Pacific Region News

New Marshall Islands president takes over

MAJURO, Marshall Islands—President Kessai Note and his 10-member Cabinet were administered the oath of office by Chief Justice Allen Field Monday, during a special session of the Nitijela (parliament).

Appointed to key positions by Note were Michael Konelious as new Minister of Finance and Alvin Jacklick as Foreign Minister.

Jacklick is expected to take over Compact of Free Association aid negotiations with the United States from former negotiator Phillip Muller.

Tuvalu seeks UN seat

UNITED NATIONS, New York—Tuvalu has applied to become the 189th member of the United Nations.

Prime Minister Ionatana Ionatana said the application first has to be endorsed by the 15-member Security Council and then by the 188-nation General Assembly.

Tuvalu, with a population of about 10,500 and consisting of nine coral atolls, is located north of Fiji. It gained independence from Great Britain in October 1978.

Last September, the UN General Assembly admitted three other Pacific island nations — Kiribati, Nauru and Tonga.

Cyclone spares Fuji

SUVA, Fiji Islands—Cyclone Iris passed close to Fiji Monday but didn’t
cause any major problems.

A senior forecaster at the National Weather Forecasting Center said the
cyclone skirted Kadavu Island and then headed out to sea.

Shipping in the area has been alerted.

Turning volcanic ash into cash

RABAUL, Papua New Guinea—There is growing international interest in the commercial use of volcanic ash, which completely destroyed Rabaul in 1984, according to East New Britain administrator Hosea Turbarat.

He said Australian and European scientists have conducted studies that suggest that the volcanic pumice, which in some areas is 26 feet deep, can be made into building blocks or sold as fertilizer.

Several overseas parties are now in conversations with the government to acquire the product, he said.

Fiji education ministry for integration

SUVA, Fiji Islands—Education Minister Pratap Chand told a teachers’
convention Monday that the ministry is planning for full racial integration
of students and teachers in the nation’s schools.

The main reason for the move, he said, is that a significant number of indigenous Fijian students now attend Indo-Fijian schools. However, not many Indo-Fijian students enroll in Fijian-administered institutions.

The separate school systems are a legacy of British colonialism, which segregated the children of sugar cane workers from India from indigenous Fijians.