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PNG News Links
Calls for Goroka hospital board to be removed -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=76223 -- see also -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=76214
Cairns renews Lae sister city ties -- http://giaman.com/pg/?099b01
Indonesian shot by PNG soldiers -- http://giaman.com/pg/?70d0c4
PNG's PM threatens Finance Department -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0d5afc
PNG pulls plug on joint venture talks with NZ -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=76210
Long running PNG land suit successful -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=76152
PNG likely to pull out of PACER Plus -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3d7d0f
PNG company to recruit Fijians -- http://giaman.com/pg/?d87192
Kokopo Kickboxing Deferred -- http://www.emtv.com.pg/sports-app/item/kokopo-kickboxing-deferred
Rugby Talent in Goroka Vast and Impressive -- http://giaman.com/pg/?63102e
PNG reviews tax regime -- http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=234172
Misc. Links
PNG Mine Watch -- http://ramumine.wordpress.com
Remains thought to be lost Diggers -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0748dc
Boroko -- http://giaman.com/pg/?c799a2
PNG Cultural Events -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f6f288
PNG Images
Lae cassowary -- http://furkl.com/lae-cassowary/
Safe Cities Part 2 -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko1syIYHqgI
Kokopo Kickboxing deferred - YouTube -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3txMtg1FI0
Underwater view of PNG -- http://twitpic.com/csq277
Ox and Palm -- http://giaman.com/pg/?2c00d1
News Items
Kokoda Track
On the 19th of May 2013 PNG Trekking Adventures in conjunction with BNG Trading Ltd embarked on the third phase of delivering wood fired ovens to villages along the Kokoda track. The lucky villages to receive ovens this time are Kovello, Isurava and Alolo.
-- https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=630733943621948
Air Niugini B757
The national airline has taken delivery of B757-200, TF-FIW (msn 24838), on wet-lease from Icelandair. Despite their geographical distance, Air Niugini has become a prolific customer of Icelandair's jets with two of the Icelandic carrier's B767-300s, P2-PXV (msn 30341) and P2-PXW (msn 25365), currently based out of Port Moresby on dry-lease contracts.
Air Niugini Limited has tweeted - Port Moresby to Bali - direct flights commencing August!!
New Apostolic Nuncio
Pope Francis has named Archbishop Michael W. Banach the apostolic nuncio in Papua New Guinea. Archbishop Banach previously served as nuncio in the nearby Solomon Islands.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?ecb9b7
Eremas Wartoto in Court
Eremas Wartoto has recently appeared in a Port Moresby court charged with two offences - conspiracy to defraud and false pretence - regarding the use of a government grant of more than $4.6 million (US$2 million) to set up an airline.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?029557
Rotary Kiama Helps
Several Rotary club members from Kiama in Australia have arrived in Madang with a container of goods containing many items that will help Rotary Madang members. While in Madang the Aussie Rotary team members will visit a school in Brahman, where the Kiama Club has previously built a girls' dormitory, to determine what other help may be needed.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?0d5955
Cairns
Passenger numbers between Cairns and Port Moresby have more than doubled since 2005, with up to 14 flights operating daily between the destinations. The Cairns Post reports more than 20,000 seats were sold between Cairns and PNG during March; up from 10,000 in July 2004. The figures, recorded between July 2004 and March 2013, average around 10 scheduled flights per day with Airlines PNG, QantasLink and Air Niugini the main operators.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?5689f8
The Cairns Post also reports PNG Holidays commercial manager Andrew Bowes as saying he was looking into the possibility of a connecting flight between Shanghai, Cairns and PNG via Air Niugini.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?fdc551
APNG Invests
According to chief executive, Muralee Siva, Airlines of PNG is investing heavily in safety, engineering, booking systems and customer services to support the increase in direct link services.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?7390f6
PNG Air Freight
Growing demand for air freight capacity to cater to Papua New Guinea's booming resources sector and seafood exports appear to have encouraged carriers Qantas and Skyforce to apply for dedicated freight allocations from the Australian International Air Services Commission.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?673e2d
PNG Opposition
The Opposition numbers in the PNG Parliament has dropped to six with the defection of Kandrian-Gloucester MP Joseph Lelang to the government ranks. He has joined Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's People's National Congress (PNC) Party, boosting its strength to 46 MPs.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/50335
Usino-Bundi Seat
The Madang National Court yesterday ordered a recount of the ballot papers polled in the 2012 national elections for the Usino Bundi seat.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20130517/news12.htm
5-Mile to Erima Road
The yet to be used 5-Mile to Erima Road has collapsed. The collapsed section is at the back of Ponderosa Hotel towards the Erima junction.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/50326
Ramu Mine
Chinese operator of the Ramu nickel laterite mine has reportedly spun off 14 mine-related businesses to landowner companies.
-- http://www.pngindustrynews.net/storyview.asp?storyid=798463445
Ramu mine chief replaced -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a5a496
Qld Rugby League
PNG is a step closer to fielding a team in the Queensland, Australia rugby league competition next year. A final recommendation on the proposal is expected next month.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?0c3281
PNG Power Replaces Cables
PNG Power has replaced a forty year old underground cable with a brand new one at the end of the Nadzab airport. The original cable was laid in 1972. The new cable will ensure the power supply remains uninterrupted.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?76fbba
Bystander Shot
A man has been accidentally shot by intoxicated police officers during a recent sports tournament in Kimbe, West New Britain province.
-- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=76157
North Face 100km
Ramsy Idau, the 2012 winner of the PNG Kokoda Challenge Race has taken part in the 2013 North Face 100km race in the Blue Mountains of Sydney, Australia. Ramsy was not able to finish the race. He was in 83rd place before retiring 25:46 behind the leader. Out of 1022 competitors only 701 finished the race.
-- http://tiktok.biz/northface100/2013/0097
-- http://www.thenorthface100.com.au
Children Sold
Unwanted children in PNG are being sold for as little as K50, given away or even killed, according to the country's social workers.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?eb1738
Queensland Cattle to PNG?
Queensland, Australia Liberal MP Warren Entsch is seeking to export 150,000 head of Australian cattle to PNG using a share of AusAID funding, to help resolve the current emergency cattle feed crisis.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?ea374d
High Achiever Scholarships
A former Catholic priest in PNG is offering high-achieving students the chance to gain a business or political science degree for free in the Philippines. Joseph Chow, who is now a businessman, is funding the new Future Leader Scholarship as a way of continuing his good will in PNG, after he set up schools and medical centres in Milne Bay during his mission work as a priest, Radio New Zealand reports.
-- http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/wn/newsworld.php?id=951032
PNG Trade Fair
Trade Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru said that plans are underway to hold a trade fair in Honiara in July. PNG made products dominate 75% of the Solomon Islands market.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?bc4dcb
PNG Business
David Conn, the chief executive officer of the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce said operating a a business in PNG is a costly exercise but is worth the investment as the country experiences a stable economy and government.
-- http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=234747
Chikungunya Virus
Health authorities in the National Capital District have reported five confirmed cases of chikungunya and three of dengue fever.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/50320
Finance Department Scam
Peter O'Neill has threatened to sack everyone in his finance department over a K71.8 million scam involving top officials and lawyers. This follows on after opposition leader Belden Namah raised a series of questions in Parliament on the payment of K71.8 million by the Finance department to a private law firm between February 2012 and May 2013.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20130523/news02.htm
Police Given Ultimatum
Police Headquarters in Papua New Guinea has given the police in the capital 72 hours to find two high-profile escaped prisoners. One of them, William Kapris, was serving a 34 year sentence for a robbery in Madang and is awaiting trial for two other robberies and the murder of another prisoner.
-- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=76240
Police arrest guard over prison escape -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=76092
PNG police shoot dead prison escapee -- http://giaman.com/pg/?079033
Lealea Water
Lealea villagers will soon have access to clean, fresh water for drinking and cooking at no cost.
The Motuan coastal village, located a few kilometres outside Port Moresby, has a population of more than 5,000 who use four water wells for washing only.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/50309
Isolated Island Prison
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has told Parliament the country's first isolated maximum security prison will be built on Manus. He said the Government saw this as a way of addressing the persistent jail breakouts that were threats to the community.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?9f3a8d
PNG Casinos
Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has told Parliament that the country was not ready to introduce casinos and his government would not allow them to operate in the country.
-- http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=234663
NASFUND SMS Service
The Chief Executive Officer of NASFUND, Ian Tarutia, has announced the Fund's introduction of an innovative SMS service as part of NASFUND's ongoing endeavours to improve member services using mobile technology.
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.
Sir Anthony Siaguru Walk Against Corruption - today 26th May 2013, Jack Pidik Park, 5 Mile
2013 Oceania Cup - June 2013
PNG Trade Fair in Honiara - July 2013
Hiri Moale Festival - July 2013
Pacific Mini Games - Wallis and Futuna 2013
2013 Pacific Netball Series (hosted by Fiji)
East Sepik Crocodile Festival -- 6th - 7th August 2013
Mt. Hagen Cultural Show -- 17th - 18th August 2013
Goroka Show 14th - 15th August 2013 -- http://epictomato.com/inspiration/the-goroka-show-papua-new-guinea
National Canoe & Kundu Festival -- Nov 2013
Christmas Day - 25th December 2013
Boxing Day - 26th December 2013
New Year's Day -- 1st January 2014
Full Pacific Games - PNG 4th July to 18th July 2015 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?081f78
5th Melanesian Festival of Arts - July 2014 -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20130322/news05.htm
Pacific Mini Games - Vanuatu 2017
2018 APEC summit to be held in Port Moresby.
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - Use the submission form located at -- ../misc/ctc.html
PNG Media
Interested in having your own Web Site? Worried about the cost? It may be cheaper than you think. Take a look at pricing at the PNG Web Hosting site. Sites with space for unlimited data storage and data transfer per month start from less than US$5.00 per month. -- DOT COM Domains from US$9.00 per year. All plans come with 24 hour a day / 7 day a week ticket / phone support
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