Png's Eventful February

In Papua New Guinea in February, Governor- General Sir John Guise resigned to contest the coming general elections. National Parliament elected to succeed him Mr Tore Lokoloko, 48, an Opposition front bencher and an MP since 1968. Only other nominee was National Party leader Thomas Kavali.

Other PNG developments in February:

• Charges by Mr Oala-Oala Rarua, former High Commissioner to Australia and now chairman of the Papua Besena organisation, that Sir John had resigned to “get on the right side” because the government of which he had formerly been a member “looked like losing the coming elections” • The arrival of the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Malcolm Fraser, on a State visit • Adoption by the PNG Parliament of legislation empowering the government to make a unilateral declaration delimiting PNG borders, and subsequent talks between Messrs Somare and Fraser which ended with an agreement that PNG would not use the legislation to influence the dispute between their two governments over the PNG border in the 'Torres Strait area.

The new GG