Briefs

Niue to introduce a new cargo container vessel next month Niue’s Reef Shipping plans to introduce in March a new custom built cargo ship to service Auckland, Tonga and Cook Islands.

A report from Niue says the new cargo vessel is capable of holding 500 containers, break bulk and refrigerated cargo.

The vessel is expected to replace Reef Shippingis MV Hima and MV Southern Cross. (PNS) NZ attempts to puli down academic barriers (or Pacific islanders A paper written by New Zealand’s new Education Minister, Trevor Mallard, has called for an investigation into ways of addressing financial barriers preventing Maori and Pacific Islanders from setting up early childhood services. In a report obtained by the National newspaper, the Minister strongly recommended that “further work is needed to find out the barriers to early childhood education amongst Maoris and Pacific islanders”. The report recommended

investigating why some families were not taking part in early childhood education.

“Services and policies across government agencies need to be better co-ordinated to strengthen families with children at risk of low educational outcomes,” Mallard’s report said. “Low achievement is cumulative, with disparity increasing with age. Progressively, fewer students from poorer schools are achieving high grades as they move through the education system.”

The education minister said although the rising cost of tertiary education could pose a barrier to many Pacific islanders, lack of knowledge could also adversely affect academic excellence. (PNS) Minerals and crude oil still backbone of PNG economy Mineral and crude oil exports remained the main source of Papua New Guinea’s economy during the September quarter of 1999. The results were due to high production at the Ok Tedi, Porgera and Lihir mines and the Kutubu oil project.

The Bank of Papua New Guinea said copper and gold exports raised more than AU$37O million (US$23B million) while crude oil netted AU$22O million (US$l42 million) in exports during the quarter.

Agricultural and marine products were worth AU$ 170 million (US$ 109 million) due to favourable world prices, especially for copra and copra oil. The bank said the increased copra production followed a major recovery by the industry, which was severally affected by drought in 1997.

Forestry products accounted for nearly AU$3O million (US$l9.3 million). (PNS) Pacific tourism body to discuss future

funding

The South Pacific Tourism Organization will convene a special meeting early this month to discuss continued funding from the European Union.

The meeting in Auckland will develop a proposal to persuade the EU to continue funding the regional organization’s

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marketing and research activities. Last November, the EU announced that it would discontinue funding the organization effective May 2001, to focus more on the private sector. But EU delegate, David Mcßae, has indicated that the European Union would consider continued support of marketing and research, if these activities were priorities for regional tourism.

Palau builds international coral reef centre Construction of the Palau International Coral Reef Centre and the Palau Aquarium are now underway in the capital, Koror.

Scheduled to be opened early next year, the Centre and Aquarium would be an addition to Palau’s many other tourist attractions. Palau has been labelled as one of the seven underwater wonders of the world.

The International Reef Centre is a joint project between Japan and the United States.

It was established to support a self-sustaining non profit coral reef centre and marine park that would provide a forum for coral reef studies, research and education.

The centre is designed to assist in improving the management, use and conservation of Palau’s and the world’s marine environment, in addition to serving as a tourist attraction. The project has received funding from the Government of Japan for the construction of the centre. The project has an estimated value of US$7.3 million. (PNS) Long time PNG businessman knighted by the

Queen

Long time businessman, Henry Chow, was the sole Papua New Guinean knight on the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.

Sir Henry, the head of a major group of companies primarily centred in Lae and Rabaul, was knighted for his services to the community. He already has an OBE, awarded to him at Independence in 1975.

The next most senior award given was a CMG, Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, awarded to a veteran local government leader, Walter Nombe of the Eastern Highlands, for services to the community and to politics.

Police Commissioner, John Wakon, had an extraordinary 1999. He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal. In 1998, he was stripped of his post as Commander of Police for the National Capital District under the former government only to be elevated straight to the Commissioner’s chair under the new government. Thirty three others were recognised by the Queen for their contribution to the community, health, business, religious and womem's affairs.

(Pns)

Corruption Commission admits corruption

on the rise In FV Fiji’s Bribery and Corruption Commission admits corruption exists in Fiji but is not highly publicised. Commission chairman and High Court Judge, Daniel Fatiaki said people were not speaking up because at the end of the day they had to go back to live in the same community. Justice Fatiaki said all forms of corruption occurrred regularly in Fiji in various government departments and in the private sector. This needed to be addressed, he said, which needs to be addressed.

“I think the problem needs to be nipped in the bud as early as possible. This is to be done now if we are to rid our public service and

private sector free from payment of a secret commission or bribe. I think corruption needs to be tackled very seriously as the beginning,”

Fatiaki said.

The three-member comission is expected to hear submissions from members of the public and recommend changes to provisions on corruption and bribery in the penal code.

Currently the law is focussed on government officials. The inquiry is expected to incorporate corruption and bribery practises in the private sector. (PNS) Samoan prime minister and president of American Samoa sign MOU Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with American Samoan Governor Tauese Sunia which is expected to enhance co-operation between the two Samoas on several fronts.

The agreement was signed last month at a summit of the two leaders in the American Samoan capital Pago Pago.

A statement from Governor Tauese’s office said the MOU would benefit the two countries through the sharing of resources, thereby creating, among other things, large cost savings.

The specific terms of the MOU will be worked out by the cabinet officials of both countries. Each official will be paired with his or her counterpart to work out the specific details of the co-operation initiative.

Governor Tauese and the Samoan prime minister are due to meet again in March/April in American Samoa to review the work of their cabinet officials. If the two leaders are happy with the details, they will then formalise the MOU. (PNS) Forum Samoa to be sold The government of Samoa intends to sell the Forum Samoa container ship and replace it with a new vessel. Several government officials, including Attorney General Brenda Heather, travelled to Germany late last year to negotiate construction of a new ship.

The ship will be built in China, at an estimated cost of $l2 million. Pacific Forum Line (PFL) and Samoa Shipping Services (SSS) will each contribute $1 million towards the cost of the new ship. The ship is scheduled to be completed in June 2001. (Samoa News) ■