Pacific Region News
Marshalls Islands goes to the polls
MAJURO, Marshall Islands–Voters are expected to turn out in record numbers for Monday’s national election, but final results are not expected to be tallied until next week.
The voting will determine who leads the Marshall Islands as it conducts critical re-negotiations with the United States over assistance and security provisions of the two nation’s Compact of Free Association. The current 15-year agreements expire in 2001.
President Imata Kabua is campaigning on reduced taxes, increased aid from Taiwan and continued good relations with the U.S. The opposition United Democratic Party is running on primarily an anti-corruption platform.
Further investigation of gas deposits requested
NOUMEA, New Caledonia-–French oil and gas researchers are calling on international oil companies to help investigate what is believed to the world’s largest deposit of natural gas, located 120 miles off the New Caledonian coast last week.
The offshore discovery was made by the French research ship Atalante, which evaluates marine and mineral resources in New Caledonia’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
Fiji government accused of using aid improperly
SUVA, Fiji Islands- Opposition whip Konisi Yabaki has accused Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his government of improperly using foreign aid from Australia and New Zealand to further a political agenda.
Yabaki said, “After a detailed examination of the national 2000 budget, we found that (Australia and New Zealand were) becoming politically involved in the internal affairs of Fiji.”
As an example, Yabaki said $51,424 in New Zealand aid will be used to establish a Land Use Commission, which he claimed had been rejected by indigenous Fijians and their traditional institutions.
“Another example is the $51,000 from New Zealand for the Citizens Constitutional Forum, which is now operating as a partisan political lobby linked with other foreign organizations with an ideological slant antagonistic to indigenous rights,” Mr. Yabaki said.
Embassy officials from Australia and New Zealand and the Chaudhry government have not yet responded to Yabaki’s claims.
