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PNG News Links
PNG PM threatens to scrap visa on arrival rights for Australian travellers -- http://giaman.com/pg/?194cf7
MPs hiding illegal migrants and expatriates -- http://giaman.com/pg/?5e4f88
Ipatas on Politicians Interference with Public Servants Appointment --
http://giaman.com/pg/?94142f
PNG's new high com -- http://giaman.com/pg/?dd1152
No action yet on allegations of mass rape at PNG prison -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=80601
Misc. Links
Aircraft & Engine News -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3b9823
Days of vodka and oysters -- http://giaman.com/pg/?73ca45
WCB Resources Files Technical Report on the Misima Island Property -- http://giaman.com/pg/?b4be2a
Tavurvur volcano (Rabaul, PNG) activity summary -- http://giaman.com/pg/?ff1344
PNG Treasury -- http://www.treasury.gov.pg
Being part of the tribe in PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?7de267
PNG Images
Madang -- http://pic.twitter.com/G7EqgJIVcH
Travel 67 - Vehicles -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f17940
PNG Blogs
PNG losing independence -- http://giaman.com/pg/?560575
A land whose magic soaks to the core -- http://giaman.com/pg/?f6b4a4
Ramu landowners invite PM to agreement signing -- http://giaman.com/pg/?69583d
News Items
Media Control
Social media is upsetting the politicians. Community Development Minister Loujaya Toni said freedom of information and speech must be regulated to control internet bullying and defamatory remarks by unknown and nameless people. Education and Finance Minister James Marape has suggested that in-ternet service providers be regulated and operators of social media networks be clearly identified on the sites so that they are subjected to the country's defamation laws.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?069476
Meanwhile Belden Namah has told reporters in Port Moresby he no longer trusted traditional media outlets to give him a fair hearing. Mr Namah also told the ABC's Pacific Beat on Tuesday he was planning on suing The National newspaper after it ran a front page story titled "Namah behind the sale of land".
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?0cbd68
Smart Traveller Update
The following Travel Advice for PNG has changed or been added since the last update (19 Nov 2013 14:13:21 EST):
Current Advice Level: "High degree of caution"
Change Summary:
It contains updated information in the Summary and under Crime (high levels of serious crime). The Travel Advice continues to advise Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in Papua New Guinea.
-- http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/advice/Papua_New_Guinea
Foreign Logging
According to new research, nearly a third of PNG has now been leased to foreign logging companies, many on century-long agreements. Approximately 97 percent of illegally harvested timber is currently bound first for China, where it is processed into a range of furniture and wood products. It has been reported Chinese factories are buying whatever wood they need to buy to make U.S. customers happy.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c91d5e
PNG is the latest known victim in a modern era of land grabs orchestrated by foreign corporations according to an investigative report and a film, On Our Land, released this week by the Oakland Institute and the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG).
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?9b6116
Protest Flops
A recent planned protest rally by the Social Media Activism Committee did not appear to happen.
-- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=80672
Opposition turns to social media -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20131119/news08.htm
Milne Bay Health
The National Department of Health, Milne Bay Provincial Health Authority, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Australian Aid participated in a ground-breaking ceremony today to officially mark the early steps towards construction of the first community health post to be built under the Rural Primary Health Services Delivery Project.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?e4f5bb
Cricket
The Afghanistan national cricket team has defeated PNG during its third match in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier held recently at the Sharjah stadium.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?5792c8
Afghanistan qualify, PNG and Scotland stay alive -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e4c264
PNG Budget
The 2014 PNG budget is the first budget in the history of the country to reach over K15 billion, up by K1.8 billion or 13.8 per cent from K13.2 billion in the 2013 revised Budget. The budget forecasts 6.2 per cent economic growth in 2014.
2014 PNG Budget Speech -- http://giaman.com/pg/?937ddb
World Economic leaders praise PNG's budget -- http://dlvr.it/4Mjvzr
Tiensten Guilty
Former planning minister, Paul Tiensten, has been found guilty of misappropriation over a $4 million grant to controversial businessman Eremas Wartoto. Judge Gibbs Salika said Tiensten had used his "political muscle" to direct his officials to facilitate the grant and ignore proper assessment procedures.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?d1dd2d
Feather Star
The amazing feather star can be found in PNG if you're snorkelling or diving. There are 200 different species of them!
-- http://pic.twitter.com/MhwBCtFWcQ
PM Rejects Mugabe Comparison
Peter O'Neill has defended the takeover of the Ok Tedi mine and rejected comparisons made between him and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.
The chairman of the PNG Sustainable Development Program and former prime minister Sir Mekere Morauta denounced Peter O'Neill as comparable to the Zimbabwe dictator for what he called 'pure greed'.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?54b2bb
Cinema Multiplex
Paradise Cinemas Limited will shortly start construction of the second cinema multiplex in Port Moresby. The multiplex to be located in the new Waigani Shopping complex is expected to cost 7 million kina and will be funded via 3 million kina in additional shareholder equity with the balance being raised in debt.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?4ba0fa
PNG National Arrested
A 19 year old Papua New Guinea national has been arrested in Mango Avenue, Cebu City after causing trouble in a KTV bar.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?1ac01f
Fiji Exports
More companies from Fiji are exporting to PNG. Fiji Times online reported the Fiji-PNG trade market has been expanding as shown in the export data from the Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority (FRCA) and Fiji Bureau of Statistics.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?dda24c
Crater Gold Mining
Crater Gold Mining shares are set to lift after hitting bonanza grade gold of up to 847g/t (or 27.2 oz/t) gold over a 0.2 metre mineralised vein, at the High Grade Zone Crater Mountain project in Papua New Guinea.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?0c585f
Compulsory Military Training
The government says it is firm on introducing compulsory military training for school leavers who can't be placed in universities or colleges. Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill says this will help youth maintain discipline and avoid getting caught up in illegal activities.
-- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=80701
Political Parties
PNG's registrar of political parties is considering whether to de-register about 30 parties which haven't submitted election expenses incurred during the 2012 election.
-- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=80648
Tribal Violence
50 police officers have been sent to the Kagua-Erave district in Southern Highlands province after the Provincial Police Commander, Sibron Patoto, visited and assessed the fighting and spoke to victims and relatives of those who died in the area.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?652eec
Milne Bay Cruise
Tourism operators in Milne Bay say the maiden visit to the province of a large cruise ship has generated good publicity for the area. The P&O cruise liner, Pacific Dawn, made its first visit to Milne Bay at the start of the month, docking in the provincial capital Alotau.
-- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=80761
Need for more buses in Milne Bay -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=80817
Madang Flying Foxes
A flying fox colony in Madang has been given a clean bill of health after a check by scientists to see if they posed a threat of disease.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?3435e3
Think Tank Condemns PM
A US think tank has criticised the PNG prime minister for failing to act on the findings of his Commission of Inquiry into controversial land leases.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c9a63a
Kumul's Coach
According to the Chief Executive of the Ipatus Cup the coach of the PNG Kumuls should live in the country.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?417698
Madang Shipping
Swire Shipping has committed itself to building sustainable volumes for its direct call to Madang by locking the port in its Australia - PNG liner service profile for 2014.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?a6e98e
Autonomous Bougainville Government
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has passed a legislation that will balance economic development with the needs of the local people. Director of local law firm, Tuia Namani International, Hubert Namani congratulated the ABG on the passage of Bougainville's Inward Investment Legislation describing it as an historic moment in Bougainville and PNG.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?974968
Retirement Age
Papua New Guinea Public Service Minister Sir Puka Temu, has recommended that the legal retirement age for public servants be increased from 60 to 65. Sir Puka said this would be recommended in an amendment to the Public Service Management Act to be introduced.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?30c49e
Chicken Dumping
PNG Poultry Industry Association says in 2011 Australia exported a total of 5,725 tonnes of frozen chicken meat and edible offal compared to 2,613 tonnes in 2010. The Association says the meat is of inferior quality but is all profit for PNG importers.
-- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20131119/news01.htm
Mobile Banking
A conference in Sydney has been told how a micro banking organisation in PNG is helping 400 female market stallholders shake off predatory fee collectors and keep their market takings safe.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?d761d6
Coming Events
Note: please verify any date mentioned as dates change and events can sometimes get cancelled. Of course I may also put down a wrong date.
Christmas Day - 25th December 2013
Boxing Day - 26th December 2013
New Year's Day - 1st January 2014
Full Pacific Games - PNG 4th July to 18th July 2015 -- http://giaman.com/pg/?081f78
5th Melanesian Festival of Arts - July 2014 -- http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20130322/news05.htm
Pacific Mini Games - Vanuatu 2017
2018 - APEC summit to be held in Port Moresby.
Do you have an event that you want advertised? - Use the submission form located at -- http://www.pnggossip.com/misc/ctc.html
PNG Media
Interested in having your own Web Site? Worried about the cost? It may be cheaper than you think. Take a look at pricing at the PNG Web Hosting site. Sites with space for unlimited data storage and data transfer per month start from less than US$5.00 per month. -- DOT COM Domains from US$9.00 per year. All plans come with 24 hour a day / 7 day a week ticket / phone support
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