Pacific Islands Report

Coalition sues ousted Fiji president

LAUTOKA, Fiji — A lawsuit was filed in the Lautoka High Court challenging ousted President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara’s decision to dissolve Parliament in the wake of the May 19 coup.

The lawsuit said Mara illegally prorogued parliament and had no right to replace former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, who was being held captive.

Mara, who was in Honolulu preparing for the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders meeting when the lawsuit was filed, was unavailable for comment.

Cook Islands fishery deal

AVARUA, Rarotonga — The cabinet is considering a fishing deal that could lead to 720,000 square miles of national waters zoned exclusively for longline fishing being sold for up to 60 years, according to Cook Islands News.

At least two Australian companies are interested in exclusive rights to pearl farming on Suwarrow, a bird sanctuary that many environmentalists would like to see preserved.

Those opposed to the deal said the government would be giving away the country’s $27 million annual fisheries industry.

New moves toward W. Solomons independence

GIZO, Solomon Islands — The government of Western Solomons is proposing a new move for the newly declared state to achieve political independence from the rest of the country.

The proposal comes in light of widespread harassing and looting of residents by members of the rival Malaita Eagle Force in the capital, Honiara.

“We are fed up with a government controlled by criminals who have no concern for the welfare and political future of this country,” said a Western Solomons government adviser.

Over the past weeks, the more than 10,000 Westerners and neighboring Choiseul islanders in Honiara have been targets of a new wave of crime by the MEF.

American Samoa detains cargo crew

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa — The government detained 16 crew members of a Samoa government-owned cargo vessel in an investigation in the attempted smuggling of 16 cases of cigarettes into the territory.

Authorities said crew members were issued stop orders to prevent them from departing the territory during the investigation.

The government believes the Samoan woman who attempted to smuggle 50 cases of cigarettes aboard the MV Lady Naomi last month is also involved.

Oil refinery planned for Vanuatu

PORT VILA, Vanuatu — The Arafura Company, which recently signed a $2 million Joint Venture Fishing Project agreement to fish in the country’s waters, plans to set up a mini oil refinery on the island of Éfaté.

The company, which would operate as WDPT Investment Ltd., said it will be the first mini refinery of its kind in the South Pacific.

The company already built three similar mini oil refineries in Australia.

The company is also considering investing up to $20 million into the refinery to produce petroleum, kerosene, diesel, bitumen (coal tar) and industrial solvent.