Pacific Region News

A. Samoa losing money over internet rights

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa —One of American Samoa’s top lawyers has called on the legislature to investigate the agency charged with selling its Internet domain name suffix, DOT-A-S.

The American Samoan government assigned the rights to sell the suffix to a company in Denmark, which had agreed to return a share of the sales.

But the legislature’s senior attorney, Aofa Moega Lutu, said while the Danish company earned more than $500,000 in 1998, the American Samoan government has not received a single penny.

Suva to host economic pact signing

SUVA, Fiji Islands—Over 600 delegates from APC (Africa, Pacific and Caribbean) countries and the European Union are expected in Suva in May for the official signing of a renewal of the Lomé economic convention.

The new agreement will result in the European Union providing about $50 billion in additional financial support for developing countries.

Eight Pacific Island nations currently are APC group members. Six more – the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue and Palau – currently are seeking membership.

2 militant groups surrender weapons

HONIARA, Solomon Islands—The Malaita Displaced People’s Committee reports that the surrender of arms by members of the feuding Isatambu Freedom Fighters of Guadalcanal and the Malaita Eagles Force will be the subject of a high-level Land Rights Forum planned for the end of the month.

The Forum also will discuss the situation involving Guadalcanal’s militants and the possible threat posed by the re-emergence of the Malaita Eagles Force, who stole weapons and ammunition from a police armory last month.

The Forum will consider how to compensate land Malaitans were forced to abandon on Guadalcanal as a result of ethnic tension between the two Solomon Islands groups last year.

PNG gaming board funds major hospitals

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—The gaming board has contributed almost $1 million to the country’s major hospitals to go for medicine, equipment, and operational costs.

Health Minister Ludger Mond said of the total amount, $61,000 will be released immediately to pay outstanding electricity bills.

The Treasury Department also is in the process of releasing $1 million in emergency funds to government hospitals.

PNG invited to Cuba economic summit

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—Cuba has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta to attend an economic summit in Havana in April.

The invitation was extended on behalf of Cuban President Fidel Castro.

The summit will focus on issues of globalization and economic cooperation between industrialized nations and developing countries.