Links
If links in the newsletter do not work properly, copy and paste the URL into your browser and press Enter. Be sure to copy the entire link, as it may wrap to the next line. If this still does not work please send an email to the newsletter advising of the broken link.
Do you have a web site or link to a PNG related area on the WWW? If so do you want it mentioned here? Then use the submission form by clicking here
External links - while PNG Gossip Newsletter will not sell your email address to others many links on this web site lead to other sites that may may not have the same policy regarding your valuable email address. Be careful when handing over your email address.
PNG News Links
Passport case lands man in court -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/63836
Funds support PNG anti-violence effort -- http://www.psnews.com.au/Page_psn39611.html
Sevua speaks out on Unitech report -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/63826
Community control of Ok Tedi mine assets welcomed -- http://giaman.com/pg/?be630d
Forestry key to growth: PNG Minister -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e153ec
Indonesia queries PNG over boat attack -- http://giaman.com/pg/?efc14b
Misc. Links
The Jungles of PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?8bcabb
Visiting (New) Britain and (New) Ireland in One Day on an Air Niugini Q400 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0903b0
Jason Chaffetz is going around the world in six days -- http://giaman.com/pg/?7ce8fe
PNG to step up condom distribution to tackle HIV/Aids -- http://giaman.com/pg/?4754e3
Workshop on people missing since Bougainville 1989 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?5a577f
Flight to Port Moresby - A review of Air Niugini -- http://giaman.com/pg/?b3409c
PNG Images
Another young female Morobean commercial pilot -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a98884
PNG Blogs
Sepik River -- http://giaman.com/pg/?291aec
News Items
Softball
Eight associations have confirmed their participation at this year's national softball championships in Kokopo in April. The affiliates who paid their nomination fees before the deadline on the 31st of January are Port Moresby women, Port Moresby men, Lae, Kimbe, Gazelle, Kokopo, Rabaul and Buluminski. Those that failed to meet the deadline include Rabaul Country, Kavieng, Lihir, Mt Hagen, Ramu, Tabubil, Alotau, Goroka and Madang.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?23d50b
Rural Health Work
What is it like to be a rural health worker in PNG? From an article in The National it would seem like stepping back in the past. For example - a male health worker had to use a torch to deliver a baby at the Bogia health centre in Madang recently because there was no electricity supply. Health extension officer Karoi Kamac also had to use a piece of bamboo to cut the umbilical cord because there was no scissors.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/63843
PNG Battles Open Defecation
When Willie Savo needs to relieve himself, there's only one place to go. "Near the mango tree," the 5-year-old said outside his family's village home. "Where else am I supposed to go?"
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?5733b8
According to the World Health Organization, 1.2 billion people - 15 percent of the world's population - practice open defecation. The majority of those without sanitation - 71 percent - live in rural areas, and 90 percent of all open defecation takes place in rural areas.
Betel Nut
The National Capital District Commission will buy betel nuts at the Ruborugo and Laloki markets in a new plan to ensure vendors return home with income from their sales. Governor Powes Parkop announced the new plan after rubbishing claims by vendors from Gulf and Central that they were losing income they used to earn in Port Moresby because of the ban on the sale of betel nuts.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?826ae4
Death Penalty
One of PNG's leading female lawyers says the government's move to restore capital punishment is not the way to tackle the country's violent crime problem.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?5fc839
NZ Festival Trip
New Zealand-born businessman Graham Wheatley and his wife, Nalini Wheatley, brought 30 of his clients from PNG to Marlborough for the Wine and Food Festival. The pair felt it was important to acknowledge the retailers and the distributors of their wide range of personal and industrial products.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?cad07a
Shaggy Pays Tribute to Women
Shaggy had reggae lovers in Port Moresby jumping and pumping their fists all night long at his show at the Cosmopolitan recently. Fans worked up quite a sweat dancing and singing along with the Jamaican-born international star who put on a thrilling performance for the full house.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?bb34f3
Go With the Flow
The ABC's new correspondent in PNG got a taste of the vibrant colour and - at times - chaos of life on the road in the Land of the Unexpected. Liam Cochrane followed the PNG prime minister on an historic trip to Bougainville, an autonomous island to the east of Papua New Guinea that has been plagued by war and neglect. From baking heat to pouring rain, from being right in the thick of it to being completely left out, it was quite an initiation.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?a90396
Lae Hospital Upgrade
As part of her two-day visit to Papua New Guinea, Australia's Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, has visited a hospital in Lae which Canberra is promising to fund as part of an agreement to house asylum-seekers on Manus Island.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?d5c616
Ombudsman Takes Law to Court
A five men Supreme Court bench will be convened on 24 February to determine former Papua New Guinea Chief Ombudsman Ila Geno's standing to challenge the constitutionality of Parliament's amendment of the constitution which protects the government for 30 months from motions of no confidence.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?25d7fb
New Tug
The Newcastle, Australia tug, the Wato, has been sold by global shipping company Svitzer. The tug will now be owned by Brisbane-based enterprise Pacific Tug and based in PNG. The selloff comes as Svitzer begins renewing its fleet, which includes 80 Australian tugs and 500 tugs worldwide.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?6a1c66
Submarine Search
The Australian Navy will renew the search for a long-lost submarine a century after it vanished. It disappeared in waters near PNG in 1914, with the loss of 32 sailors and three officers.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?3d0102
Amazon Bay Project
Foyson Resources has received exploration funding of $2 million from TVI Pacific Inc for Phase 1 of the Amazon Bay iron sands joint venture in PNG. The Amazon Bay project has been further advanced with the PNG Mineral Resources Authority granting Foyson an additional 652 square kilometres, covering over 50 kilometres of coastline prospective for iron sands.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c7911f
NZ Double Tax Agreement
The NZ Revenue Minister, Todd McClay, has announced that there is a double tax deal between New Zealand and PNG. "This agreement will strengthen international cross-border trade and investment partnerships for the benefit of businesses, investors and taxpayers in both countries," McClay said.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/63858
Drug Contract
Health Minister Michael Malabag has said that it is the prerogative of the Government to award contracts, saying the controversial 71-million Kina medical drug contract to the Borneo Pharmaceutical company has been fully funded, and that proper processes were followed.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?3d5c18
Hash House Harriers
The Port Moresby Hash House Harriers have presented a cheque for K10,000 to City Mission/Haus Ruth.
-- http://dev.postcourier.com.pg/Stories/charity-runners
-- http://www.portmoresbyhash.org.pg/index.html
-- https://www.facebook.com/PortMoresbyHashHouseHarriers
Breathalysers
East New Britain provincial police commander Anthony Wagambie says breathalysers machines should be introduced to the country to curb drink and drive cases.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/63920
POM Football Club Reunion
The Port Moresby Football Club is holding its reunion in Warrnambool, beginning with a dinner at Flagstaff Hill's Steam Packet Inn on the 28th of February. The reunion is expected to attract as many as 70 former players, supporters and officials. The highest profile of these will be former Brisbane Lions triple-premiership player Mal Michael's father Peter, who is still involved with the club.
-- http://www.standard.net.au/story/2087110/city-to-host-club-reunion/?cs=74
Morobe Fire Stations
Morobe Governor Kelly Naru wants the Government to release K100 million parked under Lae's grants commitments to build two more fire stations. Lae, the country's industrial city, has recently seen a number of its iconic shops gutted by fires.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/63917
Tourism Policing
The MP for Kundiawa Gembogl district, Tobias Kulang, says almost 100 men have completed training in tourism policing as part of efforts to make visitors to the area feel safe. He says the training is partly in response to last year's attack on trekkers on the Black Cat track in Morobe province, where three local porters were killed.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?6282ca
Commander Charged
The East Sepik police station commander has been charged with assault of a woman who tried to lay a complaint on behalf of an alleged rape-victim last year. More charges are expected to be made against the officer within 21 days.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c18aa4
Juvenile Justice Bill
Parliament has passed a bill giving children an alternative punishment to imprisonment. The legislation will replace the Juvenile Courts Act with a comprehensive juvenile justice system based on the principles of restorative justice, Melanesian tradition and contemporary juvenile justice practices.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?5b189c
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders has rated PNG as having international press freedom rankings ahead of USA. PNG at 44 was two places ahead of USA. Finland is ranked as number one for freedom of the press.
-- http://rsf.org/index2014/en-index2014.php
-- http://en.rsf.org
Nautilus
PNG has failed to purchase a 30-percent interest in the Nautilus's seafloor copper-gold Solwara 1 project. In accordance with the State Equity Option Agreement signed by the parties in March 2011, Nautilus has terminated the Agreement and will now claim damages.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?68024e
Cricket
PNG have set a target of at least two wins at the Under 19 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?69187e
Oceania Football
Oceania Football's mission to develop a stronger player development pathway in PNG has got underway with the OFC/PNGFA Regional Academy course kicking off in Port Moresby recently. Split into two parts, the first began in Port Moresby on the 13th of February with the next starting in Lae today - 16th of February.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?eabfc3
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.
Perth PNGAA Reunion 11 April 2014 at Airforce Home Village Complex, Bull Creek 11.30am to 2.30pm
Softball championships in Kokopo - April
5th Melanesian Festival of Arts - July 2014
Rabaul Mask Festival 16 - 21 July
Remembrance Day - 23 July 2014
Wewak Crocodile Festival 5-7 August
National Day of Repentance - 26 of August 2014
Dedication of Plaque Commemorating Battle of Bita Paka - Saturday 6 September 2014 -- https://www.facebook.com/events/560048074067522
Goroka Show 13 - 14 September
Independence Day - 16 September 2014
Morobe Show 11 - 12 October
Alotau Canoe and Kundu Festival 1 - 2 November
6th PNG Games - Lae - November 2014
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - 25 November 2014
Christmas Day - 25 December 2014
Boxing Day - 26 December 2014
Full Pacific Games - PNG 4 July to 18 July 2015 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?081f78
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 -- http://www.pnggossip.com/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
If a friend has given or sent you a copy of this newsletter and you would like to keep receiving free copies then please visit -- http://www.pnggossip.com/news/index.html -- for instructions on how to join the list.
Articles for this Newsletter
If you think you have a PNG page worth mentioning then please click here and use the submission form
To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter queue please click here and use the submission form.
.gif)
.jpg)
View PNG Gossip Newsletter Archive