Pacific

Islands

Monthly

Vol. 66 No. 11

The News Magazine

November 1996

PUBLISHER: Alan Robinson EDITOR: Manivannan Naidu SENIOR WRITER: Bernadette Hussein

Correspondents:

David North, Sam Vulum lan Williams, Liz Thompson, Atama Raganivatu, Sally Andrew, Patrick Decloitre, Chris Peteru COLUMNISTS: David Barber (Wellington), Jemima Garrett (Sydney), Alfred Sasako (The Forum), Debbie Singh (South Pacific Commission).

GRAPHIC ARTIST: James Ranuku

Advertising Sales

Senior Regional Sales (South Pacific) Shailendra Kumar Emmett Simpson Te1(679) 304111,303429, Fax(679)303809.

Sydney, Canberra: Bob Hill Media Representation, Tel (61-2) 4164245, Fax (61-2) 4165064.

Brisbane: Jane Fewings Media and Advertising Associates Tel (61-7) 3378 4522, Fax (61-7) 3878 1071.

Adelaide: Hastwell Williamsons Representatives, Tel (61-8) 3799522, Fax (61-8) 3799735.

Melbourne: Brown Orr Fletcher Burrows (Aust) Pty Ltd.

Tel (61-3) 98265188, Fax (61-3) 98265644.

Auckland: McKay & Bowman, International Media Representatives Limited, Tel (64-9) 4190561, Fax (64-9) 4192243.

Japan: Universal Media Corporation, Tokyo, Tel (3)3266626741, Cable: UNI-MEDIA Tokyo, Fax (3) 32626742.

Pacific Islands Monthly was founded in

1930 (Usps 9522480).

A Fiji Times Limited production.

Cover prices are recommended retail only. Registered by Australia Post, Publication No. NBPI2IO. © Copyright Fiji Times Limited, 177 Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji.

Tel (679) 304111, fax (679) 303809.

Pacific Islands Monthly is published monthly by Fiji Times Limited, a division of Nationwide News, 2 Holt Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010.

Send Address Changes To:

Pacific Islands Monthly PO Box 1167 Suva, Fiji.

Typeset and printed by The Fiji Times Limited, 177 Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji.

Inside

5: Letters 10: France ratifies SPNFZ Treaty protocols 11: The end of the nuclear age? 12: Abortion - bottling up the issue 14: Laughter... the best medicine 17: PNG’s guns-for drugs trade on rise 19: Finance ministers wined, dined ... and lectured 21: Foreign ownership in the Cook Islands 23: New Caledonia’s nickel rush 28: NZ’s state of limbo 32: Wages of corruption 49: Jay soars to stardom 51: Festival of Arts unveils its treasures 55: In time with tradition 57: Baguettes and bureacracy

Feature

33: Telecommunications

Special Reports

Sian of

25 me

w times?

Tonga’s imprisonment of journalists and MR for contempt of parliament ruled unconstitutional and illegal

45 Vanuatu’s

coup

The VMFs coup-like actions in the name of unpaid allowances have been forgiven the “Melanesian way”. But beneath the apparent calm, the Island state views uneasily what could be a dangerous precedent

Views

6: Alfred Sasako: Region’s hopes lifted 7: Jemima Garrett: The great Australian barrier... of racism 8: David Barber: Economic reforms finally a reality 9: Debbie Singh: Stirring up the band

Sport

47: Perelini - rugby’s Terminator