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.
Mention
of a website or service does not necessarily mean that this newsletter
endorses the website or service
World Info Zone
Please visit the World Info Zone Web Site at -- http://www.worldinfozone.com/gallery.php?country=PapuaNewGuinea
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free web based encyclopaedia and the information it has on PNG can be located at the following web address -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea
Wikipedia is now trying to start a Wikipedia in Tok Pisin. It can be found at -- http://tpi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
A page about Air Niugini can also be found at -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Niugini -- This page has some information that is not accurate but it is a start at documenting some of the history of the airline.
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
Ulumani Tree Tops Guest Haus
The website for Ulumani Tree Tops Guest Haus located at Waga Waga in Milne Bay can be found at -- http://www.pngbackpacker.com
Telephone Management
If anyone is in PNG and looking for a good telephone management system for their Ericsson, Oki, Panasonic, NEC or possibly other PABX then I suggest taking a visit to MATRYX -- http://www.matryx.com.pg. This PNG system boasts over 100 customers within PNG. The company can also offer web development and various IT services. It is also associated with the PNG Business and Tourism Directory located at -- http://www.pngbd.com
Taklam Guest House
The Guest House, actually it is now called Taklam Lodge and Tours, was originally located in Rabaul but was relocated to Kokopo after the twin volcanic eruptions destroyed Rabaul in 1994. They commenced operations in 1990 offering a home away from home service. A web site is located at -- http://www.taklam.com.pg/
News Items
PNG Power
The PNG Power union has said that they are not responsible for the pulling the plug on various electrical supplies around the country. The union is at loggerheads with the government over the supposed appointment of an Australian as the new Chief Executive Officer. The union would like the acting CEO, Lawrence Solomon, to be appointed to the position.
Geo Thermal Power
Lihir Gold Mine has commissioned a 30 megawatt geothermal power plant at its mine site. The plant will save the company around US$14 million every year in fuel savings.
Operation Open Heart
The first day of the Operation Open Heart had to be suspended due to
a power problem with PNG Power equipment at five mile in Port Moresby
but power problems seems to be the only hiccup being experienced by
the team. Despite this set back the operations are underway and many
patients are benefiting from the volunteers from Australia once again.
At the moment the team is concentrating on young children and so far
they have operated on children from 8 moths old through to 8 years old.
The team will finish on Friday the 19th of August which is about the
time the PNG Power union have said that they will increase industrial
action against the appointment of an expatriate to the Chief Executive
Officer position.
30th Anniversary
Some people are confused. If you hunt hard enough all around PNG you
can see faded signs advertising long past events. For example it has
been reported that the Port Moresby Hospital is advertising PNG's 25th
Silver Jubilee anniversary. At Goroka International School they have
a sign still readable on the high school section of the school advertising
the 20th Anniversary of the country. I am sure that most readers in
PNG can see a well worn sign advertising some event. For example how
many election posters can still be seen adorning walls, fences or nailed
to trees? I am sure that as you leave Jackson's Domestic Terminal up
until to recently there was a Merry Christmas poster and for those taking
the new road from Koki to Ela Beach some of the signs there advertise
bygone events. At least it appears that Air Niugini have had the old
K799 fares to Australia painted over near Murray Barracks. What is the
oldest sign you can locate in PNG that is seen by the general public
on a daily basis?
Civil Aviation
In a bid to improve the performance of civil aviation in the country it is estimated that around 200 workers will be retrenched. The organisation has also sought urgent funding from the Government to restore safety facilities at the airports although it would seem that many of the navigational aids on mountain tops around the country are still out of operation. It has been reported to the Public Accounts Committee that almost a third of the existing Civil Aviation Authority workers are not performing up to expected standards. Most of the remaining workers will be retained and be able to attend training programmes, something that has not been able to be done at CAA for the past 10 years.
HMPNGS Salamaua
After an extensive refit the HMPNGS Salamaua is back in PNG. The barge was refurbished at a cost of K4 million and underwent a complete overhaul in preparation for the governments Operation Green Revolution. The barge will be used to ship coffee from designated points around the country to the main coffee mills. Unfortunately this may have come back too late because much of the coffee is rotting away waiting for any form of transportation to get it to the overseas markets.
PNG Flags
Mausgras Pacific Trading from Queensland Australia have produced PNG National and Provincial flags for sale. You can contact them on email -- malips@austarnet.com -- or ring them in Australia on +617 3360 0819. Brian Bell are also selling PNG flags but I have not seen any provincial flags.
Melanesian Spearhead Meeting
Leaders of the Melanesian countries of the South Pacific - Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu - will converge on the scenic highlands town of Goroka for the 16th Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting from August 15 - 20, 2005. Sir Michael Somare as host Prime Minister will lead the PNG delegation for discussions on issues affecting the Melanesian neighbours including trade, investment and bilateral issues. The MSG is the start of major regional meetings in PNG including the South Pacific Tourism Conference and the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting both in Port Moresby in October. All meetings are regarded as national events for PNG as part of celebrations for its 30th Independence Anniversary.
Goroka Town
The town of Goroka is under siege by the Melanesian Spearhead Meeting. People can no longer stroll past the Bird of Paradise Hotel in the main street even early on a Sunday morning. People are being directed to cross the road and walk past the shops. I pity the poor guy I saw trying to get to the ATM in one of the outside shops along the wall of the Bird.
There have even been reports of people being hassled because they want to take photographs of dignitaries. Thanks to the meeting Goroka is looking fresh. Well it was until the first lot of rain fell and all the carefully painted markings on the road have become hidden under the grime left behind by mud laden tyres. The gravel used to fill pot holes instantly washed out in the first storm to hit the town and the brightly coloured pink rubbish bins (44 imperial gallon drums - 205 litre) filled with water but at least the town is trying.
Super 24 Hour Kokoda Challenge
Marathon freaks and fitness fanatics, get ready to get physical because the inaugural Super 24 Hour Kokoda Challenge 2005 is here. The challenge will be run over the full 96 kilometres of the historical and physically demanding Kokoda Track. The challenge is for those with the endurance and stamina to complete the track under 24 hours. Australian Brian Freeman currently holds the record at 24 hours, 59 minutes and 26 seconds, which he achieved on his 40th birthday last year. Previously, the record proudly belonged to Papua New Guinean Osborne "Ossie" Bogajiwai, who held it for some 20 years. Word is that "Ossie" sponsored by Kokoda Spirit, will be out to retain his title. Already, interests have been registered from overseas and locally for the event which starts at Kokoda Station on August 27 and ends at Owers Corner on August 28. For more info visit: -- http://www.pngbd.com -- We wish all the challengers the very best of luck.
Tufi
Telikom PNG have launched their Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)
service in the Tufi District of Oro Province. The service will allow
a user friendly voice, fax and internet solution to residents of the
area. Each VSAT delivering quality voice links can accomodate six telephone
channels and an Ethernet PC connection. Tufi is the first of five locations
around PNG that will receive a VSAT service.
PNG Tuna
Despite all the problems associated with exporting fresh fish all the way from PNG to a fussy Japanese market the fish continues to be popular at the world famous Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Japan. Despite being on sale since 2003 PNG has only managed to sell a total of 635 Kilogram of Yellowfin and Bigeye tuna to the Japanese market. According to figures obtained by the Post Courier this was made up of 541 Kg of Bigeye and 94 Kg of Yellowfin.
Rockers Paradise
For all of those who remember Cold Chisel and the effect Jimmy Barnes had on rock in Australia but had to live life in PNG the opportunity has arisen for them to see Barnsey in Action at the Port Moresby Country Club later on this month. For those who have already seen him in action and your ear drums are still intact then it is up to you whether you risk another concert again.
Ice Discovered
The PNG version of American Idol is back with auditions recently being completed in the National Capital. Ice Discovered is once again being sponsored by a major brewer of ice beer and the local TV Station EMTV. Like its American counterpart many of the wood be hopefuls will be weeded out before the best of the best present themselves on TV to hopefully become the Ice Discovered star of the year.
Typhoid Scare
The Anglimp High School in the Western Highlands Province has been forced to close recently due to a typhoid scare at the school. The Provincial health services director confirmed that at least 130 students tested positive to typhoid. Repair work is now being carried out to remedy major problems with the supply of fresh clean water to the school. With an ever decreasing budget being handed out to schools all schools are finding it difficult to maintain existing facilities. The typhoid outbreak could be the tip of the iceberg at many schools around the country.
Law Reforms
The newly sworn in chairman of the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission
has said that the commission may need to reactivate 10 laws including
laws on freedom of information, compensation, and corruption and bribery.
The major goal of the commissioners is to provide efficient and responsive
law reform services to state agencies, stakeholders and the general
public.
Coconut Oil
The people of Iokea in the Gulf Province have received a portable coconut mill donated by the Agriculture and Livestock Minister. The mill will be used as part of the Gulf coconut project. The project is an initiative to help the villagers move away from the old days where coconut was grown to produce copra and then the copra was sold for processing by someone else. The mill will allow the villagers to process the coconuts themselves so that they can make coconut oil. The coconut, if processed correctly, can be used to help reduce the need to purchase coconut oil, vinegar, fuel for cars, kerosene for lamps and soap for homes.
Coconut Plantations
The Milne Bay provincial government has set aside K50,000 to help rehabilitate rundown coconut plantations in the province. The government will also give K100 for every hectare of coconuts that are planted by small holder growers. Copra production in the province has dropped by more than 50 percent. In previous years the province was producing 14,000 tonnes annually but now it can only manage 5,000 tonnes. Copra currently fetches K800 per tonne so this is a drop of over K7 million from a previous K11 million. This means that the people of Milne Bay are missing out of K7 million.
Boat Safety
The New Ireland Provincial Government has passed legislation to toughen up boating safety in the province. There will be new penalties including prison sentences and hefty fines for boat owners and operators that are found to in breech of the new laws. The main thrust of the legislation is to reduce the amount of travel being done during life threatening weather situations in the province. Many of the islands in the province can only be reached by boat.
Garden City
David Clues, the man in charge of looking after Garden City, has said in a newsletter that the moving of informal sector sellers from outside Garden City has made his job of trying to keep the shopping centre neat and tidy so much easier. Residents agree with his sentiments but it appears to be an uphill battle with some of the sellers sneaking back on a daily basis until City Council workers hunt them away. Once the sellers disappeared it is believed that the crime rate went with it.
Coming Events
The K50,000 Steel Industries PNG Squash International is being held from now to the 21st of August in Port Moresby.
Mount Hagen Show, Western Highlands Province -- around the 20th of August 2005.
Nasenel Garamut na Mambu Festivol -- The 4th Nesenal Garamut (drums) na Mambu (pipes/flutes) Festivol will be staged at the Wewak Show Ground on September 2nd and 3rd. The festival is one of four themed regional cultural events sanctioned by the National Cultural Commission and is aimed at promoting and preserving the cultures of the Morobe, Madang and Sepik Provinces. This year's Garamut and Mambu Festival promises to showcase some of the most primitive art forms and dances from the Sepik region. For more info contact Mr Sakarai Anton on Tel: +675 8651108; Fax: +675 8562860 or Email: -- sakaraianton@datec.net.pg
Ela Beach School Culture Day -- The children of Ela Beach School in Port Moresby will be staging their Cultural Day on September 9. The children will be promoting the traditions, cultures and uniqueness of Papua New Guinea starting at 8:30am and finishing at 1:30pm. The PNG Tourism Promotion Authority will support the children by setting up a booth to provide information on our beautiful country. All are welcome to attend.
Luk Save Art Show -- to be held at the Royal Papua Yacht Club from the 14th to the 16th of September, 2005. This is the third such show and will include fine art, sculptors, potters, photographers etc
PNG 30th Independence Day Celebrations -- 16th September 2005.
Hiri Moale Festival -- 15th to 18th of September 2005.
Goroka Show -- Independence Weekend (17th - 19th September)
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.
Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March 2006.
2006 - April 8th to the 16th -- National Game Fishing Titles
PNG Media
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