Samoan passports

THERE is anger in Samoa after the Prime Minister revoked the diplomatic passport of the outgoing head of state. The PM, who is also responsible for the Immigration portfolio, was apparently well within the law when he cancelled the official passports of the former customary head of the land and the first lady. But the people of Samoa reacted loudly on electronic media condemning the action as disrespectful and not Fa’a Samoa (the Samoan Way). Despite the justifications offered by the PM and his references to international laws and practices, the people remain unconvinced and continue to call for the return of passport privileges to a muchloved couple. 

Unlikely prizes

THERE was much nudging and eyebrow raising at the awards ceremony of a communications company in Fiji last month. The new CEO received an award for Outstanding Leader of the Year while staff members have been abandoning the company due to poor leadership and vindictive management. So dire has the situation become that the once proud company has lost its best managers and highly-skilled technical staff as insiders cosy up to relatives in government. The recent award and the sacking of the CEO’s best friend of over 30 years has forced staff members to reconsider their future in the organisation.

Missing cash

WHERE is the $515,000 given by Methodist people from Fiji who now live in New Zealand for the construction of a new home for the head of the church? At the recent Methodist Church in Fiji annual conference, New Zealand observers raised the prickly question and received no satisfactory response from the leadership. Even though the church treasurer has stepped down and will shortly return to the ministry, that fact remains that there is only $35,000 of the original amount donated by New Zealand Fijians in the church coffers. And the home which was to have been built at Davuilevu, Nausori, remains but a bundle of drawings on an architect’s table.

University plans

WHERE is the head of the regional institution who wants to build a university before his retirement? The aged cleric has already convinced his board to amend the retirement age to allow him to stay on. And this only after first removing faculty members in his age group. Now the prospective vice-chancellor is believed to be out of the country on sabbatical as he tries to convince funders and church leaders to fund a new university in the Fijian capital, Suva. But word is that church leaders have had enough and are now ready to concentrate on their own educational institutions.

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Leading diplomat

FIJIAN diplomat Amena Yauvoli is the toast of the regional diplomatic community. Not only is he Director-General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Yauvoli is also Fiji’s climate change expert. That means he is on loan from the MSG to Fiji as part of regional cooperation ahead of the COP23 meeting in Germany later this year. Ironical that Fiji would depend on this senior civil servant who was removed at the height of the 2006 coup by the man who now cannot do without him. And, for the record, Yauvoli was removed three times by the Fijian Government and returned each time for love of country.

Missing wallet

WHICH regional diplomat had a big night on the town with colleagues in a French territory and lost his belongings in the process? After kava and cocktails the diplomatic party continued through several clubs until the wee hours. The regional diplomat in question was not seen the next day and most assumed he was a bit worse for wear after painting the town red. It later transpired that in the process of meeting the locals, the aforementioned diplomat had lost his special passport, a wallet and other miscellaneous items.

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Double standards

INTERESTING to note that there is a huge campaign in Fiji for the second year running to conserve stocks of the kawakawa (grouper) which is under threat, The country’s first citizen – President, Major-General Jioji Konrote – is the patron of the programme which calls on citizens to refrain from catching, selling or eating the fish during specified times of the year. It’s somewhat unnerving that while one arm of the state has mounted a campaign to protect the fish, another is selling the kawakawa and advertising the fact on social media. Perhaps eyes will be averted to the sales because the campaign is voluntary and will not become law until 2018?

Immobile officers

TRAVEL into some of the more remote areas of Fiji and government officers have been severely hampered in delivering their services to the public because of a lack of vehicles. In the provinces of Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata, officers at remote posts often have to wait up to two weeks for access to a pool vehicle to visit up to 1000 farmers on corrugated roads hours apart. Public service vehicles are often available just once a day in these areas. Yet, late last month farmers and agriculture officers watched in awe as up to 60 Government vehicles stirred up the dust along infrequently accessed public roads as officials accompanied Rear-Admiral Frank Bainimarama on his most recent constituency visit.

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Student Death

ABSOLUTE silence in Fiji’s media over the death of a PNG student at a local boarding school. The senior student at the Roman Catholic Saint John’s College died of a pulmonary haemorrhage (bleeding in the lungs) which could have been caused by one of many illnesses including dengue fever. Parents and former students rushed to the aid of the school to repatriate the body of the student and provide financial support for his family. Yet there was nary a word on the incident in the local papers or on radio and television. Even the Education Ministry and police were surprisingly quiet. Perhaps it was a matter of protecting Fiji’s business of educating regional students at its schools. 

School hiccups

SO Fiji’s Education Ministry still can’t get its act together when it comes to arranging national assessment for school children. The Literacy and Numeracy Assessment planned for the second term was moved suddenly, leaving many parents and students unaware, Righteous indignation spewed forth on social media as irate parents vented their frustration on teachers and ministry officials. The assessment had initially replaced annual examinations which determined the suitability of candidates for the next level of schooling. But in Fiji – where no student who fails can be deprived of forward movement – the education system has numerous quirks. Sudden movement of dates for exams and analysis is just one of them.

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Not good enough

SO, even the deputy head of a regional agency is not good enough for the Australian aid facility which will administer assistance to programmes in the education, health and development sectors in a number of regional countries. News is that the woman – highly respected and qualified – was one of the reasons an Australian company won the bid to administer the disbursement of aid. But when that news reached Australia’s Suva offices there were immediate efforts to sabotage the appointment. Now the news is that the best candidate is out of the running and the high commission staff are promoting themselves to vacant positions in the facility. Which, of course, calls into question the entire selection and tender process.

Money matters

STILL on the Australians, remember the staffer in Whispers last month from their Suva post who disappeared with visa payments for a prominent boys’ school? The matter came to light after the principal complained to authorities. Apparently the woman was escorted in handcuffs from the building after it was established that she had indeed taken money and promised to arrange travel documentation for the boys. The incident points to the fact that people in Fiji still think they can circumvent the visa process system using the people they know. When will this end?

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No bull here

AT least one person has fallen foul of the PNG-Fiji impasse on the bully beef trade. Fiji’s Biosecurity Authority boss, Xavier Khan, resigned suddenly from his position shortly after an announcement that a ban on PNG corned beef had been lifted. For more than a year the two Melanesian neighbours have been at loggerheads over the tinned goods. Khan had led the blockade against PNG – apparently at the behest of his political masters – until it became too hot in the proverbial kitchen. As is usual in Fiji, the lackey eventually paid the price for doing the master’s bidding. 

Switching sides

ON a similar note, watch for two former colonels in Fiji’s military government to switch political sides this month. Both men lost their jobs after years of hastening to the call of the republic’s military strongman. And both lost their jobs over differences of opinion with the Number Two in the same government. After a particularly heated Cabinet meeting, one of the colonels demanded his military boss make a stand – him or his master’s voice. The master went with the voice and the loyal officer lost his job. Now he’s about to make a political comeback and word is the knives are out.

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Ego clash

FOR how long will Fiji stay away from the region’s biggest tourism event in the manner of the school yard bully? The whole region will gather for the SPTE 2017 in Sydney later this year but much of the Fijian delegation is under pressure to stay at home. That’s because Fijian tourism bosses want the region to attend the Fiji event planned for the resort island of Denarau. But the SPTE – which coincides with Australia’s Tourism Expo – attracts a large number of European and American industry buyers who may not travel as far as Fiji. That means it’s better for them to meet the buyers in Australia as they have in the past two years at events in Melbourne and on the Gold Coast. Yet Fiji continues to bang away at a single event rather than a regional fest.

Randy priest

A CATHOLIC priest in Samoa has left the village in the wake of an alleged sex scandal there where he was caught sleeping with a Year 13 student. The incident was confirmed by the village who said residents were in a state of shock. The community leader said a more senior church leader immediately removed the priest from Vailoa before the matter could be discussed by the Village Council. So what is the main office in Apia doing about the incident? 

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Tietjens faces the heat

THE sevens coach everyone loves to hate – Sir Gordon Tietjens – has come under fire in Samoa after less than four months in the job. After dismal performances on the HSBC World Sevens Series beginning late last year, the knives are already out and more are being sharpened. The Samoan rugby public, it appears, is as unforgiving as their Pacific cousins in Fiji. All every Samoan fan wants is a win. Is Tietjens a spent force? Has he run out of tricks? Is his coaching cupboard bare?That’s what the Samoans want to know. Letters to the editor in the Samoan newspapers have gone as far as to suggest that selection should be restricted to big players – as big and as fast as their Fijian counterparts. What next? A new coach?

Ghost town

WITH much fanfare some 10 years ago a Malaysian company was feted and welcomed to build a metropolis near Fiji’s second international airport, Nausori. Waila City was one of the first big deals signed by the interim government. Today the development site is littered with rusting earth-moving equipment and there has been no progress on excavation or subdivision of lots for the last three years. It’s unclear whether work will eventually resume.

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Telecom expansion

TAKING over the ocean of the Pacific seems to be the goal of Fiji’s mega telecommunication company with reports that it has got Vanuatu under the radar, after taking over telecom business in Kiribati, with American Samoa, Cook Islands and Samoa in the bag, almost, in addition to home base Fiji of course. ATH currently owns Telecom Fiji, provider of land line services in Fiji, as well as its very successful mobile company, Vodafone. It has also bought the Cable and Wireless of UK’s shares in Fiji’s international telecom company, FINTEL. While its offers to buy out mobile operations in PNG and Solomons were rebuffed, ATH is reportedly getting some support to buy Telecom of Vanuatu’s mobile operations. ATH is a Fiji Government-owned company with majority shareholding by the country’s superannuation fund, FNPF.

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Chinese Whispers

HOW far does China meddle in regional politics? That’s the question after another vote of no confidence in a Vanuatu government. Observers have started to draw links between unrest in Vanuatu to corrupt politicians to China which wants to influence Pacific democracies on the new Silk Route. It’s the second time in just over a year that legislators have been urged to unseat a ruling Prime Minister. Chinese influence has also been seen in recent political wrangling in the Solomons and attempts to destabilise Mannaseh Sogavare’s coalition government.

Police wrecks

NEW vehicles and boats for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force with the regional assistance mission on its way out. Already there are concerns that the vehicles handed over by departing officers are being abused by the locals to the extent that some are already written off. Two high speed water craft have also been badly damaged even before the assistance mission has ended. Local and foreign officers alike are extremely unhappy about the situation and the top brass at the RSIPF will be looking to make significant changes soon.

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Hospital moves

WORD on the streets of Fiji’s capital is that a new private hospital is about to open its doors. This time a group of doctors at the current private treatment place close to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital are said to be unhappy with their current remuneration will move to the new facility. Apparently the necessary licences have been approved, premises rented and the equipment is being shipped into the country. The new hospital will create a number of job opportunities which doctors, nurses and technicians are eagerly awaiting. It’s quite possible the private premises will open well before a facility planned for Denarau on the western side of Fiji. 

Police guns

SOLOMON Islands police officers are quietly preparing to carry guns – a key milestone before they take back full responsibility for law and order in their country from Australia. The move has been signed off by the government with the support of several regional governments. Officers have been training to use firearms for the first time since an Australian-led intervention to stop armed conflict in the country in 2003. Australian police will leave the islands next year.

Climate change

WHAT’S this about the island which refuses to accept climate change? With world leaders finally endorsing the outcomes of COP21 in France last year, at least one country in the region is adamant that divine assistance will guarantee the safety of its people. Even their church partners across the world have had no luck changing attitudes of the local clergy.

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School flip flops

FIRST Fiji’s Education Ministry pushed out a memo to all teachers stating they must not speak in public without the permission of the Permanent Secretary. By the way, that includes all gatherings where members of the public might be present during and outside working hours. Punishment would include dismissal, the memo said. It did not say that months earlier an Education Officer in Fiji’s eastern Division had been dismissed after he was caught on camera speaking to an Opposition Member of Parliament. The MP was a former teacher. Now the ministry has withdrawn the memo and teachers wait with bated breath to see what happens next.

Church scandal

SCANDAL continues within the Roman Catholic church in Guam. First it was the archbishop being investigated after allegations of abuse of altar boys. Now a priest in Guam has admitted to abusing around 20 children. Allegations against the 95-year-old were made during a public hearing last week to lift Guam’s statute of limitations on child abuse. The accusations were raised by a man who lives in Hawaii and said he was sent to a Catholic school in Guam, where he was abused twice in the 1950s. The priest served in Guam between the 1940s-1970s, during which he taught at San Vicente and Father Duenas Memorial Catholic schools.

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SO what’s with the removal of a senior prison officer who refused to send prisoners to work on a cane farm in Fiji’s Western Division? Apparently the farmer tried to circumvent an assistance programme implemented by the government. When the prison officer refused to help and stuck to the list supplied of farmers given him, the incensed farmer called the Office of the Prime Minister. Two calls later the prison officer found himself the latest of the early retirees from Fiji’s Civil Service.

THE master of a Fijian ferry which sank off the capital has lost his licence. That’s caused some consternation in maritime circles because there is no sign of an inquiry into the sinking and grounding of three vessels at the height of Cyclone Winston this year. One rule for some and another for others? That’s certainly what it looks like at the moment but some unkind souls have suggested that nobody does anything in Fiji unless they receive a call from one of two people.

ALL may not be well for Tongan PM ‘Akilisi Pohiva. For years he attacked successive governments in the kingdom accusing them of corruption. Now Pohiva faces accusations relating to his two sons who appear to be able to do as they please. The next electionmay see the end of the pro-democracy fighter whom voters feel is no better than their previous leaders.

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FISHY story .. Apperently a number of executives from three countries which fish in the Pacific have been implicated in preventing the sale of non-FAD (fish aggregating devices) products. This means they have taken a stand against Pacific nations which have made huge attempts to protect their fish stocks and ensure that FADs are used responsibly. Despite making large profits each year, it appears the greed of these large corporations knows no bounds.

BANK moves .. One of the region’s biggest banks has made a decision to downsize its Pacific communications team. The members of the ANZ regional communications team based in Suva have been given the option of redundancy or moving into other sections of the bank. About five people will be affected by the change which will lead to each country manager looking after communications. All part of right-sizing as Westpac moves towards Asia, BSP moves further into the region and Asian banks loom on the side line.

 60 seconds .. THE 60 Minutes team which recently visited Samoa did no favours for the Brigade of Parachute Journalists who so often descend on this part of the Pacific whenever there is a conflict. Covering the assault of an Australian tourist – a matter still before Samoa’s courts – the journalists interviewed the PM for over 30 minutes and then gave him less than 120 seconds of air time. To his credit, the Samoan PM has said he will remain open to interviews despite the attitude of the foreign press.

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FISHY story .. Apperently a number of executives from three countries which fish in the Pacific have been implicated in preventing the sale of non-FAD (fish aggregating devices) products. This means they have taken a stand against Pacific nations which have made huge attempts to protect their fish stocks and ensure that FADs are used responsibly. Despite making large profits each year, it appears the greed of these large corporations knows no bounds.

BANK moves .. One of the region’s biggest banks has made a decision to downsize its Pacific communications team. The members of the ANZ regional communications team based in Suva have been given the option of redundancy or moving into other sections of the bank. About five people will be affected by the change which will lead to each country manager looking after communications. All part of right-sizing as Westpac moves towards Asia, BSP moves further into the region and Asian banks loom on the side line.

 60 seconds .. THE 60 Minutes team which recently visited Samoa did no favours for the Brigade of Parachute Journalists who so often descend on this part of the Pacific whenever there is a conflict. Covering the assault of an Australian tourist – a matter still before Samoa’s courts – the journalists interviewed the PM for over 30 minutes and then gave him less than 120 seconds of air time. To his credit, the Samoan PM has said he will remain open to interviews despite the attitude of the foreign press.

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FAMILY connection … So a senior member of Fiji’s media fraternity found himself aged 55 and recommended for retirement under Civil Service regulations. Hoping for special consideration due to his high-level political connections, the Information Officer waited eagerly for an extension to his contract. But his supervisor – and nephew by marriage – had apparently signed off on the officer’s retirement and had the recommendation approved by none other than the Permanent Secretary. Incensed, the officer complained to higher authorities – the highest in the land – and the PS was soon on his way. The officer now runs a solar power shop in the nation’s capital.

ANGRY consul … From Honiara comes the news that a certain honorary diplomat is furious with revelations dissension within the ranks of his compatriots. After raising money to help with rehabilitation efforts post Tropical Cyclone Winston, the Fijian part-time diplomat wanted to control the cash and send it to the government in Suva. But those who raised the money wanted half to go to the Red Cross and the rest to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. The matter was put to the vote and the money was subsequently split as per the wishes of the majority. Now the consul wants to sue the community and Islands Business.

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GRAFT probe … There must be some uneasy politicians and former politicians in the island republic of Kiribati now that the new government has initiated steps to establish an anti-corruption commission. Despite objections from the previous government turned opposition party, a motion on the formation of the anti-graft body was passed by Kiribati’s parliament last month. The new body, the opposition had claimed in the ensuing debate, had saddened a lot of i-Kiribati people. Taneti Maamau, new President of the republic had announced the formation of the anticorruption commission in April when he unveiled his new administration’s new five-year plan. He said the new body would probe cases of corruption and abuse of office in government.

ISLAM intolerant … Calls were heard over the recent month in Samoa for a constitutional change that will make Christianity state religion. Weighing in on the debate is Samoa’s long-time leader and current prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi who was quoted by the country’s daily newspaper as saying that Christian principles and teachings ought to be the heart of Samoa’s constitution, and not relegated to mentions in the preamble. Tuilaepa’s views were welcomed by Samoa’s council of churches, although its general secretary went on further to propose that the Islamic faith ought to be banned in the island.

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FIJI and Papua New Guinea destroyed Melanesian solidarity when they sided with Indonesia on the issue of West Papua. But now it appears that the FijiPNG alliance is on rocky ground after Fijian Foreign Affairs Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, announced that Fiji’s Amenatave Yauvoli would become Secretary General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Yauvoli’s apparent selection – announced last month by Kubuabola and later confirmed by the MSG chairman, Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare – was not welcomed by Vanuatu with its council of Ministers refusing to accept the choice. Now, PNG High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Fred Yakasa, confirms he has written to Sogavare, calling for a new selection process to be undertaken.

STIll on MSG and the DG blowout … daggers are now out as to who caused what … like the news that Fiji had threatened to withdraw its membership of MSG if the previous DG did not step down. And that the removal of the DG was the subject of a secret rendezvous in Honiara in the margins of the leaders summit between foreign ministers of two member countries. Reports of an attempt to change the wording of the leaders’ decision on the observer status of West Papua independence movement are also making the rounds. What about this one, that Fiji will just have to look at its own for answers as to why support for its candidature to SG of the Pacific Islands Forum evaporated among MSG members.

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MIRACLE or mirage It’s making big news in Samoa with media reports about a young woman with stigmata, which in Christian tradition claims body marks on her body correspond to those left on Christ’s body when he died about 2000 years ago. Both the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Samoa as well as the Samoan PM has hailed the stigmata of Toaipuapuaga Opapo, a 23 year old daughter of a religious pastor a miracle with a special mass held in her honour at the Catholic Cathedral in downtown Apia. Critics however lament against the media and the church and now leading politicians for preying on the young woman who is ill and in need of professional medical care.

CHANGE or perish Restructure of ports business in Solomon Islands took on a whole new level when social media reported that the new look SIPA, acronym for Solomon Islands Ports Authority has diversified into rice and noodle retail business. A popular Facebook page says the Honiara City Council has demanded an explanation from Port boss Colin Yow. The Singaporean tenure has been nothing less than dramatic with accusations of biased and termination of local workers who later turned up at a residence of senior manager, demanding compensation. The manager reportedly called the local police for help repeatedly, but the public enforcer of law and order did a no show. Not so long ago, the boss took his board members including some cabinet ministers and senior officials in the office of the PM to a meeting in his home country, prompting a call for deportation from local port union leaders.

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SO US$38.6 million (FJ$81.85m) in 90 days should be enough to fund cyclone rehabilitation for the 350,000 in Fiji that were badly affected by super hurricane Winston, of whom 250,000 are in need of water and sanitation assistance including 60,000 school children in 167 islands. The stats were released in Suva as all UN agencies based in Fiji launch a joint fundraiser targeting the international community to fund its Winston rehabilitation work in the island nation. According to some diplomatic whispers, if the standard UN criteria is used, 10 per cent of money (FJ$8.1m if target is reached) raised will cover administrative costs, money critics say could very well pay for the reconstruction of new homes for the thousands left homeless by Winston. Given the honour to launch the so called flash appeal is none other than Fiji’s PM, although it is not known whether he has been advised that none of that money will be given to his administration to administer.

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FOR all they do and say about good governance and transparency among state players in our part of the ocean, non-governmental organisations or civil society agencies or non-state actors, however you want to call them, do need to do what they preach. A regional NGO quietly let off most of their employees late last year, only a few months after giving each of them three year contracts. Much to the surprise of the body’s board however, at least one of their juniors refused to go quietly, demanding instead to argue their case before the board, which happened to be meeting in their office when letters were distributed. When the board room was locked from the inside, this employee, it was whispered, broke down the door and demanded compensation from his former bosses. Alas, all could be said now is that the employee has happily left the NGO, together with a pay-out that discourages him from telling the world what actually happened.

SO what’s the real story about this vehicle which in a press statement an hour after it met with a freak accident, the office of Fiji’s first citizen announced that the official vehicle of the first lady went off the road just outside the official residence in the capital, requiring medical review of her ladyship as well as her minder and official driver. Nothing else has been said of the accident which happened in a road that is not known to be accident prone, except this photo taken inside the compound of Suva’s Central Police Station. “The vehicle is a white Cheverolet Trailblazer .. and the windscreen and rear window are smashed, the rear side window (right hand side is broken). There is major damage to the hood and front grille and the two front doors,” was the message posted on social media.

HALF a loaf is better than none seem to be how Pacific Island Countries received news of a world agreement on climate change in Paris last December. Different islands responded differently to the pressure and intensity of global negotiations but Fiji’s participation was impressive, at least to the lead negotiator of the Pacific, Enele Sopoaga who’s Prime Minister of one of the world’s smallest countries and one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. He told the Fiji Sun newspaper that Fiji sent a good delegation to COP21, ensuring ministerial representation at all key negotiation groups. Apart from Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, there were six other ministers and assistant ministers that were in Paris.

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TERRORIST attacks in Paris, two weeks before COP21 forced many climate change negotiators to cancel their participation. One such country affected was Niue, the Pacific’s and arguably the world’s smallest nation. Left without a leader or a minister in Paris, Niue’s country statement before 30,000 delegates had to be delivered by a young woman from a climate NGO network in Australia. A senior official in Alofi said the message was the most important thing, not the person who delivered it.

HALF a loaf is better than none seem to be how Pacific Island Countries received news of a world agreement on climate change in Paris last December. Different islands responded differently to the pressure and intensity of global negotiations but Fiji’s participation was impressive, at least to the lead negotiator of the Pacific, Enele Sopoaga who’s Prime Minister of one of the world’s smallest countries and one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. He told the Fiji Sun newspaper that Fiji sent a good delegation to COP21, ensuring ministerial representation at all key negotiation groups. Apart from Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, there were six other ministers and assistant ministers that were in Paris. 

TERRORIST attacks in Paris, two weeks before COP21 forced many climate change negotiators to cancel their participation. One such country affected was Niue, the Pacific’s and arguably the world’s smallest nation. Left without a leader or a minister in Paris, Niue’s country statement before 30,000 delegates had to be delivered by a young woman from a climate NGO network in Australia. A senior official in Alofi said the message was the most important thing, not the person who delivered it.

FAST taking shape in what was once a thriving pine plantation not far from Fiji’s international airport is what the signboard declares as a giant biomass plant. What the signboard says is basically what all most of Fiji has been told about what’s obviously a multi-million project. What whisper has gathered is that the proposed biomass plant is a joint venture between the public pine processing company and a consortium of Korean investors. Plan is to burn un-used pine branches to produce biomass energy, which in turn be sold to the national power utility. All part of achieving the national target of going for the clean, renewable energy in 10 to 20 years time. The whisper is that the plant will be operational in 2016, or may be 2017. 

THE talk among island negotiators in Paris was the 180 degree turn one of their champions on the plight of people in the frontline of climate change impact. How Kiribati and its President decided to drop the insistence on a temperature rise target of below 1.5 degree Celsius and the resettlement of its people. Was the overnight switch due to promises of more funding from his “island boy” neighbour Barack Obama, President of the United States? Or could it be related to the personal ambition of someone to become the first Pacific Islander Nobel Peace Prize Laureate?

DESPITE government assurances about meeting core International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, Fijians are bracing themselves for a possible ILO Commission of Inquiry. The country’s two main unions, the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) and the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions (FICTU) have shut the door on any further discussions with government. They are arguing that while the government has amended local labour laws, sections which were in breach of core ILO conventions have been retained. The former Minister involved in discussions with the unions is now Fiji’s President-designate and his replacement is insisting discussions are continuing despite the unions being adamant that there will be no further discussion until all parties meet with the ILO in Geneva in the coming weeks.

THE baton has been passed on in Vanuatu with one legacy building on the other. Kenneth Natapei has successfully contested the parliamentary seat left vacant by his late father and former Prime Minister, Edward Natapei. He now joins the Opposition, boosting its numbers to 23 in the 52-seat Parliament.

STILL in Vanuatu … politicians there don’t seem to have learnt any lessons from the recent past. With all the on-going court trials and political uproar in the country, it appears some Opposition MPs who could find themselves in a new Government when all the dust settles, have had significant funds deposited into their bank accounts. In fact one Opposition MP says all MPs have received payments of one million vatu (US$9000) into their bank accounts with the explanation that the funds are for Tropical Cyclone Pam “refunds”. Interestingly, the MP concerned is seeking clarification about the legality of the payment but has not indicated whether or not – in the interim – he will cash in on the deposit!! 

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• Whispers is compiled by the Editor. Contributions are welcome, send them to editor@islandsbusiness.com

NEVER before seen pictures of the six Pacific journalists that were detained in PNG the day they arrived to cover the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders summit. Told to step aside at the immigration line after their arrival at Jackson Airport in Port Moresby, the group spent more than four hours detained inside a room at the Immigration’s airport office. The group was led by Makereta Komai, veteran journalist and editor of the Pacific Islands News Association’s news service, Pacnews (she’s also manager of PINA) and included our editor in chief, Samisoni Pareti, the head of programmes at the Tonga Broadcasting Commission, Viola Ulakai, senior Samoa Government media officer Asenati Semo, and journalists Puaseiese Pedro of the Tuvalu Media Corporation and Georgina Maki of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation. While no one was manhandled during their incarceration, only access to telephone, food and water (initially) were denied them. The group was rescued by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s Media Officer Mereseini Tuivuniwai and her counterpart at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs PNG, Helen Aisi when they insisted outside the arrivals terminal at Jackson that they needed to see the “detained” journalists. 

DESPITE a rather rude and un Pacific welcome on their arrival, the Pacific journalists none the less saved the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and host of the Forum meeting of what could be a huge diplomatic embarrassment. Driven by their police escorts around Port Moresby on the eve of the leaders’ arrival, the visiting journalists noticed that the wrong photo of the Solomon Islands Prime Minister, PNG’s closest eastern neighbour was being used in the giant billboards erected around Moresby to welcome Pacific island leaders. The photo was that of Gordon Darcy Lilo, the man current PM of Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare replaced!

THE Land of the unexpected certainly lived up to its name at the Pacific Leaders summit it hosted in September. Interesting to put it mildly were the people that won contracts to service the meeting. The caterer is said to be a good friend of someone high up in the decision making body. The opening night’s banquet contractor was the wife of a millionaire who’s a good pal of another in the high places. Forum visibility, things like billboards and publicity was also outsourced, again to someone who knows someone in the upper echeleons of PNG society. No wonder this someone who knows that someone in the upper places couldn’t even distinguish Gordon Darcy Lilo from Mannaseh Sogavare. Or should it be just a matter of expect to see or hear the unexpected! 

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• Whispers is compiled by the Editor. Contributions are welcome, send them to editor@islandsbusiness.com

LIKE flotsam, the power of the published word – via newspapers – seems to have floated across the Pacific Ocean and nestled on the shores of Samoa to flourish in that island country’s world of politics. The Tuatua Samoa Party now wants to give a “voice to the voiceless” through its newly-launched Tuatua Lelei newspaper. Party Leader, Palusalue Faapo II says the newspaper is an integral part of his party’s 2016 General Election campaign and will be used to “critique government developments” as well as publicise the Tuatua Samoa Party’s views ”about a number of issues“.

ACROSS the ocean, however, the same flotsam seems to have by-passed Vanuatu without making landfall. The Whisper there is that Prime Minister Sato Kilman summoned journalists to his office to lecture them about the need for “responsible reporting.” Kilman was apparently upset about alleged reporting which he said “defamed” people. Ni Vanuatu journalists agree there’s a need for “responsible journalism” but argue that apart from just using the media, political leaders must also know how to accept criticism when they do wrong, ie to be responsible too!

THE Nauruan Government under President Baron Waqa recently put in place measures to curb access by its citizens to social media sites such as Facebook. The fear, it was whispered, was that social media could corrupt minds with all the negative cyberspace reporting about Nauru. Waqa’s government faced a backlash of mainly foreign criticism accusing his government of trampling on basic human rights such as freedom of information. It appears the Nauruan authorities now see the benefits of using social media sites, in this case Twitter. The Whisper is that there’s now a concerted effort from the world’s smallest country to push its own side of the story by using Twitter as an avenue to educate international audiences about the more positive aspects of Nauru.

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A WHISPER in the Solomon Star says Solomon taxpayers are being forced to pay $3.7 million for the hire of a speed-boat which members of the current government used last December during lobbying for the election of Prime Minister. Apparently, the MPs booked the Sun Express to the island of Mbike in Central Province. Then what was supposed to be a relaxing and peaceful night on the tropical island turned sour when a group of men approached Mbike in a boat under the cover of darkness early the next day, fired gun shots and attempted to set the Sun Express ablaze. Although the speed-boat, owned by close family members of North West Guadalcanal MP, Bodo Dettke – who was amongst the MPs – sustained damage, the group was able to return in the boat later to take part in the election. Their candidate, Manasseh Sogavare, came out the winner.

A REGIONAL conference was recently held at an exclusive resort in Fiji. But apparently, accommodation at the resort was only good enough for the conference organisers. Invited delegates, including some who came from as far the Caribbean had to settle for accommodation 20 minutes away. The whisper is that even conference meals were affected – while the organisers enjoyed lunch at the resort restaurant the invited guests were to be served takeaway lunches in a small room. Well that was the plan! The only problem was that the caterer failed to show up on the first day so organisers had no choice but to allow the delegates to grace the same tables!

FIJI’S rumour mill has been in overdrive for the past month, leading to calls from senior officials for the public not to believe unsubstantiated claims on social media. After eight years of suppression of the formal media, its unregulated electronic counterpart has become the flagship for rumour and counter-rumour in a country which is sometimes starved of information. Perhaps a further relaxation of media laws will help?

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Niteclub Tango: Fiji journalists bore the brunt of security measures during the recent visit by China’s President Xi Jinping. But they found it amusing to learn that both Chinese and Fiji officials were baffled by an apparent security breach. Apparently a gentleman with numerous businesses in Fiji, including a nightclub, was able to obtain VIP access to all official engagements to the extent of even being part of the official motorcade.

Did Ozzie and Kiwi: cops deployed for the Solomon Islands elections circumvent the country’s nation-wide liquor ban from 18-25th November? Or maybe the 11 pallets of wine and the additional liquor accompanying them were meant to be defensive Molatov cocktails?? Or is deployment simply another word for “working holiday” – something hopeful Fijians are banking on being different from and additional to “seasonal work”??

The Australian:  Senate has been urged to block migration law changes that could see more than 100 infants born of refugee parents deported to Nauru. The proposed legislation will render irrelevant a Federal Court appeal underway by baby Ferouz – born in Brisbane to asylumseeker parents last year. Ferouz can’t apply for a protection visa because he’s deemed an unauthorised maritime arrival – a government stance that was upheld by the Federal Circuit Court last month.

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Drama in the royal court … The benign reign of Tonga’s newest monarch hit the newspaper headlines recently when King Tupou VI (pictured) reportedly intervene in the desire by one of his sons, fourth in line to the throne, to join a religion different to the one of which his father is titular head. The newspaper said the King sent the Prime Minister of Tonga and the Prime Minister’s son, an officer in the Tongan Defence Force, to intervene on his behalf, stopping plans by Prince Ata to be baptised into the Mormon religion. A recent government survey has found that the Mormon Church has displaced the Roman Catholic Church as the second largest religion in the kingdom, second only to the Free Wesleyans.

Two container loads … While one regional head awaits his fate, another has packed up and heading off home. After six years as head of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Fiji, Samoan jurist and ambassador, Neroni Tuiloma Slade is making way for PNG lawyer and World Bank adviser Dame Meg Taylor. It’s not known where the Slades plan to settle, although freight companies have been hired to send a container full of household items to Auckland, and the other is Apia-bound.

MSG leadership row … The whisper is that if the Solomon Islands is not careful, it may lose the leadership of yet another powerful regional body, that of the Vanuatu-based Melanesian Spearhead Group. Readers of a national newspaper in Honiara were treated to the rare public spat between an aide of caretaker PM and that of the head of the MSG and seasoned Solomon Island and Pacific civil servant, Peter Forau. At the core of the row is the near expiry of the DG’s term at the MSG and the need for Honiara’s endorsement for a renewal of his contract. The polls in Solomons this month may just put this matter further onto the backburner.

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Pigs can fly: Judging from the number of conspiracy theories that were being bandied about in Samoa last September during the country’s successful hosting of the United Nations Conference for small island developing states, one would be forgiven for thinking pigs could fly. The constant push to forge new partnerships with the world’s private sector on sustainable development led some to think that the governments of the world are conceding defeat in the battle for the wise management of finite resources. Some others likened the idea of getting profit-oriented entities to lead the push for sustainable development to that of asking Dracula to guard the blood bank. Take the cake however was the real worry by some Pacific island leaders that the push to get them to graduate from least developed country classification to developing country status is only being done to relieve bigger and wealthier countries of the burden of pouring millions of aid money to their smaller and poorer southern neighbours.

Nauru’s furore: Word is out that the Pacific’s chair of the lobby group, the Alliance of Small Island States is vacating the top job prematurely. Ambassador Marlene Moses has been AOSIS chair since 2012, but the whisper is that her masters in Nauru want her out of the regional bloc, which has been a vocal group in international climate change treaty negotiations. Yet to be known is the fate of two Pacific islanders she recruitted to lead climate change negotiations for AOSIS. The lady ambassador is currently Nauru’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations based in New York.

• Whispers is compiled by the Editor. If you have any Whispers, please contact us on editor@islandsbusiness.com

PNG’s Meg Taylor: is the Pacific Islands Forum’s new head, the Melanesian Spearhead Group solidarity is in tatters and the whisper is that Fiji is fuming still. So much so that Fiji’s losing candidate, the able and highly experienced diplomat Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola has resigned as the MSG goodwill ambassador and Suva, we’re told is seriously re-looking at ways to eject the Forum HQ out of Fijian soil, and have it replaced by its own creation and rival, the Pacific Islands Development Forum. While Fiji’s leader has reportedly distanced himself from a local newspaper report that had accused PNG and Solomon Islands for “backstabbing” Fiji’s candidate for the much sought after office, the whisper is that the newspaper was not way off the mark. It will be interesting to see what the outcome will be when Taylor applies for her work permit, but then, everything depends on who returns to power at the end of Fiji’s general elections on 17 September.

Still on the Forum: new Secretary General, Solomon Islands’ prime minister Gordon Darcy Lilo told his local scribes that his candidate for the top Forum job “lost badly” in the vote. Dr Jimmy Rodgers, the retired Director General of the SPC – Secretariat of the Pacific Community – reportedly got only one of the 14 votes cast. With the exception of Lilo, everyone else opted for PNG’s Taylor. Interestingly, the Solomon leader said he took the lobby “right to the wire” and his candidate lost because “we did not have the advantage of resources.” This local report didn’t specify as to what resources Lilo was making reference to. Proposing Dr Rodgers after the MSG had adopted Ambassador Tavola, as its joint candidate didn’t win Honiara any favours either from Suva. The whisper now is that there seems to be no appetite in the Bainimarama administration to find a speedy resolution to the tit-for -tat flight bans between the two country’s national airlines.

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• Whispers is compiled and edited by Samisoni Pareti

Twenty-two thousand dollar charter … At least one Cook Islander was the least impressed when caretaker Prime Minister and of all probability the one that would continue on as Prime Minister Henry Puna (top left) was flown to the capital on a chartered plane after successfully defending his Manahiki Island seat. That charter reportedly cost Cooks taxpayers NZ$22,000. “What’s the urgency?” asked Teina Bishop (top right), a member of the opposing Democratic Party to that of Puna’s Cook Islands Party. “I’m very disappointed, knowing taxpayers are working hard to make money for the country and it’s being wasted like water,” the Aitutaki sitting MP told Cook Islands News newspaper. The quick return to the capital of Puna as Leader of CIP and the party with a clear majority of 13 seats created a constitutional impasse of sorts. With the absence overseas of the country’s Queen Representative, no swearing into office is likely to take place any time soon. The Queen’s emissary is reportedly enjoying being a guest of Her Majesty at the Commonwealth Games in Scotland!

From Russia to Guam … It is quite some distance from Russia to the northern Pacific island of Guam, yet the two countries have been linked to unusual events of late. First US military confirmed a few months ago that Russian military planes had flown into Guam’s air space a couple of times this year. Then last month, a 30 year old Russian national wanted by US Secret Service for being a prolific computer hacker was arrested in the American Pacific island territory. He was presented in a Guam court as Roman Seleznev, although his 27 page indictment document disclosed that his other aliases include Roman Ivanoc, Ruben Samvelich, TRACK2, nCuX, Bulba, bandysli64, smaus, Zagreb and shmak.

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• Whispers is compiled and edited by Samisoni Pareti

More trouble for the multi-million dollar tuna industrial zone in Madang Province, on the northern shores of Papua New Guinea. Work on the proposed Kina 212 million (AU$90m) project has been put on hold because China’s Export-Import Bank has put a freeze on its K190 million (AU$80m) loan. The bank says that the loan freeze has been triggered by a National Court decision to stay the development, upholding an application from the local communities living near the industrial zone. Locals want an environmental impact study to be done first before the industrial zone is commissioned. PNG’s Midweek Chronicle says the state is not impressed with the delay, taking the trouble to remind the country yet again that once commissioned, it would create 40,000 new jobs and earn the country K3 (AU$1.3b) billion a year in exports.

Sourcing the watermelons … You have to admit it … Samoa’s long serving Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Neioti Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi knows his ways around sensitive and tricky situations. Like recently when a Tongan exporter of watermelons complained loudly that it took her 15 years to get the PM to approve the exports of Tongan watermelons to Samoa. Not missing a beat, Tuilaepa simply pronounced that what she claims to be Tongan watermelons are actually Samoan… it only got to Vava’u in Tonga when a Samoan man married a Vava’u maiden!

West Papua has never had this much regional support. Churches and human rights organisations have tried for years to keep the issue alive. Now, as Fiji prepares for elections, at least one political party has decided to enter the fray and challenge Indonesia’s occupation of the Melanesian land.

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• Whispers is compiled and edited by Samisoni Pareti

‘Different animal:’ Fiji is a different animal when it comes to tourism. That’s the verdict of a seasoned Pacific tourism campaigner when confronted by Fiji’s aggressive presence in the Australian market. “Fiji is a very different animal,” said Linda Kalpoi, head of Vanuatu Tourism. “We’re not comparing apples and apples here.” Kalpoi was dead right. No long after her remarks were reported in Australia, Tourism Fiji announced the dismissal of its head, Rick Hamilton and only after he had taken up a senior appointment with Tourism Queensland. Tourism Fiji was also the only national tourism office that stayed away from the regional tourism exchange held in Auckland last month.

GG’s poll: Solomon Islands has come up with a novel way of appointing its head of state, turn to the ‘almighty’ ballot box! Undecided of who to support or wary perhaps of the various political, geographical and even religious alliances, the government of Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo took the easiest way out by calling for a vote. And in another first, the parliamentary ballot for the country’s next Governor General was held behind closed doors, with members of the media and the public turned away. Incumbent Sir Frank Kabui came out victors in the end, although journalists were told later that it was no easy run for the Queen Representative. There were four rounds of ballot in total; Sir Frank lost the first round but the victor, Honiara’s Lord Mayor Andrew Mua didn’t get the majority vote, both drew in the 2nd and 3rd round and Sir Frank finally edged his rival by a mere 2 votes in the 4th and final round.

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Fire without the engine …. Residents of Port Vila are up in arms about the absence of the familiar red fire engines when it comes to attending to fire calls in the Vanuatu capital. The engine is reportedly parked in the garage of the Vila Fire Station due to lack of fuel. As a consequence, firemen are answering fire emergencies in private vehicles like the one in the photo, with a portable water pump loaded on the back of the truck. At least 3 homes in Port Vila have been destroyed for the simple reason that the larger red fire engine was not able to respond. One of these razed homes belongs to one time Vanuatu sports star Jean Yves Galine. When the Galine family home caught fire, a family member immediately called the fire brigade – only to be told by a fire officer: ‘I nogat mazout’ (I have no diesel). Neighbours had to work frantically with garden hoses to stop the blaze spreading to their properties, but it was to no avail for the Galines and they lost everything. Under the Port Vila emergency structure, Port Vila Fire Service comes under the Vanuatu Police Force. So when the VPF runs out of money, fire service gets zero funding too. The Fire Service fire engines could carry up to 200 litres of fuel, but firemen say they rarely have more than seven litres in the trucks’ tanks. The situation has become so embarrassing that many residents of Port Vila are calling on the national government to form a Commission of Inquiry to look into the plight of the fire service in the country’s capital.

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Fiji to host SPC HQ? ... Is Fiji really putting up a renewed bid to host the main headquarters of SPC which is currently housed in a beautiful piece of real estate in Noumea, New Caledonia? Whispers began to be heard around the Fijian capital following a visit of the new boss of the regional body. The man from The Rock, Dr Colin Tukuitonga, was apparently driven around by eager Fijian Foreign Affairs officials to potential SPC sites. The man himself would not be drawn into such ‘speculations.’ He said instead that SPC is interested in one site for all its Suva-based offices, and they have been eyeing a piece of land in Narere, between the capital and the next town of Nausori!

Permanency in Europe: Looks like Samoa wants to be in the Belgium capital of Brussels for a long while, now that it is buying a three-storey property in the European city. Local media reports in Apia are saying that the purchase has been approved by the Tuila’epa Cabinet with financing from the Samoa National Provident Fund. A key tenant of the new property of course will be the Samoa Embassy. Samoa NPF has 10,000 plus members.

Yatule for sale: While Samoa’s superannuation fund is buying property, its counterpart in Fiji seems to be going in the opposite direction, at least this seems to be true for one of its properties. The whisper is that Yatule Beach Resort, smack-dab in one of Fiji’s most beautiful beachfront has been sold for an undisclosed sum. It sits on Natadola Beach, next door to the 5-star exclusive Inter-Continental Fiji Resort & Spa, both of which are owned by Fiji’s National Provident Fund. The Fund would not comment publicly on the reported sale. Yatule was built to house engineers and supervisors at the time of the construction of InterContinental, and has been running successfully catering for the family and youth market.

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Threatening Aussie scribe…So what’s the real whisper about one veteran Australian journalist who reportedly waved his fingers angrily at a woman executive of the Pacific media body, PINA at their biennial conference in Noumea recently? Not only that, the whisper goes onto say that the big white veteran journalist threatened to use his influence to stop Australian aid for the struggling Pacific media body. It was not clear whether the so-called big fella scribe was under the influence of his government in Canberra or was it the red substance that comes in a bottle? Whispers hears the media body will be writing a letter of complaint to his employers and PACMAS.

Speedy New Caledonia: The need for speed took a new meaning in New Caledonia for Pacific Islands News Association members touring the Northern part of the main island. On the fourhour journey, they encountered three accidents one of them really looked serious. What can one expect when the speed limit is 110 kmph?

Lote’s back: After years of being caught in cheating scandals, it appears Fijian-born Australian rugby legend Lote Tuqiri is back in the arms of his wife and family. “It’s a new year and a new start for Lote,” beamed Sydney Confidential. His wife, psychologist Rebekha, mother of their two children, took Lote back despite a string of cheating claims. His marriage to Rebekha hit the rocks last year after the public news of his affair with TV personality, Dr Danielle Meagher, while he was playing for Lester in Ireland. When the affair surfaced, Lote flew back to his family home in Balmain, Sydney’s west. Though the Irish are keen to renew Lote’s contract in 2014, will the Fijian flyer take his family? 

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•Whispers is compiled and edited by Laisa Taga