Neu: 2001-09-10 Contents of this issue: 1. Barter Card 2. More Of The Same 3. Painful Rise 4. Fiji Boss 5. Book Worms 6. Room With View 7. Head Count ======================================================================== September 10th, 2001 1. Barter Card: The tiny Pacific island of Nauru has struck a deal to take an additional 237 illegal immigrants off Australia's hands in exchange for fuel, medical expenses and power generators. The agreement bought Australia a way out of its latest asylum seeker dilemma after the navy boarded an Indonesian ship over the weekend and transferred its passengers to a troop carrier already laden with boat people being sent to Nauru and New Zealand. Australian Defence Minister Peter Reith told journalists in the balmy heat of the South Pacific nation that Australia would give Nauru diesel fuel, write off outstanding medical bills for its citizens in Australia and provide power generators. "I believe that this is an important agreement in dealing with what is a significant regional issue," Reith said, estimating the cost of the deal to Australia was around $A20 million ($24.17 million). Nauru, the world's smallest republic with 12,000 people on 21 sq km, has emerged as Australia's white knight since Canberra refused to allow a Norwegian cargo ship to land 433 mainly Afghan asylum seekers it rescued at sea. 2. More Of The Same: Consumers on Niue can expect to pay more for foodstuffs and household commodities in the coming months as prices rise slowly in New Zealand. Blame it on transport costs and global price increases especially in fuel which takes around two months to reach Niue and the neighbouring Cook Islands where the consumer price index shows prices are also rising, says economist Vaine Wichman. She says Statistics Cook Islands announced in their June publication that the inflation rate in the June quarter this year was 7.35%, up from 5.41% in the March quarter of this year. This is in contrast to 1998 and 1999 when the country enjoyed low inflation levels of 0.75 and 1.35%. "Key areas where prices have increased are in the apparel and transportation [particularly international air travel commodities," Ms Wichman said. "Price rises occur when there is more demand than supply for goods and services, and it appears today this is indeed the case. "However, an element of imported inflation is also incurred by businesses and consumers alike by the fact that everything must come into the country by boat or plane. "Last year global price rises in fuel were felt here, and yet when global fuel prices fell later in the year, they did not fall here. "This suggests the need for a fair trading agency in the Cook Islands to oversee this and other things," she said. 3. Painful Rise: Niueans enjoy free medical care, free prescription drugs and free patient referrals to NZ. But on neighbouring American Samoa fees at the LBJ Tropical Medical Center are in the process of sky rocketing.Under a proposed schedule of new fees the cost for visiting a doctor will rise from $US2 to at least $5 for residents and at least $10 for non-residents. (There are additional costs for special circumstances, such as a $5 surcharge for visiting the Emergency Room "after hours" or higher fees for "moderate or high complexity medical problems.") And a follow-up visit will no longer cost $1, but will be charged at the same rate as an initial visit. The cost of each night spent by a resident in the hospital will increase from $US7.50 at present, to $70. The hospital also intends to start charging for services now provided free. For example, a normal baby delivery will cost $US180 for residents and $360 for non residents. If the baby is delivered via cesarean delivery, the cost will be $US360 for locals and $720 for non residents. Surgery will become an additional fee, on top of the general hospital fee. Minor surgery that does not require overnight stay in the hospital will be $50, while major surgery requiring anesthesia will cost $300. Dialysis will cost $50 while the cost of a prescription drug will include a $5 processing fee and a $5 drug fee, for a total of $10 - $7 more than at present. LBJ Medical Center Board Chairman Joseph M. Pereira said the proposed fees will provide LBJ with 20% of the money it needs to operate. At present, fees charged by LBJ only bring in about 2% of the money LBJ requires. 4. Fiji Boss: Former merchant banker Laisenia Qarase has been sworn in as Fiji's elected Prime Minister after serving as interim and caretaker prime minister since last year's coup crisis. The swearing in by President Ratu Josefa Iloilo at Government House, Suva, came after Mr Qarase's Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua emerged biggest winner in elections returning democratic government. Mr Qarase's Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (31 seats) already has the confirmed support of two independents in the 71-seat House of Representatives. His party, which is backed mainly by indigenous Fijians, was also holding discussions with the indigenous Fijian Conservative Alliance/Matanitu Vanua (six seats) and multiracial "Moderates" group (four seats). A Radio Fiji report said the "Moderates" had confirmed their support for Mr Qarase. (PINA Nius). 5. Book Worms: The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) will next week hosts librarians from around the Pacific region. The four-day workshop, which is jointly organised by SPC and the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), is due to start on September 17. It will focus on how to enable librarians from the Pacific countries and territories to gain better access to information. The aim is to develop efficiency and access, possibly through better regional networking among librarians. "The seminar will not be just an information-gathering exercise but the intention is that resolutions will be passed at the end, committing participating countries to take some appropriate action to improve the situation both within their borders and also regionally and internationally," IFLA's co-organiser Graham Cornish said. SPC Library is active in national, regional and international information organisations providing advice and help wherever possible. SPC library is open to the public for reference research. It provides a document supply service, including through the Internet "Whilst the SPC Library is at the forefront in its use of advanced information technologies, it also consistently ensures that those with no access to this technology are also served," SPC Librarian Mark Perkins said. (Oceania Flash). 6. Room With View: Hundreds of asylum seekers on their way to the tiny SouthPacific island state of Nauru after being rejected by Australia will get the sort of ocean view that tourists dream of. Their home, until the United Nations processes their asylum claims, will be a village built with Chinese money and originally intended to house competitors in this year's world weightlifting championships. The world's smallest republic, Nauru pulled out of hosting the championships due to take place in October because it said it could not cope with the expected number of visitors. However, the government of the island around midway between Australia and Hawaii said the Nauru Anaoe (pronounced anna-oy) Village would be perfect for the bulk of the 520 mainly Afghan asylum seekers being sent over by Australia. A collection of cream and pale pink bungalows, some unfinished, the village lies on the opposite side of a paved road to the deep blue of the palm-fringed Pacific. The finished units have air conditioning and refrigerators. The Nauru government says the village can house about 300 people. It has 34 fully-furnished, three-bedroom duplex apartments, and the overflow of illegal immigrants will be housed in sports fields, presumably in tents, the government said.(Reuters) 7. Head Count: A census was condiucted by the government Statisitics office on Niue at the weekend. Families were asked to list the number of people in their household and reveal information about their housing and amenities, sources of water supply , meaning of cooking motor vehicles owned and plans for home improvement.Also requested in the agriculture section of the questionaire were details of land areas used for plabnting, chemical awareness and the number of pets and animals owned by the householders.Results will be published next year. __END__
