Transition

Arrived: Dr Arnold Van Niekerk in Port Moresby to commence work as Delegate of the Commission of the European Com munities (EEC). He will work with the PNG Government implementing the Lome Conventions on trade and devel opment. Dr Van Niekerk replaces Mr Robert Goldsmith.

Decorated: Private Luke Vukivuki of Yasawi-i-Rara for courage and heroic service in Southern Lebanon. Vukivuki received the Knight of the Legion of Hon our for rescuing three wounded French soldiers.

Established: The first Consulate in Australia of the Republic of Kiribati. The Sydney Consulate will be headed by Hon orary Consul Mr William Franken.

Signed: An agreement between Fiji coup leader Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka and New Litho Pty Ltd, a Melbourne publish ing company, giving the company the rights to publish the Colonel’s biography.

The company also won the rights to pro duce a documentary on Col Rabuka’s life and an option on the film rights on the book. It is understood the Colonel has been paid a retainer of $A50,000.

Appointed: Mr David Evans as New Zealand Consul General in New Cale donia with cross accreditation to French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna. Mr Evans recently served in Paris as Deputy Per manent Delegate to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Develop ment, and replaces Miss Sarah Dennis in New Caledonia.

Appointed: Mr Adrian Sincock as New Zealand Representative to the Cook Is lands. He takes over from Mr Lance Heath.

Mr Sincock was most recently Director of Personnel in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Wellington.

Appointed: Mr Kikuhiko Nishida to Executive Vice President of Tokyu Hotels International, operator of Pan Pacific Ho tels. A former Managing Director of the

Bank of Tokyo, Mr Nishida will control future hotel projects throughout the Greater Pacific Basin.

Appointed: Mr Peter Bassett as Aus tralian High Commissioner in Kiribati.

Appointed: Honolulu businessman John Henry Felix to a two-year term as the US Representative to the South Pacific Commission. The Commission is the 27member international support agency providing social, economic and technical assistance to 22 island nations.

Elected: Hon. Asi Eikeni Fruean has been elected chairman of the Pacific Is lands Association of Chambers of Com merce. The Hon Asi Eikeni is a Western Samoan businessman and member of Parliament. Newly-elected vice-chairmen are Mr Ronald Yea of Tonga and Mr Ken neth Walters of Cook Islands.

Died: Pedro C Sanchez, 62, Demo cratic member of the Guam Senate, in Ha waii on August 17 of internal bleeding. He was, at the time of his death, Chairman of the Federal, Foreign and Legal Affairs Committee of the Guam Senate, and Vice- Chair on the Guam Commission on Self Determination.

Died: Mr Raj Charan Bali, 59, on Au gust 18, who pioneered the book store business in Ba. Mr Bali ran the Ba Book Centre and served two terms as a Ba town councillor.

Died: Bhagat Singh Dausangh, 76, prominent Fiji businessman, in mid-Au gust. He established the Wailoku Bus Company and opened the first grocery shop in Naders.

Died: Bill Nolan, 55, known as the father of PNG broadcasting, of cancer in Port Moresby at the end of July. Nolan joined the ABC in Port Moresby in 1962 as an assistant program officer. He en couraged PNG music and radio plays written by Papua New Guineans about contemporary situations. He remained in radio until his death and was helpful to many PNG broadcasters throughout their careers.

Died: Dennis Walker, 43, of unknown causes in a Las Vegas, Nevada, motel room.

Walker was being sought by the Oregon Attorney General’s office for his involve ment in a pyramid scheme that promised more than 25 per cent interest in money deposited in the International Bank of the South Pacific, based in Nukualofa. □

Rabuka with New Litho’s Paul Daley