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SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, Nov. 7) - The Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) has recorded a FJ$1.3 million [US$851,000] profit for its 2006 financial year, making it its seventh straight year of profits.

Interim Public Enterprises Minister Poseci Bune, who accepted PAFCO's latest dividend check for FJ$443,000 [US$290,000] on Monday, commended the company's success.

He urged other government commercial companies to follow PAFCO's footsteps and concentrate on maximizing tax returns for the shareholders.

Mr. Bune said PAFCO has been quietly going about its business and recently announced its 7th straight year of profits FJ$1.3 million for the 2006 financial year despite meeting its community social obligations and the higher costs of operating out of Ovalau."We also look forward to bigger dividend payments in the future to enable the Government to get back the millions it has invested in PAFCO over the last 44 years.

Bune also thanked PAFCO's strategic partners,...

FIJI’S AIR PACIFIC TO BUY FIVE NEW AIRCRAFT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Nov. 7) – Fiji’s flag carrier Air Pacific, will go ahead with its plans to buy five new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets costing US$1 billion despite the current political situation.

The airline’s managing director John Campbell, has told the Fiji Times two of the new high technology jets will be delivered in 2011 and the remaining three in 2012.

Mr Campbell says the new Dreamliner aircraft would be extremely capable and would economically operate flights from as short as two hours to as long as 17 hours.

He says this would be ideal for the entire current and potential network from as close as New Zealand to as far away as South America, China and India.

The Boeing 787 will carry 320 passengers and 20 tonnes of cargo and use 20-percent less fuel than current jets.

After the delivery of the five Boeing Dreamliner aircraft, Air Pacific’s fleet...

By Romulus Huta

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Nov. 8) – Australian Solomons Gold Limited is aiming to produce 35 per cent of the Solomon Islands’ Gross Domestic Product as soon as it starts full operation.

Gold Ridge Mining Limited country manager Keith Nielson made this statement during the Governor General’s visit to the mine site on Friday.

Gold Ridge Mining Limited is owned by Australian Solomons Gold.

Mr Nielson said the opportunities, which the gold mining operation will provide for the country, will be more.

He said currently operation is at its infancy stage.

Gold Ridge Mining Limited currently employed more than 100 locals.

Mr Nielson said the company is still working on redeveloping the site as the infrastructure in the area was badly damaged during the ethnic crisis.

He said they are working cohesively with the communities to let their development plans rolled easily.

Currently the only existing...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Nov. 7) – The Cook Islands opposition party says it is ironic that the government can approve a budget of more than NZ$9 million [US$7 million] for the 2009 mini games but can’t fix the overflowing sewage treatment plant in Nikao on the main island Rarotonga.

Nikao is the venue for the mini games which brings together athletes from around the region.

CIP deputy Teina Bishop and Atiu MP Nandi Glassie have threatened to take legal action, and has laid the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Cook Islands Investment Corporation because they manage the land where the treatment plant is located.

Mr Glassie is questioning why the government would spend millions of dollars upgrading the adjacent Tereora Stadium for the 2009 mini games.

"That is what makes it so ridiculous because how can you have this complex when we still haven’t the ability to sort this environmental hazard out in terms of the...