Islands

From the

Press

Development News Digest (Pacific special)

The sentimental wish of so many visitors, well meant as it is, that the Islands and the people should be left just as they are, will not stand up to the political, social and economic realities of life today. It would be foolish to refuse all the advantages of other cultures because of pride, just as it would be mean to refuse to share the advantages of one’s own. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

Norfolk Island News Norfolk Island is one of the few remaining colonies in the South Pacific. The people of the island are classified by Freedom House of New York as being only ‘partly free’ because Australia will not permit democratic government on the island. The fact was plainly put to Norfolk’s elected councillors by Australian Minister for Home Affairs R. J. Ellicott in March 1979. ‘You are under the complete bondage of the Australian Parliament,’ he told them. ‘You are not free.’

Letter by Masama Gene, PNG Post-Courier Please allow me space to air my criticism and concern about excessive demands for money and luxury items as bride price payments in this country ... In fact, in most societies the boy is regarded as more important than the girl. I sometimes think the bride’s people should pay the groom’s people, especially when the boy is more educated than the girl.

Fiji Times, Suva

As a measure to reduce the dog population Ba town council has raised the licence fee for bitches from $5 to $2O. At the same time the council raised fees for speyed bitches and dogs from $1 to $5.

Arawa Bulletin, PNG A group of three armed policemen left Arawa last Tuesday for Inus Plantation to help the people there hunt for a crocodile which was reported to have killed a ten year old girl in the area last week. Police Commander, Inspector Nessatt said that his men would set up camp at Inus and remain in the area until the crocodile has been hunted down and killed.

Marshall Islands Journal In one of the capital’s more popular restaurants this past week it was observed that a local character (known by most residents) was refused service by a waitress on grounds she had been ordered to do so by the owner. The person refused, commonly seen engaged in his favourite pastime of contacting citizens for donations to his basic needs of cigarettes or coffee, was clearly the victim of a plot to undermine the newly established constitution of the Marshall Islands in particular the section

guaranteeing all citizens equal rights.

PNG Post-Courier, Port Moresby

“I am part of PNG,” said Ratu Livai (Volavola), 65, the Vice-president of the Fijian Senate, whose grandfather was one of three Fijian missionaries killed and eaten by Tolais at Tungnabarau, about 15 kilometres south-west of Rabaul...

Reveille, New Zealand armed services magazine Feature writer Graeme Kennedy, of the Auckland StarS O'clock, reports from Niue: The next time any of you 5 or 40 Squadron blokes passes over tiny Niue, waggle a wingtip for a couple of very special twin boys down below. They’re the 16-month-old

Nichols kids and their names - wait for it - are Orion and Hercules . . Here’s how it happened. Their mother, Loisi, is a niece of Niue’s Minister for Tourism Frank Lui. When the twins were born, no one could think of a suitable pair of names. T was puzzling over this problem,’ Mr Lui explained, ‘and the solution came to me on the golf course one morning when one of your Orions flew over on patrol. “Orion”, I thought, what a nice name.

I went straight to the hospital and told Loisi and her husband Brian. After that, a name for the other little bloke just came naturally. Orion and Hercules, a good pair.’ Mr Lui has something of an empathy with young Orion and Hercules - he was christened Haile Selassie.

PNG Post-Courier, Port Moresby

Smoke but no fire! On two occasions one day this week a George Page staffer rang the Fire Brigade and passed on this message: “Today we will fumigate our showrooms at 10am and 4.30 pm.

There’ll be some fog, please don’t mistake it for smoke.” About 6 o’clock that night the sound of sirens was heard. Enthusiastic firemen smashed through the plateglass door of George Page’s Cuthbertson Street shop.

News Drum, Solomon Islands People in the Shortland Islands, in the Western Province, have reported that brightly lit flying objects have been making frequent visits over their islands.

From a letter to Arawa Bulletin, PNG Words are being spread that a few high pitched energetic men, inspired by spirit of rebellion and local fanaticism are engineering the prospect of establishing a Bougainville Copper Limited Staff Employees Union (Association). Such men are driven by mischievous ambitions, constantly in search for power to create destruction and disharmony among the working community we endeavour to unite ... Birds Eye View, Panguna.

Atoll Pioneer, Kiribati There was an incident late on May 8 when Air Tungaru’s Trislander was landing at Abemama with a full load ... A dog ran over the runway in front of the approaching aircraft which struck the animal resulting in the buckling of the nosewheel and the nose of the aircraft striking the ground ... No one was hurt. (Except probably the dog, but the paper is silent on its fate. PIM.) Tonga Chronicle, Nukualofa Never agree to carry a parcel or package overseas for a stranger.

It could easily be drugs, and if you are caught in possession of drugs in certain overseas countries, there could be a life sentence or even the death penalty awaiting you.

Coconut Telegraph, Savusavu, Fiji

Radio Fiji was 25 years old on July 2, 1979. Many happy returns of your birthday, Radio Fiji! ... As Mrs Grace Deoki said in her congratulatory message, ‘What would we do without Radio Fiji?’

Yes, indeed we should certainly be lost without those friendly voices to entertain, inform, exhort, advise, warn, educate and assist us, in three languages for most of the day and half the night. The voices of the men and women announcers are our friends though we may not know their faces. The distinctive human voice is an integral part of the continuing miracle of radio, each one different, some pleasing, some irritating!

News Drum, Solomon Islands Youths in Star Harbour on San Cristobal have found a way of getting “drunk” cheaply. They eat mushrooms growing on cow dung. The dark grey mushrooms, about one inch tall, grow in great numbers during the rainy seasons ... The effect is to leave the mushroom-eater paralysed and weak. Addicts find themselves unable to move for about 15 minutes during which time they have dreams and see images of objects and people ...

Hailans Nius, PNG Payback killings have frightened many Engan students in Western Highlands colleges, and they have left for home.