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NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, April 27) – The Tonga government is seeking a loan of 60 million Tonga pa’anga [US$29.4 million] from China to buy back the Shoreline Power's electricity assets.

Tonga Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele asked the Chinese Premier Hon. Wen Jiaobao, on April 5 in Fiji, for the loan as part of a complex multi-million pa'anga proposal under negotiation by the two countries.

At a bilateral meeting with Dr Sevele, the Chinese Premier outlined the People's Republic of China aid package for Tonga, which includes millions of pa'anga in grants, and soft loans, and millions more for the construction of airports, school and a wharf.

There is a Special Grant of 12 million Tonga pa’anga [US$5.8 million] to balance Tonga's forthcoming budget and an unspecified grant for the construction of a Convention Centre, and a soft loan for the refurbishing of the Dateline Hotel - and for the purchasing of new vehicles for the Pacific Forum Meeting to be...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, April 30) – Papua New Guinea is at an exciting time with major export minerals trading at their highest prices. World gold price is now at 25-year high of US$628.90 an ounce, while copper and silver are both trading internationally at US$7,147 per ton and US$1,246.50 per ton respectively.

Other minerals are also trading at their highest prices in a long time.

Secretary for the Department of Mining James Wanjik said yesterday Papua New Guinea’s mineral sector was at its exciting time with increased revenue expected from the sector while world prices for different minerals were at their highest levels.

"It is definitely an exciting time for the country. The good news is that for the existing mines and the exploration and mining companies that are considering investing in Papua New Guinea," Mr. Wanjik said. "For the existing mines, the high prices of minerals will assist in repaying some of their loans as well as...

By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, May 1) – Four men were arrested and brought to the U.S. District Court for taking an endangered species.

Arrested were Ignacio "Ike" DLG. Demapan, 54, Leon H. Lizama, 50, Jesus H. Lizama, 44, and George Teregeyo, 58.

The defendants were all charged with one count of taking an endangered species — a nightingale reed warbler.

Judge David Wiseman imposed a bond of US$10,000 for each defendant during a bail hearing on Thursday.

The four were released from the custody of the U.S. Marshall Service after they posted the unsecured bond of US$10,000.

Demapan, a former Indigenous Affairs Office resident executive, was charged for taking an endangered species, one or more nightingale reed warblers in February and March 2004. Demapan pleaded not guilty to the charge and Wiseman set a jury trial for June 19, at 9 a.m.

The indictment stated that Jesus and Leon Lizama in July and...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, April 30) – Disgruntled Kananam landowners in Madang Province of Papua New Guinea have rejected the signing of a memorandum of understanding with RD Tuna Canners and the Madang Provincial Government.

[PIR Editors Note: Madang Province is located on the central north coast of Papua New Guinea’s mainland peninsula.]

At a meeting held on Sunday, the landowners said they will not sign the agreement which was scheduled for the parties to sign on Wednesday at the Madang Provincial Government headquarters. The landowners said in a letter to Provincial Administrator Joseph Dorpar that a lot of their concerns were "omitted or written off" in the memorandum of understanding which was prepared by Acting State Solicitor George Minjihau.

"The MOU shows that many of our concerns have been omitted or written off which we will never tolerate. It is also a self picture of conspiracy between the Government and the company," the...