P.N.G. Gossip Newsletter - 12 Apr 2002

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PNG Gossip Newsletter Meri Milne Bay

Welcome to the Papua New Guinea Gossip - 12 Apr 2002. A very special welcome is extended to any new readers. If you have comments or suggestions to make then please e-mail them to giaman@pnggossip.com

I have been having trouble with the main PNG Gossip Newsletter site located at http://www.png-gossip.com -- if you are also having problems then please visit the mirror site at http://pnggossip.com likewise if you are trying to send email to any of the @png-gossip.com email addresses and the mail bounces back then please try the @pnggossip.com addresses.

Articles for this newsletter

To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter -- please e-mail your contribution to pngnewsqueue@pnggossip.com

Remember that this mailing list is mainly meant for people who have an interest and already know a little bit about the people and geography of Papua New Guinea. The PNG Kina, which is mentioned from time to time in this newsletter, is currently worth around 25 - 26 United States cents but varies on a daily basis.

If you are really keen on finding out what the Kina is worth a currency converter for most world currencies can be located at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/moni.html

For those who are not so familiar with the geography of Papua New Guinea I suggest taking a look http://maps.expedia.com and then click on the find a map option. Go to this link for a quick start to a link to a map of Port Moresby. http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/pom-map.html

Also remember that the accuracy of the information in this newsletter should not be relied upon - it is, after all, a gossip newsletter.

Neo Melanesian

"Pidgin English"
bel = stomach
bel = belly
pasim = close
pasim = fasten
pasim = shut
sampela = several
sampela = some
sampela taim = seldom
sampela taim? = sometimes
samting = about, approximately
samting = substance
samting = thing
samting bilong pasim bel = contraceptive for females
samting tumbuna = art
samting, samting olsem = approximately


Links

  • A small page on Air Niugini -- http://kudos.goldenware.com/l/Air_Niugini.html
  • Scuba Safaris have a website with pages about diving in PNG located at http://www.scuba-safaris.com/pages/destination/papua/index.html



    • Living Water Mission

    The Living Water Mission has website at http://www.livingwatermission.org and is a grassroots Christian development project.

    Trobriand Island Magic -- http://www.janeresture.com/png_trob_magic/index.htm

    Here is an e-mail message from Bill Purcell

    Quote

    Hi Trev,

    I found a great site which lists every leader and flag that PNG has ever had since colonisation.

    http://www.geocities.com/bcahoon.geo/Papua_New_Guinea.htm

    Might be good to mention in PNGoss.

    Cheers,

    Bill

    End Quote

    Thanks Bill - Don't miss Bill's new Tabubil page located at http://www.powerup.com.au/~billpurc




    Connect UK

    Here is the gist of a message from a regular contributor.

    To celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee an exhibition will be held between the 8th to 19th April 2002 at the National Library in Waigani (National Capital)

    Promoting British Arts, Culture, Design, Science and Education in Papua New Guinea. Working together with Papua New Guinean and British Partners. Connecting and linking Papua New Guineans with modern Britain through our different projects/initiatives, workshops, activities and events.

    Also supporting various local projects with a social focus.

    Website: http://connectunitedkingdom.tripod.com




    MVIL

    Motor Vehicles Insurance Limited now has an agency in Enga province. Motor vehicle owners will now be able to renew their insurance in the province rather than having to travel out of the province to Mt Hagen.




    World Health Day

    World Health Day this year will demonstrate some of the things people can do to keep fit and avoid various health problems.




    Air Niugini - Tokyo

    I had heard a rumour that the inaugural Air Niugini Port Moresby to Tokyo flight on the 20th of April was not going to be operated by the Air Niugini Airbus rather it was going to be operated by another aircraft painted in the colours of another company.

    Luckily for Air Niugini Marketing the Engineers had miscalculated the next service date for the Airbus and now it seems that they have not lost an ideal opportunity for a bit of free publicity. The major service of the Airbus will now be later in the year. The Airbus receives minor service every week in Singapore by Singapore Airlines.




    Air Niugini - Fare Increase

    Air Niugini has implemented a two percent increase in airfares first advised in January this year. The increase is only to be applied to IATA fares which appears to be almost every international airfare advertised by Air Niugini.




    Red Cross

    Katherine Tabuchi, the first Miss PNG entrant for this year is from New Ireland and is sponsored by Pacific Rim Plantations which operates oil palm estates in New Ireland, Oro and Milne Bay provinces.



    Classrooms

    The National Capital District Commission has signed an K8 million contract for classrooms and housing for teachers in the Capital. The contract is for a total of almost 80 buildings. Many schools will benefit from the contract.




    Elections

    Election fever is starting to take off in and around Port Moresby and other centres. Candidates are registering in typical PNG fashion with loud speakers blaring and traditional dancers swaying on the way to the electoral office. Over 1400 candidates have registered so far from the 17 provinces that have returned information.

    A bid by the Prime Minister to halt the elections because the electoral rolls were not correct has been overturned by the legal system.

    TE PNG (http://www.te.com.pg) are offering deals on mobile amplifiers, megaphones and a range of professional sound gear for election candidates.

    Paias Wingti has finally laid his cards on the table and nominated for his old seat of the Western Highlands Regional seat. This means that all former Prime Ministers have now nominated for the elections.




    Vanilla

    The Investment Promotion Authority has reported that overseas buyers of vanilla say the quality of PNG vanilla is considered to be low. If PNG could improve the quality then it may be able to cash in on a world wide shortage of vanilla.




    34th UniTech Graduation

    The 34th annual graduation of students from the University of Technology in Lae was held on Friday the 5th of April. Website: http://www.unitech.ac.pg




    UniTech Mini Show

    This weekend the Unitech campus will be full of people attending the mini-show. There will be singsing groups from all over PNG who started practicing last week. Many PNG local bands have already arrived to play for mini show visitors. Residents of Unitech were lulled to sleep last night listening to the kundu beats of local singsing groups till the early hours of the morning.




    Post Courier

    A former editor of the South Pacific Post and the PNG Post Courier has died in Brisbane after a long illness. Graeme Boyd came to the then Territory of Papua and New Guinea in 1966 and left for Brisbane in 1980. During his time in PNG he moulded many PNG journalists such as Biga Lebasi, Sema Rea, Numa Alu, Pama Anio, Tarcissius Bobola and Franzalbert Joku. Website: http://www.postcourier.com.pg




    Brothels

    It has been reported that there are 29 brothels operating in the National Capital District. It is feared that the brothels are helping to spread HIV throughout the male population.




    Bougainville Copper

    After 12 years of inoperation on Bougainville Bougainville Copper (BCL) is preparing to quit the island. BCL is ready and willing to discuss the future ownership with the PNG and Bougainville governments.




    Gender Equality

    The University of PNG is embarking on a gender equality campaign. Gender equality appears to be sadly lacking in the whole of PNG not just at the University. Out of the more than 1400 nominations currently accounted for the coming elections only about 30 women have nominated.




    Siassi Island

    Islanders of Siassi Island in Morobe Province will soon have a new 35 ft boat to give them a cheaper alternative to the more expensive banana boats with outboard motors. The boat, being built in Madang, is costing K300,000 and will be used to serve the islands, transporting cargo and passengers.




    Medical Faculty

    The Medical Faculty of UPNG has appointed five honourary professors from outside the universit6y teaching staff to help develop and formalise collaboration in teaching and research.




    World Title Fight

    Stanley Nandex from PNG and Brian Lawrence from the United Kingdom are set to fight a World Title Event. A two day programme will be held at the Sir John Guise Stadium between the 27th and the 28th of April.




    Interest Rates

    The Westpac Bank has advertised the following interest rates

    rates for from K500 to K9,999

    ++ 1 month 4.25%
    ++ 2 - 11 months 4.75%
    ++ 12 months 5.75%
    ++ 24 months 5.75%

    rates for from K10,000 to K100,000

    ++ 1 month 4.50%
    ++ 2 - 11 months 5.25%
    ++ 12 months 6.25%
    ++ 24 months 6.255%



    Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce

    The Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce has a website at http://www.pomcci.org.pg




    Telikom White pages

    Don't forget to check http://www.telikompng.com.pg/WhitePages.aspx for telephone numbers within Papua New Guinea.




    Taxis and PMV's

    Taxis and public motor vehicles (PMVs) being used in the National Capital now have to have safety checks carried out at the government's Hohola vehicle inspection station instead of by private workshops. It is hoped that this will help to clean up any dangerous buses and taxis.




    PNGBC BSP Merger

    Part of the merger of the Bank of South Pacific with the PNG Banking Corporation has been signed assurances that the services will continue. The Governor General and the deputy chairman of the Bank of South Pacific have signed a Community Service Obligation Deed and Covenant and Support Deed.




    Internet Service Providers




    Highlands Highway

    By the time you read this the temporary Bailey bridge over the washed out section of the Highlands Highway at Zumin about two hours from Lae should be completed and vehicles allowed to cross. Not only was petrol and diesel in short supply with the bridge washed away but the highlands was facing a shortage of medicine as well.

    Diesel vehicles in Chimbu province have been using kerosene which can cause problems with excess carbon. Chimbu was the first of the provinces connected to Lae which suffered when the bridge was washed away.




    Alcatel

    As mentioned in the last issue Alcatel in PNG has been sold. Here are some more details which have arrived from Pacom. Pacom Communications (http:/www.prosec.com.pg/pacom) are the purchasers of Alcatel (PNG) communications business and assets.

    This includes the buildings, vehicles, radio test equipment and the repeater sites in Port Moresby and Lae.

    Pacom will be continuing to operate the business, providing warranty and service for all equipment sold by Alcatel and servicing the existing Alcatel customers.

    Alcatel will still have A presence in PNG to run their core business of carrier and telecommunications systems in the region. There is an arrangement between Pacom and Ericcson's PNG (http://www.ericsson.com.pg) over the old Alcatel building.




    Land Transport

    A new Land Transport Board has been sworn in at a ceremony held by the Minister for Works and Transport, The new members are Francis Sobea, Tana Yanzinga, Andrew Ariako, Pastor Mathew Tapus, Sisia Morea (deputy chairman and Michael Ekri (chairman)




    Computer Companies in PNG




    Sir Kingsford Dibela

    The former Governor General, Sir Kingsford Dibela was laid to rest after a final Church Service at the Dogura Cathedral. A police bugler sounded "The Last Post" after a 21 gun salute rang out across the Dogura plateau.




    Survival

    The vice president of the PNG Business Council has said that economic growth in PNG has declined since the 1980's and that many businesses have moved into survival mode rather than into expansion.




    Stationery Suppliers

    Theodist -- http://www.theodist.com.pg - as well as stationery supplies Theodist also sell Magellan GPS Systems.




    UPNG Vice Chancellor

    According to a report by MORESI RUAHMA'A (Pacific News) The University of PNG Vice Chancellor is being sued by students for "contempt of court"

    The Vice Chancellor is in trouble for defying a court order to register students who were previously excluded from studies. The UPNG administration failed to reinstate 27 excluded final year law students.




    PNG Australian US English

    Here is a page which has help on translating my Australian/PNG/English -- http://www.write101.com/W.Tips83.htm a related page can be found at http://www.michie.net/misc/miscweb.html -- hopefully reading those pages may make it easier for non-English English speakers to understand my drivel.




    Sir David Hand

    Retired Anglican, Bishop David Hand, is about to launch his book titled "Modawa" with a subtitle of "Papua New Guinea and Me, 1946 - 2002" which will have 250 pages (50 photo pages)




    Handmaiden Sisters

    The Handmaidens of Our Lord Sisters experienced a night of terror when their house of prayer was broken into recently. The nuns had set off an alarm but no one came to their aid. A gang of 20 to 25 young boys broke into their house and stole radios, bed sheets, guitars, clothing as well as kitchenware, cutlery, soap, garden tools and other items.




    PNG media related sites

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    Articles for this newsletter

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    -- THE END --

    Some of the above are courtesy of Liz and her friends at the University of Technology in Lae. http://www.unitech.ac.pg

    If you can add to this list then please send email to PNG-News@pnggossip.com


    I have been having trouble with the main PNG Gossip Newsletter site located at http://www.png-gossip.com -- if you are also having problems then please visit the mirror site at http://pnggossip.com likewise if you are trying to send email to any of the @png-gossip.com email addresses and the mail bounces back then please try the @pnggossip.com addresses.

    Created 12 Apr 2002
    Updated 9 Aug 2009
    Sponsored by
    www.michie.net


    ©2002 - 2009 Gia Mann