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CHOGM: PNG’S SIR MEKERE CALLS FOR HELP FOR SMALL STATES

BRISBANE, Australia (March 4, 2002 - PINA Nius Online)---Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta has urged Commonwealth leaders to find urgent solutions to the special problems of small states.

He told a Commonwealth Heads of Government session at Coolum, Queensland: "The difficulties they face, especially their economic weaknesses, are well known and need particular attention from the Commonwealth.

"The answers to these problems need to be developed in a coordinated, well-structured way."

Sir Mekere was welcoming CHOGM’s adoption of a Commonwealth Ministerial Group policy paper on small states.

The paper highlights the vulnerability of small states and suggests a number of assistance programs.

"It is not only a matter of dealing with these basic economic weaknesses and lack of government capacity," he said.

"At the same time the developed world must make allowances...

CHIEF JUSTICE SIR ARNOLD

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (March 5, 2002 - Post-Courier/PINA Nius Online)---More than 2000 alleged murderers, rapists and robbers are freely roaming Papua New Guinea’s streets, says Chief Justice Sir Arnold Amet.

Sir Arnold, the keynote speaker at a two-day conference in Port Moresby on the theme of "Alternatives to Sentencing Options," said: "There are 2,500 hardcore offenders at large granted bail many months and years ago.

"I’m apprehensive and frightened that these rapists, robbers and murderers are not worried, are walking around on the streets in the community and possibly re-offending."

And Sir Arnold said the government did not seem to realize the seriousness of the problem and its implications on society.

There is little support from the government and bureaucracy in providing resources for the judiciary and other law agencies to deal with offenders, he said.

Because of this they are forced to release...

FROM HAWAI‘I

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (March 5, 2002 – Radio Australia)---The U.S. District Court in Hawai’i has been asked to reconsider its ruling not to dismiss the federal government’s case against the owner and two of the managers of American Samoa’s Daewoosa Samoa Garment Factory.

The joint trial of the three defendants -- Kil Soo Lee and former personnel managers Virginia Soliai and Robert Atimalala -- is set for April the 9th in Hawai’i.

The motion to reconsider was filed by the attorney for Ms. Soliai as part of a petition to have the jury for the case selected from jurors in American Samoa.

She contends that Ms. Soliai will not get a fair trial if a Hawaii jury judges her.

The three are accused of enslaving and abusing Vietnamese employees at the factory and violating several federal labor laws.

For additional reports from Radio Australia, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Radio/TV News/Radio Australia.

By Walter Nalangu Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation

BRISBANE, Australia (March 5, 2002 - PINA Nius Online)---Small Pacific Islands states that are members of the Commonwealth have been given more time to implement anti-money laundering measures and sort out their status as tax havens.

This came about following Commonwealth intervention and moves towards implementing laws that will gradually become in line with demands issued by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The OECD -- a grouping of some of the world's most developed nations -- had originally set February 28 as the deadline for changes to be made.

But Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox told journalists at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) that the deadline has been extended for most small Pacific and Caribbean states.

This reportedly came about after lobbying by Commonwealth members of the OECD, including Australia,...