Page 8 - IB June 2019

Whispers

SPC leadership speculation relation to the case. Fa’oliu is back in the chair after a long and
WE’RE just days away from learning who convoluted legal battle. The Commission
will be the new Director General of the t Chairman had concerns about Fa’oliu’s
Pacific Community. It’s believed the front performance in the role, however the
runners include the current two deputy Palau says no (again) to casinos courts ruled that the decision to cancel
DGs and an Australian candidate. The PALAU’S President Tommy Remengesau his reappointment was biased and partial.
incumbent, Niue-born medical doctor and Jr says he remains opposed to casinos
administrator Colin Tukuitonga completes in Palau, despite a recent meeting (and t
his term at the end of the year. being photographed with) former Macau
gambling triad leader Wan Kuok-koi at Yap fails to expel journo
t the behest of Jin Pin Hotel representa- ATTEMPTS by Yap’s traditional chiefs to
tives. Wan served 13 years in prison on kick out Pacific Island Times correspon-
Airline scrutiny charges of illegal gambling, loan-sharking, dent Joyce McClure have failed. Yap’s legis-
WHAT’S happening at the national carrier criminal association and attempted murder lature says the request for its support was
of one of the Pacific’s smallest nations? according to local media. He is a cofounder out of line, that they have no jurisdiction
Questions have been raised over staffing of a non-profit group, the Palau China over the matter, and that there was a “high
decisions, particularly the alleged recruit- Hung-Mun Cultural Association according probability” that parts of the letter asking
ment of highly-paid employees based in to government records. for her removal had been plagiarised.
Brisbane and Manila. Meanwhile reports Members of the Council of Pilung had
from the island say flight attendants are t asked that McClure be declared persona
doing double duty as cleaners. non grata and be removed from the island,
Pacific’s poor SDG report card saying her reporting is “disruptive to the
t IT’S possible that Pacific island countries state environment.”
won’t achieve any of the 17 Sustainable
No escaping Grace Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, ac- t
DISGRACED Grace Road leader/preacher cording to a new United Nations report.
Shin Ok-ju may have been arrested and The report states that for more than half UAP leader’s Fiji ‘campaign’
investigated over alleged physical abuse the SDGs, progress has stagnated or is THE leader of the United Australia Party
and enslavement of church members in heading in the wrong direction. For the (UAP) was in Fiji for the final days of
Korea and Fiji, but that hasn’t stopped Pacific there was been regression on zero the Australian election campaign. Clive
the flourishing of the church’s businesses hunger life below water and peace, jus- Palmer was apparently neither holidaying
across Fiji. Not only that, a local televi- tice and strong institutions, although the nor campaigning at Denarau (which is
sion station which specialises in religious Pacific is the leading subregion on gender hugely popular with Australians) but was
programming continues to air her Time equality, sustainable cities and communi- reportedly visiting a sick friend. His party
of Grace sermons. Her trademark fire and ties, life on land and partnerships for the secured 3.4 per cent of the national vote in
brimstone preaching is on display in the goals. The SDG’s underpin many of the the May poll. Despite the loss, Palmer told
programmes, if not the ‘threshing’ or beat- regional and national development poli- Australian media that the approximately
ings of congregation members she was cies currently in play across our region and A$55 million (US$38m) he spent on the
investigated for. this poor report card will be unwelcome, if campaign was a better use of his fortune
not unexpected. than donating to charity.
t
t t
Samoa says no to anti-vaxxer
THE wife of an Australian rugby league No news on Akavi Mock award for laughable deten-
star has had to cancel her anti-vaccination THERE’S no further news of Cook Islands- tion
seminar in Samoa due to concerns over born Red Cross nurse Louisa Akavi, who A senior New Zealand Newsroom jour-
the impact of her message. Taylor Winter- was captured by ISIS in 2013. The recent nalist honoured for her general reporting
stein, who is married to Penrith Panthers revelation that Akavi had been captured work at the Voyager Media Awards last
player (and former Samoa rep) Frank and held in Syria shocked Cook Islanders month, was also given a mock award in
Winterstein, has cancelled her ‘Making at home and abroad. The Red Cross said it recognition of her time in Fiji. Melanie
Informed Choices’ seminar. The Samoa made public Akavi’s situation in an appeal Reid (and her co-editor Mark Jennings)
Observer quoted Health CEO Leausa Dr for more information. But that decision to received an unofficial, mock ‘Frank Baini-
Take Naseri as describing Winterstein’s release the news was slammed by New marama Freedom of the Press Award’ on
anti-vax message as a “public health Zealand’s Foreign Affairs minister, who the awards night. Fiji police detained the
threat.” Winterstein continues to advo- says it has put the nurse at greater risk. two (plus cameraman Hayden Aull) in
cate against vaccinations, supporting the April over their work exposing the en-
Involuntary Medication Objectors Party in t vironmental damage being wrought by
the recent Australian election. Chinese developers at the Freesoul resort
Two babies tragically died after be- Tongan exec’s second chance on Malolo Island, Fiji.
ing given the Measles, Mumps, Rubella A Tongan government official who took
(MMR) vaccine last year. Samoa’s health the Public Service Commission to court t
ministry says the wrong liquid was used over its decision not to re-appoint him
to prepare the vaccine, and this month two as CEO of Infrastructure in 2015, has Pakistani refugee wins
nurses pleaded guilty to manslaughter in returned to the role. Ringo Kalahuni A refugee who won a kickboxing title in

8 Islands Business, June 2019