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PNG in the News
Sprinter Koime trains despite suspension -- http://www.sunday-chronicle.com/010309/sports12.asp
Flying Boomerangs - Aussie Rules team in Lae -- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25216928-2722,00.html -- and -- http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20090316221428895
Another airline for PNG -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/031709/nation3.php
It's not all doom and gloom in PNG -- http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2009/03/its-not-all-doom-and-gloom-in-png.html
PNG Blogs
Telikom PNG's View of PPC-1 -- http://soft-brain.blogspot.com/2009/03/telikom-pngs-view-of-ppc-1.html -- Don't forget to follow the progress of the PPC-1 Cable System linking PNG to the rest of the world at -- http://www.pipeinternational.com/
Kimil Coffee Plantation -- http://erininpng.blogspot.com/2009/03/kimil-coffee-plantation.html
Jac and John's PNG Adventure - Kundiawa -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9d708d
We Got the Power! -- http://www.messersmith.name/wordpress/2009/03/we-got-the-power/
How to win friends and influence people, PNG style: East Sepik -- http://steveinpng.blogspot.com/2009/03/east-sepik-province.html
Google Earth Learns About Madang -- http://www.messersmith.name/wordpress/2009/03/google-earth-learns-about-madang/
Off to Madang -- http://dooleysinpng.blogspot.com/2009/03/off-to-madang_5070.html
BSP Capital's blog - POMSoX Update -- http://bspcapital.blogspot.com/2009/03/pomsox-update_9226.html -- BSP Capital is the leading stock broker and fund manager in PNG.
Mike and Alison in Kundiawa -- http://giaman.com/pg/?cd9c23
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/
Misc Links
Sunday Chronicle -- http://www.sunday-chronicle.com
Department of Treasury and Finance -- http://www.treasury.gov.pg/
Bank of Papua New Guinea -- http://www.bankpng.gov.pg/
Internal Revenue Commission -- http://www.irc.gov.pg/
TE(PNG) Ltd is a company offering a diversified product ranges for the wholesale and retail markets in PNG -- http://www.tepng.com
United States Embassy - Port Moresby -- http://portmoresby.usembassy.gov
PNG Advisory Support Facility -- http://www.pngasf.com/
UNDP PNG -- http://www.undp.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
Rotary Clubs of PNG -- http://www.rotary.org.pg
News Items
Hidden Valley Threatened
The Hidden Valley mine near Wau in Morobe province has been threatened by over 1000 plus warriors who tried to disrupt the mining operations recently. Police mobile squads had to be deployed to beef up security at the mine. Over 90 houses made from both permanent and bush materials in Wau were torched in the incident. The houses destroyed were at Kaisenik (25), Kuembu (21), Weretobula (18), Kumbak Farm (4) and Number 6 Compound 35. The incident happened when more than 500 fully armed warriors from Watut raided Biangai villages in the Bulolo district of Morobe Province. The mine has since reopened.
see -- http://australianetworknews.com/stories/200903/2524973.htm?desktop
Hagen Gun Fight
Residents of Mount Hagen were recently woken to the sound of gun fire between police and criminals as police tried in vain to prevent two retail outlets from being robbed by gunmen. Both the Courts PNG and Carpenters Hardware stores were robbed. It has been reported that at least 60 armed men took part in the robbery of the two stores.
The criminals emptied the shelves of Courts of valuable items such as radios, cassette players, DVD players, television sets, CD players and many other goods and then went into the Carpenters Hardware store and walked off with any valuable items or tools that they could grab.
National Conservation Area
PNG has declared an area larger than Singapore as a national conservation area. The area known as the YUS Conservation Area (after the Yopno, Uruwa and Som rivers of the Huon Peninsula) covers 187,800 acres (76,000 hectares or 760 square kilometres) of tropical forest stretching from PNG's northern coast to interior mountains. The area is a critical habitat for Matschie's tree kangaroos, a species listed as endangered.
Corrupt MP's
Attorney General and Justice Minister Dr Allan Marat has branded all Members of Parliament corrupt. He made the assertion in response to questions raised by East Sepik Governor Peter Wararu Waranaka in relation to the delay in the construction of the Wewak Courthouse.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/031809/nation2.php
Lae Power
Emergency work on the Yonki hydro system has recently caused Lae to go without power for half a day. Many residents of the capital of Morobe province were caught out when the power was switched off as early as 10am, leaving businesses, schools, and government offices in the dark over the sudden power cut. Communication links, including internet, facsimile and telephones, were in chaos for the rest of the day.
Kumusi Bridge
The Kumusi Bridge that connects Kokoda with Popondetta has been washed away by flood waters, cutting off the link between the two. A total of 11 culvert crossings on a 70km stretch of road between Kokoda and the Kumusi bridge were also washed away by floods. Tourist operators are concerned that the crossings will not be fixed before ANZAC day when they are expecting many tourists to the Kokoda area.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/031909/nation7.php
Hagen Clean Up
As part of a clean-up exercise in Mt Hagen the sale of newspapers, betelnut, cigarettes, arts and craft etc on the streets has been banned. The Lord Mayor Titus Doa has said that the city’s streets would be completely free from all kinds of sales and business activities.
Highlands Highway
The Highlands Highway has been reopened after a landslide cut off the three inner highlands provinces of Southern, Western and Enga. Fuel and other basic supplies could not get to the provinces and tea, coffee, tea, fresh vegetables and other produce from the provinces had to be store in Mt Hagen where they rotted away.
Mining Dividend
Over a decade after it began operations the Moge Nambuka Milimb company has been able to pay more than 361,000 US dollars in dividends clan owners based near Mt Hagen. It's the first dividend for the clans since the company, which owns several properties in Mt Hagen including the Inter Oil Highlander fuel service station, began operations on the 11th of December, 1987.
Jobless Payments
It has been reported that the Minister for Petroleum and Energy, William Duma, has said that it is a possibility that Papua New Guineans could live on unemployment benefits in the future if the nation's enormous wealth is properly managed. Mr Duma did not elaborate on when the jobless payment system would be introduced or if the Government was seriously considering such a move in a country rated by the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) as one of the poorest in the world. The Minister has described the report as "misleading and false".
PNG currently does not have any form of unemployment benefits (dole) other than possibly help from wantoks.
Hagen Gets Fuel
InterOil has announced the resumption of deliveries into the Highlands region following the re-opening of the Highlands Highway near Mindina. InterOil Products Limited general manager Peter Diezmann said "Supplies into Mount Hagen have been disrupted since late February and there have been no deliveries at all for the past 12 days".
Bio Fuel
Cosmo Oil, a firm based in Japan, is ready to invest US$800 million (K2.325 billion) in the development of a crop as raw material for biofuel production in the East Sepik Province.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/031809/biz1.php
Women MP's
The bill to allow 3 women to sit as members of parliament has been deferred until Parliament reconvenes in May. The Government tried but failed in its first attempt to elect the first woman candidate. It could only muster 60 votes against the Opposition's 21 votes. A two-third majority or 73 votes was required.
Best Buy in Receivership
The Best Buy Group Limited and its Lae-based parent company, Shao Trading have gone into receivership reportedly owing millions of kina to major creditors throughout the country. One of their bankers, ANZ Banking Group (PNG) Limited, has appointed a receiver for the two failed companies.
Vale Justice Hinchliffe
Chief Court Judge Justice Timothy Hinchliffe has passed away in Brisbane, Australia. The late judge had single-handedly worked in the Western Highlands province for about a decade until Justice Allan David was appointed two years ago as the second resident judge.
Speaker Takes Leave
The Speaker of the National Parliament, Jeffrey Nape, has taken "recreation leave" while investigations are made into the financial affairs of Parliament. It is generally considered that Members of Parliament cannot take recreational leave so Mr Nape's announcement was understood to mean that he was stepping aside. The Auditor-General and the auditors of the Department of Finance will investigate primarily the deteriorating condition of the parliament buildings over the last 24 years and prepare a report for presentation to Parliament.
see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090320/news01.htm
World Bank Projects
It is expected that the World Bank will release over US$1 billion (K2.62 billion) to PNG this year. The funding will be used to fund road maintenance projects, Smallholder Agriculture Development projects and the Mining Sector Institutional Strengthening Technical Assistance Project.
MP's Payrise
Parliament has approved a 42% to 50% increase in MPs' housing and car allowances respectively. The government gave itself a 100% pay rise in 2007. Members of the Public Employees Association (PEA) receive a housing allowance of K7 per fortnight and the politicians now will receive K1,720 per week. The PEA says the Government's action was deemed by the union as "unjustifiable and an insult" to every worker in the country.
see also -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090320/view02.htm
see - My housing allowance is K7 by Frustrated Civil Servant -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090320/view05.htm
Interest Rates
An item in the Post Courier's The Drum column states that while banks around the world are reducing interest rates the banks in PNG have raised rates in the country.
see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090323/drum.htm
Tokua Dash 8 Flights Suspended
Air Niugini has had to suspend Dash 8 flights to and from Tokua airport serving East New Britain due to the wind direction causing volcanic ash to fall on the aerodrome and surrounding areas.. The suspension came into effect on the 18th of March and will continue until further notice. The Dash 8, being a propeller driven aircraft, can easily force ash deposits over the aircraft and increases the potential for ash to be ingestion into the engines, which could result in engines being damaged.
Magi Highway
Central Lumber Ltd has won a tender to carry out routine maintenance of the Magi Highway between Bukuku Village turn off and Kupiano turn off including Kupiano Road between Kupiano turn off and Kupiano Marke in Central Province. The tendered price was K835,626.00.
PNG Languages
PNG is linguistically the most complex nation of the world. Over 800 languages are spoken in this Pacific country. -- http://pnglanguages.org -- aims to show some of this linguistic diversity by making available the research results carried out by members of SIL.
The National or official languages of PNG are Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin and English.
Rotokas, a language spoken in PNG on the Island of Bougainville by approximately 4,300 people, has the fewest sounds of any language, 11 (compared to the 44 or so of standard English). These 11 are made up of five vowels and six consonants: A, E, I, O, U, B, G, K, P, R, T. - can you imagine that - a language with only 11 sounds. Six of those are used in the name of the language.
It has been reported that PNG has one language for every 900 square kilometres of the country or roughly one language for every 350 square miles for those readers who are not familiar with the metric system.
Coming Events
National Agriculture Council meeting -- 23rd to 27th of March in Madang
Oceania Snooker and Billiards titles in Port Moresby from the 20th to the 29th of March.
PNG Institute of Engineers (IEPNG) national conference -- 2nd and 3rd of April. IEPNG chief executive officer Benedict Mick said the purpose of the conference was to help prepare people, government and the private sector to combat any possible detrimental impact of climate change on people's livelihood, businesses, and agriculture and government services.
34th Games Fishing Association PNG National Game Fishing Titles - Madang - from the 3rd of April to 13th of April - see -- http://giaman.com/pg/?b94786
9th of April 2009 -- Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare celebrates his 73rd birthday
Port Moresby Sprint Triathlon -- 18th of April
ANZAC Day - 25th of April
Arafura Games - 9th to 17th of May -- http://www.arafuragames.nt.gov.au/
The International Cricket Council (ICC) East Asia Pacific (EAP) Under 19 Cricket Trophy tournament will be held from the 1st to the 7th of June
5th National Tourism Conference -- June (date to be confirmed) - to be held at Madang Resort Hotel.
Tolai Warwagira from 8th to 14th July and Mask Festival from 15th to 18th July at Kokopo East New Britain
Trukai Olympic Fun Run -- 12th of July
PNG Remembrance Day - 23rd of July
45th Medical Symposium - Port Moresby - sponsored by the Pacific International Hospital from the 1st to the 5th of September.
31st October and the 1st of November - Morobe Show - see -- http://www.morobeshow.org.pg
National Elections - Scheduled for June 2012
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - use the submission form located at -- ../misc/ctc.html.
PNG Media
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