Page 6 - IB December 2024

Briefs Briefs

connectivity with North America, Australia and Japan,
expanding regional digital integration and enabling a
American Samoa connection to Chile for the first time.
American Samoa has been granted observer status in the
Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). Director of Marine and Wildlife
Resources, Taotasi Archie Soliai said: “This was a long time
coming, and certainly brings American Samoa closer to the French Polynesia
discussion table that pertains to the fisheries in the Pacific. French Polynesian cargo start-up Motu Link Airline (Papeete)
The tuna stocks are a regional stock since they are migratory, has raised two-thirds of the XPF380 million (USD3.3 million)
and being in the room with our Pacific colleagues to discuss it is seeking from investors through a crowdfunding platform,
and manage these resources is a milestone achievement.” Fenua Financement. The platform says 173 investors
have committed XPF251 million (US$2.2 million) since the
campaign started in mid-November. Motu Link wants to be
French Polynesia’s only cargo-only airline, carrying perishable
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
The Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Utilities and time-sensitive freight.
Corporation says its rates are the lowest among the US-
affiliated islands in the Pacific. CUC Chief Financial Officer
Betty Terlaje made this point during a recent fuel adjustment Guam
charge presentation. Power rates for CNMI are US$27.49 per The Archdiocese of Agana has released the full list of Guam
kilowatt-hour residential, and US$32.42 commercial. priests and other laymen convicted by the Vatican, as well
as those named in the class action filed by individuals who
alleged being sexually abused when they were minors
Cook Islands between 1950 and 2015. This was part of the terms of the
Cook Islands parliament has passed the Financial Transactions archdiocese’s US$45 million settlement agreement with “the
Reporting Amendment Bill following attempts to hack into 287 courageous men and women who revealed their childhood
the government’s central network earlier this year. Prime suffering at the hands of members of the church,” Archbishop
Minister Mark Brown said that while the government’s firewall Ryan Jimenez said in a statement.
security systems were able to fend off these attempts, some
local hospitality business systems were compromised. The
new Bill’s primary purpose is to implement the recommended Kiribati
actions put forth by the Global Forum on Transparency and Construction has begun of a humanitarian warehouse in
the Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. Kiribati, the first under the Pacific Humanitarian Warehousing
Program run by the Pacific Community (SPC) with funding
from Australia and New Zealand. “Today, we are laying the
Federated States of Micronesia foundation for the future of our people, enhancing our ability
The US Department of Defence is seeking to secure the to respond to disasters more efficiently and effectively than
FSM’s borders, lining up several projects designed to boost ever before. This facility will become a beacon of hope,
regional security. The US Air Force is proposing a US$400 serving as a vital hub stocked with essential supplies, ready
million airfield alongside airfield modernisation and seaport to be mobilised during disasters, emergencies, and other
upgrades in Yap, commercial port improvements in Kosrae, unforeseen crises,” said President Taneti Maamau.
the construction of a pre-engineered warehouse in Pohnpei,
and basic harbour infrastructure enhancements in Chuuk.
Marshall Islands
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s recent visit to the Marshall
Fiji Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau included meetings with local
The groundbreaking occurred this month at Google’s ICT dignitaries and visits to development projects, including
facility at Natadola in Fiji. The cable landing station will the inauguration of the Majuro Hospital AI and Telemedicine
house data transmission servers and racks, and power Center. He also announced that Taiwan will provide the
generating equipment to support international fiber optic Marshall Islands with a preferential loan for Air Marshall
cables that Google is laying across the Pacific. The cables will Islands to procure a new aircraft.
connect Fiji to the United States mainland, strengthening

6 Islands Business, December 2024