Page 7 - IB July 2020

Briefs

mobility arrangement, which is an annex to the agreement,
will allow Solomon Islanders to work in Australia and New
New Caledonia Zealand once borders reopen. Niue also ratified PACER Plus
Canadian miner Vale says it expects to record a US$400m last month with Finance Minister Crossley Tatui saying the
impairment charge for the June quarter related to the agreement will benefit Niuean honey, taro and other exports
planned sale of its nickel and cobalt operations in New to New Zealand.
Caledonia. It first announced its plan to sell Goro late last
year prompting concern from sub-contractors at the site, who
recently set up roadblocks in an attempt to pressure the mine Tokelau
operators into discussing their plans and the implications of Tokelau’s Government says the three atolls are not yet in
a sale. New Century Resources of Australia is expected to a position to effectively quarantine, isolate and manage a
secure 95% of the Goro assets. suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19. While Tokelau shut
its borders to visitors on March 21, preparedness assessments
indicate there’s still work to do and the border will remain
shut for now.
Niue
Niue’s NZ$32.504 million (US$21.3 million) is before
parliament. The forecast budget deficit is $7,234,000 (US$4. Tonga
75 million) and the budget figures include foreign aid. Last Tonga needs more than $US600 million to adapt to rising seas
December, Niue’s government was chastised by the New and more frequent cyclones says the International Monetary
Zealand Auditor General for poor record keeping, with no Fund. The IMF says damage caused by cyclones Gita and
accounts available since 2015. Niue’s new leader has pledged Harold had shown the vulnerability of Nuku’alofa, that the
to fix this. The draft budget was being examined by the Kingdom’s infrastructure and public services were not climate
current accounts committee at the time of printing.
resilient, and that most Tongan live in highly exposed areas.

Papua New Guinea Tuvalu
The PNG Chamber of Commerce and Industry claims the Only citizens with no regular income are now receiving
national government owes businesses more than K1 billion monthly A$40 (US$27) payments under changes to COVID-
(US$287 million). President John Leahy says the debts are related relief packages in Tuvalu. Sponsored overseas student
for goods and services supplied, and that members have no longer receive monthly payments, although they will
consistently voiced their concerns over the arrears, which can continue to be paid to those in private study overseas at a
be “crippling” for smaller businesses. reduced rate. Civil servants abroad will continue to receive
Canadian miner Barrick Gold has served a dispute notice payments until they get home.
to the PNG government over its decision not to renew the
Pogera mining lease. The miner is taking the matter to the
World Bank’s International Centre of Investment Disputes. The Vanuatu
notice cites the alleged violation of a bilateral investment Vanuatu’s Chamber of Commerce has requested the
treaty between PNG and Australia, and of international Employment Stabilisation Payment being offered by the
laws on foreign investment. The PNG government declined government be extended for at least three months. It says a
to renew the lease in April, citing environmental and social survey of members has revealed 60% of businesses are still
concerns. Barrick has since said it will lay off 2650 workers by to receive their April payments, and an extension would give
the end of this month. businesses a better chance of retaining staff.

Australia
Samoa A monument to a prominent Australian who many believe who
Samoa has postponed until further notice its ban on the profited from the kidnapping of South Sea Islanders to work in
use of Styrofoam products. The ban was set to begin July 1 Queensland sugar plantations has been defaced in Townsville.
and applied to Styrofoam plates, containers and cups. The The hands of the statue of Robert Towns were painted in late
postponement has been attributed to economic difficulties June. Historians say he worked with human traffickers who
being wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. kidnapped people from Vanuatu to work in Australia. However
Townsville mayor Jenny Hill believes there is no reason to
remove the statue, as council-commissioned research carried
Solomon Islands out in 2004 found “no evidence” that Towns “personally
Solomon Islands has ratified the Pacific PACER Plus trade condoned or was involved in blackbirding”.
agreement, with the foreign ministry saying the labour

Islands Business, July 2020 7