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SEVEN INDONESIANS HELD IN PALAU MURDER CASE

By Bernadette H. Carreon

KOROR, Palau (Palau Horizon, May 3) – Palau law enforcement officials have detained seven Indonesian nationals for questioning in the disappearance of a Taiwanese fishing vessel’s captain believed to be killed aboard the boat while on Palau’s high seas.

Vice President and Justice Minister Elias Camsek Chin said the probe was based on a report police received alleging that the vessel’s captain was murdered and thrown at sea after a reported mutiny.

The incident was said to have occurred at the Palau’s Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ).

Chin said that when police received the report, marine law enforcers dispatched a patrol boat to look for the vessel.

Palau’s law enforcers also searched for the missing captain’s body—who Chin said was a Taiwanese national.

Chin said the vessel was not found nor the missing captain’s body.

He said that there was a delay in...

Editorial

Pacific Daily News

HAGATNA, Guam (May 3) – Once Guam elected officials are finally done with revising the fiscal 2007 budget to get it in line with current projected revenues, it's imperative that they immediately turn their attention to critical matters relating to the fiscal 2008 budget.

While the start of the next fiscal year is still several months away, work must begin right away on measures to reduce the size, and thus cost, of the government of Guam, primarily through agency consolidation and comprehensive outsourcing. This process simply can't wait until budget discussions traditionally start, and the sooner it's begun, the better.

Lawmakers can start with Sen. Frank Ishizaki's legislation to create a public safety agency, but also must start on similar bills to consolidate other areas of the government that eliminate redundancies, improve efficiency, and further shrink the size and cost of government operations.

It's also...

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, April 27) – Aitutaki Member of Parliament and businessman Terepai Maoate Jr says he is gearing up to set up a plant to supply a 'blended' fuel to Cook Islands.

Maoate is so excited about the potential of a fuel that is made from 90 percent water that he says he will make it happen one way or another.

He said, "I'm pushing this. I'm in the fuel business in Aitutaki and I want to switch over."

Maoate invited two of his friends from New Zealand to visit Aitutaki and to also put on a demonstration of how blended fuels can replace diesel.

That demonstration was done yesterday when several people with an interest in it turned up at the deputy prime minister's office to check out a diesel utility running on a blend of water, coconut oil, waste oil and kerosene.

Environmentalist Tom Wichman, businessman Don Dorrell and Te Aponga general manager Apii Timoti were among the group who came to meet the men behind the...

‘SNAKEHEAD’ GAINS CITIZENSHIP IN PNG

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, May 3) – AN expatriate alleged to be a notorious and controversial human smuggler is now a Papua New Guinea citizen despite a security report against him.

The alleged human smuggler, also known as Snakehead, was among others, who were recently granted citizenship.

The National Intelligence Organisation (NIO) told Post-Courier yesterday an adverse report was submitted advising the Citizenship Advisory Committee and other responsible authorities not to entertain his citizenship application because he was a threat to the security of the nation.

Security agencies, who are also dealing with this person, told Post-Courier that a NlO executive (named) defied reports from his own officers and destroyed the report against the man presented to the citizenship committee – instead allowing for his citizenship to be approved.

"It’s our very own executives who are going...