Page 7 - Islands Business May-June 2022

Briefs Briefs

Solomon Islands
Nauru Solomon Islands received its first ever Computerized Tomog-
Nauru has signed on a US$15 million grant provided by the raphy (CT) scan machine after two years of hard work on the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) to establish an efficient, SBD$27 million (US$3.3 million) project. “I am overjoyed that
climate-resilient international port in Nauru. The Nauru gov- we finally have our own CT scan after some 40 years after
ernment is investing $200,000 in the project and it will cover independence. Now we do not need to send our patients over-
key areas of climate change resilience, sustainability, and seas for such services,” Prime Minister Sogavare said. The CT
additional costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
machine has already conducted 73 CT tests, including brain,
chest, inner ear, spine, heart, kidney and liver scans.

Niue
The Niue Government has tabled a NZ$56.9 million Appropria- Tonga
tions Bill for the financial year ending June 30th, which is an Tonga’s quarantine and isolation period will be reduced to five
increase of NZ$8.2 million from the FY budget ending June days, starting on 1 June, as COVID-19 cases continue a down-
30th. The Ministry of Social Services has the largest allocation ward trend, Tonga’s Ministry of Health announced. On 18 May,
at more than NZ$13 million. there were 46 new cases recorded in Tongatapu, Vava’u and
Ha’apai. Meanwhile, vaccination rates stand at 98% for the
first dose, 91% for second dose and 58% for booster doses.
Palau
Palau is the first Pacific Island country to sign the Moana
Pledge transpacific agreement, reaffirming the island nation’s Tuvalu
commitment to generating 100% of its energy from renewable Tuvalu’s revenue share from the management of its dotTV
resources by 2032 without increasing costs to consumers, and Internet domain name asset will now be based on the number
enhancing overall island resiliency. Currently, Palau’s renew- of people purchasing the namespace instead of an annual flat
able generation is mostly solar (2.7 MW), according to the fee. “The new agreement is key for the Future Now Project
Asian Development Bank, accounting for less than 7% of total because it is a major part of our digital nation activities and
consumption. our drive to see Tuvalu as a…nation with fully digitised admin-
istrative services,” Tuvalu’s Minister for Justice and Foreign
Affairs Simon Kofe said. Additional revenue earnings from the
new agreement will contribute toward Tuvalu’s efforts to fu-
Papua New Guinea
PNG’s Pandemic Response controller David Manning says he ture proof itself against the worst impacts of climate change,
Kofe said.
has forwarded the independent report on the funding of
Papua New Guinea’s COVID-19 emergency response to the Par-
liamentary Public Accounts Committee for further investiga- Vanuatu
tion. Manning says the report cites minimal accountability for The Vanuatu Government plans to control the illegal sale
expenditure by some international partners. While investiga- of alcohol without a valid license. It is also considering the
tors were able to identify amounts of donated funds, Manning use of National Identity Cards to confirm whether or not the
said they were unable to identify whether funds were spent in person purchasing liquor is over the age of 18 years. This was
accordance with their intended purpose.
disclosed as the Bill for Liquor Licensing (Amendment) was
tabled on May 18 by the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Ishmael
Kalsakau. The DPM explained that the current amendment is
Samoa aimed at reducing the rate of social problems and juvenile
Samoan election candidate Ali’imalemanu Alofa Tu’ua’u has misconduct related to alcohol consumption.
described the Supreme Court’s decision that she and two
other women be awarded seats in parliament as a “win for all
women.” The Court ordered that the Human Rights Protection Wallis and Futuna
Party (H.R.P.P.) members, Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuuau, Faa- A decision on who will sit in the French National Assembly on
gasealii Sapoa Feagai and Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi behalf of the islands of Wallis and Futuna will be made by the
(FAST) party member Toomata Norah Leota are to be sworn in legislature on June 16. The seat has been empty for four years
as MPs, fulfilling Samoa’s constitutional requirement of 10% due to the current congressman’s serious illness.
female representation in the legislative assembly.

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