Pacific Report

Historic Win For Tongan Nurses

The mass resignation of 168 nurses from hospitals in Tongatapu and outer islands of Tonga in January in support of a demand for the removal of the country’s Chief Nursing Officer developed into what was probably the most serious industrial confrontation in the history of the kingdom. The 15-day crisis was resolved by the intervention of Prime Minister Tu’ipelehake in favour of the nurses’ demand. PIM correspondent Penny Hodgkinson writes from Nukualofa; ‘The prime minister resolved the crisis with a grace and dignity which obliterated earlier mistakes and won every Tongan heart. The nurses responded with a grace and dignity to match many returning to work as volunteers prior to official resumption of duty. Maybe there’s a lesson there for many more “sophisticated’’ countries where “grace” and “dignity” are words which have since dropped out of the vocabulary of industrial confrontation.’ (Full report, PIM April.)

Western Samoa Protests To U.S.

Relations between Western and American Samoa nosedived in January after a US Coast Guard vessel based in Pago Pago stopped a Western Samoan vessel at gunpoint on the seas be tween the two countries and arrested and removed a man on board. The man was a suspect in a SUSIB2 000 robbery of the American Savings Bank in Pago. But after questioning there he was released to return to Apia. The principal clue implicating him, a bag which he was carrying, was described by the bank’s manageress as ‘too old’ to be the one used in the robbery. The Western Samoa Government immediately instructed its am bassador in Washington, Maiava lulai Toma, to lodge a strong protest over the incident with the US State Department.

Png: Cabinet Comings And Goings

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare in February named new ministers to replace Father John Momis and John Kaputin who had resigned from Cabinet following his January Cabinet reshuffle. They claimed they had not been consulted about changes in their portfolios, and were generally dissatisfied with Mr Somare’s leadership. They had held the portfolios of Minerals and Energy and Higher Education respectively. Martin ToVadek goes to Minerals and Energy and Opal Kunangel to Higher Education. Both are members of the United Party, which now has six members in Cabinet. In addition, Mr Somare appointed a third new minister, Matiabe Yumi, as Minister for Media, a portfolio which had been dropped in the reshuffle.

Observers saw the moves as designed to head off a motion of no-confidence in the Somare government.

‘Boycott Olympics’, Say Png, Fiji

Papua New Guinea and Fiji have come out in favour of a boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow because of Soviet actions in Afghanistan. PNG Prime Minister Michael Somare and Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau made their positions known in separate statements. PNG also banned Soviet shipping from its ports.

France Plans New Embassies, Aid

On a swing through a number of Pacific Island countries in January, France’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Olivier Stirn announced that France would soon be appointing ambassadors to Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the New Hebrides. The ambassa dor to independent New Hebrides would also be accredited to Honiara, Solomon Islands. In Port Moresby Mr Stirn announced that France would make a $4.8 million development loan to PNG, which would be accompanied by French investment of up to $2O million. The loan is expected to be applied to hydro-power development in PNG. PNG’s Deputy Prime Minister Ebia Olewale, who had only shortly before been replaced in the post

of foreign minister by Tony Ha in a Cabinet reshuffle, said in a statement the day after Mr Stirn’s visit that PNG’s relations with France were ‘friendly and good’. But he reaffirmed that the PNG Government was going ahead with a plan to make a formal submission to the United Nations calling on France to grant self determination to New Caledonia. He said he disagreed with Mr Stirn’s claim that such action would be interference in the affairs of another state, adding: ‘lt is an international matter that all people should have the right to self-determination.’

Png To Save Bougainville Windfall

Papua New Guinea’s gain from Bougainville Copper Ltd’s large 1979 profit will amount to about SAIS2 million, but, according to PNG Government sources, will have no effect on government expenditure this year. The BCL profit was $llO million. The government’s share is made up of $28.3 million in dividends, withholding tax of almost $l6 million, estimated income tax of $lO2 million and royalties of $5.6 million. Government sources said that if gold prices remained high it might be able to sustain increased expenditure over a long term.

Malaysia’S Move Into Islands

Malaysian Foreign Minister Tunku Ahmad Rithaudeen planned visits to Fiji and Papua New Guinea as part of a move by Malaysia to establish closer links with his counterparts in the region out side the framework of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Twelfth Independence Message For Nauru

Nauru’s 12th Independence Day message, read in the absence overseas of President Hammer Deßoburt by Acting President Buraro Detudamo, was generally optimistic, while sounding cau tionary notes on such questions as the need for an improvement in the attitude to work of adult Nauruans. It said that while Air Nauru and Nauru Pacific Line were not yet profitable, they are ‘performing services we cannot do without as an independent nation’. Of the new fishing venture (PIM p 73), the message voiced hopes that the Nauru Fishing Corporation ‘will be regu larly selling fish to overseas markets as well as assuring us on Nauru of an adequate supply of fresh fish at competitive prices’.

C. J. Leaves Apia Under Cloud

Tensions between Pacific Island governments and expatriate judges have been a marked feature of the political scene ini Papua New Guinea and Fiji in recent times, and now it seems; that the same thing has happened in Western Samoa. Thei government there has failed to renew the term of expatriate Chief : Justice Bryan Nicholson. Some reports say that Prime Minister Tupuola Efi was angered by Judge Nicholson’s rulings in court: hearings following the 1979 elections in which he found four' elected MPs guilty of bribery and treating and nullified their elec tion. In doing so the judge had drawn a dividing line betweenr long-standing Samoan custom and corruption.

Solomons Seamen Back Home

Twelve Solomon Islands seamen, stranded in Taiwan for sevenr months, have been brought home with SI Government assist ance. The men were stranded when the owners of their ship,, Solomon Chief, announced they were unable to pay for the re pairs for which the ship had gone to Taiwan. Nor could they\ pay the men’s wages. Taiwan Government sources were soc impressed with the behaviour of the men during their long ordeall that they have invited them back to work in Taiwan.

Mara’S Backing For Israel

On a recent visit to Israel, Fiji’s Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese= Mara reaffirmed his country’s support for Israel’s position,, pledging to maintain its voting record at the United Nations in matters concerning Israel’s role in the Middle East. Fiji soldiers are serving in the United Nations peace-keeping force im Lebanon.

Taiwan Boat Gives Tuvalu The Slip

A Taiwanese fishing vessel, No 3 Tong Chou, evaded captures in January after she was detected fishing in Tuvaluan waters..; The incident occurred only three weeks after a 19-mam

(Taiwanese delegation had paid an official visit to Tuvalu to dis cuss acquiring a licence to fish in that country’s waters.

Teargas Against Port Moresby Strikers

Police used teargas in Port Moresby in four incidents in January when some of about 500 striking workers ran riot in the suburbs of the Papua New Guinea capital. The strike was over a govern ment submission to a wages tribunal in which wage restraints were sought.

Marianas Hopes For A Fishing Win

Northern Marianas Governor Carlos Camacho hopes he has won his long fight with Washington to secure repeal of a US ban on foreign-built boats fishing in Marianas waters. The ban has brought Marianas fishing activity to a standstill, as all its boats are Japanese-built. Marianas officials were due to meet I their federal counterparts in Honolulu In February for talks.

Australian Ships To Join 20Th Century

The Australian Government will repeal 19th-century legislation this year and grant ships Australian nationality and the right to fly the Australian flag. British laws dating from 1894 lay down that ships are registered in Australia as British ships and are j authorised to fly the Australian red ensign. The red ensign will 1 now disappear and yachtsmen will have two years to replace the British blue ensign with the Australian flag.

New Paper For New Hebrides

[ Following the birth of new papers on Nauru and Guam (PIM Feb PP9, 55) the French/Bislama weekly Nabanga has announced that a new paper will shortly appear in the New Hebrides. To be called Kingfisher-Martin-pecheur, the new journal will be ' printed in English, French and Bislama. The publishing group will represent different political tendencies, comprising Hilda I Lini, sister of Chief Minister Walter Lini (and an active member I of the Vanuaaku Party), Remy Delaveuve, mayor of Vila and president of the France-Hebrides Association, and Armand Beaudoin, a local businessman. Hilda Lini told Nabanga that the new paper will be completely impartial and politically indepen dent, reflecting the views of all inhabitants of the archipelago.

Nabanga, which is supported by the French Residency, will ' cease publication on independence later this year

Png Decides - Tv It’Ll Be

j After V ears of soul-searching on the issue, the Papua New Guinea Government has decided that the country will have a [ television service. Prime Minister Michael Somare said the time table for its introduction, and the type of service, would have i to be carefully studied before final decisions were made

Telecommunications Gabfest In Hawaii

I Four hundred and seventy people attended the second Pacific Telecommunications Conference in Hawaii in January. Keynote address was given by Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara ; of Fiji.

N.C. Police Inspector On Murder Charge

A French police inspector in New Caledonia, Raymond Ferrot, has been charged with the murder by shooting of a Melanesian,’

Theodore Daye. A companion of Ferrot’s has also been charged with assault on Daye’s companion, Charles Teanyonen, who was wounded in the affray which occurred in January at Mont Dore, near Noumea. Commenting on the incident, High Com missioner Claude Charbonniaud condemned the social ill of al coholism, and reiterated the principle that ‘no one is entitled to take the law into his own hands’.

‘A Gift Of Love’ For Pitcairn

A group of Californian high school students have laboured for eight years to make a gift for the people of Pitcairn Island: it is Sunfire, a giant solar generator, slaved over for 400 000 hours by the students over a period of eight years. Believed to be the largest single engineering project ever attempted by young people. Sunfire stands 14.5 metres high, weighs 25.4 tonnes has 240 parabolic mirrors and a total of 66.8 square metres!

It wNi produG 0 five kW of electricity, more than enough for the 0-odd descendants of the Bounty mutineers who live on the island. The students call it a 'gift of love to all mankind’. The

problem they’re now grappling with is how they’re going to trans port it to Pitcairn. But Pasadena inventor Frank Broyles who has helped the students is confident: ‘lf they have to swim it there they’ll get it there,’ he says.

Calling Young Mathematicians

Secondary schools throughout the South-west Pacific will be invited to take part in the 1980 Australian Mathematics Compe tition. More than 110 000 high school students from Island coun tries, Australia and New Zealand are expected to take part Further information from Peter O’Halloran, Competition Director PC Box 1, Belconnen, ACT, 2616. Australia.

Prizes For Islands Tourist Films

Marianas Visitors Bureau, the new Hebrides Tourist Information Bureau and the Tahiti Tourist Board were among prize-winners with their entries in the Pacific Area Travel Association’s annual film contest.

Recognise Union’, Fiji C.M.A. Told

Fiji’s Central Monetary Authority has been told to recognise the Fiji Bank Employees’ Union, to which all but four of its staff are affiliated. The order was issued by Secretary for Labour, Indus trial Relations and Immigration, Mr Satyanand. following refusal by the CMA to recognise the union

Fua Kavenga In Suva

Tonga’s contribution to the Pacific Forum Line, the new German-built container ship Fua Kavenga (PIM Jan p 67) called at Suva late in January on her delivery voyage. The ship cost 20 million German marks to build.

Heart Disease Threat In Fiji

Fiji’s heart disease rate has leapt by 460% in eight years to make it one of the country’s worst killers. Indians are 10 times more likely to be hit by it than people of other races. They are also the main targets for two other worsening diseases, hypertension and diabetes.

Lautoka Mill’S Record Crushing

Fiji s Lautoka Sugar Mill has set a new crushing record of 1 726 000 tonnes and expected to have crushed 1 740 000 tonnes of sugar cane by the time it finished operations for the season.

Energy Project On Guam

The US Department of Energy is supporting a project on Guam designed to produce methane gas from animal manures. Meth ane might also be produced from sewage treatment systems on other US-administered islands, according to departmental scientist Dr Bennett Miller.

Raaf Plane In Bougainville Rescue

A Royal Australian Air Force Orion aircraft in February found a wooden boat with 25 people on board which had been missing north of Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville Island for four days.

The passengers had run out of water and were low on food.

Sino-Soviet Rivalry In Cruise Market

Sino-Soviet rivalries made a modest entry into the Pacific cruise market, in which the Russians are already well established, with the first voyage in January of the 168-metre, 14 224-tonne Minghua, flagship of the China Ocean Shipping Company. The vessel made her maiden voyage to Fiji, calling at Suva. A spokes man for her agents Burns Philp said she would make four trips on the route from Sydney, Auckland, Noumea, Suva, and the nearby Fiji fire-walking island of Beqa before taking in other Pa cific ports on future cruises.

Debate On Hebrides Independence Date

Debate is under way as to just when in the agreed time bracket of May-July New Hebrides independence should be declared.

The French are known to favour an early declaration (in May).

Their approach is said to be supported by the government of Chief Minister Walter Lini, eager to begin exercising full authority in the still troubled archipelago. But the British seem to be hold ing out for a later date. Among other factors, clarification of future aid agreements, and a doubt that the complex hand-over procedures can be satisfactorily completed in such a short time, are major factors in their thinking.