P.N.G. Gossip Newsletter - 3 Dec 2002

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PNG Gossip Newsletter Meri Milne Bay
Welcome to the Papua New Guinea Gossip - 3 Dec 2002

A very special welcome is extended to any new readers. If you have comments or suggestions to make then please use the contact form.

C O N T E N T S

 

Articles for this newsletter

To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter -- please use the contact form

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 20 - 21 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

 

 

Neo Melanesian

"Pidgin English"
Tok Pisin English
Yu stap gut? How are you?
Mi stap gut I am fine
Inap mi kisim poto? May I take a photo?
Soim mi Show me
Klostu Near or close by
Longwe tumas A very long way or too far
Wanem nem bilong yu? What is your name?
Ples bilong yu we? Where are you from?
Mi no klia gut I do not understand
Mi no save I don't know
Tok isi Speak slowly
Haus sik Hospital

Want to find out more about Papua New Guinea? Try searching at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo and http://www.michie.net/png_faqs. The PNG Business Directory at http://www.pngbd.com is also an excellent place to look for PNG information.

For those who are not so familiar with the geography of Papua New Guinea I suggest taking a look -- http://maps.google.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.



Links

http://www.eco-melanesia.8k.com/PNG/PNGhome.htm -- Ecotourism Melanesia

http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~arkbios/pngwgw.html -- Papua Nui GuineaGenWeb

http://www.datec.net.pg/~mecba/ - Wrecks and Reefs around Port Moresby ... Wrecks and Reefs documents for the first time, the history of early shipwrecks and World War II wrecks that lie in the waters around Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. This book, primarily a guide for scuba divers, includes intriguing tales of bloodthirsty cannibals, retribution for a ruthless Japanese submarine that took the lives of innocent citizens and the mystery of a lost airliner that disappeared along with thirteen unfortunate souls.


Communication Related Companies

Conxions PNG -- http://www.conxions.com.pg
TE PNG -- http://www.tepng.com
PACOM -- http://www.prosec.com.pg/pacom. They offer a vehicle tracking device (SigTec MobiTag) which has helped to stop a few thieves in their tracks. A PDF file is available from that website.

PACOM grew from a requirement of its parent company to have good reliable communications. From these first steps PACOM have gone from strength to strength. They can even boast having a Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory (PMEL/NATA) Calibration centre.



 


 

News Items


Highlands Highway



The Government will spend K85 million to upgrade the Highlands Highway as one of the "high impact" activities in the 2003 budget.




Counterfeit Money



The two men, one from Ghana and the other from Bougainville, were arrested last month when they attempted to convert $US100,000 into PNG currency. The Port Moresby police have charged the men of being in the possession of forged bank notes without lawful authority.



Bully Beef



The price of Bully beef price has gone up 15 percent. This makes it more than K6 a tin. The local meat canning industry had sought a 30 percent price hike. At least 90 percent of direct costs in the production of corned beef products in PNG were imported from overseas and paid for in foreign currencies.




Air Niugini



The sole Air Niugini Dash 8 aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Jackson's airport the other day. On touch down some of the passengers on board shed tears while others were terrified but thankful that they were alive. The flight had come from the new Talasea airstrip in the West New Britain province.




Cyanide Pollution



The Central Province Governor has called on the Government to investigate the pollution of the Auga River in the Central province allegedly by mercury and cyanide waste from the Tolukuma Mine. It has been reported that the waterways contain high levels of metal concentration from the tailings from the mine.




Ombudsman Commission



The Ombudsman Commission is to be probed for employing the wife of a foreign diplomat. Parliament is concerned that the person will have access to the entire confidential file pertaining to all the leaders of the country.




Parliament Bar



The Speaker of Parliament, Bill Skate, has barred the general public from entering Parliament and coming anywhere near an MP's office in Parliament without a valid pass. This follows a break and enter at Mr Yama's office yesterday. and an earlier criminal attack on an MP within the precincts of Parliament when Kerema MP, Ekis Ropenu, had his car got stolen while it was parked at the Parliament car park.




The Budget



The news has been filled with items about the Somare 2003 budget. Some of the items in this newsletter will cover a little bit about the budget but for details please visit either http://www.postcourier.com.pg or http://www.thenational.com.pg. The budget doesn't seem to have any surprises and could be described as conservative although the usual extra hit on smokers and drinkers would appear to have happened yet again. It will be interesting to see if this budget blows out in spending and has overestimated the revenue coming in like many others.




Bank South Pacific



The bank has cutover to a new IBM AS/400 computer which should give customers in the branches faster access times to their banking details although the speed of the telecommunication lines may be a downfall in achieving this. Along with the conversion the Alotau branch of the bank can now boast flat screen monitors and online transactions. Alotau now stands as the blueprint for the conversion of the rest of the former PNG Banking Corp branches around the country.




Post Boxes



For those readers living in PNG Post PNG has advertised the following rates (including VAT) for private mailboxes and bags in the country.

Private Letter Boxes

Private Mail Bag




Baby Bottles



The issue of baby bottles being sold over the counter at places other than pharmacies has been raised again. Professor John Vince has said that a review of the fine under the Baby Feed Supply Act should be made. The current maximum fine is only K500 and it has been suggested that this should be increased to K2000.




Squash



A fourteen-year-old PNG boy from Mount Hagen has won an Australian Junior Squash championship for his age group from 185 other competitors. The boy received his trophy from eight times world squash champion Jeff Hunt.




Kimbe



People travelling by sea to the New Guinea Islands region of PNG have been warned that police operations will be tough of the festive season. The West New Britain police commander has said that extra units will be added to the active drug squad in Kimbe.




Unfinished Roadwork



Global Construction have defended their decision not to finish their share of the roadworks in Port Moresby due to non-payment by the city authority. They said that the various contractors couldn't finish the work until City Hall pays the money that is owed to them.




Defence Force



The town of Madang has recently seen Australian army, navy and air force representatives in Madang town. A Royal Australian Air Force Caribou, army Blackhawk helicopter crews, and the HMAS Whyalla have all called into Madang ether on the way to various exercises or on the way back to Australia.




Barramundi



Dylup Plantation Estate are successfully farming barramundi along the east coast of the Madang province. The company hopes to be able to export over 200 tonnes of barramundi annually.




Quick Budget Figures

The 2003 budget deficit is projected to be K244.2 million or 2% of GDP.




Free Education



The Government has done away with the free education policy of the previous government in the 2003 budget. Funding for 2003 will be reduced by K75 million (55.5 per cent) to K60 million compared to the estimated K135 million in 2002.




Trade Balance



PNG's trade balance is projected to record a surplus of K3.1 billion this year but will drop to K3 billion next year. The Government has projected a moderate trade balance increase to K3.3 billion in 2004 and K3.5 billion in 2005 and thereafter falling to K3 billion in 2006 and K2.7 billion in 2007.




Kavieng



The governor of New Ireland has warned traditional landowners of Kavieng town that he would only entertain their grievances over their claim for compensation for the land on which the final approach of the Kavieng airport was constructed if they acted in accordance with the law.




Scams



A former PNG member of parliament has been conned in a scam that promised lots of money for helping to turn "blackened" US notes into real notes. The con man has been caught, arrested and jailed for 5 years. the scam involves the "mark" buying special cleaning fluid to remove the special black ink used to hide the notes. The former parliamentarian was even conned into paying for accommodation for the conman.




Lifeline



Thieves have hit the Lifeline Office in Waigani for the second time this year. Lifeline, a community service organisation, provides counselling services and a women's refuge for the public. Thieves stole previously donated office equipment worth about K7000.




National Capital Schools



Each School in the National Capital District has received K2000 from the National Capital District Commission. The money is to help the schools complete the school year properly. The Chairman of the NCDC board presented some of the cheques. Most of the schools had run of money and the K2000 would help to see the schools through the next couple of weeks before they closed for the year.




Mount Hagen



Lawbreakers in Mt Hagen have been warned that the police mean business. This follows the killing of three criminals in a Mt Hagen bank robbery on recently. The robbery was a stark reminder of what can happen to criminals. Police operations throughout the country will be stepped up in anticipation of the Christmas and the New Year activities.




Expenditure Details



DEPARTMENTS

STATUTORY AUTHORITIES

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS




Budget Spending






HIV/AIDS



HIV/AIDS is increasing rapidly in PNG and it will leave a devastating effect on PNG and its economy. More and more people are dying from AIDS worldwide every day. The first PNG HIV positive case was reported in 1987 and since then the infection had increased slowly but steadily up until 1995. Thereafter the figures rose dramatically until December 2001 when it was reported that 4,792 people in the country were diagnosed with HIV infection. Of these 4,792 cases, 2,458 (51%) were males, 2174 (45%) were female and 260 (4%) sex was not stated.




Library Donation



Six libraries in the country have been presented with K1000 worth of free access to Post-Courier's Internet Newstext library system by the managing director of Post-Courier. The libraries included the Kavieng Public library, Lae School of Nursing, Balob Teachers College in Morobe, Summer Institute of Linguistics in Goroka, Holy Trinity Teachers College Mt Hagen and Catholic Theological Institute Bomana, NCD.

 





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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 use the contact form.





Created 3 Dec 2002
Updated 13 Jun 2003

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