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SUVA, Fiji Islands (March 31, 1999 - PACNEWS)---Fiji's newly formed Christian Democratic Alliance party has called for international observers to monitor the May general elections.

Poseci Bune , a senior member of the Alliance, (Veitokani ni Lewenivanua Lotu Vakarisito - VKV), said international monitors would ensure fair elections.

"The Alliance calls on the United Nations and the Commonwealth Secretariat to send observers to Fiji to monitor the election process to ensure a free and fair vote," said Bune.

Bune, who recently returned to the country after serving three years as Fiji's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said the Alliance is concerned with the ability of each voter to understand the new and complex voting system and ballot paper.

"The view of our party is that, despite the education and information program pursued by the Elections Office, the majority of the voting public is still at a loss," he said.

However, Assistant...

SUVA, Fiji Islands (March 31, 1999 - PACNEWS)---Fiji has called on the international community to provide financial and logistic support to ensure that lasting peace and security is achieved on the Papua New Guinea Island of Bougainville.

Fiji's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sakiusa Rabuka, made the request at a meeting of the UN's Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations in New York.

"My delegation believes that whilst our regional group has been able to bring peace into Bougainville, the international community cannot be relieved of its collective responsibility in the maintenance of international peace and security in our part of the world," he said.

Rabuka said Fiji is committed to carrying out its role under the regional agreement on peace and security on Bougainville.

"Toward this end, we have officers with counterparts from Australia, Vanuatu and New Zealand monitoring the implementation of the Lincoln Agreement, which...

SUVA, Fiji Islands (March 31, 1999 - PACNEWS)---Fiji’s Finance Minister, Jim Ah Koy, has set up a committee to implement the recommendations of the recent government bank inquiry report.

The new committee is comprised of officials from the Reserve Bank of Fiji and the Finance Ministry.

The committee has the power to force banks to justify any rate increases.

Fiji's commercial banks came under heavy scrutiny from the inquiry committee, which criticized the banks for amassing large profits through high interest rates, fees and other charges, while providing poor service and low deposit interest rates.

The inquiry was particularly critical of two Australian banks, ANZ and Westpac.

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (March 31, 1999 –Samoa News)---The "excellent and impressive qualifications" of Dr. Sili Sataua prompted a unanimous House vote of 17-0, appointing him new Director of the Department of Education, the largest agency in the government.

Education Committee Chairman Rep. Malaetasi Mauga Togafau moved passage of Gov. Tauese Sunia’s nomination of Sataua -- the Govenor’s former Chief of Staff -- following a Committee hearing earlier in the day.

Sataua replaces Laloulu Tagoilelagi, who has been reassigned to another position within the agency.

The Senate handed down their endorsement of Sataua last week.

During the 90-minute hearing, Committee members, including House Speaker Aina Saoluaga T. Nua, who rarely makes appearances at Committee hearings, echoed, "Dr. Sataua’s excellent and impressive qualifications are an issue that is unquestionable."

Sataua, responding to inquiries concerning r improving...