Links
Miscellaneous Links
A collection of around 100 photographs of village life on the Kiwai
coast -- http://www-geoimages.berkeley.edu/GeoImages/Eley/EleyPapua.html
Detailed description of Huli culture in Southern Highlands, including
photos and vocabulary -- http://www.accsoft.com.au/~drgcjlom/huli1.htm
Information, Communication and Disability -- http://www.pngbuai.com/600technology/information/waigani/disability/WS97-sec17-Bruce.html
World Countries: Oceania: Papua New Guinea: Society and culture -- http://www.world-countries.net/all/Oceania/papua_new_guinea/society_and_culture/
Kudjip Nazarene Hospital -- http://www.kudjipnazarenehospital.org/needs.asp
Visiting PNG??
If you are thinking of coming to PNG in the highly recommend reading
the following information on the PNGBD website -- http://www.pngbd.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2549
Weather
For a snapshot of weather around PNG visit the following links --
Wewak -- http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Wewak.shtml
Port
Moresby -- http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Portmoresby.shtml
Lae
-- http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Lae.shtml
Rabaul
-- http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Rabaul.shtml
Wewak
George Hallit's images from Wewak, East Sepik Province -- http://www.pbase.com/ghallit/wewak
Pacific
Wrecks -- http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/png_wewak.html
Wewak
Guest House -- http://www.wewakguesthouse.com/
Wewak
area and the surrender ceremony -- http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/wewak_area.htm
Alotau
Masurina Lodge -- http://www.masurina.com.pg/
Napatana
Lodge -- http://www.napatanalodge.com/
Alotau
Dive and Tours -- http://www.pananufa-web.com/e/diving_e/
Alotau
International School -- http://www.iea.ac.pg/schools/coast_and_islands/alotau.htm
Wikipedia
-- http://tpi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alotau
Travel
Post -- http://www.travelpost.com/PO/Papua_New_Guinea/Milne_Bay/Alotau2/1250914
Morobe Province
Morobe Province curves around the tropical waters of the Huon Gulf.
The hinterland and coast of the Province offers spectacular sightseeing,
-- http://www.pngbd.com/travel/tourism_guide_tpa/prov_morobe.html
News Items
PNG Institute of Medical Research
Professor Peter Siba has been appointed to the Director's position at
the Institute of Medical Research. (PNGIMR) The previous incumbent
Professor Reeder is going finish to pursue his interests as a Medical
Research Scientist. In the past Prof Reeder has won the highest awards
for excellent researches in Malaria and has secured huge
funding for the Institute during his stint.
Bed Donation
The Australian Rotary Club and Queensland Health exchange have worked
together to get more than 80 hospital beds to south pacific countries.
The manually operated beds are no longer required by the hospital and
are being replaced by electrically operated ones. -- http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1671809.htm
Fleeing Fijians
Five Fijians out of eight who went to PNG to train locals on the use
of high-powered weapons are now looking for a way home. Three of the
eight returned to Fiji earlier this year after heeding a request from
the Fiji Government. The men were accused of being mercenaries and were
warned to leave the Bougainville by the vice president of the Autonomous
Bougainville Government, Joseph Watawi. -- http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=44169
Carteret Islands
France and Canada are leading a push to resettle people living on
PNG's Carteret Islands. It is feared rising sea levels could make some
islands uninhabitable within 10 years. Decades after France stopped
bombing boats and atolls; its Government believes it has found
forgiveness in the Pacific.
Whooping Cough
The Whooping Cough epidemic that was reported in a recent issue of
the newsletter has spread to parts of Madang province and claimed three
lives. The three districts are Sumkar, Usino-Bundi and Middle Ramu. The
Morobe Governor has suggested that travel restrictions should be put in
place to minimise the spread of the sickness.
State of Emergency
The Health Minister, Sir Peter Barter, has said PNG could consider
declaring a state of emergency in two provinces if an outbreak of
whooping cough gets any worse. Full Story -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=25036
Goroka Uni
The trouble at Goroka University continues. Lecturers walked off the
job demanding the termination of Vice-Chancellor Dr David Rawlence and
then students took advantage of the situation to go on a rampage. The
students claim that they were angry that their lecturers were not in
class to teach them. The lecturers assured students that they would
return to work as soon as the top management removed Dr Rawlence as
vice-chancellor of University Of Goroka.
Vanishing Records
The Office of Libraries and Archives has indicated that PNG's history
is disappearing due to the closure of libraries around the country.
Records and materials including books are slowing deteriorating because
of poor care. Provincial governments had failed to adequately fund and
maintain libraries, resulting in only 11 libraries operating. Those that
have closed are Lorengau, Vanimo, Wewak, Arawa, Bulolo, Popondetta,
Samarai, Misima, Daru, Kerema, Kainantu, Mount Hagen, Wabag, Kwikila and
Lae. Historical items recorded by the National Broadcasting Corporation
(NBC) are also under threat of disappearing as the NBC no longer has the
equipment in good working order to play the tape recordings.
NHC Probe
The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has begun investigations into
one of its officers in Mt Hagen for alleged corrupt practices. It is
claimed that the officer had personally benefited from a property which
he bought at a very low price of K17,500 and was now leasing it for K400
to K500 a fortnight and residing in another NHC property free of
charge.
WWII Veterans
Another World War Two veteran who served and died in PNG has been
laid to rest at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, USA after
crashing over 61 years ago on a training mission. -- http://www.ydr.com/newsfull/ci_3978719
In another report found on the Pasadena Star News Web Site a gunner
aboard a B-24D Liberator that left Dobodura, PNG in 1943, for a
reconnaissance mission over the Bismark Sea has been identified using
DNA technology. The military used DNA from a niece, skeletal evidence
and dental records to identify the gunner -- http://pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_3978494
Public Accounts Committee
At a recent meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) it was
revealed that the Office of the Auditor-General (A-G) did not
investigate the Finance Department for fear of physical harm to its
staff. The PAC had earlier directed the A-G to make a full inquiry into
a report on the retainer of external legal firms and management of the
Sepik Highway Trust Fund (SHTFA).
Mad Cow Disease
Scientists are using their experience with "kuru" in PNG to make
predictions about the effects of Mad Cow Disease (bovine spongiform
encephalopathy, BSE). Kuru like Mad Cow Disease is another prion
disease. Kuru, reached epidemic proportions in certain communities in
PNG, where consuming the bodies - including the brains - of deceased
relatives was considered a sign of respect and mourning. Most of those
who took part in the ritual were females of all ages and young boys. The
effects of kuru are still cropping up years after the practice has
stopped indicating that BSE in humans (Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease) may take many years to show and manifest itself.
If you are interested in the full story -- CBC News - Health and
Science has an article at -- http://www.cbc.ca/cp/health/060622/x062218.html
-- and WebMD also has an article at -- http://www.webmd.com/content/article/124/115552.htm
Logging Industry
Sasa Zibe claims that he was sacked as the country's environment
minister because he trod on too many toes in the logging industry. Zibe
says. "I insisted that our industry standards should be no less than
those in Australia. I paid a high price for that." It has long been
claimed that the PNG logging industry is being raped by overseas
countries. As a result PNG now faces restrictions on timber imports by
Australia and other Western nations, which are increasingly frustrated
at PNG's failure to act against unscrupulous operators in the industry.
The Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare has been implicated in logging
irregularities in the past. The 1989 enquiry into the industry by
retired Australian judge Thomas Barnett, found Grand Chief Somare should
have been referred to the Ombudsman Commission for allegedly lying under
oath about a logging concession held by the Sepik River Development
Corporation in East Sepik Province. The Prime Minister's press secretary
says that "He has never profited from a logging company."
Please read the following story in The Australian Newspaper -- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19565361-30417,00.html
-- as it makes interesting reading.
PNG Passports
Currently PNG Passports and Visas can only be issued within the
country at Waigani. Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge, has called on the
Government to extend this to at least two other centres in PNG.
Currently it takes months for citizens to get a passport and some people
even have to make trips to Moresby in a bid to speed the event
along.
Kokoda Track
Australian Football League (AFL) legend, Ron Barassi has returned
from his trek across the Kokoda Trail leaner than when he left. The
70-year-old football hero shed 6 Kilograms during his nine-day trek
through the one-time war zone. Another former AFL star, Brownlow
Medallist Robert DiPierdomenico, 48, finished the trip on a drip through
dehydration. Full story can be found at -- http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,19494364%5E2862,00.html
Aussie Asylum Seekers
It has been reported in the Sydney Morning Herald -- http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Process-asylum-seekers-in-Australia-PNG/2006/06/16/1149964728594.html
-- that Prime Minister Michael Somare says Australia should process
asylum seekers on Australian soil and hinted that he may not allow PNG's
Manus Island to be used again as a detention centre.
Madang Culture Book
Mary Mennis has just released a book about culture in the Madang area
called "A Potted History of Madang. Traditional Culture and Change
on the North Coast of New Guinea." It is the people's history
collected by Mary in interviews in the 1970s and then in a visit in
1994. Their history is often quite different to that of the official
history and begins hundreds of years before foreigners arrived. American
scientists are now interested in this research which reveals volcanic
eruptions, tsunami and population movement many generations ago.
The material culture of the people is also studied including the
pottery found throughout the province and changes noted with a pottery
survey done in 1994. The large sailing canoes of Astrolabe Bay once
noted by Mikloucho Maclay are described during the construction of one
of them in 1978 which I instigated and recorded. This book honours the
old headmen of the Bel group in Madang who helped me piece together this
information and who are now deceased.
The book is 345 pages long and is full of photographs, maps, tables
and a large bibliography. It retails at 75 AUS dollars plus postage.
Contact this newsletter if you want further details and I will pass
on any messages to Mary.
False Reports
A candidate contesting the NCD Regional seat in the forthcoming
elections has been charged with spreading false reports about another
candidate. -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/062806/nation2.htm
Wafi Gold Project
The Minister responsible for Mining, Sam Akoitai, wants Harmony Gold,
developer of the Wafi gold project in Morobe province, to speed up work
and bring it into production as soon as possible. Mr Akoitai said he
would meet with the Harmony Gold officials soon to discuss landowner
queries, spin-off business activities, and ownership of the
project
Seasonal Labour
Australia's reluctance to employ seasonal labour from the Pacific has
perplexed Foreign Affairs and immigration Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu. A
survey conducted earlier this year of horticultural producers in north
western Victoria by Australian university Swinburne University of
Technology, uncovered shortages of labour that result in farmers
employing illegal immigrants so using short term labour from the Pacific
is seen as an easy solution to the employment issues.
Coming Events
Tolai Warwagira -- from the 5th to the 11th of July
International Orchid Spectacular - Parliament House, Port Moresby 5th
and 6th of August 2006
The Institute of PNG Studies Exploratory Workshop - September.
42nd PNG Medical Symposium will be held in Madang from the 4th to the
8th of September 2006 -- http://www.medsymp.org.pg
PNG 31st Independence Anniversary - 16th September 2006
Annual Hiri Hanenamo Quest and Hiri Moale Festival - 16th September
2006
Goroka Show -- 16th and 17th of September 2007
Kiwi Ball - The fabulous ball held by the Kiwi's will be held on the
28th October this year. This year the New Zealanders hope to have a
five-piece band to entertain the crowd
Morobe Show -- November 4th and 5th
Milne Bay Kundu and Canoe Festival -- 6th to the 12th of November
2006
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