Archive _{- April 1998}

CANBERRA, Australia (April 28, 1998 - PACNEWS)---Asia's financial crisis is looming as a new threat to the already fragile economies of the Pacific Islands states, according to The Australian newspaper.

It says Fiji's tourism industry has collapsed, Papua New Guinea is facing drastically reduced timber orders, while logging in the Solomon Islands has largely closed down since the Asian crisis began.

The newspaper says these latest developments will prove a severe challenge to a region already coping with longer-term problems.

It quotes the Manila-based Asian Development Bank's (ADB's) latest Asian Development Outlook, which predicts a possible currency crisis in the Solomons and worsening health in Kiribati. It also describes the economic outlook for the Federated States of Micronesia as "grim."

The bank is scathing about the quality of government in PNG, and says Fiji is carrying the burden of the National Bank of Fiji's failure and the lack of progress...

APIA, Samoa (April 27, 1998 - PACNEWS)---Samoa has recorded its highest monthly export earnings in 10 years.

According to the latest figures of selected economic indicators released by the Central Bank, Samoa earned 5.3 million tala ($US 1.81 million) in February as a result of increased sales of copra and coconut oil.

However, the bank says imports also rose --by 7.9 million tala ($US 2.7 million) over January's figure-- resulting in a bigger merchandise trade deficit, totaling17.3 million tala ($US 5.9 million).

Compared to the same period last year, the deficit is 17 percent lower, the bank reports.

Tourism earnings fell 29 percent in February, compared to January, to 7 million tala ($US 2.4 million).

Total earnings for the first two months of this year, at 16.8 million tala ($US 5.7 million), are 13 percent higher than for the same period last year.

The Central Bank also noted that private remittances for February rose 48 percent, to 7....

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (April 25, 1998 - The National/Pasifik Nius/Niuswire)---The special state negotiator for Bougainville, Sir John Kaputin, told the United Nations Security Council that Papua New Guinea's decision to request UN support for the Bougainville peace process "was not made lightly," the National reports.

"Papua New Guineans are proud of our national sovereignty and independence. The decision was, therefore, made only after the most careful consideration of all relevant aspects of a complex situation," Sir John said in New York.

He said that that because PNG believed that the United Nations could make a positive contribution to peaceful resolution of one of the most serious issues that has ever confronted the nation, the State was making the request in consultation with the other parties to the Lincoln Agreement.

"As the Lincoln Agreement itself suggests, the parties recognise that the State alone, speaking through its legitimate...

NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga (April 28, 1998 - PACNEWS/Tohi)---A new book about dance, music and Tongan cultural has gone on sale in Nuku’alofa bookstores.

Titled "Sounds of Change in Tonga," the book was compiled by a Dutch couple, Ad and Lucia Linkels, from the Mundo Ethnico Foundation in Holland, Radio Tonga reports.

The book examines the different types of music and dance in Tonga, both modern and traditional, and how they reflect outside influences.

The study also examines how changes in Tonga itself are influencing the country’s performing arts.

"Sounds of Change in Tonga" has been dedicated by the authors to the Tongan people, with the goals of increasing foreign understanding of Tonga, its people and particularly its culture, and increasing Tongans’ own appreciation of the beauty and importance of their cultural treasures.