Articles Search

Route would originate in Melbourne

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, July 24, 2008) – Cook Islands Tourism chief executive John Dean announced yesterday that Pacific Blue airline has asked for approval to operate a third flight to Rarotonga, starting in Melbourne and flying through Auckland.

Dean says the flight could start as early as mid-September but no dates have been set yet.

Pacific Blue currently offers a B737-800 Brisbane-Auckland-Rarotonga service twice a week.

[PIR editor’s note: Pacific Blue Airlines, based in New Zealand, is a subsidiary of Australian air carrier Virgin Blue.]

He says the weekly addition of 180 seats over the Auckland-Rarotonga-Auckland sectors will significantly increase seat availability, particularly over the busy peak and special event periods and so it will be welcome news to the Cook Islands tourism industry.

"The addition of Melbourne, as a new Pacific Blue gateway from Australia to Auckland...

Free medical service for tsunami victims

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Times, Aug. 1, 2008) – By Joy Basi

A medical team from Taiwan have left for the Western Province to offer free services to the people.

Solomon Times was informed that purpose of the trip is to visit the tsunami-stricken areas and to provide medical services to people of the province.

The team left Honiara on Tuesday and will be in the Western Solomons until August 5th.

Press Officer for Embassy of Taiwan in Honiara, Johnny Lin said a local doctor has accompanied the team.

Mr. Lin told Solomon Times that while in Gizo, the team will visit camp sites that are still in place two years after the tsunami.

It is important that these people receive urgent and proper medical services, Mr. Lin added.

He said that as part of the visit, the team will also be providing medical consultations for people in the area.

The team will be visiting Kukundu Health...

Tavurvur spewing toxic ash

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Aug. 1, 2008) – Workers at the Nonga General Hospital in East New Britain Province are worried about the continued ash fall from live volcano Mt Tavurvur and its effects on the workers and patients.

Some staff said it had been more than 10 years since the volcanic eruptions revived and they continued to work in dusty conditions.

The workers said it would be proper if the patients and the staff were transferred to other health centres because of the continued ash fall and the effect it would have on their health.

They said the management and authorities were not serious about the issue and thought that the ash fall and dust was normal.

However, they said they work and sleep in dusty conditions and despite how hard they try to keep the hospital free from dust, the ash fall from Mt Tavurvur is a never ending proposition.

The workers said their patients were also...

Vernaudon elected while in prison

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Aug. 3, 2008) – The mayor of Mahina on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia, Emile Vernaudon, who made history by being elected while in jail, may lose his office after his campaign accounts were rejected.

The French accounts office has referred questions about the contributions to a Tahiti court which could lead to fresh elections for the mayoralty, held by Mr Vernaudon since the 1970’s.

He was re-elected in March, despite being in prison, as part of an on going investigation into alleged fraud and theft during his time as government minister.

The Mahina council installed him in office by placing a ribbon around his photograph in the mayor’s chair.

However, his four months in jail prevented him from possible re-election as an assembly member in February.

His wife stood for the assembly seat instead and was elected to join the ruling coalition of...