MELANESIAN NIUS:

1 # Funding opposition will stabilise Solomons politics, says Sogavare

The Solomon Islands Opposition Leader, Mannesah Sogavare, says the best way to bring stability to politics is to properly fund the Opposition.

He says this would deter MPs from crossing the floor - something the Government is aming to do with a Constitutional amendment that would make it illegal to swap parties during a parliamentary session.

Mr Sogavare and up to 14 other MPs are opposed to the changes and this might end the Government’s hopes for the legislation which requires a two thirds vote.

He says MPs cross the floor because the financial opportunities are with Government and this has to change.

“Maybe we start by addressing that, formally establishing the office of shadow ministers, formally establishing the office of the deputy leader of the opposition, so we effectively have an opposition office that can put the government in check.”

Manasseh Sogavare (26/11rnz)

2 # 300 evacuated from villages in Vanuatu due to gas and ash from volcano

More than 300 people are to be evacuated from today from three villages in the north of Vanuatu because of gas and ash fall from a volcano.

The government has sent the country’s paramilitary and mobile forces, and the Vanuatu Red Cross Society to monitor the evacuation from the west of the island of Gaua in Torba province.

The director of the National Disaster Management Office, Job Esau says people have been suffering from respiratory problems anddiarrhoea in the last few days as a strong wind has carried the gas and ash.

Reports from Gaua says two boats from the police and health department in Torba are starting to evacuate people this morning.

They are starting with children, women, the elderly and disabled.

Mr Esau says they will negotiate with ships owners to help with the evacuation because the two motor boats can not carry enough people.

Chiefs from two villages, Namasari and Lembot, from the east of Gaua met yesterday about housing the relocated people.

At the moment, the National Disaster Management Office has maintained the level of alert on 2 but Esau says during the past days, ash fall and the gas has increased.(26/11rnz)

3 # PNG’s Kandep by-election vote counting expected to begin over weekend

Posted at 02:53 on 26 November, 2009 UTC

Papua New Guinea’s Electoral Commissioner expects counting of the votes in the Kandep by-election to begin over the weekend.

Polling officials were this week ordered to return to the electorate to hold a second poll in three areas where last week’s polling was abandoned due to violence.

Andrew Trawen says candidate supporters were fighting each other there, making voting impossible.

He says to avoid further trouble he’s transferred vote counting to Goroka in the Eastern Highlands, a move for which he’s been highlycriticised by that province’s leaders.

“As a matter of courtesy I should write to them but the situation at that time was tense so I have to be very very cautious in what I do. The environment in Kandep and Wagen and Hagen is not conducive for the counting because the spill-over of the fighting may continue into those areas. Goroka is a bit out of Kandep and Wabag and Western Highlands, that’s the reason why I had to move it to Goroka.”

Andrew Trawen, Papua New Guinea’s Electoral Commissioner.

4 # Israel won’t compete with Iran for Solomons vote, says ambassador

Israel’s ambassador to Solomon Islands Michael Ronen says his government will not use money to win back Honiara’s support from Iran.

Mr Ronen has cited a recent report by Israel’s Foreign Ministry which says Iran is bribing countries who are friendly to Israel to vote against the Jewish state in the United Nations.

The Solomon government set up diplomatic ties with Iran following last year’s trip to Tehran by the Solomons’ Foreign Minister.

However Iran’s recent move to fund travel by Solomons medical students to Cuba for training with a 100,000 US dollar payment was blocked by the ANZ bank which prevents large money transfers by Iran in line with international sanctions.

Local media reports also claim the Solomons government was advised by Australia not to accept the payment.

But despite Israel lodging a protest over ties with Iran to the Solomons government, Honiara has objected to it, saying it employs a friendly policy towards all countries.(26/11rnz)

5 # No proven increase in PNG sorcery killings says researcher

Papua New Guinea’s Melanesian Institute says the number of violent deaths linked to alleged sorcery or witchcraft may not have increased despite more reported cases.

Highlands provinces have seen the most reported cases over the past three years, with Simbu province alone reporting an estimated 200 annual witch-killings.

The Melanesian Institute says international reports that the problem is linked to soaring HIV/AIDs infection rates are not accurate for many parts of PNG.

The Institute’s acting director Mary Tankulu says there may be a misperception through international media that the problem in PNG is worsening.

“It was already in the traditional societies, like the belief system was already there. Like it was never really reported but it was part of the fabric of the community. So now it’s like, there are instances of people reporting it.”

Mary Tankulu of the Melanesian Institute (26/11rnz)

6 # PNG Electoral Commissioner to speak to Eastern Highlands leaders when voting finished

Papua New Guinea’s Electoral Commissioner says he’ll speak to Eastern Highlands provincial leaders when voting in the Kandep by-election finishes tomorrow.

Polling officials were this week ordered to return to the Enga Province electorate to hold a second poll in three areas where last week’s voting was abandoned due to violence.

Andrew Trawen says to avoid further trouble he’s transferred vote counting to Goroka in the Eastern Highlands and expects that process to begin over the weekend.

It’s a move that’s been highly criticised by the leaders of that province but Mr Trawen says he wasn’t obliged to consult them before making the decision.

“As long the police can provide security the guarantee will be there, that there’ll be no problem. The provincial leaders have gone to the media but I just keep quiet and as soon as I’m satisfied that the teams have moved into Kandep to finish the voting in those three areas then I’ll talk to the leaders in the Eastern Highlands.”

Andrew Trawen, Papua New Guinea’s Electoral Commissioner.26/11rnz)

POLYNESIAN NIUS:

7 # Arresting women

Kate McPherson

Last Updated: 1 hour 19 minutes ago

The Samoan chair of a Pacific women's advocacy group is pushing for more acceptance of women in the region's police forces.

Siripa Uelese, the chairwoman of the Women's Advisory Network which is part of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Secretariat (PICP), is leading the call for policewomen to be given equal opportunities in law enforcement.

She says many policemen believe law enforcement work is unsafe for women.

"But then we have the same skills, we have the same experience and yet we've been under-utilised,' she told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program.

She says they should not just be placed in desk jobs if they are capable of performing other roles.

"The policing organisations... are very dominated by men and they have females wanting to come into the policing organisation, [but] they are quite discouraged in the way that they will only be used for secretarial work, you know that kind of job, just sitting behind a desk, and not being able to go out into the field and do investigations," she said.

The Secretariat Officer of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, Dave Potaka, says the role of women in police work needs to be assessed.

"Women are quite capable, and are getting paid the same amount of money as the men are, so there's no reason why they can't - they have the same abilities," he said.

"It's been pointed out to me that probably the only thing they can't do is search male prisoners, as men can't search women prisoners. Otherwise they should be able to do the job exactly the same."

Inspector Dave Potaka says the Chiefs of Police in the Pacific would benefit from discussions on how to progress opportunities for women.

But he says change will not be quick.

"I guess there's a huge variance between a lot of the nations out there, but in general terms you could probably say the islands are back where we were, in New Zealand, says 20 years ago," he said.

"So the changes that are required are going to be slow, but I think the Women's Advisory Network can go a long way in advising the chiefs and getting some change."(26/11abc)

8 # Political instability puts French Polynesia on ratings watch downgrade

The political instability in French Polynesia has prompted the ratings agency Standard & Poor’s to place the territory on a watch for a downgrade.

It is now on BBB+ as French Polynesia’s assembly has just dumped the President Oscar Temaru.

The new President Gaston Tong Sang is set to form a government in the coming days, the 12th since 2004 and the fifth since last year’s early general election.

The ratings agency said the new no-confidence vote could delay the economic recovery through a new destabilisation of investors and complicate or delay reform efforts.

The parliamentary coalition was the largest in years when it was formed in April but it crumbled over disputes about the 2010 budget until the government’s fall this week.(26/11rnz)

9 # Debate on gender equality opens campaign on violence against women in Samoa

Samoa’s campaign to stop violence against women begins on Savaii island this week with a debate on gender equality.

Men and women will take part in the debate as part of a 16-day campaign organised by the family haven group, Mapusaga o Aiga or MOA.

Its CEO, Salanieta Uesele Uili, says a main cause of reported domestic violence cases involves a man who believes he is superior to his wife.

The organisation says it is looking at other ways of dealing with domestic violence cases.

Mapusaga o Aiga hopes other NGOs in Samoa will also join the campaign.(26/11rnz)

10 # Tuvalu and UNDP agree on climate change project

The government of Tuvalu and the United Nations Development Programme have agreed on a project to deal with the threats posed by climate change.

The four-year programme will aim to protect Tuvalu’s marine, land, water resources and environmental services.

The UNDP will offer training of government officials, technical assessments, documentation and analysis.

Increasing climate change awareness in the communities is also a priority, as is implementing projects such as coastal erosion protection, crop production and water conservation.

The UNDP’s Knut Ostby says it is now time to focus on how the exposed islands can best adjust.(26/11rnz)

11 # Siren to be trialled in new Tonga warning system

A siren is to be trialled on the Tongan island devastated by the recent tsunami, as part of the development of an early warning system.

Nine people were killed on the island of Niuatoputapu, when the tsunami hit in September.

Efforts are now underway to identify weaknesses in the country’s tsunami warning system, and what is needed to address them.

Ofa Fa’anunu, the Director of the Tonga Meteorological Service, is chairing a group, which is formulating evacuation plans, and considering the introduction of an automatic loud siren system and text message warnings.

He says trialling a siren on Niuatoputapu is one of the first steps they will take.

“To test out the siren to see if these things will work in our setting here. Not only to test it as a pilot but also to restore some confidence in the people of the island, still many of them are still living in the mountains, reluctant to come back to their homes.”

Ofa Fa’anunu says establishing a siren system would be expensive and difficult, but they are identifying what’s needed first and will consider cost later.(26/11rnz)

12 # Leaving jail, Flosse in line for French Polynesia government top post

French Polynesia’s veteran politician, Gaston Flosse, has been released from Tahiti’s jail after just over two weeks in preventive detention.

Also released from detention is the French advertising executive, Hubert Haddad, who had been held for seven months over the so-called OPT affair which centres of allegations that he paid kickbacks to Mr Flosse’s Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party.

Their release was ordered by the head of the appeal court in Tahiti, defying a request by the prosecutor to extend their jailing to prevent the suspects from possibly exerting pressure onto witnesses.

This comes as a senior Tahoeraa member, Edouard Fritch, says Mr Flosse, who was convicted for corruption two months ago, could become the vice-president of the government about to be formed.

The Tahoeraa has in recent weeks sided with the To Tatou Aia of Gaston Tong Sang whose motion of no confidence succeeded yesterday in ousting the government of Oscar Temaru.

Mr Tong Sang says the government will have 12 ministers and Mr Fritch says one of them could be Mr Flosse.

Mr Fritch has also said discussions about this have been held for some time and Mr Flosse could for example become the finance minister.

In September, Flosse was given a suspended jail sentence for abuse of public funds as the territory’s president.

The court also stripped him of his political mandates but he has continued in office by appealing that ruling in the French supreme court.(26/11rnz)

MICRONESIAN NIUS:

13 # Marshall Islands told to start saving

Last Updated: 2 hours 6 minutes ago

The International Monetary Fund says the aid-dependent Marshall Islands urgently needs to reverse years of deficit spending to head off a major financial crash.

IMF officials say the Marshall Islands needs to start planning for when United States funding ends in 14 years time.

It should put aside $US9 million a year into a national trust to prevent an economic crisis, the fund urges.

Stephan Danninger, from the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, has been meeting Marshall Isalnds government and business leaders

He says if they begin immediately adding extra money to a trust fund, they can head off financial disaster.

The IMF report coincides with two local reports presented to the national cabinet this week, calling for major cuts in government spending and an overhaul of the tax system.(26/11abc)

 

MELANESIAN NIUS:

1 # Citizens of democratic

Last Updated: 6 hours 2 minutes ago

Citizens of democratic countries should think twice before doing anything which helps the coup-installed interim government of Fiji. That's according to Nick Naidu, from the Coalition for Democracy in Fiji, who is based in New Zealand. He says news that a New Zealand company called Streamcom wrote a report on the broadcasting spectrum in Fiji which led the interim government to to revoke all of the country's broadcasting licenses is deeply disappointing. Mr Naidu says while there could be a completely innocent explanation for the move, he's suspicious about the interim government's motives. Presenter: Bruce Hill  Speaker: Simon Jackson, head of Streamcon; Nick Naidu, New Zealand-based Coalition for Democracy in Fiji  NAIDU: It sort of tend towards the sinister argument for the reason that the timing is quite interesting, it's a time when shortly after the media has been censored and it appears that the censorship hasn't worked as well as the regime most probably wanted it. So could this be a way to further control or muzzle those organisations or media outlets that were not playing ball with the regime. HILL: The report that these moves were actually based on was conducted by a New Zealand company based in Auckland, Streamcom. Do you have any concerns about companies from outside Fiji being involved in this kind of thing which results in such a political decision? NAIDU: It's very sad that while the people of Fiji the average person is suffering, and poverty is getting out of control, unemployment at its highest level, the economy is suffering. While all that is going on we have New Zealand and Australia as governments are standing up and imposing sanctions but at the same time a lot in the private and education sector, professional areas have decided to go and support this illegal regime with no concern ethically for what they're doing and the harm that they're doing to Fiji as a nation and its people by indirectly giving the regime a stamp of approval. HILL: It's not just one company doing this; they're a number of companies and individuals that are actually helping out the Fiji government from countries like Australia and New Zealand aren't there? NAIDU: Of course I mean that's always been the case but I think this time around there should have been some people who should have actually stood on principle and not gone and supported it. We have many people in the current regime, very close advisors, people who work in the civil service and the judiciary, the Chief Justice is an example, the Director of Public Prosecutions, all have taken oath under an illegal regime that has abrogated the constitution and compromised the judiciary, they've all been happy to serve and are continuing to serve what basically amounts to a government that's working against the people of Fiji. HILL: But Simon Jackson, head of the company which wrote the report on the use of Fiji's broadcast frequency spectrum says such criticisms are wide of the mark. He says Fiji's interim government is simply trying to clean up the allocation of frequencies after years of neglect, and there were no political motivations involved. JACKSON: I agree that there should be an ethical basis to the work you do for anyone, whether it's a government or another company. And the fact is we would not have undertaken this work if we believed that there was any ill intent. In actual fact what we believe is happening is that the Fijian government currently is trying to address years of neglect and mismanagement and actually corruption, we've found evidence of that in the way that the radio spectrum has been managed in Fiji. So we a tender to do some work to actually come up with a strategy for reorganising their broadcast band and I think you can see from the reaction of people like CSL, who have over 60 per cent of the market in Fiji radio, commercial radio, and people like My Television; these are the ones who if the government actually had some nefarious intent, these are the ones who would be concerned. And they're not saying that, what they're saying is look, this is good,there's been a problem here that needs to be sorted out. Also the fact that the Fijian government is involving the ITU, which is the International Telecommunications Union, they're actually an arm of the UN. So it's not like this is something where somebody has decided let's find a cunning way to take frequencies away from people, because to be honest if indeed they were acting as an evil dictatorship they could do that without having to go to this extreme couldn't they? They're doing a lot of work and doing it in the right way for somebody who's trying to do something underhand. HILL: How did your company feel about doing business with the Fiji regime? Are their countries and regimes that you wouldn't do business with and where does Fiji fall in that sort of spectrum as far as you're concerned? JACKSON: Yes absolutely, we did some research first, I mean one of the first things we did on our own bat is that we did a visit to the site to actually Fiji and we took some time to talk to people in the Fijian community here in New Zealand, and look honestly it was very confusing. I found conversations that we were having with people on the street and people in New Zealand, like the first time that we approached somebody, we said oh look isn't it terrible what's going on in Fiji? And this guy who was an ethnic Fijian came and said no, it was great, and that kind of really confused us. But we have found more people supporting the changes if you like, plenty of people who may not support the regime, actually may not support the people doing the reforms, but it's really hard to find somebody who doesn't actually agree with the intent. HILL: But Nick Naidu thinks there's a wider principle at stake. He says citizens of democracy should be careful they don't do things which might prop up a regime based on principles they themselves wouldn't like to live under. NAIDU: Well I think one, the professional organisations that these individuals or companies belong to should speak out. The governments concerned should support their sanctions by also making it clear to the private sector what their views are in terms of doing business as usual with Fiji. And I think it's a sad reflection on society as a whole in New Zealand and Australia where people that are supporting regimes around the world, doing business with them like normal are living normal lives and enjoying democracy in these countries, while they're going out there supporting dictatorships in other countries. It's a really sad indictment on the democracy that we live in. HILL: You think the people in Australia and New Zealand take their democracy a bit for granted perhaps? NAIDU: Of course they take it for granted but at the same time they should be aware of the fact that their actions or the actions of their people are also in a way hypocritical because you want democracy to prevail across the world and when you are propping up illegal regimes by giving them financial assistance or indirect technical assistance, then you're actually working against your basic principles and ethics. And that's where the question lies, do people actually have ethics and as countries, as nations, as people, as organisations in this such as the Law Society in Australia and New Zealand, they should reprimand those members for taking part and propping up illegal regimes like in Fiji. HILL: But that characterisation that Fiji's coup installed interim government is disputed by Simon Jackson from Streamcom. He says corruption is no longer part of doing business in Fiji and that's a positive development. JACKSON: When we were doing this work we had people coming to us and saying what did it cost you? People who had been doing business in Fiji for a long time, and we were saying what do you mean? And they said well how much did you have to pay to get the contract? And it appears that the normal operating procedure in Fiji has been that if you pay good money for a contract it would be rude to expect you to actually do the work. So we think, we didn't really notice any of that at all, but people we talked to they were sort of disbelieving that that's actually the way that things are happening at the moment. HILL: On the other hand is that the sort of system that you yourself would feel happy living under, that system they have in Fiji at the moment? JACKSON: Yeah well no probably not, I have to say I mean the issues of censorship to be honest I think are quite sort of overstated. We have in the course of doing this project spent some time on the ground. The stories about, we never saw a soldier, we never saw any evidence of the kind of behaviour which is described as being sort of everyday activity in Fiji. The one thing I came away from fromactually meeting people in government there was that these people are not politicians, they make, they seem to have almost no media nous, they call a spade a spade. But what their intentions are seem to be really I guess noble.(26/11abc)

POLYNESIAN NIUS:

2 # Post-tsunami depression strikes Samoa

Last Updated: 1 hour 56 minutes ago

Health officials in Samoa say a wave of depression, anxiety and acute psychiatric problems has hit people worst affected by September's tsunami.

Dr Lemalu Fiu, who heads the country's national hospital, says while the physical wounds from the disaster have largely healed, Samoa is facing an epidemic of emotional problems.

He says community-based nurses are reporting increased rates of depression and violence, caused by high unemployment and alcohol abuse.

Dr Fiu says these patients are among those who had been hardest hit by the tragedy, losing family members, homes and most of their possessions.

The tsunami claimed 143 lives in Samoa.(26/11abc)

PASIFIK NIUS:

3 # ABD to focus on Pacific aid coordination

Jemima Garrett

Last Updated: 16 hours 25 minutes ago

The Asian Development Bank's (ABD) new strategy for the Pacific for next 5 years will focus on improving aid-effectiveness.

The Asian Development Bank's new 'Pacific approach' will guide the organisations strategy in the Pacific until 2014.

Steve Pollard, the report's principal author, says the top priority will be improving aid coordination and effectiveness.

"The challenge of bringing about change for the better, is no so much what, but how...you do that within the context of the Pacific Island's economies, societies and political economy of the islands," he said.

The main goal of the new Pacific Approach is to create sustained and resilient improvements in living standards, especially for women, young people and rural and outer islanders.

To do so, the ABD will focus on some key issues and sectors, including transport, information and communications technology, urban development, water and sanitation and education.

Mr Pollard says the bank has committed to more consultation and consensus building.

The private sector and management of key government functions will also be priorities.(25/11abc)

4 # NZ passes emissions trading scheme

PHOTO

New Zealand has passed its emissions trading scheme with the legislation scrapping through 63 votes to 58. [freefoto.uk]

Kerri Ritchie, New Zealand correspondent

Last Updated: 2 hours 30 minutes ago

New Zealand has passed its emissions trading scheme, the legislation scrapping through by 63 votes to 58 after fierce debate.

The government led by the National party is delighted but the Labour Party, which is in opposition, believes the Climate Change Response Bill will see taxpayers subsidising big polluters for billions of dollars.

New Zealand Climate Change Minister Nick Smith described Wednesday's debate as "rude and aggressive".

The New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment was pleading for MPs to vote against the bill, saying it would not reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The legislation was rammed through so it could become law before next month's Climate Change conference in Copenhagan.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key will notm be attending the summit.

He has described it as just a photo opportunity.(26/11abc)

5 # Pacific teenagers poorly informed on sex

Lynette Hyslop

Last Updated: 2 hours 10 minutes ago

Adolescents in the Pacific region have relatively limited access to information on sexual health, a conference in Fiji has been told.

The knowledge shortfall was revealed a day after the United Nations revealed AIDS has now killed 25 million people.

The revelation came at a population and development conference at the University of the South Pacific.

Delegates were told cultural and religious sensitivities limit wide access to information to prevent HIV - which can lead to AIDS - other sexually transmitted infections, and unwanted pregnancy.

Figures show sexually transmitted infections are high especially among young people and HIV and AIDS is epidemic in Papua New Guinea.

Women are about 10 times more likely to contract HIV than men, says Litiana Kuridrani, from the Fiji School of Medicine.

Since 2003, the expert said, 47 percent of new HIV infections were among women, the majority of whom were infected by husbands and boyfriends.(26/11abc)

FRANIS NIUS:

6 # Constitution fidjienne: la colère du professeur Brij Lal

26/11/2009 08:44

 

L’historien fidjien Brij Lal a vivement réagi hier à l’annonce par le Premier Ministre fidjien par intérim, Frank Bainimarama, d’unrétablissement partiel de la Constitution à Fidji.

Pour le professeur Lal : “Il faudrait d’abord que le gouvernement demande aux Fidjiens ce qu’ils veulent comme institutions politiques, au lieu de décider à leur place de ce qui est bon pour le pays!”

La Constitution de 1997 a été abrogée après que la Cour d’appel de l’archipel ait déclaré “invalide” l’administration par intérim issue du coup d’état de 2006.

Les parties de la Constitution concernant l’État de droit, le système judiciaire, les droits de l’Homme et les principes démocratiques, serontrétablis par décret. C’est l’annonce faite par le Contre-amiral Frank Bainimarama au directeur général pour le Développement de la Commission européenne, Stefano Manservisi lors d’une réunion informelle.

Rappelons que les autorités fidjiennes gouvernent par décret puisque Fidji vit officiellement sans Constitution depuis avril 2009. Le texte, en vigueur depuis 2007, a alors été abrogé par l’ancien Président fidjien, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, un fidèle soutien du Premier ministreputschiste Frank Bainimarama.

Le professeur Lal est justement l’un des principaux architectes de la Constitution de 1997. Et un opposant au régime militaire de Frank Bainimarama arrivé au pouvoir à la faveur d’un coup d’État en 2006. Brij Lal a même été expulsé début novembre par les autoritésfidjiennes.

 

7 # Un prêtre de Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée nommé à la tête de l’Église catholique du Vanuatu - Le Pape Benoît XVI a élevé lePère John Bosco Baremes au rang d’évêque du diocèse de Port Vila, capitale du Vanuatu.

Ce prêtre est originaire des îles Carteret dans la province autonome de Bougainville en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée. Le père John BoscoBaremes est actuellement en poste dans la paroisse d’Ouéga et de Bélep dans le Nord de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. C’est le 18 novembredernier que le souverain pontife a annoncé la nomination du Père John Bosco Baremes qui succède ainsi à Monseigneur Michel Visi,originaire de l’île d’Ambae, au centre du Vanuatu. Monseigneur Visi est décédé soudainement en 2007. Sur place, les communautéscatholiques se préparent actuellement à la cérémonie d’ordination du nouvel évêque qui devrait avoir lieu en février prochain.

8 # Reprise tardive de l’économie à Tonga - En dépit de balbutiements de reprise dans plusieurs nations océaniennes du Pacifique, àTonga ; les exportations, le tourisme et les envois de fonds de l’étranger sont à la baisse. Le dernier rapport d’évaluation de la banqueANZ précise que le tourisme et les envois de l’étranger sont les deux mamelles de l’économie tongienne et que les recettes du tourismeont baissé de 19,6% par rapport à l’année dernière et les transferts de fonds de 15,8%. La banque signale aussi une chute vertigineuse de 45% des exportations au mois d’août et une baisse de 10% des importations. En dépit de tous ces chiffres guère réjouissants, lesréserves en devises étrangères sont à des niveaux historiquement élevés. La banque conclut que le royaume a évité les conséquencesles plus désastreuses du tsunami de septembre et que la croissance de l’économie devrait être raisonnablement satisfaisante en 2009.

9 # A quoi le Commonwealth peut-il encore bien servir? C’est la question que pose la Société Royale du Commonwealth dans unrapport au vitriol publié AUJOURD’HUI. Qualifiée de « dépassée », la vénérable institution, qui fête cette année ses 60 ans, doit seréformer de toute urgence. Autrefois puissante organisation de l’Empire britannique, le Commonwealth d’aujourd’hui ne fait en effet plus lepoids face à d’autres alliances géopolitiques comme le G20. Le rapport critique entre autres le silence assourdissant du Commonwealth face aux violations de la démocratie et des droits de l’homme au Zimbabwe, à Fidji et au Sri Lanka. Un sondage publié dans le rapportmontre que moins d’un tiers des personnes interrogées est en mesure de citer une réalisation du Commonwealth, hormis les Jeux du Commonwealth. Co-auteur du rapport, le Dr Sriskandarajah, directeur de la Société Royale du Commonwealth, a déclaré: “notre rapportest délibérément provocateur, parce que nous voulons réveiller l’institution et nous espérons qu’elle réagira“.

10 # Les Forces mobiles du Vanuatu jettent au rebut plus de 300 fusils de type SLR – Ces armes ont été fournies par legouvernement australien quelques semaines avant l’indépendance de cet archipel le 30 Juillet 1980. Mercredi les membres de forcesarmées françaises de Nouvelle-Calédonie, RIMAP, ont atterri à Port Vila avec 350 nouveaux fusils de type FAMAS pour remplacer les SLR. Notre correspondant indique Le capitaine Pierrick du RIMAP indique que l’utilisation de FAMAS est similaire au SLR puisque qu’ils’agit d’armes automatiques mais c’est la maintenance et l’entretien qui diffère. Des membres des Forces mobiles du Vanuatu ont été en Nouvelle-Calédonie pour suivre une formation sur l’entretien et le maniement de ces fusils. 50 autres ont quitté Port Vila mercredi soir pourrejoindre leurs collègues en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Cette assistance constitue une première aide importante de l’armée française aux forcesparamilitaires du Vanuatu. Habituellement, cette assistance a été fournie par le gouvernement australien.

11 # La Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée veille aux thoniers qui opèrent dans les eaux papoues – L’Administration nationale despêcheries a décidé d’actualiser la liste des bateaux de pêche au thon, battant pavillon papou ou étranger, inscrits sur le registre de la Commission des pêche du Pacifique Centre et Ouest (CPPCO) et qui opèrent dans la zone économique exclusive de PapouasieNouvelle-Guinée. L’objectif est de pouvoir suivre en temps réel les déplacements des thoniers, grâce à un Système de contrôle de laflotte (VMS). Système qui permettra de vérifier si tous les thoniers respectent bien la nouvelle régulation européenne qui entre en vigueurle 1er janvier et qui oblige les thoniers à décharger leurs prises en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée, où le thon sera transformé pour l’exportou conditionné en boîte de conserve. Autre objectif : améliorer la traçabilité du thon, de l’océan Pacifique à l’assiette du consommateur,principalement européen.

12 # Les Fidjiennes 1ères victimes du Sida à Fidji - Les femmes ont 10 fois plus de chances de contracter le Sida que les hommes.Fidji n’échappe pas à la règle: 47% des personnes infectées dans le pays depuis 2003 sont des jeunes femmes. Les sécrétions etécorchures vaginales offrent en effet un terrain favorable à la transmission du virus. À l’occasion d’un symposium, Litiana Kuridrani,titulaire de la chaire de santé publique à l’École de Médecine de Fidji, a souligné que: “80% des femmes contaminées ne sont ni destravailleuses du sexe ni des femmes à partenaires multiples. La plupart sont mariées et n’ont qu’un seul partenaire.” Mme Kuridrani aaussi indiqué, sans donner de chiffre, que le nombre de contaminations des hommes et des femmes a augmenté dans le Pacifique. L’unedes explications étant selon elle que “L’isolement géographique des îles du Pacifique a jusqu’ici limité la propagation du Sida, cependantcet isolement est rompu par la mobilité croissante des Océaniens, que ce soit à l’intérieur du pays ou vers l’étranger.”

13 # Nouvelle-Zélande: attention, icebergs à l’horizon - D’immenses icebergs approchent des côtes sud néo-zélandaises. Ils serontbientôt visibles à l’œil nu. Pour les bateaux croisant dans le Pacifique Sud, le mot d’ordre est: vigilance maximum. C’est rarissime de voirdes icebergs dériver aussi loin vers le nord avant de fondre. On n’a vu ça que deux fois en l’espace d’un siècle – en 1931 et en 2006.Cette année, les conditions météos étaient réunies, avec une vague de froid et des courants océaniques qui poussent les icebergs versle nord. “Au moins quatre ou cinq icebergs approchent de la Nouvelle-Zélande. Mais les images satellites analysées par les scientifiquesde l’Australian Antarctic Division montrent qu’en tout une centaine d’icebergs se dirigent vers les côtes néo-zélandaises“, a précisél’océanographe Mike Williams.

TOK PISIN NIUS:

14 # Rome: Pope i makim PNG priest long kamap bishop long Vanautu.

Vatican nau i makim wanpela pater blong Papua New Guinea olsem nupela Bishop long Vanuatu. Nomination blong Father John Bosco Baremes em Pope Benedict 16 ibin tokaut long Vatican. Dispela pater krismas blong em 49 ikam long Cataret Islands long Autonomous rijon blong Bougainville na ibin wok pinis long New Caledonia na Fiji. Diocese blong Port Vila ino bin gat wanpela Bishop stat long taim dai blong Bishop Michael Visi long mun May 2007(25/11abc)

 

15 # Honiara:Pipol blong Solomons bai baim moa takis.

Ol pipol blong Solomon Islands bai peim moa long sikaret na alkohol blong ol long yar bihain. Gavaman ibin tok emi apim takis long dispela tupela samting,olsem blong kisim mak blong moni emi tingting long en long 2010. Gavaman ino bin laik tok aut long hamas moni ol bai putim antap long prais blong sikaret na alkohol,tasol Minista blong Finance,SnyderRini,bai tokaut long prais blong ol,taim emi tokaut long national badget,long palimen miting blong dispela wik. Ripot blong Solomon Times ibin tok oli bin fosim gavaman long apim takis long ol dispela liklik samting taim takis oli save kisim long olnupela samting nau i pinis.(25/11abc)

SPORTS:

16 # Fiji rugby rallies to the war dance

PHOTO

Haka lesson for Fiji - the Australian Wallabies watch the New Zealand All Blacks perform the dance before the kick-off of the Tri-NationsBledisloe Cup Test in Sydney. [AFP]

Last Updated: 1 hour 31 minutes ago

Fiji's President has told rugby teams to begin performing the cibi - or haka - ahead of games.

The 15s side had dropped the traditional war dance (the Fijian name of which is pronounced "thimbi") because of the religious beliefs of the coach, Sam Domoni.

But in farewelling the rugby Sevens team ahead of an International Rugby Board Sevens series, miitary-appointed President Ratu EpeliNailatikau, ruled the haka must be performed.

The Sevens series begins in Dubai on December 4.(26/11abc)

17 # Solomons puts the past behind for soccer

PHOTO

Red card for violence in the big Solomons soccer meeting. [Getty Images]

Last Updated: 56 minutes ago

The Solomon Islands provinces of Malaita and Guadacanal will play against each other in the Solomon Cup soccer final in Honiara this weekend.

The provinces were formerly embroiled in ethnic conflict, fuelled by Malaitan emigration to Guadacanal.

Soccer commentator Bart Basia, who is also Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation's manager of programs, says sport seems to have brought the people together.

"It will be an interesting encounter on Saturday, between these two provinces that were in conflict, Malaita and Guadacanal," he said.

"But things have changed and sport, football, has contributed to that.

"Sport is one unifying force for the people, in bringing people together." (26/11abc)

 

 

1 # PNG to host next Miss South Pacific pageant

Source: 

CHRISSILLA KABE TALIS in Suva, Fiji

Picture: 

PAPUA New Guinea has won the right to host the 24th Miss South Pacific (MSP) pageant  next year. Quest committee chairman Dadi Toka Jr yesterday bidded successfully to bring the pageant to PNG. Mr Toka told The National before the bid that he was very optimistic about PNG’s chances of winning. Solomon Islands and Fiji had also indicated their interest in hosting the 2010 pageant, and Mr Toka had said the Polynesian islands of the South Pacific might also bid to host the pageant in their islands. However, the organising committee yesterday awarded PNG the right to host next year’s quest. Meanwhile, Miss PNG Antonia Singut is doing very well in the pageant in Suva, Fiji. Miss Singut keeps turning heads every time she walks into a room with outfits designed especially for each event by PNG Tailoring. Complementing her outfits are her stunning smile, posture and approach to everyone in the room. A total of 12 contestants are vying for the Miss South Pacific title, including the latest additions Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Kiribati. Other countries participating are Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Samoa, American Samoa, Tuvalu, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji. On Sunday, Miss Singut accompanied by chaperone Molly O’Rourke, attended a combined church service with all the other contestants and their chaperones. A photo shoot to help decide the special award of Miss Photogenic was also held on Sunday. Daring to be different and at the same time show more of what PNG has to offer in terms of culture and originality, Miss Singut walked into the shoot wearing a bilum dress. Visitation to island villages (stalls for the participating countries) on Monday saw Miss Singut in her Oro tapa wear. Miss PNG is using every opportunity to show the rest of the Pacific how diverse her home nation is. She impressed the crowd at the Albert Park later that evening when she greeted everyone in Fijian, then Motu and English in a manner that was endearing, charming and seemed to win over the hearts of the crowd. Yesterday, the contestants attended a workshop presented by the International Labour Organisation based on youth employment, child labour and HIV/AIDS. Today, the contestants and their delegation will visit the Fiji Museum and the Art Gallery. The crowning ceremony and presentation of other awards will be announced later on Friday, followed by the MSP pageant ball.(TheNationalPNG)  

2 # The lure of sex

Maneesha Karan Wednesday, November 25, 2009

YOUTHS of most Pacific Island countries no longer have clear rules of sexual behaviour.

And the high incidence of casual unprotected sex has increased the transmission of HIV.

This was raised by Fiji School of Medicine's senior lecturer in public health Litiana Kuridrani at the second of a three-day regional symposium in Suva on population and development.

Ms Kuridrani said there were high number of cases of multi-sexual relationships, pre-marital sex and extra-marital sex.

According to a World Health Organisation survey in 2006, respondents in Fiji believe nearly 80 per cent of the population had sex before marriage and 74 per cent believe extramarital affairs occur.

"There does not appear to be an acceptance of the possibility of HIV becoming endemic," she said.

The symposium was also told that culture and language in relation to sexual behaviour were major factors that contradicted campaigns against increasing HIV/AIDS cases.

"Minimising the spread of AIDS in Pacific island countries has been further hampered by reticence to speak openly within families on matters of sexual conduct and a general reluctance by the government and the public to acknowledge the entrenched practices that are conducive to the spread of the HIV infection," Ms Kuridrani said.

The symposium ends today.(Fijitimes)

3 # Women at greater risk of contracting HIV

Maneesha Karan Wednesday, November 25, 2009

WOMEN are about 10 times more likely to contract HIV and even more vulnerable because of the "receptive sex role" they played, a population symposium heard yesterday.

Fiji School of Medicine's senior lecturer in Public Health Litiana Kuridrani told the symposium that since 2003, 47 per cent of new HIV infections were among women, the majority of whom were infected by husbands and boyfriends.

"80 per cent of the women infected with HIV are not sex workers, nor are they promiscuous persons. Most are married and in one partner relationship," Ms Kuridrani said.

"Others were infected while working in commercial sex or through injecting drugs."

She said HIV numbers in the Pacific confirmed an increase in the number of men and women infected.

She said because women generally had a "receptive sex role" they were "much more vulnerable".

She said recent clinical research placed women at greater risk of contracting HIV infection than their male partner.

"One report estimates that an un-infected woman is about 10 times more likely to contract HIV from an infected man than the reverse, owing to the greater likelihood of infection through vaginal tears and abrasions," she said.

"Multi-sexual relationships had been identified as closely associated with the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic, she said.

She said out-of-wedlock births also provided officials with a clear picture that pre-marital sex was common.

But she said little was known about the frequency or the number of partners people had both of which elevated a person's risk of HIV infection.

According to World Health Organisation's survey report in 2003, more than 70 per cent of Sexually Transmitted Infections cases recorded in an STI clinic in Fiji in 1999 were young people between the ages of 15 and 25.

"The geographical isolation of many Pacific Island countries have limited the HIV transmission risks, however, the isolation is also losing its protective value as the populations become increasingly mobile through internal and international migrations," Ms Kuridrani said.(Fijitimes)

4 # NEW FIJI VOYAGING SOCIETY LAUNCHES CANOE ‘Uto Ni Yalo’ to join flotilla to Hawaii next year

By Jone Luvenitoga APIA, Samoa (Samoa Observer, Nov. 22, 2009) - THE launch of the canoe Uto Ni Yalo (Heart of souls) could not have come at a better time than the opening of the South Pacific Pageant yesterday.

Blessed with a kaleidoscope of culture, religion and tradition that reflects the way of the Pasifika seafarers, the official launch was honoured by the presence of contestants who will compete for the Miss South Pacific crown this year.

The canoe ferried the [visiting] queens from Laucala Bay near Suva to the Fiji capital where the official opening of the festival was to take place.

Launched in the early hours of yesterday morning, the British High Commissioner and chief guest, Malcolm McLachlan, said the day marked a new era for the newly-formed Fiji Islands Voyaging Society (FIVS).

"I am proud to note that an objective of the FIVS is to contribute to sustainable development and preservation of the Fiji Islands marine and land environment through resource renewal and public education," said Mr. McLachlan.

In June next year, he said a flotilla of canoes would sail from Fiji to Hawaii to advocate the protection of our ocean environment and rekindle traditional voyaging, sailing and navigational skills.

"People of the Pacific rely a great deal on marine life, which is constantly subjected to global warming and climate change."

He said the world was 15 days away from Copenhagen 2009 where 8,000 people representing 170 countries would meet on the prevention of global warming and climate change.

"These challenges are real and urgent," said Mr. McLachlan. "Therefore, I am very encouraged to see Pacific Island countries taking action to protect and preserve their ocean environment."

Mr. McLachlan extended the wishes of Queen Elizabeth and her people that Pacific voyaging may remain a symbol of the close Pacific traditional links and its people.

Samoa Observer: www.samoaobserver.ws/

5 # Budget passed, Parlt adjourns to next March

THE 2010 Budget has been approved and Parliament adjourned to March next year after more than five hours of debate. The budget was unanimously passed 71-0 votes by both sides of the House in a marathon session from 2pm to 7pm yesterday when it adjourned for the Christmas and New Year break. The K7.5 billion money plan for next year was handed down by Treasurer and Finance Minister Patrick Pruaitch last week. The Opposition was given the opportunity to reply with Opposition Shadow Treasurer Bart Philemon responding in describing the 2010 Budget as nothing more than a fast money scheme and an inflation time bomb. He said said the budget gave the people false hope (see separate story). However, Government ministers including National Planning Minister Paul Tiensten, CS Minister Tony Aimo, Fisheries Minister Ben Semri, Public Service Minister Peter O’Neill, Anglimp-South Waghi MP Jamie Maxtone-Graham and Nawaeb MP Timothy Bonga all spoke highly of the budget that was now making a difference in the rural districts. Mr Aimo, who is Ambunti-Dreikikir MP, said the district service improvement programme had assisted in education, health and road infrastructure in the district level. He said by next year, districts would have access to at least K3 million, which is the make-up of the DSIP funds of K2 million and agriculture funds of K1 million. Mr Aimo said although his Correctional Service Department did not get the funding that they wanted, the CS would work within its budget to carry out its programmes. He commended the Government for the K10 million for Baisu jail rehabilitation. Mr Semri said the Somare-Temu Government was the first to fund small coastal fishing projects. He said people in Manus province, the atolls of Bougainville and Milne Bay did not have agriculture but fisheries as their main source of income.(TheNationalPNG)  

6 # ‘Enact tougher fraud law now’

Source: 

BARNABAS ORERE PONDROS

THERE is an increase in Customs fraud cases, signalling an urgent need to impose stern penalties and custodial sentences on perpetrators, Customs commissioner Gary Juffa said.   Mr Juffa said yesterday the concern was that if measures were lenient, perpetrators would continue to ply their illegal trade and Papua New Guinea would lose millions of kina every year. He said Customs would consider amending legislation to impose heavier fines and custodial sentences so that true punishment could be meted to repeated offenders. “Otherwise, it is merely a cost factor whereby offenders may be willing to budget funds and take calculated risks in committing breaches of the Customs Act for illegal profit,” he said. Mr Juffa was concerned that at this time when PNG was expecting an economic boom, there was a need for Customs to step up its efforts to detect and prevent fraud. “These people are not stealing from Customs or avoiding duties that belong to Customs, but are stealing from the people of PNG and they cannot be allowed to do that,” he said. Mr Juffa cited recent examples where a Customs officer, supported by the policy legal affairs, in successfully investigating and prosecuting a bribery case that saw the conviction of one person in Lae. He said the person was convicted by the Lae District Court, on Nov 18 for attempting to bribe a Customs officer with K300 to stop the inspection of a container belonging to Shung Long Investment Limited. Mr Juffa also commended the work of the Customs intelligence unit and transnational crimes unit who seized three vehicles, over the past month, from persons who had fraudulently smuggled used cars into PNG. The vehicles were seized at various locations in Port Moresby after investigations indicated the fraudulent removal of the vehicles from Port Moresby wharves. “The Customs investigations unit is vigorously pursuing these cases with a view to prosecuting offenders which include individuals in the shipping industry, freight forwarders and Customs agents,” Mr Juffa said. In another case, Customs internal affairs officers charged a Customs operations officer with misappropriation. The officer had arranged for the unlawful movement of a used car from the Port Moresby wharf. The matter was uncovered and the vehicle impounded until all duties were recovered. Mr Juffa applauded his officers and stakeholders for their hard work and said these cases set the precedent for Customs to be a better and more efficient agency when it becomes a separate entity next year. (TheNationalPNG)  

7 # Uncertainty surrounds New Caledonia’s fresh Loyalty Islands election

Uncertainty surrounds the legality of next week’s planned fresh elections in New Caledonia’s Loyalty Islands province.

The results of the polls in May were annulled by the French supreme court which upheld a complaint by the Labour Party after it claimed that irregularities with the proxy votes affected the outcome.

The Labour leader, Louis Kotra Uregei, has now challenged the candidacy of the anti-independence camp’s Simon Loueckhote, saying he cannot stand because he was a candidate in the southern province in the May polls.

Labour argues that next week’s election is part of the overall general election.

Mr Loueckhote says he is allowed to switch from one provincial assembly to another.

The possible legal challenges may not be resolved before voters go to the polls at the end of next week.(25/11rnz)

8 # Vanuatu court opens inquest into death of beaten prisoner

The Vanuatu Supreme Court has begun an inquest into the death of a prisoner earlier this year at Port Vila Central Hospital.

John Bule died at the hospital allegedly from injuries sustained during his arrest following an escape from the Port Vila Correctional Centre.

It’s alleged he was beaten by police when he was arrested.

Two Hospital staff have told the Court that Mr Bule arrived at the hospital with all four limbs broken. (25/11rnz)

9 # KOREAN MEDICAL TEAM TO VISIT SOLOMON ISLANDS Eye surgeons offer services for three weeks

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Nov. 24, 2009) - A Medical Mission team from the Republic of Korea will be visiting the country next month to operate on patients with eye problems.

The 2009 Cataract Mission will visit the country from December 10 to 13.

According to organizers, the team will include six doctors and nurses and will perform surgical operations at the National Referral Hospital over the three-day period.

Due to limited time only 100 patients with worst conditions will be given priority.

Cataract is a cloud-like object covering the black part of the eye.

It develops from various reasons, including long term exposure to ultra-violet light, exposure to radiation, secondary effects of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and advance age or trauma.

This problem is a leading cause of blindness in the region.

Wearing sunglasses is advisable to slow down the rate.

And if you have that condition, please visit the eye clinic at the hospital this Thursday and next Thursday for a diagnose in order to get your name registered for surgery.

The medical mission was organized by Good People, a UN ECOSO Special Consultative Status NGO, and Oceania Mission Community of Yoido Full Gospel Church.

It will be led by Rev. David Yonggi Cho who visited Solomon Islands few years ago and conducted an evangelistic prayer meeting at Lawson Tama stadium.

Local assistance is also received from national hospital, First Lady's Charity, Brisbane Full Gospel Church, Agape Full Gospel Church, Solomon Airlines, Honourary Consulate of Korea, Kosol Hyundai and Korean Enterprise Limited (KEL).

Solomon Star: http://www.solomonstarnews.com/

10 #FIJI FACING ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY 2.5 percent contraction expected this year

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Nov. 24, 2009) – As Fiji moves forward with its economic reform agenda, it is faced with an economic growth outlook that remains highly uncertain, a visiting team from the International Monetary Fund has concluded.

"The economy is expected to contract by 2.5 percent in 2009 as the impact of the global crisis has been exacerbated by floods and damaged crops and tourist infrastructure early in the year. GDP growth of two percent is likely in 2010, driven by the rebound in tourism, the devaluation, the global recovery, and rebuilding after the floods. Growth over the medium term should rise to 2.5 percent with fiscal consolidation and progress on structural reforms," the IMF said in a statement released in Suva today.

"Fiji, however, faces considerable downside risks given its external vulnerabilities. Increased liquidity in the banking system poses risks of inflation, macroeconomic instability, and a loss of competitiveness. The growth outlook remains highly uncertain due to political developments, the fragile nature of the global recovery, volatility of commodity prices, the risk of natural disasters, and the complex structural reform agenda."

The IMF team, led by Ray Brooks, Division Chief in the Asia and Pacific Department of the IMF, commended Fijian authorities for their efforts to limit the overall deficit in 2009 to the budgeted level of 3.25 percent of Gross Domestic Product, but noted that central government debt, at over 50 per cent, remained high by regional standards.

"In addition, government has contingent liabilities of around 15 percent of GDP. Fiscal consolidation is needed to reduce central government debt to the government’s target of 45 percent of GDP over the medium term. Limiting the 2010 Budget deficit to around two percent of GDP - excluding costs associated with civil service reforms - would begin to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio."

The IMF team also gave recommendations on improvements in monetary policy measures as well as the role that the Fiji National Provident Fund, Fiji’s only public superannuation fund, plays in the local economy.

While in Fiji, the IMF team met with Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor Sada Reddy, Acting Finance Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Finance permanent secretary John Prasad and other government officials and members of the private sector and civil society.

Representatives from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank also took part in the meetings.

Fijilive.

11 # SOLOMONS TO MULL NEW ELECTIONS APPROACH Measure would change how prime ministers are elected

By Eddie Osifelo HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Nov. 24, 2009) - The Government has introduced a new provision in the Constitutional (Political Parties Amendment) Bill 2009 to elect a Prime Minister.

The amendment will allow the election of PM done on Political Party line and not through individual Members of Parliament.

This means the PM will not be elected by individual members through a secret ballot in Parliament.

Prime Minister Dr. Derek Sikua when moving the motion last Friday said in method 1, the party with absolute majority after the election will form the government.

He said method 2 gives party with highest number of seats, but has no absolute majority, in Parliament to form coalition with other parties and if such coalition can reach the required absolute majority to rule, then a government can be formed there and then.

Sikua said method 3 recognizes that if there is no party with absolute majority, and failing a party with highest number, a formidable and genuine coalition of parties must be encouraged to form the government.

"Failing methods 1, 2 and 3, we need a fall back mechanism for us to use until such time when methods 1, 2 and 3 will be become known and familiar to the voters and politicians," Sikua said.

"The fall back mechanism is the current system and is the final resort.

"This is where coalition of parties after election can come into play as well as independents," he said.

The election of PM has shown that it was susceptible to political corruption.

In 2006, the country witnessed a serious rioting in Honiara after two weeks of political wrangling.

"In the April 2006 Riot Enquiry Report, the people of this country called on their political leaders to make the necessary political reform to improve on the accountability and transparency of the process for election of the Prime Minister and strengthen political stability through necessary political reforms," Sikua said.

Solomon Star: http://www.solomonstarnews.com/

12 # TWIST and TURNS... Kengava makes a U-turn
WEDNESDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2009
MOVES to block the passage of the Constitution (Political Parties Amendment) Bill 2009 took another twist yesterday.  This was after one of the 18 members that signed a letter to defeat the bill made a U-turn and instead spoke in support of the bill in parliament. Member for North West Choiseul, Clement Kengava, whose name appeared on the list obtained by the media, cooled down the heat at the end of the day when he supported the bill. He said the Government is doing the right thing for the people when it brought the bill to parliament. Mr Kengava said this was because it would make the people to feel being part of Government rather what is seen today. He said in the last 30 years there were no complete development in all sectors like agriculture, commerce and infrastructure due to instability. The bill aims to facilitate the registration, administration and development of political parties and stability of the government. It will be accompanied by the Political Parties (Registration and Administration) Bill. The two major changes in the bill are election or appointment of Prime Minister and formation of governments after general elections.  This replaces or improves on the current system of electing a Prime Minister through secret ballot. The other change is the appointment of Parliamentary Secretariats. Member for West New Georgia-Vonavona, Peter Boyers, who was the spokesperson for the group opposing the bill, was obviously disappointed yesterday. He said the action of certain MPs who signed the letter did not speak well of the solidarity of the group. The Government requires two third or 37 members of parliament to pass the bill. So far it is still doubtful whether the bill will get the needed support. Five members including MP for Savo Russell, Sir Allan Kemakeza; MP for West Makira, Japhet Waipora; MP for West Honiara, Isaac Inoke; MP for Central Guadalcanal, Peter Shanel; and Mr Boyers have spoken against the bill. Mr Kengava, MP for East Are Are, Edward Huniehu; MP for Renbel, Seth Gukuna; and MP for East Kwaio, Stanley Sofu; have so far supported the Bill. Debate continues today. By EDDIE OSIFELO/Solomon Star.

POLYNESIAN NIUS:

13 # CRYSTAL METH GROWING CONCERN IN AMERICAN SAMOA Drug known as ‘ice’ considered dangerous drug problem

By Fili Sagapolutele PAGO PAGO, American Samoa, (Samoa News, Nov. 23, 2009) - A former prosecutor suggests that the government should focus attention on a more dangerous drug problem in the territory dealing with crystal methamphetamine, which the local Department of Homeland Security (ASDHS) agrees is a serious issue faced by American Samoa.

There have been several cases coming through the court dealing with methamphetamine, or ice, and former Assistant Attorney General Lisa Teesch-Maguire became the main prosecutor for these cases, until she resigned two weeks ago, due to threats against her life.

When asked about drug cases and problems in the territory during her tenure, Teesch-Maguire said via e-mail from the mainland that American Samoa’s law when it comes to marijuana is "ridiculous" but "I think that there is always room for improvement."

Local drug laws enacted in 1999, via a bill that originated from the Senate and spearheaded at the time by Sen. Galeai Tu’ufuli— a former police commissioner— handed down what is considered the strictest drug law in the nation.

At the time, Galeai, who held the Moaali’itele title during his first tenure as senator in 1999, pushed the measure in an effort to combat drug trafficking and to prevent the influx of all types of illegal drugs in the territory.

Current statute states that a person found in possession of a controlled substance is guilty of a class D felony for the first offense, which is punishable by 5 years in jail and a 5,000 tala [US$2,000] fine or both. The penalties increase if the offense is re-committed by the same person, and the penalties are mandatory.

This law also applies to marijuana, even the smallest amount. However, there have been a handful of cases involving travelers from the U.S. caught with small amounts of marijuana, who have been imposed only the fine, and then required to leave the territory on the next flight out.

The latest case was last week Thursday when Glenn Gurr, who arrived here from Utah to visit his family, was fined 5,000 tala [US$2,000] for possession of marijuana and was told to leave the territory by this past weekend, under a plea agreement with the government.

Teesch-Maguire told Samoa News that she believes a simple marijuana possession should be a misdemeanor or infraction, and the Territory should not waste resources prosecuting minor marijuana possession.

She says the Territorial Correction Facility is over-crowded and TCF should make room for violent offenders.

"Clearly, there is a much more dangerous methamphetamine problem in the Territory and the Territory needs to eradicate it before it gets out of control," she said. "Methamphetamine is a horrible drug, and generally results in dangerous violent crime, burglaries, and theft."

When asked for comments, ASDHS director Mike Sala told Samoa News on Friday that he agrees that there is a methamphetamine problem in the territory, adding that there have been several cases that have come before the court and the latest was just last week.

Sala, however, decline to comment further but points to a 2006 OTICIDE report to then Senate President Lolo M. Moliga regarding the drug problem in the territory in which methamphetamine was cited as a growing problem.

"...over the last two decades other drugs such as cocaine, heroin and crystal methamphetamine (or ice) have been introduced in the local market," said the OTICIDE 2006 report. "Although cocaine and heroine are not prevalent, ice has remained consistent and is presently the ‘drug of choice’ along with marijuana."

While many local law enforcement officers— including customs officers— are truly honest in doing their jobs, Teesch-Maguire says she is concerned about those individuals paid off by drug dealers "to look the other way."

Teesch-Maguire says there are good police officers working in the Vice and Narcotics unit of the Department of Public Safety, "but it is a dangerous job, as drug dealers generally have guns, and the police officers don’t. This presents a very serious problem."

"Clearly, the police...need to take painstaking efforts to protect the evidence room and any drug evidence they collect," she said. "Also, inmates are dealing drugs out of the TCF [and] this needs to stop."

"Most importantly the Territory needs to invest in education about the dangers of Methamphetamine, and needs to invest in drug and alcohol treatment for drug addicts, who will never be able to reform without serious treatment efforts," she added.

There is no drug treatment center in the territory.

Samoa News: www.samoanews.com

14 # Niue business mission seen as a success

A trip to Niue by about 15 expatriate Niuean business people has been branded a success with signs of several developments to come.

The New Zealand Ministry of Pacific Islands Affairs and the Pacific Islands Trade and Investment Commission organised the Return to Roots Exploratory Business Mission last week.

Sponsored by Air New Zealand, the mission aimed to establish opportunities by adding value to existing businesses and utilising Niue’s fishing, forestry, tourism, and agriculture resources.

The Ministry CEO, Dr Colin Tukuitonga, says there were a number of immediate successes.

“There is a gentleman who registered his company and is looking seriously at some motel units, accommodation units. One of the people on the trip runs a public accountants firm in Auckland and runs an outlet for Pacific Island produce. He’s signed up some supply arrangements with one of the villages for taro and so on.”

Dr Colin Tukuitonga.

Another possibility is a microbrewery and a health services operator is offering training opportunities for Niueans.(25/11rnz)

MICRONESIAN NIUS:

15 # BANK OF GUAM OPENS BRANCH ON KOSRAE Governor, mayor, senator cut ribbon

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Nov. 25, 2009) - Bank of Guam opened its Kosrae branch last October 30 at Unit 104, Kosrae Capital Building, Innem, Lelu, Kosrae, FSM 96944.

The new branch is headed by branch manager Mary Simmering, originally from Pohnpei. It is staffed by a team of six employees. In addition to a 24-hour ATM located outside the branch, bank hours will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.

The grand opening of the bank saw local and bank dignitaries grace the ribbon cutting ceremony.

They include Kosrae Catholic Church lay minister Geraldo Protacio, Bank of Guam board director Frances L.G. Borja, Kosrae Lt. Gov. William Tosie, Tafunsak mayor Johnson Tauleng, Capital Building owner and landlord Mannix Cruz, 9th Kosrae State Legislature Speaker Sen. Lyndon H. Jackson, Kosrae Gov. Robert Weilbacher, and Bank of Guam president, chief executive officer, and board chair Lourdes A. "Lou" Leon Guerrero.

Saipan Tribune: www.saipantribune.com

16 # PNG: Oli surikim ken kandim blong ol vout

Long Papua New Guinea, oli surikim ken pastem wok blong kandim ol vout long Goroka long wonem ol polis ilaik painim wanpla gutpla oa secure area.  Ol wokman-meri blong Electoral Commission ibin wok hard stret wantem ol polis aste blong lukim olsem ol wok blong kandim ol vout bai go hed iet, bihaen long oli bin stopim long wonem ol sapota blong ol wanwan kendidat ibin wok long fait namel long ol iet. Long wik igo pinis oli bin kilim tupla pipal, na sampla ol narapla ibin kisim bagarap bihaenim ol trabal emi bin kamap long despla by-ileksan. Oli bin kisim samting olsem 74 ol ballot boxes long Kandep na bringim pinis igo long Goroka. PNG Police Commissioner Gari Baki itok ol polis ofisa nau bai stap iet long ol ples we oli wok long kandim ol vout long en, tasol nau oli no kandem iet ol vout. I cannot discuss the issue on the counting cause that is the perogative of the electoral commissioner and his officers but in so far as the security arrangements for the counting i'm quite confident the police will provide an enviroment condusive for the counting to take place in goroka. (24/11abc)

17 # Lukluk raon igo long Fiji.

Laen blong International Monetary Fund itok olsem Fiji inap lukim ol wok moni na bisnis bai go antap long yia bihaen. Jemima Garrett reports i ripot olsem international monetari fund ibin pinisim tasol tupla wik lukluk raon blong en igo long Fiji, blong lukluk na galsim ol wok moni oa ikonomi. Man husat ibin go pas long despla laen, Ray Brooks itok olsem ol wok moni ino bin kamap gut tumas. Emi tok tu olsem mak blong ol pipal husat ino gat wok ibin go antap long 8 na haf pasent long 2008 na oli ting ikonomi bai pudaon long 2 na haf pasent long despla yia. Long 2010, oli ting ikonomi bai go antap long 2 pasent, tasol Mr Brooks i tok lukaut olsem igat sampla wari iet istap long wonem long ol dinau em gavman igat nau na tu prais blong ol samting emi save go antap na pudaon oa inflation.24/11abc)

BAHASA NIUS:

17 # infeksi AIDS menurun

Diperbaharui November 25, 2009 09:49:13

PBB mengatakan, AIDS telah membunuh 25-juta orang di seluruh dunia, tapi infeksi baru sudah jauh berkurang. Dalam laporan tahunannya, PBB mengatakan, hampir 60-juta orang telah terinfeksi oleh virus HIV sejak pertama-kali dilakukan pencatatan, namun berbagai program pencegahan mulai menunjukkan penurunan signifikan. Dikatakan dalam laporan yang dirilis di Shanghai itu, sebagian dari kemajuan paling menonjol dilaporkan di Afrika dan Asia. Tapi PBB mengatakan, masih banyak yang perlu dilakukan untuk memberikan perawatan lebih merata dan untuk menyesuaikan strategi pencegahan dengan pola penularan yang berubah.

TIMOR NIUS:

18 # Regional Media House in Suai officially inaugurated

 

For Immediate Release

 

November 24, 2009

 

Suai, Timor-Leste – Suai’s own regional media house was today officially inaugurated, making it the fourth media center opened in the districts by the International Center for Journalists

(ICFJ) in partnership with four East Timorese journalism associations and the syndicate of journalists.

 

In operation for the past seven months, the media house has already greatly benefited Timorese journalists, in particular, district based reporters, most of whom in the past had to travel up to ten hours one way to reach the capital Dili to access resources now available through the media house.

 

Today’s inaguration further strengthens an already solid partnership between the Suai Youth Media Centre (YOMATRE) and the Suai Regional Media House (UMR).

 

YOMATRE is an arm of the Covalima Youth Centre, and is composed by a young team of video reporters.

 

“Integrating a media house into YOMATRE was a no-brainer,” said Charles Rice, ICFJ’s Country Director. “YOMATRE’s video team already does amazing work documenting lives in Suai and using the web as a platform to promote what goes on in their neighbourhood. The media house complements what YOMATRE already does, as well as helping other journalist’s in Suai.”

 

Through the media house, journalists have free access to the internet, and are able to borrow equipment such as tape recorders and digital cameras as well as basic stationery.

 

Most importantly through the media house, journalists have access to ongoing journalism training as well as other training in management, finance, and advertising conducted by ICFJ trainers.

 

One other main objective of the media house is to increase the flow of information in the region.

Sancho Alves Nahac, the Suai UMR Coordinator, is working closely with the youth of the Covalima Youth Centre and other partners in the area to try to find innovative ways of reaching larger audiences with news and information.

 

The Suai media house became operational in May 2009. Other media houses already in operation are located in Dili, Ermera, Baucau and Oe-cusse.

Rehabilitation work has already begun on the Maubisse regional media house. A future media house potentially includes Balibo (Bobonaro District).

 

Media houses across Timor-Leste, are a joint initiative by the Timor-Leste Journalists Association (AJTL), the Syndicate for Journalists Timor-Leste (SJTL), the Centre for Investigative Journalists (CJITL), the Timor-Leste Photographers Association (TILPA), the Community Radio Association Timor-Leste (ARKTL),  and the International Center For Journalists (ICFJ).

 

The establishment of a network of Regional Media Houses in the country is one of the projects made possible by the five-year, US$ 5.6 million “Strengthening Independent Media Program” jointly supported by USAID and AusAID.

 

For further information please contact Chuck Rice, ICFJ-TL Country Director at 742-0776 or Emanuel Braz, ICFJ’s Senior Media Consultant, at 733-2375.

1 # Fiji broadcasting actions defended

Last Updated: 31 minutes ago

A New Zealand company has defended a report that prompted Fiji's interim military government to cancel all existing broadcast licences in the country indefinitely

The company, Streamcom, compiled a report on the broadcasting spectrum in Fiji and found it was disorganised and needed a clean-up of frequencies.

All television and radio stations in Fiji then had their broadcast licences revoked by Fiji Communications Minister Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum(pictured).

He says there is nothing sinister about the move.

But it drew criticism from Australia's foreign minister Stephen Smith, who believes it is another attempt by Fiji to silence its critics.

Expressed

Similar views were expressed by New Zealand's foreign minister.

But the head of Streamcom, Simon Jackson, says he feels Fiji's interim government has done the right thing

He said: "In fact, what we think is happening is that the Fijian government is currently trying to address years of neglect and mismanagement and actually corruption.

"And we found evidence of that and the way that radio spectrum had been managed

One of Fiji's largest commercial broadcasters says the interim government's decision to revoke all of the country's broadcasting licences does not threaten freedom of expression.

Communications Fiji, which claims 60 per cent of the radio market, says it is unconcerned as the airwaves are due for a shake-up.

Television and radio stations in Fiji were given temporary licenses on Saturday.(24/11abc)

2 # Fiji economic turnaround expected in 2010

Jemima Garrett

Last Updated: 18 hours 5 minutes ago

The International Monetary Fund has spent two weeks in Fiji, investigating the state of the economy.

IMF delegation leader Ray Brooks says Fiji's economic growth has been sluggish, with unemployment rising to 8.5 per cent in 2008, and the economy expected to shrink by 2.5 percent in 2009.

A modest turnaround is expected in 2010, when the economy is expected to grow by 2 percent, but Mr Brooks warns there is considerable downside risk, especially from government debt and inflation.

The IMF has recommended Fiji keep its deficit to 2 per cent in its 2010 budget.

Mr Brooks has also warned the island nation of the need to reform the National Provident Fund, Fiji's main pension fund.

He says benefits must be cut and management made independent of the Government if people's retirement savings are to be safeguarded.(24/11abc)

3 # PNG moves vote count because of violence

In Papua New Guinea, counting for the Kandep by-election is expected to begin in Goroka under tight police security.

PNG's Electoral Commission moved the counting from Enga to Goroka in the Eastern Highlands province due to security concerns

Last week two people were killed and several were reportedly injured in election-related violence.

Some 74 ballot boxes have been moved out of Kandep, and Police Commissioner Gari Baki told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program that officers will be stationed at counting venues for as long as needed.

Police presence

He says all the ballot boxes have been secured and about 300 personnel will provide security during the count.

"I'm quite confident the police will provide an environment conducive for the counting to take place in Goroka," he said.

He says police are doing "everything plausible to make sure the counting is not disrupted".

"They must respect the process of the law and allow the election process to continue."

The by-election is being held after PNG's National Court nullified the 2007 election victory of former Kandep MP, Don Polye, for breaching the election laws.(24/11abc)

4 # Opposition slams PNG budget

Liam Fox, PNG correspondent

Last Updated: 2 hours 40 minutes ago ( 25/11abc)

Papua New Guinea's opposition says the government's 2010 budget is nothing more than a false hope.

In his budget reply speech the deputy opposition leader Bart Philemon said that on past form, the Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch's prediction of a balanced budget was a false hope.

Mr Philemon said in 2008 the government predicted a budget surplus but finished the year with a record deficit of nearly $US186 billion.

He is predicting another deficit of $US112 million this year.

Mr Philemon said after seven years in power the government had little to show except for a brand new $US44.8 million luxury jet which arrived in the country on Monday.

He said Papua New Guineans deserved to know how much it will cost to maintain the government's expensive new toy.

'Fast-money'

Mr Philemon also attacked the government's practice of spending money that had been sitting in trust accounts.

As an example, he said around $US74 million dollars in cheques were distributed to landowners at a Port Moresby nightclub last Friday night.

Mr Philemon said the money was used to appease the landowners who were affected by a multi-billion dollar liquefied natural gas project.

He said two senior ministers presided over the handouts.

Mr Philemon labelled the trust accounts as "fast-money schemes" which allowed the government to spend money without adhering to financial management regulations.

5 # Hiccups in Solomons census

Complaints are surfacing in Solomon Islands over the funding available for the enumerators collecting census information.

The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports one census worker as saying they have been instructed to use their own funds on transport.

The Solomons Government Statistician, Nick Gagahe, says there are sufficient funds, but that the money has not always been available at the time it was needed.

But he says he is confident those involved in the census will make it work:

“I don’t think it will be a major impact because there are people out there, the enumerators and the supervisors, those who are in the field, who have the feeling of responsibility to do the work even if they are not paid their allowances, because they know eventually they will get their allowances and whatever they needed to be paid.”

Mr Gagahe says the information from this census must be collected by December the 4th.(24/11rnz)

6 # New Caledonia hoteliers struggle as tourism stagnates

Tourism officials in New Caledonia say its traditional markets have shrunk while nearby destinations have seen visitor numbers go up in the past year.

The Hotel Association of New Caledonia says since 2002 arrival numbers have stayed below 100,000.

The Association has expressed its concern that the South Korean market has failed to take off, saying that rumours have it that the air link to Seoul will be abandoned.

The Association says it spent 16 million US dollars on promotion last year without any tangible impact.

At the same time, it says, Fiji has registered an increase of nearly 190,000 tourists while Vanuatu had 41,000 more tourists.

It says the sector is under pressure as costs such as wages have been going up.(24/11/09rnz)

7 # Vanuatu to get new Catholic bishop from PNG

Pope Benedict XVI has named a Papua New Guinean as the new bishop of the Catholic church of Vanuatu.

Father John Bosco Baremes, who is from the Carterets in PNG’s Bougainville province, will replace the late Bishop Michel Visi who died in May in 2007.

Father Baremes was ordained in 1981 and spent almost ten years in New Caledonia.

After further studies in the US, he went back to Bougainville where he helped counsel people traumatised by the civil war.

Father Baremes, who has also spent six years in Fiji, is to take up his position in Port Vila in January.(24/11rnz)

8 # New Caledonia doubts accuracy of census

The New Caledonian government has asked France not to approve officially the findings of the census in the territory released two weeks ago.

The territory’s President, Philippe Gomes, says the gathering of the data was accompanied by a range of problems, such as strikes, a flu outbreak and a high turnover of enumerators.

He noted that despite evidence of urban drift, almost half of Noumea’s neighbourhoods showed a drop in population.

Mr Gomes says 12 percent of households were left out of the census.

The figures published this month showed a population increase in the past five years of just under 15,000.(24/11rnz)

9 # International Monetary Fund urges Fiji to stop borrowing

The International Monetary Fund has urged the interim government in Fiji to stop borrowing.

Fiji Village reports the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Chief Ray Brooks says the government must reduce its reliance on the Fiji National Provident Fund as a source of finance.

He says reforms are also needed within the provident fund

After a two week visit to Fiji, Mr Brooks said the government must shrink its expenditure, and said one way to do this was to reduce spending salaries and wages.

The Reserve Bank of Fiji has said the government’s outstanding debt totalled 1.5 billion US dollars at the end of June, or 51.3 percent of gross domestic product.

The IMF has also revealed it did not receive a formal request for the funding of the planned reforms.

The interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, had said the IMF and World Bank were coming to Fiji regarding the funding of the government’s reforms, and to check the state of the economy.(24/11rnz)

POLYNESIAN NIUS:

10 # Tonga gets better business registry operation

The International Finance Corporation, which is a member of the World Bank Group, says an electronic system that’s to be introduced in Tonga will improve business operations.

The registry system, which will go online on December the 1st, is to make it easier for businesses to register.

It replaces the registry which was destroyed when the registry office was burnt down during the 2006 riots.

Christopher Hartwell, an advisor with the International Finance Corporation, says the new system is more transparent and easier to use.

“This electronic online registry that is going to ease the amount of time that it takes for companies to start a business here in Tonga and it’s also going to allow businesses to be able to search online for directors, for shareholders and for company names to make sure that they’re not going to register using a different company name.”

Christopher Hartwell says up to 200,000 US dollars has been invested in the project.(24/11rnz)

11 # French Polynesian assembly votes out Temaru government

French Polynesia’s assembly has approved a no confidence motion to oust the coalition government of Oscar Temaru formed last April.

The motion, which was supported by 29 members in the 57-strong assembly, has returned Gaston Tong Sang to the presidency from which he had resigned in February.

The motion had the support of the opposition Tahoeraa Huiraatira, a number of outer island MPs and Mr Tong Sang’s To Tatou Aia.

He is now to form the territory’s fifth government since last year’s early general election.

The change of administration comes amid deepening economic problems and disagreements over how to finalise the budget.(24/11rnz)

12 # Powerful quake strikes off Tonga

Last Updated: 2 hours 8 minutes ago

A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake has occurred in the Pacific Ocean about 200 kilometres east-northeast of Tonga.

The United States Geological Survey says the quake was recorded at a depth of 61 kilometres.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says based on all available data, a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected.

But it says quakes of that size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts within 100 kilometres of the epicentre.

The quake was followed by an aftershock of 5.6 magnitude.

A tsunami caused death and destruction to Tonga, Samoa and American Samoa on September 30.

PASIFIK NIUS:

13 # Iceberg alert for ships off NZ

PHOTO

Icebergs may again soon be visible from the New Zealand coastline, and a scientist says shipping needs to be wary. [ABC]

Last Updated: 2 hours 12 minutes ago

Ships in the south Pacific Ocean are being warned to be on alert for huge icebergs that are drifting towards New Zealand.

Large numbers of Antarctic icebergs last floated close to New Zealand in 2006, when some were visible from the coastline.

That was the first such sighting since 1931.

It is rare for whole icebergs to drift so far north before melting.

But there has been a cold snap around southern New Zealand and scientists say that weather and favorable ocean currents have combined to push the ice towards the region

Oceanogpraper Dr Mike Williams says satellite images show vessels need to be on the look-out.

He said: "Realistically, there's about four to five that are coming towards New Zealand.

"But satellite studies by collegues at the Australian Antarctic Division have shown that there's as many as about 100 due south of New Zealand, so we may get more if those are pushed north."

FRANIS NIUS:

25/11/2009 08:21

14 # Vers une modification des lois du travail en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée

 

Le vaste projet d’exploitation de gaz naturel liquéfié (GNL) de plusieurs milliards de dollars est la pierre angulaire de l’avenir économiquedu pays. Pour le gouvernement ce projet doit aller de l’avant coûte que coûte et tout obstacle doit être surmonté.

Le secrétaire général de la Centrale syndicale de Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée, John Paska, indique maintenant que le gouvernement seraprobablement contraint de modifier la législation du travail pour concrétiser le projet.

Les commentaires de John Paska font écho aux récentes indications du ministère du Travail qui révèlent que les 7 000 emplois réservésaux Papous au sein des activités d’exploitation du GNL pourraient être confiés à des ressortissants étrangers étant donné que laPapouasie Nouvelle-Guinée ne possède pas la main d’œuvre qualifiée requise.

M. Paska reconnaît que les déclarations du ministère du Travail sont en porte-à-faux avec les réglementations sur la localisation desemplois dans ce type de projet.

Toutefois, le dirigeant syndical estime que l’avenir économique du pays dépend du projet est que le gouvernement est sous pression : «En toute franchise, je pense qu’ils vont supprimer un certain nombre de réglementations pour réaliser le projet. Mais ils auront besoin de consulter les organisations pertinentes, mouvement syndical inclus, pour parvenir à une solution à l’amiable et pratique et résoudre lesproblèmes qui pourraient entraver le projet. »

 

15 # Propagande de l’église de scientologie dans les écoles primaires australiennes – Une association internationale ; la Jeunessepour les Droits de l’Homme, a distribué des DVD et des brochures ciblant les enfants des écoles primaires.

Ces brochures qui vantent les Droits de l’Homme qualifient le fondateur de la scientologie, L Ron Hubard, de champion des questionshumanitaires au même titre que Mahatma Gandhi et Martin Luther King. Le ministre de l’Éducation de Nouvelle-Galles du Sud a confirméque toutes les écoles primaires ont reçu ordre de ne pas distribuer la propagande. L’église de scientologie a encouragé Tara Kuru, 25ans, bénévole de l’Association de la Jeunesse pour les Droits de l’Homme, de contacter la presse pour désamorcer les tensions, maisses déclarations risque de mettre de l’huile sur le feu puisque Melle Kuru a révélé que les initiatives de l’église de scientologie dans lesécoles sont beaucoup plus répandues que ne le pense le gouvernement.

 

16 # Au Samoa le tourisme redécolle – Sept semaines après le passage dévastateur du tsunami de septembre qui a tué 170personnes, dont cinq australiens, le secteur du tourisme se relève progressivement. Lorenzo McFarland, porte-parole de l’office dutourisme samoan en Australie indique que 80% des logements et bungalows ont rouvert leurs portes et fonctionnent pour ainsi direnormalement mais que 33 complexes touristiques frappés par la vague sont toujours fermés. Chris Booth, le propriétaire australien duSeabreeze Resort, nous a confié son intention de rester là où il était avant le tsunami, en bordure de Paradise Bay en dépit de la perte de son restaurant et des dégâts causés à tous ses bungalows. Entre temps, le gouvernement samoan espère que la campagne de marketing lancée simultanément en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande permettra d’attirer des touristes au Samoa.

17 # Le Falcon 900EX controversé est arrivé en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée – Ce jet destiné aux membres du gouvernement et auxpersonnalités est estimé à environ 50 millions de dollars australiens, (plus de trois milliards et demi de Fcfp). Le ministère de l’économie et des finances a débloqué 16 millions de dollars, (plus d’un milliard de Fcfp) pour permettre à la compagnie Air Niugini d’acheter l’appareil à la grande colère du dirigeant de l’opposition, Sir Mekere Morauta : « Le Premier ministre est son gouvernement sont assez riches pours’acheter un Falcon Jet pour leurs besoins mais pas assez riches pour rémunérer les infirmières, les enseignants et les policiers. Pasassez riches pour payer les frais de scolarité ou se procurer des médicaments pour les zones rurales. » Le Premier ministre, Sir MichaelSomare estime que l’achat du Falcon est nécessaire pour répondre aux besoins croissants de l’industrie minière en pleine expansion.

18 # « Le visage humain de la crise économique globale » - Tel est le thème d’une conférence du Pacifique qui se déroulera du 10 au 12 février 2012 à Port Vila, capitale du Vanuatu. Cette conférence est une initiative des Nations Unies et du gouvernement du Vanuatu.L’objectif est de discuter avec l’ensemble des partenaires régionaux pour bâtir une résilience à long terme des économies du Pacifiquedans la perspective de nouvelles crises financières. Les 16 nations du Forum des îles du Pacifique, le secrétariat de la Communauté duPacifique et l’Université du Pacifique Sud participeront à cette réunion qui a reçu l’appui de la Banque asiatique de développement. Pour leministre de la gestion économique et des finances du Vanuatu, Sela Molisa, la rencontre de Port Vila permettra aux gouvernements de larégion de partager leurs expériences et leurs meilleures pratiques pour atténuer les crises tout en ayant accès à l’expertise des grandesinstitutions régionales.

19 # Enquête sur la mort d’un prisonnier au Vanuatu – La Cour suprême a débuté cette semaine ses audiences sur la mort d’undétenu, John Bule, à l’Hôpital central de Port Vila en mars dernier. Selon les allégations, John Bule, serait décédé des suites de sesblessures qu’aurait infligées la police lors de son arrestation. John Bule était considéré comme l’un des prisonniers à haut risque et setrouvait au nombre des détenus qui se sont évadés à plusieurs reprises puis repris par la police. Deux infirmiers interrogés lors des audiences ont confirmé que John Bule avait les pieds et les deux bras cassés quand la police l’a présenté à l’hôpital. « Nous avons fait denotre mieux pour le sauver » ont-ils indiqué devant le juge. L’audience a commencé lundi et devrait durer plus d’une semaine en fonctionde la liste des témoins présentée par les deux parties.

20 # Benigno Fitial au bord de la victoire – En cas de victoire, M. Fitial deviendrait alors le premier gouverneur du Commonwealth desMariannes du Nord à être réélu à son poste depuis 1985. Lors du suffrage de lundi dernier, Benigno Fitial a devancé de 501 voix sonadversaire républicain, Heinz Hofscheider mais le camp républicain affirme qu’aucune victoire ne peut être annoncée tant que ledécompte des 1 000 bulletins des électeurs absents des Mariannes du Nord n’aura pas été effectué le sept décembre prochain. Rien nedit que tous les absents vont envoyer un bulletin ce qui rend la situation mathématiquement difficile pour le candidat républicain.

21 # Un jeune néo-zélandais tape un texto plus vite que son ombre - Les Kiwis aiment leur téléphone portable et envoient dans les six milliards de texto par an. À l’issue d’une vaste recherche nationale, l’utilisateur le plus rapide a été découvert. Selon notrecorrespondante en Nouvelle-Zélande, Kerri Ritchie, trois participants sur quatre étaient adolescents mais ils n’ont pas fait le poids de Cameron Morris, 28 ans. Cameron a été le plus rapide du pays en tapant 26 mots par minute sur son portable. Pour lui, il faut surtout biense préparer : « J’ai dû faire très attention à mes cuticules et suivre un programme de soins et d’entretien des mains, le choix d’un bonmanucure a été très important. » Et d’ajouter : « C’est assez embarrassant pour être honnête, je veux dire qu’être champion de quelquechose en Nouvelle-Zélande c’est bien, mais le plus rapide en texto… » Cameron Morris a reçu un chèque de 8 000 dollars et représenterala Nouvelle-Zélande aux Championnats du monde à New York.

 

TONGA ON MUDDY GROUND

In a little village called Popoa in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga, William, 14, sitting under a black tarp, a makeshift kitchen, was flipping over three sizzling pancakes.

Under the tarp, the smoke was so thick that it was hard to see William's eyes. But he seemed unfazed, focusing intently on the three pancakes made of sugar, flour and oil -- a treat, he said, as flour was hard to come by.

 Without access to clean energy, William is forced to breathe in smoke from this stove every day. His decision is common among the developing world: either breathe in polluted air or go without a cooked meal.

 Smoke claims the lives of nearly 800,000 children each year, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Without even realizing it, William puts himself at risk every meal.

But looking around this small town, smoke might be the least of William's problems.

Popoa is built on top of a swamp. Houses are surrounded by pools of mud and stagnant waters, which create the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and disease.

Malaria, which is highly sensitive to climatic conditions, causes more than 1 million deaths each year, up to 80 percent of which are among children under five, according to UNICEF.

Locals in Tonga say that storm surges are becoming more intense, putting towns like Popoa in acute danger of being flooded and then paralyzed by still waters during the dry season.

Better planning could prevent children like William from being exposed to such dangers. But, as in many developing countries, long-term planning is often a luxury.

Even if preventative measures are taken in Tonga, chances of maintenance are slim to none.

Many locals told Xinhua that Tonga was suffering from a constant state of disrepair. This can be seen throughout the country.

On Tonga's main island, Tongatapu, Sela Latu worries about the safety of her children. Just beyond her driveway is a crumbing seawall built by the Tonga Association of Non-governmental Organizations (TANO), an NGO that works with the Tongan government.

 A local woman has already fallen through one of the wall's cavities, said Latu, who is a mother of seven.

Poorly built with sand and coral, the wall is no match for the constant thrashing of waves, which are growing more intense as years go by.

 Sione Talo Fulivai, a climate change support officer from the environment ministry, says TANGO and the government know about the problem but are awaiting overseas funding -- a common story.

 

FIJI – BROADCAST LICENCE: THE AUSTRALIAN                                                               PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 23 Nov 2009

Fiji strips licences from broadcasters

23 NOVEMBER 2009 SUVA (THE AUSTRALIAN) ---- The Fiji Government has removed all broadcasting licences and given Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum the absolute power to renew or redistribute them without any compensation to those whose licences are stripped.

Television and radio stations are broadcasting this weekend on a temporary basis, as the owner, managers, staff and audiences await the determinations of Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum is also Minister for Justice, Anti-Corruption, Public Enterprises, Industry, Investment and Tourism, and Communications.

The action was carried out last week by decree - the chief tool of government since the parliament was scrapped and the constitution abrogated.

The decree states that no compensation can be claimed as a result of the cancellation or reallocation of a broadcasting licence, and that no court, tribunal or commission has the jurisdiction to entertain any challenge over the loss of a licence.

Anyone broadcasting in contravention to the minister's directions can be jailed for five years.

The dominant television broadcaster, Fiji TV, is owned by Yasana Holdings, which represents the 14 ethnic Fijian provinces, and which also owns the monopoly Papua New Guinea TV broadcaster EMTV.

Fiji TV established a reputation for impartial news coverage, although the military installed two officers on its board following the coup three years ago.

It, like the country's other media, is now subject to stringent government censorship.

All the country's VHF TV frequencies are in the hands of Fiji TV.

It is now expected that at least one of these frequencies will be reallocated to the government-owned Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, which operates a radio service and has expressed an intention to establish a TV network, towards which it has allocated several million dollars.

The corporation's chief executive, appointed earlier this year, is Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, younger brother of the Attorney-General and formerly a TV journalist.

The government broadcasts directly from 7-9pm nightly, except on Sundays, on a frequency it pays to rent from Fiji TV….PNS (ENDS

 

FIJI – TELECOM PRICE: FIJI LIVE                                                                                        PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 23 Nov 2009

Fiji Government to regulate wholesale telecom prices

23 NOVEMBER 2009 SUVA ( FIJI LIVE) ----- After months of delay, government has finally announced that it will intervene in the wholesale prices of voice-based telecommunication services in Fiji, as a comprehensive study it commissioned has found that substantial market powers do exist in Fiji’s telecommunications market.   Attorney General and Minister for Communications, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said he signed a new price control order, which will allow the Commerce Commission to set and regulate prices of all wholesale services, including interconnection services.  “This price control order is different from the previous one which was revoked as it regulated both the wholesale and retail sector.  Furthermore, there was no detailed substantial market power study carried out previously,” Mr  Sayed-Khaiyum said.  “However, in this price control order, we have resolved these anomalies, which means that only the wholesale segment shall be regulated, thereby removing anti-competitive behaviour.” While this new decision is directly targeted at the major telecommunication companies in Fiji who wholesale voice-based services, it is expected that the move will foster competition.  “As seen in other jurisdictions, regulated wholesale pricing increases competition in the retail segment, which is beneficial for the consumers and the economy.  And it provides confidence and certainty to the stakeholders in the telecommunications sector,” Mr  Sayed-Khaiyum said.  In late May, the Commerce Commission, Fiji’s monopoly watchdog, undertook an evaluation of the level of existing or likely competition in the relevant markets for the provision of interconnection services in Fiji. After consultation with industry and regulatory stakeholders, it found that substantial market power exists and that there was a need to regulate the industry at wholesale level.  Fiji’s telecommunication market was recently subjected to major reforms following the signing in January 2008 of a Deed of Settlement between the Fiji government and incumbent operators, for the premature ending of their exclusive licenses in return for free 14-year open licenses.  This then set an agenda for a number of major developments including the launch in Fiji last year of Irish-owned Digicel, followed by the opening up of the international telecommunications gateway in July this year. This year too, the government embarked on rationalising its spectrum resource through a Spectrum Decree.  …PNS (ENDS)

 

SAMOA – TOURISM RECOVERY: SMH                                                                             PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 23 Nov 2009

 

Tourism recovery begins in Samoa

23 NOVEMBER 2009 APIA (SMH) ----- Seven weeks after the devastating tsunami that took 170 lives, including five Australians, Samoan tourism is slowly recovering.

The marketing representative for the Samoa Tourism Authority in Australia, Lorenzo McFarland, says 30 per cent of bookings were cancelled after the September 29 tsunami.

“Fortunately, 10 per cent of those people agreed to be relocated to other resorts after the message got through that not all of Samoa was under water,” he said  “People are booking but it is slower than previous years”

While damage from the tsunami has been put at $130 million, it was confined to the south-west coast of Upolu, the main tourist island. The rest of Samoa - including the capital, Apia, also on Upolu - was unaffected.

 “We still have more than 80 per cent of accommodation operating as normal,” Mr McFarland said.

Thirty-three properties were hit and remain closed. Lalomanu Beach took the full force of the tsunami, with eight family-run fales, the traditional beach hut considered synonymous with Samoan tourism, destroyed and many lives lost.

Mr McFarland said all the operators have indicated they will rebuild and the Samoan Government will help uninsured locals.

Not surprisingly, the viability of building on the water's edge has been highlighted by the tragedy. The issue was raised at a recent workshop held to plan tourism recovery. The family that ran the popular Taufua Beach Fales on Lalomanu, for example, is considering relocating their accommodation to higher ground and having only one beach fale for day use. The Taufuas lost 14 family members.

The Australian owner of the four-star Seabreeze Resort, Chris Booth, said he intends to stay where he is on the edge of Paradise Bay, despite the loss of his restaurant and every one of his rooms needing repair.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime disaster,” Booth says. "You have to think about what people want when they come here and they want a beachfront holiday. I think when it all settles down, people will understand and it will go back to normal."

Mr Booth said reconstruction at his resort will start this week and will take up to a year.

It appears that Coconuts Beach Club will be the first of the four-star resorts to open - on February 1 - but it will not be operating at full capacity until later in the year. Sinalei Reef Resort and Spa, another boutique resort popular with Australians, will reopen on April 1.

 A representative of Salani Surf Resort, one of the original surf camps in Samoa, says the owners plan to rebuild but are waiting for an insurance payout.

In the meantime, the Samoan Government is hoping the “It's Still Beautiful” marketing campaign launched recently in Australia and New Zealand will tempt tourists back with packages that are, on average, 20 per cent lower than this time a year ago…. (ENDS)

 

 

 

TONGA ECONOMY: RADAUS                                                                                         PACNEWS BIZ:  Mon 23 Nov 2009

 

China, French Polynesia pledge to boost cooperation

 

23 NOVEMBER 2009 PAPEETE (XINHUA) ------ China's top political advisor, Jia Qinglin, met with President of French Polynesia Oscar Temaru on Saturday and they pledged closer cooperation.

 

During the meeting, Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), hailed the long friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.

 

Mr Jia said French Polynesia is known as the “Pearl of the South Pacific” and has a long history of friendly contacts with China.

 

In as early as the 19th century, there were Chinese settling on Tahiti, the most famous island among the Polynesian islands, who integrated themselves into the local society and actively participated in local economic development. They have served as a bridge linking the friendly and cooperative ties between French Polynesia and China, Jia said.

 

Both sides have seen more frequent exchanges and enhanced cooperation in the fields of economy, culture and tourism since the Chinese Consulate in French Polynesia opened in 2007 and the Chinese government granted the islands the status of designated tourist destination last year, Mr Jia added.

 

Mr Jia further thanked his host for supporting the Chinese scientific research vessel “Yuanwang” which has made many stopovers at the island.

 

The China-France ties now face new opportunities of development, which has created favorable conditions for developing local cooperation and exchanges between the two countries, Mr Jia said.

 

Mr Jia went on to say that French Polynesia has unique geographical advantage and rich marine and tourism resources. China is willing to work with French Polynesia to boost cooperation in such fields as trade and tourism, in which there is great potential for cooperation.

 

For his part, President Temaru said his government is willing to forge a candid, friendly and close relationship with China in the era of globalization….PNS (ENDS)