Pacific Report

Hebrides: July 30 Gets The Nod

The responsible British and French ministers, Messrs Blaker and Dijoud, on July 20 informed New Hebrides Chief Minister Fr Walter Lini that, despite the Santo secession, they accepted July 30 as the independence date for the New Hebrides as requested by him. The date had been a matter of controversy ever since it was first chosen by the New Hebrides Government in April. Fr Lini in a statement said: After independence the whole issue of the Santo secession will be in the hands of the government. The only contribution Britain and France can make to resolving the problem must come before July 30.’

Png Leaders Speak Out In Sydney

Sir Julius Chan, who became prime minister of Papua New Guinea earlier this year when a multi-party bloc defeated the government of Mr Michael Somare, was in Australia in mid-July.

In an address to the NSW Institute of Public Affairs in Sydney and in a series of press interviews he emphasised the political and economic stability of his country and his confidence that PNG and Australia had forged a long-term, friendly and special relationship. He described as ‘unfair’ a vote which the PNG opposition recently forced through parliament to defeat his government over a date for the next parliamentary sitting. The vote was not particularly significant, he said, because it was taken when government leaders were absent on official business involving the South Pacific Festival of Arts in Port Moresby. He said the opposition planned a vote of co-confidence in his administration ‘and I hope they move it because I know we will win’. Sir Julius said he was confident he would take his government through to the next elections and that the government would still be in office after the elections. Another visitor to Sydney in mid-July was the PNG finance minister, Mr John Kaputin, who outlined plans for food production to make his country less-dependent on imports from Australia. Sugar, rice and vegetables were top priorities in this planning, he said.

He said that Australia had been ‘understandably reluctant’ to promote some primary industries when it administered PNG because this would have meant competition with its own agricultural sector. Sir Julius and Mr Kaputin both emphasised the inherent stability of PNG which, they said, had been demonstrated by the processes which changed the government.

Norfolk’S Deal With Air Pacific

From July 1, by agreement with Air Pacific, Norfolk Island Airways took over from the Fiji flag-carrier four return flights a week between Suva and Funafuti, Tuvalu. The Tuesday flight also goes to Tarawa, capital of Kiribati. Air Pacific had been using the last of its HS74Bs to keep the Tuvalu and Kiribati connections open. The flights had become unprofitable because of the type of aircraft used and the relatively small amount of traffic. Norfolk Island Airways will fly the route with a 10-seat Beechcraft Super King Air.

Provincial Premier Killed In Png

The premier of Papua New Guinea’s Southern Highlands Province, Andrew Andaija, was killed in a light aircraft crash on July 20. He was one of six who died when the plane hit a ridge. An Australian woman, Kerry Foley, 27, died when she walked into the propeller of a light plane as it prepared to take off in search of the premier’s aircraft. She was the daughter of a former Western Highlands District Com missioner, the late Mr Mick Foley.

Germans Seek Nz Advice On Aid

West Germany’s new ambassador to New Zealand, Dr H. A.

Steger, has stressed that he will be seeking advice from New Zealand on his country’s expanded future activity in the South

Pacific. He said: ‘We welcome what New Zealand has done in this respect. We look for your advice and we are keen to co operate with you in the South Pacific area.’ Dr Steger replaces Dr Karl Doering who left New Zealand in April on health grounds. Even before Dr Doering’s departure, plans were in the pipeline for 11 West German community aid projects in the Cook Islands.

Png To Keep ‘Easy-Visa’ Set-Up

Despite earlier claims of abuse, Papua New Guinea has decided to continue its easy-visa system for tourists from Common wealth countries, and has enlarged the system to include business visitors. Under the arrangement, Commonwealth country visitors entering by air through Port Moresby can get visas on arrival. Entry through other airports will require prior issue of visas.

A ‘LONG ARM OF THE LAW’ STORY Eight years after the event, the long arm of the law in June caught up with an Australian couple who had stolen a $F2500 diamond watch from Proud’s store in Suva in 1972. Earlier this year the couple were wanted in Denmark to answer theft charges, but they headed for Spain, from where they were extradited. The woman had in her possession a diamond Patek Philippe watch and the Danish police contacted the manufac turers in Geneva who found that it was the stolen watch. Suva police were then informed.

Santo Secessionists In Noumea

A delegation of the New Hebrides’ Santo secessionists visited Noumea, New Caledonia, in July. They were told by a spokesman for French High Commissioner Charbonniaud that the French Government could not help them to break the blockade on Santo imposed by the New Hebrides Govern ment since such action could prejudice official negotiations.

However, it was announced that the ruling conservative political party RPCR, and the local Red Cross organisation, had launched appeals for financial support for the secession ists.

First Export Of Fiji Pine Logs

The Fiji Pine Commission held a ceremony in June to mark the first export shipment of pine logs from Fiji. The shipment, worth more than SF3OO 000, left from Queens Wharf, Levuka, bound for one of Japan’s largest timber clearing houses, C. Itoh.

Shrimp-Fishing Hope In Hebrides

The possibility of establishing a shrimp-fishing operation in the New Hebrides is being considered following a series of tests by an expert from the University of the South Pacific’s Institute of Marine Resources. The tests, funded by the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development, were carried out over 19 days in deep water off Port-Vila. Seven species of shrimps were caught and identified.

Neutron Bomb Fiji Paper Accuses

In a strongly worded editorial, The Fiji Times in June charged that France had tested the neutron bomb at Moruroa Atoll, French Polynesia. The editorial said: ‘Despite a denial just a month ago that the controversial neutron warhead was being tested at Moruroa, the French President has now revealed that France has carried out its first experiments for producing such a weapon. And where else can these ‘‘experiments” take place but in the Pacific, France’s traditional nuclear test target?

Certainly not in Paris, or off the French coast. The French do not want any nuclear pollution or risks of neutron bomb damage in their territory. These risks they reserve for the people of the Pacific, for their own French-dominated territories and indepen dent Island nations, regardless of our wishes.’

Commission, Forum Merger Tipped

A merger between the South Pacific Commission and the South Pacific Forum is a logical future move, according to SPC Secretary-General Young Vivian. Interviewed in Rarotonga, Mr Vivian foreshadowed discussion of a report on the merger idea at the July meeting of the Forum in Kiribati, and the October meeting of the SPC in Papua New Guinea in October. The

French territories should be included in any joint organisation he said.

George Kalkoa Elected President

George Kalkoa, formerly Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Home Affairs in the New Hebrides Government, was elected president of the future republic on July 4. Mr Kalkoa was elected by 27 votes to nil, out of a field of seven candidates. The polling was boycotted by opposition politicians. The 27 votes were those of the 26 Vanuaaku Party members of the Representative Assembly, plus that of la Nawari, president of the Regional Council of the island of Santo, elected on November 14 last year.

U.S. Presses Micronesia Claims On Spc

The US Government is asking members of the South Pacific Commission to support the admission of the four emerging governments of the soon-to-be dissolved US Trust Territory of the Pacific. They are the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau. US representative to the SPC, John Condon, is seeking their admission before formal termination of the trusteeship, ‘because they have become active in regional and foreign policy with the encouragement of the United States.’

Ratu Mara Talks Of Retirement

The Fiji Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara has indicated he could retire before the next general election. He said in a July press interview that there was no suggestion of an election appreciably ahead of the due date in mid-1982. Ratu Mara said: Ten years is a long time to be doing a thankless job ... I have achieved the peak position of service to my country for 10 years and I think that is enough for anyone.’ He said what he would like to see was a coalition which would represent both the major races of Fiji.

FIJI NO’ TO TALKS ON PACIFIC BASIN’

Fiji in June turned down an invitation to talks in Australia on the Japan-sponsored scheme for a ‘Pacific Basin’ club of countries.

Rejection was on the grounds that the talks would be ‘too academic , and that in any case Fiji’s Foreign Office would in due course receive a copy of the record of the meeting.

Caledonian Politicians In Canberra

A delegation of three New Caledonian politicians was in Canberra in July seeking Australian support for New Caledonia’s independence from France at the July meeting of the South Pacific Forum, and in the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation. The three were Roch Pidjot, a New Caledonian member of the French National Assembly’ in Paris, Yeiwene Yeiwene, a member of New Caledonia’s Territorial Assembly, and Francois Otonari, parliamentary attache to the Front Independantiste, an umbrella organisation covering the territory’s five pro-independence parties. The group was reported to have had a ‘secret meeting’ with Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrew Peacock. Mr Yeiwene told a press interviewer that they had come to Australia because of French actions in the New Hebrides and New Caledonia. He said the whole Santo secession was being ‘masterminded’ by the French in Port-Vila and Noumea. He said although there was an embargo on trade with Santo, French authorities in Noumea were actively encouraging trade with Santo in defiance of the New Hebrides Government in Port-Vila.

On New Caledonia, he said it ‘would make all the difference to French attitudes’ if Australia led the way in support of a resolution for ‘Kanak independence’ at the Forum meeting and in the UN committee.

‘Den Of Iniquity’ In Air Niugini

A report by Papua New Guinea’s Ombudsman Commission into the affairs of the national flag-carrier Air Niugini has reported: The foundation of the house of Air Niugini is solid and healthy it is the roof which is rotten. Up to the penthouse level where management live, we have discovered a den of iniquity.’ (See Tra^ewinds.)

Australia Backs Diabetes Study

Australia will contribute through the Australian Development!

Assistance Bureau a sum of up to $2BO 000 over three financial!) years for a research project on diabetes in the South Pacific. A/ regional survey aimed at verifying a hypothesis on a relationshipc between dietary habits of Pacific Islanders will be made from a£ base in Kiribati. The Royal Southern Memorial Hospital , Melbourne, and the South Pacific Commission will be directive involved. 1

Indonesian Cops Freed By Png

Five armed Indonesian policemen and a school teacher fromr Irian Jaya, caught about 35km inside the Papua New Guinea £ border in July, have been released. Police said the Indonesian r party had been hunting an escaped family’ an Irianese man his wife and baby.

’Flu Outbreak In Png

Field teams from the Department of Health in Papua New\ Guinea have been dealing with an outbreak of influenza in the?

Southern Highlands province. More than 20 deaths occurred in r the Kagua area, but health officials reported that there was no ( evidence to support political allegations that hundreds of deaths c had occurred because of lack of care.

Wallabies’ Win Out In Fiji

The Australian Rugby Union Wallabies made a short three-match tour of Fiji in May and won all three matches, all by\ comfortable margins. In the only Test of the tour, the score wasc 22-9. Earlier, the Wallabies had beaten Nadi 25-11 and had t overwhelmed Rewa, 48-14. It was the first tour of Fiji by a full-strength Australian team, although the 1972 Wallabies called at 1 Fiji on the way back from New Zealand in 1972 and in a closely \ fought match beat Fiji 21-19.

Poison Drunk Instead Of Altar Wine

Four people died in July in a village in Papua New Guinea’s < Western Highlands after drinking weedkiller they mistook for 1 altar wine. Another man died after claiming he had been r deliberately poisoned with the weedkiller. But it is feared the i weedkiller has been responsible for many more deaths in the i Western Highlands and elsewhere. A senior health officer has < called for a ban on the liquid, known as Gramoxone.

National Disaster Plan For Solomons

The Solomon Islands government is drawing up a national I disaster contingency plan with help from a United Nations ; consultant, Air Vice-Marshal W. Carter. The plan will provide ; standard instructions for officials in the event of disaster ■ occurring from earthquake, tidal wave, flooding or cyclone. , Detailed plans for provincial officials as well as a national plan i are involved, and the work will also include production of a j citizens’ guide for general distribution. Relevance of the project 1 was underlined in July when an earthquake struck the ; Solomons’ Santa Cruz group. However, there were no reports of 1 casualties or damage.

Death Of Condor Of Bermuda

The 23m ocean racing yacht Condor of Bermuda in early July > was impaled on coral on Tetiaro Atoll, 40km north of Tahiti. She ; was reported to be breaking up. The giant British-owned yacht, valued at SAIS million, was holed on her port side. At last 1 report, a heavy swell was washing her further on to the reef 1 surrounding an atoll owned by American actor Marlon Brando.

The crew were salvaging everything that could be taken off, and 1 were being looked after ashore by Mr Brando.

Trust Territory’S 120 800

Population of the US Trust Territory of the Pacific is about 120 800, according to figures released by the territory’s Office ; of Planning and Statistics. The figure includes residents of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and I Northern Mariana Islands. Estimated population for each of the < groups was: Marshalls 29 670, Kosrae 4940, Ponape 23 140, Truk 38 650, Yap 9320, Palau 14 800, Northern Marianas 15 970. More accurate figures are expected from a further census planned for September.