Kiribati’s constitutional crisis
Kiribati’s constitutional crisis over the status of high court judge David Lambourne continues. This month, the court of appeal ruled that government orders to deport Lambourne were invalid and should be quashed, calling the submissions from government lawyer Ravi Batra, “quite hopeless”. The government had sought to deport Lambourne—who is married to opposition leader Tessie Lambourne— earlier this month, claiming he posed a risk to security. But the court of appeal has now ordered that Lambourne’s passport be returned to him and held that the Kiribati government should pay the judge’s legal costs. The Kiribati government’s conduct in the saga has been criticised by the Law Council of Australia, Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the Fiji Law Society. Kiribati’s Chief Justice William Hastings has also been suspended after he affirmed Justice Lambourne’s security of tenure in accordance with his appointment.
FEMM absences
The lack of ministerial-level representation from New Zealand at the Forum Economic Ministers meeting raised a few eyebrows in Port Vila. While ongoing questions over membership meant Marshall Islands and Kiribati’s seats at the table remained empty, border and visa issues meant some ministers attended virtually, and elections in Cook Islands and PNG saw them represented by officials and diplomats, the lack of higher-level representation from Wellington was noted.
COVID hits news service
COVID struck the newsroom of Wallis and Futuna’s public broadcaster with such force recently that there was no local news, with French news being broadcast instead. More than 1800 COVID infections have been recorded since the start of the latest outbreak in June.
Malaria hope
Potentially a ‘giant step forward’ for those parts of our region where malaria poses a serious health challenge. Pharmaceutical company GSK has been awarded a US$170 million contract to produce the world’s first malaria vaccine. Globally malaria remains one of the biggest killers of children under five. Children in three African nations have been reached in a vaccine trial. UNICEF is warning that as with any new vaccine, supply will be limited at first. Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu all record malaria cases; but they have also been amongst the countries with highest COVID vaccine hesitancy and take-up.
Memorial missed opportunity
The U.S deputy secretary of state says Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s absence from a dawn service to mark the anniversary of a key World War II battle was a missed opportunity. Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, were among dignitaries who attended a dawn service near Honiara to commemorate the Battle of Guadalcanal. Their fathers almost died fighting in Solomon Islands. “This was a place where international leaders gathered to say that the work with Solomon Islanders, at the time of World War II, was decisive in victory, in ensuring freedom and democracy. And so, I really felt sorry for the prime minister because I think he missed an important opportunity,” Sherman said. For his part, Sogavare denied a snub, saying his government was well represented throughout the three days of events. The ceremony saw another drama when a visiting Japanese official was stabbed in the neck. He was treated and is recovering. His assailant is thought to be from a neighbouring community and was under the influence.
Little love for Fiji banknote
The production of a Fiji 88 cents non-circulation numismatic banknote featuring Tsai Shen, the Chinese god of wealth, created a brief but intense flurry of outrage on Fiji social media channels recently. Some questioned why a Fiji note, which also featured a Chinese money tree, featured Chinese, rather than Fijian imagery. Others wondered why the Reserve Bank was issuing a seemingly impractical 88 cent note. The Bank later clarified that it produces limited quantities of numismatic currency for purchase by collectors and enthusiasts, and that the new note is one of “hundreds of non-circulation numismatic currency that the RBF has produced since 1974.” It says it’s an important revenue stream, raising FJ$8 in the past three years.
Vuvale partnership under scrutiny
Plans to build an Australian-funded Maritime Essential Services Centre in Lami, close to Suva, have met with community opposition. Representatives of the contractor and Australian government heard frustrations over the project, which is reportedly worth over AU$40 million (FJ$61million), during a recent meeting. Residents want to know why it is being built in a residential area, claiming it’s a case of the “Vuvale partnership bulldozing its way through”. The centre will incorporate the Republic of Fiji Navy headquarters, Suva Radio Coastal Station (Coast Watch), Rescue Coordination Centre and the Fiji Hydrographic Service.
Cook Islands cannabis
More than 60% of Cook Islanders agreed that cannabis laws should be reviewed to allow for research and medical use during a referendum held alongside the recent elections. Now the government is looking at how that might work. Medical authorities have said they’ll be looking to see what’s available in Australia and New Zealand and ensuring people don’t see it as a license to cultivate cannabis for their own use. Fiji’s government has also signaled its interest in developing an industrial hemp industry, and allocated funds for research into its viability in the latest budget.
Media to Solomons
Organisers of the upcoming Pacific Media Summit in Solomon Islands will be hoping that the government’s sensitivity over overseas media outlets will not inhibit participation from the international media community. There have been reports that the government will now prevent some journalists from entering the country, with an Australian Four Corners program on Solomon Islands-China relations apparently the tipping point. The government alleged that the program seemed designed to cause animosity between the Governments of PRC, Solomon Islands and Australia. It comes amid concerns that the government has reportedly tightened its grip on the editorial policies of the national broadcaster, SIBC, and delisted it as a state-owned enterprise. CEO Johnson Honimae says they still have editorial control, while acknowledging that the government had complained they had “been running too many stories from the opposition side, causing too much disunity.”
