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PNG News Links
Andrews livid over delay in condom saga arrests -- http://giaman.com/pg/?52cedf
Female Constable Charged for Alleged Involvement in 'Condom Eating' Saga -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a70385
Small Community in Lae Surrenders Homebrew Equipment to Police -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a975a3
Gary Juffa acts to close illegal, filthy shops in Popondetta -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3a27c8
PNG Opposition questions removal of Australian Advisors -- http://giaman.com/pg/?80ce74
Concerns over Safety Gear for Power Plant Workers -- http://giaman.com/pg/?223b4d
PNG Tourism Industry gets funding for promotion and marketing -- http://giaman.com/pg/?019928
Women's Olympic Football Qualifiers Locked In -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e0cdd8
Misc. Links
Badilauna Lodge, Milne Bay -- https://twitter.com/badilaunalodge
P&O Destinations: Explore PNG -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a8c6ec
Not Bali! - A tropical paradise -- http://giaman.com/pg/?cfe38d
Walk into paradise Excerpts -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYOux58UT2g
Divine Word Uni -- http://giaman.com/pg/?8c1d13
Wantok Musik -- http://www.wantokmusik.org
Kokoda Historical -- http://giaman.com/pg/?3aeba7
News Items
St John PNG
St John is pleased to announce that Ms Courtney Honey has been appointed Acting Chief Commissioner (and Chief Executive) of St John Papua New Guinea. Ms Honey has been appointed to this position for the next six (6) months. This will allow suitable time to institute a number of strategic initiatives that will strengthen the service.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?2d1ef6
Exchange Rates
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that US dollars/kina exchange rate is market-determined and that the market, not Bank of Papua New Guinea, was keeping the rate at its current level.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?948929
Government Debt
The total Government) debt outstanding in the September quarter of 2015 was K17.5 billion, K2.8 billion higher than in the December quarter of 2014.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?1a8600
MV Pacific Link
The Youth With a Mission Medical (YWAM) Ship, the MV Pacific Link, has been redeployed to PNG Waters. The re-deployment is a forerunner for the next phase of marine-based services in Madang province. The MV Pacific Link has been invited to begin its service in Sumkar District by the Open Member, Ken Fairweather.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?fb8e51
Donated Vehicles Stuck
40 military vehicles gifted to PNG by China have sat on Port Moresby's main wharf for a month because the Defence Force can't afford to pay import tax. The vehicles, which include buses and smaller one-tonne vehicles, arrived in the country in early December, but haven't left the wharf because they're awaiting Customs clearance.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?827256
Kokoda Rape Suspects Arrested
Three men have been arrested in relation to rape and attack of the tourists along the Kokoda Track.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?b9f5d8
Police commander says two men carried out ambush, couple's porter also involved -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a2c09d
Tony Subam Fellowship
The Wantok Musik Foundation, in association with APRA AMCOS, is proud to announce the inaugural Tony Subam Fellowship open to any band in Papua New Guinea that has a strong element of cultural expression in their work.
-- http://www.wantokmusik.org
Oro / Northern Province
Governor of Oro / Northern Province, Gary Juffa, has insisted that the actions of his government against certain foreign run businesses do not target a specific ethnic group but all foreign run illegal businesses.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?f7eb7b
The Unknown Dead of PNG
A recent trend, particularly in larger towns is a "pauper's burial" arranged through the local municipal council for bodies left unclaimed at the hospital morgue. This would have been unheard of in the past, but times are changing, and some people who are struggling to make ends meet, find they just cannot afford to bury their dead relatives.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?edc7b2
Widower Thanks God for Finally Giving Deceased Wife a Proper Burial -- http://giaman.com/pg/?526a6f
Port Moresby Roads
NCD Governor, Powes Parkop, said all road networks, as well as the Ela Beach Sea Park and Recreational Areas in Port Moresby will be upgraded to standard.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?389fea
Panguna Mine
According to Bougainville's President, Dr John Momis, the PNG Government wants to buy Rio Tinto's shares in the Australian company Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL). Such a move would be "completely unacceptable" to Bougainvilleans and would be "potentially a source of conflict".
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?a51cc7
Vision City Opens New Wing
Vision City general manager Anderson Ting told media that the new wing has at least 20 new shops. Some of them are City Clothing and Wantok Clothing, Shoeland, Police Apparel, 2 Fast Motor, Kids Apparel and Ice Cream Parlour.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?92ffb3
Vale Bob Oatley
Bob started out as businessman in the 1950s trading coffee and cocoa beans from the PNG highlands by forming the company Angco. He started Rosemount Wines and his yacht, Wild Oats XI, has won the Sydney to Hobart yacht race line honours a record eight times. R.I.P. Bob.
Forbes Magazine ranked Mr Oatley as Australia's 34th richest person in 2015, with a net worth of $910 million.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?c7a2b9
New Year's Honours
Several staff members of Air Niugini have been recognised for service to the airline during the recent New Year's Honours Awards. They include Lohia Garo, Phyllis Tabara and Nancy Aue who have been recognized for their services to Air Niugini and the aviation industry in general.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?9f2f1c
PMGH Health Advice
The Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) has a Facebook page. They have started 2016 by giving the Top 10 Tips to a Healthier You.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?48e4d4
Cabinet Reshuffle
Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, has taken on the portfolio of Bougainville Affairs in his latest cabinet reshuffle. Justin Tkatchenko has been made the minister of sports and tourism as the country seeks to significantly grow the number of international visitors.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?a157c6
Tourism Ministry Handover Takeover -- http://giaman.com/pg/?db357e
Portable Ultrasound Changing Lives
The use of portable ultrasound equipment is helping to change the high maternal and infant mortality rate in Enga province, thanks to a forward-thinking governor and the PNG Tribal Foundation. Through a partnership between the PNG Tribal Foundation, Premier Healthcare and GE Healthcare, ten Vscan dual-probe pocket ultrasound units have been provided to health clinics in Enga province
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?8a51cd
Tuberculosis Spreading
Brendan Crabb, a communicable disease expert from Australia's Burnet Institute, says a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis on the island of Daru is spreading at a phenomenal rate.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?62f64c
PNG in 2016
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill reminded Papua New Guineans in his New Year's address that PNG "is a place of great opportunity, that also carries with it great responsibility". His optimism and patriotism were timely.
Maybe 2016 will be the year many are hoping for: the year PNG finds solutions to many of its unresolved issues before the elections in 2017.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?18174d
Bougainville Bar
A new 'Bougainville Bar' has gone on sale in New Zealand this month, marking an increased awareness by international chocolate makers of Papua New Guinea's high quality cocoa.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?7db4f8
Stadium Near Completion
Formerly known as the Lloyd Robson Oval, the National Football Stadium is set to be complete and ready for use next month. The National Football Stadium will be the home of rugby league in Papua New Guinea.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?1afa33
Fresh Vegetable Imports
The Agriculture and Livestock Minister Tommy Tomscoll is refusing to budge from his decision to allow only one company to import fresh vegetables from Australia which the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) says has created a monopoly.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/101331
Surf Management Plan
PNG is putting a Surf Management Plan (SMP) into practice. The good news is that it works. The country located in the Pacific Ring of Fire has developed a unique rulebook to minimize the impact of surf tourism in the fragile ecosystem, in the local communities, and in the overall quality of the surfing experience.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?7699cf
Nambawan Superannuation
The Government will address the "exit" reimbursement arrears to allow public servants exiting the Nambawan Superannuation Ltd funds to receive their full superannuation entitlements, an official says. Treasury Secretary Dairi Vele said it was irresponsible for the NSL board and management to stop the "exit" payments to its members.
-- http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/101322
UB40 Returns
Due to popular demand, the Lamana Hotel will be bringing back UB40 with lead singer Ali Campbell, singer Astro & keyboardist Mickey together with their full piece band Friday 22nd January at the Gold Club & Saturday 23rd at the Sir John Guise Stadium. This will be UB40's second trip to PNG after their first successful shows in April of 2014.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?d475a6
Eight Mile Market
Residents of 8 Mile in Port Moresby will see a new market in the heart of ATS. Residents say this new infrastructure will save them the hassle of travelling to Gordon's Market to conduct their sales.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?12bc08
Drought Response
The latest disaster assessments in Papua New Guinea have found the cost of getting food relief to drought stricken communities is prohibitive. At the same time a co-author of the compilation of 200 reports from government, NGOs, church organisations and individuals in drought- and frost-affected regions says immediate action is needed to alleviate ongoing suffering.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?f3b55c
Police Complaints
Over 1,600 complaints of police abuse were received by the force in PNG between 2007 and 2014. During the same period, 134 police were demoted, 417 monetary fines were imposed and 202 officers were cleared because of a lack of evidence.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?55cc09
Under-20 Women's World Cup
Sixteen countries have qualified to take part in the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in from November 13 to December 3, a senior official of the Local Organising Committee said. Four venues in Port Moresby - the Sir John Guise Stadium, Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, the National Football Stadium, and the Bisini Sports Complex - were inspected by FIFA officials last year, with recommendations made to the LOC for upgrades to meet FIFA's minimum requirements.
-- http://giaman.com/pg/?8227fb
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.
Women Not Witches Tour - Wabag and Mendi (Jan & Feb 2016) -- https://www.facebook.com/seedstheatregroup/
Trade Pasifika - 2016 in Port Moresby
12th Festival of Pacific Arts 22 May to 4 June 2016 (Hagatna, Guam)
2016 8th FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup tournament (November, Port Moresby) -- http://giaman.com/pg/?18525e
Christmas Day - 25 December 2016
Boxing Day - 26 December 2016
New Year's Day - 1st January 2017
Surfing Association PNG-World Surf League tour championship in January 2017
Pacific Mini Games - Vanuatu 2017
2018 - APEC summit to be held in Port Moresby -- http://giaman.com/pg/?a3e64e
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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