Page 7 - Islands Business October 2024 edition

Briefs Briefs

Nauru Samoa
Eight Nauru Law Society pleaders have completed a two-week The Samoan government launched 76 electric vehicles for
study tour in Fiji, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between use during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
government and private legal institutions. The aim is to (CHOGM). It also introduced the Climate Action Pathways for
strengthen governance institutions and promote democracy Island Transport project, which includes charging stations and
and the rule of law in Nauru. plans to address electric vehicle battery disposal. The Minister
of Works, Transport, and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Vaai, stressed
that this initiative aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goals and Samoa’s development plans.
New Caledonia
France’s new Prime Minister Michel Barnier, has postponed
the provincial election in New Caledonia from December Solomon Islands
2024 to the end of 2025. Amidst ongoing tensions between Solomon Islands’ Auditor General Office has released a
pro-independence Kanak people and loyalist communities, he damning audit report on the government’s management
has also announced that he will not present a controversial of COVID-19 aid packages. The report refers to missing
constitutional amendment regarding voting lists for documentation, conflicts of interest, procedural breaches,
ratification. and potential fraud in the disbursement of approximately
US$37 million in emergency funding. The report has prompted
donors, including the International Monetary Fund, to look
Niue into the Auditor General Office’s findings.
Niue Prime Minister Dalton Tagelagi announced salary
increases for public servants during the Niue Assembly
meeting last month, raising the government’s annual Tonga
personnel budget by over NZ$1.5 million. The minimum salary A cohort of 210 African tulip beetles has arrived in Tonga to
for public servants now exceeds NZ$20,000 per year, with control the invasive African Tulip Tree. The tree, originally
the increase effective in July. He also announced a pension from West Africa, was introduced into the Pacific as an
increase for those over 60, now set at NZ$500 per fortnight. ornamental plant, but has now become a pest. The beetles
are being delivered to Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture where
they will be mass-reared at the Vaini Research Station on
Tongatapu before being released at several sites around
Palau Vava’u.
Palau celebrated its 30th independence anniversary on
October 1, and the US$80.4 million it received from the US
under the renewed Compact of Free Association. US Assistant Tuvalu
Secretary Carmen Cantor highlighted the funding’s role in Tuvalu’s climate minister has criticised Australia’s approval
supporting health, education and public debt reduction. The of three coal mine expansions, questioning its commitment
agreement extends economic assistance through FY2043, and to the Pacific community and its suitability to co-host COP31.
totals US$890 million over 20 years. Analysts warned that these expansions could lead to over
1.3 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. In
response, an Australian government spokesperson emphasised
Papua New Guinea the country’s shift towards renewable energy, asserting that
Will PNG finally field a team in the National Rugby League “renewables are now outstripping coal 10-to-one.”
competition? That’s still unclear, although there are reports
from Canberra that the Australian government is offering
Canberra AU$600 million over 10 years to fund the prospective Vanuatu
club. But there are reportedly strings attached; the Six Vanuatu Police Force officers have been deployed to
Australians want PNG to reaffirm the security links between South Sudan and Abyei on peacekeeping missions. The
the countries, and refrain from signing a security pact with officers, who were trained in Indonesia, will spend
China. Meanwhile, the Kumuls had a strong start to their 2-3 years on assignment.
Pacific Cup campaign this month, beating Fiji in Suva.

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