Page 4 - IB_November2020

Editor’s Note

Managing Director / Publisher
Samisoni Pareti
IN THIS ISSUE
Managing Editor
Samantha Magick
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has long been a prominent figure in regional politics, most

recently as Samoa’s Deputy Prime Minister, but also as an advocate for women’s
political representation and for good governance at the University of the South
Designer
Pacific. She is well connected with other leaders of both genders across the Pacific,
Dick Lee
and now she’s aiming for the Prime Ministership. In our cover story this month,
Fiame talks about why she’s made the break from the Human Rights Protection
Contributors
Party—her political home of more than three decades—and her views on regionalism
Nic Maclellan
and Samoa’s role in the Pacific.
Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola
Kevin McQuillan Last month an altercation between Taiwanese and Chinese officials outside a
Taiwanese event at Suva’s usually staid Grand Pacific Hotel garnered international
attention. Who did what, to whom, remains opaque, but as Nic Maclellan reports in
this issue, it is an example of the changing tone of diplomacy amongst some of the
region’s partners.
Islands Business is published monthly by As we go to print, the United States election result is still disputed, and but
Front Page Limited seems certain to go to before the courts in at least some States. Like other inter-
Editorial & Advertising Offices national partners, the US has significantly stepped up its engagement in the Pacific.
PO Box 12718, Suva, Fiji Islands.
Tel: +679 330 3108 Much of this engagement is framed in the same geopolitical terms that informed
the Taiwan-China spat, the jockeying for position and influence. For parts of our
Emails region; the territories of American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of North-
Editorial: editor@islandsbusiness.com ern Mariana Islands, and the Compact of Free Association states of Marshall Islands,
Subscriptions: subs@islandsbusiness.com Palau and Federated States of Micronesia, the depth and breadth of engagement
Advertising: marketing@islandsbusiness.com
with the United States goes to the very heart of domestic governance, decision
making and policy. But the United States matters for all of us. For that reason, we
hope that the election process concludes peacefully and that the country and its
Printing:
PrintHouse, Suva, Fiji. leaders meaningfully and tangibly demonstrate the commitment to the democratic
processes they so consistently advocate to the nations of our region.

April 2020 FJD $4.35
www.islandsbusiness.com

Samantha
COVID-19:
What now for
the Pacific?
Solomon Islands ........................SL$20.00 editor@islandsbusiness.com
New Zealand ............................. NZ$6.00 Tonga ............................................P10.00
Tuvalu ........................................AU$6.00
Niue .......................................... NZ$6.00
Kiribati .......................................AU$6.00
Australia .....................................AU$6.00 Hawaii .......................................US$6.00 Palau ..........................................US$6.00 Vanuatu.......................................Vatu500
Papua New Guinea ....................... K10.00
Cook Islands ............................. NZ$6.00
Samoa .......................................... T10.00
Marshall Islands .........................US$6.00
Nauru ........................................AU$6.00
Federated States of Micronesia....US$6.00
Fiji Islands .....................................F$4.35 New Caledonia ............................CPF500
French Polynesia ..........................CPF500
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4 Islands Business, November 2020