transitions

Nominated: Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Walter Lini has named Mr Edward Nipake as new Minister for Health in his nine member cabinet. Nipake, MP for the outer islands of the Southern District, replaces Mr Willie Korisa, who was re moved from the health portfolio by Father Lini last year. Korisa is now Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air Vanuatu.

Elected: The Kiribati House of Parliament has elected Mr Be reteitari Neeti as the new Speaker. Neeti is a retired Police Commissioner, and was elected in a secret ballot with 20 votes to the 19 of the former Speaker, Mr Mateita Teanier.

Sentenced: A former Governor of Guam, Mr Ricardo Bordallo, was sentenced to 30 years jail on bribery and other charges.

However, an American Federal Court sitting in the capital, Agana, ruled that Bordallo be eligible for parole after nine years- which he will serve in a US prison. Bordallo, 59, was convicted last month on 10 bribery, extortion, conspiracy and related charges. He was released on bail pending his appeal.

Knighted: The Cook Islands Queen’s Representative, His Excellency Tangaroa Tangar oa, received a knighthood from her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in Eng land.

Mr Tangaroa is the first Cook Islander to hold the two hon ours of a knighthood and MBE, and the first to be knighted at Buckingham Palace by the Queen.

Appointed: Well-known novel ist, short story writer and poet Albert Wendt will take up the Chair of New Zealand Litera ture in the English Department at Auckland University in 1988.

He will be the first Samoan and Pacific Islander to be appointed professor at any uni versity in New Zealand. Auck land University has four Chairs in English.

At present Wendt is Professor of Pacific Literature and Pro

Vice-Chancellor at the Univer sity of the South Pacific.

Appointed: Former PNG Police Minister, Mr Micah Wes, has been given the Lands and Physical Training portfolio, and former Lands Minister, Mr Vusi Tanao, has been appointed Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Forestry matters.

Moved to the post of Police Minister was Mr Paul Torato, who lost the portfolio of Forests in the minor cabinet reshuffle.

He was moved by the PM apparently to end the conflict between him and the Forest Industries Council.

Resigned: President of the PNG Forestry Industry Associa

tion Mr Mark Grace, following a request by the PM, Mr Wingti, that all members resign to allow an investigation into problems affecting the council.

Hospitalised: PNG Minister for Environment and Conserva tion, Mr Tom Muliap, in Port Moresby General Hospital, for a heart complaint.

Appointed: Journalism lecturer Mr Murray Masterton, to the University of the South Pacific, to run the USP‘s first course in journalism, Mr Masterton was previously a lecturer in journal ism at Deakin University, near Melbourne. The USP is also considering running a course on radio station operations.

Albert Wendt.