New TV station for Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guineans will receive a special gift when the country celebrates its independence anniversary on September 16.

They will be able to switch on to a new free to air television service with more local content and programmes—thanks to government.

NTS (National Television Service) will telecast live giving a choice to Papua New Guineans to watch a new TV service, hence provide competition to PNG’s only commercial TV station, EMTV.

EMTV is owned by Fiji-based Yasana Holdings, also owners of Fiji TV.

NTS will be operated and managed by PNG’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) of which PINA (Pacific Islands News Association) president, Joseph Ealedona, is managing director.

Since independence in 1975, successive PNG governments have recognised the need to have a national television service in PNG.

In 1981, PNG NEC (National Executive Council) approved in principle the introduction of a television service of which NBC was to undertake a feasibility study on the technical, engineering, financial, management and programming aspects of the project. The process was not concluded due to the 1982 national elections.

The 1981 NEC decision was resurrected in 1989 and NBC was directed to initiate the processes to realise the service.

Prime Minister Somare in March 2007 directed NBC again to initiate the processes on NTS.

On September last year during the opening of PNG’s 8th parliament, Somare reiterated his call for the introduction of the TV service for PNG. A taskforce was established and progress so far has been successful, according to Ealedona.

The first phase will make it possible for Port Moresby viewers to watch NTS, second phase will be the provinces (19), the third phase will be for rural people and the fourth phase will be the region.

 

SP Cup grand final today

Papua New Guinea's premier rugby league competition, the SP Cup, has its grand final in Port Moresby this afternoon between 2006 and 2007 champions Mabey & Johnson Mabey Muruks against Bintangor Mount Hagen Eagles.

I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

Whale shark beached up on Iokea

Villagers from Iokea in the Gulf province were surprised to find a whale shark beached up on their shores last Sunday morning.

Thomas Auhava, curator of the Schwimmer War Museum outside Port Moresby, was at his Iokea village at the weekend and took pictures of the beached whale shark.

Pictures taken by Mr Auhava show a whale shark with white spots on its back.

“It’s about 6.5m long and 2m wide,” he said.

“It couldn’t get out because of shallow water.

“It’s still alive.

“It was just waiting for the tide to push it out.”

Iokea villagers took a ride on the back of the beached whale last Sunday.

 

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Malum

First pictures of my yet unnamed nephew, born to my youngest sister Anna at Angau Memorial Hospital, Lae, on Friday, August 29th, 2008

Where are these pictures from?

I received these old pictures of Papua New Guinea from Jason Nitz in Australia, who received them from his uncle, John Nitz, however, the problem is that neither Jason, John nor me can identify the places?

Do these places look familiar to anyone out there?

You can comment at the bottom of this posy or drop me a line at malumnalu@gmail.com or mobile (675) 6849763.

Malum

Morocco jails king insult blogger

Mohammed Erraji's family claim he did not receive a fair trial
It is an offence to disrespect the king under Moroccan press laws

A Moroccan blogger has been jailed for two years for showing disrespect to the monarchy, say the man's family, BBC reports.
Mohammed Erraji, 29, was convicted after writing an article claiming King Mohammed VI's charitable habits were encouraging a culture of dependency.
There has been no official comment on the case, but rights groups claim Erraji did not have a fair trial.
A BBC reporter says criticising the king is an offence in Morocco and the royal family remains a taboo subject.
Morocco has previously caused international outrage with its treatment of internet users.
Earlier this year, Fouad Mortada was sentenced to three years in prison for creating a false profile on the internet site Facebook using the identity of the king's brother.
He received a royal pardon following protests from internet users around the world.

'Disastrous'

Erraji claimed in an internet article that the king's charity towards Moroccans was stifling development by encouraging people to be lazy.
It happened so quickly that all his rights were flouted
"This has made the Moroccans a people without dignity, who live by donations and gifts," he wrote.
The BBC's James Copnall in the capital, Rabat, says he was particularly critical of the practice known as grima - giving lucrative licences to run taxis and other transport in exchange for begging letters.
Erraji said this did not happen in developed countries, where hard work rather than begging is rewarded.
He was arrested by the authorities last Friday and accused of "lacking the respect due to the king".
In court on Monday, he was given a two-year prison sentence and fined 5,000 Dirham ($630:£356).
One relative, who claimed to have been present at the trial, said Erraji had not had a lawyer and that the judgement took only ten minutes.
"The judge passed sentence very quickly but we couldn't hear what was being said. He had no opportunity to explain himself," said the relative, who asked not to be named.
He told Reuters news agency that Erraji was in poor health and was just a "free thinker who simply wants the best for his country".
The blogger's brother told the BBC the sentence was disastrous for his family, as Erraji is the only one with a regular income

'Totalitarian'

Human rights groups have criticised the verdict and demanded that Erraji be released.
It is an offence to disrespect the king under Moroccan press laws
Reporters Without Borders said the trial was "worthy of the most totalitarian states" and the Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH) said the basic elements of a fair trial were not respected.
"It happened so quickly that all his rights were flouted," said Khadija Riyadi.
A Facebook group and an internet site http://www.helperraji.com/ have been set up in support of Erraji.
Our correspondent says Erraji's best hope of freedom could lie in a pardon from the very man whose policies he criticised.