Made in Samoa

THIS newest line of giftware comes from Apia where LMP Industries has introduced a new image under the banner of Pottery of Polynesia. The first export consignment was sent to Tonga where it is being sold through the Friendly Is-

lands Marketing Co-op. The other major

outlet is Polynesian Picks, in Pago Pago, which has a shop in town and another at the airport. “We are looking at establishing the line in Fiji and the Cook Islands,” said LMP Industries managing director Apete Meredith.

Meredith started his business nearly a year ago with dinnerware and orna-

Extra Nadi-Japan service AIR Pacific is to introduce a second weekly service between Fiji and Japan next year. This was announced after a board meeting which also approved the replacement of the airline’s Boeing 737, with the choice being between an Airbus A3lO-300 or Boeing 767-200 ER.

ments. When he looked into the souve nir market he found a need for regional souvenirs. “Visitors want to take home a souvenir from within the region they are visiting, but more importantly, some thing made in the region,” said Mere dith. He finally introduced his Pottery of Polynesia line after experimenting with firing methods and different clay mix tures. At present his Pottery of Polynesia collection is limited to beer steins and coffee mugs. He is looking at making ceramic speciality containers and ceramic

jewellery. D

Guam Hyatt plan

THE giant Japanese corporation, EIE, is

to build a SUSISO million luxury resort at Tumon Bay on Guam. The resort will be two miles from the island’s interna tional airport and will have a prime beach front. The 484-room hotel is due for completion in late 1992.

Paper localisation plan PAPUA New Guinea’s Communication Minister, Brown Sinamoi, is seeking soft loans and government aid to localise the ownership of the two national daily papers, the Post-Courier and Niugini News .

Sinamoi said he wanted to see Papua New Guineans working for a company that was returning profits to themselves.

Taxing inefficiency A UNITED States Department of Interior audit has found that American Samoa is losing an estimated US$2 million a year because of inefficient taxation collection. The report said this shortfall prevented the territory from reaching its goal of self-sufficiency. ... . . ...

Air Niugini flies new route PAPUA New Guinea’s national will be flying once a week to Guam, replacing one of the two weekly flights on the route by Continental Airlines. The airline will suspend its unprofitable Port Moresby-Townsville service. The use of aircraft to fly to Guam is intended to link in with United States tourist traffic, with Air Niugini hoping to get more Americans to fly down from Guam as part of a Pacific tour.

Kiribati trade deficit KIRIBATI seems locked into continuing

high trade deficits, having just

announced a shortfall on the current account for last year of US$l6 million.

The result came even after good income from both fish and copra exports. The import bill totalled $22 million, while receipts for exports reached $6 million.

New fishing rules FISHING ventures in Papua New Guinea will, in the future, have to involve 50 per cent national ownership, the government in Port Moresby has decided. The Fisheries and Marine Resources Department now requires foreign fishing companies to also train local people and to build permanent infrastructure in the provinces where they operate. The new policy was announced in the light of Taiwanese and Soviet dis cussions on fisheries agreements with Papua New Guinea.

Solomons harvest seaweed SEAWEED is being harvested in the Solomon Islands for the first time, the result of a British aid project. Nine more farms are to be established and trial projects are under way in lagoon areas.

Fiji seeks more investment FIJI’S Trade and Investment Board has been on the move seeking investment from further abroad, with a delegation visiting Israel, West Germany, Italy, Bel gium and Britain. The board is promot ing the country on the basis that Fiji has special market access by treaty to the Au stralian, New Zealand, United States, Canadian and Japanese markets.

Kiribati shares for sale SHARES in the mostly government owned Abamakora Trading Company are to be sold by the Development Bank of Kiribati in line with the policy of en couraging private participation in state enterprises. The shares in the importing and distributing company will be sold to Kiribati nationals both at home and those living abroad.

Hawaii-Fiji route talks HAWAIIAN Airlines has been talking to the Fiji government about a direct air service between the two countries oper ated by the Hawaiian carrier. The air line’s sales vice-president John Sturney met with Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister David Pickering in Suva. Furth er talks are expected this month.

Food plan for Kiribati AN Asian Development Bank consultant has urged that Kiribati grow more perennial crops and raise more livestock in an effort to cut the country’s food import bill. Kiribati current spends about US$6 million on food imports, mainly rice, flour and meat.

Cooks power plan A FRENCH Polynesian company is to upgrade the Cook Islands’ electric power supply system at a cost of US$4.B mil liion. The agreement follows a visit by Prime Minister Geoffrey Henry to Tahiti

recently.

Dry spell in Samoa A CONTINUING dry spell in Western Samoa has affected about 40 per cent of the coconut plantations on the western side of the island of Savai’i. Trees have been damaged and about 10 per cent of seedlings in coconut nurseries have been lost.

Samoa now on FM WESTERN Samoa has a second radio station. In addition to the government owned 2AP on the medium wave band, a private station is broadcasting on the FM band. It is expected the programmes will finally be heard in all parts of Samoa.

Voicing island needs WESTERN Samoa’s Finance Minister, Tuilaepa Malielegaoi, said the World Bank and International Monetary Fund should take special account of the need of smaller nations. These economies were extremely open, vulnerable to ex ternal shocks and handicapped by li mited access to development funds. The minister, speaking at a joint meeting of the bank and IMF, said the Pacific eco nomies continued to be dominated by increasing trade deficits as a result of rising import bills and low export in come.

Brewery dumping stopped FRENCH Polynesia’s Environment Ministry has ordered the Hinano Brew ery in Papeete to stop dumping its waste in a nearby river. Fish and marine life have been killed, and a recent dry period had made the pollution worse, the government said.

PNG’s new land rules FOREIGNERS in Papua New Guinea will be required to register all the land they own under legislation to be intro duced next year, with forfeiture being the penalty for failure to do so. Lands Minister Kala Swokin said the law would apply both to individuals and companies.

Banaba phosphate study LOCAL leaders and an Australian com pany, Roche Brothers, are looking at the

resumption of phosphate mining on

Banaba Island after an 11-year gap.

They believe that substantial amounts of phosphate remain on the island.

Japan signals more aid THE Japanese government has indicated it will make technical aid to Pacific coun tries a major priority, according to Fiji’s Primary Industries Minister, Viliame Gonelevu. The minister made the state ment when announcing an effort to up grade the country’s fisheries industry, in cluding improvements at the Lautoka fishing port which was built with Japanese financial assistance.

Tonga exports up ALTHOUGH recording a trade deficit of T 526.3 million for the first six months of the year, Tonga’s good news was the exports went up 41 per cent while imports dropped by five per cent.

The export rise occurred mainly in the sales of vanilla, manufactured goods and root crops. The United States bought a third of the vanilla 20 tonnes valued at Tsl.6 million.

Kiribati’s energy hope EXPERTS from the University of Hawaii are to study whether an ocean thermal energy plan is possible in Kiribati. The system uses the difference in surface and deep water temperatures to generate

electricity.

Fiji orange shortage SEVERAL soft drink companies and the citrus Juice operator, Fiji Citrus, have been affected by a shortage of oranges this season. High local demand for fresh oranges from the annual harvest was the main cause of the shortage.

Tonga Commodities changes TONGA’S Commodities Board is to be appointed by the King, rather than by election of nobles and growers, under

proposals being considered by the Gov

ernment. Legislation will provide for capital of Tss million, with the govern ment being the main shareholder, although private individuals will also be able to become shareholders. Priorities for the new administration will include

strengthening of produce marketing.

More cuts in PNG NATIONAL ministeries, portfolios and provincial governments are all likely to suffer under new financial restraints being considered by the Papua New Guinea government as a result of the Bougainville copper mine closure. Some central government departments may be axed, and some ministers may lose their

jobs as portfolios are amalgamated. The

government is also reportedly serious ab out further drastic cuts in the provincial government grants.

New food priority FOOD production is to be given priority for the next five years, signalling a major shift in emphasis away from tree crops in Papua New Guinea’s economic plan ning. The government is anxious to slash the annual K6O million rice import bill.

Agriculture and Livestock minister Galen Lang said he was concerned also with the high volumes of fruit, vegetables and other food items entering the country.

Several new rice plantations were to be brought into production. Export tree crop spending is expected to be capped at present levels or even reduced

slightly.

The announcement coincided with a visit to Port Moresby of a delegation from Taiwan who were exploring the

possibility of investing in agriculture,

forestry and fisheries. This would in clude introducing new technology to Papua New Guinea farmers. Lang said rice growing methods used in Taiwan might be adaptable to his country.