Pacific Report

New Hebrides After The Poll

The sweeping win by the Vanuaaku Party in the New Hebrides’

November 14 elections was followed by troubles created by sep aratist elements on the two islands of Santo and Tanna. As well as winning the national elections, the VP won majorities of 8-7 in the regional assemblies on these two islands. Alleging elec toral fraud, non-VP forces on the islands refused to accept the results. Full report begins pi 3.

Ratu Mara Wants Pacific Secretariat

Fiji’s Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara wants a Sydney based secretariat for members of the British Commonwealth in the Pacific region. He will raise the matter at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting (CHOGRM) in New Delhi later this year.

Fiji’S Biggest Quake In 26 Years

Roads on several islands were torn up and landslides blocked others when an earthquake, recorded at 6.5 on the open-ended Richter scale, shook several areas of Fiji in the early morning of November 17. A church and houses were damaged on Taveuni, stock was damaged in Labasa supermarkets and dam age was reported to houses on Rabi, Laucala, Vanua Levu and other islands in the northern part of the country. It was Fiji’s strongest 'quake in 26 years, but no one was injured.

High Tides Flood Majuro

Floods caused by unusually high tides destroyed about 200 houses on Majuro in the Marshall Islands late in November. A state of emergency was declared in the Darrit-Uliga-Dalap area of the island, which averages only 1.8 min height. Damage was estimated in the millions of dollars, and more than 500 residents had to be moved to 14 relief centres. No lives were lost, but three people were injured, one seriously.

PNG: JUDGE MARI KAPI ON THE BENCH Crimson robed judges all of them Australians in December welcomed Papua New Guinea’s first native-born judge, Mr Jus tice Mari Kapi (PIM Nov p. 29), at a National Court ceremony.

Judge Kapi, until recently the public solicitor, told his brother judges, lawyers, politicians and diplomats at the ceremony that he would work for the integration of customary tribal law and adopted law.

Upton From Suva To New Delhi

Gordon Upton, Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji since July 1976, is going to New Delhi on a double-barrelled assignment: High Commissioner to India, and Ambassador to Nepal. He suc ceeds Peter Curtis, who went to New Delhi about the same time as Mr Upton started his work in Fiji.

Fiji’S Parliament To Debate Lottery

Fiji’s parliamentarians will debate and have a free vote on a pro posal to set up a state lottery. Announcing this, Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kanisese Mara said the recommendation of a special committee that a lottery would be both desirable and practicable had been endorsed by the Financial Review Committee. The lot tery would provide a new source of funds for the government’s social and other objectives. But as it was a subject of consider able public interest it would be debated in parliament

Tongan Royals Meet A Bismarck

King Tauf’ahau Tupou IV and Oueen Halaevalu Mata'aho of Tonga paid a 10-day state visit to Germany in November. In Hamburg, the Tongan royal couple were guests of Countess Gunilla von Bismarck, a descendant of ‘lron Chancellor’ Otto von Bismarck who in 1876 signed a friendship treaty with

Tonga.

Yap: ‘Be Proud Of New Hospital’

Yap’s new 50-bed Memorial Hospital began full-time operation in November. Said Yap Governor John Mangefel: ‘The new hospital cost SUS 4 million. It is the most modern and the biggest building in Yap, and the people of Yap should be proud of

Sigatoka, Levuka Happy With Councils

Two Fijian towns, Sigatoka and Levuka, created some kind of history in December when members of their municipal councils

were all returned to office without a single councillor being opposed.

John Kaputin Comes Out Fighting

Papua New Guinea’s former Minister for National Planning and Development John Kaputin (PIM Dec p 22) emerged from gaol in Port Moresby in December to launch a stinging two-pronged attack on the use of ‘foreign laws’ in PNG, and on the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Ebia Olewale. Mr Kaputin was gaoled for 10 weeks on October 10 for failing to comply with a court order to file company returns. He later filed the returns. On his release he said he believed the charge against him was ‘unnecessary’, and accused Mr Olewale of ‘intolerable misuse of political and executive power’ in failing to act on a recommendation for mercy made in the case by PNG’s Constitutional Advisory Committee.

Mr Kaputin is now a minister without portfolio.

Violence Forecast In New Caledonia

Mr Yann Celene Uregei, leader of the United Front for Kanak Liberation in New Caledonia, forecast late in November that viol ence would occur in his country and that France must accept responsibility because the French Government was protecting a fascist anti-independent group, the Movement for Order and Peace, formed by French colonials who moved to New Caledonia after failing to prevent independence in Algeria. Mr Uregei made his allegations in Port Moresby where he had talks with PNG Foreign Minister Ebia Olewale.

Solomons ‘No Confidence’ Motion Fails

Solomons Prime Minister Peter Kenilorea has survived the fourth ‘no confidence’ vote moved in parliament. The motion moved in mid-November against a government decision to release a Taiwanese fishing boat, which grounded on the reef at Ontong Java in July, was beaten by 21 votes to nine with eight absten tions. Later in the session, Mr Bartholomew Ulufa'alu led the Opposition in a walk-out in protest against the 1980 Budget.

Suva Starts A World-Wide Mission

A choir of a thousand voices and a march of 20 000 people in Suva on January 6 will launch a world-wide religious drive, the Mission to the 80’s planned by the World Methodist Council.

From its launching in Suva, the mission, with public services, demonstrations and conferences, will circle the world. On New Year’s Eve, a Round the World Prayer Event will begin in Tonga and then continue in all the countries.

Success Of Hebrides Arts Festival

The New Hebrides’ December National Arts Festival (PIM Nov p 24) was voted a big success, despite efforts by some, notably on Tanna Island, to prevent participants going to Vila. Purpose of the festival was to bring together people from all islands in the archipelago to display their many and varied forms of arts and crafts. (Full report PIM Feb.) BRITISH COUNCIL AID TO SOLOMON IS. CUT The British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, W. D. Stump, has said overseas aid from the British Council had been cut.

As a result, the council was unable to offer training awards for 1980-81. The cut would not affect trainees already committed to awards whose studies continue into 1980-81. A spokesman for the SI Ministry of Education and Training said the cut would mean that the ministry would have to find outside sponsors for students wishing to study in the United Kingdom.

Australia Waives Nadi Debt

The Australian Government has waived an $BOO 000 debt to allow Fiji to assume full ownership of Nadi Airport.

Marianas Throws Out Casino Act

Voters in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas in December overwhelmingly defeated the casino gambling act and elected at least eight Democrats to the House of Represen tatives, assuring them of taking control of the chamber from the former majority, the Territorials.

Radio Cook Islands Is Tops

Radio Cook Islands was voted 1979’s Station of the Year by the North American Shortwave Club, California. Club president Robert Leingang has sought information about the radio for pur poses of publicity in the United States.

Keeping It In The Family

The Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA) reports that of a record 18.5 million visitors to the Pacific area in 1978, 53.7% came from within the Pacific area.