket series trophy by defeating Hong Kong in front of a capacity crowd at Amini Park in the National Capital recently.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120724/sport06.htm
Smartraveller Advisory
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller advisory service has issued an updated Travel Advice for PNG. The advice includes new information in the Summary and under Safety and security parts of the advice. Briefly: Civil unrest/political tension (tensions following the release of election results could fuel potentially violent, armed confrontations with security forces or between opposing candidates and their supporters). The overall level of the advice has not changed.
-- http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Papua_New_Guinea
Recall Aussie Diplomat
Former deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah says Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish should be recalled after he attended a state ceremony where Peter O'Neill was invited to form the next government. Mr Namah said "Kemish's presence is a breach of protocol". The Australian High Commission said the attendance of Mr Kemish and Deputy High Commissioner Margaret Adamson followed assurances from Government House and the PNG electoral commission.
-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belden_Namah
Air Niugini
Air Niugini has advised the travelling public there will be amendments to the current schedule for the Port Moresby to Brisbane flight and an extra Port Moresby to Singapore flight will commence shortly making a total of five direct flights a week to Singapore.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120803/business03.htm
The airline has reduced the amount it charges as a fuel surcharge on international and domestic routes as a result of a drop in the price of crude oil on the world market.
Airlines PNG
Airlines PNG has been awarded the ESSO Highxs Limited (EHL) Special Project Mangers Safety Award for 2012. The CEO of the airline, Gary Toomey, said they are delighted with this award and take great pride in it on behalf of all the staff that has tirelessly followed the Airline Safety program.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?44a62e
Nortons Rent-a-Car
Nationally owned Nortons Rent-a-Car has recently purchased 25 new Land Cruisers from Ela Motors to add to its existing fleet of vehicles. The vehicles will be used in the city with a view to one or two of them being sent elsewhere around the country to meet customer demand.
A Week in PNG Politics
Three former prime ministers, Sir Michael Somare, Sir Julius Chan and Paias Wingti, have pledged support for caretaker prime minister and People's National Congress party leader Peter O'Neill. It was so long ago that the headlines were reporting Sir Michael as wanting to have O'Neill charged!
Peter O'Neill has announced that he will lead the next government with the support of his former bitter leadership rival Sir Michael Somare, hopefully ending a year of political chaos in the country.
Djoko Tjandra's Empire
The suspect in the case of the Bank Bali's transfer of the right to collect, Djoko Soegiarto Tjandra, is believed to have huge assets and large businesses in Papua New Guinea (PNG), which may explain that the Mulia Group's boss did not merely flee Indonesia to seek mere refuge in PNG.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?f8c4b2
Former Indonesian Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra has denied reports that he helped graft fugitive Djoko Tjandra obtain Papua New Guinean citizenship.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?033ae2
Minor Oil Spill
The country's biggest oil and gas producer has halted loading at one of its offshore terminals because of a minor oil spill. Oil Search says there was a "minor incident" while oil was being loaded onto a tanker at its Kumul Marine Terminal in the Gulf of Papua.
Telikom PNG
Telikom PNG renewed its contract for satellite capacity on NSS-9 at 183 deg E and on NSS-6 at 95 deg E for GSM network support across PNG. In total, Telikom PNG currently contracts more than 100 MHz in capacity with SES.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c221f1
Disappearing Butterfly
The world's largest butterfly boasts a 30cm (1ft) wingspan - imagine the width of a normal school ruler - yet few outsiders in its rainforest home in Oro province in northern PNG have ever seen it and it may just disappear before many outsiders get to see it. Queen Alexandra's have lost much of their range across Oro province's coastal plain and are now condensed into a small stronghold on a remote plateau called Managalas. The butterfly's habitat is being destroyed by oilpalm expansion and coffee and cocoa growing.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?06e0bd
IEA Graduation
260 students have graduated from the International Education Agency's TAFE College at Ela Beach in the National Capital. This is the 8th graduation ceremony for the college.
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.
Madang Sevens -- 17th to the 18th of August in Madang. -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120724/sport11.htm
Mt Hagen Show - 11th and 12th of August 2012
48th PNG Medical Symposium - 2nd to the 7th of September. Gateway Hotel, Port Moresby
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/
Imotiva Kokoda 2012, Walk for a Cause - 9th October 2012 -- http://thelukeadamsfoundation.org.au/?p=580
IOTA tour -- 19th October to the 4th November 2012 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?7fb078 -- http://www.p29ni.yolasite.com
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 18th 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 -- ../misc/ctc.html
PNG Media
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