Page 6 - IB June July 2024

Briefs Briefs

Reserve Bank of Fiji. A national ID card steering committee
will be established to oversee the management, governance,
American Samoa legal and policy frameworks for the National ID Programme,
Three doctors and one dentist have reportedly left American he added.
Samoa’s Department of Health and more may be leaving soon,
as benefits under their contracts have not been honoured due
to lack of funding. KHJ News noted the medical professionals’
housing allowances have not been paid for months. Director French Polynesia
of Health, Motusa Tuileama Nua, confirmed the late payment The location initially planned to host the 2024 Olympics
is due to a cash flow problem beyond DOH’s control. The surfing fan zone at Riri Point (Tahiti) has been moved due to
Director said DOH has met with the Budget Office and has delays caused by heavy rains earlier this year, architects said.
been assured that the housing allowances will be paid soon. But locals will still benefit from the brand-new infrastructure
which includes restaurants and a sports recreational park. The
US$15 million project will be completed and handed over by
the end of this year.
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
The Marianas Visitors Authority has revealed that over 2000
people visited from China in May - the highest figures since
direct flights resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Pacific Guam
Island Times attributed the increase to the resumption of The transfer of US Marine Corps troops stationed in Okinawa,
Hong Kong Airlines’ direct flights between Hong Kong and Japan to Guam will start in December, an unnamed Marines
Saipan in April. While the CNMI’s tourism recovery has been official said. It is the latest development in a long-agreed
slow, the visitors’ authority has noted an upward trend in May, Japan-US forces realignment plan to move 4000 of the
although the numbers are still far from pre-pandemic levels. approximately 19,000 Marines currently in Okinawa. The
cost of the Guam transfer is estimated at US$8.7 billion, of
which up to US$2.8 billion will be shouldered by the Japanese
government.
Cook Islands
Cook Islands’ Opposition leader and MP for Rakahanga, Tina
Browne, has welcomed the new national budget allocation for
the Pa Enua (or islands outside the capital Rarotonga). Of the Kiribati
NZ$328 million 2024/25 budget, the Pa Enua were allocated A new transport network system for Kiribati’s Tarawa is
NZ$13.4 million. Browne said while the amount might be expected to start by the end of this year. RNZ Pacific reported
small, they were happy that the Cook Islands Investment the project will be constructed and administered by China.
Corporation (CIIC) will be looking at major projects in the Pa The project includes construction of a new 80-metre Buota
Enua. For Rakahanga, this includes renovating a government bridge, with concrete beam structures to connect South
building that has long been in poor condition. Browne said Tarawa and North Tarawa. A 220-metre causeway between
she was also happy to note that a cyclone shelter will be Anraei to Tanaea is also set to be reconstructed. On top of
constructed on the island. that, a more than 7-kilometre mud road in Bonriki, Temaiku
and Buota will also be upgraded.

Federated States of Micronesia
Yap voters have voted for a review of the state’s political Marshall Islands
status. Unofficial results released by the Yap Election Marshall Islands’ President, Hilda C. Heine sent out her first
Commission showed of the 2045 voters who cast ballots in the official email from the government’s newly established
May 31 referendum, 53.2% voted ‘yes’ while 46.8% voted ‘no’. domain, @rmigov.mh, on June 14. It was a small but
The vote will pave the way for the constitutional amendment significant step towards the improvement of information
process and usher in the political status discussions that may technology and communications, as well as cybersecurity
reshape the future of Yap. “We have to be clear that the for the RMI government. The domain will be provided to all
referendum is not on whether they will secede or not but government ministries and offices to serve as the primary
what will be their political aspiration into the future,” FSM means of communication for conducting official government
President, Wesley Simina said in an interview with the Pacific correspondence.
Island Times in April.

Fiji Nauru
Fiji’s Cabinet has endorsed the implementation of the More dangerous unexploded ordnances from World War II have
National Digital Identification Programme. Prime Minister been found and safely disposed of by the Nauru Emergency
Sitiveni Rabuka said the first phase will see the introduction Services, Nauru Police Force, the Australian Defence Force
of electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) measures by the and allied partners. On May 30, Nauru Emergency Services

6 Islands Business, June/July 2024