Page 7 - IB August 2020

Briefs

into the Government’s coffers. The largest allocation is to the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) into the 2021 general
Ministry of Social Services, which includes education, health elections. Tuilaepa will run for the seat of Lepa. He says 94
and justice functions. candidates have already registered to run for election with
the HRPP. Late last month a seventh party, Fa’atuatua I Le
Atua Samoa Ua Tasi (FAST), registered to contest the election,
and has called for the country’s future PMs to be limited
Palau to ten years in office, and for the lifting of tax on church
27 people have registered to run in Palau’s Senate and ministers. The Samoa Observer quotes Lepa village Mayor,
Presidential election in November. The four candidates for Utaulu Konelio as saying Tuilaepa has told them the 2021
the Presidency are former President Johnson Toribiong, Vice election will be his last tilt at office.
President Raynold Oilouch, and businessmen Surangel Whipps
Junior and Alan Seid.
The US has approved US$7 million to fund a second submarine Solomon Islands
cable for Palau. Belau Submarine Cable Corporation sought China plans to establish ‘sister’ relationships with each
to bring the second cable for redundancy and resiliency Solomon Islands province says its Embassy in Honiara. Solomon
purposes. “Cable cuts are not common, but they do happen. Islands recently, and controversially, switched relations from
We have seen what happened to our neighbours in the region Taiwan to China, with Malaita’s Governor accepting COVID
and the impact it had on them and we want to avoid that support from Taiwan, despite the switch. Counselor Ming
scenario,” said Robin Russell, Chief Executive Officer of BSCC. Yao says links between Western Province and China’s Fujian
CNMI, Marshall Islands and Tonga have all experienced cable Province will be first. “We are here to help and share ideas so
cuts and subsequent disruption of service in recent years. that this country can learn how to develop itself,” he said.

Papua New Guinea Tonga
PNG citizen Joe Chan has been arrested in Malaysia under A NZ study has found Tonga’s 31% tax on sugar-sweetened
the name Djoko Soegiarto Tjandra. He had been a fugitive drinks may have led to increased production, and consumption
for 11 years, and has been extradited to Indonesia. Tjandra/ of bottled water. The tax has raised about US$3.4 million in
Chan was sentenced to jail in 2009 after being convicted of revenue per annum since its introduction in 2013. However
corruption over Bank Bali, but fled to PNG before the court the Otago University study did not look at the tax’s impact on
ruling. The circumstances under which he was granted PNG non-communicable disease rates in Tonga.
citizenship were the matter of an Ombudsman’s Commission Tonga has asked China to restructure its bilateral debt load.
inquiry, which made 18 findings of wrongful conduct against The Kingdom is due to start repaying the principal on loans
the immigration department and then-foreign affairs minister, from the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) this financial
Ano Pala. year. The repayment schedule increases considerably in 2023-
The State wants to acquire 22.5 per cent equity in the Pasca 2024, when 15% of revenue would need to service external
A gas-condensate project in Gulf province. Petroleum and debts.
Energy Minister Kerenga Kua says negotiations with the
developer Twinza Oil Ltd, are ongoing.
Vanuatu
Former Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, has been committed
to the Supreme Court on charges of bribery and corruption.
Region Salwai, former ministers Matai Seremaiah and Jerome
Bank South Pacific (BSP) has recorded a consolidated op- Ludvaune and former MP Tom Korr will appear September
erating profit after tax of K381.9 million (US$109 million) for 1. Salwai also faces perjury charges. The matter relates to
the 2020 half year. allegations by a former opposition leader that the four men
That’s a 12.2% drop on profit for the same period of 2019. bribed parliamentarians to sway an ultimately unsuccessful
Chairman Sir Kostas Constantinou said border closures have motion of no confidence.
significantly impacted economic activity in all countries in Vanuatu’s Government is looking to introduce a bill on
which BSP operates, with a drop in transactional banking ac- compulsory voting following a very poor turnout in March’s
tivity, reduced foreign exchange, contractions in net interest national election. Deputy Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael
income margins and additional lending provisions. Kalsakau says many people aren’t taking their right to vote
seriously despite the huge amount of money the Government
and donors spend running elections.

Samoa
Samoa’s Prime Minister of 21 years, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele
Malielegaoi, has been unanimously reappointed to lead the

Islands Business, August 2020 7