Page 6 - IB Mar 2020

Briefs Briefs

AMERICAN SAMOA
A US District Judge ruling that American Samoans are
entitled to US citizenship by birthright under the 14th
Amendment is being challenged by the American Samoan CNMI
Government and the US State Department. The American Guam
Samoan government is concerned the ruling threatens fa’a
Samoa while the US government argues that only the US Marshall Islands
Congress has the authority to grant US citizenship to outlying
US territories.
Federated
States of
COOK ISLANDS Micronesia
Cook Islands will formally ratify Pacer Plus in June, with Palau Nauru
deputy PM Mark Brown saying it will have immediate benefits
for the country, particularly in the areas of customs and
quarantine assistance. The Free Trade Agreement is being Kiribati
driven by Australia and New Zealand, but critics say PACER
Plus commitments around labour mobility and development
assistance are nothing new, and would be drawn from existing Tokelau
budgets. Papua New
Guinea
FSM Tuvalu
The vote to determine whether Chuuk seeks independence Samoa
from the Federated States of Micronesia has been postponed Solomon Islands
for the second time, until 2022. It had been scheduled for
this month (March). Pro-independence leaders say they need Wallis and Futuna
more time to work out the legal mechanics of such a move. American Samoa
Vanuatu
FIJI
The most substantial outcome of NZ Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern's visit to Fiji—besides an enormous amount of Fiji
goodwill—was the release of further details around assistance Tonga Niue French Polynesia
to combat transnational organised crime. NZ is investing $11 Australia Cook Islands
million (US$6.9 million) to support Fiji police through forensic New Caledonia
labs, tracker dogs and technical assistance to the Proceeds of
Crime Unit. KIRIBATI
Election dates have been confirmed in Kiribati. Candidates
FRENCH POLYNESIA can register from March 10-17, and the first round of elections
Tenacious French Polynesia politician and former President, and announcement of elections results will be made on April
Gaston Flosse, cannot stand in the Papeete municipal 7. The second round of elections and announcement of the
elections because he was unable to register as a voter. results will be held on April 15.
France’s highest court upheld a ruling that Flosse did
not meet the residency requirements to enrol in Papeete, MARSHALL ISLANDS
putting paid to his efforts to make a political comeback after A case against a South Korean fishing vessel charged with
a five year ban on holding public office due to corruption fishing in Marshall Islands waters without a valid license will
convictions. Flosse says he will appeal the decision. be held in the High Court. The RMI fisheries department was
able to charge the Oryong 721 using data gathered through
GUAM the vessel monitoring system. The vessel’s owner, the vessel
The US military is concerned that China has targeted a itself, it’s captain and chief operator have all been charged
maritime patrol aircraft as it flew international airspace with fishing illegally in early February within the country’s
380 miles west of Guam on February 17. The Pentagon says 200-mile exclusive economic zone. If found guilty, the vessel
it has raised its concerns with China’s minister of national faces a fine of up to US$1 million for each of the five illegal
defence. Weapons-grade lasers can seriously harm aircrew fishing charges.
and mariners, and ship and aircraft systems, the Navy said.
While the patrol aircraft involved in this incident is based out NEW CALEDONIA
of Florida, Guam is home to the strategically-important US Some New Caledonian voters want to use next month’s
naval base and Anderson Air Force Base, known jointly as the municipal election to show how many people will be unable
Joint Region Marianas base. to vote in the September referendum on independence

6 Islands Business ,March 2020