Neu: 2002-03-17 Contents of this issue:
1. Diplomat Fatally Stabbed 2. US Active 3. Formal Announcement? ======================================================================== March 17th, 2002 1. Diplomat Fatally Stabbed: New Zealand's deputy high commissioner to the Solomon Islands Bridget Nichols has been stabbed to death in the capital Honiara.. Ms Nichols is only the second New Zealand diplomat killed on the job; the country's resident commissioner on Niue, Hector Larsen, was hacked to death in 1953 by three escaped prisoners. Ms Nichols was rushed to hospital in Honiara with knife wounds but later died,said a spokeswoman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry said last night. Ms Nichols, who was believed to be in her forties, had only served a few months in the Solomons. On February, 11 a New Zealand construction worker was stabbed to death. Its understood Ms Nichols yesterday staggered from her property into the house of her neighbour, the administration officer of the New Zealand High Commission. She had a single wound and a kitchen knife was found at the scene. Ms Nichols was treated at the scene by paramedics and transferred to hospital. She died later in the afternoon. Police are now investigating. 2. US Active: Increased American involvement in the Pacific Islands has been hinted during a United States/Pacific Island Nations Joint Commercial Commission meeting. The meeting of the commission's Trade and Investment Working Group in Honolulu was the first commission meeting since 1999. William F. Brent III, representing the U.S. State Department's Office of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Affairs, delivered opening remarks in which he: - Reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to remaining actively involved in the Pacific Islands, as the whole region was vulnerable to terrorism; - Stressed that the U.S. would maintain and hopefully increase its current level of engagement in the Pacific Islands Nations; - Indicated that following the September 11 terrorist attacks the U.S. would work with the Pacific Islands Nations in improving areas such as airport and port security; - Indicated the U.S. would also support developing anti-money laundering measures for the banking sector. He expressed, on behalf of Secretary of State Colin Powell, America's appreciation of Pacific Islands Nations sympathy, support and cooperation after September 11. The meeting was attended by representatives of the United States, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and Tuvalu. New Caledonian representatives attended as observers.(PINA Nius OnLine) 1. Formal Announcement?: Election day on Niue is expected to be formally announced early this week. Sources in government say the Legislative Assembly is expected to be dissolved Monday. Polling day is predicted to be Saturday April 20, the latest election day since Niue gained self government in free association with New Zealand. Within a few days nominations will be called and wannabe politicians contesting the six common roll seats could total up to 20. Sources in the ruling Niue Peoples Party say there is discontent among the senior ranks over leadership roles with some members ready to defect and face the polls as independents. A group of Alliance Independents are planning their strategy and will release their manifesto next week. Several private sector business folk and former public servants are reported to be interested in contesting common roll seats and because of a predicted high number of candidates some sitting members may lose their places in the Assembly because of vote splitting. Confirming their intention to seek re-election are Mrs Veve Jacobsen, Messrs Terry Coe, Michael Jackson, Toke Talagi, Sani Lakatani,and Hunukitama Hunuki. __END__
