Tagata o te Moana is a weekly Pacific programme, broadcast on Radio New Zealand National (Saturdays at 5.30pm). It features news, interviews, and discussion of issues. Presented by Don Wiseman.
The programme for 27 January 2007 includes the following:
- Two critics of the interim Fijian administration have gone into hiding, citing fears for their safety after the military announced they were looking for them to take them in for questioning. Angie Heffernan, the Executive Director of the Pacific Centre for Public Integrity (PCPI), and pro-democracy campaigner Laisa Digitaki went into hiding on Tuesday after another critic of the government, lawyer Richard Naidu was detained in Suva.
- Fiji’s military has banned 50 people from overseas travel, claiming they’re being investigated as part of an anti-corruption drive. However, both the military and the immigration authorities have refused to explain why they are being targeted.
- There are plans for a radical reshaping of the centre of Tonga’s capital, Nuku'alofa. It is being rebuilt after rioting in November caused millions of dollars’ worth of damage. The New Zealand business community is keen to be involved in the reconstruction. Mike Flanagan and Sir Barry Curtis comment.
- The dress and behaviour of tourists visiting Samoa has been raised in parliament. There is concern that the increasing numbers of visitors could impact on the local culture. Philippa Tolley reports.
- The Solomon Islands National Council of Women is expressing concern over the rising number of abortions in the country. Numbers have risen dramatically, with girls as young as 13 undergoing the procedure, despite abortions being illegal in the Solomons. Dubravka Voloder reports.
- The Solomon Islands Minister for Provincial Government has warned all newly elected provincial politicians not to spend too much time in Honiara pursuing personal matters. Johnny Blades reports.
- A three-year project focussing on how the Pacific’s media can foster human rights is to be launched later this year. The project will be funded with aid from New Zealand, and will involve New Zealand’s Human Rights Commission, the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, and the Pacific Islands News Association. The New Zealand Human Rights Commissioner, Judy McGregor, is interviewed.
- The treatment of half a million litres of waste oil discharged by P&O cruises at a dump site near Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, has been put on hold. Vanuatu’s quarantine department had delayed the process because of concerns the chemical which is used to treat the waste sludge is itself environmentally dangerous. Johnny Blades reports.