Papua New Guinea
There's more trouble for Australia's Police presence in its nearest neighbour, Papua New Guinea. Around three hundred police officers have held a meeting in Port Moresby, the PNG capital, where they've demanded that the present contingent of 150 Australian officers currently serving in Papua New Guinea be sent home. Officers claim crime had increased since the Australians arrived, and they're not benefitting from training and support under the program.
Pacific Beat
Forestry
Forestry is back in the news in Papua New Guinea, with the government proposing significant changes to legislation that governs the logging industry. The government announced the proposals in Parliament earlier this week - but not everyone's happy with what's being proposed. Environmental groups say they haven't been consulted on the changes, which would reduce their representation, and remove rights for provincial governments and landowners to be consulted. Greenpeace is involved.
Pacific Beat
Gas Pipeline
The design of the gas pipeline, which is to link Port Moresby with the gas fields of PNG's Southern Highlands, could begin soon, according to the head of oil and gas company Oilsearch. The gas pipeline, which could become PNG's major economic resource is no longer a pipe dream. Managing Director of Oilsearch, Peter Botten, told the Australia-Papua New Guinea Business Forum the proposed pipeline would deliver gas to a planned petro-chemical plant in Port Moresby harbour.
Pacific Beat
Fiji
The South African mining company, Durban Roodeport Deep is taking a hammering. DRD Gold took a major stake in Fiji's Emperor gold mine a year ago, buying in at just over 80c a share. Now, the share price has slumped to just over 40c. Emperor has been beset by a range of technical and other problems that have prompted the newspaper The Australian to describe the mine as starting to look like a "train wreck."
Pacific Beat
Air Nauru
Air Nauru has rejected rumours that it will be forced to stop flying on May 20. The United States Exim Bank and Wells Fargo are suing Air Nauru and the Nauru Government for more than US$10 million for unpaid lease fees on Air Nauru's aircraft. The Victorian court in which the case is being heard is due to hand down a major decision later this month. The airline flies from Brisbane to the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Norfolk Island, Fiji and is now the only international airline offering services to Kiribati.
Pacific Beat
Pacific Tourism
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