Articles Search

By Jaime Espina

KOLONIA, Pohnpei (Marianas Variety, Nov. 6)— Noting that for every dollar spent, local producers earned $4 in foreign exchange earnings, National Fisheries Corp. is recommending that the government of the Federated States of Micronesia continue subsidizing its operations.

In a report covering its operations since July 1998 to May this year, which was obtained by Variety, NFC suggested that the subsidies could be provided "perhaps at a lower level."

NFC operates a "dedicated airfreight services operation for the primary purpose of stimulating the export of FSM produce and products."

According to the report, the FSM government spent a total of $1.18 million to subsidize NFC’s operations over the last five years "to cover the difference in the cost of chartering an aircraft and revenue generated on that chartered flight."

Over the same period, it added, "over 900 metric tons of produce from the FSM" were exported to Guam, "generating...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Nov. 5) - Relatives of slain Papua New Guinea Anglican lay missionary, Brother Robin Lindsay Umbud, have agreed for his remains to be buried in the Solomon Islands today.

Brother Robin Lindsay and five other Solomon Islands brothers were allegedly killed by rebel Harold Keke's henchmen on April 23 while searching for a kidnapped brother.

His body will be laid to rest today at the headquarters of the Melanesian Brotherhood at Tabalia, outside Honiara, alongside the six who were buried on Oct 24.

Family spokesman Phanuel Dane said in a media statement late yesterday that the Northern province family's decision on the burial was unanimous.

Mr Dane said Brother Robin Lindsay had confided to a close relative at the height of the civil unrest that should he die for any reason while in the Solomon Islands, he should be buried there.

PNG High Commissioner Parai Tamei yesterday confirmed the funeral...

SYDNEY, Australia (ABC News Online, Nov. 5) - Australia says its military mission in Solomon Islands will be phased-down dramatically next month.

Australian Defense Force chief, General Peter Cosgrove, says the military numbers in the Solomons will be cut from 1,700 to 600.

General Cosgrove says two infantry companies will remain to back the unarmed police working with RAMSI - the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.

He told a Senate hearing in Canberra that the eventual aim is to have only one infantry company, drawing platoons from Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.

"Our intention, and that of the leadership of RAMSI, is in a phased and logical way to reduce the military contribution in favor of, in the support areas, contractor-type support and to bring what I might call the protective and reactive elements down to a minimum," General Cosgrove said. "But that minimum will have a multinational flavor to it."

November...

Editorial

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Nov. 6) - The governor brought along 20 government officials and 30 representatives of the private sector to an investment conference in Japan. Their mission was to convince Japanese businessmen to invest in the CNMI.

This is an admirable goal, but will a junket accomplish it? What did the CNMI delegation tell prospective investors that similar delegations in the past did not?

On Wednesday we revealed that the government had spent some $30 million on junkets since fiscal year 1996, which was the last time a major investor tried its luck in the CNMI — Tinian Dynasty. Since then countless CNMI officials have traveled abroad, spending taxpayers’ money "to lure investors." So what did the governor tell Japanese investors last week that previous junketeers did not mention? What good news did the governor bring to prospective investors?

Did he assure them that Saipan’s power and water supplies are now reliable and...