Links
Warning:
PNG web sites seem to come and go. The fact of life is that it costs
money to host a web site and there is not much return on the outlay
to most businesses in PNG. If you do click on a link and use the services
or even have some comments to make then please contact the people at
the relevant web site and let them know so they at least know that someone
has gained some value from their efforts. If you are so inclined them
mention that you heard about them from this web site. -- The PNG
Gossip Newsletter.
Mention
of a website or service does not necessarily mean that this newsletter
endorses the website or service
Miscellaneous Web Sites
Telikom PNG -- http://www.telikompng.com.pg
Moore Printing -- http://www.moore.com.pg
PNG Incentive Fund -- http://www.incentivefund.com.pg
PNG Advisory Support Facility -- http://www.asf.sagric.com/
UNDP Papua New Guinea -- http://www.undp.org.pg/
Binatang Research Centre -- http://www.entu.cas.cz/png/index.html
Maps of Milne Bay -- http://uk.multimap.com/index/PP68.htm
National Capital District Commission -- http://www.ncdc,gov.pg
Pacific Dream -- German Language Web Site -- http://www.pacificdream.de/index_ger.html
Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research -- http://www.pngimr.org.pg
Daru Research -- http://fp.involved.com/methodsman/Daru%20research.htm
DIVErsion Dive -- http://www.diversionoz.com/en/png.htm
Community Development Scheme -- http://www.cds.org.pg
Melanesian Institute -- http://www.mi.org.pg
Morobe Goldfields prior to WW2
Michael Waterhouse is well advanced in writing a book on the Morobe
Goldfields prior to WW2, and is looking for photographs of people who
were on the field at this time. He has arranged for a number of stills
from some 1929-30 film footage to be added to the website of the PNG
Association of Australia. These show a number of people from the goldfields
and elsewhere in New Guinea whose names are unknown. They can be viewed
on two pages at -- http://www.pngaa.net/Photo_Gallery/Morobe_Goldfields_research.htm
-- If anyone has photos of people from this period and can use these
to identify people in the stills; Michael would very much appreciate
it if they could contact him by email
(mhwaterhouse@hotmail.com)
or on 61 2 9360 0226.
The website also lists a number of people, including Shark-Eye Park
and Cecil Levien, whose photos he is particularly anxious to obtain.
Could anyone with photos of these or other people from the goldfields
between 1926 and 1942, particularly individual miners or pilots, please
contact Michael. He will acknowledge the source of all photos used in
his book.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free web based encyclopaedia and the information it
has on PNG can be located at the following web address -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea
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.
PNG Sports Sites
Official website of the PNG Olympic Committee -- http://www.oceaniasport.com/png/
PNG Rugby League -- http://www.rleague.com/nations/png
PNG Aussie Rules -- http://www.afl-png.com
South Pacific Motor Sports Club -- http://www.spmsc.org.pg
The Motor Sports Club also has sub-pages dealing with -- go karting,
snooker, game fishing and speedway. Visit the -- http://www.spmsc.org.pg
-- web site and navigate from there.
Game Fishing -- http://www.gfa.com.pg
Royal Papua Yacht Club -- http://www.rpyc.com.pg
News Items
Music Piracy
The piracy of PNG music is rampant and it is claimed that PNG musicians
and recording studios are losing millions of Kina because of the piracy.
Of course the PNG industry has said nothing about the pirating music
or even computer software from overseas within the country. It has been
claimed that a great deal of PNG music is being sold as pirate copies
in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.
Motor Mechanics
Four females and 81 males have recently graduated with a Technical
Training and Motor Vehicle Mechanic Certificate from the Mount Hagen
Technical College. Two of the girls specialised in automatic transmissions
and the other two in auto electrics.
Roads
After waiting for many, many months travellers using the old road to
the airport have seen a few of the suspension tearing holes filled with
bitumen rather than just loose gravel. It was thought that the holes
may have been fixed for Independence Day in September but most drivers
think themselves lucky that it has been done before Christmas such is
the complacency over road conditions in Moresby. Lae once had the title
of pothole city and Moresby almost won it but from all reports it would
seem that Lae has strived hard to win back the title of "Pot Hole
City".
Police Problems
The police mobile squads at the heart of the demands for allowances
after providing policing duties for the Melanesian Spearhead Meeting,
Princess Anne's visit, the 30th Anniversary celebrations and the Pacific
Island Forum meeting have been disbanded while an investigation is undertaken.
The members of the squads have been deployed to do general duties in
the Momase and Highlands regions. Those found to be at the centre will
be dismissed and new members recruited to replace them. Members of the
squad shocked the nation when they dressed in battle gear and barricaded
the Bomana Police College on the third of November threatening police
and civilians demanding their allowance for providing security during
the special events.
HIV/AIDS
The Government Minister assisting the Prime Minister on HIV/AIDS issues,
Dr Puka Temu, has called for PNG to wage war against HIV/AIDS. Dr Temu
said the Government realised that the impact of HIV/AIDS would be devastating.
Predictions are that in 10 years time, about 211,000 Papua New Guineans
will be infected and by 2025, about 400,000 people would have died due
to the virus
Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer says new research by
Australia's international development agency, AusAID, shows that one
per cent of PNG's adults are infected with the HIV virus. and the Australian
Government is now officially describing HIV/ AIDS in Papua New Guinea
as an epidemic.
Passenger Ships
The Sealark is now sailing between Lae - Oro Bay - Alotau - Port Moresby
and back to Lae. The ship is scheduled to leave Lae on a Friday afternoon
at 15:00 and to arrive in Port Moresby after dropping off passengers
along the way at 06:00 on Monday. It then leaves Moresby at 10:00 on
Tuesday arriving back in Lae on Friday at 06:00. The company, Bismark
Maritime, is offering huge discounts for children, students and groups.
Another passenger ship the Princess Erica Express has sailed over the
weekend from Port Moresby to Alotau and return charging passengers K180
for a one-way trip including a meal. The vessel will also be available
for cruises around Port Moresby Harbour and it is advertised that the
company will be offering other weekend trips.
Miss PNG 2005
Miss Porebada Primary School, Michelle Pala a teacher at the school,
has won the 2005 Miss PNG Red Cross Charity Quest held on Saturday night
(3rd December) at the Holiday Inn.
Miss Charity Queen was Miss Boroko Motors, Shirley O'Connor who managed
to raise K95,183 for the Red Cross. The runner-up for Miss Charity Queen
was Miss Milne Bay, Mimousah Bayagau-Mark who also took out the Miss
Traditional Title.
Cheshire Homes
Cheshire Homes in Port Moresby have taken delivery of four wheelchairs
valued at K2,000 from a local company, U-Parts. The donation was a Christmas
gift to the centre that looks after disabled people. The centre cares
for more than 100 disabled people.
Baked Sweet Potato
3 Cups mashed sweet potato or Kau Kau
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons finely sliced onions
3 eggs
Half-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon milk
salt and pepper to taste.
After mashing the cooked sweet potato, mix in the butter, onion, milk,
cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Beat them separately.
Fold the egg yolks into the mashed potato followed by the egg whites.
Place mixture in a greased baking dish.
Brush the top with butter and bake in the oven with the dish placed
in a pan of water for 35 to 40 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. (325
degrees Fahrenheit)
X-Ray Machine
The x-ray machine at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) is still
not working and patients requiring x-rays are being told to go to private
clinics to get x-rayed. Many patients can not afford the high cost of
obtaining an x-ray from a private clinic. The PMGH heavily subsidizes
x-rays whereas the clinics do not as they are in business to make a
profit.
Port Moresby General Hospital
The main hospital for PNG has been threatened with closure in two-months
if it does not address certain issues raised by the Occupational Health
and Safety (OH&S) division of the Department of Labour and Industrial
Relations. Due to a complaint by the PNG Nurses Association an OH&S
inspection was carried out at the Port Moresby General Hospital. The
inspection found that the hospital was not providing protective equipment
for hospital employees, was not maintaining and repairing sanitary facilities,
as well as having many defects the hospital also did not conduct medical
examinations for nurses, caterers, laundry and incinerating staff.
Languages of PNG
PNG has three national or official languages -- they are Hiri Motu,
Tok Pisin and English. Overall in the whole of PNG the number of languages
is reported as being greater than 830. Of the many languages over 820
are considered to be living languages and nine are considered to have
become extinct in the last fifty years as some groups are absorbed into
others and more influence is exerted by tok pisin speakers to make it
a truly national language for the country.
Vudal University
Vudal University is now formally known as the Papua New Guinea University
of Natural Resources and Environment. The announcement was made by the
Chancellor and former Prime Minister, Sir Julius Chan at the 38th graduation
of the university. Sir Julius also announced a 10-year plan for the
growing university.
PNG Aviation Companies
Thanks to "Aeroplane" at the PNGBD Forum here is a recent
list of aviation companies in PNG.
This is the list that was current as of a few months ago -- name of
airline and in brackets their bases:
- Adventist Aviation Services (Division of PNG Adventist Association)
(Goroka)
- Airlines of PNG (formerly MBA Ltd & Milne Bay Air Pty Ltd) (Port
Moresby)
- Airlink (Madang)
- Air Niugini (Port Moresby) -- http://www.airniugini.com.pg
- Asia Pacific Airlines (Fubilan Air Transport Pty Ltd dba / Subsidiary
of National Jet Systems Pty Ltd, Australia) (Tabubil)
- Central Air Transport (Port Moresby)
- Dovair (Aviation division of Diocese of Vanimo) (Vanimo)
- Government Flying Unit (Port Moresby)
- Heli Niugini (Madang, Moro, Porgera & Wewak)
- Hevi Lift (Mt Hagen)
- Island Airways (Madang)
- Islands Nationair (Port Moresby)
- Kiunga Aviation (Lae)
- MAF (Mt Hagen)
- Moresby Aviation (Division of H.R. Holdings Ltd) (Port Moresby)
- North Coast Aviation (Lae, Popondetta & Wau)
- NTM Aviation (Division of NTM-New Tribes Mission) (Lae)
- Pacific Helicopters (Goroka)
- Police Air Wing (Unit of the Royal PNG Constabulary) (Port Moresby)
- Regional Air (Member of the Booij Group of Companies / formerly KSS
Aviation Pty Ltd) (Madang)
- Sil Aviation (Aviation Department of SIL Int'l/formerly Summer Institute
of Linguistics) (Alyura)
- Southwest Air (Mendi)
- Star Airlines (Division of Star Earthmoving Pty Ltd / Associated with
Curtain Bros. PNG Ltd) (Port Moresby)
- Trans Air (Port Moresby)
- Transniugini Airways (Port Moresby)
- Tropicair (Port Moresby)
- Vanair (Division of Garamut Exploration Pty Ltd / formerly Garamut
Aviation) (Port Moresby & Vanimo)
Some of these aren't airlines in normal terms, or even in PNG terms,
but are private operators.
Information is taken from JP Airline Fleets in case anyone is interested,
it also lists complete fleet details.
The link to the forum at the PNGBD web site is -- http://www.pngbd.com/forum/showthread.php?p=46744#post46744
Goroka Kakaruk Market
There has been another call to close the kakaruk (chicken) market at
Goroka. The market is packed daily with people buying and selling everything
from betelnut to cooked food and gambling to drugs and alcohol. It is
also considered, by a prominent woman leader, to be an area where unsafe
sex is practiced. The market is considered very unhygienic.
Airways Affiliation
The Airways Hotel in Port Moresby has won a prestigious affiliation
with international organisation - Boutique Hotels and Resorts.
Polygamy
The Community Development Minister, Dame Carol Kidu, has said that
polygamy is an insult to women and to Papua New Guinea culture. Dame
Carol said the practice, still alive in PNG today, was particularly
insulting because it no longer conformed to the customs practised by
our ancestors in the past. In the past a man would always ensure that
all his wives were looked after whereas now a man often dumps one wife
for another with little regard for looking after the original wife/wives.
Port Moresby Speed Limit
The blanket Port Moresby speed limit is 60 Kilometres per hour (about
37 miles per hour) but motorists regularly flaunt that limit along the
Poreporena Highway that links Port Moresby Jackson's airport to downtown
Port Moresby cutting through part of Burns Peak. The National Road Safety
Council (NRSC) has said it would not impose that rule along the highway
as it has been built to a much higher standard than the other roads
in the city. The NRSC did not, however, say what speed limit would be
suitable for the highway. There was also no comment from police. The
highway, opened several years ago, has very quickly become one of the
busiest roads in the National Capital cutting many minutes of the trip
from the airport to town.
Coming Events
Christmas - 25th December 2005
Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games -- March 2006.
8th of April to the 16th of April 2006-- National Game Fishing Titles
PNG 31st Independence Anniversary - 16th September 2006
PNG Media
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