28 Sep 2004

Pacific Islands Forum is to help pay the wages of Nauru government workers

7:10 am on 28 September 2004

The Pacific Islands Forum is to help pay the wages of Nauru Government workers, many of whom have gone unpaid for months.

As part of a package of measures resulting from a plea made to Pacific leaders at last month's Forum meeting in Apia, the Forum will also offer help to get the Budget approved.

Nauru has been struggling financially for months while most of its key assets in Australia are being sold off to meet a huge debt to General Electric Corporation.

The Deputy Secretary of the Forum, Iosefa Maiava, who led a team to Nauru last month to assess the situation there, says they have offered to help it reform the budget and the economy as a whole.

"We will be assisting the government--- providing some assistance to the Government to help it meet its wage bill, and help the Government move on the reform process - get some assistance with the budget, get the budget approved"

Iosefa Maiava says the Forum is also looking to provide key personnel in the justice department and the audit office.