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PNG in the News
Papua New Guinea's bright future - pipeline to change -- http://giaman.com/pg/?278de2
PNG 'pioneers' on path to recognition -- http://giaman.com/pg/?cc2949
On the border - 11 killed in Indonesian-Papuan clash -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=45932
Ignorance Fuelling HIV and AIDS Epidemic in PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?26f14c
Careflight Rescue Mission to PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?fab754
Foreign Affairs and Immigrations Department is investigating deportee Erqin Zheng and her husband who had returned to the country under dubious circumstances to conduct the "illegal business" they were deported for in 2004. -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090415/news01.htm
PNG Blogs
A Big Marlin - GFAPNG 2009 Titles -- http://giaman.com/pg/?79e81a
Ken and Una in PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?569a5e
The Beaten Path: Welcome to Goroka -- http://giaman.com/pg/?422ece
Visit to Karawari -- http://giaman.com/pg/?50087f
Back in Goroka -- http://www.trupela.com/2009/04/06/back-in-goroka-2/
Mike and Alison in Kundiawa -- http://giaman.com/pg/?de4177
Engine swap, PNG style -- http://mattinpng.com/2009/04/05/engine-swap
Lae -- http://jetcolleenaway.blogspot.com/2009/04/png-lae.html
Misc Links
Wild PNG -- http://www.wildpng.com
How to make fire from WildPNG -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ECt-GWZLPk
Dangerous Coconuts -- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6502774
Education Milne Bay -- http://www.edumilnebay.com
PNG Tourism Promotion Authority -- http://www.pngtourism.org.pg
CyberMasta Web Studio -- http://www.cybermasta.com
Trukai Industries- PNG's Favourite Rice -- http://www.trukai.com.pg
Department of Works & Implementation -- http://www.works.gov.pg/
News Items
Illegal Increase
The PNG Trade Union Congress (PNGTUC) president Michael Malabag claims that the recent vote to increase to MPs accommodation and housing allowances to 42 and 50 per cent respectively is illegal because there was no quorum at the time. He believes there were only a handful of MPs present in the chamber when the report was read by Peter O'Neill on behalf of the chairman and Speaker Jeffrey Nape.
Mr Malabag confirmed that the PNG unions plan to go on a nationwide strike or protest march between the 12th and 15th of May when Parliament is expected to sit.
Vale Lady Hilan Los
Lady Hilan Los (nee Kusunan), originally from Mouk village on Baluan Island in Manus Province passed away recently in Port Moresby. Lady Los was an advocate in all areas of human rights where she saw injustice and poverty. Lady Los is survived by her two sisters; her husband retired judge Kubalan Los, four children and five grandchildren.
Goroka Easter Babies
Four boys and six girls, weighing between 2.5kg and 4.5kg were delivered at the Goroka Base Hospital, Eastern Highlands province, on Easter Sunday. Over 120 babies were born at the Port Moresby General Hospital.
PM Visits China
Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has made an official visit to China. Sir Michael returns to the country next Tuesday. He is then expected to visit Australia at the end of the month.
Foreign Minister Sam Abal has presented a cheque worth ($US531,300) K1.7 million to the Chinese Government on behalf of the PNG Government to support post-quake reconstruction in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Coast Watchers Robbed
The Coast Watchers Hotel in Madang was recently held up by a group of five to eight men armed with three pistols. The gang, who had walked into the hotel, escaped with an undisclosed amount of money after tying up the staff and disconnecting the telephone system.
ATM Robbed
An ATM operated by the ANZ bank at the Boroko Post Office in the National Capital has been robbed of an estimated half a million Kina. The robbery took place just between 1 and 2pm, often the busiest part of the day. Four men dressed as security guards casually walked in and used a spare key to empty the ATM. Police are hopeful that fingerprints and video footage will help them to capture the criminals.
Wau, Morobe Province
Thirty Two people were arrested and charged by police in Wau for various criminal offences during the Easter long weekend.
see also - Easter hailed in true spirit -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090414/tuhome.htm
Ballarat Mining
Lihir Gold will shed 200 workers from its under-performing Australian mining operation in Ballarat, Victoria. In Lihir's fourth quarter production report the miner said it was expecting to increase production at Ballarat in 2009, as development advances and mining methods were refined.
Lihir Gold shares were selling for a steady at $3.00 on the Australian share market and K5.76 on the Port Moresby Stock Exchange.
Jumping Spiders
PNG is the largest developing country in the South Pacific region and has more than five percent of the world's biodiversity in less than one percent of its total land area. Last year, as part of Conservation International, Professor Wayne Maddison from the University of British Columbia, discovered dozens of species of jumping spiders that are totally new to science.
see the full report at -- http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15070/
Military to Distribute Condoms
The PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) will distribute over 40 million condoms to help stop the spread of AIDS in the country. It is estimated that two percent of the population is either infected with HIV. PNG has one of the fastest growing HIV infection rates in the world. Some studies have warned that half-a-million people - or about 10% of the population - will be living with HIV and AIDS by the year 2025. This follows on from the provision of free condoms in more than 90 hotels in the country.
see next item.
Army Condoms
The PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) has agreed to assist the National AIDS Council secretariat by providing warehouses for storage and distribution of condoms. The PNGDF has allocated its warehouses in Port Moresby (Murray barracks) and Lae (Igam) for the storage and distribution of condoms.
PNGDF Probe
The Papua New Guinea Defence Force is to institute an official probe into the awarding of a catering contract worth more than K11 million to a company. see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090407/news02.htm
Popondetta
A manager of the Price Rite Enterprise store in Popondetta, Oro province, has been shot dead by an armed gang as he was about to enter the bank. The gang escaped with two bags containing a substantial amount of money. The gang abandoned the vehicle on the outskirts of town and escaped on foot.
Junior Pukpuks
The PNG under 20 junior Pukpuks leave today for the junior rugby union world trophy championships in Nairobi, Kenya. PNG plays Romania on the 21st of April, Chile on the 25th, Korea on the 29th and Kenya on the 3rd of May. This is PNG's first time to attend the championships.
Southern Highlands
Curtain Brothers working on major road projects in the Southern Highlands has had to lay off 80 staff due to cash flow problems in the province. The provincial government owes K10 million to the company. The government has blamed the Department of Treasury for its slowness in approving this year's provincial budget. A company spokesman said the workers would return to work once the provincial government paid its bills.
HIV Cases
A week-long workshop held by National HIV data collectors to review and analyse all sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV data collected from all provinces in the past two years has indicated that HIV cases have gone up by 25-40% annually since 2001. The workshop was attended by more than 100 participants from all provinces in the country.
Don't forget to visit the BAHA web site -- http://www.baha.com.pg/
Boram Expansion
The continuing expansion of Boram airport will have an increased impact on the operation of Air Niugini. The runway has been reduced from more than 800m to 650m meaning that the Air Niugini Dash 8 will be only able to carry a maximum of 20 passengers into and out of Boram. Boram is the airport that serves Wewak, East Sepik province.
West New Britain
Hargy Oil Palms Limited has provided a new double-classroom for the Airmen's Memorial School located at Ewasse in West New Britain province. Hargy plans to build another classroom in partnership with the Airmen's Memorial School Foundation by mid-year.
Cyclone Guba Report
Cyclone Guba Emergency Appeal No. MDRPG002 Interim Final Report -- http://giaman.com/pg/?dd3cb7 -- This Red Cross Red Crescent operation was supported by American Red Cross, Australian Red Cross / Australian government, Japanese Red Cross, Monaco Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross, New Zealand Red Cross / New Zealand government, Swedish Red Cross / Swedish government and the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent. Other donors include the British government and US AID.
New Executive Jet
The decision by the government to buy an executive jet for the exclusive use of the government has been slammed by Opposition leader, Sir Mekere Morauta. The plane will be purchased by Air Niugini at an estimated cost of K128 million although Air Niugini has declined to comment on the actual cost. The jet will only be able to land at four airports - Jackson in Port Moresby, Nadzab in Lae, Vanimo in Sandaun and Tokua in East New Britain.
see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090407/news01.htm -- and -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20090409/news07.htm
Bulolo Motorbikes
Two 125cc motorbikes have been delivered to Bulolo in the Morobe province for use by the mobile health programme. It is hoped that the motorbikes will help to bring health services to people that can not get to a health centre. They will also assist in delivering immunisation programmes and conducting patrols in the area.
Porgera School
According to landowners around 600 school-aged children from various villages within the giant Porgera goldmine's special mining lease (SML) areas have missed out on basic education over the past seven years. Villagers also do not have electricity and water supplies and health services in the village.
New Stamps
Post PNG has released a new issue of stamps. Pioneer Art Stage Two comprises nine stamps featuring David Lasisi's artwork that was first exhibited in 1978. Mr Lasisi is from Lusso Island, New Ireland province.
Post PNG chief operations officer Ray Clarke said the art portrayed in the stamps was a way to attract tourists.
Eastern Highlands Roads
Shorncliff (PNG) Limited and Tiong Seng Contractors (PNG) Limited have been awarded contracts to upgrade and seal roads in the province. Schorncliff will upgrade and seal the Goroka-Lahame road at a total cost of K14,000,256.51 while Tiong Seng Contractors will rehabilitate the Kamaliki-Bekuvia stretch for K24,033,749.
Coming Events
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/ -- Arafura Games 2009 has an exciting line up of events across 26 sporting
disciplines. For the first time at Arafura Games will include the sports of
Darts and Muaythai.
Operation Open Heart - 21st of May - Port Moresby General Hospital
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.
Walk against corruption -- 14th 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/ -- and -- http://giaman.com/pg/?2f4583
National Elections - Scheduled for June 2012.
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - use the submission form located at -- ../misc/ctc.html.
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