Cocaine seized from yacht in Marquesas

FRENCH POLYNESIA – The French navy has seized more than 400 kilograms of cocaine on a yacht near French Polynesia’s Marquesas islands.

The French High Commission says the yacht was intercepted by the frigate Prairial about 1,500 kilometres off Tahiti.

It says two men, whose nationality was not given, were detained and will be taken to Papeete where they are expected to be tried.

A customs official said the two tried to sink the yacht to avoid being checked.

The yacht had reportedly sailed from South America. In February, about 680kg of cocaine was seized on a yacht in French Polynesia. - RNZI One year down, three to go

VANUATU – Transparency Vanuatu says the past year has been a relatively settled one for the country’s politics, which could be a good omen.

It’s been one year since the country last went to the polls to vote in a snap election brouight about after half the previous government was jailed for corruption.

The country has been plagued by regular motions of no confidence and changes of government since independence in 1980.

A board member for Transparency Vanuatu, Evelyne Toa, said many people went to the last elections with a sense of optimism that there could be change.

She said the new government had been pushing for large scale reforms to bring about stability – some of which have proved controversial and would be challenging to implement.

However, Toa said things do appear to be more settled in Vanuatu, but the hard work for the government was yet to come.

“It’s one year on, but that doesn’t mean that we are strong and stable,” she said.

“After one year we’re still, you know, trying our best to have this government going on for the next three years.

“So that’s their aim, they always talk about their commitment to political stability but that will depend on our elected members.” - RNZI