Island Press

Reports from the island papers. By John Carter

From the Papua New Guinea Post Courier, Port Moresby

LOYALTY to a close friend went beyond the limits when Moli Peliti of ’Utulau, a clerk at the Agricultural Office at ’Eua, broke into prison to free a close friend of his.

According to reports, Moli broke into prison, just after his friend was jailed and his two jailers had left to go on patrol. Peliti is awaiting trial.

From the Times of Tonga

FIJI’S rum exports to New Zealand are imperilled because New Zealand wants its maturation period increased from one to two years.

“This is absurd. I haven’t got any two year-old rum,” the general manager of South Pacific Distilleries Ltd, Ratu Viliame Dreunimisimisi, said.

From The Fiji Times, Suva

THE Mount Hagen Town Authority’s campaign against littering in the town has landed two women in jail for two weeks each for spitting betelnut in the street.

The women, Anna Okait and Akipit Pipamp, are the first people to be jailed under strict new littering rules which came into force three months ago.

They were jailed after failing to pay a spot fine of K2O each when they were

caught by rules inspectors.

From the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby TRIBAL fighting in the Highlands has now taken another turn modern firearms are being used instead of the traditional spears and bows and arrows.

In the Tambul area of Western High lands, warriors are reported to be using more than 100 guns. And in Chimbu Province, more guns are being used in fights now than ever before.

Police say they are alarmed at the huge number of high-powered rifles, shotguns and pistols that are being used in the different fights.

From the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby PLANS to have athletes tested for dop ing during the South Pacific Games here in 1991 have been hatched in Port

Moresby.

The secretary general of the PNG Sports Federation, John Dawanincura, revealed this, saying ground works for the move were well under way.

He said PNG was planning towards it in order to deter athletes from taking steroids.

“Prevention is better than cure,” he said. “We are planning towards it but a lot will depend on funding to get it off

the ground.”

From the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby