of cyclone aid

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Concern over use of cyclone aid

ANEW Zealand television fund raising program raised more than NZ$l million (A 5720,000) for Western Samoa last month, and the New Zealand government pledged to match the amount.

But critics have voiced concern about how the government’s share of the money will be distributed. David Cuthbert,

spokesman for Cyclone Val appeal organisers, said appeal and Samoan community representatives would over see distribution of publicly donated money. It was unclear whether the amount pledged by the government would go into the same pool or be sent directly to the Samoan government. The latter would raise concern, Cuthbert was quoted as saying in the Dominion Sunday Times newspaper. He cited problems associated with Cyclone Ofa relief money which reportedly was distributed to villagers just before local elections rather

than handed out on the basis of individl ual need.

Opposition to Expo

STRONG opposition has been expressec in the Solomon Islands parliament ove; participation in the world exposition ii Spain from April 20 to October 12. Call for the Solomons to withdraw have beei made by former Opposition leader Andrew Nori, and Opposition spokes man for foreign affairs, Francis Saemala Nori said the country cannot afford th< U 55230,000 needed to participate ii Spain, and Saemala said the Solomoi Islands “will not receive an iota o benefit” from it.

Explosives found at Uni A LARGE quantity of explosives wa discovered at the University of Papu; New Guinea in Port Moresby last month The university’s chief security officer Mike Moore-Bassy, says several boxes o live explosives were found in one of th( rooms of the education faculty.

Moore-Bassy said he believed the deton ators had been purposely placed to blov up the university library during th< student unrest in June last year.

Juvenile-crime rise JUVENILE crimes are reported to b( prevalent throughout Tonga. This wa: one of the concerns raised during th< annual general conference of Tonga’: police magistrates in Nuku’alofa las month. The meeting revealed tha youths ranging from 11 to 20 years ok have often appeared in court on charge; of house-breaking and theft.

Unions oppose Fiji decrees THE European Community has beer urged to suspend aid and trade privilege; to Fiji under the Lome Convention aftei the interim government was alleged tc have violated human rights in the country. The call was made by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the Eur opean Trade Union Confederatior (ECTU) as the overseas unions continue to mount pressure on the interim admin istration to rescind the decree: promulgating the new labour legislation The new legislation was enforced ai the start of November. According tc government gave a greater degree o;< democracy to unions, but the Fiji Trades Union Congress says the new legislation has been enforced to destroy the trade union movement in Fiji.

Fijian editor

JALE MOALA has been appointed the first Fijian editor of the Fiji Times daily newspaper. Moala has been editor ol< News Ltd’s Suva-based Pacific Islands'.

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