The Island Press

Reports from the papers, compiled by John Carter.

SIR, I don’t mind the devaluation of the Fiji dollar, but I decry the devaluation of the individual person as a result of the arbitrary arrests, security searches and detentions being carried out under the present state of emergency in the country.

These indignities against our fellow countrymen and visitors must stop at once if “normalcy” is not to be considered as nonsense.

A letter in The Fiji Times from Rajend Naid j, of Yalalevu, Ba, A VILLAGE court magistrate was killed at Yakanamba village near Wabag late yesterday. He was chopped into pieces and laid across a road following a tribal fight between Kisanda and Sankarip clansmen.

Wabag police said last night the fight flared up after a dispute over a woman and the two clans were now locked in bitter fight ing. The magistrate is the fourth to have died and 30 others are in Sopas Hos pital, near Wabag following a number of tribal fights in four different places in Enga Province.

From the Papua New Guinea Post- Courier , Port Moresby.

HOT AUGUST this Saturday Nite will be the hottest Disco ever!!; from 7 till late at the Staff Amenities Centre. Features: Plenty of Nutritious Food and for the “Hot Tastes” Hot Curry draught beer at very cheep price and complementry drinks for ladies prizes will be awarded for: Hottest Dancer, Hottest Pants/Dress, Plus surprise prizes. Music will be driven by THE HOTTEST DJ in Lae “DR ROOTS

And His Works”.

From The Reporter , news bulletin of the PNG University of Technology, Lae.

CONSIDERABLE discussion centred around the seemingly high cost of air fares to Western Samoa. Some participants felt that this would hamper the growth of tour

ism in the country. However, the critics were finally persuaded that the fares were quite in keeping with international travel and that cheap fares would only invite “a low standard of tourists to the country”.

As one participant put it, “Cheap fares bring cheap tourists.”

From a report in The Samoa Times on a tourism marketing workshop in Apia.

A YOUNG Siassi islander has been charged in court with murdering a mother.

It happened, it was alleged, at a “prayer” meeting when Jesus was supposed to have instructed the members to have sex “to go to heaven”. Barnabas Pasang Kamo, 19, from Masebe village, who appeared be fore Lae District Court yesterday, is al leged to have kicked and punched Amele Anui, of the same village, causing her to die instantly during the meeting, which involved singing and prayers.

From the Papua New Guinea Post- Courier , Port Moresby.

CHURCH LEADERS in Papua New Guinea have condemned high bride prices. A meeting of Bishops from the Ro man Catholic, Anglican and United churches criticised high brideprices, say ing that they lead to an increase in a “dis missive attitude” towards legal marriage among the young. The bishops described brideprice as an honourable tradition that was being exploited and degraded to a level of a business transaction, and called on the Government to set a reasonable limit.

From the Papua New Guinea Post- Courier , Port Moresby.

FINANCE MINISTER George Kejoa has warned all Government Ministries not to ask for more money because he is not pre pared to consider such requests while the Solomon Islands economy is still in an un healthy situation. He referred to the Min

istries as a 15-headed monster devouring all around him. He picked out the Public Service as the largest single consumer of recurrent expenditure. The main target of the Government is to reduce the amount it spends on the public servants, he said.

From the Solomon Islands' The Nius , Honiara.

A CHURCH-GOER, married, or celibate and with no illegitimate children: that’s what PNG’s new leaders should be, it has been claimed. Wewak MP and deputy chairman of the Melanesian Alliance, Mr Bernard Narokobi, said unquestionable qualities were needed to lead the nation into the year 2000. “These qualities in clude a strong commitment to Christian values. Each leader must go to church reg ularly and fulfil his Christian obligations not just say I am a Christian and do nothing about it.

From the Papua New Guinea Post- Courier , Port Moresby.

THE FIRST furniture factory and pho tography studio for Ha’apai were recently opened by Mr Pelenato Fifita’ila Fale maka of Pangai. Located at his residence, a kilometre from Pangai’s business centre, his firm, known as Manava’ofa Enter prises, also provides draughting services for those wanting housing construction plans... Mr Falemaka said that those who cannot pay cash for his products and serv ices can barter with such traditional items as mats, tapa, and foodstuffs. Self-taught in his fields, Mr Falemaka once used empty beer tins with mortar to provide his residence, now housing the new public fa cilities as well.

From the Tonga Chronicle.

Papua New Guinea Post-Courier’s Grass Roots comments on daily life in Papua New Guinea.