Tagata atu motu

A conference on Pacific Land Tenure Systems was held earlier this month at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. The conference was organised by the director of Pacific Studies at the University, and was well represented by various people and academics from a number of Pacific countries.

Presentations by representatives examined in details, some of the traditional and constitutional elements, which formulated Land Tenure systems in their respective countries.
Representing the Cook Islands was a lawyer, Tina Brown who because of her knowledge of Land Laws in the Cooks through the nature of her works, was asked to speak on various aspects of traditional rights and customary land in her country.

Western Samoa's opposition leader Tupua Tamasese has expressed new fears over whether the transition from Matai to general voting for all adults in the island nation will be peaceful.
Tupua Tamasese has told Radio New Zealand's Pacific affairs reporter Fraser Folster that the Western Samoan government has handled the issue badly.