from the islands press

An editorial in the Marshall Islands Journal, Majuro Today (March 1) marks the 31st anniversary of the “Bravo” hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll which contaminated with radioactive fallout hundreds of Marshallese, 22 Japanese fishermen and 28 American servicemen. That the legacy of this and other nuclear tests are still being felt in the Marshalls can be seen by the decision of the Rongelap people to evacuate their atoll. More than 30 years after they were engulfed in a cloud of nuclear fallout, they believe their islands are unsafe for habitation. It is hoped that the Rongelap resettlement will improve the people’s living environment and that new health programs can begin to alleviate health problems of other Marshallese which have resulted from nuclear testing.

From the Vanuatu Weekly, Port-Vila The Ministry of Health currently appeals to all patients seeking treatment at hospital, always to be honest and tell the doctor or nurse the truth when asked if they have received traditional medication or “custom leaves”.

The Second Secretary to the Ministry of Health Mr Aaron said, the Ministry is concerned the people who fall ill at home and decide to take “custom leaves” for curative purposes, are reluctant to tell doctors in hospitals, and even deny that they have taken any.

From a report in the Cook Islands News of a service at the Cook Islands Christian Church at Titikaveka.

A change that was noticed at the Celebration of Holy Communion was the return from ordinary bread and cordial drink used for bread and wine to traditional uto (found in a newly sprouting coconut) as bread and pure coconut drink.

“Bread and cordial drink is foreign and man-made but uto and coconut drink is purely natural and the common bread and drink of our forebears,” explained the Church Minister, Rev. Fere.

From the American Samoa News Bulletin, Pago Pago Line Crew Superintendent John Otemai reported that the island wide power outage at around 4:00 this morning was due to a live bat that crossed the lines outside LBJ Tropical Medical Centre. The bat hit the wires at the connection of lines from the Satala and the Tafuna power plants at 34,000 volts causing an automatic shutoff at both plants. American Samoa Power Authority crewmen who were out in the field trying to locate the problem were notified by hospital security men about the bat and immediately worked to restore power.

From the American Samoa News Bulletin, Pago Pago, reporting a swearing-in ceremony of government officials Before the swearing-in, Governor Lutali spoke on the job expected of the local officials as their duty to the government and the people of American Samoa. Lutali cited several publications off-island depicting American Samoa as an ugly place; several letters from tourists up at his office visitors unhappy with the unpleasant view of the island and conditions they were subjected to during their stay here. He is unhappy that the honor and dignity of the faa-Samoa is poorly portrayed and is viewed from the outside as an unpleasant country.

From an editorial on Palauans on the Move in Rengel Belau, Koror . . . This continuing trend of out-migration is shockingly affecting our society in many ways and I feel we the Palauans deserve to know more about it.

There are approximately 17,000 Palauans of which as much as 30 per cent no longer live in Palau. Of these 5000 plus Palauans going overseas for different reasons, a high percentage of them never return home. It is always a very sad episode whenever one takes a trip to visit relatives in the villages. The grass covered stone paths seem to narrate accounts of young people each year going away leaving the very old and the very young behind.

From The Fiji Times, Suva So-called mystery bogeymen in a black car have struck fear among schoolchildren and parents in the Western Division.

It is claimed they want to kidnap children and use some of their vital organs in a sacrifice.

Claims of the “men in the black car” have been around for many years but a fresh wave of fear has rolled up following several “sightings”.

But The Fiji Times could not find anyone who has actually seen the “bogeymen”.

A comment in Pitcairn Miscellany, Pitcairn Island on ships that faii to stop 18th ... “...?” Passed without stopping or making radio contact. “Edith M”, a Danish explosives carrier stopped for one hour en route from Panama to Geelong, Australia. The Captain asked if we were interested in firearms. Unfortunately, the smallest calibre weapon he was carrying was 50 mm. However, it would have been ideal to set up on shore to fire across the bows of vessels who don’t want to stop.

Grass Roots, in the PNG Post-Courier, has his unusal view of the Queen’s 1985 message to Commonwealth youth to “seize hold of modern technology and communication. . ."