Page 8 - IB FEB 2019

Whispers

t back home. Perhaps the visitors were ex-
pecting VIP treatment like that shown to
All in the family their western counterparts, who landed at
LeADeRSHIP it seems is becoming a fam- Fiji’s international airport with a chartered
ily affair in some island countries. It’s true Jumbo Jet with almost 100 uniformed Chi-
in Niue as it is in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and nese police. Over 70 young women were
now evidently in Nauru as well. Pacific then taken into custody and flown back to
leaders got a glimpse of this at their last stand trial in mainland China. Nothing of
hob nob where they were entertained by the sort happened for the koreans! Time
a ukulele player in the form of the island was granted for the korean fugitives to
president, as well as a choir from the first appear before a local judge who ordered
Hard few months for Nicholas family and speeches from a daughter who their release. It was a gross miscalculation
COOk Island politician Albert Nicholas is a government permanent secretary. by the koreans some believe, because un-
was fighting battles on several fronts in like the Chinese, the koreans do not have
recent months when he left his ministerial t friends at higher places!
job in Rarotonga to seek urgent medical
treatment in New Zealand. He apparently Catholics want consultation t
stayed away far too long because his ab- LOOkS like the Roman Catholic Church is
sence prompted his employer to strip him not the favourite of education ministries
of his cabinet position. While he’s still a not only in Fiji but in Papua New Guinea
backbencher, he has a new battle to con- too. The church there is warning the
tend with, after New Zealand authorities education board of the Western Highland
lay criminal charges against him. The MP province that it won’t hesitate to repeat its
was accused of claiming a hired vehicle action of last year, when it closed down
“without claim of right,” and has already all Catholic managed schools. That’s 80
entered a not guilty plea. elementary schools, 32 primary schools,
one high school, one secondary college,
t as well as two technical and vocational
colleges. Like its counterpart in Fiji, the State of grace for Koreans
JAWS bites back archdiocese in Mount Hagen is protesting SPeAkING of korean activities in Fiji,
IT’S not a common occurrence, but this the education board’s lack of consultation the fate of the founder of their so-called
time, the veteran leader of Samoa got a in the transfer and posting of teachers in Christian sect which has created massive
reaction to his criticisms of the local me- church-run schools. It’s the same com- rice and vegetable farms in Fiji and has
dia. Calling them “spoilt” and waiting to plaint that forced the closure of these faith- branched into restaurants, construction,
be “spoon-fed” by his government, Prime run schools in 2018, the church lamented. beauty parlours, home appliance retailing,
Minister Tuilaepa got a quick rebuttal florists, hotels and now dental clinics (as
from Rudy Bartley, who said he was be- t this photo indicates) seems to have had
ing unfair. Bartley is the President of the little impact in Fiji. It looks like the arrest
Journalism Association of Samoa (JAWS). of their leader by South korean authorities
“There are some really active, good report- in Seoul has not nipped the sect’s mas-
ers, media people and then you have some sive expansion in Fiji’s retail and services
not so active people, so to say all media is sectors. It also seems that the sect has no
like that is unfair,” Bartley told the local barriers and can venture into whatever
daily, the Samoa Observer. business they fancy!

t t
Running rings on track costs
Fine print pain for scholars IN Fiji, a senior official said a new athletic Social media under scrutiny
SO when is a scholarship a scholarship? park constructed at a faith-based all boys THOSe in power in the atoll republic of
Many a parent in PNG discovered the school was going to cost FJ$16m, but kiribati are also feeling the heat of social
answer only after they received a letter the figure was halved to FJ$8m when media and like their neighbours of Fiji,
informing them that their child has been questions were raised. The eight lane, Nauru and Papua New Guinea, are look-
awarded an AeS, short for Academic 100 metre synthetic track was funded by ing at ways of controlling new media.
excellence Scholarship, to attend a na- China, and still people in Fiji are expected Decrying posts on internet sites that the
tional public funded university. However to believe that it was built for uS$4m? government says have been inappropriate
on reading the fine print, these parents Something is not adding up. and misleading, President Taneti Maamau
discovered to their dismay that an AeS is taking the bull by the horns in forming a
requires them still to pay some uS$2510. t “special task force.” kiribati is a Christian
upon further enquiries, parents of AeS re- and loving nation, so people should stop
cipients got the full breakdown: PGk4242 Extradition troubles this “unwanted behaviour,” Maamau
for tuition, PGk250 for accommodation NO whispers at all about the aborted at- claims. His administration has come under
bond (accommodation not guaranteed) tempt by the korean authorities to deport sustained and severe criticism, especially
and PGk8562 for basic twin share ac- some of its own citizens out of Fiji to online, over its refusal to publicly release
commodation. stand trial for modern slavery charges the findings of an inquiry into the sinking

8 Islands Business, February 2019