Archive _{- April 1999}

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (April 29, 1999 – Radio Australia)---The publisher of Vanuatu's only independent newspaper claims he's been assaulted and threatened by associates of Vanuatu Deputy Prime Minister Willy Jimmy.

Radio Australia correspondent Sean Dorney reports, the publisher of the Vanuatu Trading Post, Marc Neil-Jones, says that what began as a physical attack on him in a club in Port Vila on Saturday night, has blown up into a major issue concerning freedom of the media in Vanuatu:

"Marc Neil-Jones says he was going to run only a minor story on how an associate of Vanuatu's Deputy Prime Minister Willy Jimmy attacked him with a chair, but that Mr. Jimmy's political advisor had resorted to threats and intimidation to suppress any mention of the Deputy Prime Minister's name.

"The second time he spoke to the editor of the paper, he passed a message on from the Deputy Prime Minister that if Mr. Jimmy’s name was not removed from the story, the place would be...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (April 29, 1999 – PACNEWS)---Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Bill Skate says the country’s new stock exchange will be a valuable source of foreign investment and should boost the economy.

The exchange officially opened yesterday with a handful of companies registering for a trial period before it begins full operations in a few weeks time.

Skate said the exchange would offer foreign investors a new way to invest in the country and take advantage of the low Kina.

"While we are doing all we can to restore the value of the Kina at this point in time, we must take advantage of increased investment attractiveness promoted by a lower Kina," he said.

"There are many companies around the world who would be looking at the increased attractiveness of investing in PNG. Now, with the Port Moresby Stock Exchange, they will be given further reason to bring their investment money to our shores."

The Port Moresby Stock Exchange...

ALOFI, Niue (April 29, 1999 – PACNEWS)---Reverend Lagi Sepeli, a senior member of the Niuean community in New Zealand, says the small Pacific nation must exploit its own resources or accept reverting back to New Zealand.

Wellington wants to cut the aid program by $5NZD million ($US 2.7 million) by 2003.

Of the 20,000 Niueans, 18,000 currently reside in New Zealand.

In Wellington, Niuean community leader, Reverend Lagi Sepeli said Niue should seriously consider exploiting its own resources.

"I think the answer lies with the government. It should really come up with a program to utilize the natural resources of Niue and be able to sell it outside. I think if Niue comes to the worst situation, the only option is to integrate with New Zealand," Rev. Sepeli said.

New Zealand has been reducing its aid by a quarter of a million dollars every year for the last five years.

Premier Lakatani is in Manila this week to seek support from the Asian...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (April 29, 1999 – Post Courier)---The Correctional Institutional Service (CIS) chief says prisoners in jails around the country will not get anything to eat if money is not forthcoming from the Government by the end of May.

CIS Commissioner Ken Serupi said this during NCD Governor Philip Taku's inaugural Safe and Sound parade in Port Moresby yesterday morning.

He said, "By the end of May, I will not feed any more prisoners. After May, I do not know what to do with them.''

Mr. Serupi said he had made his concerns known to finance officials when he discussed the problem with them last week.

He explained that there was a formula for provinces to give funds to CIS, however provinces were telling him that they did not have any money.

Mr Serupi told the officials that funds from the K13 million (US$ 8 million) he received under the 1999 Budget would run out in May.

He warned that the Government must respond as soon...