Teilweise neu: 2001-11-29 Contents of this issue:
1. Drugs Crackdown 2. Solomons Observers ======================================================================== Old contents were: 1. Drugs Crackdown November 29th, 2001 1. Drugs Crackdown: Police in Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga have charged 21 people with possession of illegal drugs. Deputy Commander of Police Taniela Faletau told Radio Tonga News that most of the drug haul involved marijuana, with a street value of over 20,000 Pa'anga (US$ 9,225). Three of the 21 suspects also carried weapons and ammunition. According to Radio Tonga, police, for months now, have mounted a major drug crackdown in the nation, in close cooperation with the community as well as law enforcement agencies in the Pacific, including New Zealand and Australia This has resulted in major drug busts. Among those arrested was a woman with over 1,000 packets of marijuana.(PIR) 2. Solomons Observers: New Zealand is sending nine observers to monitor the general election in Solomon Islands on December 5. The observers will be part of a team of more than 80 international observers that will help ensure the election takes place as scheduled in a free and fair manner. The NZ team leader will be Chris Carter, Member for Te Atatu and Junior Government whip, Mr Carter has had extensive international experience, including as an observer of the first multi-racial elections in South Africa in 1994. The other members of the Kiwi observer delegation are: Hon Richard Prebble, leader of ACT New Zealand Party, who has a family connection to the Solomon Islands; Hon Wyatt Creech, Shadow Minister of State; Doreen Prebble, a Solomon Islands citizen, former Honorary Consul for Solomon Islands in New Zealand, and chairperson of the Solomon Islands/New Zealand Association; Des Ratima, Alliance policy analyst and a former Warrant Officer in the New Zealand Army; Father John Craddock, a Marist Priest with over a decade of teaching experience in Solomon Islands; Tia Barrett, a former New Zealand High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, and current Director of Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Rhys Richards, a former New Zealand High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and current Chairperson of the Rainbow Warrior Pacific Development and Conservation Trust;Bernard Hillier, also a former New Zealand High Commissioner to Solomon Islands. (MFAT) __END__
