Pacific Report

Apisai Tora’S ‘Developing Mind’

H Apisai Tora, for 20 years a stormy petrel of Fiji’s politics and trade unionism, has announced he is leaving the National Feder- I ation Party and hopes to join the more conservative ruling Al liance Party. Asked how he felt about joining a party of which I he had been sharply critical over the years, Tora said; ‘This is politics and I for one am of the belief that a changing mind is a developing mind.'

Vanuaaku To Join Government

I The Vanuaaku Party plans to accept the offer of seven ministerial I positions in the New Hebrides Government (PIM November 1978), according to reports from Vila. The VP sees the new ad p ministration as a ‘caretaker government’, rather than a ‘govern ; ment of national unity’ as it is described by the ‘moderate’ parties. It is planned that the new government will lead the f country until new elections. According to reports, among VP f plans is one for a ‘mock election’ in April designed to test the i party’s public support.

France Charts Its Pacific Course

A top-level Paris meeting has indicated the likely course of f French policy in the Pacific for the next 10 years (Political Cur rents).

Towards A Tuvalu-Us Friendship Treaty

f The governments of Tuvalu and the United States were reported close to agreement on the renunciation of US claims to four of the nine islands in the Tuvalu group Funafuti, Nukufetau, Niikulaelae and Niulakita. The two governments have been dis cussing the terms of a general treaty of friendship.

Constitutional Moves In Norfolk

A measure of self-government will come to Norfolk Island in July if a bill just presented to the Australian Parliament is passed at its session beginning in February. The bill establishes a nine man elected Legislative Assembly with an executive council whose members have ministerial functions. Australia reserves powers on fishing, customs, immigration and education. The post of administrator is retained, but with reduced powers. The Australian Government says it will consider whether there is any need for amendments to the bill in light of Norfolk Island reaction.

Early reaction on Norfolk, an Australian territory populated by the descendants of the Bounty mutineers, was that the bill might not go far enough toward self-government. PIM will be putting the spotlight on Norfolk Island in its February issue.

Guam Changes Governors

Republican Paul M. Calvo, 44, takes over as Guam’s governor for the next four years on January 8 after soundly defeating the incumbent Democrat Ricardo J. Bordallo in Guam’s November election (PIM October 1978).

Moscow Gold For Tahiti?

Using a Dutch bank as intermediary, the Soviet Union will pay the legal costs of imprisoned Tahitian independence advocate, Charlie Ching, according to a report in the Papeete newspaper la Depeche de Tahiti. The paper said its information had come from a recent visitor to Paris who had met one of Mr Ching’s three lawyers there. Despite his Chinese name, Mr Ching is of olynesian culture, and a nephew of famed Tahitian freedom fighter, the late Pouvaana a Oopa.

Andrew Stuart The Last?

Saymg he believed he would be the last person ever to hold the office, the United Kingdom’s Andrew Stuart has been sworn m as British Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides. He succeeds John Champion.

Of Meier, Khashoggi And Munk

American John Meier (Tradewinds) is not the only foreign Businessman with Pacific Island connections who is under fire, baudi Arabian tycoon Adnan Khashoggi, whose money is behind me development of Fiji’s Pacific Harbour resort at Deuba, was

described in the Fiji Senate in November as ‘an undesirable’, ‘evil’ and ‘an international crook’. Senator Kuar Battan Singh said Mr Khashoggi’s international arms dealings and alleged corrupt practices could put Fiji in a situation in which he could ‘try to blackmail and hold the country to ransom’. Senator Singh named two other directors of Mr Khashcggi’s Southern Pacific Properties, Peter Munk and David Gilmour, and alleged: 'They are wanted in Canada for fraud charges.’ Passing through Aus tralia at about the same time, Mr Munk appeared to have his mind on other matters. In an interview with an Australian daily newspaper, he let fly with a stinging attack on the policies of the Australian Government towards tourism. They’re crazy,’ he said in one of his milder comments.

W. Samoa: A Matter Of Matai

As part of the bumpy run-up to Western Samoa’s February elec tions (page 14) the registrar of the Land and Titles Court struck almost 1500 matai titles from the rolls. He said there were too many titles of the same type. The move caused a public outcry as the 45 Samoan members of the Legislative Assembly are elected exclusively by holders of matai titles and the deregistra tions enhanced the voting power of matai remaining on the rolls.

Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili intervened, calling an emerg ency meeting of the Executive Council. In the upshot, the deregistered titles were restored. A special committee studying constitutional reform has recommended the extension of the franchise to all Samoan citizens over 21. This could come into force some time after 1982. However, even under this system, only holders of matai titles could stand as candidates.

Now Png-Solomon Border Talks

With its Torres Strait border with Australia virtually sewn up, the Papua New Guinea Government is about to enter a new series of border talks with the government of Solomon Islands. The talks, to begin early this year, will be held in response to a com plaint about border crossings by Acting Premier Taniung of PNG’s North Solomons Province.

Workers Get Together On Palau

The year-long strike by workers at the Palau Continental Hotel (PIM July 1978) was the focal point of discussion at the first Workers’ Convention in November on Palau. Present were rep resentatives of workers at the Van Camp fisheries, the Micronesian Industrial Corporation copra plant, the Palau Con tinental Hotel and local taxi drivers. Continental Hotel workers are seeking a SUSI an hour minimum wage.

Australian Exporters Told Smarten Up’

‘Pull your socks up, or else’ that was the message for Aus tralian exporters to the Pacific Islands at a seminar in Sydney in November. Sponsored by the Australian Government, the seminar was told that Australia, traditional supplier to much of the Pacific, was facing increasing competition from the US, UK, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and New Zealand. An example; New Zealand sold SAI7 million worth of goods to Papua New Guinea last year, starting from a zero base only a few years ago. The NZ gain had been at Australia’s expense.

1981 Games For Apia?

Western Samoa has offered to host the 1981 South Pacific Games. Improvements are already being made to Apia Park in preparation tor the event. They include a new grandstand com plex with changing rooms, showers and a meeting room on the ground floor, and VIP and press and radio sections in the stand.

A Ginger Group Revived

The Pacific People’s Action Front has been resurrected in Port Moresby following two years of inactivity. ThereJs still an active PPAF in Suva, Fiji. Focus of the revived organisation’s attentions will be the West Papua freedom movement, continuing French intransigence on independence for French Pacific territories,

and American desires to be in on the South Pacific Forum’s fish ing agency. The PPAF draws in a small band of people Melanesians and Polynesians, refugees and rebels who could prove a significant ginger group.

French Ship Saved By German ‘Horses’

The French freighter, Alize 11, was stuck fast for five days in November on a coral reef off the New Hebrides island of Emai.

All efforts by local tugs to free her failed. But help was at hand: the ultra-modern German tug Schepelsturm was resting up in Noumea after doing contract work in Australian waters. A deal was struck with the owners of the Alize II and the Schepelsturm made haste to Emai where, with her capacity of 11 000 ‘horses’, she had the freighter off the reef in a matter of minutes, Alize II was not badly damaged.

‘Spare That Tree’ Says Peter Coleman

American Samoa has adopted a tree conservation programme aimed at preserving the territory’s natural beauty. Governor Peter T. Coleman said no coconut or other tree was to be re moved or destroyed in connection with any government project without express approval from the director of agriculture.

Fiji Passes 600 000 Mark

Fiji’s population at December 31, 1977, was estimated at 601 484, passing 600 000 for the first time. Racial breakdown was; Fijians 266 833 (44.4%), Indians 300 697 (50%), Europeans 10 477, Rotumans 7499, Chinese 4612, other Pacific Islanders 5955, all others 970.

Lady Cleland Goes Home

Lady Rachel Cleland, widow of the late Sir Donald Cleland, an administrator of pre-independence Papua New Guinea, has re turned to live in Australia after 27 years in PNG.

American Samoa And Washington

By 1980, American Samoa could have a non-voting delegate in the US House of Representatives. The US Congress in October passed the enabling bill, and sent it to President Carter for signature. Senator I. F. Sunia, meanwhile, had a convincing win fn an election for delegate-at-large of American Samoa in Washington.

Americans Looking At Fiji Gold

Two American companies may buy an interest in the Vuda gold prospects, near Lautoka, Fiji. Atherton Antimony NL, a Sydney registered company with Fiji mining interests, is reported to be at ‘an advanced stage’ in talks on the matter with the two companies, which have not been named (page 22).

Row On Communist’S Visit To Png

A November visit to Papua New Guinea by Australian communist trade union official Norman Docker stirred political controversy.

Veteran politician Sir John Guise said Fiji was reaping a harvest of trouble through having allowed communist influence in its union movement, and now PNG faced the same fate. Mr Docker had been invited by the president of the PNG Trade Union Con gress, Tony lla, who is also a cabinet minister, to advise on ‘reor ganising the trade union movement’.

Herbal Medicines Tops On Manus

Patients from each of the 20 provinces of Papua New Guinea have beaten a path to the Plitty Aid Post in Manus Province for treatment with traditional herbal medicines. The post, run by husband and wife team Luke and Augusta Tau, has had such success that in October 1978 it treated 78 patients, while the nearest government aid post, using European medicines, treated one. Luke Tau says steps must now be taken to blend the best of old and new medical treatments. To this end his 19year-old son Richard starts medical studies at the University of PNG this year.

Solomon Islands’ First Deportees

To its record of three sedition trials (PIM December), the newly independent Solomon Islands Government has now added its first deportation order against foreign nationals. They were the German family Enrique Daehler, his wife Geb Berthold and their son Marius, sent packing back to Frankfurt in December after

illegal entry in the trimaran Tritheam. Solomon Islands Govern-n ment had to foot the bill for the deportation after the West Gen man Government refused to pay, despite the fact that Daehleie is wanted by German police for an alleged offence (See : Yachts).

Sir Albert Henry On Fraud Charges

Sir Albert Henry, former Cook Islands premier, faces chargese of misappropriation, fraud and bribery connected with the Cooks’ general election last March. On fraud charges with Siiic Albert are Leader of the Opposition Geoffrey Henry, formeie deputy premier Apenera Short, former advocate general Charlese Maxwell Turner, managing director of the Cook Islands Develop-q ment Company Jim Little and American financier Finbar Kennyy Mr Justice Beattie issued an order for the arrest of Kenny as the December 12 court hearing in Rarotonga. On bribery! charges with Sir Albert are Short and Geoffrey Henry. Sir Alberts Geoffrey Henry, Short, Turner and Little were released om unsecured bail of $5OO and ordered to surrender their passportss: The hearing was adjourned to March 12. The charges money from the Cook Islands Philatelic Bureau and the chartee of aircraft to fly in Cook Islands voters from New Zealand.

Tongan ‘Overstayers’ Win Appeal

Eleven Tongans convicted of overstaying temporary permits: won appeals in a test case in the Supreme Court in Auckland,b New Zealand, in November. Judge Motler ruled that a regulation concerning entry permits was invalid. The regulation purporteo to delegate power to the Minister of Immigration, but that poweie had already been delegated to the Governor-General and no one else.

Solomon Is. Goes For ‘Rural Growth’

Solomon Islands’ finance minister Benedict Kinika has presented parliament with a ‘rural growth’ budget aimed at con-r centrating the country’s efforts and money on the needs of rurais areas. He warned that outside this policy the budget would b© ‘very tight’, telling MPs and public servants there could be nor pay rises for them next year.

You Don’T Play With ‘Maydays’

Captain Viliame Baleikasavu, 58, fleet superintendent of-the Fijiji Marine Department, was sentenced to three months gaol imi November after being found guilty of having sent a false call while acting as master of the Lawedua. His action sparkecb an air-sea rescue operation. The magistrate, Mr Kenneth Moore,e described Baleikasavu’s action as ‘infantile behaviour on ther part-of a mature man of the seas’. Baleikasavu gave notice ofo appeal.

Irianese Rebel Chiefs Bow Out

Irian Jaya rebel leaders Jacob Prai and Otto Ondawame (PIMlv November 1978) have told friends who visited them in prisom in Papua New Guinea that they are pulling out of the anti-n; Indonesian rebel movement and ‘just want somewhere wheree they can live in peace’. The PNG Government has refused thein request for asylum in that country and is reported to be urging the government of Solomon Islands not to accept them either."

Frederick Eiserman, an Australian of German origin convicted: earlier of harbouring ‘illegal immigrants’ Messrs Prai and: Ondawame, had his six-months gaol sentence and convictiom quashed, but was told he must leave PNG. A fourth actor im the drama, Irianese Nicholas Meset, convicted on the samesf charge as Mr Eiserman, has been served with a deportationn order by the PNG Government. It was reported earlier that Mn!\ Meset had been offered a job and a free house by the Indonesians Government if he went back home after completion of his sen-r fence. But in December there were indications that he woulcbl be deported to Senegal, Africa, base of rival rebel leader Irianeses- Seth Rumkorem, and thus the scene of some danger for thosess of Mr Meset’s political persuasion. An appeal against the convic-o tion and sentencing of Prai and Ondawame, financed largely*! by supporters at the University of Papua New Guinea, was be-e fore a Port Moresby court in December. PIM correspondent,Jr Angus Smales said the outcome of the appeal would determinesr whether the two men had been ‘clapped into gaol by PNG withit enthusiasm rather than justice’. The appeal was lost.