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PACIFIC BRIEFS
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Posted on Feb 15 2001
Loss of land use in Marshalls worth $815M
MAJURO, Marshall Islands (PIR) — The loss of use value of Ailingnae, Rongelap and Rongerik atolls as a result of U.S. nuclear testing in 1954 has been pegged at $815 million by an independent group of real estate appraisers, the Marshall Islands Journal reported.
The findings were presented at a two-day hearing in Majuro on nuclear test damage claims.
The appraisal involved three separate real estate experts, from Guam, Hawai’i and California.
The three atolls were contaminated with fallout from the 1954 Bravo test, now marked in the Marshalls by Nuclear Victims Day every March 1.
Flotilla to protest plutonium shipment
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (PIR) — A flotilla of small ships is preparing to set sail for the Tasman Sea to protest two British nuclear waste ships transporting plutonium from Japan to France.
The ‘Pacific Pintail’ and the Pacific Teal’ will pass close to New Zealand territorial waters.
Flotilla spokeswoman Pia Mancia said the skippers of the vessels involved have committed to conduct a peaceful protest.
The ships are from a number of countries, including Australia and New Zealand, some Pacific islands nations, France, Poland and Holland, with others still being recruited, she said.
China assists South Pacific Games
SUVA, Fiji Islands (PIR) — China has once come to the aid of Fiji to help it stage the 2003 South Pacific Games in Suva.
Sports Minister Keni Dakuidreketi this week signed an agreement with Beijing worth more than $9 million for the construction of a multi-purpose indoor stadium.
Construction of the facility – which will include three international-standard basketball courts – will start in August.
Earlier, China contributed to the construction of the Sir John Guise stadium and sports complex in Port Moresby, which helped Papua New Guinea host the 1991 games.
