Archive _{- April 2000}

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (April 25, 2000 – Oceanic Flash/SPC)---The son of Vanuatu’s Vice-Consul in New Caledonia, Gauthier Punenarai, was found guilty of drunk driving and double homicide by a Nouméa tribunal and sentenced to 15 months jail, the Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes reports.

Gauthier Punenarai is the son of Etienne Punenarai, Vanuatu’s Vice-Consul in the French territory.

On November 7, 1999, Gauthier fell asleep while driving his vehicle and accidentally caused the death of an elderly couple, Antoine and Véronique N’Guyen (respectively 82 and 86 years old), who were returning from mass.

The case had triggered a heated debate within the French territory as to whether the suspect’s diplomatic immunity should be lifted or not.

New Caledonia President Jean Lèques had even called on the lifting of diplomatic immunity for Punenarai, who had earlier claimed the special status with regards to his father’s posting.

French Foreign affairs had replied...

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (April 25, 2000)---The U.S. has donated $5,000 to the Read To Me Samoa program, which encourages parents to read to their children.

Danny Aranza, director of the U.S. Interior Department's Office of Insular Affairs, presented the check to American Samoa’s First Lady Mrs. Fagaoalii Sunia, who has spearheaded the program.

The program was the initiative of U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton three years ago as part of a national education reform.

The financial contribution comes three weeks after the Read to Me Samoa Program celebrated its first anniversary on March 31.

Mrs. Sunia has since visited several schools in the territory to encourage children to read with their parents.

Similar messages are carried in public service announcements by the media.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (April 25, 2000 – Post-Courier)---Papua New Guinea has asked Japan to support a request by small and vulnerable Pacific Island nations to the World Trade Organization for favorable treatment of their exports to the European Union countries.

Under the LOMÉ convention on trade, exports from most South Pacific Forum countries are able to enter European markets duty-free, which gives them a competitive advantage. WTO rules outlaw such preferential trade treatment.

"The small advantage that Pacific Island countries, including PNG, get from duty-free, get for their products is essential if we are to build our export capacity sufficiently to prosper in the face of increasing globalization of trade and intense competitiveness," Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta said.

"Pacific Island countries suffer from many disadvantages, especially because of their remoteness and their small domestic markets, which must be overcome.

"The LOMÉ...

By Al Hulsen

HAMAOKA, Japan (April 25, 2000 – PIDP/CPIS)---The sticky issue of shipping radioactive nuclear materials and mixed oxide fuel (MOX) between Japan and Europe via Pacific Ocean routes was given a delicate airing by two Pacific Island leaders and several officials Tuesday at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station, about 140 miles west of Tokyo.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Dr. Terepai Maoate and Niue Premier Sani Lakatani were the only heads of government to join the trip to the giant four-reactor station facing the Pacific, and a special meeting that followed the weekend PALM 2000 Japan-Pacific Island leaders’ summit in the southern resort city of Miyazaki.

One reliable source said the Forum Secretariat had discouraged a major show of interest in the facility "to safeguard the integrity of the leaders," and recommended primarily attendance by island nation technical experts.

Following a two-hour trip by bullet train from Tokyo past Mt. Fuji and...