Page 8 - IB October 2021

Whispers Whispers

Bill 17 fallout continues country has been unfairly victimised, believe offering “visas for vaccina-
Retired academic Adi Eci Kikau and that changes in regulations mean tions” would see many of the estimated
Nabalarua will neither confirm nor it’s difficult to launder money through 14,000 overstayers “come out of the
deny her sacking from the board of Samoa. The nation figured prominently woodwork” and stop the spread of the
the iTaukei Land Trust Board over in coverage of Asiaciti Trust, which COVID-19. Immigration lawyer Richard
controversial Bill 17. She apparently helped high-risk clients hide their Small of Pacific Legal says only inocu-
had questioned the non-tabling of the private financial dealings and who’s lated people should get visas, and an
amendment to the TLTB Board before founder Graeme Briggs was prominent amnesty granted to overstayers who
its passage to the Fijian parliament. in the early days of Samoa’s offshore are double jabbed. The Pacific Leader-
PM Bainimarama chairs the TLTB board. financial industry. ship Forum’s Pakilau Manase Lua said
The Bill amended the TLTB Act by the Meanwhile the Director of the Vanu- the visa incentive would be powerful.
creation of a new subsection which atu Financial Intelligence Unit (VFIU), “They’re desperate. It was hard enough
removes the requirement of obtaining Floyd Mera was pleased Vanuatu didn’t before covid arrived for these people to
the consent of the TLTB Board for any feature, saying criminals cannot hide survive – they have to work, they have
mortgage, charge, pledge or caveat on a from the law in the country, and that to find a way to make ends meet.
lease under the Act or for any such lease there had been significantly improved “Moving from house to house and at
to be dealt with by any court of law or transparency and accountability of its the whim of the family and friends who
under the process of any court of law. Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting are sheltering them. And that’s a risk to
the Financing of Terrorism framework themselves and to others if they’re not
Tonga’s meth battle and its increased cooperation interna- vaccinated.”
The blight of drugs in Tonga claimed tionally.
another victim, human rights activist Samoa climate project scrutinised
Polikalepo “Poli” Kefu in April this year. Samoa PM’s case prolonged A Green Climate Fund project being
Sentencing ‘Inoke Silongo Tonga to life Samoa PM Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa’s implemented by the United Nations
imprisonment for the brutal murder, private prosecution trial continues to Development Program (UNDP) in Samoa
Tonga’s Lord Chief Justice Whitten drag on. Fiamē is charged with one is under scrutiny. Allegations of corrup-
QC said: “Regrettably, the scourge count of bribery in the lead up to the tion have been raised against UNDP-
of methamphetamines has been and April general election, but the case was led projects in Armenia and Samoa,
continues to be felt in Tonga... directly again adjourned in mid-October. District approved by Green Climate Fund. The
or indirectly, methamphetamines have Court Judge Alalatoa Rosela Papalii says GCF is awaiting the outcome of an UNDP
robbed one innocent of his life and now it’s the last time an adjournment will be investigation into the claims around a
threaten to end another.” Kefu had allowed, and expressed concern about US$66 million flood management proj-
drunk alcohol and taken a heavy dose the delays, stating the case had been: ect in Samoa, which has raised concerns
of meth on the night of the murder. “hovering over the defendant for quite among technical experts.
This month, Tongan King Tupou VI told some time.” Fiamē is jointly charged
a national symposium on illicit drugs with other Cabinet Ministers, Leatinu’u Taki!
that funds needed to be prioritised Wayne Fong and Laaulialemalietoa A University of Waikato study has
to address the drugs problem. “Our Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt. found that drinking kava on driving has
beloved country is no longer free of a significant impact on temporal order
drugs but rather very much part of the Candidates budget judgement - or how well the brain
global struggle against illicit drugs. This Candidates intending to contest the is able to keep track of the order of
is not just a problem for the Police to Tonga General Elections can only spend events. The study involved testing 20
deal with. This is a national issue that Tongan Pa’anga $20,000 (US$8945) on participants drinking 3.6 litres of kava
requires an urgent integrated national their campaigns. While that is double over six hours- that’s a pretty heavy
response,” he said. what was permitted in the last election, session! Lead researcher, Dr Apo Aporosa
candidates will need to report on their says the research findings will assist
Opening the Pandora’s box own expenditure. Attorney General with kava drink-driving cases in court,
The release of the Pandora Papers—al- Linda Folaumoetu’i said the onus will but there is more work to be done.
most 12 million files acquired by the In- be on the candidates to be honest when No details if the kava drunk was the
ternational Consortium of Investigative lodging their expenditure forms with the stronger Vanuatu or Pohnpeian blends
Journalists (ICIJ) exposing a network Elections Office. Community projects or one of the more gentle mixes from
of offshore tax havens used by the rich announced during the campaign period elsewhere in the Pacific.
and powerful to hide their wealth—has by government ministers sit outside this
prompted relief and frustration in the requirement.
Pacific. No jab, no job
Samoa’s finance regulators say the Visas for vaccines? Whispers are strong that a celebrated
Pacific leaders based in New Zealand human rights attorney provided advice

8 Islands Business, October 2021