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PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT Suva, Fiji Islands

PRESS STATEMENT February 28, 2002

WELCOMES PEOPLE SMUGGLING AGREEMENTS

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Mr. W. Noel Levi, CBE has welcomed the agreements reached by Ministers from the Asia Pacific region to curb people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crimes.

He was speaking from Bali, Indonesia at the end of the Ministerial Conference on the theme of people smuggling, which has attracted about 53 countries from around the world. Mr. Levi said that the Australia-Indonesia initiative was a very positive and successful forum bringing the issues to a high political level in the Asia Pacific region.

"We are pleased that the efforts which are already been undertaken by the Pacific Islands Forum, under the auspices of various Declarations, such as Honiara, Aitutaki and Biketawa, have been given due recognition and prominence.

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By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (February 28, 2002 - Samoa News/PINA Nius Online)---American Samoa Customs inspectors recently intercepted 15 small plastic bags allegedly filled with marijuana and hidden in the false bottom of a box containing cooked food from Samoa.

Acting Chief Customs Officer James Butler said the "umu" box arrived by plane unaccompanied.

Butler said the Customs agents inspected it and located a false bottom that contained the bags.

"These people are getting professional," Butler said of the shipment. "And again, the credit goes to our Customs inspectors for a job well-done."

The seizure came as three people were arrested at Apia's Fagali'i International Airport in a similar case. They were trying to smuggle marijuana on a Samoa Air flight to American Samoa.

The trio also tried to use boxes that they claimed contained food.

Airline officials are now inspecting all cargo that has no proper...

KINGSTON, Norfolk Island, Australia (February 26, 2002 – Radio Australia)---Norfolk Island's Legislative Assembly has dropped controversial legislation that would have banned people with HIV or hepatitis B or C from moving to the island.

The Australian Federation of AIDS's Don Baxter said AIDS-related organizations are relieved that the island's government has opted to conduct a full review of its immigration policy.

He said they had made many representations to the government that rather than simply ban people with certain diseases, assessment should be made on the basis of their overall health status.

"The justification was given as undue cost on the health care system," Mr. Baxter said, "and yet there are more expensive diseases than treatment of HIV and especially hepatitis B, which is virtually nothing. So it was clearly just prejudice dressed up as a public health cost argument."

For additional reports from Radio Australia, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS...

UNIVERSITY OF NEW CALEDONIA

NOUMÉA, New Caledonia (February 28, 2002 - Oceania Flash)---Vanuatu students studying at neighboring New Caledonia's university (UNC) now have their own home, which accommodates sixty persons.

The facility was inaugurated on Wednesday by visiting Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapei, Télé-Nouvelle-Calédonie reported.

The project, which provides quality accommodations for Vanuatu students at the University of New Caledonia (some of whom are on French government scholarships) was begun over five years ago, but encountered numerous hardships on its way to completion.

Nearly two years ago, the Vanuatu Students House's foundation stone was finally laid, with France and Australia being the major co-funders.

Prime Minister Edward Natapei officially cut the ribbon opening the facility on Wednesday.

The new building features thirty two-bedroom apartments, a cafeteria, a common kitchen and a lobby.

It is expected...