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PNG News Links
PNG request for police help on Manus Island denied -- http://giaman.com/pg/?dc3f76
Reconciliation best model for new leaf on refugees -- http://giaman.com/pg/?8dfa52
PNG claims to be deporting Australian human rights lawyer -- http://giaman.com/pg/?37f1a8
Has the 'Pacific Solution' solved anything in Australia? -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a98fe7
Packs destined to help mums and bubs -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f51400
Oil Search fights sale of PNG gas field stake to France's Total -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e829c9
Australians wanted for questioning over Manus Island death -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3f66aa
PNG, don't crush the Manus inquiry -- http://giaman.com/pg/?398595
Telikom PNG to Deploy Aviat WTM 6000 for Nationwide High-speed Backhaul Network -- http://giaman.com/pg/?43cb0d
Misc Links
Ex-missionaries find blessings at home -- http://giaman.com/pg/?73ecb1
All you need is magic -- http://giaman.com/pg/?1ed083
Cruise to PNG with APT on the Caledonian Sky -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e23892
Oil Search loan deal will affect PNG's Sovereign Wealth Fund -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3e9b75
Manus Island work by Salvation Army a failure, says former worker -- http://giaman.com/pg/?53f0bd
FBI hopes to return artefacts to PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?294e93
PNG Images
A trek to the village time forgot -- http://giaman.com/pg/?658d37
Birds of Paradise -- http://www.youtube.com/embed/REP4S0uqEOc
The road from Aiyura to Kainantu -- http://vimeo.com/85704288
Before They Pass Away -- http://giaman.com/pg/?4ef20a
WWII: Rescue at Rabaul 'PBY Blister Gunner' -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9cda16
Port Moresby -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Moresby
Boroko -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boroko
Scenes From Port Moresby Suburbs -- http://giaman.com/pg/?c610c9
PNG Blogs
Foreigner returns to head Unitech -- http://giaman.com/pg/?98e8dc
Exiled V-C fights to return -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9d161f
ADB: Ordinary people will not benefit from minerals boom in PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?17969f
Ramu mine partners meet to discuss project failings -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f8a03e
The night club scene - another tale of Peter in Port Moresby -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0bd51a
News Items
Refugee Resettlement
PNG and Australia have agreed to resettle asylum seekers held in an Australian detention centre on Manus Island who are found to be refugees. Australia will meet costs relating to the settlement of refugees in PNG, while a PNG-based Settlement Expert Panel will report its recommendations on implementing refugee resettlement by the end of the month. Both nations expect resettlement to begin in June.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c7c184
Gender Equality Workshop
Community outreach group Papua Hahine has conducted a series of workshops to educate PNG men about gender equality. The idea is that female empowerment and ending violence women is not possible without male advocacy.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?be162d
Barefoot Divas
Despite their collective moniker, the Barefoot Divas have burnt through a lot of shoe leather in recent months. The six singers representing the indigenous cultures of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea recently returned from a tour of North America, where they performed in Canada, the western United States and Hawaii.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?3e892c
Constitution Amended
The government has amended the country's constitution to provide legal protection for the Manus Island detention centre. The amendments effectively deny asylum seekers the constitutional right to personal liberty.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?fad2f3
ATM Modernisation
PNG's state-owned air navigation service provider has signed a contract with Comsoft, of Karlsruhe, Germany, to modernise the island nation's air traffic management (ATM) and surveillance systems to the latest international standard. The Australian government is contributing K12.2 million toward ATM modernisation through the PNG-Australia Transport Sector Support Program.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?8cbed1
InterOil Announces Results
InterOil Corporation has announced record revenues and products sold in its financial results for the full year ending 31st December, 2013.
-- http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140331-903851.html
InterOil starts drilling at Raptor-1 site -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f72309
Drug Bust
Authorities are investigating how a consignment of powerful recreational drug methamphetamine, worth more than $US20 million (K61.1m), was brought into the country from Hong Kong undetected.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?cbfabd
Police Commander Arrested
A police station commander has been arrested and charged with unlawful wounding and armed robbery, after accusations of police brutality. The Gordon station commander, Senior Inspector John Tarur, and four other police face charges after 75 men from Saraga settlement at 6-Mile, were allegedly slashed with knives while being arrested last year.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?d697ee
Narrow the Gap
PNG has been warned of the need to narrow the gap between rich and poor with skyrocketing growth predicted next year.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?e9c394
Transport Upgrades
The transport networks serving PNG are set to receive a $1bn overhaul as the country moves to install the infrastructure needed for the next phase of its economic development.
The billion-dollar funding, which was allocated to the Department of Works (DoW) in the 2014 budget, will finance a broad range of projects. Highways and upgrades of urban centres will be prioritised, together with infrastructure to support planned strategic hubs and improve connectivity. The government is looking to develop Port Moresby for business ventures, while Lae and Mt Hagen will be expanded to accommodate industry and mining initiatives, respectively.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?372769
PNGDF Air Wing
The PNG Defence Force Air Transport Wing is set to boost its capabilities with the appointment of its new commanding officer. The new officer, Lieutenant John Matagarakikai, was officially promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on Monday by Commander Brigadier General Gilbert Toropo at Murray Barracks.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?2c916e
A Day in Port Moresby
Read A day in Port Moresby - An entry in The Crocodile Prize, Kina Securities Award for Poetry at Keith Jackson and Friends PNG Attitude
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?dd2bc0
Crude Exports to Double
Oil liquids from ExxonMobil's PNG gas export project will be blended into the country's only crude blend, almost doubling crude exports by the middle of the year. ExxonMobil's $19 billion PNG LNG Project is due to begin exports of 6.9 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year around mid-2014.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c0e52e
Aussie Barrister Thrown Out
PNG says it will deport an Australian barrister who was ejected from the Manus Island detention centre despite a court order granting him access. PNG's attorney-general Kerenga Kua says the barrister is not legally allowed to practise as a lawyer in PNG.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?092b81
Witchcraft Impacts Health
When Mary got sick, residents in her remote highland village didn't take her to the doctor, but to a traditional healer with magical powers instead. "They said a witch had put a curse on me. They had to remove it. Had they not brought me to the nearest health clinic, however, I could have died," the 45-year old said. Such stories are not uncommon in PNG, a largely tribal society of over 800 languages where a longstanding traditional belief in witchcraft or "sanguma" as it is known in Tok Pisin continues to undermine healthcare in the country.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?5938ab
Queensland Track Classic
Toea Wisil from PNG has run a time of 11.58 seconds to come second in the 100 metres at the Commonwealth Games A qualifiers at the Queensland Track Classic in Brisbane. Sally Pearson from Australia ran a time of 11.27 to take out the event.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?03163c
Tuberculosis Epidemic
PNG is said to be teetering on the brink of a runaway TB epidemic. There are 15,000 new cases of tuberculosis recorded annually in PNG and the World Health Organisation says nearly a quarter of those cases prove fatal.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?3da3ee
PNG Swimming Titles
A total of 25 new National records and personal best times were set during the three day TNT PNG swimming championship held at Ela Murray International primary school in Port Moresby recently. The event also had 15 swimmers gaining places on the 2013 and 2014 National Kundu aquatic excellence squad.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?430978
PNG Barramundis
The PNG Barramundis cricket team has wrapped up their Sri Lankan tour with a third straight victory. The Barramundis finished the tour with four wins from seven games.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?394c83
Safe Buses
In Port Moresby, women are often unable to travel freely within cities and public spaces for fear of being harassed or assaulted. In the past year, more than 77 per cent of women using buses in Port Moresby reported that they were assaulted or sexually assaulted - that's a harrowing statistic. Consequently, companies are reluctant to hire women because of the likelihood of them being assaulted on the way to or from work, and mothers keep their daughters home from school because of the risk of sexual assault. To help them, UN Women will be starting a Safe Buses program.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?03ebe7
Transparent Governance
Helen Clark, the UN's third highest ranking administrator, says she's encouraged by the progress PNG is making towards transparent governance and the commitment Prime Minister O'Neill has made to use funds from the lucrative extractive industries to pay for health and education.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?85e721
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 Air Force Home Village Complex, Bull Creek 11.30am to 2.30pm
Softball championships in Kokopo, April 2014
5th Melanesian Festival of Arts, July 2014
Rabaul Mask Festival, 16 - 21 July 2014
Remembrance Day, 23 July 2014
Wewak Crocodile Festival, 5 - 7 August 2014
National Day of Repentance, 26 August 2014
PNG Medical Symposium, September 2014 - to be held in Goroka
Dedication of Plaque Commemorating Battle of Bita Paka, Saturday 6 September 2014 -- https://www.facebook.com/events/560048074067522
Goroka Show, 13 - 14 September 2014
Independence Day, 16 September 2014
PNGAA Symposium, 17 - 18 September 2014 -- http://www.pngaa.net/news/Symposium.htm
Morobe Show, 11 - 12 October 2014
Alotau Canoe and Kundu Festival, 7 - 9 November 2014
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 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
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