Links
PNG Institute of Directors
The PNG Institute of Directors has revamped its website with the help of
an AESOP Volunteer, Peter Griffin. It is an excellent introduction to PNG
company law and related governance issues it can be found at -- http://www.pngid.org.pg
Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce
The Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce website is located at -- http://www.pomcci.org.pg
Tourism Sites
South Pacific Motor Sports Club
The South Pacific Motor Sports Club web site is located at -- http://www.spmsc.org.pg
-- For information about the car club, located along Waigani Drive in Port
Moresby; this is the site to visit.
News Items
2003 Public Holidays
The remaining Public Holidays for PNG are shown below.
16th September, Tuesday - Independence Day
25th December, Thursday - Christmas Day
26th December, Friday - Boxing Day
Independence Day
Many celebrations were held for PNG Independence Day the 16th of September.
Cultural Shows were held in the main towns of Goroka and Madang as well as
most schools around the country to mark the event.
US Ambassador
The new United States Ambassador to PNG has presented his credentials to
the Governor General of PNG on the second anniversary of the terrorist attack
on the twin World Trade centre towers in New York on the 11th of September
2001. The new ambassador inspected a guard of honour before presenting himself
to Sir Silas Atopare at Government House.
Goroka International School
Students and staff of the Goroka International School run by the International
Education Agency celebrated Independence Day in fine style. Even the principal
of the school participated in many of the events the most spectacular being
the New Ireland whip dance. The Chairwoman gave a very moving but short address
to the many parents and friends who attended the event.
Freezing Fish
Air Niugini and the Fishing Industry have combined to build a freezer complex
at Jackson's International Airport to help get freshly frozen fish to the
market in Japan in as good a condition as possible. The Fishing Industry Association
paid K800,000 for the freezer that will be operated by Air Niugini. Being
a small airline Air Niugini will be able to have the fish in the freezer until
an hour before departure. Other bigger airlines have to allow at least two
hours from the time it leaves the freezer to the time it is on board the flight
to its destination.
Governor General
Several candidates have been put forward for the position of Governor General
that becomes vacant at the end of the current holder, Sir Silas Atopare. Names
put forward so far amongst others have been -- Sir Albert Kipalan, Dadi Toka,
Sir Arnold Amet, Simon Pentanu, John Kaupa, Sir Tom Koraea, Bernard Narokobi
and Simon Kaumi. The current Governor General is also putting his name forward
for the position.
Goroka Show
Tourists attending the Goroka Show were confronted with a bill of K100 for
one day or K200 for the full three days of the show if they wanted to take
pictures. Local expatriates were also hit with a similar fee even if they
had a pocket instamatic camera and little or no camera experience. Over 500
tourists were estimated to have attended the show in the Eastern Highland's
Capital. The best day to attend was Saturday because it was the only day where
the sun shone for most of the day. On Saturday the rain stayed away until
the last of the dancing groups were leaving the dancing arena. Another 30
seconds and they would have left -- almost perfect timing.
Jimmy Maladina
The former chairman of the National Provident Fund, Jimmy Maladina, has appeared
in court again to face eight more charges. This brings the total charges against
him to 17. The case was adjourned because a key witness from Kumagai Gumi
Limited was still in Japan awaiting arrangements to bring him to PNG to give
evidence.
School Robberies
Hot on the heels of the robbery of the Port Moresby International School
the Kila Kila Secondary school has also been robbed. As well as the robbery
the school has asked the surrounding community leaders to address the matter
where the youth from surrounding areas were causing problems for the students.
The annual Kauka quest held by the school was won by (Junior) Gwynette Ikupu
- (Senior) Sarah Ilave and Miss Charity Queen Aileen Lepani.
Aitape
Telikom PNG has recently commissioned a new telephone exchange at Aitape.
New Ireland
The Governor of New Ireland, Ian Ling Stuckey has become so frustrated with
the reports that he is (or is not) receiving from his provincial education
department staff that he is personally visiting high schools in the province
to make his own decisions. He will be holding consultations with high school
authorities about their budget requirements for 2004.
Medical Symposium
After a successful Medical Symposium in Mount Hagen the University of PNG
has announced that the next symposium will be held at the University next
year.
Institute of Medical Research
The Institute of Medical Research and the University of PNG are considering
collaborating to help with resources to ensure that the best young scientists
in PNG have the best possible facilities available to them. It is rumoured
that the two organisations are finalising an agreement.
Education Sites
Airport Review
A cost saving review currently underway by the PNG Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA) may see the closure of several control towers around the country. The
function of these towers would be taken over by the tower at Jackson's airport.
It would be expected that some of the staff currently in the provinces under
review would be redeployed to Port Moresby. The Chief Executive of CAA has
said that any review would not compromise the safety of aeroplanes and the
travelling public.
The fire services currently run by CAA may also be offloaded to private enterprises
as CAA has been struggling for many years with inadequate funding from the
government.
Limited Preferential Voting
Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) will be used in the Abau, Central Province,
by-election. This will be the first time that LPV has been sed in PNG replacing
the first past the post system that was used previously to elect leaders.
Depending on the condition of the road Abau could be as long a seven hours
away from Port Moresby. LPV is seen as a better and fairer way of selecting
officials to represent the people. It was originally thought that the Chimbu
Provincial by-election and the elections in Tewai-Siassi, Morobe Province
would be the first to use the LPV system of voting but a court of disputed
returns decision to uphold the Abau by-election made Abau the first.
Siassi Dancers at the 2003 Goroka Show
Bank South Pacific
The Bank South Pacific has announced that the existing CEO and managing Director,
Noel Smith, will retire in December after 12 years as head of the nationally
owned bank. Garth McIlwain, the current executive director, will assume the
chief executive roll.
Bougainville
The new constitution for Bougainvilleans should be ready very soon. The people
of Bougainville will then know the implications of the second draft of the
new constitution for their autonomous government.
National Anthem
Arise all you sons
Oh arise all you sons of this land
Let us sing of our joy to be free
Praising God and rejoicing to be
Papua New Guinea
Shout our names from the mountains to the seas
Papua New Guinea
Let us raise our voices and proclaim
Papua New Guinea
Give thanks to the good Lord above
For His kindness, his mercy and love
For this land of our fathers is free
Papua New Guinea
Shout again for the whole world to hear
Papua New Guinea
We're independent and free
Papua New Guinea
National Flag
Who designed the flag of Papua New Guinea?
Susan Karike (Now Mrs Huhume) then a seventeen-year-old attending Our Lady
of the Sacred Heart School on Yule Island designed the National Flag in 1972.
The flag was officially raised at Independence Hill on the 16th of September
1975.
Rice
Taiwanese rice experts have said, once again, that PNG could slash its K400
million dependency on imported rice by growing its own. The Taiwanese Agricultural
Technical Mission has identified provinces, which are capable of sustaining
the growing of rice on a scale big enough to supply the local market. Some
of the provinces are Morobe and East Sepik provinces. The ROC Taiwanese mission
aims to have PNG producing about 10,000 tonnes of rice each year by 2007.
Independence Celebrations
The celebrations for Independence Day this year are going to be simple with
little more than the raising and lowering of the flag as the major celebration.
The Hiri Moale Festival normally held in conjunction with the Independence
Day celebrations has been cancelled due to lack of funding. The money was
used to meet payment son the road reconstruction work currently being done
in Port Moresby. It is not known how provincial towns will be celebrating
the day apart from Goroka in the Eastern Highlands who are holding a cultural
show.
East New Britain
A notorious criminal has been shot dead by East New Britain police. The deceased
was known as the "king" of rascals in the province. The deceased
died in a shoot out with police near Togoro village.
Ela-Murray Show
The Ela-Murray International School staged its biggest ever cultural show
to mark the 28th anniversary of PNG Independence from Australia. The show
highlighted dancers from Motu Koitabu villages in the Central Province. The
show was held on the 13th of September and coincided with the craft market
run by the school.
Ramu Sugar
Ramu sugar is on track to be able to announce a K14 million profit for the
full year. The first half of the year is on track according to the budget
set for the year. They are in fact expecting a nine percent increase in the
budgeted figures. The company has been able to increase overseas sales of
sugar to the pacific islands region.
Madang Radios
Radios used by remote health centres and government outstations in Madang
Province have been stolen along with the solar cells and batteries. Similar
radios are also being stolen in other provinces. More than 200 radios are
installed in Madang Province in areas where there is usually no easy road
and telephone access to the provincial capital.
PNG Apples
Seen at the Goroka Show -- branches of PNG grown apples and seedlings ready
to plant. The farmer says the apples are easy to grow. He did not have enough
to allow visitors to sample his wares but they did look good enough to eat.
Lae Tutumang
The Lae Provincial Assembly (Tutumang) has passed a new provincial law that
requires closer scrutiny of public finance / funding. Provincial politicians
will now have to account for all public funds spent. The new law is called
the Provincial Public Finance Scrutiny Act.
Police Suspension
Following the breakout of prisoners from the Bulolo police cells three policemen
have been suspended from duty. Eight suspects recently escaped from the lockup.
An investigation will be carried out to see if the police helped in the escape.
Telikom Board
Despite Telikom services around PNG being in a sorry state the Board of Telikom
PNG are currently holding a meeting in Singapore. The Telikom engineers and
technicians are struggling to maintain the deteriorating infrastructure with
ever decreasing resources. The Telikom Board is also in trouble for holding
a meeting in Wewak with a side trip, described as a "shopping spree"
to the Indonesian town of Jayapura.
PNG Aid
The Government of PNG is currently reviewing aid from various countries.
The Prime Minister has been quoted as saying that PNG could do away with aid
provided by Australia giving the fact that much of the aid money goes back
to Australia. Many people are undecided on the matter and others are adamant
that PNG could not do with the over K600 million of aid provided by Australia
every year.
The National Newspaper is in trouble for mis-reporting some of the information
about a recent trip by the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander
Downer. It was claimed by The National that Alexander Downer tried to gag
a speech by Sir Rabbie Namaliu to the Institute of National Affairs. Mr Downer
denies that he even knew that Sir Rabbie was going to make a speech until
the newspaper report came out.
Morobe Show
The Morobe Show will be held in the city of Lae on the 11th and 12th of October
2003.
Enga Show
Another attempt at running the Enga Cultural Show will be held in the Wabag
on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of October at the Mommers Oval. The first attempt
at running the show on the 8th and go until the 10th of August 2003was cancelled
due to the murder of an Engan business man Registration for the show closes
on the 26th of September.
Walking for Life
Hot on the heals of the successful Corporate Walk for Life 4.85 km walk around
Port Moresby Lady Carol Kidu has announced the World Walking for Life Day.
The Day is scheduled for the 15th of October. The event in PNG will be staged
simultaneously at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, the Sir Ignatius
Kilage Stadium in Lae and at the National Sports Institute in Goroka.
Milne Bay
A coconut oil mini-mill will be built in the Milne Bay Province under a joint
venture between the Kokonas Indastri Koporesen and the Milne Bay Government.
The mill would become a blue print for further mini-mills in other provinces.
Other mills already exist in Madang and Rabaul. The new mill is able to process
about 20 tonnes of raw material a day. This is a move from traditionally using
coconuts to produce copra and acknowledges a world wide trend away from copra
towards coconut oil.
Interplast
A team of skin specialists from Interplast Australia are currently in Mount
Hagen performing surgery on patients with contractures and facial deformations.
The operations are being offered free of charge and the team has also come
with their own resources and facilities. The visit by the team has been sponsored
by the Westpac Bank in Australia.
Police Force
The Internal Security Minister of Parliament will introduce a bill to alter
the constitution to allow serving members of the PNG police force to serve
overseas. This is to allow the Royal PNG Constabulary
to be able
to assist the Australian lead ground force currently serving as a peace keeping
force in the Solomon Islands.
No Confidence Vote
A motion is being prepared to counter the motion to allow the government
of the day to govern for 36 months without the threat of a no confidence motion.
The government of the day is currently given an 18 month period before a vote
of no confidence can be initiate3d against it. Up to 40 Members of Parliament
are attempting to stop the Constitutional Amendment titled Motions of No Confidence.
Slush Fund
The electoral support grant commonly referred to as the MP's slush fund is
back. Members of Parliament recently ordered treasurer Bart Philemon to pay
around K160 million in previously abolished "slush funds". Parliamentarians
managed to pass a motion ordering the cabinet to reverse its decision to block
the grants in 2000. On average each of the 109 politicians representing the
people were entitled to K1 million each under the old scheme.
PNG Media
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