Page 8 - IB April 2022

Whispers Whispers

Private superyacht tour population, these same people continue and the global community needs to
Amidst the drama over Fiji’s detention to be marginalised and oppressed, know, is how are these UN agencies us-
of the Amadea superyacht at Lautoka especially in the Provinces of Papua and ing the funds allocated to them.” He’s
port this month, questions are making West Papua.” concerned that a portion of these funds
the rounds as to how a constitutionally- have become part of PNG’s national
appointed official used his official car Diplomat under scrutiny sovereign debt. To date, a number of
to transport his family and a local How can a person with a criminal UN agencies have provided the same
press photographer portside. He then record be posted as a diplomat, is the standard response, that they will only
demanded that they be allowed onto burning question? The diplomat lost be audited by the United Nations Board
the Amadea and proceeded to tour the his privileges as a legislator in the of Auditors.
ship. The Amadea’s captain and his 1990s over a confinement, bordering
crew could do nothing but watch. It is on harassment, of a secondary school Deregistered, not digital
whispered the press photographer took student. Now the diplomat has taken up How did the Alliance Francaise in
a lot of shots, and the ship master and posting in this Pacific island nation and Suva make it to the list of deregistered
crew are now worrying about having bystanders are wondering what went charitable trusts published earlier this
their identities exposed if any of those wrong. Questions posted to the island’s year? Apparently government officials
images are published. Authorities say foreign affairs ministry have not been have been sending correspondence
the yacht belongs to Russian oligarch, answered to date. about registration obligations to the cul-
Suleiman Kerimov. The United States tural organisation’s old email and postal
has sought to seize the yacht in Fiji, Samoa’s court battles continue contacts. The Alliance Francaise did not
but lawyers claim it belongs to another Long after Samoa’s contentious elec- receive the correspondence, so did not
Russian, Eduard Khudaynatov, who is not tion, related matters continue to make reply. A few seconds of online research,
believed to be on the sanctions list. The their way through the courts. Samoa for example, on the association’s very
matter is expected to take some time to Supreme Court this month reserved its active social media channels, could
make its way through the courts. decision on applications to declare void have turned up current contact details.
the appointments of Aliimalemanu Alofa Seems like Fiji’s ‘digital transformation’
Meanwhile, some diplomats are asking Tuuau and Faagasealii Sapoa Feagiai as doesn’t include some common-sense
why Vanuatu abstained from a vote to the additional women parliamentarians measures.
suspend Russia from the United Nations following last April’s general elections.
Human Rights Council over its actions The applicants were Faatuatua I le Atua Maserati mess
in Ukraine. “Obviously Russia worked Samoa ua Tasi – FAST party candidates, Unable to offload a series of very
the traps really, really hard,” said UN who argued the appointments were expensive white elephants in the form
official and former New Zealand Prime “unconstitutional, unlawful and should of Maserati luxury cars, Papua New
Minister, Helen Clark afterwards. The be voided.” The interpretation of the Guinea’s government will now report-
vote to suspend Russia was ultimately formula used to calculate the eligible edly be offering them to PNG foreign
successful. Vanuatu is also raising women candidates in Samoa’s parlia- missions over the world. Finance Minis-
eyebrows as it has apparently not ruled ment was at the heart of the election ter Sir John Pundari says those not sent
out taking applications from Russian na- controversy. to missions will be used for national
tionals for its citizenship for investment events. Two Maseratis and one Bentley,
program; other nations running similar Show us the money originally purchased for the APEC meet-
programs have now banned applications PNG’s Police Commissioner wants to ing held in Port Moresby, have been
from Russians and Belarusians. know how UN agencies spent emergency sold, while another 38 Maseratis have
funding over the past two years. David been re-tendered and are open for lo-
Elsewhere, Vanuatu has said its Manning, who also heads the COVID-19 cal and international bids.
dismayed at the announcement by the National Control Centre, has written to
Director General of the Melanesian the World Bank Acting Country Direc- Laid up layover
Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat tor in Papua New Guinea, Paul Vallely, The stay for some attendees to the
regarding a recent voluntary contribu- advising that he will no longer endorse Our Oceans conference in Palau was
tion of US$100,000 (VT10.9 million) by any further increase in allocation of a little longer than planned due to the
the Indonesian National Police, to the funds, or disbursements under the PNG coronavirus. Pacific Islands Forum Secre-
Secretariat. Foreign Minister Marc Ati COVID-19 Emergency Response Project. tary General Henry Puna had to extend
says all MSG members should have been Local media quote Manning as saying: his stay, and remain in quarantine, after
consulted, and that “what is becoming “There is over US$1.3 billion (K4.5 testing positive for COVID-19. Fiji’s
increasingly clear to Vanuatu is that billion) identified on the self-reporting most senior delegate to the conference
while Indonesia’s associate membership donor tracker as being committed for also tested positive, but was allowed
in the Group is by virtue of represent- managing the COVID-19 pandemic in to leave after a negative second test.
ing and protecting its ethnic Melanesian PNG. What our people need to know, However his refusal to wear a mask dur-

8 Islands Business, April 2022