and a plea -

A bouquet and a plea from Paris

With my PIM subscription re newal I’d like to send you my congratulations on the quality of the information you convey (even concerning minor events), and for the general fairness of your judgments.

Moreover, there is often an informal quality to your maga zine which is particularly well suited to Pacific affairs.

However, as a New Caledo nian I find it sad that your coverage of the French-speak ing Pacific islands not only New Caledonia but French Polynesia and Wallis and Futu na lags far behind your coverage of English-speaking Pacific islands. I know that you do have reporters in Noumea and Papeete who are probably doing their best, and that there are many obstacles, including linguistic and administrative barriers, which do not make it easy for you to carry the interest quite as far as it should go on these topics. 1 know also that due to their political status as non-indepen dent countries, and to their language difference, the

French-speaking Pacific islands have not up to now had much chance of showing a lot of interest in the South Pacific region, or of feeling part of it.

However, recent trends show that things are changing in this regard, and your magazine could well take this opportunity to push toward a better integra tion of the French-speaking is lands in the Pacific community.

On the other hand, having had the chance to travel recent ly to many Pacific countries (Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Australia) I was pleased to see that most people are interested in what is going on in New Caledonia and Tahi ti, and wish to know more about it.

I hope these few remarks won’t be misunderstood be cause anyway, as I said at the beginning of this letter, I appreciate your magazine very much, and, what is more, being far away in Paris finishing a degree in political science, PIM is one of my only ways of keeping in touch with the Paci fic until I can go back there, which will be as soon as pos sible.

Bonne continuation,

Catherine Laplagne

Paris France