Whispers

Cleansing of sort: While some enthusiastic islanders spent World Environment Day cleaning up their back and front yards, a cleaning of a peculiar sort surfaced in the atoll capital of Kiribati, Tarawa. Apparently, bundles of government documents were found buried in five separate holes on a beach on the ocean side of a causeway. Bulk of the documents had been burnt to ashes but a significant amount of it remained either partially burnt or fully intact. Local newspapers say the remains have been handed over to the police for safekeeping. Questions about the motives behind the burning and burial of the documents continue and editorial pages call for an enquiry.

Tito fights back: Down but not out is the attitude displayed by some of Teburoro Tito's supporters attacking the man who ousted them from office: Anote Tong, new president of Kiribati. Soon after steering his first budget through parliament, Tong went straight into an urgent sitting of the High Court that sat just one day after parliament adjourned. Colleagues of the former head of government have accused Tong of electoral bribery during the campaign that preceded the presidential election which pitted him against Tito's candidate, older brother Doctor Harry Tong. The court was still sitting when this edition went to press.

By my side: It may be the current flavour of the month, but have you noticed those that have accompanied our political leaders to regional meets of late? First, there was the record number of delegates from near bankrupt Solomon Islands brought along to Auckland for the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' summit. Some of them, it was said, flew business class with their legal wives and, ump, seconds. Or third. Then, there was a Fijian counterpart who went to Apia with a "new kitchen," local cliche for mistress. It was the real kitchen' who had the last laugh when the Fijian counterpart was summoned to appear before his boss, on the fourth floor of Government Buildings. Unbeknown to the poor servant of the people, his good wife had sought the Prime Minister's ear.

Samoan paper for sale? Ssshhh, but is it correct that one of Samoa's more nationalistically-inclined newspapers, one that often bangs the "Samoa for the Samoans only" drum, very recently offered itself for sale to a visiting representative of a very large international news corporation?

2004 set for Virgin Blue: Seems like Virgin Blue won't be alighting in the Pacific Islands until towards the middle of 2004, and as Pacific Blue, not Virgin Blue. Reports of an October 2003 timing for Virgin's island advent was actually related to the time of an application to Australian regulatory authorities for flying rights to initially Fiji and Vanuatu. But a jet in Pacific Blue livery is already airborne in preparation for flights to New Zealand as first planned. The whisper is that flights to the islands will be from New Zealand as well as Australia. That's unhappy intelligence for Air New Zealand, which with Fiji's Air Pacific is already offering fares that otherwise might not be as attractive.

Niue visa requirement: Now that the resumption of an air service to it has ended the dire tourism drought Niue suffered when it was dependent on ad-hoc flights from Tonga, it has decided that it can treat its guests less accommodatingly. Most destinations want visitors to stay as long as possible so that they can spend more money. Niue is now telling visitors who want to remain beyond their 30-day visa that they must leave the island before applying for an extension. In applying for another visa, visitors must supply a police report, blood tests, x-rays and immunisation certificates. The local tourist trade isn't now expecting much in the way of repeat business.

Tonga's runaway ruggers: Fourteen members of a team of Tongan rugby players from Vava'u who went to play a game or two in New Zealand have embarrassed the Tonga Rugby Union. The union had assured New Zealand's immigration department that all would return to Tonga at the end of their tour. Fourteen players didn't appear to catch the plane home. Vava'u has been warned that there will be no more backing for overseas trips for its rugby players until all the runaways are back home.

Leave war relics alone: Next time you leave Vanuatu by air, feel a little safer. There's less chance now of a chunk of World War Two artillery, souvenired by a scuba diver, banging off in the hold under your chair. X-ray gear installed recently at Bauerfield International Airport in September detected 15 artillery shells in the luggage of divers who had done their thing at Santo, where there's a lot of the stuff still around on and off shore. According to the diving code, it is supposed to be left where it is spotted. Airports Vanuatu chief Captain Desmond Ross says while the projectiles and explosives had been removed from the shells "we can never be sure that they are completely safe. There is a primer at the base of the shell that may not be recognised by an untrained person and if that is mishandled or dropped, it may explode. Old ammunition can be very unstable and when removed from the water, is very dangerous. Of particular concern, is that these shells had been removed from the dive sites, and then cleaned on shore. This is an extremely dangerous practice because of the instability of such old ammunition. There are many cases, worldwide, of people being injured and killed by old ammunition from wars of many years ago that has become unstable and will explode if mishandled. This is why we will never allow such items on board an aircraft." So now you know.

G-G generates interest: Interesting the amount of interest generated by the lately filled position of Governor-General of Papua New Guinea. Port Moresby sources revealed it was an impressive list comprising former top senior civil servants, MPs, former parliamentary speakers and businessmen who were interested in this cushy position. Even Sir Silas Atopare, who was Governor-General until last month, was hoping his term would be renewed. But former Lands Minister and Wabag MP Sir Albert Kipalan got the job after 46 of 91 members of Parliament voted for him. Trouble is that questions are being asked about the vote's validity.

Diplomatic immunity: International agencies staff normally enjoy diplomatic immunity while occupying overseas posts, although some abuse it in one way or another, perhaps by ignoring local parking laws. In Suva, one United Nations person has been given the heave-ho for unjustly smearing a colleague who uncovered some undiplomatic activity.

Vanilla, highway targets: Armed hold-ups by highwaymen are not exactly unknown in Papua New Guinea. In fact, in some districts they're so frequent that bosses have payrolls delivered by helicopter rather than risk delivery by road. A target for PNG's highwaymen is currently vanilla. That's because of the high price the stuff is presently fetching. So when in PNG think twice about transporting your vanilla harvest by road because some Dick Turpin or other, will be waiting for you to stand and deliver.

Goroka singsing: Goroka, 1600 metres (5100 feet) up in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, enjoys the distinction of what the modern day bible, the Guinness Book of Records acclaims as the "best climate in the world," one described also as "perpetual springtime." The trouble, wailed an official of the Goroka show to Islands Business in September, is that the climate is changing. Travellers who make the pilgrimage there for the spectacular Goroka singsing are advised to go early, say 7.30am, since by 11am the dancers have churned up clouds of dust. Not this year. "Look, it's all green when it's normally all brown and dry at this time of year. The climate's been changing for some years, so we'll have to move the timing to what was the wet season," the official lamented. A little later heaven turned on the tap and a thousand singsing performers disappeared with a dash for the sake of the security of their striking body paint and feather costumes. "The paint washes off in the rain and those feathers are getting harder to collect," was the explanation.