Pacific Report
pp. 5-6 · Read in the full issue
Jimmy Carter’S Nuclear Plan
US President Jimmy Carter in June unveiled a plan for a nu clear fuel storage and reprocessing plant in the Pacific for use by Australia, Japan and South-east Asian nations. He wants the plant built on the Marshall or Caroline Islands. He believes such a plant would discourage construction of nuclear facilities by many countries, and would make international surveillance easier.
Conference Planned On Nuclear Issues
With reports that further French nuclear testing in French Polynesia is imminent, the Pacific Conference of Churches and the Pacific People’s Action Front announced they are jointly sponsoring two conferences to be held in Micronesia in Sep tember. Subjects will be: Nuclear issues in the Pacific; and independence and people’s movements in the Pacific.
Nauru’S Denial On Marshalls Loan Claim
Nauruan officials have emphatically denied a claim by the Guam-based Pacific Daily News that their phosphate-rich island lent a sum of $6OO 000 to bolster separatist forces in the Marshall Islands. (See PIM, p 39.)
Independence Clash
A shadow over the Solomons’ independence celebrations (pages 14/15) was a clash between Malaitans and men from the Western District at Gizo. Two were taken to hospital and 43 arrested on drunk and disorderly charges. It was reported that the fight began when Malaitans attempted to raise the Solomon Islands flag. Gizo boycotted the celebrations.
Pacific Art Pays Bolivian Criminals
Two treasures of early Pacific art a scowling wooden war rior believed to have been acquired during one of Captain Cook’s expeditions, and a wooden face mask from Pentecost Island, New Hebrides fetched a total of £430 000 (about SA7OO 000) at a June 30 art auction in London. The£2so 000 paid for the warrior was said to be a record price for a piece of primitive art. The pieces were from the collection of Bolivian tin tycoon, Mr Jorge Ortiz. He was obliged to sell them to recoup a $2 million ransom paid to kidnappers of his five-year-old daughter.
Russians Reply To Fiji’S Mara
The only sign of a Russian interest in Fiji had been a recent visit by the Soviet Ambassador in Australia, who is responsible for Soviet diplomatic relations with Fiji, according to an official of the Soviet Embassy in Canberra. He was commenting on re marks by the Fiji Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (see PIM, p4l). Ratu Sir Kamisese had said he would be “pretty scared” to have a Soviet embassy in Fiji. The Soviet spokesman said it appeared the Prime Minister had been over-impressed by anti-Soviet statements he had heard on his recent visit to China. Russia never took sides against legitimate governments in other countries, and her contacts with Fiji were “very small and not well developed”.
Finbar Kenny Threatens Sir Albert
American millionaire Finbar Kenny has threatened in a telex message and a letter to withdraw from the Cook Islands Phila telic Bureau and sever all ties with the country. His ultimatum was revealed in correspondence placed before the Chief Justice
of the Cook Islands in Rarotonga during the July hearing of pet itions alleging bribery and corruption in the Cook Islands’ March general elections. Mr Kenny asked the Premier, Sir Albert Henry, to clear him and the bureau of all connection with Sir Albert’s election campaign and funding. Sir Albert refused. (See Sir Albert in a Corner, (pi 7).
Islands To Fore At Coastal Talks
Sydney was the venue for a major international symposium in June on problems of coastal protection in the light of national proclamations of 200-mile exclusive economic zones. Among more than 20 countries represented were Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Gilbert Islands and Nauru. The South Pacific Com mission and the South Pacific Bureau of Economic Co-operation also sent representatives.
Sir Albert, Bjelke Confer On Brych
Two controversial and colourful political figures huddled in Brisbane in July with the declared aim of settling “once and for all” whether Milan Brych is a cancer-curing wizard or a quack. They were the Premier of the Cook Islands, Sir Albert Henry, and the Premier of the Australian State of Queensland, Mr Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Brych practices cancer therapy in the Cook Islands, and recently visited Queensland at the invitation of Mr Bjelke-Petersen. Sir Albert paid a four-day visit to Queensland, also at the invitation of the State Premier.
Torres Border For International Court?
Rejection by the Queensland Government of the Torres Strait border negotiated between Papua New Guinea and Australia (PIM, July, p4l) could go to the International Court of Justice if the question cannot be settled privately. This announcement was made in June by the Acting Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Anthony, in response to a statement by Queensland Premier, Mr. Bjelke-Petersen, that he would hold a referendum if the exist ing border was not recognised. (See PIM, p 41.)
The Spirit Of Enterprise (I)
Showing commendable Gallic initiative, a New Hebrides firm is treating and canning for sale large quantities of the Great African Snail. Transforming a major pest into a major delicacy will be a profitable exercise, according to the company. Export markets to which it is looking include Australia.
The Spirit Of Enterprise (Ii)
The Anglo-Saxons were not far behind. Not quite so dramatic, but still full of the spirit of enterprise, was the action of a firm of Australian wine and spirit merchants who marketed well in time for the celebration of Solomon Islands’ independence in July a range of wines known as Independence Claret, Indepen dence Riesling, and Independence Demi Sec. Labels bore an attractive and colourful version of the new flag of Solomon Islands.
Tonga’S Space-Age Communications
Telecommunications to and from Tonga stepped into the space age in June with the inauguration of the Cable and Wire less satellite earth station in Nukualofa. The station was formally opened by King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV as part of a four-day pro gramme of celebrations of his 60th birthday. Among foreign guests present were the Governor-General of Fiji, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, and President Hammer Deßoburt of Nauru.
The monarch’s birthday was also marked by the issue of four commemorative coins.
Looking For Cannabis On Pocklington
Cannabis worth S4O million was seized from a yacht near Port Macquarie on Australia’s New South Wales coast in June. Aus tralian narcotics agents believed that the total hoard from which the seized cannabis came was so big that some of it had to be left behind at a trans-shipment point. So they joined with Papua New Guinea Customs authorities in a search of rusty hulks on Pocklington Reef, a graveyard of wrecked shipping.
The reef is in PNG waters, 180 km from the nearest land, Rossel Island, and 600 km from the most easterly tip of the PNG main land.
HEBRIDES FREE BY ’BO - PLEDGE AT U.N.
A British United Nations delegate, Mr lan Woods, has told the sub-committee on small territories of the General Assembly’s Special Committee on Decolonisation that France and Britain are determined to bring the New Hebrides to independence in 1980. He said the two governments were now making efforts to ensure the territory’s economic viability.
Fiji’S New Gold Prospect
Another gold prospect is opening up in Fiji, near Balevuto, in western Viti Levu. The prospect, covering 240 ha, is close to Atherton Antimony porphyry gold prospect in the Vuda Valley.
Siberia Nickel NL has joined the Greenvale Mining group to ex plore the prospect, paying $155 000 in cash and issuing 250 000 30$ shares for a 25% interest.
Caning For Png’S Account Methods
Gross misuse of public money, losses, wastages, inefficien cies and failure to observe statutory financial reporting pro cedures were among criticisms made by a parliamentary committee set up to study Papua New Guinea’s national book keeping. The strong words were uttered by the committee chair man, Mr Warren Dutton. * “HEBRIDES WILL STAY A TAX HAVEN” - C.M.
The Chief Minister of the New Hebrides, M; George Kalsakau, has reassured Australian and other companies taking advantage of the New Hebrides as a tax haven that his government is fully committed to “fostering and advancing” the tax haven sys tem.
Labor To Kill Norfolk Accord?
A change of government in Australia could jeopardise the agreement reached on the future of Norfolk Island (PIM, July, psl), according to Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Mr. R.
J. Ellicott, QC. He quoted a Labor Party spokesman as voicing hardline support for the provisions of the Nimmo Royal Com mission into Norfolk Island.
Fiji Extends Oil Search
The Fiji Government has approved a new oil exploration agreement for the US-based Pacific Energy and Minerals Ltd.
It will extend the search to the Yasawa Islands off the northwest of the main island of Viti Levu and to the Great Sea Reef area, north of the second largest island in the group, Vanua Levu.
“Three-Tier Us Policy” Call By Coleman
A three-tier Pacific policy has been recommended to the United States by the Governor of American Samoa, Mr Peter
Tali Coleman. He said in Hawaii that the policy should be divided three ways: to take care of Japan and other highly populated areas, such as China and India; then the Philippines and other South-east Asian countries; and finally the South Pacific Islands and countries. He said he believed the recent interest of China and the Soviet Union in the South Pacific was “primarily econ omic”. Unless the US had a policy for economic development in the region, the “other offers” would attract interest.
Ex-Ministers Crash In Png Polls
Three former Ministers in the Papua New Guinea Government made unsuccessful bids in June to regain seats in parliament.
They were the former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minis ter, Sir Maori Kiki, the former Minister for Police, Mr Patterson Lowa, and the former Minister for Labour, Mr Gavera Rea. They stood in by-elections for two seats in the capital, Port Moresby.
Indonesia’S “Overkill” On Border
The “informally co-ordinated” border operation by Indonesian and Papua New Guinean armed forces on the Irian Jaya border in June (PIM, Jul, p 5) involved the use on the Indonesian side of OV 10F jet aircraft fitted with rockets and Sidewinder missiles.
Revealing this, an Australian correspondent in July described the use of such planes against about 150 guerillas as “an exer cise in overkill”. He said it made a difficult situation less control lable and worse for all concerned, “the Indonesian and PNG Governments in particular, and the Australian Government at the end of the line”. It could also create difficulties for Indonesia in securing further aircraft from the US Government. The OV lOFs were made in the US specially for Indonesia and were delivered in 1976.
MORE RUSSIAN SHIPS TO CALL AT FIJI Fiji will see more Russian ships, mainly trawlers, in the next few months, according to Seatrans (Fiji) Ltd, agents for Russian ships. They will call mainly for provisions. The number of Russian fishing vessels in the South Pacific has increased, following an agreement which allows Russian ships to fish in NZ waters.
According to a Seatrans representative, the Russians like Fiji as a port of call because of efficient services and good oppor tunities for the crews to enjoy themselves.
Cards, Drink Under Highlands Siege
A group of Papua New Guinea highlands leaders believe that drinking and card playing should be “weekend occupations only”. On behalf of their eight village communities in the Lufa region of the Eastern Highlands Province, they have asked for a provincial government law banning drinking and card-playing in their area on weekdays.
Two Tongan Seamen Die
Two Tongan seamen died as a result of a fire which gutted a freighter, the Kemphaan, 5 000 tonnes, off Banks Peninsula, New Zealand. They were Samisolia Palu, 19, who was burnt to death in the ship, and Vili Vavafisi, who died later in a Christchurch hospital. The Kemphaan was owned by Mr Peter Warner, who operates a cargo fleet from Tonga.
White Women Looters At Mt Hagen
White women were among looters when fire swept through shops and offices in the Papua New Guinea highlands town of Mount Hagen in June. They took furniture, glassware and stain less steel goods. The fire, which caused $1.5 million damage, destroyed the offices of Queensland Insurance and Remingtons, and Burns Philp’s wholesale trading section.
COVER PHOTO: Going gay in a Papeete night club a modern ‘raerae’, or ‘mahu’ does his thing. The picture vividly illustrates the feature on Polynesia’s third sex, which opens on page 10.