Page 7 - IB April 2022

Briefs Briefs

New Caledonia has installed Gondwana-2, a second submarine price saw the state suffer a US$294 million loss. The commis-
cable, doubling existing capacities with the aim of securing sion’s report is due to be tabled in parliament soon.
the New Caledonian Internet and its international digital links.
The cable is 1,515 km long, going as far as Fiji and is expected
to be in service by August.
Samoa
Samoa’s Cabinet has ordered the Public Service Commission to
investigate the Ministry of Health in the “delay of the pro-
Nauru curement of the [$3.7 million tala computerised tomography
Nauru’s President Lionel Aingimea has announced that Nauru scanner” from Shanghai, China. Health Minister Valasi Tafito
is again COVID-free. The three cases on board the March 31 Selesele confirmed it has arrived, but the hospital is waiting
flight from Brisbane, Australia have been cleared from 10-days for foreign “special technicians” to assemble and install the
isolation. All other passengers from the same flight and close machine before it can be used. The hospital has been operat-
contacts were also tested, isolated and were found COVID ing without a CT scan since last year, with Samoan patients
negative. President Aingimea assured that containment proce- being flown to New Zealand and American Samoa for a scan.
dures are tight and working well, ensuring no leakage out of
quarantine.
Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands government is said to have abandoned its
Niue plan to extend Parliament by another year and has backed the
The recently announced Nukutuluea Multiple-Use Marine Park idea of an early dissolution of Parliament, an option proposed
safeguards Niue’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ and Territo- by the Opposition. The government had argued that the timing
rial seas), says the Niue government. The park will regulate would be too close to the 2023 Pacific Games, which Solomon
natural resource use within the island’s EEZ and ensure Islands is hosting.
sustainable development and use practices, says Conserva-
tion International. “This degree of marine protection is
ground-breaking, with all of the EEZ poised to see some level Tonga
of protection and 40% of it fully protected,” said Ashleigh The first newly built home after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga
McGovern, Vice President of Development and Innovation and Ha’apai volcano eruption and tsunami, has been handed over
Director of Partnerships at CI. to ‘Ahau resident Halaime Veilofia by the Tongan government
under its volcano and tsunami rebuilding program.

Palau Tuvalu
The U.S. Embassy in Koror has become the first net zero U.S. Tuvalu has rescinded its support of deep sea mining, with
diplomatic mission in the world. “Along with energy efficiency Foreign Minister Simon Kofe announcing that his government
improvements, the embassy’s new solar array will provide would no longer sponsor mining company Circular Metals
100% of the mission’s power needs. The project will result in Tuvalu to undertake exploratory work in international waters.
over $100,000 in annual savings and play an important role in Tuvalu joins Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea in calling for
helping Palau reach its renewable energy goals,” an Embassy a moratorium on seabed mining.
statement said.

Vanuatu
Papua New Guinea Vanuatu is set to reopen its borders, initially to nationals and
UBS Australia may be prevented from doing business in PNG residents. Some 5000 are understood to be stranded over-
over its role in the US$1.3 billion (US$956 million) loan to seas. High vaccination rates have given government more
Papua New Guinea. Counsel assisting a royal commission into confidence it can consider reopening borders. Health Director
the deal has recommended the Swiss Bank’s Australian unit, General Russell Tamata says reduced travel restrictions will
law firm Norton Rose and certain individuals involved in the stimulate economic recovery and enable health services to
2014 transaction be banned from conducting business in PNG focus on vaccination and future planning.
for up to 10 years. The report asserts that UBS threatened
PNG officials as it lobbied for the lucrative mandate while
failing to provide “proper and independent advice” to PNG.
In the February 2014 deal, UBS provided a loan to the PNG Wallis and Futuna
government which was used to buy US$900 million shares in The assembly of Wallis and Futuna has unanimously elected
Oil Search. The proceeds were then used to buy a 23% stake Munipoese Muli’aka’aka as its new president. The previous as-
in PNG’s Elk Antelope project. A plunge in Oil Search’s share sembly president, Nivaleta Iloai, did not run.

Islands Business, April 2022 7