Page 9 - IB June 2020

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Whispers

Niue hat tip We have apologised and in reviewing
Makaseau Ioane was named as the the incident identified that there was
duly elected Niue MP for the village room for improvement on our side.”
of Mutalau this month when his name
was drawn from a hat. Ioane was tied Sky-high repatriation fees
with the incumbent, Maureen Meleki- There is concern amongst Fijians
tama who has now lost her seat. The trying to get home from India over
Commissioner of the Niue High Court the likely cost of airfares. The Fiji
presided over the process, which is the government is arranging a repatriation Front Page Limited
second time the member for Mutalau flight which will “most likely to before 7 Thurston St
has been determined by the drawing the end of June” according to the PO Box 12718, Suva, Fiji Islands.
out of a hat. The first was in the 2017 High Commission’s Facebook feed, at Tel: +679 330 3108, 773 1118.
general election. an estimated F$6000 per ticket. They Email: advertising@islandsbusiness.com
have been told to budget an extra 10% Circulation & Distribution
Goodbye Jonah contingency on top of this cost, but subs@islandsbusiness.com
An Australian comedy series in which some say the amount required is now Finance
its creator and star impersonated a topping $7000, and that it is to be finance@islandsbusiness.com
Tongan schoolboy has been removed paid through Fiji’s Ministry of For-
from streaming service Netflix. Jonah eign Affairs. A number of the Fijians Regional and local magazine sales agents
from Tonga, which was originally aired stranded in India due to COVID-19 had Amy Street Pharmacy - Amy Street, Toorak
on Australia’s national broadcaster gone there for (unrelated) medical Kundan Singh Supermarket – Arts Village, Pacific Harbour,
in 2014, was one of four Chris Lilley treatment. The cost of flights is just Fiji
television series to be axed. Lil- one part of a Pacific-wide discus- Kundan Singh Supermarket – Tamavua, Suva, Fiji
ley used ‘brownface’ to play Jonah. sion of who should bear the brunt of Lami Pharmacy – Main Street, Lami
He also used blackface to play an repatriation and quarantine costs for Methodist Bookstore – Stewart Street, Suva, Fiji
African-American rapper and played returning citizens as Pacific economies MHCC – Suva, Fiji
a number of Asian characters in other contract. Nausori Airport Bookshop – Nausori
programs. The ABC says it will now Samabula Drugstore – Samabula, Suva, Fiji
conduct a “harm and offence review” Ke kmal mesaul Palau
Sanatan Bookshop - Tebara Shopping Complex
of its content. “Community attitudes A different experience from a grate- Suva Bookshop – Downtown Boulevard, Suva, Fiji
change across time and context, and ful Palauan, who has written to thank
we recognise that the ways in which President Tommy Remengesau in a Tappoo outlets – Fijiwide
some characters have been depicted widely-published letter for getting Textbook Wholesalers – BSP Centre Suva, Fiji
in the past might be considered deeply them safely home. In the long letter, Total Lautoka - Vitogo Parade
objectionable or offensive today,” an Venaure N. Kanai wrote: “I think the USP Bookcentre – USP, Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji
ABC statement said. hardest battle we had to face was the Palm Court Bistro – QBE Arcade, City Centre, Suva
combination of isolation and social
Airports Vanuatu apologises media. In our attempts to stay current Boroko Foodworld – Boroko, PNG
Airports Vanuatu Limited have apolo- with the news, we became aware of Friendly Islands Bookshop – Nuku’alofa, Tonga
gised to after an overzealous security the many hateful and negative com- Hachette Pacifique – Papeete, French Polynesia
officer ordered a journalist to delete ments online towards students want- National Stationery Supplies – Honiara, Solomon Islands
photos of a repatriation aircraft’s ar- ing to come back to Palau. This made Nouvelle Messageries Caledoniennes de Presse – Noumea,
rival in Port Vila from New Zealand. us fearful of going back home, and all New Caledonia
AVL security demanded to watch the that time spent alone in our rooms led Pacific & Occidental Capelle & Partners – Yaren, Nauru
photos being deleted, despite them be- us to think about what might happen Pacific Supplies – Rarotonga, Cook Island
ing taken from outside security areas. if we arrived in Palau. However, your
Now it says a formal media policy has message that was read to us on the Robert Reimers Enterprises – Majuro, Marshall Islands
been adopted, which clearly outlines plane made us feel so much more at South Seas Traders – Alofi, Niue
what is and isn’t permitted. Kevin ease. It felt good to be reminded that Stop Press – Port Vila, Vanuatu
Abel, General Manager Operations there are some people who support Yap Cooperative Association – Colonia, YAP, FSM
of AVL commented, “Regrettably our us, and you were one of them.” Palau
staff member got it wrong on the day. is COVID-19 free.

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