Quality burgers in Port Moresby

My favourite of late is the cheese burger costing K20 at Meat Haus burger shops in Port Moresby.

They have variety of burgers with prices ranging from K20 to K30.

The Australian burger which is quite  thick with fillings and huge patties is selling at K25.

If you are after quality, a very presentable and hygienic place to have a bite inside an air conditioned place, choose their location at downtown Port Moresby opposite the Crown Hotel. 

Their car parking space is just left of the location.

The Meat Haus burger place is HACCAP certified which basically means their promotion and compliance to health and hygiene in producing food is internationally accepted as far as health standards are concerned.

I must say the young lash who served me was very professional as well.

We should make that contagious in PNG and across other retail and service businesses.

Check Meat Haus burger places at Waigani, formerly ANZ compound or downtown opposite Crown Hotel.

Grapes grown and bearing fruits at Tokarara, Port Moresby

Words and pictures by Bonny Bonnsella

If Menyamya and Teptep in Morobe can grow apples, Tokarara suburb in hot Port Moresby grow and bear grapes.

This evidence with pictures below disproves the notion  that grapes cannot grow in Port Moresby.  

The Eastern Highlands has reported grapes being harvested.

Well at Tokarara in Port Moresby, Augustine Irakau from Kuluguma village on Manam Island, Bogia Distrct of  Madang Province has  grape plants bearing the juicy fruits

Augustine and his dear wife Anna Irakau bought the cuttings from a friend at Garden Hills in 2019, and the couple were advised that it will take three years to grow.

True to the words, the grapes flowered last year but due to bad weather pollination and successful bearing of the fruit did not turn out. 

In March of 2023, the Irakau couple witnessed something strange, -the vine was bearing healthy grapes from the spine to the branches.

If Irakau family can prove otherwise, PNG is truly a land blessed with so much potential when foreign countries exporting and protecting their own produce undermine our potential to grow and export our own organic produce.

Just simply ask Augustine and his wife Anna.

My bubu, 20 year old Anthonia Kwan  has posed with the grapes that her grannies grew in 2019.

The agriculture department officers can call in and do some research about the potential of this fruit to be grown in hot Port Moresby.

Port Moresby police to be on stand by at potential hotspots: No to protest

Police in Port Moresby will be stationed at potential hot spot areas to curb any unnecessary safety and security issues that may arise.

Metropolitan Superintendent Silva Sika told NBC National Radio yesterday afternoon.

This is to stop a protest March that has been mooted and speculated on social media Facebook.

Sika said any protest today would be illegal as police have not

recieved any two weeks notice and a round table discussion with any organiser did not take place.

Mr Sika  said the discussion was critical to identify safety threats and opportunities during any  protest.

He has urged city residents to go about their usual business today and assured them that police are ready and  capable of confronting  any safety concerns that may arise.

Protests in Port Moresby against the government in recent years have sometimes turned bloody nasty when opportunists take advantage and destroy properties and vehicles. 

This morning in Port Moresby it appears there was normal business with children being dropped off at schools, cars were on the road, those employed were going to work and major popular supermarkets opened as usual.

Six important things you need to service your car

 What I am sharing here is based on my experience owning the same kind of vehicle for over 10 years.

I own my second Honda CRV RD1 for three years now.

It's a second hand vehicle I bought from a seller at 5 Mile Jack Pidik Park.

The car helps my family and I move around Port Moresby, go shopping, go to work and do school drop offs and pick up.

Few times I have travelled to Kwikila Market in Rigo, visited Gaire's  Black beach and travelled to Sogeri's Variarata National Park.

The car has given me little challenges.

Most times when I encounter a mechanical challenge I also consult my friend #Youtube 

What I do every three months is

1. change oil by putting in new four litres engine oil

2.  change three litres gear oil (ATF)

3.  change oil filter

4. change fuel filter

5. change four spark plugs

6. change air filter 

These are critical things I do every three months but my lower arm and upper arm bushings are replaced as they wear and tear.

So as the tubeless tyres.

The cost of the six tasks above can cost less than K500 which should include the labour cost for the mechanic.

Honda CRV parts are readily available and affordable  in Port Moresby.

The most expensive part would be the radiator and new fans.

All others should cost much less.

For those who have overheating problems.

Don't listen to mechanics who advise you to clean or blow your radiator, or change the head casket.

These are waste of time and money.

Buy a new radiator and fans, get the mechanic to install them and tell the mechanic to remove the thermostat in your car.

The thermostat is best used if you live in temperate or cold climates.

You can thank me later that you will never face over heating problems again and you can run your aircon for as long as you want.

Enjoy driving, look after your car and it will look after you.

There are transport challenges and issues in Port Moresby so owning a car is not a want but a need.

Own something you honestly earn to help you live within your means.

Stay safe and be blessed.

What's your favourite burger in Port Moresby

 I still have the the taste and hunger for a burger at McDonalds I first had 23 years ago.

I face the reality now that McDonalds don't operate in Papua New Guinea, let alone Port Moresby.

So I had to go with what's available.

I have had a Big Rooster burger and I must say I didn't like it.

 Recently I had a beef burger at Burger House sold at Vision City, just next to Yellow Captain.

It costs K18.

I loved it and I rate it close to McDonald's burger.

It's got a good wrapper as well so one can have his or her burger in the wrap protecting any piece falling off.

But I got introduced to Meat House buffalo burger and I must say it's the super best in town with very nice fillings.

My only issue, it doesn't have a wrapper to take care of any fillings like mayonnaise leaking.

The Meat House burger costs K20.

What is your best burger?

Port Moresby based comic magazine- Lover Boy

 Congratulations to the guys behind the development, design and production of Lover Boy.

Disclaimer: This is not a design from the magazine

Graham Ainui Jnr is the guy behind the storyboard, illustration and he is the writer.

Michael Arifeai of Tribe FM at the NBC interviewed the guys about how it all started. 

But essentially their comic magazine which has a few stars is now on sale at K35.00 a copy.

Among the characters is a female named Linda.

Mr Ainui told Tribe FM it was a project that started two years ago and while they were working to find a platform to monetise their content online, this idea to print was suggested to them and now it is on sale.

Here below is the interview the producers had with the NBC and it starts with the producer outlining the characters in the comic.

The story theme is about everyday life of students and the struggles they go through.

The story is about school life, mental health and self appreciation, Anui said.

He pointed out some of the expressions are stuff that high school students face but they hardly bring home to their parents.

"There are some things you can't bring home to your parents," Ainui told Tribe FM.

He has been looking at several comics to grasp how to design and already visualises a long story board so we are looking for a lasting content that is locally produced.

Check Lover Boy on social media and reach out to them for a copy.

Australian High Commissioner observes polling in Hela

 

Australian High Commissioner Jon Philp was in Hela yesterday where he joined the international observer election teams observing polling at Piribu, Kupari and Tari.

Polling commenced yesterday in the country with several provinces commencing polling and this included a one day polling for the whole of Hela Province.

In a statement the Australian High Commission says Australia’s participation reflects Papua New Guinea and Australia’s shared commitment to democracy and the democratic process.

Australia assisted Papua New Guinea to print millions of ballot papers and assisted with transportation of sensitive election materials throughout the country using its Royal Australian Air Force aircrafts.

The United Nations is coordinating the international observer mission and their observer report will be presented to the PNGEC to improve the transparency and credibility of the election process.

 

Government minister happy with major renovation of public housing

 BY CYRIL GARE

Housing and Urbanisation Minister Justin Tkatchenko has expressed satisfaction and confidence in the “major renovation” works currently undertaken by contractors at the National Housing Corporation (NHC) flats at Manu Autoport in Port Moresby.

When briefed on “work in progress” yesterday, he said he was satisfied with work so far and was optimistic contractors will deliver within the five months time frame.

Tkatchenko said all other NHC properties in Port Moresby will follow suit and undergo major renovation this year and these properties include 3 mile Red Cross flats, 5 mile flats, Angau Drive flats, Korobosea flats, NBC flats East Boroko, 4 mile hostel adjacent to old PIH, Hohola new generation hostel and Dorido hostel at June Valley, among others.

Minister Tkatchenko said this signify the Government’s seriousness in providing low cost affordable housing for Papua New Guineans and “wrestle the bull by its horn” attributing to reviving the NHC from some 30 years of neglect and corruption.

NHC’s multi million kina flagship project would be the Duran Farm Housing project in Port Moresby where more than 2,000 affordable homes were to be built.

He said under Henry Mokono - as new permanent managing director, NHC has taken stock of all its properties and assets nationwide and similar renovation and maintenance works would begin soon.

Work started at the Manu Autoport property on Nov 22, 2021 which covered the four (4) allotments comprising 16 units.

Contractors took down badly rotten walls, louvers, fly wires, window frames and interior structures of the building which “haven’t had such a renovation for over 30 or 40 years”, said Mr. Martin Tau – NHC’s Executive Director - Corporate Service and Administration.

On Nov 3, 2021, NHC managing director, Mr. Henry Mokono visited the Manu Autoports tenants and their families and announced the K4 million facelift plan and sought their cooperation to vacate the property and allow maintenance work to begin.

“And since the good Minister (Tkatchenko) came into this place, we’ve made some decisions and we’ve made many decisions to turn this organization that people in PNG will respect. We do things by the book. We do things according to law that should be the way this place should be run. We do things correctly. We do things by process. We do things honestly. We do things transparently, we got to be accountable for our decision making”.

Mr. Mokono vows to clean up the NHC and instil a new corporate image to the organisation through accountability, transparency and good governance.

Mr. Mokono’s major tasks include;

• Create a new staff structure to see down-sizing of NHC work force from 380 to 218 and saving government of K6 million in wages annually;

• Revamp and deliver the stalled Durand Farm Housing project;

• Renovate the NHC Tokarara headquarters which government has already allocated K10 million for this purpose;

• Cleansing and prosecution of those engaged in corruption and the mess in the NHC; and

• restoring public confidence in the organisation.

Happy New Year 2022

Time flies for busy bees.

It's another New Year and I wish you all my readers a prosperous 2022.

Take the challenges for last year as a stepping stone for growth and prosperity this year.

One of the important events for us this year is the National General Elections so be a part of it as it as having a functioning and service delivery oriented government ensures our livelihoods are better.

 Being a spectator wouldn't help much is defining what government we will have.

Last year I lost my dad in June and before that GC Sir Michael Somare passed on.

Before Sir Michael was Sir Mekere Morauta, a champion of privatisation.

We also lost Sir Pita Lus, Sir Paulias Matane and many more prominent and elderly leaders.

Community at Dove Place, Erima celebrating Christmas 2021 with fun and games

What I do accept despite the mourning is that it is a period of changing of the guards.

Therefore young generations must now stand up and take the baton of leadership to chart our new development pathway that must yield prosperity.

Like I said, we must actively part take in the National General Elections this year.

A serious reminder on a different note, please do not celebrate New Years by breaking bottles on the roads or burning tyres.

The 'stress drive up' drive in Port Moresby

 I have lived for two years in this part of the city and I walk, sometimes drive up this road leading to Garden Hills Estate in Port Moresby.

Well this stretch of road is one of a "stress drive up" part of Port Moresby.

The road leading to Waigani Drive from Garden Hills Estate

Why do I say this?

The informal sector vendors mainly from the settlement on the right side of this picture sell their betel nut, cigarettes and food on the sides of this stretch of road.

While I do appreciate them trying to make ends meet, the set up and operations are not too well organised.

People are just every where, most times they care little about traffic on the road.

Few times drunks just stagger around with their homebrews, cigarettes and boom boxes.

But the worst one is cars parking on wrong sides of the road to buy betel nut causing unnecessary traffic jams.

A car travelling down from Garden Hills will park and the driver leisurely inconsiderate buys betel nut from a vendor on the right side of the road.

An oncoming car from Waigani Drive would not be able to pass through because this car is in the way.

A car that travels up from Waigani Drive parks on the right side of the road and this blocks the cars travelling down from Garden Hills. 

Some of the worst offenders are taxis.

Seriously they will show no sign of guilt.

They can just have their doors open and look at you struggling to go forward as if you were wrong.

Well these are not the only challenges. A compounding issue is you have crater like pot holes on this street.

Particularly when there's a downpour, this pot holes are so exposed.

Some are pretty deep.

The funny thing though and I think the National Capital District Commission should inquire into this and call for quality jobs for money paid.

Contractors who patch these pot holes for many times I have observed have done a poor job.

 Many high tax payers  live up this road and they deserve better from the municipal authority. 

These patches do not last.

A next downpour just washes them away.

The illegal road patchers then bring their expertise. They use their spades to temporarily poor soil on the pot holes and illegally force cars to pay them a few kina.

There are about six big pot holes that need to be attended to as soon as possible.

One is near Moni Plus.

Sharing all these, I appeal to road users to be considerate and do not park in the way of oncoming traffic.

A quick stop of 30 seconds is fine. There is just too many cars so it's unfair to take long.

Please fix the pot holes and they last so we can enjoy a good drive up and down.