Pacific Briefs

French Polynesia president’s resignation sought

PAPEETE, French Polynesia-Pro-independence Territorial Assembly legislators have demanded that President Gaston Flosse resign over charges of corruption.

A Paris court heard the case last month.

The prosecution said Flosse and his political allies are guilty of accepting kickbacks in granting a permit for a Tahiti gambling establishment. Flosse said he is innocent of the charges.

The Paris court’s verdict will be announced November 24.

Bougainville rebels firm on independence

RABAUL, Papua New Guinea-Rebels on Bougainville have reiterated their hard-line position that they will not disarm until the national government clarifies its position on independence for the copper-rich island.

Bougainville Peoples Congress member Andrew Miriki said the rebels took up arms ten years ago to fight for independence and it was foolish for them to disarm themselves without settling the issue.

“We have not accepted the government’s announcement on offering us greater autonomy as a political solution to the conflict because that was not what we have been fighting for,” he said. “What we wanted from day one up until now is independence.”

The rebels and Port Moresby have been observing a truce since 1997, following a decade of bloodshed.

Fiji economy improves

SUVA, Fiji Islands-The national economy has experienced marked improvement over the past six months, according to the Reserve Bank of Fiji.

The bank attributed the change to a negative inflation rate of 0.3 percent, a healthy foreign exchange level, low interest rates, and a stable exchange rate.

Economic growth for 1999 is forecast by the bank to be 7.8 percent.

PNG leprosy fight success

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea-The fight against leprosy is filled with success and achievement, Vice Minister for Health Ludger Mond told a Leprosy Elimination Program Partners meeting last week.

Mond said Papua New Guinea was close to eliminating the disease.

From 1991 to 1999 the prevalence rate was reduced from 13.8 to 1.6 per 10,000 persons.

The achievement results, he said, from good partnership support and the availability of more effective drugs.

No need for media tribunal

SUVA, Fiji Islands—Former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has recommended that the government not go ahead with plans to establish a media tribunal.

He made the comment in response to statements this week by current Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry on the need for parties hurt by the media to be heard by a special tribunal.

“We have the Media Complaints Council and we have the judiciary,” Rabuka said, rejecting the need for establishment of a special tribunal. “If anybody is aggrieved, they should take the complaint to court.”

End media debate

BUKA, Papua New Guinea–A Bougainvillean parliamentarian, Sam Akoitai, has called for an end to public media debates on the political future of the long embattled island.
Akoitai made the request following a recent rash of media statements by Bougainville and national government representatives on the issues of a referendum and independence for the copper-rich province, which fought a decade-long secessionist war before agreeing to a cease-fire last year.
Akoitai appealed to all leaders to address sensitive Bougainville issues only through negotiations.

Fiji to halt hiring of foreign doctors

SUVA, Fiji Islands-–No more doctors need to be recruited from overseas, according to Ministry of Health official Kitione Mulo.
He said 16 doctors were recruited from the Philippines during the year and they have taken up positions in various parts of the country. The next physicians to be employed by the government, he said, will come from a new pool of local interns who shortly will begin service as licensed MDs.