Page 6 - IB OCT 2017

Whispers Agriculture Pacific celebrates P20
Resources PNG pledge on forests P18

WE SAY SPORTS Islands Business

Samoan passports Ambassador Tantowi Yahya said the fighter and champion of democracy.
conference was not the place to discuss
THERE is anger in Samoa after the the West Papua issue. t
Prime Minister revoked the diplomatic He must have been shocked to see Kiribati
passport of the outgoing head of state. Forum Secretary-General, Dame Meg THERE appears to be no end in sight
Taylor, cross the road to get closer to in the on-going saga in Kiribati over
The PM, who is also responsible for the protesters while walking towards the a name change to one of the largest
the Immigration portfolio, was ap- meeting venue. churches in the atoll republic.
parently well within the law when he Meanwhile, former Papuan freedom At a conference two years ago the
cancelled the official passports of the fighter, Franzalbert Joku, described Kiribati Protestant Church was renamed
former customary head of the land and increased agitation by islanders over by the majority of its voting members
the first lady. the issue of Indonesian atrocities as following stipulated procedures.
unfortunate. A dissident group within the church
But the people of Samoa reacted loudly “Where the hell were Pacific Island raised objections and has maintained the
on electronic media condemning the ac- nations when we needed that kind of original name while attempting to wrest
tion as disrespectful and not Fa’a Samoa support and concern?” he asked. control over congregations and influence
(the Samoan Way). Perhaps fighting for their own free- of the people.
dom? Now under scrutiny are bank accounts
Despite the justifications offered by the and assets.
PM and his references to international t Several unsuccessful attempts have
laws and practices, the people remain Still on Papua been made to bring the battling factions
unconvinced and continue to call for the THERE is speculation that the region’s together, to no avail.
return of passport privileges to a much- largest ecumenical movement may be led In some villages, families are now di-
loved couple. by a woman – for the third time – and vided over where to worship and which
a Papuan for the first come late 2018. pastor to follow.
t Moves are afoot by funders to see that So much for Christian love and unity.
Unlikely prizes a female West Papuan church minister
THERE was much nudging and eye- replaces the incumbent from Maohi Nui t
brow raising at the awards ceremony of (French Polynesia). PNG violence
a communications company in Fiji last That move would be a huge coup for PACIFIC leaders who fail to listen to
month. the pro-independence movement in the the people may have some valuable les-
The new CEO received an award for Pacific and a slap in the face of Indonesia sons to learn from recent post-election
Outstanding Leader of the Year while and the host country, Fiji. activities in Papua New Guinea.
staff members have been abandoning Last year Fiji police removed a West Angry mobs have torched businesses
the company due to poor leadership and Papuan flag from the secretariat of the belonging to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill
vindictive management. church movement on instructions from and his supporters in their anger over
So dire has the situation become that the Office of the Prime Minister. polling delays and anomalies over count-
the once proud company has lost its best Removing a Papuan cleric may prove ing of votes.
managers and highly-skilled technical a little more difficult than hauling down At least two police officers have been
staff as insiders cosy up to relatives in a flag. killed in post-election violence and
government. businesses have been forced to suspend
The recent award and the sacking of operations in a number of provinces.
the CEO’s best friend of over 30 years t A few Pacific leaders will be watch-
has forced staff members to reconsider Tongan cenotaph ing warily as events unfold in PNG and
their future in the organisation. THE desecration of a monument to the thinking about upcoming elections and
memory of Tonga’s little-known war he- the possible reactions from the public in
t roes may yet prove to be the undoing of their own countries.
Undiplomatic diplomat interim Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva.
INDONESIA’S diplomats have won no Chinese construction workers removed
new friends with their recent outburst in the concrete fence which had protected t
New York and Apia. the cenotaph since it was raised after Meeting silence
At the Pacific Islands Forum meeting World War II. WHAT happened to the much an-
in Samoa, the Indonesian ambassador The construction has seen the build- ticipated meeting of the Pacific Islands
was incensed first with the fact that a ing of the St George Palace to house Development Fund which was to have
pro-democracy protest was held in sup- Pohiva’s offices. been held in the Solomon Islands over
port of West Papua and later with media But his recent spectacular falling out a month ago?
coverage. with the King and the people means The sudden cancellation caught many
Obviously unused to an unfettered Pohiva may not be PM for much longer. regional leaders off-guard and there has
media, the diplomat lashed out at jour- Elections next month will decide the been no explanation from the secretariat
nalists and the protesters. fate of a man once seen as a freedom about why it was abandoned.

6 Islands Business, October 2017