Pacific Briefs

Two dead, 22 injured in New Caledonia bus tragedy

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (PIR) — Two people, including an eleven-year-old girl, and a 32-year-old man died and another 22 passengers were injured Saturday when the bus in which they were riding crashed near Bourail, 72 miles north of Nouméa.

All 43 passengers aboard the bus were visitors from Vanuatu.

Four remain hospitalized in critical condition.

The crash occurred when the driver of the bus failed to negotiate a sharp turn in the road.

FBI may open American Samoa office

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (PIR) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is exploring opening an office in American Samoa, according to FBI special agent John Gillies in Honolulu.

American Samoa is the only U.S. possession without a resident FBI presence, he said.

“Based on the information we are receiving from American Samoa and investigations we are working on, we feel setting up of an office is warranted at this time.

Government fraud would be among the primary matters the new FBI office would investigate.

Over 300 teachers have left Fiji since coup

SUVA, Fiji (PIR) — More than 300 teachers have emigrated since the political crisis last year in which the government of Mahendra Chaudhry was deposed.

Fiji Teachers Union General Secretary Agni Deo Singh said qualified teachers now are being replaced by new university graduates.

“Teachers holding senior positions, especially heads of departments, are the ones who are leaving our shores in large numbers” primarily to New Zealand, Mr. Singh said.

Fiji has been hit by a continuing “brain drain” since the unrest and violence of last May, he said.

Mr. Singh added that the only way to bring the mass migration under control is to return the country to constitutional rule.