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SUVA, Fiji Islands (January 28, 2000 – Fiji’s Daily Post)---A rift looms between Rotumans in Fiji and those on the island over severing ties with Fiji.

Former Chairman of the Rotuman community in Suva Dr. Tukaha Mua, who hails from Malhaha District, says the case for independence has been a long-standing issue.

"This has come up 100 times and 99 percent of Rotumans do not want this.

"Where will we all fit and what will all these teachers, doctors, lawyers and other Rotumans employed in Fiji do on the island?" he asked.

Dr. Mua said it was going to be a case of overcrowding if the Rotumans from Fiji went back home.

However, a senior member of the Rotuma Council of Chiefs said from the island yesterday that the issue has nothing to do with Rotumans in Fiji. "It has only to do with Rotumans on the island and is long overdue.

"What is wrong with change? We want change and we want it fast," he said.

It was reported that moves are under...

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (February 2, 2000 – FSM Information Service)---Her Excellency Diane Watson, U.S. Ambassador to the FSM, and the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, Ms. Ann Wright, were among witnesses at a joint Congressional hearing Tuesday.

The ambassador and the deputy chief were given opportunities to speak before the committees. Both Ambassador Watson and Ms. Wright expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to attend the hearings.

They said that they hoped that continued cooperation between the two nation’s governments – together with that of service providers -- would enhance the programs available to the FSM.

The joint committee hearings concerned funds provided to the rural development programs operating in the FSM's four states.

The ambassador expressed her hope that the administrators of the programs are following the requirements provided for each of the programs.

Officials of the four state offices were...

MAJURO, Marshall Islands (January 28, 2000 – Marshall Islands Journal)---The Marshal Islands is currently reviewing the plan by the previous government to purchase two Dornier 328 planes at a cost of close to $30 million, President Kessai Note told the Nitijela this week.

In a detailed presentation, Note said that the government also wanted to consult with its neighbors – Kiribati, Tuvalu and Nauru, who would benefit from Air Marshall Islands South Pacific service – before it made a decision to confirm buying one or two planes.

Note said that the cost for each of the 31 seat planes, including spare parts, is about $13 million. Interest and other costs will bring the total to about $30 million for two planes.

If the Marshalls decided to move forward with the deal, both the Berliner Bank in Germany – where Dornier is based – and an agency related to the German government have indicated their interest to support the loan package.

The President said that two...

POST NEWSPAPER OVER MV LATUA SINKING

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (February 1, 2000 – Vanuatu Trading Post/Pacific Media Watch/Pasifik Nius/Niuswire)---The Ombudsman, Hannington Alatoa, has voiced his concern over the attempt by the Vanuatu Government to gag Trading Post from carrying any further news on the sinking of the MV Latua with the loss of 27 people on board and has also voiced concern over the delay by the government in releasing the official Commission of Enquiry reports on MV Latua and the Vanair Twin Otter.

Following the Trading Post front page story quoting from the highly volatile public report given to the government in August 1999 after the public Commission of Enquiry which the government has yet to release officially, the Minister for Ni Vanuatu Business Affairs from Tongoa, John Robert Alick, wrote to Trading Post and said:

"The editor of Trading Post is trying to confuse the families of people who lost their lives who came from Tongoa. I am aware...