Page 8 - IB November 2019

Whispers

INFORMATION OR PROPAGANDA SAMOA’S DIRTY LAUNDRY have become slaves to money,” Tallis said.
The Marshall Islands government is All publicity is not always good publicity, Some 4000 passports have reportedly been
trumpeting the success of its new website and as Samoa, which cameos in a film currently sold to foreigners since just June this year. The
social media accounts, which were launched just streaming on Netflix across the region is finding. government has now indicated it may relook at
in time for the election. President Dr Hilda C. Meryl Streep stars in The Laundromat as a victim the scheme.
Heine, who is standing for re-election, said she of the Panamanian accounting firm, Mossack
wanted to ensure the people across all islands Fonseca, whose activities were uncovered in PLANNING FOR OUR OCEAN
were kept informed. Top stories on the website 2016 and exposed through the so-called Panama Fundraising for the Our Ocean conference
were glowingly pro-Heine, including one which Papers; a 2.6 terabyte data leak of the firm’s in Palau next year is off to a good start, with
had her urging Marshallese to “stay the course 11.5 million records. Samoa earned the dubious US$9.7 million in pledges already made. Taiwan
and re-elect the government.” title of the sixth most popular tax haven used is leading the charge, giving US$3 million for
by Mossack Fonseca. Samoa remains on the the renovation of the national gymnasium which
NO MORE SLUSH FUNDS European Union’s “blacklist” of countries that act will serve as the venue for the plenary session of
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh as tax havens. the conference. Japanese non-profits the Nippon
Sogavare says MPs will no longer receive Foundation and Sasakawa Peace Foundation have
or handle the controversial Constituency FIJI POLICE UNDER ATTACK also promised US$2 million. India, Indonesia,
Development Funds. Dismissed by many as Fiji’s Defence and National Security Minister Australia, Serbia, Norway and New Zealand have
political slush funds, the CDF was provided by has been forced to issue a plea for Fijians to also come to the party, while Palauan organisers
Taiwan. With the diplomatic switch, Sogavare stop attacking police officers after a spate of are hoping ‘Aquaman’ Jason Momoa will also
says China will now expect the funds to go to assaults against officers on the job. Minister Inia attend. Momoa has become a strong campaigner
provincial projects, rather than be distributed as Seruiratu said the good work conducted by Fiji’s against ocean pollution and rising sea levels.
cash. Each constituency is expected to receive police have been forgotten because of what he
about US$10 million. calls “concerted campaigns by the few” to dwell EYE IN THE SKY
on a small number of police who’ve either been Niue is trialling drones to catch illegal fishing
LENIENCY FOR RUGBY STAR dismissed from the force or are in court or jail for boats and help with search and rescue. 40 per
There was an outcry in Fiji after footage failing to uphold the law. His comments followed cent of Niue’s Exclusive Economic Zone is closed
emerged of former Sevens player Amenoni the death of Constable Siuta Niumataiwalu, to commercial fishing. The trials will see low
Nasilasila playing scrimmage with the prison allegedly while in the process of making an arrest. orbit satellites first identify any areas of interest,
wardens’ team against Tuvalu in the leadup to The force says there have been 129 separate and then a drone sent out to those co-ordinates
this year’s Oceania Sevens. Nasilasila had been attacks on its members this year. to investigate, filming evidence of illegal activity
jailed on rape charges just days before the images if necessary.
were released. His involvement in training RMI’S SEAT AT THE TABLE
activities was particularly disappointing for “Maybe we didn’t have chocolates to give out, FIJI’S GREEN BONDS LAUDED
Oceania Rugby, which has partnered with UN but we did have our story to bring to the world.” The International Finance Corporation and
Women in recent years to use the tournament as That was the reaction of Marshall Islands Foreign the World Bank have been named joint winners
a platform to promote gender equality to prevent Affairs Minister John Silk to the news that his of the ‘Innovation of the Year award’ by the
violence against women. country had been elected to the UN Human Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) for
Rights Council. From January 2020 it sits their support in helping Fiji issue the world’s first
VANUATU LEGAL WOES alongside Fiji on the council, in what it describes emerging economy sovereign green bond. The
In January this year Australian Prime Minister as a major diplomatic victory. RMI beat Japan, sovereign green bond to raise US$50 million for
was cutting the ribbon for the Port Vila Urban South Korea, Indonesia and Iraq for the seat after climate projects was established at the request
Development Project; at A$31million, Australia’s a year of campaigning in New York and Geneva. of Fiji’s Reserve Bank. The green bond is being
largest ever urban infrastructure project in Minister Silk says RMI will use its experience promoted as a new way for island states to raise
Vanuatu. But now the project is mired in on issues including climate change and nuclear finance for climate action, such as meeting
controversy, with a Townsville based contractor testing impacts to help the international body. renewable energy targets.
RMS Construction suing for $31 million in
allegedly unpaid costs. The project is supposed SLAVES TO MONEY?
to fix and upgrade roads, drains, footpaths and The sale of Vanuatu passports is once again
sanitation facilities. Vanuatu had sought to have under scrutiny, this time by Vanuatu President
the dispute sent to arbitration, but the Supreme Pastor Obed Moses Tallis. “In the era of
Court has set a February 2020 hearing date. colonialism, we have been slaves to Britain and
France. In the era of blackbirding we have been
slaves to Australia. In this era of independence,
we sell our status for money and we ourselves

8 Islands Business, November 2019