American Samoa
American Samoa wants associate member status of the Pacific Islands Forum, after being an observer since 2011. Governor Lemanu Peleti Maunga said it was crucial for American Samoa to push for greater inclusion and that over the years, American Samoa’s isolation from regional decision-making has contributed to a lack of adequate representation and support on relevant issues including climate change, public health, and economic development.
Northern Marianas (CNMI)
CNMI’s only hospital has agreed to pay the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation US$525,000 a month for a year to avoid having its power and water supply cut. The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation owes the utilities company over US$50million in outstanding bills. It took an intervention from CNMI Governor Arnold Palacios and Lt. Governor David Apatang to secure an agreement. The final figure reached is a compromise between what the hospital wanted to pay, and the amount the utility company was demanding to cover costs and service its outstanding debts.
Cook Islands
Cook Islands’ Secretary of Health, Bob Williams, has confirmed medicinal cannabis products could be available to some people in June and will “definitely” be available by the end of the year. Williams said although amendments needed to be made to existing legislation, the Ministry of Health would reactivate its pharmacy board to issue medicinal cannabis products.
Federated States of Micronesia
Former Speaker Wesley W. Simina has been elected the 10th President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), succeeding David Panuelo. “I intend to serve you to the best of my ability. I intend to lead to serve you and our country, not lead to be served,” Simina has pledged. Before being elected to the FSM Congress in 2011, Simina served as the Governor of Chuuk 2005- 2011. Aren B. Palik, Senator-at-large for Kosrae, was also sworn in as the nation’s Vice President, while Esmond B. Moses was elected Speaker of the FSM Congress, and Robson U. Romolow named Vice Speaker.
Fiji
Four Fiji political parties have been suspended for 30 days for contravening Section 26(2) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding & Disclosures) Act. They are FijiFirst, All People’s Party, New Generation Party and the Unite Fiji Party. Acting Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa states that Section 26(2) of the Act requires all parties to provide to the Registrar, within three months after the end of each financial year, the record of accounts of its income, expenditure, assets and liabilities audited by an auditor certified by the Fiji Institute of Accountants. She says the parties did not comply with the requirements and that they have 60 days to remedy the breach or face deregistration.
Guam
Public consultations are due to begin in Guam on the United States military’s proposal to install a new missile defence system on the island. The proposal will combine Army and Navy defensive missile systems with improved radar. The move is a response to potential missile threats from North Korea but also occurs amid ongoing tensions with China over Taiwan. Guam already hosts three major US military bases and around 10,000 troops.
Kiribati
Kiribati’s Kiritimati Island has welcomed its first international travellers in three years since COVID-19 forced the closure of the island’s international border. The country’s tourism authority says the reopening is a welcome relief for the private and community-owned tourism business operators. Fiji Airways will operate weekly services to Kiribati from Nadi, Fiji and Honolulu, Hawaii and travellers are required to present their double vaccination certificate upon check in.
Marshall Islands
The Micronesian Games will now be held from June 15-24, 2024 in Majuro. The Micronesian Games Council had announced in March that it was delaying the 10th Games due to be held this July due to the unreadiness of the host islands’ sports facilities. Between 1500 and 2000 athletes, coaches and officials are expected for the games from Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands. This is the first Micronesian Games to be hosted by the Marshall Islands since the games started in 1969.
Nauru
The UN climate adaptation fund has approved US$8 million for a ‘resilient coastal fisheries and aquaculture’ project. This is the first time Nauru has accessed the fund and Secretary for the Department of Environmental Management and Agriculture, Berilyn Jeremiah says this is a milestone achievement for Nauru as it will address long-standing barriers that hamper the implementation of adaptation solutions in the coastal fisheries and aquaculture sector. The project components include strengthened policy and planning strategies and improved food security and nutrition through farmed fish supply.
New Caledonia
New Caledonia’s President Louis Mapou says his administration needs another US$120 million from France this year to ensure stability. Mapou gave the figure after recent meetings with ministers and officials in Paris. The President said stability is necessary because of the difficulties now being experienced and this applies to French territory’s civil and commercial laws, the strategy for the nickel sector, but also the overhaul of the entire electric power system.
Niue
Dalton Tagelagi has been re-elected premier of Niue beating opposition leader, O’love Jacobsen by 16 votes to 4 during the first sitting of the new assembly in Alofi. Tagelagi has retained his ministers Crossley Tatui and Esa Mona Sharon Ainuu, and has appointed common roll member Sonya Talagi to his Cabinet. This is the first time in the history of the Niue government that there are an equal number of male and female members in Cabinet. Three members of this Tagelagi Cabinet are brand new MPs, according to Television Niue.
Palau
Palau stands to receive US$890 million in economic assistance from the US over the next 20 years, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr confirmed. The President said the total pledged by Washington was more than double the amount initially on the table. “The new agreement includes provisions for continued assistance based on negotiations at that point. This will mean we won’t have to solely rely on our Trust Fund for at least the next 20 years,” he said. The package includes $5 million a year for infrastructure and another $5 million a year for maintenance. The US has also pledged six years of funding at $10 million a year to pay down most of Palau’s COVID-related loans and $100 million for the Compact Trust Fund to keep it growing.
PNG
Papua New Guinea’s State Enterprises Minister says around US$56 million is needed to fix the problems of PNG Power. William Duma said the problems were a combination of aging infrastructure and incompetence at the State-owned entity, and the duplication of positions. The National reported Duma saying Cabinet had approved a rescue package, and as soon as funding was available, it would be implemented. He said by December, there would be ‘a better PNG Power’.
Samoa
Visitors to Samoa’s shores in the first quarter of 2023 totalled over 30,136, according to data released by the Samoa Bureau of Statistics, showing arrivals beginning to get to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa, and the United States of America constituted 84.7% of all visitors to Samoa while other countries rounded up the remaining 15.3% during the reference period.
Solomon Islands
Six political parties in Solomon Islands have been suspended over their failure to comply with the Political Parties Integrity Act 2014. The suspended political parties are Youth All Urban Rural Party, National Transformation Party, Pan Melanesian Congress Party, United Democratic Party, People’s Progressive Party, and New Nation Party. The suspension is for three months, and if the parties still fail to make amends, they will be deregistered.
Tonga
The by-election to elect a new People’s Representative to the Tonga Legislative Assembly for the Tongatapu 10 constituency will be held on Thursday, July 13, 2023. This is to fill the seat vacated by the late former Prime Minister, Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa who passed away on 18 March this year.
Tuvalu
Tuvalu’s government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sea Shepherd Global, a marine conservation organisation based in the Netherlands, to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Tuvalu’s waters. The MoU commits Sea Shepherd Global to send the Allankay, a 54.6-metre vessel, to support Tuvalu’s law enforcement efforts through at-sea patrols. According to recent research by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, the annual loss due to IUU fishing in the Pacific is around US$600 million.
Vanuatu
Over 11 non-Ni-Vanuatu Special Envoy appointments of Vanuatu in foreign countries have been terminated. The announcement comes in response to a recent Supreme Court decision deeming the amendment to change the status of Special Envoys and not class them as Public Servants as unconstitutional. “It is important to note that the termination of Special Envoy appointments does not apply to those who are naturalised or indigenous citizens of Vanuatu,” Foreign Affairs Minister Jotham Napat stated.
