Page 6 - IB MAR 2017

Whispers

Big money But the SPTE – which coincides with that millions of dollars have been mis-
WHAT regional faith-based organi- Australia’s Tourism Expo – attracts a spent or embezzled in Vanuatu’s Penama
sation recently splashed out on a staff large number of European and American Province.
retreat at a local resort to plan for the industry buyers who may not travel as Government officials say they are too
next 12 months of operations? far as Fiji. scared of threats or reprisals to speak
Talks centred on how to seek money That means it’s better for them to out openly about the problem.
from potential donors to fund activities meet the buyers in Australia as they The allegations of corruption and
throughout the Pacific. have in the past two years at events in mismanagement concern the European
When the issue of using donor funds Melbourne and on the Gold Coast. Union’s ACP Copra Oil Energy Genera-
for expensive staff retreats was ad- Yet Fiji continues to bang away at a tion Project on Ambae Island.
dressed by concerned staff members, the single event rather than a regional fest. Interesting days in Solomon Islands
stock answer for such events was rolled with the country’s leading private law
out: Everyone else does it, why not us? t firm being put on the market. Sol Law’s
And then the killer blow: The donors clientele is the Who’s Who of Solomon
have signed off on this retreat. Actually Randy priest Islands’ corporate world, and whoever
they are very excited. A CATHOLIC priest in Samoa has left is going to take over their portfolio will
So how much donor funding goes – not the village in the wake of an alleged need to reach deep into their pockets.
to programme activities – but to NGO sex scandal there where he was caught Charges are usually in USD and the
retreats and social events? sleeping with a Year 13 student. rumour is that a number of the local bar-
The incident was confirmed by the vil- risters and solicitors are keen to snap up
t lage who said residents were in a state the multi-mllion dollar practice.
of shock.
Right hand, left hand The community leader said a more t
THE board of a certain Fijian NGO has senior church leader immediately re-
decreed that it must see all decisions on moved the priest from Vailoa before the Claim to fame
operational aspects of the organisation. matter could be discussed by the Village
This after removing a long-serving Council.
staff member as its director. So what is the main office in Apia do-
The replacement has toed the board’s ing about the incident?
line to the extent that staff members did
not attend a recent meeting of groups t
once recognised as constituents of this
particular NGO. They had been warned Wrong priorities
by the new director that the event had WHAT has happened to the huge arms
not been sanctioned by the board. shipment received by a small Pacific
But at a cocktail function the director country from one of the world’s largest
accosted constituents to ask why her military suppliers? TINY Tokelau, the lone colony of New
organisation had not been invited to There is as yet no sign of the weapons Zealand is in the news again for all the
the talks. on parade, in peacekeeping operations or wrong reasons. After taking delivery of
anywhere else. its Bangladesh built boat after a lengthy
Now the small nation is reported to delay and a huge bill paid for by the New
t be seeking armoured personnel carriers Zealand taxpayers, the island it has been
from more traditional sources. reported had acquired two helicopters,
Ego clash Does this have anything to do with given that its three main atolls, lying
upcoming elections? north of Samoa, could not host a runway
While its military has received weap- for aeroplanes. The catch though is that
ons and equipment, its engineering unit the two helicopters do not have the ca-
remains seriously wanting in terms of pacity to fly to Tokelau from its closest
power tools and other disaster relief gear. neighbour, Samoa. So the two machines
are still locked up in Apia.
t
t
Race for top job
FOR how long will Fiji stay away from WATCH the race for top spin doctor
the region’s biggest tourism event in the post of an international agency in our
manner of the school yard bully? part of the ocean... after the Australian
The whole region will gather for the expatriate threw in the towel and opted
SPTE 2017 in Sydney later this year but not to seek a renewal, the race has now
much of the Fijian delegation is under been reduced to two regional contenders.
pressure to stay at home. One is from the region’s only kingdom
That’s because Fijian tourism bosses who is well qualified whispers have it
want the region to attend the Fiji event Vanuatu scandal and armed with a doctorate, while the
planned for the resort island of Denarau. WHAT’S happening with allegations other is from the island where the posi-

6 Islands Business, March 2017