Briefs

PNG (aces SUS 4.2 m food bill Papua New Guinea’s provincial and local level government minister, Simon Kaumi, has said that a total of K 6.4 million (sUS4.2million) was required every month to feed 650,000 people in the worst drought and frost-affected parts of the country. He said some of the worst affect ed areas were located in high altitude regions of Central, Gulf, Western Highlands, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, Morobe and West Sepik provinces as well as coastal Madang, He said with the El Nino effect gaining momentum in the Asia-Pacific region, the drought situation in PNG was worsening. Kaumi said this had a great impact on the people who were affected in various areas and the demands for the provisions of immediate relief and assistance were increasing daily.

Kl46m (arm losses forecast (or 1998 The Rural Industries Council of PNG has said that government was expected to lose more than K 146 illionm (SUS9B million) in revenue from the agriculture sector if the

continues. Council chairman Peter Colton said the shortfall from various industries included cattle K 930,000 ($U5624,000); cocoa K 36 million (SUS 24 million); coffee K 75 million (5U550.33 million); copra Kll million (SUS7.3B million); oil palm K 18.3 million (SUS 12.28 million); rubber K 3 million (SUS 2 million); sugar K 6.6 million (.$U54.43 million); tea KlO mil lion (SUS6.7I million) and fruits and veg etables K 3.5 million (5U52.35 million).

Weekly newspaper launched A weekly newspaper known as The Fangufangumana, has been launched in Tonga. Editor Inoke Masima said the reli gious based newspaper will avoid political influences and discussion. He said content will focus on women, youth, cultural issues and religious stories. The newspaper will be compiled in Tonga and printed in New Zealand by Kalafi Moala, editor and pub lisher of The Times of Tonga.

Chan wins order to halt Cairns report Papua New Guinea’s Ombudsman

Commission has been ordered by the National Court to stop the distribution and publication of its report into the KlB mil lion (SUSI 2 million) purchase of the con troversial Cairns Conservatory Building.

Former prime minister Sir Julius Chan suc cessfully sought an injunction pending judicial review of the report’s findings.

Chan alleged the report obtained derogatory adverse comments against him and that he had not had any say during the investigation period.

Vohor rescinds plans to lease aircraft Vanuatu Prime Minister Serge Vohor has instructed the management and staff of the national carrier, Air Vanuatu, to cancel plans to lease a Saab 2000 aircraft current ly on hold for the airline in Europe. He has said to instead purchase a French made ATR plane for an estimated SUSIS million

including spareparts.

Reports have said that the pressure from Vohor had worried some of the airline’s management who said the offer on the SAAB was an excellent package including

maintenance, spareparts and engineering.

They said that the lease agreement would allow them to build up their market for a few years before deciding on a long term

plan.

Two years ago, Vanuatu decided against buying an ATR aircraft on the grounds that it was unsuitable for the airline’s future requirement. Reports said Vohor wanted Air Vanuatu to “buy French” to repay the French government for offering to finance a French university complex in Vanuatu.

CNAi lawsuit against governor-elect

A lawsuit has been filed in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Superior Court challenging the eli gibility of Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio to take office as governor for a third term.

Tenorio, who served two terms in the 80s, took the position that since the two term limit amendment became effective at the same time as his second term (1986) it could not be applied retroactively.

The challengers have used the exact wording of the constitutional amendment that “No governor shall serve more than two terms” as the basis for their suit. In the November 1 election, former governor Tenorio took a commanding lead - 46 per cent over his two challengers, incumbent governor Froilan Teorio, 27 percent and incumbent Lt governor Jesus Borja, 26 per cent.

Inauguration of the new government, both legislative and executive branches have been scheduled for January 9.

Officer banned from village A top Samoan government official has been banned from his village for ignoring a village council decision over a chiefly title.

Deputy parliamentary leader speaker, Mulitalo Siafausa, a high chief from Lano village and several other villagers will be affected by this decision which came into

effect immediately.

The action has meant that Siafausa’s title and position as a member of parlia ment were no longer recognised by his electorate, although it is unlikely to affect his standing within the ruling party.

The village council said that attempts by Siafausa to overturn the ruling prevent ing him from handing titles to 11 members of his extended family, meant they were left with no choice but to ban him and his supporters.

Under the controversial Village Fono

Act, village councils have wide-ranging powers including banishing individuals or families which do not follow council proto col or decisions.

Hospital bailed out of financial problems The Solomon Islands and New Zealand governments have rushed to the rescue of Atoifi Hospital, one of Solomon’s biggest hospital, which was facing closure due to financial difficulties. The government has provided SUS2B,OOO as emergency fund ing to enable the Seventh-day Adventist Church run hospital to continue its much needed services to the people of East Malaita and throughout the Malaita

province.

The New Zealand government provided $U547,000 for the hospital’s school of nursing. Earlier this year, doctors, nurses and other staff members from the hospital travelled to Honiara where they fundraised to keep the hospital from closing down.

PNG's new governor general The Papua New Guinea parliament has elected Silas Atopare as the country’s sev enth governor general. Atopare 46, from the Eastern Highlands, replaces Sir Wiwa Koroi.

Five candidates, including Sir Wiwa who was seeking a second term, were nom inated by various factions in parliament.

Sir Wiwa was the first to be eliminated from the race because he could not muster the constitutionally required 73 votes majority to qualify for re-election. In the final vote, Atopare received 54 votes to win against the head of the Lutheran Church, Sir Getake Gam.

Opposition dumps leader

Cook Islands opposition party has dumped Norman George as its leader.

Reports said the party dumped him follow ing his refusal to apologise to a traditional leader in a debate over political reform.

Hardline leader re-elected Caledonian Union, (UC) the main sepa ratist party in New Caledonia has re-elect ed Bernard Lepeu as leader. The hardline Lepeu was re-elected during a congress of the party which was held ahead of a planned referendum over the political future of the country. The UC is the leading party in the pro-independence Kanak Socialist Liberation Front (FLNKS), which has been blockading five nickel mines in

the country run by the French nickel group Eramet.

The FLNKS is pressing for a nickel pro cessing plant in the separatist controlled northern province of New Caledonia and want Eramet, which controls all the territo ry’s nickel mines and its sole processing factory, to allow a supply for the second plant.

Lepeu and other leaders have been in the forefront of the protests, which led to the effective shutdown of Eramet’s nickel mining operations.

Supporters of the campaign threw out from their posts FLNKS president Roch Wamytan and the vice president Leopold Joredie, who is also the leader of the north ern province, following their opposition to the blockades.

The UC congress discussed tactics over the Matignon Accords, drawn up in 1988, which provide for a referendum on the future governing of the territory this year.

French company plans a resort in Fiji French developers DB Group Asia Pacific Ltd has announced plans for a major resort complex on Fiji’s famous Natadola Beach early this year subject to official approval. The Natadola Beach on the west coast of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu has been earmarked as a high priority tourism area in the country.

But tourism officials said they were wary of beginning any projects there unless it had a high certainty of being finished.

They said that the area was of exceptional scenic and environmental value and a half finished scheme would irretrievably dam age it. The tourism industry also believed a large scale integrated resort style develop ment was envisaged by the French group would not suit the area which lacked good infrastructure.

But the DB group showed that they were anxious to go ahead with the project and its tourism and hotel investment con sultant was in Fiji negotiating the purchase of land from the native owners for the hotel site. The group plans a SUS6O million upmarket hotel to be managed by the Four Seasons Hotel company which has already bought out the Regent chain of hotels.

The hotel is to be the first phase of a complex including two smaller hotels, an international standard gold course, a mari na, condominium and a handicraft and entertainment village over a 30-hectare site. ■