PACIFIC BRIEFS: SIX CHILDREN DIE FROM MEASLES IN PNG

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – A remote region of Papua New Guinea bordering the provinces of Enga and East Sepik has been hit by a deadly measles outbreak.

The Post Courier reports there have been six deaths of children under the age of three in Nete region in the past two weeks. While the deaths were reported at two villages close to the airstrip in Malaumanda, locals warn that deaths among the 7000 people in the sparsely populated area could be high. The Malaunmanda Landowners Association has been lobbying to organise for a medical team from Wabag to attend to the outbreak although it says the response by health officials in both provinces has been slow.

TERRITORY fails to elect A president

NEW CALEDONIA – New Caledonia’s government has again failed to elect a president, leaving the administration in caretaker mode. A meeting this week was called by the French High Commissioner in a bid to end the deadlock but according to public radio, no candidate secured a majority. The territory has been without a president for five weeks after the collegial government led by Cynthia Ligeard collapsed amid disagreements within the three-party anti-independence camp. Although the same 11-member government was re-elected on New Year’s Eve, the ministers could not agree on who should be the president. To be chosen, a candidate has to get the backing of at least six of the 11 government members. None of the two candidates has more than three backers. The five ministers from the pro-independence side again abstained.

MILLIONS OWED IN UNPAID WATER BILLS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Papua New Guinea’s state provider of water and sewerage services, Eda Ranu, is owed nearly US$18 million in unpaid water bills. The newspaper, The National, reports Eda Ranu’s chief executive officer Henry Mokono saying most of the unpaid bills are owed by government departments and in particular Police, Correctional Services and Defence. Port Moresby is also reportedly facing an imminent crisis with its water treatment plant at Mt Eriama nearing full-capacity. Mokono says a new water treatment plant is urgently needed at a cost of US$300 million.

major rugby stadium mooted FOR Fiji

FIJI – Fiji could soon be playing host to the world’s Rugby Sevens teams with plans in place for a new stadium in the Western Division. The proposed upgrade to the Denarau Marina in Nadi includes plans for a 20,000-seat stadium. The CEO of Denarau Marina, Nigel Skeggs, says Fiji, as a top international sevens team, should be able to host the games with the upgrade. He says there is plenty of accommodation in Nadi, although the stadium can only be built with government help. “Even though we are a top-tier team we don’t have the opportunity to host such an event. So we’re hoping that if we can bring a world-class stadium into the Western Division we may well see the international sevens hosted here in Fiji in the future.” Skeggs says private investors have been encouraged by last September’s election.

samoa’s talo exports booming

SAMOA – Talo exports from Samoa to New Zealand have more than tripled, increasing from four to fifteen containers a month. The rise in exports is being credited as a result of the Samoa Manufacturers and Exporters (SAME) trade show in Auckland in November last year. The president of SAME, Tagaloa Eddie Wilson, says figures on export earnings from 2013 were at US$1.4 million, and has risen to about $4 million dollars at the end of last year. Tagaloa says Australia has given the green light for new varieties of talo from Samoa to be exported, and they are expected to be on showcase at a trade show in Sydney in March.