Kiribati churches allege illegal marriagesTARAWA (Radio Kiribati/PINA) — The Kiribati National Council of Churches has expressed its concern over what it called illegal marriages.
Secretary Kianteata Teabo said the council is concerned following reports several people have “married” new wives or husbands, although they have legal partners.
The newspaper Te Uekera reported how a married woman falsely claimed her husband had died. She then “married” another man, and this escaped the eyes of civil registration authorities.
Kamauaa Tirae, from the police headquarters in Betio, confirmed detectives are investigating.
Nauru refugees may go to New Zealand
AUCKLAND (PINA) — New Zealand may again help Australia out with its boat people crisis by taking in refugees detained on Nauru, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel said that the New Zealand government was expected to decide in the next couple of weeks whether to accept more asylum-seekers, the newspaper said.
These would be people being held on Nauru that the United Nations had approved as genuine refugees.
They would be taken as part of New Zealand’s existing quota of 750 a year, the New Zealand Herald said.
Dalziel said the government had previously indicated it wanted to ease the burden for transit countries in the region.
Tourism promotion bodies merge
PAPE’ETE (Oceania Flash) — In a major move to strengthen its crucial tourism industry, French Polynesia’s two destination promotion bodies, GIE Tahiti Tourisme and GIE Tahiti Manava, have agreed to merge into a single entity, French Polynesia’s government said.
The two destination-promoting agencies last week signed an agreement to merge into “a new structure that will reinforce the impact of (French Polynesia’s tourism) development strategy.”
The name of the new entity, which remains to be set up legally, was not known yet but there was guarantee that no existing job would be suppressed.
Tourism Minister Nicole Bouteau, who witnessed the signing, said a probable name would simply be the use of the existing “Destination Tahiti” trademark.
PORT MORESBY (The National/PINA) — Grade 8 students attending Faniufa Sacred Heart primary school in Papua New Guinea’s Eastern Highlands are cultivating rice as part of a new subject.
The course on trial in the school is “Making a Living.” It incorporates subjects such as agriculture, practical skills, home economics and commerce.
Students in the three grade 8 classes have eagerly sown rice seeds.
“Making a Living” teacher, Ludwig Auro said he planned to teach students how to cultivate rice both in school and at their homes.
“The new subject has given us an opportunity to learn skills and knowledge on rice farming.
“Rice is increasingly replacing our staple food kaukau, the price of rice is increasing every week. To help reduce the economic pressures for our future generation I have chosen rice farming,” Auro said.
He said this is to give students first hand experience in growing and milling rice for their own consumption.
Another from the media joins PNG election race
PORT MORESBY (The National/PINA) — Former Papua New Guinea journalist David Wambi has nominated to contest the North Fly Open seat. He is latest of a series of media people aiming to win a parliamentary seat in June’s general elections.
Wambi, a journalism graduate of Divine Word University, was the founding business editor of The National newspaper.
He left mainstream journalism in 1997 to work as press secretary for then Parliament Speaker John Pundari and later joined the parliamentary service as a special projects officer.
Other former journalists contesting the election include the founding editor of The National, Frank Senge Kolma, Mark Karambi, Cletus Ngaffkin, Dominic Kakas and Henzy Yakham.
Wambi said was prompted to enter politics by the sufferings of the North Fly people.
Wambi is standing as an independent candidate.
