Pacific Report
pp. 9-10 · Read in the full issue
Png Troops Back Police On Santo
Vanuatu police, backed by Papua New Guinean troops, arrested 40 people on the island of Espiritu Santo on August 19.
According to a Vanuatu Government spokesman, more than half those arrested were foreign nationals, and would be deported for their role in the Santo secession which began on May 28. Caches of arms were also seized. The government spokesman said; ‘There have been very sarcastic remarks about the Papua New Guineans, but they have done in 48 hours on Santo what the metropolitan powers have failed to do. That won’t be forgotten.’
Adding that there would be more arrests, he indicated that the rebel ‘Vemarana’ radio was still operating.
Solomon Islands Voters Tip ’Em Out
Two-thirds of the members of Solomon Islands’ former parliament lost their seats in the country’s first post independence general election on August 6. Among the losers were David Kausimae, joint leader of the People’s Alliance Party and a politician of about 15 years experience; Willy Betu, leader of the independent group, the largest in the previous parliament: and John Saunana, formerly minister for education and training.
Independents appear likely to continue to control the new parliament, since none of the three political parties former Prime Minister Peter Kenilorea’s Solomon Islands United Party, former (pre-independence) Chief Minister Solomon Mamaloni’s People’s Alliance Party, and Bartholomew Ulufa’alu’s National Democratic Party won the 20 seats necessary for a clear majority in the 38-seat parliament. Election of the prime minister was scheduled for the last week in August. The outcome appeared to depend on whether it was Mr Kenilorea or Mr Mamaloni who managed to rally support from the larger number of independents. Seats were contested by 244 candidates, the biggest field ever in Solomon Islands. There were nearly 100 000 registered voters, but only about 60 000 ballots were cast.
Japan’S N-Waste Team On Tour
A team of Japanese officials left Tokyo in August to visit Guam, Australia, New Zealand, Western Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea to explain Japan’s plan to dump nuclear waste in the north-west Pacific next year. Guam and other Pacific Island authorities have called on Japan to suspend the plan to discharge up to 10 000 drums of nuclear waste into waters 6000 m deep about 960 km north of the uninhabited island of Maug.
Strontium-90 Deposits Down
Deposits of radio-active strontium-90 monitored in New Zealand and the South Pacific in 1979 were the lowest since recordings began in 1960. New Zealand’s National Radiation Laboratory measures the deposits at nine testing stations in New Zealand and the Pacific.
Cooks’ ‘Philatelic Time Bomb?’
The Cook Islands Government is sitting on ‘a philatelic time bomb’ which could blow up at any time and ‘seriously undermine the islands’ economy,’ according to an Australian publication, Stamp News. Writing in the August issue of the magazine, editor Bill Hornadge claims that the contract between the Cooks government and US businessman Finbar Kenny’s Kenny International Corporation permits the American agency to obtain any quantity of Cook Islands ‘cancelled to order’ stamps at the actual cost of printing. Estimating printing costs of stamps at about one cent a stamp, Mr Hornadge says: ‘ln the past decade the Cook Islands have issued numerous stamps with high face value of $5 and $lO all of which Mr Kenny could secure in a perfectly legal manner under his contract in a cancelled to order condition in any quantity at around a cent a piece . . . The release of large stocks of CTO material at big discounts off face will wipe out values of used (or cancelled) Cook Islands material overnight just as it has done for stamps of Ghana and other states where cheap CTO material has been released in quantity. It will also seriously affect values of mint Cook Islands material and would
almost certainly have a disastrous effect on sales of all future Cook issues . . . When the CTO material hits the market, the downturn in sales of mint Cooks stamps is likely to be dramatic, with disastrous consequences to the islands’ economy which is so dependent on it.’
‘Independence Is Anarchy’ Sanford
In an interview with the Papeete daily Ddpeche de Tahiti, Francis Sanford, vice-president of French Polynesia’s Government Council, said that the law adopted three years ago providing for his country’s internal self-government ‘had not been fully exploited’. ‘But,’ he went on, ‘this law should have been put into effect 10 years ago not only for French Polynesia but for New Caledonia and the New Hebrides as well. I’m convinced that if this had happened the New Hebrides wouldn’t be in the state it’s in today. For us, and for them, independence is anarchy.
Everyone here would be wanting power, the 3000 employees of the Atomic Testing Centre would be out of a job. Public servants would not have their splendid salaries. We’d have a flag, a national anthem, we’d speak Tahitian, but (gesturing towards the window) thousands would be marching in the Avenue Bruat demanding that we give them something to eat.’
Best Actor’ Award To Samoan
Samoan actor Uelese Pataia tied for the ‘best actor’ award at the 1980 Karlovy Vary (Czechoslovakia) film festival with American star Al Pacino. The young Samoan won the award for his role in the New Zealand film version of Albert Wendt’s novel Sons for the Return Home. Pacino appeared in a major US commercial release, And Justice for All.
Big Hashish Haul In Port Moresby
What is believed to be Papua New Guinea’s biggest seizure of illegal drugs took place in Port Moresby in August when police and Customs officials seized hashish worth an estimated SAI.3 million in a hotel raid. Two men, an Australian and a Jordanian, were arrested. A Customs official said he believed the hashish had come from Asia and was on its way to Australian and New Zealand markets. ‘There just could not be a market for it here,’ he ; said.
Fsp To Raise Funds In Australia
At an August meeting in Sydney, the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific (FSP) decided to launch a public appeal in Australia for funds for programmes and projects in the South Pacific. A working group was set up by the foundation to plan the campaign, scheduled to run through the ’Bos. FSP is an international non-government organisation headquartered in New York.
Fiji Offers To Host Chogrm
Fiji has offered to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting (CHOGRM) to be held in 1982.
Closer Ties For Fiji, France
Fiji’s first accredited representative to France, Satya Nandan, has presented his credentials to President Valery Giscard d’Estaing. Mr Nanan is also Fiji’s ambassador to the European Economic Community. He will continue to live in Brussels.
BIG FINE FOR ILLEGAL FISHING IN TRUK The captain and owner of a Japanese fishing vessel were fined SUS 10 000 for illegal fishing in Federated States of Micronesia waters, after a July 17 trial held in Truk. Hosei Maru 35 had entered the Truk lagoon on February 20, and stopped at Tol Island before the vessel was detained and the crew arrested by Truk police. The trial was held in the absence of the vessel’s crew.
It had left Truk after posting a S2OOO bail.
Bougainville Compensation Money Upped
A five-year agreement has been negotiated under which Bougainville Copper has substantially increased the amount of compensation paid to land owners affected by its operation. The annual compensation payment for 1980 of K 920 000 covers social and physical disturbance experienced by Papua New Guinean national land owners, compensation for loss of bush, rivers and fish, and rent for use of the 13 000 ha in the company’s special mining, tailings, and port-mine access road leases. Over 2300 cheques are being paid out this year, ranging from small
amounts to K2B 000. Most will be divided by the recipients into smaller amounts, and distributed to members of their clans or villages. More than 5000 family units should benefit.
Book Honours Vanuatu’S Freedom
Anew book of almost 300 pages, entitled simply Vanuatu, and printed in Bislama, French and English, has been released in honour of the independence of the former New Hebrides. The book has been published by the Institute of Pacific Studies, the University of the South Pacific and the South Pacific Social Sciences Association. Contributions to make the publication possible came from these bodies, the South Pacific Creative Arts Society, and Pacific Energy and Minerals Ltd, Golden, Colorado, USA. Written mainly by Vanuatuans, its 21 chapters are an invaluable source of information on the new nation.
Us-Kiribati Diplomatic Relations
The United States and Kiribati agreed in August to establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level. Tarawa, the island home of the Kiribati capital, was the scene of a major battle involving US forces in World War 11. Earlier in the year Kiribati had established diplomatic ties with four other non-Commonwealth countries: they were Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, and the People’s Republic of China.
Aussie Yachts Win In Hawaii
Australian yachts made an almost clean sweep of the August Pan Am Clipper Cup ocean racing series in Hawaii. The Australian Dunhill No. 1 team of Challenge, Ragamuffin and Sweet Caroline won the international teams racing series for the King Kamahamea Trophy by a big margin. Ragamuffin, skippered by Syd Fischer, won the final race overall, the 775 nautical mile Around the State of Hawaii’ by more than three hours on corrected time. Ragamuffin also won the Pan Am Clipper gold cup for the top individual performance of the five-race series. The Australian No. 2 team of Impetuous, Moonshadow and Satin Sheets outsailed the New Zealanders and the United States Red team to improve from fifth in the team standing to second overall.
Funding Plan Agreed For Arts Festival
A meeting of the South Pacific Arts Festival Council in July discussed the funding of future festivals. It endorsed the establishment of a festival fund to be drawn from annual budgetary allocations by the South Pacific Commission and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and from voluntary contributions by countries and organisations. It was agreed that the fund should be administered by the SPC, and that all funds for each festival would be given to the host country to use as it decides. The council will next meet
in 1981 in New Caledonia, host country for the fourth festival in 1984,
Marshalls’ Gift To Src
Marshall Islands’ Minister of Internal Affairs Wilfrid Kendall in August handed over his government’s first voluntary contribution to the South Pacific Commission. It was accepted in person by SPC Secretary-General Young Vivian. The minister said that the government of the Marshall Islands was most appreciative of SPC assistance and support. The two men were in Port Moresby for the Third South Pacific Festival of Arts.
Sim Damage As Reflector Crashes
Damage approaching $1 million was caused in August when the eight-tonne antenna reflector for Western Samoa’s Earth Satellite Station crashed to the ground while being lifted into position by two cranes. The boom of one of the cranes snapped at the base during the lifting operation. Funded by the European Economic Community under the Lome Convention, the earth satellite station is part of a $2 million-plus project which includes the introduction of an overseas exchange some time next year. No one was injured in the accident, although one of the crane drivers was trapped in his cabin for a time.
Power From Copra Oil?
Western Samoa’s Electric Power Corporation is experimenting with copra oil as a substitute for imported fuel. EPC’s Acting General Manager John Worrall said it is expected that the oil will yield about 10% less energy than diesel fuel.
Samoan Policeman Murdered
Western Samoan police officer Malo Samu was shot dead in August during a search for four escaped convicts inland from Faleatiu-uta. Commissioner of Police Sonny Schuster said Malo Samu was the first police officer to be killed in the line of duty in the whole history of the police administration in Samoa. A well known boxer, Malo Samu represented his country at the last South Pacific Games in Suva.
Marshalls Claiming Wake Is.
A recently published pamphlet, approved by key members of the Marshall Islands Government, clearly indicates that the Marshalls is laying claim to Enen Kio, local name for Wake Island. The two colour government-sponsored information sheet has Wake Island clearly indicated as being within the boundaries of the Marshalls, and serves as further amplification of a statement made recently in the United Nations Trusteeship Council by Marshalls Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Anton Debrum that Wake is part of the Marshalls. Deßrum’s position is contested by the United States.
The following messages from leaders of Pacific countries arrived too late for inclusion in PIM’s August 50th
anniversary issue:
Dr Tom Davis, Premier, Cook Islands: Hearty congratulations on attaining your 50th anniversary. The nations of the Pacific have been brought closer together through PIM as a vehicle of information. For us in the Cook Islands, isolated as we are vour publication has been for many years one of the main media of information. PIM has introduced not only the Cook Islands to the world but also to the otner Pacific countries. I trust that this magazine will continue to disseminate news, including news of the Cook Islands, for many years to come Kia manuia.
Prmce Tu’ipelehake, Prime Minister, Tonga: Please accept my belated but sincere congratulations on this most happy occasion of reaching your well-attained 50th anniversary.
Wishing you the very best for the future.
lan Macphee, Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, Australia: I am delighted and honoured to add a message of congratulations to the hundreds which PIM will have received on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
I have been an avid reader and admirer of PIM for 20 years and believe that it has been a force for almost incalculable good in the Pacific. Australians pride themselves on the contribution which Radio Australia has made in the Pacific and Asia but the contribution of PIM is in many ways more significant. venture to suggest that without PIM the various islands of the Pacific would still feel that they were totally isolated from each other. I believe that PIM has laid the foundations for a feeling of fraternity and a common sense of purpose for the nations of the South Pacific and it provides a most thoughtful avenue for exchanging information and ideas.
I am confident that PIM will continue to fulfil that role and that many of its articles will acquire an even greater depth, while retaining their breadth of perspective, and capacity to entertain.
I wish PIM, and in particular, my old friend Stuart Inder, very great success in future. I have no doubt that PIM’s next 50 years will be as distinguished in its achievements as have been the last 50 years.