Page 13 - IB AUG 2018

Political Brief - PacIFIc

Pacific nominee calls for solidarity

AUCKLAND, New Zealand It’s why New Zealand has nominated Dr Tukuitonga for the
– Cracks have reportedly ap- WHO’s regional director. At a recent meeting, Pacific health
peared among the islands of ministers all unanimously agreed to support that nomination.
Oceania over the bid by Niuean But things suddenly changed. Both Solomon Islands and
and current Director General Papua New Guinea have gone back on their agreement, publicly
of the Pacific Community, Dr expressing commitment to Japan.
Colin Tukuitonga to contest the “This is an opportunity to remain united and influence a
position of regional director of particularly important position for the health of the people of
the World Health Organisation. the region. And clearly we have two members who haven’t hon-
The region’s health minis- oured their commitment to regionalism,” Dr Tukuitonga said.
ters had all agreed to support New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says
a Pasifika candidate, but of- the NZ Government hopes that Solomon Islands and Papua
fers of aid and influence from New Guinea “will this time sign up for their own neighbour-
Asian countries have left that hood rather than bargain their vote off somewhere else for
in doubt. SPC Director General Dr Colin Tukuiton- alternative reasons.”
Hundreds of millions of ga. Photo: spc.int Coincidentally, Japan has made aid offers to island countries,
health dollars are at stake as including a major international airport extension and rebuild
the region grapples with a number of crises including diabetes for Solomon Islands.
and even the re-emergence of polio. Dr Tukuitonga says small “A free airport does not improve the health of the Pacific
island communities do not get a fair deal from the WHO. people,” Peters said.
“People complain about resource limitations, there is never Dr Tukuitonga said: “Some of our island members are very
enough money. The voice of the islands is often drowned out vulnerable, very susceptible to these offers. And that’s the
by the voices of the bigger Asian countries,” he said. unfortunate thing I think.”

droughts in the Marshall Islands, which depends almost entirely ing its way into the world’s oceans and which Somerville said is
on rainfall for their fresh water. making them ‘sick’.

Tongasat case of importance $1m lawsuit against Samoa Police
Nuku’alofa, Tonga – Kingdom’s Chief Justice Paulsen has de- APIA, Samoa - A hearing date has been set for the matter between
scribed the Tongasat case as a “matter of national importance.” Suitupe Misa and the Office of the Samoa Attorney General.
The judge made his comments in the Supreme Court when rul- Misa is a member of the public who was arrested at gunpoint
ing in favour of Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva and the Public by a contingent of armed Police officers in 2015. He is suing the
Service Association (PSA) which had fought a five year battle Ministry of Police for $1million tala (US$381,000). Misa lodged
against Tongasat over what it claimed were illegal payments to a complaint in 2016 against the Ministry of Police where the mat-
the company. The Supreme Court ruled that the payment of the ter was then investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman. The
tens of millions of dollars of Chinese money to Princess Pilolevu’s findings of the investigation at the time raised serious questions
satellite company was illegal. The judge said five other cases had about the actions of the Police and the Commissioner.
been held over waiting for his decision. Pōhiva began the case
when he was in Opposition. Solomon AG resigns
HONIARA, Solomon Islands - Attorney General James Apaniai
No bottle water shipment has submitted his resignation to the Judicial and Legal services
PORT Vila, Vanuatu - The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Commission. His last day at work will be 31 October. Prime
Cluster lead by the Vanuatu Department of Water Resources has Minister Rick Hou announced the AG’s resignation when he was
announced its decision to stop the shipment of bottled water for responding to questions raised by the Leader of the Opposition,
evacuees on Maewo. The water on Maewo is safe for drinking, Manasseh Maelanga.
cooking and cleaning purposes, WASH Coordinator, Malatu Paolo,
conveyed from Maewo. “We do not want to see more shipments Cattle theft concerns officials
of bottle waters to Maewo,” Paolo said. “It will pollute the environ- PORT Vila. Vanuatu – The Livestock Department is appealing
ment here. The 500 cartons of bottled water we (WASH Cluster to communities who reside near their cattle breeding centres in
teams) came to Maewo with are for emergency situations only.” the capital to respect these properties and allow the centres to
serve its purpose. The appeal comes after a recent spate of theft
Say no to plastic of cattle at the breeding centres. “The devastating impact of Cy-
RAROTONGA, Cook Islands - Saying no to single-use plastic is clone Pam on the livestock sector throughout the country saw the
a good way to begin reducing the amount of plastic that ends up department initiate the establishment of six provincial livestock
in the ocean, says Phil Somerville. The New Zealand-born actor breeding centres, purposely to restock livestocks throughout the
and stunt man was in Rarotonga with his crew recently as they communities and eventually address food security needs,” says
travelled from Los Angeles to Auckland, visiting a number of Livestock Director Lonny Bong. “These breeding centres produces
Pacific Islands along the way. The message is “Eat Less Plastic” chicks, ducklings, kids, piglets and recently, cattle was included
and it’s all to do with the alarming amount of plastic that is find- in Sanma and Shefa Provinces.”

Islands Business,August 2018 13