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Wed
15
Jan

SOLOMONS SEEKS $2.5 MILLION BAILOUT FROM EU

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Radio Australia, Jan. 15) - The University of the South Pacific’s (USP) deadline for Solomon Islands to pay a debt of US$2.5 million is just two weeks away.

Despite USP's warning that this is the last extension, the Solomon Islands government is still trying to secure assistance from international donors such as the European Union to help it pay the arrears.

If the government fails again to honor this latest commitment to pay the fees, Solomon Islands students will not be accepted back by USP in February for the start of the new school year.

Solomon Islands Minister for Education, Mathias Taro says this is a big problem.

"It has come to the point where it has affected the USP financially. So the USP Council has put a restriction, as you know, that if the government doesn't honor the commitment, then there will be no training for our students this year and onwards," says Taro.

"And besides that, they are also intending to...

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Wed
15
Jan

PACIFIC ISLANDS TRYING TO LEARN FROM CYCLONES

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Jan. 15) - Now that relief efforts are underway to help the cyclone-victims in Solomon Islands, and new victims assess damage in Fiji, officials are asking what lessons have been learned from the experience.

Cyclone Ami swept over Fiji on Wednesday, just weeks after Cyclone Zoe devastated the remote islands of Tikopia and Anuta in the Solomon islands Officials in Fiji declared an emergency and were still trying to assess the extent of damage.

Much criticism has been heard of the way the disaster was handled in the Solomons. As a result, there have been calls for the Pacific region to organize a meeting to work out better ways to cope with such disasters in future.

The Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Australia, Milner Tozaka says responding to a disaster is an expensive proposition and governments such as his with few resources need the larger metropolitan countries, such as Australia, New Zealand and France to work...

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Wed
15
Jan

FIJIAN SOLDIERS PLEAD GUILTY TO MUTINY

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

SUVA, Fiji (Radio Australia, Jan. 15) - 56 soldiers in Fiji have pleaded guilty to mutiny for taking over the military's northern barracks in July 2000.

Radio Australia says families of the soldiers packed the military court Wednesday to witness the court martial hearing.

The 56 soldiers pleaded guilty to a charge of mutiny before a military panel headed by Colonel Ilaisa Kacisolomone.

The men are accused of forcefully removing the commanding officer of the northern camp and assuming control over the camp. They remained at the camp for one month before soldiers from the capital, Suva, forced them out.

At the court martial in Suva, Lieutenants Rupeni Vosayaco and Nemani Valeniyasana pleaded guilty to a joint charge of inciting 54 soldiers to mutiny against their commanding officers.

All the soldiers admitted one joint charge of mutiny.

The soldiers acted in support of Fijian chiefs who backed the overthrow of deposed Prime Minister Mahendra...

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Wed
15
Jan

AFGHAN REFUGEES GAIN ASYLUM IN NEW ZEALAND

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio Australia, Jan. 15) – Some 150 Afghan refugees will leave camps in Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea this week, bound for New Zealand.

Their departure will ease tensions following a Christmas Eve clash on Manus between asylum seekers and PNG soldiers.

After the Tampa crisis of September 2001, more than 1,500 asylum seekers were sent to camps in Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. About 400 mostly Afghan refugees seeking refuge in Australia were rescued from a sinking ship off Christmas Island in September 2001 by the Norwegian tanker Tampa. The asylum-seekers were refused by Australia, however, and sent to camps in Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Since that time, numbers in the camps have dropped as people granted refugee status resettled in Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.

Over 250 people refused asylum have also returned voluntarily to Afghanistan.

Australia's Immigration Department reports that 580...

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Wed
15
Jan

FIJI, TONGA MOP UP AFTER CYCLONE, DAMAGE UNKNOWN

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

SUVA, Fiji (Radio New Zealand International, Jan. 15) - Tropical cyclone Ami, which hit Fiji Tuesday , had passed Tonga and was rapidly moving away to the southeast on Wednesday.

The Fiji government has declared a state of emergency in areas of the north and west of the country hit by the cyclone, packing winds of up to 130 kilometers per hour.

The cyclone reportedly brought high seas, stranding Tonga's main inter-island ferry. Telephone lines were also down, though there were no initial reports of human casualty.

It covers the second island of Vanua Levu, Taveuni and islands in the Lau and Lomaiviti groups.

The declaration of a state of natural disaster will enable emergency powers to be activated to provide assistance to cyclone victims.

While some spoke of widespread destruction, details were sketchy because of a breakdown in communications.

Full details of the damage will be known only after an aerial survey within the next 24 hours by...

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Wed
15
Jan

CHINA CUTS TAXES ON TAHITI’S BLACK PEARLS

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

PAPE‘ETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Jan. 13) - The government of French Polynesia has announced that the People’s Republic of China has agreed to lower taxes on imports of Tahitian black pearls.

According to French Polynesia President Gaston Flosse, the taxes are to drop to 10 percent from 24 percent.

"China has just granted French Polynesia the most-favored nation status for tax exemptions," said Flosse. "China has also lowered in a significant way taxes on black pearls."

Flosse credited the actions to a mission of the government of French Polynesia and Tahitian businessmen he led to China in October 2002

He said he planned to return to Shanghai in 2003. Tahiti is to open a trade office in Shanghai this year.

January 15, 2003

For additional reports from Tahiti Press, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Other News Sources: Agence Tahitienne de Presse. 

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Wed
15
Jan

GUAM TO FOOT $37 MILLION STORM RECOVERY BILL

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

HAGATNA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Jan. 15) - Recovery costs for Supertyphoon Pongsona could set local taxpayers back more than $37.25 million, based on about $149 million in total storm damage, Bureau of Budget and Management Research Director Paul Leon Guerrero told senators yesterday.

Leon Guerrero said the $3 million that was appropriated for storm recovery ran out last week and government of Guam agencies have started to use money from their operating budgets to maintain recovery efforts.

Leon Guerrero said the $3 million was spent on supplies, food, payroll for the National Guard, equipment rental and other related bills.

The Legislature's Committee on Finance and Budget held a public hearing yesterday on Bill 8, which would appropriate an additional $6 million to GovGuam agencies for storm recovery.

Lawmakers are scheduled to meet in session at 9 a.m. today to debate the bill.

The bill, by Sen. Frank Aguon Jr., D-Yona, also would give the...

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Wed
15
Jan

OLIKONG SWORN IN AS PALAU AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

KOROR, Palau (Palau Horizon/Marianas Variety, Jan. 15) - Palau Ambassador to Japan Santos Olikong is ready to get down to work, vowing to further strengthen Palau’s diplomatic relations with one of its closest and most generous allies.

Olikong said he expects to be in Japan on Feb. 1.

He was officially sworn in after the Ministry of State learned that Japan had accepted his credentials.

But he still has to formally present his credentials to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and to the emperor of Japan.

Olikong said he knows he was nominated to a very important post, adding that Japan plays a very vital role in Palau’s economic development.

"Palau needs Japan more than Japan needs Palau," he said.

Palau, in turn, would continue to provide Japan marine resources and other raw materials.

Olikong said Palau gets technical assistance from Japan on aquaculture, medical services, tourism and infrastructure.

"Palau’s relationship with...

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Wed
15
Jan

TECH EXPERTS SAY COMPETITION NEEDED IN PACIFIC

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

TOKYO, Japan (Marianas Variety, Jan. 14) - It’s called new media, part of the wave of global information and technology rolling into the region at dizzying speed.

For the first time, Asian government leaders, industry experts and international organizations met with their Pacific counterparts in a summit that could redefine their national strategies to meet the information age head on.

Close to 50 government agencies, countries and territories, international organizations and several private and media companies met here over two days of round table discussions and presentations, wrapping up the first Asia Pacific Regional Conference for the World Summit of Information Society.

The experts noted that although the path for a truly informed society is not a simple one, three core elements kept surfacing for Asia and the Pacific: Affordable access, local content and sustainability.

They said governments should end existing telecommunication monopolies and...

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Wed
15
Jan

MARIANAS AIRS FIRST LOCALLY PRODUCED SOAP

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/15/2003 - 00:00

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Jan. 15) - Saturday night’s screening of the commonwealth’s first locally produced television soap, "Journeys" earned raves from the audience at the Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.

"It is very interesting," Juanette Villagomez told Variety.

The 14-year-old 8th grader from Hopwood Junior High School said "Journeys" have characters that are "good examples" for CNMI families.

The one-hour first episode of "Journeys" depicted island life, particularly how CNMI families value love while coping with issues involving politics, gambling and illegal drugs.

"The way they have (depicted it) is good," Villagomez said.

Acting CNMI registrar of corporation Remy Mafnas said she was "awed" by the episode.

"How it captured the reality of the islands was nicely done," she said.

"Journeys," according to Linda Capilitan of the Visayas Mindanao Association, teaches "us the lessons about life’s good...

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