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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (Jan. 31, 2000 – The National)---Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu have arrived at an understanding on a range of bilateral and regional trade issues.

The understanding was reached following a two-day visit to PNG by Vanuatu Trade and Business Development Minister James Bule, during which he held official talks with his PNG counterpart Michael Nali.

Mr. Nali said in a statement released in Port Moresby yesterday that he and Mr. Bule had reached agreement on some key bilateral and regional issues of concern to our two countries, the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and the region through the South Pacific Forum and the Asia Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Secretariat in Brussels.

He said that, among other things, the two countries arrived at an understanding on the following:

*PNG and Vanuatu as signatories of the MSG Trade Agreement are committed to the MSG Free Trade Agreement as a nucleus for achieving trade liberalization in the...

MAJURO, Marshall Islands (January 28, 2000 – Marshall Islands Journal)---President Kessai Note, in his words, "encouraged" government employees to come to work at 8:00 a.m. and stay until 5:00 p.m.

In a speech to the Nitijela Tuesday, he exhorted Marshallese to pull together and improve their work habits. Later in the day speaking with the Journal, Note said one of the goals of his new administration is to improve the productivity of the public service, and lead by example.

A check of the capital building offices earlier this week by Journal staff suggests that the President’s message is having an affect, as workers appeared to be in their offices in greater numbers than in recent years. Some people in government, however, are working an hour and a half a day, but getting paid for a full eight hours, Note said.

"It’s an attitude left over from earlier generations," he said, adding that it has to change. There are many younger, newly educated Marshallese...

SUVA, Fiji Islands (February 1, 2000 – Fiji’s Daily Post/Pacific Media Watch/Pasifik Nius/Niuswire)---Fiji's government-owned Daily Post has appointed a new general manager, Ranjit Singh, to head the troubled publishing company, the newspaper has reported.

In its February 1, 2000 edition, the paper announced the appointment of Singh, a senior manager from the Colonial National Bank, with effect from that day.

A graduate of the University of Papua New Guinea with a Bachelor of Arts degree and New Zealand's Massey University with a Master of Business Administration degree, Singh was a key manager responsible for integration of the National Bank with the Colonial insurance group after the latter bought a controlling 51 percent interest in the bank.

He was also part of the rebranding team that developed the new Colonial National Bank image.

The editor, Jale Moala, has been acting general manager, but has maintained editorial independence.

The Fiji...

By Florence Syme-Buchanan

AVARUA, Cook Islands (January 21, 2000 – Cook Islands News)---The Ministry of Outer Islands Development (MOID) has proposed an ambitious $1 million plan to improve the infrastructure of airports and harbors that have important links to the outside world.

Although the government doesn’t have the money to pay for the improvements, MOID Minister Tangata Vavia is confident aid agencies and governments will come to the rescue.

A planning team comprised of former Works Secretary George Cowan and engineer Steve Barrett will visit Mitiaro, Manihiki, Rakahanga and Palmerston.

Cowan and Barrett will decide what work should be done and what’s needed in terms of machinery and manpower. Vavia wants the plan completed as soon as possible "to show donors, and if they support the reform program and development of the outer islands and take direction from the Asian Development Bank report, we’ll get assistance.

"The outer islands have...