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Pacific Region News
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Posted on Dec 07 1999
PNG white-collar crime on the rise
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea-The local branch of the anti-corruption group Transparency International has found white-collar crime by professionals on the rise, with unsuspecting people being “ripped off.”
Chairman Sir Anthony Siaguru said, “Greedy lawyers and accountants who claim they are nationalists at heart, are in fact bleeding the nation dry at the expense of the people.” Abuses include padded paychecks, inflated expense accounts and questionable commissions, he said.
Siaguru has called for the national ombudsman to look into the matter.
Economic growth boosts business confidence
SUVA, Fiji Islands—Fiji’s central Reserve Bank, in its 1999 third quarter economic summary, reported that rising business confidence and strong performances by sugar and tourism have resulted in economic growth so far this year of nearly eight percent.
The bank predicts increased output in the manufacturing, construction and tourism sectors next year, with employment likely to rise.
The new optimism comes after years of economic recession.
Sanduan invites island nations to grow food.
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—Sandaun province Governor John Tekwie has announced plans to lease land to small Pacific Island states that do not have sufficient land for crop growing purposes.
He said negotiations with several countries are well under way.
Initial talks with once phosphate-rich Nauru were positive, he said, and a formal agreement is expected to be signed before the end of the year.
Other nations considering participation in the project are the Marshall Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.
Australia grant for shark research
CANBERRA, Australia—Twenty diving groups plan to conduct a shark census in the state of New South Wales to help protect the threatened Grey Nurse shark.
Only about 1,000 of the sharks are believed to remain after they were aggressively hunted for fins during the 1960s and 70s.
Environment Minister Robert Hill said the federal government has awarded community dive groups funding to conduct the census and help develop conservation plans to protect the sharks and their habitat.
