P.N.G. Gossip Newsletter - 2 Oct 2002

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PNG Gossip Newsletter Meri Milne Bay
Welcome to the Papua New Guinea Gossip - 2 Oct 2002

A very special welcome is extended to any new readers. If you have comments or suggestions to make then please use the contact form.

C O N T E N T S

Mount Hagen Gambling  
Electronic Case Management System ANZ Bank Saga  
Rural Health Sepik Earthquake  
West New Britain Fuel Prices  
Telikom PNG Value Added Tax  
Salary Cuts Air Niugini  
Bulolo Book Suppliers  
Rabaul Power Request 1  
Marine Development HIV/AIDS  
Koki Market Request 2  
Lifeline Counselling Drought  
Red Cross Blood Bank Defence Force - Airwing  
Defence Force Consumer Affairs Council  
Goilala Gang YWCA  
Daltron Refugee Showdown  
Police Vehicles UPNG  
Forest Conservation Project PNG Media
The End Links

 

Articles for this newsletter

To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter -- please use the contact form

Remember that this mailing list is mainly meant for people who have an interest and already know a little bit about the people and geography of Papua New Guinea. The PNG Kina, which is mentioned from time to time in this newsletter, is currently worth around 23 - 24 United States cents but varies on a daily basis.

If you are really keen on finding out what the Kina is worth a currency converter for most world currencies can be located at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/moni.html

 

 

Neo Melanesian

"Pidgin English"
Tok Pisin English
draibisket cracker
pis fish
honi honey
jem jam
muli lemon / lime
switmuli orange
letis lettuce
abus meat
susu milk
anien onion
popo pawpaw / papaya
painap pineapple
ti tea
kapti teacup
tipot teapot
skon scone
blaksos / blakpela sos / soisos soya sauce
botol bottle
braunpela loli chocolate (candy)

Want to find out more about Papua New Guinea? Try searching at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo and http://www.michie.net/png_faqs. The PNG Business Directory at http://www.pngbd.com is also an excellent place to look for PNG information.

For those who are not so familiar with the geography of Papua New Guinea I suggest taking a look -- http://maps.google.com -- and then click on the find a map option. Go to this link for a quick start to a link to a map of Port Moresby. http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/pom-map.html

Also remember that the accuracy of the information in this newsletter should not be relied upon - it is, after all, a gossip newsletter.



Links

Don't forget to visit -- http://www.farawaypictures.com


Internet Service Providers



Daltron -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
Data Nets -- http://www.online.net.pg
Datec -- http://www.datec.com.pg
Global Technologies -- http://www.global.net.pg
HiTech -- http://www.dg.com.pg


Computer Companies in PNG



Able Computing -- http://www.able.com.pg
Daltron -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
Data Nets -- http://www.datanets.com.pg
Datec -- http://www.datec.net.pg
Global Technologies -- http://www.global.net.pg
HT PNG (formerly High Tech Industries) -- http://www.hightech.com.pg/

Remington Technologies -- http://www.remington.com.pg


Stationery Suppliers



Theodist -- http://www.theodist.com.pg - Theodist also sell Magellan GPS Systems.


Scanning



Professional Scanning Services - ProScan Ltd -- http://www.proscan.com.pg

 


 

News Items


Mount Hagen



Police are investigating a car racket in Mount Hagen. Many cars have been stolen and the police have been unable to find them. Police acting on a tip off discovered nine containers of stripped down car parts and stolen vehicles in a yard not far from the Mount Hagen police station. The Criminal Investigation Division is currently investigating the matter.




Gambling



The national newspaper (http://www.thenational.com.pg/0927/nation1.htm) has mentioned that according to latest figures available from the National Gaming Control Board K50m is gambled away on pokies PNG citizens and PNG residents every month. More than half of this figure is being gambled away in Port Moresby. This does not include what is being spent on other gambling such as horseracing, lotto etc.




Electronic Case Management System



An Electronic Case Management System (CMS) has been launched at the Public Prosecutor's office. The system will be used as a performance analysis and measurement tool for further development as well as to increase efficiency in the delivery of services and to provide document generation.




ANZ Bank Saga



My informant has told me that the saga continues at the ANZ bank-
The ANZ saga still goes on, I went to the bank again on Monday and asked about my Access card and "the embossing machine is still broken" was the reply.

Having being used to not using the card I decided to transfer some money between my linked accounts using Phone Banking, when this was tried I got the message " you do not have any linked accounts" this is strange I thought as I have had two linked accounts for some time.

When I rang the help desk the girl said, " we disconnect your linked accounts when a new card is issued!!" I obviously asked when I was likely to get my card first, then suggested that it may be a good idea to tell the customers that they need to re register their linked accounts rather than having them find out the hard way.

This is rather poor service from a company that is one of the major banks; they obviously need a major overhaul of their systems if they are to keep up with their opposition.




Rural Health



An agreement between the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Gulf Provincial Government has been signed that will allow trainee doctors and health professionals to use the Malalua hospital in the Gulf province as a rural training facility. This is expected to strengthen and improve health services in the province.




Sepik Earthquake



The Rimbunan Hijau Group of Companies has donated K10,000 to assist victims of the earthquake in Wewak. A cheque for K550,000 has also been received from Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare on behalf of the National Government for the victims and a commitment of K100,000 has been given by AusAID to repair parts of the Boram airport that have been damaged by the quake.

Three Tsunami experts from the United States are visiting the East Sepik Province to assess the damage done by the recent earthquake and tsunami.




West New Britain



The West New Britain governor has been convicted and fined K2,200 for wilful damage to property, assault, using abusive and insulting language and consuming liquor in a public place while driving in the controversial K350,000 vehicle he purchased recently. He has offered to compensate those he assaulted with cash, traditional shell money and a live pig.

Many people say that the K350,000 spent on the vehicle, purchased with public money, should have gone towards helping the victims of the recent Mt Pago eruption in West New Britain.




Fuel Prices



A hike in fuel prices has been announced. As a result, the maximum retail price of fuel (excluding the 10 percent Value Added Tax) at all main port centres of Port Moresby, Lae, Madang and Rabaul are:




Telikom PNG



Martin Veisame, is tipped to take over as the managing director of PNG Telikom following the resignation of Sunil Andradi. Martin is a graduate communications engineer who has climbed up through the ranks of Telikom to become most recently the general manager of network services within the company. -- http://www.telikompng.com.pg




Value Added Tax



A court decision has ruled that VAT - Value Added Tax is illegal and has been since its introduction. The National Government and the Internal Revenue Commission is running around in a flap attempting to sort the problem out. If a fix can't be found then millions of Kina might have to be refunded. Companies are being told to keep collecting the tax until a decision is reached as they would be liable for any under collection if the decision were reversed.




Salary Cuts



As suspected the pay cut for Members of Parliament would only be on allowances and not the MPs' salary. The cuts are expected to result in savings of K2.835 million annually but would be far more if the same cuts were applied to the salary as well.




Air Niugini



Rumours are flying around that Air Niugini has a new Board of Directors but little is being leaked from Air Niugini management. Perhaps it is one of the worst kept secrets in PNG? All that has leaked out so far is that Sir Michael Bromley has left and that Joe Tauvasa has taken his place as the Chairman of the Board. Apparently Air Niugini is waiting for the Government to make the official announcement. -- http://www.airniugini.com.pg

Air Niugini has missed out on at least K4 million, possibly K10 million if it received all the charter work, to fly refugees from Manus to other parts of the world simply because it did not have any spare planes to do the job. They would have been paid in US Dollars as well.




Bulolo



Following AusAID assistance the Bulolo Vocational Centre (BVC) in Morobe Province now has a new double classroom and ten electric typewriters. The classrooms will be used to start a new Business Studies course at BVC that has 26 girls enrolled in it.




Book Suppliers



Ross Eastgate has written to say that if anyone wants a copy of the Monckton book (or any other book on PNG and the Pacific) Bill McGrath's Pacific Book House on the Gold Coast can oblige. Bill is a former Kiap from the Southern Highlands.

Website -- http://www.pacificbookhouse.com.au and e-mail mcgrath@pacificbookhouse.com.au
Telephone -- +61 7 5539 0446 or Facsimile -- +61 7 5538 4114




Rabaul Power



Residents of Rabaul have experienced difficulties in getting electricity from both the Warangoi hydro electricity plant and the Kerevat power station recently. The fault was caused by a 66 kV pole on Burma Road on the way to Rabaul being burnt down accidentally by villagers burning rubbish.




Request 1



Here is a request for help from Peter Skinner

Quote
Dear PNGers; we are researching the travels and exploits of two women, Caroline Mytinger (aka Caroline Stober or Caroline Mytinger Stober) and Margaret Warner, who travelled to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea in the 1920s and 30s.

Mytinger published three books on their exploits: "Headhunting in the Solomon Islands," published in 1942, "New Guinea Headhunt," published in 1947, and a possible third book by or and about Mytinger, "With Brush and Palette in the South Seas," published in 1930. All of the books include illustrations, many of which are reproductions of oil paintings that Mytinger made during her travels. Twenty-five of them were exhibited at the American Museum of Natural History and the Brooklyn Museum in 1930. We need to find at least some of these paintings -- so far we have located only a few sketches, at the Monterey Museum of Art in California. We also need any information, correspondence, or suggestions on who to contact for further information about these ladies. It is our hope to retrace their steps, and to document the trip with photographs. To do so, we will be applying for grants and other funding, thus our need for more information, especially about the location of any paintings. Thank you very much for any assistance you might be able to give us!

Karen Huntt Mason karhma@earthlink.net
Michele Westmorland info@westmorlandphoto.com
End Quote




Marine Development



PNG has been the beneficiary of over US$350 million in marine resource development aid from the United States. The projects target key species, coral and other habitats and the marine ecosystems that sustain some of the highest levels of marine bio-diversity found on the planet.




HIV/AIDS



To help reporters report responsibly on HIV/AIDS the National AIDS Council, in conjunction with the Media Council of PNG, has launched a HIV/AIDS guide for journalists. The latest figures available report that 300 Papua New Guineans have died from the disease and over 4000 are currently infected.




Koki Market



The Japanese government has given K1.1 million to re-develop one of the Port Moresby markets. The Koki market has historical significance to the people of Central province. The project will include the construction of a new fish shelter as well as upgrading the existing fish market, improving the drainage system, constructing a new walkway and building a new perimeter fence. The National Capital District Commission will contribute K400,000 towards the project.




Request 2



This edition seems to be turning into a request column.

I'm sending this email to ask if you have any material on the battle of 'Mount Prothero'(new guinea) that took place on 21-jan-1944 near shaggy ridge. In particular: I'm looking for any reference about a soldier of the 2/12 Australian infantry battalion who was killed that day. His name was like mine; he was my uncle. Sincerely yours, Abraham Beth-Halevy. <dyn_avc@netvision.net.il>




Lifeline Counselling



A two-week Basic Counselling Course for volunteers has just finished in Port Moresby. The nine participants learnt skills that will enable them to provide basic counselling services in their respective fields and communities to people in need.

Lifeline Port Moresby is not only counselling organisation. The centre is being set up with funding from the National AIDS Council to renovate one of Lifeline's rundown buildings to provide home care for the people living with the HIV virus.




Drought



Provinces in the Highlands, Mamose and parts of Manus, Central and Western provinces have reported that they are experiencing drought conditions. All people have been called upon to conserve whatever food they have and place it in a secure place, and to dam waterways and irrigate gardens so they can continue to be productive. Experts say that the drought will continue for sometime yet.




Red Cross Blood Bank



The Red Cross need blood! The Red Cross Blood Transmission Service is urging the public to come forward and donate blood. With Christmas and New Year period just around the corner accidents are bound to happen so people should be encouraged to give blood now in readiness for the festive season.




Defence Force - Airwing



The PNG Defence Force has managed to get four of its military aircraft back in the sky. Two Iroquois helicopters and two transport planes were now considered "fully operational" and ready for service after being grounded for years due to lack of funds. Two helicopters and a large transport plane remained grounded.




Defence Force



Military police are now physically checking visitor's passes and cards issued to residents at Murray Barracks to ensure that only valid residents are staying at the barracks. This follows a weeklong awareness week by the military police.




Consumer Affairs Council



The Consumer Affairs Council has said that they are having trouble doing their job due to a lack of funds. The council is incapable of sending out any of its officers to the provinces and districts due to that fact.




Goilala Gang



A gang from Goilala in the Central Province has surrendered homemade guns to the police and made a public apology for terrorising local communities. Thirteen young adults from Ita village have surrendered three high-powered homemade guns to police at the Woitape government station in the Goilala electorate.




YWCA



The Young Women's Christian Association has lost computers and videotapes, a photocopy machine, four extra phones and other materials when thieves recently broke into the head office in Port Moresby. The YWCA has appealed for the computers to be returned as they contain valuable data on many funding projects. Projects, which will benefit many people around PNG.




Daltron



Daltron, http://www.daltron.com.pg recently celebrated 25 years of operation in PNG. Congratulations to Bruce and his team.




Refugee Showdown



As the October 20th deadline approaches for asylum seekers on Manus Island Australia is hoping to extend an agreement with Papua New Guinea to process asylum seekers past this deadline. Under the Australian government's Pacific Solution, Australia pays Nauru and PNG to house asylum seekers while their applications are processed. 151 asylum seekers remain on Manus Island.




Police Vehicles



Thanks to AusAid funding the police force's National Fraud and Anti Corruption Squad (NFACS) has received aid assistance of more than K7 million. The objective of the funding is to improve the capacity and capability of the NFACS to fight fraud and corruption.




UPNG



The University is hoping to be able to tap into the vast wealth of knowledge and experience of retired professors around the world. The Vice Chancellor, Professor Les Eastcott, said the university needed more academics to boost intellectual and academic leadership as academic leadership in many areas has been missing for a while since many professors have departed PNG.




Forest Conservation Project



The World Bank accused the PNG Government of "squandering" a K160 million forest conservation project. The bank's anger stems from the National Forest Services non-participation at a three-day workshop, which coincided with the launching of the bank-sponsored Forest Conservation Project (FCP), valued at K160 million. The FCP is aimed at making the forest sector in PNG sustainable and will ensure that the nation's forests would survive to provide income for future generations.

 

 





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-- THE END --

Some of the above are courtesy of Liz and her friends at the University of Technology in Lae. http://www.unitech.ac.pg

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Created 2 Oct 2002
Updated 12 Oct 2002

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