Briefs

Prayer for light

Aucklanders gathered early last month to pray to God for deliverance from the darkness plaguing the heart of New Zealand’s largest city after all human attempts to end the power blackout failed.

“We pray for the people in the central business district of New Zealand who are afflicted by the power crisis,” parishioners chanted.

“We pray for our city in this time of cri sis, that a way may e found to restore power and all activity remain normal.”

Their prayers were backed by the low hum of an emergency electric generator outside the church, delivering power for lights and so the electric chimes of the cathedral bells could peal out over the mostly deserted heart of Auckland’s busi ness district. The central business district has been without power for over sic weeks and merchants estimate they are losing SNZIOO million in lost business and direct expenses such as generator rentals.

UN approached to endorse peace monitors Papua New Guinea will approach the United Nations Security Council to endorse a peace monitoring group for Bougainville, when the permanent cease

fire in the province takes effect at the end of April. Prime Minister Bill Skate’s spe cial state negotiator for Bougainville, Sir John Kaputin, told PNG parliament the peace monitors will take over from the cur rent truce monitors.

SI PM appeals (or help in economic crisis Solomon Islands Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa’alu has appealed to Solomon Islands bilateral and multilateral development partners to help the country out of its financial and economic crisis.

He said that the country’s economy had been among other things, crippled by weak balance of payments which was exposed by the collapse of the log export trade.

FFA to manage fishing project Plans for the sustainable use of tuna resources in Palau, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu will be developed over the next three years under a project funded by Canadian aid. It will be managed by the Forum Fisheries Agency and involves the development of the management plans as well as assistance with their implementa tions. Sandline chief involved in African coup The mercenary at the centre of Papua New Guinea’s Sandline scandal last year,

Tim Spice, has emerged as a central figure in the military struggle for control of the African Republic of Sierrra Leone. One year after his company’s SUS 36 million contract to overthrow rebels on Bougainville came unstuck, Spice said “business is booming.”

Si reports crime increase There has been an increase of 31 per cent in crimes reported in the Solomon Islands during the months of February.

Commissioner of Police Frank Short says a total of 327 cases were reported in February compared with 249 cases in January. Short has attributed the increase in crime on increased police arrests and reporting rate from the public.

MP suspended from the Lower House The Fiji Labour Party will legally chal lenge a decision to suspend their Tavua member of parliament Anand Babla from the Lower House. Bablawas suspended from two sittings of the House after he failed to turn up to apologise for comments he made against the speaker Dr Apenisa Kurusaqila, alleging abuse of public funds on travel allowances.

A parliament privileges committee rec

ommended that Babla apologise or face suspension. The suspension ruling of the “second option” was handed down by the deputy speaker, Dewarkar Prasad. Prasad says he took the second option of the priv ileges committee because Babla was not present in the House and did not send an apology or informed the House of his absence.

Government to establish Cl Investment

Corporation

Cook Islands Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry has introduced a bill in parliament to establish a corporation to be known as the Cook Islands Investment Corporation. He says the corporation will function to administer and manage crown assets and shareholding interests.

It will also control and manage the undertaking of all statutory corporations and manage all property (excluding cus tomary land), ownership rights to minerals and natural resources held either by or on behalf of the crown. It will also manage all property vested in the Cook Islands Government Property Corporation.

Sir Geoffery says one of its principle objectives is to ensure the efficient, prof itable and professional as well as the sus tainable management of government assets and statutory corporations.

Government questioned on decision to allow large fishing boats in People in Samoa have enquired about the government’s decision to allow larger fishing boats to fish in the country. Deputy Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi announced that large fishing boats will be allowed to fish beyond the country’s 50 mile fishing zone currently

swarmed with smaller fishing craft.

The public’s enquiries raised with the fisheries department is focused on incen tives for the proposed decision by govern ment and the 60 percent shareholding for locals if its a partnership venture. Tuilaepa has made it dear that all big fishing boats will need to register their catches with the fisheries division and customs in Apia before allowed to sell their catches locally and overseas.

Telecommunications giant joins Pacific group The operator of the world’s largest telecommunications network, SITA, has joined the Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA) as a full member. SITA, which formed 50 years, has its headquarters in Geneva and employs more than 4000 people world wide.

Its 650 customers include airlines, aerospace companies, airports, govern ment organisations, travel distribution and computer reservation systems. PITA was formed late last year to represent the inter ests of telecommunication customers and organisations from the 18 Pacific Island nations including Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

NZ to cut back its presence on B'ville The New Zealand government will be scaling down on its manpower and other resources involved in truce monitoring on Bougainville, parties involved in the peace process agreed at a meeting in Canberra that Australia will take over com mand and control of the Truce Monitoring Group from New Zealand.

NZ deputy high commisoner Neil

Robinson said that the proposal to scale down was simply because the resources

being used were becoming disproportion

ate to the reasons for their being there.

New Zealand has between 100 and 150 soldiers working together with soldiers from Australia, Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands in the Truce Monitoring Group.

Fiji AG orders inquiry into MPs involved in white collar crimes Fiji’s attorney general, Ratu Etuate Tavail, has ordered an inquiry into parlia mentarians who are allegedly involved in white collar crime. The allegations were made by the member for Lau, Viliame Saulekaleka Tunidau in the Lower Flouse.

Ratu Etuate says he’s written to the Home Affairs Minister to ask Police Commissioner Isikia Savua to carry out an investigation and if necessary lay charges, he says the inquiry will forecast on the offi cial corruption which links with white col lar crime which is costing the country mil lions of dollars.

Ban on whaling to continue Tonga’s secretary of fisheries, ‘Akau’ola says ban on whaling in the country should continue in efforts to save and preserve whale stock in Tongan and neighbouring waters. ‘Akau’ola made the comment following a recent meeting in Canada of the World Council of Whaling. ‘Akau’ola believes that despite the slight increase in the number of whales, the ban should continue to further replenish the stock on Tongan waters. He says sea areas of Ha’apai and Vava’u islands are ideal breeding grounds for humpback and sperm whales. H