Solomons Moves

On Forum Line

Solomon Islands will not give any more money to keep the ailing Pacific Forum Line afloat unless something is done to improve the running of the Line to member countries, according to Minister of Trans port and Communications John Tepaika. He made his threat in a statement to Solomon Islands Broadcasting

Corporation after attending

the August meeting of the South Pacific Regional Ship ping Council at Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea.

He said New Zealand had promised to give up to SUSI.2S million, Australia $564 000 and Western Samoa $220 000.

Other member countries had pledged amounts up to about $llOOO.

Solomon Islands had indi cated it would give $lO 000 towards the line only if some thing was done to improve the services.

Points raised by Solomon Islands include: the Line to be come useful and meet the trading needs of the islands; re structuring of management; and the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation (SPEC) to subsidise unecon omic routes.

Mr Tepaika added that if the line’s headquarters were re moved from the Western Samoa capital of Apia, then it should be established in one of the island countries and not in any metropolitan country.

At the Mount Hagen meet ing, the 10 participating coun tries agreed to a total commitment of $2 254 000.

The conference decided on a number of steps designed to

improve the line’s efficiency,

although the question of

switching the headquarters

from Apia was deferred until the October meeting.