New Caledonia update

ADECAL keeps you informed on develop ments of the New Caledonian economy.

ADECAL is at your disposal to study with you the development opportuni ties you feel are in line with your know-how. Button blanks from trochus shell: a new factory in Nepoui TROCHUS shells, used for making mother-of-pearl buttons, have long been exported from New Caledonia in their rough state. They will henceforth undergo initial processing locally, in a factory set up in Nepoui (Poya district).

The project, which is being financed by a local investor with the support of the Northern Province and a venture capital company (ICAP), will create direct employment for 15 people and is a fine example of an export-oriented activity based on enhancing the value of a local natural resource - one of the guiding prin ciples of New Caledonia’s economic development policy.

ADECAL was closely involved in this project from its inception, assisting with preparation of the investment brief, finan cial engineering and the search for a suit able location. GBNC invests to increase production THE New Caledonian brewery “Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle- Caledonie” has just acquired four new fer mentation tanks with a view to increasing its output. The tanks, measuring ten metres in height and four in diameter, can contain 52,000 litres of beer and will comprise four brewers in which the beer will stay for 11 days. The 80 millions XPF invested in this new plant should enable GBNC to increase its beer production by 20 to 30 per cent.

AOM and Air Caledonie sign an agree ment Thanks to a recent agreement between AOM and Air Caledonie, the New Caledonian domestic airline, which was not previously included in the worldwide reservations system, can now sell its desti nations from Paris. The agreement, signed by the manager of Air Caledonie and the manager of AOM’s Asia-Pacific route, will

allow passengers to set out from Paris with an Orly-Isle of Pines or Orly-Lifou ticket.

AOM will also be able to sell the very economical Air Caledonie Pass which enti tles visitors to travel to four different desti nations within New Caledonia.

Abolition of visa requirements between France and Australia AN agreement signed in Canberra on July 14 has put an end to visa requirements between Australia and France and will henceforth allow residents of either of these countries to visit the other without first obtaining a visa from the appropriate Consulate.

This measure, which has been in force since July 1 for French nationals, will, among other things, facilitate exchanges between New Caledonia and Australia.

When a ticket is bought from an airline company or agent, an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) will be issued immedi ately to be read on computer as the passen ger goes through Immigration Control on arrival. ■