pacific report
pp. 6-7 · Read in the full issue
Soviets Back Nuclear
Free Zone Flan
The Soviet Union supported the declara tion of a South Pacific nuclear free zone and would start immediate talks on reducing naval activity in the area. The statement was issued by the Soviet embassy in Wellington in the name of the Russian leader Mr Mikhail Gorbachev.
However the statement did not say with whom the talks would be held nor did it make clear whether Russia would sign the protocols attached to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty. Mr Gorbachev also said the Soviet Union wished to extend ties with “the youngest independent participants in the region’s political life.” However US spokesmen remained sceptical about the Gor bachev speech. The US view is still that Moscow’s plans in the regions are "purely disruptive.”
Countries Agree
On Salt Deal
Five Pacific countries have reach agree ment to buy solar salt, a new export product from Kiribati being mass pro duced on Christmas Island. Fiji, Hawaii, American Samoa and Western Samoa have agreed to import about 20,000 tonnes of the salt following negotiations with a promotional team from Kiribati.
The team also hopes to conclude deals with Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and New Zealand.
Private Hospital
Plan Approved
The Fiji government has approved a plan to build a major private hospital in Suva.
The one-hundred bed hospital will be run by the US-based Mercy International Health Services and will cost $lO million.
The hospital is also intended to serve as a medical training centre, in co-opera tion with the Fiji School of Medicine and other South Pacific institutions.
Refugees ‘Ready To
Go Home’
Up to one third of the Irian Jayans now living in refugee camps in Papua New Guinea are ready to return to their homes across the border, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The 10,000 Irian Jayans crossed the border in 1984 following clashes between inde pendentist OPM guerrillas and Indone sian authorities. A new UNHCR report says more than 600 have already re turned voluntarily this year. However, although one third are ready to return, another third will return only if their safety can be guaranteed.
Teachers Protest At
‘Rough Treatment
The Australian Teachers Federation has formally protested to the French embas sy in Canberra over what it described as the intimidation of an official in New Caledonia. The federation's deputy gen eral secretary, Mr Richard Walsham, said he was searched and questioned by officials at Noumea’s Tontouta airport when leaving the territory. He said officials had photocopied his diary con taining names and addresses, confis cated a cassette tape and asked him who he had seen during his visit.
Walsham said he had been to the territory to discuss a possible aid prog ram with Kanak schools. He said he met with teachers, trade unionists and what he described as militant members of the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front. The federation has requested an apology, the return of the tape and a promise that those named in the diary would not be harassed.
Cash Aid For
Credit Unions
American Catholic Relief Services (CRS) signed a four year grant agreement with the South Pacific Association of Credit Unions totalling U 55250,000. The CRS grant is designed to provide new and existing credit union leagues throughout the South Pacific with technical assist
ance and special start-up services. The project co-ordinator is Professor Jose Avila of the Bergengren Credit Union Training Centre in Suva.
New Shipping
Route Discovered
The Australian Navy announced the discovery of a new shipping route off the north coast of PNG. Helped by satellite photographs, the Navy ship, Flinders, found the new passage through the Star reef between Ward Hunt Strait and the northern port of Lae. The new route could cut 30 to 40 nautical miles off journeys between the southern coast and Lae and about 160 nautical miles off journeys between Australia and PNG.
The route would also be strategically important in time of war.
Eec Grant To
Improve Airports
The European Commission has approved a grant of US$5 million to assist the development of South Pacific air communications. The three and a half year program will help upgrade five airports: Nausori (Fiji), Bonriki (Kiribati), Fua’amotu (Tonga), Funafuti (Tuvalu) and Bauerfield (Vanuatu).
Athletes May Be
Compensated
PNG prime minister Mr Paias Wingti said he would consider reimbursing the country’s athletes for the expense and effort in training for the Commonwealth Games. Mr Wingti stopped the PNG team from attending the Edinburgh games in protest at Britain’s lack of commitment to economic sanctions against South Africa.
Labour Party
Would Nationalise
The first annual convention of the Fiji Labour Party heard that a Labour gov ernment would nationalise the gold min ing industry, public transport and the country’s tuna cannery. Party president, Dr Timoci Bavadra told the Lautoka convention that nationalisation would boost the domestic economy and that public transport was too important to be left to the private sector. He also called for a more equitable distribution of land and indicated that a special body to monitor the activities of the Native Land Trust Board would be considered. The Labour Party is backed by the majority of the country’s trade unions.
TOP: Refugees arrive in Vanimo in 1984.
Now some may be ready to return to Irian Java.
ABOVE: After the cyclone a child in terror at the scene of destruction in a Solomon Islands village.
Shopkeepers Unhappy
Over Tax
Shopkeepers in Tonga are reported to be unhappy at having to act as tax collectors for the government through the new sales tax. The retailers have to collect the tax and then pass it on to the authorities. The shopkeepers feel the work should be done by public servants.
Plan To Boost
Agriculture
Papua New Guinea prime minister Mr Paias Wingti announced a $2OO million program to boost the country’s agricultu ral output. He said the money would be spent over four years on research, extension services and the development of food production. All sectors of the rural economy would receive an alloca tion, he said.
Garment Makers
‘Unable To Pay’
An inquiry into Fiji’s garment industry concluded that the industry could not afford to pay a wage rate of 90 cents per hour. The inquiry recommended, how ever, that a rate of 65 cents for adults and 55 cents for trainees should be set.
Girls Demanded
In Compensation
A tribe in PNG's Western Highlands province has demanded heavy com pensation from another clan for the death of one of its members. The Maki clan asked the Kisu clan for A 548,000 in cash, 100 pigs, 10 cassowaries and two young girls. The Makis said the inclusion of the two girls would found an everlasting friendship between the two clans.
Tuna Talks
In Deadlock
South Pacific island nations and the United States failed to reach agreement on a multilateral tuna fishing treaty. A meeting in Rarotonga ended with the islands and the USA still at loggerheads over fees for access to tuna fisheries.
The US had offered US$lO million for Pacific-wide fishing rights an offer some island states consider unaccept able. The parties hoped to meet again this month.
New Airline
Takes Off
Cook Islands International airline was launched last month. The new airline will fly a weekly service between Sydney and Rarotonga. The airline is wholly
owned by the Cook Islands Government who have signed an agreement with Ansett Airlines to operate, manage and market the venture. Ansett is providing a new generation Boeing 767 with crews.
The aircraft seats up 30 business and 181 economy class passengers. The one-way business class fare from Syd ney to Rarotonga is A 51,051 and the economy class fare As9l4. Flying time from Sydney is six hours.
Three Png Ministers
Quit
The Papua New Guinea government announced a third ministerial resigna tion in three days. Prime minister, Mr Paias Wingti, said the minister for lands, Mr Paul Torato, had been asked to resign following allegations of malprac tice. The allegations relate to lands matters near the giant gold prospect at Porgera in Enga, for which Torato is also MP. He was also head of the United Party group in PNG’s five-party coali tion. Torato was to stand down while the allegations were investigated. Wingti earlier announced the resignations of education minister, Mr Arum Matiabe and environment minister, Mr Tom Muliap. Both were awaiting the outcome of court proceedings against them.
Matiabe’s case involved alleged mis appropriation, while Muliap’s concerned alleged drunken driving.
Uni Wants
Forum Bloc
Vanuatu prime minister, Fr Walter Lini, told the South Pacific Forum in Suva that he wanted to see forum countries join the non-aligned bloc and speak out on
international issues beyond the region.
Uni said that until the forum took a position on such issues as recognising the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO), it could not be regarded as a political group in a specific area of the world. Uni said that, with the decision to refer the question of independence for New Caledonia to the United Nations Decol onisation Committee, the forum should also press for independence for the other French territories of French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna. He said the forum should also campaign for independence for Irian Jaya and East Timor. New Zealand prime minister, Mr David Lange, however, said the value of the forum lay in its concentration on the political, economic and social deve lopment of the region. Lange said that if Vanuatu wanted to turn the forum into a mini-United Nations, then New Zealand would not attend the meetings.
Somare Looks
To Japan
Papua New Guinea’s opposition leader, Mr Michael Somare, wants more in volvement by Japan in the development of the South Pacific. Somare said Japan’s advanced technology could be used to assist small island nations develop their natural resources. He was speaking after meeting the outgoing Japanese ambassador to PNG, Mr Taniguchi who said Japan wanted to further develop the fisheries resources of the island states and welcomed requests for help from the smaller island states in that area,
Clampdown On
Blue Movies
Police in Vanuatu are clamping down on video hire shops for possession of obscene video tapes. Two shop oper ators one in Port Vila and another in Santo were fined for possession.
Police in Luganville destroyed 25 tapes while 50 were seized in Port Vila.
ABOVE: Fr. Walter Lini ... wants forum countries to join the non-aligned move ment and speak out on world issues.
ABOVE RIGHT: PNG lands minister, Paul
Torato ... resigned pending an investiga
tion of alienations of malpractice. FAR RIGHT: PNG opposition leader Michael Somare . . . wants to see Japan help the smaller nations of the South Pacific.