Page 6 - IB Jan 2018

Whispers What’s ahead 2018 - It’s happening
Political brief Reshuffles and protests

WE SAY SPORTS Islands Business

Rich and famous the Vanuatu courts. Plaintiff is one of t
IS Majuro in the northern Pacific the Vanuatu’s most experienced diplomats,
new playground for the world’s rich Ambassador Roy Mikey Joy and he has Papal blessing
and famous? This was the scene at the named his then boss now former foreign SO what’s the story with Pacific leaders
international airport of the capital of the minister Bruno Leingkone as one of the seeking an audience with the Pope in the
Marshall Islands one morning in De- defendants. Vatican? Perhaps the most appropriate
cember captured by the island’s veteran question is, what were these politicians
photojournalist Giff Johnson. Apart from t doing there in the first place? It’s whis-
the regular United Airlines plane that pered that once upon a time, a highly-
does the island hopping service from Walkout or lockout esteemed and wise silver-haired elder
Hawaii to Guam, there was also a Japan SO is the walkout or lockout, depend- in the islands dreamed up the need for
Airlines aircraft, a 767 private plane as ing on who you listen to, the real cause island leaders to seek the spiritual wis-
well as a Lear jet. If that was not enough, of severe disruptions at Fiji’s Nadi In- dom and blessings of the Pope, especially
the early morning display also came with ternational Airport? Employees claimed
a private seaplane, a helicopter and of they left their work stations to attend to
course, not to be outdone Air Marshalls’ an urgent shareholders meeting, since 49
very own Dornier. The word in town was per cent of the ground-handling company
that the flurry of air machines in Majuro at Nadi belongs to them, only to return to
was to do with the presence of Google find that management has locked them
co-founder Sergey Brin. out of company premises. As employees
and co-owners set-up camp outside the
locked gates, a political party leader
broke the news that a government-
control investment company (setup by a in the lead-up to the Pacific’s leadership
previous government as an investment of crucial climate change negotiations in
company for indigenous Fijians) is in- Germany. That dream was turned into a
terested in buying the employees’49% reality when a delegation of leaders left
shares in ATS, and the news has since for Rome accompanied by the Secretary
been confirmed by the interested buyer! General of the Pacific Islands Forum
and Director General of the Pacific Com-
t munity. Oh, the COP23 President, Fiji’s
t strongman Bainimarama was not part of
the entourage.
Day saver
DID flamboyant politician Ralph Re- t
genvanu save the day for Charlot Salwai
and helped him ward off a no confidence Officer on loan
motion against his prime ministership? AS an aside to the Pacific delega-
The question was making the rounds in tion to the Vatican, apparently logistics
Port Vila after the Vanuatu leader beat off including protocol arrangements were
such a motion at the country’s parliament handled by a senior SPC official, who was
late last month, with the vote taken just on “loan” to the Pacific Islands Forum
an hour after Salwai reshuffled his cabi- Brotherhood Secretariat. In disclosing this piece of
net that saw two of his key supporters THAT dispute at Fiji’s international whisper, nothing was mentioned about
losing their ministerial positions. One of airport brings to the public once again the capacity and capability of the Forum
these two, Bruno Leingkone stood down the role of the Sayed-Khaiyum broth- Secretariat in providing such arrange-
as foreign minister of Vanuatu to make ers. Older Khaiyum is Attorney General ments to the 18 heads of government
way for Regenvanu, leader of the Ground and minister responsible among a few it serves.
and Justice Party. The other minister others for civil aviation, so the dispute
who lost his portfolio was former health comes under his purview as well. Smaller t
minister Jerome Ludvaune. sibling is CEO of state broadcaster and
also chair of the ATS board, the company Journalism diplomacy
t that is embroiled in the standoff with its FROM journalism to diplomacy is what
employees at Nadi International Airport. at least two people have been treated
Diplomacy in court This clash has sort of pushed to the with in that a former writer for a pro-
STILL in Vanuatu, no one is respond- backburner strong rumours in the capital government media taking up posting
ing to the whisper that the change in that the national broadcaster was about at Fiji’s mission in New Zealand, and
the helm of foreign affairs had anything to launch a bid to buy out its rival and another a similar role at Fiji’s embassy
to do with a high profile case before commercially operated Fiji Television. in Korea, South Korea that is. Apparently
one of them had signed his diplomatic

6 Islands Business, , January 2018