Briefs

Fruit fly project successful in Nauru A campaign to rid Nauru of destruc tive fruit flies is showing good results.

For the past 12-month period, The Pacific Community’s eradication pro gram in the , Micronesian nation has resulted in fewer oriental fruits found with insect infestation.

Senior project officer Andrew Pitcher said there has been no evidence of the flies infesting mangoes for 16 weeks

now, calling it “a big breakthrough.”

He said, “The number of mango fruit flies recorded in 13 traps set up around the island has decreased from a high of 5,000 at the beginning of the campaign to only five recorded last week.”

Pitcher has urged local farmers to support the project, nothing they will reap good earnings from the export of non-diseased, locally grown fresh fruit.

Meantime, quarantine officials from the Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Wallis and Futuna were in Nauru, gaining first hand experience on what can be done to other Pacific Island region areas of fruit flies.

Churches back Barnes call (or Govt

change

The PNG Council of Churches yester day supported a call for a change of the Government made earlier by Archbishop Brian Barnes of the Port Moresby Catholic Archdiocese. Only the Salvation Army dissociated itself from this view.

In a show of solidarity, the heads of the PNGCC member churches said it is the “prophetic” role of the church to speak

out against injustices and corruption as this was the cause of “pain and suffering to our people”. The statement by the heads of PNGCC member churches pointed out that: * Aid posts, clinics, health centres and schools were closing down because the Government had not honoured its financial commitments. Some clinics and health cen tres had not received subsidies for more than seven months.

Former NZ Governor General honoured in

FUi

Sir Paul Reeves, a former Governor General of New Zealand, has been awarded the Honorary Companion of the Order of Fiji award for his role in reviewing Fiji’s old Constitution. Sir Paul chaired the Constitutional Review Commission. Their recommendations on the 1990 Fiji Constitution formed the basis of the new racially balanced Constitution.

Fiji will go the polls for the first time

under the new Constitution this month. Sir Paul said the Constitution had a far-reach ing impact around the world. ”We have done the best we could, and I don’t have any misgivings on the Constitution,” he said. On the elections, he said “20 political parties contesting for 71 seats is not a bad thing”

Registration ol voters late former Samoan Prime Minister's seat begins Registration of voters have begun in Samoa for the by-election to decide a replacement for the seat which was occu pied by former Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana. Stated-owned radio 2AP said the registration began mid-April for elections in the Faasaleleaga No. 1 Constituency.

This Constituency has two Parliamentarians in the 49 seat Parliament of Samoa because of its size.

“A date for this by election is not yet finalised, “ 2AP announced. Registration closed the 28th of April. ■