PM Archives

Sept. - Oct. 1993

A decade ago, the annual Marshalls Billfish Tournament was held, just as it was this year. Ten years ago, Ronnie Reimers walked away from the Billfish Club award banquet with the President's Cup and the Atjang Paul Trophy, becoming the first fisherman to win both. Not to be outdone, Almo Momotaro bagged a 407-lb. marlin, breaking the record up to that point. Earl Hinz has a history feature in this issue on Queen Emma of New Guinea, a Samoan-American charmer who very successfully took up trading as Forsyth Co. in New Guinea, after leaving Apia society which looked down on afakasi. In French Polynesia, Fran Dieudonne has a photo essay of the second annual celebration of Tahiti's Internal Autonomy Day, as well as a feature on the then-$40 million a year black pearl industry in French Polynesia. HIV/AIDS is on the radar screen as a short note on health and travel makes clear. Other news has American Samoa banning pregnant aliens and the ADB loaning the RMI funds to improve the Majuro water system. Palau, after years of delay, is preparing for another Compact election. This time, only a simple majority is needed.

The issue’s cover photo by Fran Dieudonne is of a pearl farming worker on Manihi Atoll in the Tuamotus, French Polynesia.