Pacific Islands Report

Yap flights resume after accident

YAP, Federated States of Micronesia—Continental Micronesia has resumed regular flight service to Yap following the removal from the tarmac of a Boeing 727 jet that had blocked the island’s single runway for several days.

Last Sunday, the plane’s left landing gear collapsed immediately following touch down, stranding the jet and preventing other flights from arriving or departing. What caused the gear to collapse is still under investigation.

None of the 96 passengers or seven crew members aboard the plane was injured.

Community service as punishment in PNG

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—Offenders found guilty by village courts of minor crimes now will be required to do community service work of up to six months instead of going to jail.

Parliament amended the Village Courts Act to permit the change in punishment.

Both government and opposition legislators supported the move, calling it both useful and humane.

Mass repatriation of Irian Jaya refugees planned

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has announced plans to airlift more than 900 villagers now in northwestern Papua New Guinea back to their original homes in the bordering Indonesian province of Irian Jaya next month.

This follows the successful repatriation of 88 Irianese men, women and children to the Indonesian outpost of Mindiptana from Kiunga in Western province earlier this month.

Most of the refugees escaped to Papua New Guinea 16 years ago during independence clashes in Irian Jaya.

Interpol alert over fake Fujian currency

SUVA, Fiji Islands—Police have alerted Interpol about the circulation of counterfeit Fijian currency.

Police Commissioner Isikia Savua said an in-depth investigation is under way after confirming that bank tellers had accepted significant numbers of bills without realizing they were counterfeit.

It is believed that the printing of the notes was done on sophisticated color photocopying machines now in commercial use.

A U.S. government secret service agent is assisting with the investigation.

No compensation for PNG cyanide spill

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—Australia’s Dome Resources company is not planning to compensate local landowners for last month’s one-ton spill of deadly cyanide pellets near the Tolukuma gold mine.

Managing director Michael Silver said Friday that an investigation has shown that there was no long-term environmental damage to the area.

Silver said local creeks and rivers are clear of cyanide and local villagers vegetation and animal life have not been endangered.

A pallet carrying sodium cyanide to the mine site fell from a net slung beneath a company helicopter on March 21 during a storm over jungles north of Port Moresby.