Page 8 - IB April 2023

Whispers Whispers

Questions over ‘Emerald Bay’ a sign of respect or disrespect from the projects to encounter technical issues
Fresh from their campaign to ‘Save French State? during implementation,” the bank
the Tiri’ in Nasese, Suva from tourism admitted in a statement. BSP is not the
development, environmental campaign- FRU debacles continue only bank to encounter problems with
ers are airing concerns over another The problems just keep coming at Fiji the system, Allied Irish Bank sued, and
project close to the capital. Dubbed Rugby Union. Brisbane-based Fijians had then settled with Oracle over its imple-
‘Emerald Bay’ by its developers, and to feed the defending Super W Fijiana mentation of the system in 2011. The
‘Nadawa Bay’ by Investment Fiji, the Drua team this month, when FRU failed banking group claimed it spent €84m
proposed development would include a to pay for their meals. Meanwhie a on the system, that ended up being
gated community, villas, houses, hotels, training centre in Lennox Head is still “wasted expenditure”, and also cost it
shopping precincts, retirement living, a waiting for payment of its six-figure bill customer goodwill.
commercial hub and sporting facilities, issued in 2021. The FRU has admitted
according to the prospectus. Developers to cash-flow problems and has posted a Vanuatu’s emergency visas
Nap Investments say Fiji’s government FJ$1.3 million loss for the 2022 finan- Vanuatu’s first emergency
has granted a foreshore development cial year, saying this resulted from the employment visa-designed to address
lease for approximate 374 acres, includ- loss of sponsors and “under-collection critical labour shortages—has been
ing an island to the south, and describe for the budgeted income.” Meanwhile, approved. Vanuatu Ferry’s application
the site as being “nicely tucked away in police are investigating former FRU was approved within five days and
the pinnacle of Laucala Bay, ideally po- Acting CEO, Tevita Tuiloa, for allegedly allows them to recruit an experienced
sitioned on the waters edge protected trespassing in Rugby House. captain who will be sailing their new
by the endless expense of lush green ferry to Vanuatu. While there have
emerald carpet of mangrove and marine Discrimination at UA? been some mutterings online about why
land formation on the right and on the Marshall Islands travellers on United a local was not employed for the job,
left, the endless foreshore meandering Airlines want to know why they are the new captain will also be training
all the way to downtown City of Suva.” being treated so differently from other local staff on how to operate the new
It is the future of this tract of man- travellers. Multiple passengers have ferry over the next year.
groves and the biodiversity they harbour told the Marshall Islands Journal that
which concerns environmentalists such rather than being allowed to check in PNG’s meth officers
as Reverend James Bhagwan, who says at computer kiosks at Honolulu Interna- Concerns over the scale of Papua New
as co-author of the UN resolution for tional Airport, they have been directed Guinea’s methamphetamine program,
the human right to a clean, healthy and to what one airport official apparently and the alleged involvement of some
sustainable environment, Fiji has “an called “the islander line”. police officers in its trade, are intensi-
ethical responsibility to protect this fying. Police Commissioner David Man-
right.” Chaos at BSP ning says they’re looking into a widely
Bank South Pacific (BSP) says the circulated video that appears to show
Photo a missed opportunity 30,000 Papua New Guineans who over- officers smoking the drug. Six officers
Delegations from New Caledonia’s drew their accounts during a system are already facing court in relation to
FLNKS and Loyalist parties travelled upgrade gone very wrong, will have to drug sales and abuse. Commissioner
to Paris this month for bilateral talks repay only the amounts overdrawn on Manning has flagged they are looking
with the French Prime Minister. Some their accounts, and will not otherwise at mandatory drug testing of officers.
bright spark planned a photo op to bring be penalised. The bank implemented PNG health practitoners have warned
everyone together – the naming of a its new banking system over the long that meth is a “ticking time bomb”
room in the French National Assembly Easter weekend, however a technical and could have a dramatic impact on
to honour the late New Caledonian error during the migration to the Oracle the country’s health services if left
leaders Jacques Lafleur and Jean-Marie ‘Flexcube’ system, caused some of its unchecked.
Tjibaou. Lafleur’s granddaughter at- services to “go out”. Disruptions meant
tended, but invitations went out too that thousands of people were not Protecting Solo
late for members of the Tjibaou family paid, as their employers were unable Solomon Islands police and Pacific
to participate. The FLNKS and Loyal- to process payments. “Any new bank- Games organisers have seized illegally
ist delegations refused to attend the ing system implementation is a com- printed t-shirts bearing the Games
ceremony, and only two politicians from plex undertaking. Even with extensive mascot ‘Solo’ from two Honiara
Calédonie ensemble turned up. Is this planning, it is not uncommon for such shops. 50 t-shirts bearing the mascot

8 Islands Business, April 2023