Links
Links
Warning: PNG websites seem to come and go. The fact of life is that it
costs money to host a website and there is not much return on the outlay to
most businesses in PNG. If you do click on a link and use the services or
even have some comments to make then please contact the people at the relevant
website and let them know so they at least know that someone has gained some
value from their efforts. If you are so inclined then mention that you heard
about them from this website. -- The PNG Gossip Newsletter.
Airlines
Air Niugini -- http://www.airniugini.com.pg
Airlines of PNG -- http://www.apng.com
Shipping Links
http://www.aalpas.com.pg -- Austral
Asia Line Project Asia Service.
http://www.newguineapacificline.com
-- New Guinea Pacific Line
http://www.steamships.com.pg --
Steamships Shipping Agencies
PNG Weather
Here are a few sites that will give you an idea of what the weather is like
in PNG.
Port Moresby -- http://my.iwon.com/weather/obs.jsp?id=PPXX0004
Kerema -- http://my.iwon.com/weather/obs.jsp?id=PPXX0001
Kikori -- http://my.iwon.com/weather/obs.jsp?id=PPXX0002
Morobe -- http://my.iwon.com/weather/obs.jsp?id=PPXX0003
Samari -- http://my.iwon.com/weather/obs.jsp?id=PPXX0005
International Training Institute
The PNG International Training Institute has a web site located at -- http://www.iti.ac.pg
-- I found this web site difficult because I do not run my Internet browser
as a full screen. This web site does not really allow you to resize your screen
without losing information.
ITI provide local courses in Business and Computing at Certificate and Diploma
level. They also provide international courses for such organisations such
as University of Southern Queensland and British Computer Society.
Real Estate Agents Association
The PNG Real Estate Agents Association, a non-profit making organisation
operation under the laws of Papua New Guinea has a site located at -- http://www.reaa.org.pg/news.htm
Real Estate Agents
Arthur Strachan (Lae) -- http://www.arthurstrachan.com.pg
Century 21 -- http://www.century21.com.pg/
-- and -- http://www.siule.com.pg/
Kohoy Real Estate -- http://kohoyrealestates.tripod.com/
L.J Hooker -- http://www.ljhooker.com
Ray White Real Estate -- monian@online.net.pg
Strickland RE -- http://www.sre.com.pg/
The Professionals -- http://www.theprofessionals.com.pg
Education Web Sites
Computer Training -- http://www.workersmutual.com.pg
International Business Institute -- http://www.ibs.com.pg
International Education Agency -- http://www.iea.ac.pg
Pacific Training Academy -- http://www.pta.com.pg
PNG International Training Institute -- http://www.iti.com.pg
PNG Maritime College -- http://www.pngmc.ac.pg
PNG University of Technology -- http://www.unitech.ac.pg
University of Goroka -- http://www.uog.ac.pg
University of PNG -- http://www.upng.ac.pg
Trukai Rice
The Trukai Rice company has an official website located at -- http://www.trukai.com.pg/
-- if you want to find out about what Trukai does then this is the site to
visit. When you hear the name of Trukai you may think of the familiar yellow,
red and green packs of PNG's favourite rice.
But Trukai Industries encompasses much, much more than rice. In fact Trukai
Industries has since 1970 been a major producer and marketer of a whole range
of important foods for PNG. Trukai supplies over ninety five percent of the
PNG rice market.
News Items
Electricity Tariffs
PNG Power has advised that the price of electricity will increase by a total
of 12.65 percent next year. A 10 percent increase will commence on the 1st
of January followed by a 2.65 percent increase on the 1st of June. The price
increase is to cover the increased cost of fuel used to run the diesel generators
as well as to fun maintenance and the cost of new equipment. Due to the lack
of rain in various areas of the country PNG power has had to rely on diesel
power for generating electricity.
PMV Fares
Public Motor Vehicle (PMV) fares in the National Capital have risen from
50 toea per trip to 80 toea per trip. Many PMV drivers and operators have
claimed that they cannot make any profit with a 50 toea fare. Often many drivers
do not complete a full route causing passengers to have to make two or three
trips just to get to work. The passengers, upset with this sort of treatment,
have then retaliated by not paying a full fare for a part of a journey and
so the cycle goes round.
Nadzab Airport
The main airport that serves the city of Lae is in dire need of maintenance.
The facilities do not meet the expectations of international tourist although
it could be considered that Air Niugini is flying from Cairns, Australia via
Port Moresby to Lae (Nadzab) making Nadzab a de facto international airport.
Many things need to be improved such as the quality of food served and the
toilet facilities. The airport also lacks security and communication facilities.
Telikom Board
The sale of Telikom has seen yet another instalment in the ongoing saga.
This time the Board of Telikom have all been sacked for, according to the
State Enterprise Minister, insubordination. The Board took out a court injunction
to block the partial sale of Telikom to a foreign owned company. Interim directors
have already been appointed to take over the running of Telikom and prepare
the company for sale. The president of the People's Freedom Pati, Moses Murray,
has described the sacking as most irresponsible. The Prime Minister has stepped
in an instructed that the Board be reinstated.
Telikom Donation
Telikom PNG has donated two buses, one a 15 seater and the other a 25 seater,
valued at K190,000 to the Port Moresby General Hospital. The two buses will
be utilised by staff as their two buses are off the road. Pacific Mobile Communications,
a wholly owned subsidiary of Telikom, also donated several mobile phones to
be used by duty doctors.
Aviation Fine
The owner of Tasman Australian Airlines and the pilot of the plane that flew
to and landed at Aropa airstrip near Kieta on the 30th of September this year
will be fined K330,000 for breaching parts of the PNG Civil Aviation Act.
The two were charged with operating a Cessna Citation jet in a careless manner
that was deemed dangerous to others. The aircraft is currently impounded at
Port Moresby's Jackson's Airport and will be released once the fines are paid.
Illegal Landing
The illegal landing of an aircraft at Aropa near Kieta on the Island of Bougainville
recently has caused a great deal of sensational publicity but the following
contributed article places a different perspective on the issue.
Magistrate Ivo Cappo found Peter McGee, a medivac pilot for Niugini Air Rescue,
guilty of careless and dangerous operation of an aircraft by landing at the
decommissioned aerodrome at Kieta on the 30th of September 2004.
The charges were fought in the district court at Waigani over an eight-week
period by two of the most successful lawyers in Port Moresby. However, the
amount of sensationalism and political pressure applied to the case resulted
in what was always to be the end result - guilty on all counts.
Needless to say the manner will probably proceed to the next level court,
however Peter McGee Papua New Guinea's only currently certified fitness instructor
will be 'going finish' as he an his family severs all business ties with PNG.
Peter was a regular instructor at the Holiday Inn's Sport Plus in both group
fitness and personal training fields.
Morobe Budget
The Morobe Provincial Government has handed down its budget for 2005. The
budget worth K33.5 million focuses on works and contains no new taxes. The
province will also receive K60.8 million in grants from the National Government.
Goilala Highway
The 197 kilometre Goilala Highway has been officially opened at a cost of
K1.2 million. The road was built many years ago (1980's) and has been neglected
ever since. People wishing to visit Port Moresby as well as selling produce
at the city markets will use the road.
Beef Industry
According to Trukai Industries PNG has a huge potential to expand the existing
beef industry. Of 500,000 hectares suitable for cattle grazing only 200,000
is being used to produce cattle. Most of the unused land is customary land
owned by villagers. PNG like Australia is relatively disease free when it
comes to cattle production. Trukai has made four overseas shipments of live
cattle to the Philippines most of the cattle come from smallholder farmers.
Police Concert
The Commissioner of Police is holding a Christmas concert on the 19th of
December from 1:30pm to 4:00 pm at the Boroko Police Station Car Park. The
concert will feature the Ice Discovered finalists and the Sione Kami Memorial
Choir. The Royal PNG Constabulary
band will also play at the
event.
Snake Bite
Research by David Williams, a postgraduate student at James Cook University
in Australia, has shown that 200 people die of snakebite in PNG annually.
This makes PNG one of the countries with the highest mortality rate from snakebite.
In the Mekeo region of Central province 14 out of every 100,000 people die
from snakebite making this region the third highest any where in the world.
The majority of deaths in PNG are caused by the taipan. Most people believe
that the Papuan Black causes the most deaths but there have only been two
reported cases in recent years.
Diving
If you are interested in diving in PNG then any of the following websites
may be of interest to you -
http://www.underwaterphotos.com/tiata2.htm
http://www.cathychurch.com/png.html
http://www.diversionOZ.com/epngdive.htm
http://www.worlddive.com/phgal/png/pngpix.htm
http://www.blueseacharters.com
Piracy
The recent death of a crewmember on a cargo vessel at the hands of pirates
could jeopardise the growing tourist industry in Madang where the event took
place. People in a dinghy attacked the MV Fallon in the early hours of the
morning recently as the vessel was travelling to Karkar island. The attackers
fired several shots one of which penetrated a wall and killed the engineer
of the boat.
Christmas Time
At this time of year airports and wharves are filled to capacity with people
and cargo attempting to get home. The system that has been chaotic in the
past seems to be handled better this year especially at Jackson's airport.
PNG travellers are still causing airline officials to pull their hair out
by not turning up for flights and flights that have been overbooked sometimes
go out with spare seats and then other times everyone turns up and passengers
have to be offloaded. Luckily or maybe by better management of resources Air
Niugini has even been able to get some of the flights out on time if not a
few minutes early. Some of this is due to the arrival of newer aircraft with
more seat capacity and some of it is just by the handwork of employees. Just
remember that the poor person behind the counter getting you to your various
destinations at all the airline and shipping agent desks is not going to be
able to travel on holidays this year. No one likes to see flights or ships
to be delayed so have your tickets and other travel documents ready to avoid
wasting time at the counter.
To all readers of this newsletter a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Madang Rape
The Governor of Madang province has been charged, by PNG Police, with raping a girl in October this year. Several other people have been charged with attempting to prevent the course of justice by obstructing police investigations and agreeing to receive payments in lieu of taking the rape allegation further.
Wabag - Enga Province
After several years with out a representative in Parliament Wabag now has an elected member. The Governor General, Sir Paulias Matane, has sworn in Sam Abal as the fifth Member of Parliament for the Wabag seat. Sam's father, Tai Abal, served from 1964 to 1982 as the first MP for Wabag.
Defence Treaty
Australia and PNG have signed a defence treaty that will see the engagement of Australian officials in key positions within the PNG Defence Force. The treaty was signed by the PNG Defence Minister, Mathew Gubag and his Australian counterpart, Senator Robert Hill.
Timeliness
The Governor General is still being offended by the inability of key people in the country to attend official functions on time. The signing of a K30 million tuna project in Wewak was nearly cancelled by the Governor General after the ceremony scheduled for 10 am the other day did not start until 10:30 and then many of the key officials were not present. In fact many of them turned up after the Governor General and the representative of the sponsoring company had left the signing ceremony.
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