Pacific Report

Coastal Surveillance Survey

f Australia and New Zealand have formed an assessment team to examine the coastal surveillance requirements of Island I nations of the South Pacific Forum. The assessment, which is I being carried out by arrangements with the countries con cerned, will deal with all civil surveillance requirements and in particular protection of fisheries and prevention and detection of smuggling and drug-running. The survey began in mid-April and will continue well into June, taking in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands, West ern Samoa, Tuvalu and Kiribati. Although civil surveillance re quirements are involved, military defence advisers are included in the operation for technical aid. Australia and New Zealand are carrying out the project as an aid gesture and without com mitment. Some of the countries being examined have already made tentative assessments of surveillance requirements but the new project is expected to enable the establishment of an integrated plan according to foreign affairs officials in Australia and New Zealand.

Pythons And Cats Against Rats

In the Tingwon Islands of northern Papua New Guinea govern ment officials have brought in pythons and cats - with the ap proval of local villagers - in an attempt to end a plague of rats.

Reports so far have not indicated how the pythons are perform ing, but the cats were said to be operating ‘superbly’. The cats came from Kavieng on nearby New Ireland. Meanwhile the New Ireland Provincial Government is providing rice for the Tingwon islanders to offset a food shortage caused by the rat plague.

Politician Calls For Socialism

An Alliance Party conference in Fiji was told that Fiji needed advice from the Cuban president, Fidel Castro, on government control of rural labour and development. The suggestion was made by an alliance backbencher in parliament, Mr Jone banuve, who said he believed it was time Fiji turned to a new orm of government embodying rigid socialism and compulsory labour on the land.

Storm Deaths In Kiribati

Three peopie were killed and seven others seriously injured in Kiribati in April in what is now known to have been an arm of the cyclonic disturbances which brought 16 deaths to Fiji (PIM May pi 7) The Kiribati deaths occurred at Autukia Village Nonouti. when a structure collapsed in heavy winds during a pubhc gathenng. Those killed were two children and a woman The Kiribati weather office has confirmed that southern Kiribati was partly hit by the cyclone, but there are no other reports of casualties or serious damage.

Kiribati Trade Fair For November

T° nd annua ' trade f air of the Republic of Kiribati will be viously an'noimcecl^ OVember 17 ‘ 18 ' a " d notin october as

Chinese Embassy In Png

govar nment p apua New Guinea has agreed to the establishment of a Chinese Embassy in its country, revers ■w.3 usa j giN f en b V the Previous Somare government. Mr iqqd US3 IS believed t 0 have be en based on fears that nn a h US SR n + va nes could be br °ught into the Pacific by allow ng a diplomatic presence, and Russia was also refused per rhllTw?h 0 th abllS t h M n h embaSSy ' Now however Ch 'na is going th *n 6 estab,ish ment of embassies in Fiji and Western * a ™ oa aa waH as In PNG although USSR has no diplomatic pres '■ ce ln the Pacific Islands. The Chinese Vice-premier Mr Li Xian l' an /® centl ’y visited PNG. He announced that his country would >end a survey team to PNG to examine possible economic co

°S® ra J'°" ln agricultural and forestry development and to pro hernmp a ' d ,O . PNG - However the team is likely to ed ln sensi,lve negotiations because of an in- Ik aid between ,he two countries. China aid hntPMr kJ d 1 31 ,he ,. nature and conditions of its foreign dSntn P s N a G nd ha conditon P s ol,Cy °' aCCePti " 9 aid °" ly ° n i,S ° Wn

Review Of Fiji Public Service

? a n ®' ° f Australia’s most distinguished public servants, Sir Arthur i ange who once headed the Department of Defence has been review systems" used by the pubNc serviceh ’ 65, ret,red only recent 'V- T he appointment at Fiji’s Minkw Mr p 0U^ Ced ln Canberra by the Australian Prime of F iii Rph Rir r r ’ dUri^ 9 f S .l ate visit by the Governor-General of Rj!, Ratu Sir George Cakobau and Adi Lady Cakobau. Ratu h nrhTon 6 ’ l a,d tr,bute t 0 aid to Fiji, told a state luncheon in Canberra that in 10 years of independence his “ u n f ry hadh e ,d 'ts head high, had maintained stable governreached out in Partnership to other Pacific

Eniwetak Atoll Handed Back

Eniwetak Atoll, site of US nuclear tests in the 1940 s and 50s kbfnH e f^n ned t 0 'll people at a recent ceremony on Eniwetak a th / ee ' year decontamination operation carried atln qq US milltary forces - The people were moved to another atoll 33 years ago when nuclear testing began. About 500 Eniwetak people attended the ceremony which handed back their island, but it is still not clear how many intend to settle again on Eniwetak. A gradual movement back to the island is ® x Pf ctad ° ver tde next two or three months. Many of the people at the handing back ceremony, although Eniwetak people had never before seen their traditional home because they had been born away from the island after the nuclear tests began Reo resentatives of the US Government and US military forces attended the ceremony in which the Director of the Defence Nu clear Agency, Vice-Admiral Robert Munroe, said the free world owed a great debt to the islanders.

Wartime Wrecks Protected

Solomon Islands has passed legislation declaring equipment and wrecks left over from World War II as protected cultural property because of the growing interest by collectors, historians and technicians in World War II remnants. The legislation follows the pattern of similar laws introduced in Papua New Guinea two years ago. Under the laws of both countries no war wreckage or remnants can be removed from the country without per mission, and anything of special historical value is banned from export. Provision is made for local communities to have a voice in the removal or preservation of war remnants in their area.

Pacific Super Power Threat

The Premier of the Australian state of New South Wales Mr Wran, told a conference of the Pacific Basin Economic Council in Sydney last month that the region was under threat because of super power rivalries. Mr Wran said that the rivalry of major powers posed a permanent threat to long-term peace and stab ility and it was the task of every nation in the Pacific Basin to do everything possible to form mutual bonds of understanding and trust. He said that the four greatest world powers three of them with nuclear strength, all had Pacific Ocean coastlines.

They were USSR, USA, Japan and China. Their presence in the region posed a task of particular delicacy to Pacific Ocean coun tries. The economic council which Mr Wran addressed is a grouping of business representatives from nations in the Pacific.

Antas Raises Charges For Air Niugini

Oantas, the airline which handles transit and turnaround require ments in Australia for the Papua New Guinea airline Air Niugini, has sharply increased its charges for the service. The increase is 38% in Brisbane and 180% in Sydney. Air Niugini reacted angrily to the Qantas move, claiming it had been'singled out among other airlines serviced by Qantas. Qantas said the in creases were made purely on economic grounds, but has entered into a series of talks with Air Niugini.