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PNG in the News
Women have suffered in silence in PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?bee027
Expat Teachers for Enga schools -- http://giaman.com/pg/?79be99
Tok Pisin article - Giaman diabetes marasin -- http://giaman.com/pg/?cfffb7
New Ireland Province receives K19.88mil -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/021009/nation3.php
OceansWatch returns to PNG -- http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0902/S00203.htm
Adventure on Australia's doorstep -- http://giaman.com/pg/?bbf695
Four dead, 7 critical in bus crash -- http://giaman.com/pg/?b4a752
Have camera, will travel for Martin -- http://giaman.com/pg/?150400
You Tube Links
Aviation -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfPwuKzsVmU -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GEMryERVcw
PNG Video Diary I - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpLd4eQCp_M
University of PNG -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqELdUhMufw
Saving Kokoda -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT93r0Vf488
Rapid Deforestation -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aJZB2jNHRY
Asaro mudmen to firedancers -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfgS41D3VQc
Goroka Show -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySBrPvDCy3k
PNG Blogs
Dena Archibald arrives in PNG -- http://denaarchibald.blogspot.com/2009/02/email-issues.html
The Hornbill and the PNG Flag -- http://giaman.com/pg/?66b27f
The Bi-cynical-ist has reached Bougainville -- http://giaman.com/pg/?2d7cca
Kundiawa to Madang by Road -- http://giaman.com/pg/?2a9d53
Second World War 1939-45 -- http://g4genious.blogspot.com/2009/02/second-world-war-193945.html
PNG Travel and Info Blog -- http://visitnewguinea.blogspot.com/2009/02/nius-bilong-te-dei.html
PNG Video -- http://blog.mediafetcher.com/Papua_New_Guinea.html
How to win friends and influence people, PNG style: Madang Province -- http://steveinpng.blogspot.com/2009/02/madang-province.html
Misc Links
Kabaira Dive Rabaul -- http://www.kabairadive.com.pg
Lihir Gold Limited (LGL) -- http://www.lglgold.com/asp/index.asp
Tanorama -- http://www.tanorama.com/ -- Tanorama provides specialist consultants, facilitators, trainers, researchers and project managers for development projects throughout PNG.
University of Papua New Guinea -- http://www.upng.ac.pg
Four Corners: A Journey into the Heart of PNG -- http://www.kirasalak.com/FourCorners.html
High Commission of India, Port Moresby -- http://giaman.com/pg/?36d765
Australian High Commission -- http://www.png.embassy.gov.au/
New Zealand High Commission -- http://www.nzembassy.com/default.cfm?i=28
High Commission of Malaysia -- http://www.kln.gov.my/perwakilan/portmoresby
PNG hands over final instalment for Solomon Islands High Commission -- http://giaman.com/pg/?bbadf9
PNG Contemporary Art -- http://www.pasifiknau.com
2008 Mt Hagen Cultural Show -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/peace-on-earth_org/3263194153/
News Items
Lae Tuna Plant
Frabelle (PNG) Ltd is teaming up with two international companies to build a tuna processing plant on a 20-hectare property at the Malahang industrial centre in Lae, Morobe province. Philippine-based Century Canning Corp and Thailand-based Thai Union Corp are joining Frabelle in the venture. Once completed in a year the new facility will process 350 tonnes of raw tuna a day.
50 Year Sentence
A man from Ewasusu, Kokoda, in Oro province has been sentenced to 50 years in jail with hard labour for the murder of National Forest Service officer Jerry Kaiulo, at the Omsis Forest Research Station, 50km out of Lae along the Wau-Bulolo Road. The murderer suspected Mr Kaiulo of being a sorcerer after a co-worker suffered severe headaches and dizziness. The judge deducted two years, 11 months and 19 days Okore spent in remand, and he will serve 47 years and 11 days with hard labour in prison.
see -- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5720698.ece
Sorcery Out of Hand
Highlands divisional police commander Simon Kauba has said that sorcery-related killings were not a problem in the Western Highlands province in the past but had now become a major problem. Five people suspected of practising sorcery have been killed since late last year. The victims were three women and two men. The men included one who was burnt to death last weekend, while his father is fighting for his life in hospital after being chopped in the same incident.
see -- http://giaman.com/pg/?bf5188 -- and -- http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=3555
Buai Ban
Port Moresby City Hall is taking steps to ensure everyone knows about the betelnut ban in the city. The ban on selling buai (betelnut) in public places came into effect last month and is being executed this month. The ban will affect a large part of the population in the nation's capital, especially those living solely on income from the sale of buai. The ban has been imposed in a bid to keep the city clean due to the irresponsible attitude of chewers and vendors. The ban will remain in place until buyers and sellers change their attitude and habits.
Last Day in Kikori
Read about Elisabeth Hesse's last full day in Kikori at -- http://giaman.com/pg/?9ca0d2
Kapuna Hospital provides the only medical care for some 15,000 people in an area where there are no roads and all travelling is by boat. Infectious diseases are particularly common in this region, including malaria, TB, and HIV complications. The hospital is also known for obstetrics care, and for its malaria and HIV prevention efforts. The hospital is located in a remote area on the southwest peninsula of the country (Gulf Province, PNG). The region is marked by tropical forest and the Purari River delta.
School Subsidy
The National Government is ready to disburse half of the K143 million in school fee subsidies for this year. The schools must furnish to the Education Department in Port Moresby a report of their enrolment figures for this year before the funds are released.
Gun Found at Airport
Security guards have discovered a gun concealed in the handbag of a women about to board a flight to Brisbane with her husband. Under Civil Aviation laws all guns must be declared and handed in for safe carriage in the cargo hold of the aircraft not carried on board. The gun had slipped through the metal scanner at the main entrance of the international terminal at Jackson Airport undetected. An Air Niugini official praised the efforts of security guards at the international departure lounge in detecting and confiscating the gun, and offloading the woman.
Alternative Airport
Further on from the last issue where one airport was being considered as an alternative airport for East New Britain a total of five areas have been put forward. The East New Britain provincial administration has chosen three sites out of the five areas as possible alternative emergency airstrips to the volcanic ash fall-plagued Tokua airport. The provincial administration has not released the names of the three alternatives.
Air Niugini flights to Tokua airport in East New Britain province resumed on Friday (13th Feb). A heavy downpour helped to wash accumulated ash off the runway. Air Niugini has had to suspend its flights to Tokua twice this year due to volcanic ash being blown onto the runway. Due to the unpredictable nature of volcanoes and wind direction the airport may be closed again in the future.
Aid Given
The PNG Government has given A$2 million (K4 million) to the Australian government for disaster relief in Queensland and Victoria. The Govt has also committed K100,000 towards the floods in the Solomon Islands. Barrick (Niugini) Ltd has pledged A$100,000 (K200,000) towards the Victorian bushfire appeal set up by the Australian Red Cross. Donors can make a secure online donation through the Red Cross website -- http://www.redcross.org.au.
The Governor-General, Sir Paulias Matane, led the PNG Appeal for the Australian Fire Disaster Victims with a personal contribution of K1,500. So far there have been 181 confirmed deaths and over 1,000 houses lost as a result of the bushfires.
RIP - Marcel Smits
Waiting for Relief
Victims of high seas along the coastline and islands of Wewak around the 9th of December last year are still waiting for promised relief assistance from the Government. The tidal swell destroyed properties and the livelihood of residents living close to the coast.
Carterets Island
In what could be a world first villagers from the Carterets Island are relocating to the Bougainville mainland possibly due to climate change. Carterets Islanders have been hard hit by recent high tides which have hit many coastal parts of the country.
A taskforce has been set up to address climate change issues in PNG.
ABG Acting President
Autonomous Bougainville Government President, James Tanis, has announced the appointment of South Bougainville MP and Minister for Churches and NGOs Laura Ampa as acting president while he and his deputy, Ezekiel Massat, attend the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting in Port Moresby. Mr Tanis, through the JSB meeting today, will be presenting a document to the Prime Minister, requesting that all former North Solomons provincial government laws be reactivated.
Plane Shopping
The CEO of Air Niugini has gone on a trip looking at what planes are available around the world for the future use of the airline. The Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch and State Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare are also travelling with the CEO.
Sleepy Aide
Justice Nicholas Kirriwom has jailed his Associate for falling asleep during a court hearing between the State and a person accused of murder. Justice Kirriwom also expressed disappointment that there was no court attendant in the courtroom to help after his associate was sent to the cells.
see -- http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/750009/napping-png-court-official-locked-up
Beer
The secret is out - SP Green has been brewed in China since last November due to the SP Brewery currently upgrading its production facilities in Port Moresby and Lae. The brewery announced its K90 million upgrade in February 2008. SP Brewery has previously used a sister brewery in Vietnam called the Hatay Brewery to brew its product. SP Brewery chairman Joseph Tauvasa announced that the upgrading of both facilities was needed to meet the overwhelming demand for PNG's internationally recognised beers.
Keystone Cops
Criminals in Madang knocking off the entire weekend takings of K85,000 from a major supermarket were lucky recently when police could not pursue them due to a lack of fuel. Provincial police commander Chief Insp Anthony Wagambie Jr attributed the fuel problem to the closure of all Government accounts last December, which would remain in force until next month. He said police were helpless as they didn't have fuel to pursue the criminals.
Chinese Workers Set Free
Chinese workers who were arrested last year for not have valid work permit documentation have been freed as the reason given for not having the correct paper work was due to the Labour and Industrial Relations department not processing the paperwork quick enough. This has caused a few red faces amongst the politicians who had made special dispensation to the Ramu Nickel project to allow the workers to come in on tourist and business visa while the correct visas were processed.
Chief Magistrate John Numapo handed down the decision to free the workers at the Madang District court after finding that the workers were brought into the country to work under a PNG government to Chinese government agreement.
Ramu Nickel Project
Ohmart Vega -- http://www.ohmartvega.com/en/index.htm -- have been awarded a contract to supply radiation-based level and density systems to the Ramu Nickel Project. The company will supply radiation-based continuous level detectors, vapour condensation density detectors, radiation sources as well as service support to the project. Commissioning of the project will begin this year.
Aussie Rules Recruits
The Suncoast Power AFL team has several players recruited from PNG. The players are Amua Pirika, Emmanuel Tupia, John Vogae and Peter Labi. Joining them this season is new PNG import Gary Kiele
see -- http://giaman.com/pg/?80834a
Tribal Fight Deaths
Five people have died and two are in the Goroka Hospital with serious injuries in a tribal fight between the Nagamie clan and Bogerigu clan in a remote district of the Eastern Highlands. The attack came despite a peace agreement signed in August last year.
Karkum Conservation Area
The Turtle Island Restoration Network's Sea Turtle Restoration Project and the people of Karkum Village recently launched the new Karkum Conservation Area in Madang Province, a common turtle nesting site of the critically endangered Western Pacific leatherback turtle species...
see full story at -- http://giaman.com/pg/?1b7e60
Coming Events
Symposium on Sea Turtles - to be held in Brisbane, Australia between the 17th and 19th of February.
Oceania Snooker and Billiards titles in Port Moresby from the 20th to the 29th of March.
PNG Institute of Engineers national conference -- 2nd and 3rd of April.
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
PNG Kickboxing Association has postponed its world title fight -- 25th April.
ANZAC Day - 25th April
Arafura Games - 9 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 8 to 14 July and Mask Festival from 15 to 18 July at Kokopo East New Britain
PNG Remembrance Day - 23rd 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://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2009/02/morobe-show-on-again.html
National Elections - June 2012
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PNG Media
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