Links
Warning:
PNG web sites seem to come and go. The fact of life is that it costs
money to host a web site 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 web site and let them know so they at least know that someone
has gained some value from their efforts. If you are so inclined them
mention that you heard about them from this web site. -- The PNG
Gossip Newsletter.
New FIA Site
PNG Forest Industries Association -- http://www.fiapng.com
-- This site is designed and implemented by Wolfgang and is a CyberMasta
Web Site -- http://www.cybermasta.com/portfolio.htm
Lands Department Site
The Department of Lands and Physical Planning have launched a new web
site that can be found at -- http://www.lands.gov.pg
-- Lands Department management hope that the site will enhance the department's
efforts to inform investors, government institutions and the general
public of the roles, responsibilities, procedures, processes and the
overall working of the department.
Agriculture Web Site
Department of Agriculture and Livestock -- http://www.agriculture.org.pg/
Melanesian Institute
The Melanesian Institute is an ecumenical institute that researches,
teaches and publishes on all aspects of Melanesian culture. A web site
can be found at -- http://www.mi.org.pg
Yahoo Groups
If you want to find a Yahoo group that deals with Papua New Guinea
then I recommend that you visit this link -- http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=papua+new+guinea&submit=Search
-- with any luck you will find a whole list of groups that may interest
you.
The Yahoo regional directory on PNG is located at -- http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Papua_New_Guinea/
PNG Coffee
Kongo Coffee from Goroka advertises premium quality, freshly roasted
coffee. For enquires you can contact them at Kundiawa on +675 735 8304
Fax 735 1130 and at Goroka on 732 3069 Fax 732 3068 or email them on
-- kongo@global.net.pg
Miscellaneous Web Sites
Official web site of the PNG National Olympic Committee -- http://www.oceaniasport.com/png/
News about the PNG Cricket Team -- http://allafrica.com/stories/200506300033.html
Inside Papua New Guinea -- http://www.insideoceania.com/html/papua_new_guinea.html
-- this site has links to current news and strories about Papua New
Guinea usually from sources outside PNG.
PNG Forest Conservation News -- http://forests.org/png
The Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce web site can be found at -- http://www.pomcci.org.pg
The Web Site for the PNG Institute of Directors gives an excellent
introduction to PNG company law and related governance issues it can
be found at -- http://www.pngid.org.pg
Papua New Guinea Institute of Accountants -- http://www.pngia.org.pg
Rimbunan Hijau (PNG) Group -- http://www.rhpng.com.pg/
UMW heavy equipment supplier -- http://www.umw.com.pg/
Jane's PNG
Jane's Papua New Guinea web site -- A pictorial insight with comments
on Papua New Guinea traditional culture, art and history. Contains a
series of excellent photographs and can be located at -- http://www.janeresture.com/png_home/
Shipping Links
http://www.aalpas.com/asp/index.asp
-- Austral Asia Line Project Asia Service.
http://www.newguineapacificline.com.au
-- New Guinea Pacific Line
http://www.steamships.com.pg
-- Steamships Shipping Agencies
News Items
FAQ's
Are there any florists in PNG?
Not sure about PNG but there are three florists in Port Moresby however
I only have e-mail addresses for two.
Linden Blossom is the longest established florist in town and is owned
by a Dutch couple who have been here over 30 years. Their e-mail address
is -- lindenblossom@global.net.pg
The other one is called "The Flower Shop" an arm of the National
Capital Botanical Gardens and their address is -- ncbg@orchidspng.com
-- You should address your mail to Mary Ume who is the manageress of
the shop.
The third one is an arm of the PNG Gardener company however I do not
have an e-mail address for them.
UPNG Chapel
It may be of interest that the University of Papua New Guinea has changed
the way in which the University's Chapel is to be used. The Building,
originally paid for by donations from various churches and church bodies,
as a place of worship for the University, is now to be used as a lecture
theatre as well. Various offices and other facilities assigned for the
use of the various University Chaplains have been demolished and it
is uncertain whether any comparable facilities will be available for
the Chaplains in future. These changes have been made despite representation
from the churches that the Chapel, in particular, should not become
a multipurpose building, but should remain dedicated to the worship
of God.
It should be noted that the Chapel was intended for the use of all Christian
churches and was therefore Interdenominational. Since calls itself a
Christian country, it must be a matter for concern that the University
seems to be giving the spiritual nurture of the students such a low
priority, and the views of the Church leadership so little consideration.
What is the opinion of the ordinary Papua New Guinean about these changes?
Goroka University Fire
A fire has destroyed the newly furnished music building at the University
of Goroka. Music equipment valued at K200,000 donated by the Japanese
government in April was lost in the fire as well as other instruments
valued at about K100,000. The total value of the building and equipment
has been placed at K1.5 million. Two large water tanks between the music
building and the student mess save the mess from being burnt down.
NARI Fire
A fire at the National Agriculture Research Institute laboratory located
in the Port Moresby suburb of Kilakila has completely destroyed the
laboratory. The lab is used for the sampling and testing of materials
from the agriculture sector.
Drug Bust
82kg of dried marijuana packed in plastic bags and placed in bags of
sweet potato bound for Port Moresby was detected by security guards
on the Lae wharf recently. It is believed that the street value of the
drugs in Port Moresby would be about K1 million. The drugs were found
in 24 bags of Highland's sweet potato that was to be freighted to Port
Moresby. The bags were originally shipped from Goroka in the Eastern
Highlands.
Panguna Mine
The reclusive Me'ekamui leader Francis Ona has said that the re-opening
of the Panguna Mine on Bougainville will be a no, no and the decision
will have to come from the people and the landowners. Mr Ona said that
if there was no money to run the Autonomous Bougainville Government,
he wants the newly elected government closed down and let him run Bougainville.
Mr Ona said the government must find other means of earning money for
the province and it must not try to use the Panguna mine to get loans
from the World Bank.
Mini SP Games
The PNG Sports Federation Olympic Committee has handed over a cheque
to Air Niugini for air travel to get the PNG team to the Mini SP games
in Palau. Air Niugini donated K100,000.00 in-kind towards the trip that
will see seven teams including Athletics; Basketball; Canoeing; Swimming,
Softball (Male Team); Tennis and Weightlifting competing against the
finest athletes in the South Pacific. The Mini SP games will be used
as part of the PNG development programme to send the best PNG team ever
to the full South Pacific Games in Samoa in 2007.
Port Moresby to Cairns Flights
Air Niugini has averted a major problem with flying its passengers
into Cairns by getting the use of an Alliance aircraft set up for the
new flight rules. New rules say that all planes that carry more than
30 passengers must be fitted with upgraded safety devices of the enhanced
ground proximity warning system. Air Niugini has only recently leased
two non compliant Fokker F100's from an Australian company. It is believed
that the Australian company is responsible for fitting the required
devices to the two Air Niugini Fokkers.
Nursing Problems
Striking nurses agreed to return to work recently after being assured
that their log of claims would be addressed by the Health Department.
The nurses, however, continue with a "go slow" action that
started over a month ago. The nurses are refusing to perform tasks that
should be carried out by doctors. The nurses have also placed a quota
on the number of patients they see at urban clinics so they do not have
to work after their shift is over.
Southern Highlands Problems
Villagers in the Hawa mountains area of the Southern Highlands have
reportedly hacked a man to death and are now holding his 12-year-old
son hostage. Police believe the incident is a spillover of an ongoing
conflict between the Ayako and Halongo tribesmen who live on the outskirts
of the Hawa prison camp, just a few kilometres northwest of the town
of Tari. The National newspaper -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/0701/nation1.htm
-- has said that the Halongo and Ayako tribesmen have been at war since
November last year and at least 16 people have died so far.
Education Problems
Without any surprise it has been announced that the Department of Education
has struggled with the lack of adequate budgets and has had few funds
available for operational expenses to meet core functions over the years.
The outcome of this lack of funds was that materials and resources could
not be transferred to provinces or schools because of the lack of funding
for freight. In 2005 the department requested K124,095,900 but was only
allocated K112,704,000.
Gas Project
After the recent signing of the conditional gas sale agreement between
PNG gas project owners and Canadian Alcan Alumina refinery of Northern
Territory to use gas piped in from Papua New Guinea PNG stands to reap
as much as K1.5 billion from the gas pipeline project through Government's
shareholding in Oil Search Limited. Public servants in the country will
reap another K101 million from the shares owned by the Public Officers
Superannuation Fund.
Parliamentary Secretaries
More jobs for the faithful followers or another attempt to buy some
more time in office? Some political observers claim that the increase
in Parliamentary Secretaries is aimed at stabilising the backbenches
to enable legislation such as the amendment to the Forestry Act to go
through Parliament. Four members of Parliament have been sworn in as
Parliamentary Secretaries.
Benny Allan, Unngai Bena -- Transport and Civil Aviation
Sam Abal, Wabag -- Inter-Government Relations
Conrad Haoda, South Fly -- Trade and Industry
Yuntuvi Bao, Kainantu -- Foreign Affairs.
Their appointments increase the number of Parliamentary Secretaries
to seven. The others are Jimi MP Francis Kunai (Works), Kavieng MP Martin
Aini (Minister Assisting the Prime Minister), and Nipa/Kutubu MP Robert
Kopaol (Finance).
Investor Confidence
A breakfast hosted by the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce has been
told by the managing director of Capital Stockbrokers, Paul McLaren,
that the PNG market is slowly gaining its momentum with many companies
showing an interest to invest here.. Mr McLaren said that the new mining
operations at Kainantu and Mt Sinivit would also improve the local economy.
Coffee Prices
The Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR)
in conjunction with technical staff from the Coffee Industry Corporation
is conducting a research project to enhance PNG coffee via price premiums
for supplying a quality product. The project aims to improve the quality
of coffee produced by the small-holder coffee farmers and to improve
the prices received by coffee producers, traders and exporters.
Tumbuna Fest
A festival set to become an annual event will be held for the first
time on the 30th of July. The festival to be known as Tumbuna Taim will
be hosted by the National Cultural Commission in Port Moresby. The event
will be sponsored by Nescafe and aims to display the diverse cultural
traditions of PNG.
Police Donation List
In a previous edition I asked about whether any one had been stopped
at a police road block and asked to donate anything to the person conducting
the road block. Here is one answer from Louise.
Hi,
Regarding 'donations', my partner and I were asked to make a donation
for soft drinks at a police road block opposite the yacht club in Moresby
a few weeks ago. So I can confirm that "expats" are also being
targeted.
Cheers,
Louise
Cleaner Port Moresby?
The new head of the National Capital District Commission (NCDC), Peter
Loko, plans to make Port Moresby the best city in the Asia Pacific Region.
He is starting by trying to educate street vendors to only sell their
wares in designated areas. He has set a date of the 11th of July by
when all vendors should be in their designated zones where they will
be able to make an honest living. Mr Loko has said this action has had
to be taken because the people of the NCD must understand that the NCDC
has a duty to ensure that Port Moresby is a clean and healthy city to
live in. Another priority of the city manager is to ensure that the
worsening road situation in the capital is fixed. He has said that 22
roads in the NCD will be attended to immediately at a cost of K24 million.
Coming Events
East New Britain Warwagira and Mask Festival. The Warwagira will be
held on the 6th to the 12th of July followed by the Mask Festival on
the 13th to the 16th of July. Both events will be held at the Queen
Elizabeth Park.
New Ireland Malagan Show, Kavieng -- 15th to 17th July 2005
Mount Hagen Show, Western Highlands Province -- around the 20th of
August 2005.
Squash - The K50,000 Steel Industries PNG Squash International has
been set to be held between the 16th and 21st of August in Port Moresby.
The event is part of the official Men's World Tour and is being run
under the supervision of the Professional Squash Association - the world
governing body for Men's Squash. The main event will be held at the
Holiday Inn Sports Plus Club at Waigani.
PNG 30th Independence Day Celebrations -- 16th September 2005.
Hiri Moale Festival -- 15th to 18th of September 2005.
Goroka Show -- Independence Weekend (17th - 19th)
Tufi Cultural Show -- 17th - 19th September
Morobe Show, Lae -- 15th and 16th of October 2005
The Milne Bay Canoe and Kundu (drum) festival is to be held 4th - 6th
of November.
2006 - April 8th to the 16th -- National Game Fishing Titles
PNG Media
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