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PNG in the News
The Chinese operator of the Ramu nickel Project in Madang province has denied claims it has been abusing PNG -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=42447 -- and -- http://www.nnnforum.org/forums/showthread.php?t=139093
Training young and old in disaster preparedness -- http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/6626c95eec053c46e0a893c805bb94af.htm
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller advisory service has been updated. Please see -- http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Papua_New_Guinea
Misc Links
Boroko East Primary School Alumni Registry -- http://www2.alumni.net/Australia_-_Oceania/Papua_New_Guinea/Boroko_East_Primary_School
A new security company called Security Plus has started up in the country -- http://www.securityplus.com.pg
Photo Links
Direct hit - another shot from the raid on 2nd Nov 1943, at Simpson Harbour Rabaul. -- http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=18743 -- unfortunately you have to be logged in to see this photo.
Safe Passage - Madang -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/morealtitude/2937311284/
Any Old Port - Madang -- http://www.messersmith.name/wordpress/2008/10/13/any-old-port/
Goroka Show -- http://ekkhu.livejournal.com/16945.html
1925 Aqueduct at Wamira -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a066b0
Photos from West Taraka -- http://www.trupela.com/2008/10/13/photos-from-west-taraka/
The MTS Aquaventure moors between dives in the sandy shallows -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/morealtitude/2919518439/
PNG Blogs
It's all Change - Madang -- http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bobandpam/1/1223701620.html
Kundu Drums and Bees -- http://www.messersmith.name/wordpress/2008/10/09/drums-and-bees/
There is an amazing amount of road works being carried out in Kokopo at the moment. -- http://giaman.com/pg/?656c48
Kavieng -- http://barraveigh.blogspot.com/2008/10/kavieng.html
Qld chalkies gather again in Brisbane -- http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2008/10/qld-chalkies-gather-again-in-brisbane.html
KANGE NGA KONA -- http://pngemmiyet.blogspot.com
A joke for everyone - wrong email -- http://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2008/10/wrong-email-address.html
Life and Language Survey in PNG -- http://pngsurvey.blogspot.com/2008/10/almost-time.html
Olgeta Long Long -- http://olgetalonglong.wordpress.com/
Malum Nalu -- http://malumnalu.blogspot.com/
Cruise Weekly Comment: Giving Back -- http://expeditioncruising.blogspot.com/2008/10/cruise-weekly-comment-giving-back.html
National Statistical Office
The National Statistical Office has a web site located at -- http://www.nso.gov.pg
Ever wondered what is the population of various PNG towns? -- http://www.citypopulation.de/PapuaNewGuinea.html -- makes a reasonable guess considering the last census held in PNG was in the year 2000.
News Items
Yahoo Serious
Actor and Director, Yahoo Serious, Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF) board member, is planning another cinematic release. This time it will be about the Kokoda Track.
See -- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24347521-12377,00.html
Serious, who also produced, wrote and starred in film comedies Reckless Kelly and Mr. Accident, has walked the Kokoda Track several times.
Stick Insects
Jules who writes the Rabaul daily photo blog says she has been inundated with stick insects.
read more -- http://rabauldailyphoto-jules.blogspot.com/2008/10/stick-em-up.html
Kai Kai the Buai
Larry Danielson the writer of Kai Kai the Buai has a web site located at -- http://www.larrydanielson.co.nz/ -- Larry is offering a CD of the songs he wrote and sang in PNG available for $10.00. No more information other than that is available.
Swimming News
PNG's Olympic swimmer, Ryan Pini and Elizabeth Wells have both been nominated to become life members of the PNG Swimming Inc.
A "train-on" squad has been selected for the Arafura Games to be held in Australia between the 9th and 17th of May 2009.
see associated articles at -- http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=1673&pID=2
PX Can't Win
For one reason or another PX 108 has over the years been renamed by frequent travellers as One 0 Late. Recently the Air Niugini plane could not even land at its Nadzab destination due to poor lighting after the runway suffered a power black out and had to return to Port Moresby.
Air Niugini
Air Niugini has announced that it will fly directly to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia this month commencing on the 29th of October with the airline expecting the new service will help to solve the current capacity shortage experienced in its Port Moresby to Singapore flights.
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20081013/business04.htm
Air Niugini's Service Delivery Department at Jackson's Airport have been issued with new uniforms. Staff at locations outside Port Moresby will also be issued new uniforms.
Legal Fees Owed
The Government owes more than K14 million in legal fees to an Australian law firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques and a local firm, Posman Kua Aisi lawyers for services in handling State cases. The PNG Finance office has confirmed they owed the law firms a substantial amount of money for cases relating to state issues.
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PM Visits Italy
Sir Michael Somare has met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican -- http://www.zenit.org/article-23855?l=english -- During his visit he secured a deal in Rome, with Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI) - one of the world's leading oil and gas companies. The agreement allows ENI to build up to four liquefied natural gas plants in PNG and is separate to the LNG gas project with ExxonMobil. ENI will open an office in PNG in the next few months.
Sir Michael has also met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and environment minister Erik Solheim in Oslo to discuss details of cooperation on climate change issues.
Workers Mutual Insolvent
The liquidators of Workers Mutual Insurance (WMI) have claimed that WMI had negative assets of about K20 million in May 2005 and not the K50 million as claimed by WMI. WMI was declared insolvent in March 2005 with a K19 million liability. Liquidators PKF Guinn claim that assets were over inflated and liabilities to be paid were understated.
HIV/AIDS Research
The HIV/AIDS research plan for 2008 to 2013 has been launched in Port Moresby. At the launch, Governor-General Paulias Matane said that the research agenda comes at a time when Papua New Guinea needs to bolster its response to HIV/AIDS.
Strong Kina
For the first time in many years the PNG Kina broke the 50 Australian cent mark. The Kina is currently hovering just above this mark at 53 cents and 36.8 US cents.
see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20081013/business03.htm
Gun Laws
In a bid to curb violent crime the PNG government plans to make sweeping changes to the country's guns laws. Over a period of many years guns and ammunition have gone missing from armouries around the country. PNG Police Commissioner, Sani Rambi, has said about 60 per cent of the problems in the country are gun-related. Just last edition I mentioned about so many reports going to waste on government shelves - a gun report was given to the Government in October 2005. Let's hope something happens 3 years later.
Mystery Trip
The Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) has confirmed that one of their aircraft landed at Aropa airport in Bougainville recently. According to Director of SIL, Tim Lithgow, their organisation had responded to a charter request from a company called "Businessmen Without Borders" to fly to Aropa in the Central District of Bougainville to take diabetes medication to a gentleman and we ended up transporting him back to Port Moresby, in essence conducting a medical evacuation. We did not fly to any other airport in Bougainville, and this flight did not involve any other business dealings.
New Ireland Reunion
Sunday 15th March 2009 at Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. All ex-New Irelanders and current New Irelanders very welcome! -- Anne Peters (nee Murray) at annepeters30 at gmail.com or Tony Thomas at champjt at bigpond.net.au.
South Bougainville Electorate
The South Bougainville electorate has a new member. He is Steven Pirika Kamma of the New Generation Party (NGP), a member of the Opposition in Parliament. The seat was held by National Alliance's Michael Laimo, Education Minister who won the seat in 2007 until a recount of ballot papers for the electorate was ordered by the National Court. Mr Kamma won the recount by 151 votes. Mr Kamma's win brings NGP numbers to five and puts the Opposition's number at 21.
Rabaul Air Quality
Bruce Alexander, a hotel manager in Rabaul is upset that despite a scientist finding the region's atmosphere was no worse than Beijing PNG's labour and industrial relations department has told him to close down. Cambridge University professor Peter Baxter had found Rabaul's sulphur dioxide and dust levels similar to industrial centres around the world. The hotel was among five business houses in Rabaul that received closure notices recently for failing to comply with the recommended minimum safety requirements
see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20081014/news09.htm
The Secretary for Labour and Industrial Relations, David Tibu, has demanded full compliance from both foreigners and locals on regulations regarding occupational health and safety for workers. Mr Tibu has said that he has not seen the report by professor Peter Baxter.
Goilala / Tari Fight
A fight has erupted between people from Goilala and Tari initially over a stolen cigarette at Port Moresby's Koki Market. Betelnut, mustard and packets of lime were sent flying as a group of around 200 Goilala men stormed the Koki betelnut market over a previous incident where two Goilala's were chased around the market after one of them picked up a cigarette without paying for it and walked off. Police had to use teargas to disperse the fight that eventuated.
see associated story - Make laws to prevent ethnic fights: -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/101408/nation10.php
Highway Fight
A fight stretching for 10 kilometres along the Highlands Highway has seen two men dead. The fight between warring Walga tribes in Kami between Kudjip and Aviamp erupted some years back over conflict on traditional land ownership.
see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20081014/news01.htm
Cabbage Theft Death
A fight that began over the theft of a cabbage from a school garden resulted in the death of one man and left another seriously injured in the Nebilyer district of Western Highlands province.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/101008/nation5.php
POM SOX
The Port Moresby Stock Exchanges Kina Securities Index (KSi) has seen a loss of 400 points from where it was at the start of January this year. The loss was attributed to Oil Search shedding a further K0.10 to close the day at K9.90, Lihir Gold Limited closing at K5, down by K0.50 from the previous day's trade and New Britain Palm Oil losing K1 to close at K19. The companies that have suffered losses, like Oil Search, are dual listed on both the Australian and PNG Stock Exchange.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/101408/nation1.php
The Stock Exchange has told the Government to immediately come up with contingency plans to cushion the impact of the global financial crisis on the country.
See also - domestic market calm -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/101508/nation3.php
Port Moresby Stock Exchange -- http://www.pomsox.com.pg
National Development Bank Debt
The National Development Bank is owed millions by borrowers and the defaulters are getting more loans through the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP).
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/101308/nation6.php -- for full story.
Roku Village
Many people who have lived in Port Moresby have visited Idlers Bay. On the way there the last village is called Roku. In the 1970's the village used to have a water supply supplied by the old Port Moresby City Council, however, in the late 1980's water stopped running although the piping to the village remained. The Roku villagers will be returning to the 1970's soon with the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between Eda Ranu and the Roku water committee to ensure a cost-effective and reliable water supply to the community of 139 houses (Approx 1,000 people). Currently villagers walk 2km along the Napa Napa Road to fetch water from a well that was dug during World War II.
Lobster Export
PNG is finalising arrangements to export live lobsters to the Australian market. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed between Queensland's primary industries and fisheries and the equivalent in PNG. Another one was signed between the relevant Agriculture and Livestock authorities in the two countries.
Coming Events
Morobe Show -- 18th and 19th of October -- the Show is held on the weekend closest to the full moon in the month of October each year in Lae, Morobe Province. The show is expected to be full of colour and you can read more about the Morobe Show by visiting their website -- http://www.morobeshow.org.pg -- and -- http://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2008/09/morobe-show-on-again.html
3rd National Arts and Craft Exhibition 26th to 28th of October in Port Moresby, National Capital District. See -- http://www.culturetok.org.pg
Sprint Triathlon -- 1st of November at Ela Beach, Port Moresby.
Milne Bay Canoe Festival -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ab7f63 -- always held during the first weekend in November.
International Conference on Deep-Sea Mine Tailings Placement (DSTP): Madang Resort between the 4th and 7th of November, 2008.
The Greatest Adventure Challenge - Coast to coast challenge. Bike ride, walk, bike ride. Buna to Port Moresby via the Kokoda Track from the 6th to the 14th of November 2008.
2008 Kokoda Reunion Dinner - Friday, 7 November 2008 - Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney.
Hiri Moale Festival -- Lagatoi builders at Porebada village, Central Province are racing against time to build replicas of their traditional ocean-going Motuan canoes for next month’s Hiri Moale Festival in Port Moresby. This year the festival is set for the 7th to the 9th of November instead of around the usual Independence Day.
Anti Corruption Day - 9th December 2008
Inaugural Madang Golf Classic February 2009 sponsored by Airlines of PNG.
34th Games Fishing Association PNG National Game Fishing Titles - Madang - from the 3rd of April to 13th of April 2009.
Arafura Games - 9 to 17th of May 2009 -- http://www.arafuragames.nt.gov.au/
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - use the submission form located at -- ../misc/ctc.html.
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