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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (May 2, 2001 - The National/PINA Nius Online)---The Managing Director of the government-owned National Broadcasting Corporation, Bosky Tonny, has been sacked.

Mr. Tonny said: "It is a coincidence that my removal has come very close to the world-recognized Media Freedom Week?

"While I do not know the reasons behind my sudden removal, I hope it is not linked to my stand to protect the NBC in our reporting of the recent military saga (in March) when I refused to reveal the names of military personnel who provided certain information to the NBC."

His removal places a question mark over a multi-million kina re-development program that is currently under way at the NBC.

The success of Mr. Tonny's efforts in securing a K 100 million (US$ 34,700,000) aid package for the NBC now appears to be in doubt, following what was apparently a politically motivated action.

Mr. Tonny, who was given his dismissal letter on Friday, has 14...

KOLONIA, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia (April 30, 2001 - Pacific Magazine/PINA Nius Online)---The green movement is alive and well in the western Pacific.

Yap, one of four states of the Federated States of Micronesia, hosted the Community Marine Ecotourism Development Workshop, a project sponsored by the Apia, Samoa-based South Pacific Regional Environment Programme.

Representatives of government agencies and non-government organizations from seven island groups -- Palau, Yap, Guam, Chuuk, Pohnpei, the Marshall Islands, and Nauru -- received training in ecotourism development and environmental awareness.

"Degradation of our marine ecosystems can be likened to cancer," said SPREP director Tamarii Tutangata. "It must be treated at its early stages, otherwise it becomes excruciatingly expensive and terminal in its later stages."

Tutangata said that SPREP is assisting its member countries in the Pacific to develop and manage marine resources and the...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (May 1, 2001 - Post-Courier/PINA Nius Online)---Papua New Guinea has made a bid to host the next preparatory talks on the establishment of the Tuna Stocks Commission.

About 30 countries that have highly migratory fish stocks, including Papua New Guinea, met in Hawai‘i last September and decided to establish a secretariat.

Countries in the South Pacific are now bidding for the office to be set up in their nations.

Acting Secretary for Foreign Affairs Leonard Louma said reports from the delegation that attended the first preparatory talks in New Zealand indicate that the meeting went well.

It included discussion of the formal establishment of the commission.

Mr. Louma said PNG had made a bid to host the next preparatory meeting, which is to take place next year.

The issue of where the commission might be headquartered is yet to be resolved.

Mr. Louma said PNG, like other countries in the South Pacific,...

SUVA, Fiji Islands (April 30, 2001 - FijiLive)---Deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry says coup leader George Speight’s head of security, Major Ilisoni Ligairi, had told him days before they were released that Police Commissioner Isikia Savua and former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had something to do with George Speight’s attempted coup on May 19 last year.

Chaudhry was commenting on former President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara’s statement that he had told Rabuka and Savua "you two had a hand in this" on May 20 in the presence of former army commander Ratu Epeli Ganilau.

He said it was no wonder that investigations into the coup had stalled and it was important that Savua was removed as commissioner.

Chaudhry said the recent revelations would lead one to question the findings of the inquiry in Savua conducted by the Chief Justice, Sir Timoci Tuivaga.

"My assessment is the same as his," Ganilau had earlier told FM96. "I believe he had a purpose in...