Pacific Report

Png, Indonesia Co-Ordinate ‘ Informally”

“Informal co-ordination” was the careful phrase used by one correspondent to describe the simultaneous despatch in June by Papua New Guinea and Indonesia of extra border patrol forces to their respective sides of the border in an area where Irian Jaya rebel forces were reported to have taken a number of Indonesian hostages (see earlier report, PIM p5l). PNG took action on reports that the rebels had brought their hostages across the border into PNG. Prime Minister Somare said one of the tasks of PNG forces would be to release Indonesian hos tages, if they should be found on PNG soil.

Ok Tuvalu, Go Aheadi

The way is now legally open for Tuvalu’s Big Day, Indepen dence Day, October 1, 1978. The British House of Commons said, “Go ahead” when the Bill giving effect to the regulations establishing an independent Tuvalu passed its second reading on June 13. The third reading is a mere formality. Tuvalu could get into some book of records. On October 1, it will have been self-governing, as distinct from independent, for only five months, the shortest-ever for a British colony. In one year, it will have been governed under three different constitutions.

Independence celebrations begin on September 29 and end on the day. October 1.

Mara Sees A Peking Walkout

Fiji’s Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, witnessed one of the now celebrated walkouts by Soviet-bloc diplomats in China at a banquet held in his honour in Peking in June. The Chinese Vice-Premier, Li Hsien-nien, had accused the Russians in his welcoming speech of “trying by every means to barge into the Pacific”. One correspondent speculated that the incident took the Fijian leader by surprise. He wrote: "His pre pared response to Mr Li’s speech was an elegantly worded thank-you in which be referred to the place held in Fijian society by people of Chinese origin.”

Deadly Drinking Party

Fifteen men died in the village of Takekekel, near Kokopo on the Gazelle Peninsula late in May after a drinking party. Three others became blind. The men, most of them Tolais, had been drinking home-made liquor believed to contain surgical or methylated spirits.

Uregei Talks To Papeete Paper

The Papeete newspaper, La Depeche, has carried a full-page interview with New Caledonian independence advocate and Ter ritorial Assembly member Yann Celene Uregei. Mr Uregei was In French Polynesia, in his own words, “for independence, and for the Charlie Ching affair” (PIM, Apr, pi 5). He became a friend of Charlie Ching’s when the latter lived in New Caledonia. Mr Uregei predicted the formation of a federation of Pacific states in the future. He said he thought New Caledonia would become independent by 1982 “even before if the Kanak people are truly united".

Cholera Killed 21 Gilbertese

Since last year’s outbreak of cholera in the Gilbert Islands (PIM, Dec, p 22), 1 339 cases have been reported, and 21 people have died of the disease.

Hebrides Chiefs Say “No” To Junket

The Malvatumauri (Council of Chiefs) of the New Hebrides has rejected an invitation from Chief Minister George Kalsakau

for some of them to make a study tour of Pacific Islands. Among reasons cited by the chiefs were that many things at home needed doing, and that if they were to make a tour at all they would sooner tour the New Hebrides “to get to know our own peoples and our custom before going out from the New Hebrides”.

Hebrides Women Slam Beauty Contest

A group of New Hebridean women has protested strongly against the “Miss New Hebrides” contest, from which the country’s entrant in the "Miss Universe” contest in Mexico in July, will be chosen. They said the contest was “degrading to women and the nation”, and suggested that money spent on it should go to rural development projects, especially projects designed to help women.

Nz, Asian Unions’ Slanging Match

New Zealand unions’ intervention in last year’s dock strike in Fiji (PIM, Sep, p 65) brought implied criticism from the Asian regional organisation of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, meeting in Bangkok. The New Zealanders’ reac tion was swift and sharp. Said Federation of Labour president, Sir Tom Skinner: “If the Asian organisation does not give us value for our money then we will have to look at our mem bership.” Singapore labour leader Devan Nair, who is a top official of the ICFTU Asian regional organisation, responded in kind. “New Zealand trade unions do not belong to Asia. We will not tolerate their big white brother syndrome,” he said. He sug gested the FOL join the European trade unions congress.

World’S Deepest Hole In Png?

Is Papua New Guinea the home of the world’s deepest hole?

This is the question 50 speleologists cave explorers, or "cavers”, to the uninitiated will be seeking the answer to in July-August. The group, mostly Australians, but including Papua New Guineans, Spaniards, Americans, New Zealanders and Bri tons, will attempt to explore the Atea Kanada river caves on the Muller Plateau, between the peaks of the Muller Range and the Strickland Gorge in the Southern Highlands of PNG. The 1978 expedition follows on two less elaborate attempts to explore Atea Kanada in 1973 and 1976. The world’s deepest explored cave so far is the Pierre St Martin, which goes to a depth of 1.33 km under the Pyrenees. Organisers of the current Atea Kanada expedition hope to kick Pierre St Martin out of the record books by proving their hunch that the Atea Kanada caves go as deep as 1.5 km over a length of about 9 km.

Webb Tonga Strikes A Snag

An early hitch stopped oil drilling operations by Webb Tonga at the Kumimonu site No. 3, behind Nukualofa’s Free Wesleyan Centenary Church. The drive gear on the rotary table, which turns the drill, broke. A Tonga Webb spokesman said flying in a replacement unit from the United States would cost the company about $3O 000.

AIR CRASH KILLS 11 IN W. SAMOA All 11 people aboard a Cessna aircraft of South Pacific Island Airways died when it crashed into Mt Fito, on Upolu, Western Samoa. All the victims except the captain Rick Jensen, of Los Angeles were Samoans from New Zealand.

Fiji’S 500 In Lebanon

Fiji’s contribution to the peace-keeping force in Lebanon (PIM, June. p 6), is made up of 500 soldiers: 200 regulars and 300 from territorial or reserve forces. The initial cost to Fiji of

$793 000 will be reimbursed by the United States on a percent age basis over four years. The men arrived in Lebanon on June 1 by a special UN-organised airlift.

Suva’S Administrators Stay On

Fiji’s capital, Suva, will not have an elected council for another year or more. The city has been run by administrators since the government dismissed the old council in 1977 (PIM, Dec, pi 2) after an inquiry had revealed evidence of widespread malprac tice in its work. The administrators’ term has now been extended.

When they took over the council had an overdraft of $1.5 million.

Now it is in the black to the tune of $250 000.

Mountain Lake A Threat To Lae

Geologists fear that Lake Wanum, a mountain-top lake in Papua New Guinea high above the Markham Valley, may burst, pouring tens of millions of cubic metres of water into the valley leading to Lae, second largest city in PNG. Their report says that the trouble has been caused by earth movements in the mountain chain bordering the Markham Valley, and urges the government to take corrective action in one of two ways: strengthening a low saddle in the lake’s containing walls, or using siphons to lower the water level.

Fine On Suva Editor Upheld

The Fiji Supreme Court has confirmed a fine of $1 000 imposed on a former acting editor of the Fiji Sun, Stafford Guest, for having illegally published committal proceedings in which a man was charged with murder. The Chief Justice, Sir Clifford Grant, said it was difficult to believe that the fine, the maximum that could be imposed, would act as a meaningful deterrent in the case of a daily newspaper with a country-wide circu lation.

Pacific Export Drive By Micronesia

A drive to boost exports to Pacific countries has been approved by the Congress of Micronesia. Its Committee on Resources and Development, chaired by Representative Sasauo Haruo of Truk, planned a fact-finding visit in July and August to Nauru, Fiji, the Solomons, Papua New Guinea, the Samoas and Hawaii.

Aussies On The Run?

New public service pay scales announced by the Papua New Guinea Government are expected to lead to a mass exodus among the 1 700 Australians remaining in the service. The scales provide standard salaries for all expatriates, wiping out the substantial advantage previously enjoyed by Australians over Britons, New Zealanders and Filipinos.

The Taiwan-Tonga Love Affair

The Taiwan Government has upgraded its diplomatic rep resentation in Tonga to that of fulltime resident ambassador. Pre viously the post was held concurrently by a diplomat serving also as ambassador to Colombia. Announcing the appointment of Mr Cheng Kao to the new job, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said the appointment showed that Taiwan recognised Tonga as a nation on the same footing as the United States, “even though they are different in size”.

Suva’S Lady Snooper

Fiji now has a female “private eye”, Mrs Savita Devi Singh, who is in her early 20s. Behind her, as she opens her Suva-based Ace Investigations, are four years study of criminology by cor respondence with the Institute of Applied Sciences, Chicago.

In the process she sat for no fewer than 54 examinations. She will investigate thefts and murders, collect evidence for divorce cases, and provide general security services.

Caledonian Unions Strike

Five trade unions in New Caledonia on June 12 called “a gen eral and unlimited” strike against the rising cost of living. This was just after 8 000 trade unionists marched on the Territorial Assembly to present a petition about their protest. The strike was expected to affect postal services, airlines and public trans port.

Diarrhoeal Diseases Workshop

A three-day workshop in Port Moresby studied techniques of oral rehydration in treating diarrhoea! diseases in young chil dren, the major killer of children in developing countries. Oral fluid therapy reduces the need for expensive intravenous fluid treatments and hospitalisation. It can be used safely by aid-post orderlies or village health aides to reduce deaths among young children in remote areas. The workshop was sponsored by the World Health Organisation.

Catholic Bishops On Png “Materialism”

Roman Catholic bishops have criticised what they called “the greedy materialism of the new Papua New Guinea”. At a con ference on Bougainville they referred to what they saw as an upsurge in extortion, dishonesty, shady business dealings, drunken brawling and tribal fighting. They said that money, or other forms of material gain, were now entering into almost every social relationship.

Winkel Backs Palau Strikers

A lengthy strike by 44 workers at the Continental Hotel, Palau’s only international class hotel, is receiving support from unlikely places. The High Commissioner for the US Trust Terri tory of the Pacific, Adrian P. Winkel, has approved a $4 000 appropriation by the Congress of Micronesia to help defray strike expenses, and a visiting member of the US Congress, Phillip Burton (D-Calif), made a personal donation of $5O to strike funds. The hotel is owned by Continental Airlines, which also operates Air Micronesia. The company has been sharply cri ticised by Mr Winkel, who has said that only the lack of a Trust Territory labour law prevents him from doing anything legally to settle the strike.

PNG SCRAPS HONOURS - BUT NOT YET Papua New Guinea has announced it will be phasing out imperial honours and introducing a system of national honours.

But for 1978 at least the imperial system was still well and truly in. In the Queen’s Birthday honours list announced in June Prime Minister Somare became a CH (Companion of Honour), the Speaker of the National Parliament, Mr Kingsford Dibela, a CMG (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George), and Transport and Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Bruce Jephcott, a CBE (Commander, Order of the British Empire). Over in Fiji, main honours went to the auditor-general, Mr Tamesar Bhim (CBE), and to Dr George Hemming, welfare worker and parish minister at St Luke’s Church of England, an OBE, Order of the British Empire.

Boys And Girls Neck And Neck

American Samoa has a population of about 30 600, according to a sample census survey. This figure is about 5% higher than the 1974 census. Sharpest increase has been in the female population: in 1974 there were two males for every female, but the latest figures put the ratio at one to one 15 251 males to 15 350 females. An official suggested that this may indicate that since 1974 more males have left the territory, either to search for economic opportunity by joining the armed forces, or to further their education.