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PNG News Links
EU chief calls in on PM O'Neill -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a38050
PM O'Neill in near miss chopper accident -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0c36af
Another shooting at PNG-Indonesia border -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0392a1
Tapo: Govt has plans to give all children an education -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/68071
Rufer aims for soccer gold at Pacific Games in Port Moresby -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ee9e6e
David Mead changes eligibility -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f6fb03
Misc. Links
Vote for the Other Guy -- http://giaman.com/pg/?54766d
Secrets Beneath The Rubble: ExxonMobil In PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3fb85b
Australian nurse tells of horrific attack during trek on Black Cat trail -- http://dlvr.it/5ZMDfR
Gemo Island -- http://giaman.com/pg/?d2acd2
Bougainville Tours -- http://bougtours.com
Unfair transactions in PNG: what foreign businesses should know about the FTA -- http://giaman.com/pg/?414a56
Golf in PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?467370
PNG Images
A Huli Wigman drawn by artist Sorrel Wilby -- http://pic.twitter.com/49rKQ0HNMM
Bougainville -- http://giaman.com/pg/?29958a
Rufous-bellied Kookaburra -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f9bf3b
PNG Blogs
Manus obsidian trade -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ac0aaf
Oil Search - a monster built by PNG taxpayers -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9ec402
Crater Gold Mining unveils high grade broad gold hits -- http://giaman.com/pg/?1438eb
News Items
Travel Advisory Update
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued new Travel Advisory update for Papua New Guinea. It contains new information in the Summary and under Safety and security: Civil unrest/political tension (violence at Porgera gold mine). They now advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Porgera township in Enga province in the northern highlands. They continue to advise Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in Papua New Guinea overall.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?3a9158
Rabaul Queen
A district court has committed a maritime safety officer to trial over the deadly sinking of the Rabaul Queen ferry. At least 173 people died when the Rabaul Queen sank in rough seas off the country's north coast on the 2nd of February 2012.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?edd8db
POM CBD Rebuild
Public Enterprises and State Investments Minister Ben Micah has said with assistance from Korea the government will rebuild Downtown Port Moresby, the capitals central business district (CBD). Micah said that it was part of the government's plan to relocate the city's main wharf and building the city business centre and Fairfax Harbour into a world class recreational and business centre. This will be part of the preparation for the 2018 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/68039
PNC Party Intact
The ruling Peoples National Congress (PNC) Party is intact and has thrown its full support behind Prime Minister Peter O'Neill to lead the party and the government to the 2017 General Elections.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?fc92e5
Seafarers Found
14 Bougainvilleans lost at sea have been found. The group went missing on Friday a week ago while travelling from Nissan Island to Buka. It appears the boat ran out of fuel
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?2586f0
Police Image Overhaul
Papua New Guinea's police force has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons lately. From the involvement of the Police Mobile Squad in the deadly violence on Manus Island to allegations of a brutal assault against a female office, the local media has been full of stories of police behaving badly. So how does a police force in a developing nation like Papua New Guinea turn that around?
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?23c0e0
PNG Drug Running
Australian Border Protection Minister Scott Morrison has flagged talks with PNG on a fresh anti-corruption partnership to tackle transnational crime syndicates on Australia's doorstep. West African and Chinese organised crime gangs operating out of Port Moresby are behind the illicit drug trade using electronic business transfers, negotiable bearer bonds, and undeclared cash to pay for shipments. Real estate investments in Cairns, Brisbane and the Gold Coast have also been linked to the money trail.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?53652c
Malaria Update
Ninety percent of PNG's seven million people are at risk of malaria infection. A recent study by the PNG Institute of Medical Research has found that approximately 65 percent of households surveyed owned a long lasting insecticide net and a little more than 90 percent of health centres studied were having the first line anti-malarial drugs in stock.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?293a22
Manus Island Riots
An unnamed G4S guard has told how PNG guards entered a trance-like state during an outbreak of violence at the Manus Island detention centre. The unnamed former Australian soldier, who served in the army for 20 years in Iraq, Afghanistan and East Timor, was working for G4S at the detention centre and has made a submission, including photos and videos, to an Australian Senate inquiry into the riot.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?106005
A new broom on Manus is lifting the veil of secrecy -- http://giaman.com/pg/?8565b9
Buka Airport Reopened
Air Niugini has resumed normal flights into Buka after a recent suspension of flights to the town following reports that the landowners of the area, where the airport is situated, were going to close down the airport after learning that the ABG nor the NAC were not addressing their demands.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?7329dc
Housing
Housing is a basic need for everyone and the average wage earning Papua New Guinean living in Port Moresby is often forced to rent single rooms in a house or live in un-zoned residential areas. Minister for Housing and Urban Development Paul Ezekiel said while land allocation had been a challenge, the department had managed to secure 75,000 allotments for housing development.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?3ed112
Irregular Procurement
The National Department of Health (NDoH) has been accused of using irregular procurement procedures and mismanaging cash advances.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?60737b
WHO denies it backs PNG's Chinese drug suppliers -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e8ae65
The Crocodile Prize
Keith Jackson & Friends: PNG ATTITUDE is the home of the Papua New Guinea Crocodile Prize. The crocodile, like the ubiquitous pig, is a symbol for all Papuan New Guineans, from the highlands to the coast and islands. The Crocodile Prize is a powerful supporter of writers in PNG.
-- http://www.crocodileprize.org
Ramu Mine
According to the traditional food crop calendar of the Mindere people of the Basamuk area, from January to May they will be harvesting taro while planting yam and from and from May to September they used to harvest yam while planting kaukau and other food crops like banana etc., while from September to December they will harvest kaukau and banana while planting taro, and so the cycle goes on.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?6cda2f
Asylum Seeker Policy Slammed
Powes Parkop, Governor of Port Moresby, has taken out full-page advertisements in local PNG newspapers criticising the Manus Island detention centre. The open letter from Governor Powes Parkop to PNG's Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato expresses "grave concern" at the treatment of asylum seekers on Manus Island. It says asylum seekers have not committed a crime and should not be held in prison-like conditions.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?e4fa12
Waigani Market Closure
The market at Waigani was closed recently after a policeman was attacked there. Acting National Capital District metropolitan commander Supt Perou N'dranou confirmed the incident and said such an attack on a police officer was totally unwarranted.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/68091
Remote School Solar
Teachers and students in a remote school in the Telefomin district, Sandaun province will soon be able to teach and learn using modern equipment like computers and projectors, all thanks to the Ok Tedi Development Foundation.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?21ebec
Conflict Islands Group
Flamboyant expat entrepreneur, Ian Gowrie-Smith, has ramped up the sales campaign for his piece of Papua New Guinea paradise the Conflict Islands Group.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?ea6294
Solomon Islands Assistance
The government has given K21 million to the Solomon Islands as a relief and development grant assistance. Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato said K1 million was relief assistance for the recent flood in Honiara and K20 million was for development assistance.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/68089
Vice Chancellor Back
The newly re-installed vice chancellor of the University of Technology, Dr Albert Schram, says there are immediate measures he's taking to resolve long standing grievances. Dr Schram has been back at the university in Lae after being forced out of the country a year ago when the university council took issue with a reform programme he had started.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?4a45ad
-- http://www.unitech.ac.pg
Susu Mamas
Susu Mamas, an organization well established in the country, are planning a treat for mothers at the Port Moresby General Hospital Maternity Ward on Mother's Day. The committees of Susu Mamas have been visiting Mothers in the Maternity Ward annually handing out bags of various items thanks to KK Kingston and many other companies. The annual visit by Susu Mamas is not only to promote health and hygiene but it eases the pain to mothers who feel they are not been cared.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?eb6f88
-- http://www.susumamas.org.pg
Sustainable Development Program
The Government is understood to be considering legislation to outlaw the operations of the Sir Mereke Morauta-led PNG Sustainable Development Program Limited. This follows a recent ruling by the Singapore High Court that dismissed the State's application to appoint a receiver to take control of PNGSDP's assets.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/68095
Porgera Strife
The PNG Government has declared a state of emergency in Porgera, Enga province. Over a hundred policemen and soldiers from Port Moresby and Mt Hagen are already on the ground in the mining township, Highlands Divisional Commander Teddy Tei said recently.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c7194d
-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porgera_Gold_Mine
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.
PNG Hunters vs Manly Seagulls 10 - 11 May, Kalabond Oval, Kokopo, ENB
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
Trade Pasifika - 2016 in Port Moresby
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
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