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PNG in the News
Sir Michael Somare still in intensive care -- http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201105/3223091.htm
The Ramu Nickel project faces further delay as court postpones verdict -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9ee811
First detainees facing PNG flight as Thailand looks on -- http://giaman.com/pg/?4c5eca
Fishermen missing at Sea -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/19404
Man kills bride on wedding night -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/19445
Bougainville mine may re-open by 2016 -- http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201105/s3219765.htm
Abal gives K23m to Bougainville -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110523/news09.htm
Babies for sale in PNG Highlands - Orphanage -- http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201105/s3219764.htm
PNG female students doing well -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110519/feature.htm
EU trade in trouble -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110523/news02.htm
PNG Images
Walindi Plantation Resort -- http://giaman.com/pg/?98f5e4
Rabaul Volcanoes -- http://giaman.com/pg/?33867f
The people of Sepik use scarification in the initiation of young men -- http://skerah.com/article.php?id=111
Kilu, West New Britain -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3e82b8
MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter off the coast of Lae -- http://giaman.com/pg/?b1c0b7
Cuscus -- http://www.superstock.co.uk/stock-photos-images/1792-119986
Squatters rugby team -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasapropos/5460501949
Road to Kerema - What's life like without a road? -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20uJ3YWE6H8
Misc PNG Links
Smart Traveller recently updated -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3a9158
Act Now PNG -- http://actnowpng.org
Mt. Wilhelm Tourist Hotel -- http://www.mtwilhelmthotel.com.pg
Velocity - Airlines PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?0e28bb
Lae Builders Contractors -- http://www.laebuilders.com
Kavieng, Nusa Island -- http://divexsite.com.au/node/592
Jiwaka -- http://www.jiwaka.org
Bishop Brothers -- http://www.bishopbros.com.pg
Ramu Nickel Project, PNG Update -- http://giaman.com/pg/?1a5092
TE PNG -- http://www.tepng.com
BSP have recently revamped their web site -- http://www.bsp.com.pg
House of Gemini -- http://www.houseofgemini.com
PNG Lighthouses -- http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/png.htm
PNG Blogs
http://mypngandaustraliatravelandtourismblog.blogspot.com
New Dawn on Bougainville -- http://bougainville.typepad.com
Olgeta Long Long -- http://olgetalonglong.wordpress.com
Malum Nalu's Blog -- http://malumnalu.blogspot.com
Madang - Ples Bilong Mi -- http://www.messersmith.name/wordpress
News Items
Solomons Airlines A320
Solomons Airlines hopes to have its own Airbus by July. The airline anticipates commencing flights to PNG and Fiji potentially via Vanuatu. The aircraft, leased from Sky Leasing in Tolluca, Mexico, is in Melbourne, Australia now undergoing a livery paint job as well as officially registering and certifying the aircraft is airworthy to fly.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?60e6eb
Tuna Processing
PNG is setting up to become one of the world's leading fish processing nations by processing a larger catch and encouraging other Pacific nations to send fish to its canneries. The industry now employs over 9000 people in PNG and expansion plans at the IFC cannery in Lae will add another 1,200 jobs. Another 12,000 jobs could be created by three other well-progressed new investments.
-- http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201105/3217698.htm
Resource Boom
The Attorney General, Sir Arnold Amet, wants more PNG nationals involved in the resources boom. Over 300 delegates from industry and government have attended the PNG - Australia Business Forum which recently took place in Madang.
Kokoda Challenge Race Sponsorship
Want to sponsor the Kokoda Challenge? The Challenge is located in PNG across the infamous Kokoda Trail. The race starts at Owers Corner and finishes in Kokoda and covers a distance of 96 kilometres. The current race record holder in both directions is Brendan Buka, with a best time of 16:34.05 in 2008 from Owers Corner to Kokoda. The race will be held on the 27th of August 2011. The race is limited to 70 competitors with 20 places being reserved for international competitors.
If you are interested please contact -- Gail@pngbd.com
Kapris Gets 30 Years
The man behind the K2.4 million robbery of the Bank South Pacific in Madang has been given 30 years in jail by Justice David Cannings. William Kapris and 11 other co-conspirators were sentenced to a total of 161 years in jail for the multiple charges they faced. Kapris was charged with one count of armed robbery, one count conspiracy, 13 counts kidnapping and 14 counts of unlawful deprivation of liberty.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110519/news06.htm
Family History in Tok Pisin -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGcQoKPrlvs
New Jail
Plans are underway to turn the Kerevat and Bomana prisons into super jails with funding for the project coming from the Australian government through AusAID and additional money from the PNG government. There are also plans to build a new jail at Baisu in the Western Highlands province.
Balob Teachers College / LUPNG
Seventeen staff from the Balob Teachers College have graduated with Masters in Education at the College in Lae, Morobe province. They obtained their degree from the Charles Sturt University of New South Wales in Australia and were sponsored by the Lutheran University of PNG.
A ground breaking ceremony has been held for the multi-million kina infrastructure development project for the new Lutheran University of PNG (LUPNG) at the Martin Luther Seminary campus in Lae. Construction work will commence in July for three new buildings.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110519/news07.htm -- and -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110523/news17.htm
Correctional Services
15 women and 100 men have graduated from the Correctional Services Bomana training college just outside Port Moresby. The graduands will be posted to jail facilities throughout the country.
Telecommunications Upgrade
People in the rural area of the Southern Highlands are set to receive access to fibre optic cable along the PNG liquefied natural gas pipeline. The 750km fibre would provide reliable high speed telecommunication between Hides in Southern Highlands and the LNG liquefaction plant in NCD. The multi-million-kina agreement was recently signed between ExxonMobil and the Southern Highlands Governor. The Public Enterprises Minister and Southern Highlands MPs witnessed the signing.
Suspect Pleads Guilty
The prime suspect in the 2009 murder of Air Niugini pilot, Tim Houji, has changed his plea from not guilty to guilty. David Bola and seven others were allegedly involved in the murder of the pilot on the 1st of Jan 2009, outside the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Pondo Tavern in downtown Port Moresby.
Nasfund Loan Investigation
Treasury officials are investigating the approval of a loan by superannuation fund, NASFUND for community projects in PNG's East New Britain province.
-- http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201105/s3218689.htm
Border Closed
The PNG - Indonesian border at Wutung in the West Sepik province was closed recently after an Indonesian military helicopter flew several kilometres into PNG without prior approval causing locals to panic.
Container X-ray Facility
PNG Customs plans to build a K16 million state-of-the-art container x-ray and storage facility on land at the old Lae Airport. The X-ray machine will be capable of scanning a shipping container in under 10 minutes.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110519/business01.htm
PNGWiB
Papua New Guinea Women in Business (PNGWiB) has issued 60 women from Vanapa, Central province with new saving mobilisation passbooks. PNGWiB had 8,000 financial members and aims to reach a savings target of K2 million, a requirement to open its own banking facility.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/19440
SI High Commissioner Recalled
The Solomon Islands High Commissioner to PNG has been recalled. Solomon Star sources said the High Commissioner was recalled and suspended due to the SI Government finding evidence of misconduct during an audit last year.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?10acc3
Solomon Islands Chancery
The Solomon Islands Government has received K1.5 million from PNG to help it complete the Solomon Islands chancery in Port Moresby.
The 1.5 million kina payment is the final portion of assistance from PNG totalling up to K23 million, under the Memorandum of Agreement relating to existing development assistance to Solomon Islands, which was renewed and signed in 2006 by Foreign Ministers of both countries.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?17903b
TB Drug Shortage
TB patients in Lae, Morobe province are not only having to suffer the effects of TB but now they are finding a shortage of the necessary drugs to treat their condition a problem. The Morobe provincial TB Officer Helen Palik confirmed that the TB drugs have been in short supply since last month.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110523/news01.htm
Journalists Visit Ramu Nickel
Journalists have been allowed to visit the inside of the processing plant of the controversial Chinese-owned Ramu Nickel project. The multi billion kina project, near Madang was due to start operations earlier this year but has been delayed by court action by landowners seeking to stop the company dumping its waste into the ocean.
-- http://www.abc.net.au/ra/pacbeat/stories/m1991002.asx
Youth With a Mission
The Youth With a Mission (YWAM) volunteer medical ship is providing medical services such as primary healthcare, dental care and ophthalmology to the Gulf province. YWAM also hopes to expand its services to include Western province.
-- http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/23/3224445.htm
-- http://ywam.org.au -- and -- http://www.ywamships.org
Oil Palm Harvest
Milne Bay, Ramu and New Britain have all helped New Britain Palm Oil Ltd to the first quarter's combined processed record of 651,946 tonnes of fresh fruit bunches. Chief executive officer, Nick Thompson, said this was 65.6 per cent ahead of last year's produce during the same period, which included 210,002 tonnes from the Kula Palm Oil Ltd.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/19589
Seasonal Workers Leave for Australia
After many years Australia's Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme has finally accepted its first lot of workers from PNG. Nine labourers from PNG have left for Robinvale in Victoria to harvest almonds. The nine men will work for up to 4 months and get paid AU$18 to AU$19 an hour. Each man should be able to earn up to AU$20,000.
Drum Cussac
Drum Cussac, the international business risk consultancy, is expanding its presence in Asia Pacific with the opening of an office in Port Moresby. The office is in addition to Drum Cussac's existing Asia Pacific base of operations in Singapore.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?4dd265
Coming Events
Note: please verify any date mentioned as dates do change and events can sometimes get cancelled. Of course I may also put down a wrong date.
Port Moresby Cancer Relief Society (POMCRS) inaugural "biggest morning tea" - Tues 31st May.
Wahgi Sing Sing - June
Walk Against Corruption - Sunday 12th of June
Warwin High School Cultural Day - 13th June
Kontu / Tembn Shark Calling, New Ireland - 29th June - 2nd July
Warwagira Cultural Show, Kokopo - 29th June - 5th July
National Mask Festival, 6th - 9th July
Birding in Paradise, 12th - 22nd July -- http://giaman.com/pg/?8b315c
Miss Melanesia Australia 2011 - The Irish Club, Brisbane, 16 July 2011
Malagan Show, New Ireland, 22nd - 24th July
Crocodile Festival, Ambunti - 9th & 10th August
Mount Hagen Cultural Show - 13th & 14th August -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f0b247
Full Pacific Games - French president Nicolas Sarkozy is set to officially open the XIV Pacific Games in Noumea, New Caledonia, on the 27th of August.
Kokoda Challenge -- 27th of August
2011 Garamut Festival in Wewak -- 2nd and 3rd of September
Goroka Show, 16th - 18th September - see -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110426/hpost02.htm -- and -- http://www.pngtourism.org.pg/viewservices/News.aspx?Pop=1&rqEventID=58
Morobe Show - 15th & 16th October
Canoe and Kundu Festival, Alotau: 4th - 6th November
National Elections - Scheduled for June 2012
2012 PNG Games - Kokopo, East New Britain
Olympic boxing qualifying tournament - April 2012
Pacific Mini Games - Wallis and Futuna 2013
Full Pacific Games - PNG 2015 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?081f78
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - Use the submission form located at -- ../misc/ctc.html
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