Page 8 - IB Mar 2020

Whispers

SINU SECRETS? trip as part of its COVID-19 mitigation agricultural exports, and a significant
The University of the South Pacific efforts as several researchers were chunk of the export income in Solomon
is not the only tertiary institution in coming from Spain, where numerous Islands. However Breakthrough Energy
turmoil. Controversy continues at the cases have been recorded. Ventures is looking at using microbes to
Solomon Islands National University convert food waste and industrial by-
(SINU) where opposition has arisen FAKE PRO-INDONESIAN SITES TAKEN products into synthetic palm oil, which
over academic appointments and DOWN it claims can replace the plant-derived
restructuring of academic courses. More social media accounts version. The company is looking at an
Insiders say this is only a fraction of the masquerading as news sites and pushing initial US$20 million investment round.
story and the problems there rival those pro-Indonesia positions on West Papua
at the uni’s big sister in Fiji. have been taken down. Twitter and NIUE GOES DARK
Facebook have suspended more than 80 The news that Niue had been
NEW BLOOD AT REGIONAL ORGS accounts linked to the Indonesian army. recognised as a ‘dark sky nation’ caused
Positive developments at our Reuters investigations showed that intrigue this month. But what does it
largest regional organisation; while they appear to be independent actually mean? The designation was
two prominent women have been news sites, they were funded and granted by the so-called International
appointed to important advisory coordinated by an Indonesian army Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a US based
positions at the Pacific Community. corporal. non-government organisation which
Hailing from Niue and Fiji, they both since 1988 “has led a movement to
have wide and credible experience MSG AGAIN UNDER SCRUTINY ON WEST protect night from light pollution.”
in intergovernmental organisations, PAPUA Niue Tourism drove the initiative
including in the critical field of climate Pressure is again mounting on the locally, which saw street and domestic
finance. Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to lights changed. Tourism CEO Felicity
suspend Indonesia from its Associate Bollen says it could provide significant
BUSINESS BRAINS Membership status. West Papua economic opportunities through astro-
Local media reported Fiji’s Minister independence solidarity groups based tourism, with night sky ‘tours’ led
for Economy as asking businesses to in Vanuatu say Indonesia should be by Niuean community members once
be more specific about what economic suspended for not allowing the UN people start travelling to The Rock
measures they think the government Human Rights Commissioner to visit again.
should be following in response to West Papua and report back on the
COVID-19 during a round table with the situation there. They’re hoping the KIRIBATI’S PIONEER ATHLETES
Fiji Chamber of Commerce this month. Vanuatu elections and appointment of Kiribati may have its first ever para-
To be fair, the businesses were following a new MSG Director General will give athlete representing the nation if the
the brief they’d been given, and there them an opportunity to ramp up the 2020 Paralympics go ahead as scheduled
were many specific examples of how pressure on Indonesia. in Japan this year. Kiribati athletes
they’d be affected by COVID-19 in the hope to join competitors from six
smaller discussions. Hopefully they will PACIFIC GRINDR LITE Pacific nations; Fiji, Papua New Guinea,
take the time to lodge submissions and Social networking app provider Grindr Tonga, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and
ideas online before the supplementary says it’s launching a lower-bandwidth Vanuatu in Japan. They’ve been training
budget is finalised. version, Grindr Lite in Fiji, Solomon together in Australia. Countries whose
Islands and Papua New Guinea. The athletes don’t qualify are eligible for a
COVID-19’S OTHER HEALTH IMPACTS company says the streamlined version limited number of wildcard entries.
The impact of COVID-19 on the is for users on older and slower devices
region’s universities is becoming clearer, or limited data plans. The dating app is VANUATU VOTERS DO THE NUMBERS
but one less obvious impact has been on targeted at the LGBTQ community and Greater transparency around MP
research being conducted in the region. includes health and safety resources, allowances will hopefully be one of
Science magazine reports that a team including a sexual health resource the longer lasting outcomes of the
of epidemiologists with the Fight AIDS centre. Grindr claims to have over 4.5 2020 election. In the leadup to the
and Infectious Diseases Foundation has million daily active users, most of them polls the parliament, Transparency
been unable to return to PNG to give looking for ‘dates’. International Vanuatu (TIV) and the
a third dose of an antibiotic designed Right to Information (RTI) Team
to prevent yaws, an ulcer-causing GATES LOOKS AT PALM OIL published A3 posters featuring the
skin disease. The team had already ALTERNATIVES entitlements and benefits received by
administered two doses, with the A fund led by Bill Gates is investing in MPs under the Official Salaries Act and
third being offered to boost protection an American start-up which is looking at the MPs (Expenses and Allowances)
for two years or more. PNG’s health synthetic alternatives to palm oil. Palm Act. The breakdown included MPs’
department suggested they call off the oil accounts for well over half of PNG’s Vt5,989,600 (US$50,624) responsibility

8 Islands Business ,March 2020