Archive _{- April 2000}

MALAITAN EAGLE FORCE WON'T ATTEND SOLOMON ISLANDS PEACE TALKS

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (April 29, 2000 – Radio Australia)---Peace talks planned for next week have been plunged into doubt, after one of the two militant groups, the Malaitan Eagle Force, announced it would not attend.

The talks are due to be held next week at Buala on Isabel Island.

Radio Australia Pacific correspondent Kevin McQuillan reports.

"The Commonwealth's Special Envoy, Sitiveni Rabuka, has been planning tripartite talks involving the national government and the Guadalcanal and Malaitan provincial governments for the last two months.

"The two banned militant groups, the Isatambu Freedom Movement and the Malaitan Eagle Force, would attend as part of the official delegations of their respective provincial governments. But while the Isatambu Freedom Movement last night agreed to attend, the Malaitan Eagle Force says it won't.

"Malaitan lawyer Andrew Nori says its...

By Michael Field

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (April 26, 2000 - Agence France-Presse)---A Pacific island republic that has 400 offshore banks registered to one mailbox and faces accusations it is a major Russian Mafia money-laundering center said Wednesday it was taking urgent measures to reform its tax haven operations.

Nauru’s President Bernard Dowiyogo, elected to the office last week, said his new cabinet was concerned by reports of criminals using the country’s offshore banking facilities.

"We certainly do not approve of such activities," Dowiyogo said in a statement issued through a Melbourne public relations firm.

However, Dowiyogo, who helped set up the tax haven operation, has named Kinza Clodumar to his cabinet as Minister for Industry and Economic Development. He was Finance Minister in the outgoing administration of President Rene Harris.

Observers believe Clodumar, who has also served as president, actually runs Nauru and its tax haven...

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (April 26, 2000)--The Samoa Parliament has indicated initial approval of report by the Electoral Act Review Committee that calls for amendments to the country's election laws that have been in place since 1963.

One proposed amendment requires that candidates for Parliament be residents of Samoa for three consecutive years, instead of one year as currently is the case.

This amendment targets Samoans residing overseas, especially those in New Zealand, who return to Samoa only a year before election just to be on the ballot.

"The affairs of Samoa must be legislated, administered, controlled and monitored by those citizens of Samoa living in Samoa for the best interest of the people. Twelve months (1 year) residency does not permit accurate assessment of internal situations in the village, constituency and the country," according to the Committee report.

The report, however, would permit those persons...

SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY Noumea, New Caledonia

NEWS RELEASE April 26, 2000

A new Deputy Director-General has been appointed to the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Noumea, New Caledonia.

Monsieur Yves Corbel is well known and respected throughout the Pacific region for his work as SPC's Cultural Adviser, and his involvement with the Council of Pacific Arts.

As Deputy Director-General, Yves will direct the Social Resources programs of SPC: Community Health, Community Education, Youth, Women, Demography, Statistics, and Culture.

Drawing on his experience as program manager, he emphasizes a holistic approach, whereby all SPC programs work closely together to face the challenges of the region.

"The major challenge I see for the region, and also the greatest potential benefit, is globalization. In an increasingly complex world, you need to synthesize all information across the whole spectrum of social sciences in order to...