Articles Search

AVARUA, Rarotonga, Cook Islands (July 2, 2002 - Cook Islands News/PINA Nius Online)---Cook Islands author Lynsay Francis has won the lifestyle section of the prestigious Montana Book Awards in New Zealand -- and sees the award as a triumph for all Cook Islands women.

The winning book, Art of Tivaevae, now heads into the finals for Book of the Year.

"She’s thrilled. She’s really rapt with the results," says daughter Serena Francis.

Francis has two more books in progress. One covers land issues and the other child adoption and fostering in the Cook Islands from a woman’s perspective.

For additional reports from the Cook Islands News Online, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Newspapers/Cook Islands News Online.

Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Website: http://www.pinanius.org 

15-18

By Ulysses Torres Sabaco

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (July 2, 2002 - Marianas Variety/PINA Nius Online)---At least seven countries and territories have confirmed they are sending delegations to Kolonia, Pohnpei, this month for the 2nd Micronesia Traditional Leaders Conference, July 15-18.

At least 120 political leaders and traditional leaders from the Federated State of Micronesia, Guam, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau are expected to attend.

Major topics that will be discussed are:

§ the "Peoples Rights in a Traditional System of Government";

§ "the Conflicting Interests between the Traditional System and the Introduced System of Governments Toward Upholding and Preserving Tradition and Cultural Heritage"; and

§ the "Impact of the Introduced System of Government on Traditional Natural Resources."

Lieutenant Governor Diego Benavente will head a five-person Northern...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (July 3, 2002 – Post-Courier)---Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta yesterday vowed to make sure the next general elections do not end up in a mess like the current elections.

He told reporters in Port Moresby that he had plans to ensure this year’s elections problems were not repeated in five years time.

As he spoke, electoral officials in the Highlands were busy tracking down funds from headquarters as they prepared for the start of polling in the Southern Highlands and Enga provinces.

Elections operations manager Michael Malabag was in the Western Highlands, reportedly trying to arrange for a start to voting in those two highly populated, resource-rich provinces.

In voting highlights, two seasoned parliamentarians were declared winners: Sinai Brown retaining the Gazelle seat in East New Britain in a near-landslide and former minister Andrew Baing winning in Markham, Morobe Province.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael...

POLYNESIA: PRESIDENT FLOSSE

PAPE'ETE, French Polynesia (July 2, 2002 - Oceania Flash)---A planned change from territory status to that of an "overseas country" (Pays d'Outre Mer, or POM) is still planned for French Polynesia, territorial President Gaston Flosse said.

Speaking at a press conference last Friday, Flosse, who had just returned from an official visit in Paris, stressed that "POM" status was still being pursued, in spite of some "vocabulary issues."

He was referring to recent media reports saying the evolution of greater autonomy would come in a different form, and with different terming, than planned earlier.

Flosse admitted that the semantics issue is real, but "we are currently discussing the terms."

One of the focuses of planned new laws under greater autonomy would be to give priority to locals for jobs.

"Our draft is ready and it will be submitted to the French Cabinet," he said.

"And everything that is not...