30 JUNE 2009

RAROTONGA (Pacnews) ------ Cook Islands foreign affairs minister Wilkie Rasmussen says the PACER Plus free trade agreement between the Forum island nations, Australia and New Zealand is likely to be one of the major talking points at the Forum leaders meeting this August, reports Cook Islands News.

The Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat gave his introductory remarks at the Forum Trade Officials Meeting recently. The full transcript follows:

On behalf of the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, I’m pleased to join Minister Keil in extending a warm welcome to you all to Apia and to also thank you all for making the effort to attend the 2009 Forum Trade Officials Meeting. The fact that we are able to meet at this time and in this beautiful country is due largely to the kind support of the Government of Samoa and on all our behalf I wish to extend our collective profound gratitude to them for this exceptional assistance. I’m sure during our stay here in Apia we will in our own little way return this favour.

11 JUNE 2009

 PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National) – The Government gives top priority to ensuring that all Papua New Guineans have access to health care and services and live longer, productive lives and age with dignity, Health Minister Sasa Zibe said last week.

Acknowledging the country’s poor health standards, Mr. Zibe announced last Thursday that the National Health Department had begun developing a new 10-year plan for 2011-20 once the current health plan (2001-10) expires next year.