You are here

Home › 2006 › March 2006 ›

Articles Search

Search results

Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

U.S., JAPAN CONTINUE OKINAWA NEGOTIATIONS

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

By Dionesis Tamondong

HAGATNA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, March 5) – The need to upgrade Guam's aging utility infrastructure and whether Japan's government will agree to pay the bulk of the estimated US$8 billion costs related to moving Marine Corps units from Okinawa to Guam will be key in discussions this week between U.S. and Japanese officials.

Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, in a press release yesterday, commented on the critical juncture of negotiations between the United States and Japan over the transfer of up to 8,000 U.S. Marines.

Bordallo recently met with senior defense officials in Washington to receive an update on the progress of negotiations.

"Guam continues to stand ready and is excited to welcome home the Marines that liberated our island," Bordallo stated. "However, there are challenges that remain before the Marines can come to Guam, including a sequence of events that include a successful conclusion of the negotiations between the U...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

NORWEGIAN AMBASSADOR VISITS COOK ISLANDS

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

By Helen Greig

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, Feb. 23) – The Norwegian ambassador to the Cook Islands, Lars A Wensell, presented his credentials to Queen's Representative Sir Fredrick Goodwin yesterday at government house in Titikaveka.

Wensell was accompanied by his wife Kirsten and was greeted by government officials, traditional leaders, and the small Norwegian community in Rarotonga.

Wensell conveyed the warm greetings of his government and King Harald V of Norway.

He said he would spare no effort in pursuing the further development of the relationship between Norway and the Cook Islands.

Sir Fredrick said it was his honor to receive Wensell on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

He said despite the two countries being on opposite sides of the world they have common values and international interests.

Wensell has worked for the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry since 1972 after obtaining a masters degree in Law in 1971,...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

FIJI TO TAKE PART IN NEW ZEALAND CULTURAL SHOWS

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, March 5) – The two Fiji youth groups who will go to Australia and New Zealand for cultural shows have in mind to revive Fijian culture, which they say is dying.

The overall winner of the indigenous music competition — Veisisivi Vucu Ni Vanua on October 29 last year, Veivueti Ni Medrau Sucu dance group, has been invited to perform at the annual Pasifika festival in Auckland.

The 12-member group from Nadakuni in Waimaro, Naitasiri will represent Fiji.

The Auckland City Council organises the festival, which will be held on March 10 to 11.

The second place-getter, Mua-i-Gau cultural dance group will head for Australia today for a road show with the Shobna Chanel dance group. The group of 10 will be in Australia for a week performing in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.

Laisa Vulakoro, the tour manager for both groups, said they were aiming to revive and promote Fiji's culture overseas and keep it alive.

"We want...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

CHINESE TOURISTS SEEK ASYLUM ON SAIPAN

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

By Haidee V. Eugenio

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, March 6) - Seven Chinese nationals who came to Saipan as tourists are seeking refugee protection in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, citing fear of persecution in their home country because of their links to Falun Gong and their distribution of compact discs containing articles against the Chinese Communist Party.

Their case could affect the CNMI’s current efforts to bring in more tourists from China.

On Friday, six of the seven Chinese tourists met with reporters to share their stories.

One of the representatives of the tour agencies that brought the tourists on Saipan asked, "How would you know if they are just making up all their stories?"

So far, only one foreign national — a Falun Gong practitioner — has been granted refugee status by the Attorney General’s Office since the adoption of refugee protection regulations in September 2004.

The CNMI Attorney General’s...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

FIJI MYSTERY MAN TIED TO ‘DOMINION OF MELCHIZEDEK’

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, March 4) – The man whose organization has promised more than FJ$11 billion [US$6.3 billion] to Fiji landowners, had one of his corporations registered in the imaginary entity of the Dominion of Melchizedek.

Ray Chhat Dam (reportedly a Thai national with U.S. citizenship) - alongside other individuals - was linked to an entity called the Consolidated Credit Bank Limited, which is said to have originally obtained a mail order bank license over the Internet from the Australian-based Dominion of Melchizedek.

The Dominion of Melchizedek is a so-called micro-nation with its own legislation and flag and is listed as being located in various parts of the Pacific Ocean islands and parts of Antarctica, and lays claim to a small island off Rotuma called Solkope.

The Dominion of Melchizedek was implicated in trying to separate Rotuma from Fiji in early 2000 after its leader David Korem visited Rotuma and had drafted a constitution and was planning to...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

POLITICAL PARTIES MERGE IN FIJI’S BA

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, March 5) – The people of Ba have formed a new Party of National Unity after the three political parties in the province merged yesterday.

[PIR editor’s note: Ba is located on the northwest coast of Fiji’s Viti Levu island.]

Tui Ba Ratu Sairusi Nagagavoka leads the new Party of National Unity.

But the new party will contest the general election under the People's Coalition Party alongside the Fiji Labor Party and the United People's Party.

Senator Ponipate Lesavua said the merger was a good move by the people of the province as well as the Western Division.

"It's about time we have to come up and fight for a place in the Government because we are the economic power base of this country," he said. "We want equality, fairness and recognition."

People's National Party leader Meli Bogileka said the people of Ba had formed the party despite reports from Roko Tui Ba Viliame Burenivalu that there was no political party for...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

FIJI RULING PARTY WEEDS THROUGH CANDIDATES

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, March 5) – More than 500 applicants were received by the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party in Fiji for the 71 parliament seats to be contested under the party's banner during the general election in May.

[PIR editor’s note: The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party will reportedly hold its own primary elections (read the story). Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase scheduled the national elections for May 6th through the 13th (read the story).]

Party National Director Jale Baba said the applications included members of the former Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua Party that was dissolved last month and merged with the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party.

"We have short-listed the candidates to 322 and managed to complete the selection of 33 seats from the 71 seats," he said.

Mr. Baba said they expected to release...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

CHINA ANNOUNCES MAJOR PROJECTS IN COOK ISLANDS

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

By John Woods

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, February 28) – Two new Chinese aid projects were announced yesterday, including a cyclone-proof highway and an enclosed sports stadium in Cook Islands.

This was revealed in a Cook Islands News interview with the ambassador of the People's Republic of China to New Zealand and the Cook Islands, Zhang Yuanyuan.

The two big Rarotonga developments come on top of the new courthouse and the new national police headquarters.

Zhang said work was starting immediately on the Nikao seawall road alternative as a team of seven highway and bridging engineers and planners had arrived yesterday on Rarotonga from China to start the job.

He said this project was already pre-negotiated with the Cook Islands government, and it was intended that the scope and design of the project would be done by the end of March.

It was intended that the contract for the job would be signed by Cook Islands...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

U.S. FIRM TO SHIP ABANDONED VANUATU MANGANESE

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (RNZI, March 5) – A U.S. company has become the first mining company to sign a contract with the Vanuatu government to remove and export piles of manganese which were left by a French company almost 30 years ago.

The French firm packed up and left the country when the country was still under joint British and French colonial rule.

The Managing Director of Vanuatu Project Management Limited, Randall Pollock, said the terms of the contract allow the company to remove and export about 500,000 tons of manganese to the U.S. market.

The Director General of Land, Russel Nari said under the law, when any kind of mineral has been extracted and left on the surface, it is owned by the state and custom landowners are not entitled to any of it.

But Mr Pollock said the company felt a moral responsibility, which is why they it is giving the government two percent of the profits, the landowners two percent and Shefa province, where the mine is...

+ continue reading
Mon
06
Mar
admin's picture

UN DENIES CONNECTION TO FIJI VISITOR

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 00:00

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, March 4) – The United Nations has denied any link to a foreign organization offering US$3.5 billion to set up a bank in Fiji for indigenous Fijians.

Radio New Zealand International reports the so-called Office of International Treasury Control, and its Chief of Cabinet, Dr. Keith Scott, have claimed at a chiefs' meeting in Fiji that they are registered under a United Nations charter at level five security.

However, the resident representative of the United Nations in the South Pacific, Richard Dictus, has told Fiji TV the organization has no links with the United Nations or any affiliate body, and there is no such security system as claimed.

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, himself a former bank managing director, says he is very concerned because he does not think anyone in his right mind would want to give out that kind of money without strict conditions.

[PIR editor’s note: Dr. Scott told 215 middle-level Fijian chiefs that it is...

+ continue reading

Pages

Filter by date created:

Filter by article category: