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PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Dec. 24) – ) - There's no white Christmas in Tahiti and Her Islands, nor are there any chimneys for Santa Claus to slide down and for children to hang up their Christmas stockings.

But Santa is as much a part of the yearly celebration as, Christmas decorations, Christmas Eve church services, lots of last-minute shopping for presents and, of course, lots of season's greetings and yuletide spirit.

Following the French tradition, families big and small throughout French Polynesia sit down for their Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. Christmas presents are opened the next morning, allowing children here just like everywhere to cry out with delight over a new computer game, video, cell phone, computer, X-Box and all the other latest "must-haves" of today's youth.

Santa Claus has made his rounds in public leading up to this special day. And on this day before Christmas weary store employees prepare for the final onslaught of parents and...

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (SIBC, Dec. 24) – The skeletal remains of four Solomon Islanders have been returned after being collected for scientific research in the 1920s and held in New Zealand.

The bones were handed over to the National Museum in Honiara after being flown in from Auckland where they had been stored in the city's museum.

The remains are of three men, believed to be from the Santa Cruz islands, and a woman, believed to be from the island of Malaita.

They would be kept at the museum while researchers try to determine exactly where they came from before they are properly laid to rest.

Other remains at the Auckland Museum set to be returned to their lands of origin came from Tonga, New Caledonia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Niue and Vanuatu.

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corp.: www.sibconline.com.sb

Editorial

Samoa Observer

APIA, Samoa (Dec. 24) – One justification given for changing the side of the road for vehicles is that it would stop big gas guzzlers being imported from the United States.

It does not add up since only a few apparently affluent citizens have such vehicles.

Many, including affluent people, buy vehicles with its gas consumption level a key factor, especially these days when the price of oil keeps hopping up.

A barrel of oil cost $US60 the start of the year. It is now $US100.

Not enough has been done to adjust to this alarming situation.

The alternative of coconut oil remains an unfulfilled promise, because not enough focus has been dedicated to solving the glitches arising out of using it, as a fuel for motor vehicles.

Perhaps the price of oil has not reached an alarming enough stage yet.

In the meantime, it looks like it will continue to climb.

The factors causing the high prices seem...

By Ulamila Kurai Wragg

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, Dec. 18) – It will be a bleak Christmas for the northern group people of Pukapuka after seven days of bad weather forced the inter-island boat to return to Rarotonga at the weekend with most cargo still on board.

While some islanders are mad with the Taio Shipping owned inter-island trader Te Kou Maru II, company director Tapi Taio said that the call to return to Rarotonga was made by the engineer since they were running low on fuel.

"The boat was anchored at Pukapuka for one week in rough seas and all that time they had the generators going because there were frozen goods on board," Taio said. "Fuel was running low and the engineer had to make that call or they will drift back to Rarotonga."

Taio admits it was unfortunate that the weather improved after the boat had turned around. Apparently it turned fine on Saturday morning.

"For one whole week the boat was anchored there and...