Page 8 - IB December 2021

Whispers Whispers

MSG boss shuffling for Health Isaia Taape and his wife Many will be hoping that there is still
After months of uncertainty, the sub- were also on the flight, as Funafuti a way to keep Micronesia in the Forum
regional bloc of the Melanesian Spear- remains tightlipped as to whether it is family and allow for faces to be saved
head Group (MSG) may be moving to contemplating a switch of diplomatic on all sides. It’s why, despite Omicron, a
announce its new Director General early allegiance to China, instead of Taiwan. face to face meeting is scheduled.
in the New Year, more than a year after While Tuvalu remains loyal to Taiwan for
the office was vacated when incumbent now, the contract for its US$52 million Walesi worries
Ambassador Amena Yauvoli resigned to Asian Development Bank-funded outer The Fiji government’s moves to
rejoin the Fijian diplomatic service. It island harbour development went to a require all television stations to start
is Vanuatu’s turn to provide a new DG, construction company from mainland broadcasting from the Walesi digital
however plans to fill the office were in- China. platform is causing concern in a country
terrupted when frontrunner Ambassador already sensitive to restrictions on the
Roy Mickey Joy fell seriously ill and was Aussie luxury jet use questioned media, especially in an election year. TV
medivaced to New Caledonia for urgent The hiring of private jets to deliver broadcasters in heavily populated areas
treatment in mid-2021. The whisper COVID-19 vaccinations and return citi- have now switched to the platform and
from Port Vila is that Joy is now out of zens to Tuvalu this year is coming under have shut down their analogue trans-
the race and Vanuatu’s ambassador to scrutiny in Australia. The Australian mitters, with viewers needing to have
the United Nations, former governor federal government reportedly hired a Walesi set-top box for their TV, or a
of the Vanuatu Central Bank Ambas- two luxury jets belonging to Crown Mel- Walesi app on their smart devices to
sador Odo Tevi will be announced soon bourne at a cost of almost A$600,000 receive services. The government says it
as MSG’s new boss. His candidature has (US$428,000). One flight also deliv- will ensure better quality. Broadcasters
reportedly been endorsed by the MSG ered a medical response team to Fiji. will need to pay for the Walesi service
senior officials meeting after another Independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie from the second quarter of next year,
Vanuatu candidate, former Assistant SG has told Australian media: “Frankly, but at the time of print, they said they
of the ACP Secretariat in Brussels, Am- the use of Crown’s private jets for this were still waiting to learn how much.
bassador Georges Maniuri dropped out. government work stinks in my opinion… However the National Federation Party
The size of those bills seems completely is concerned about the cost of switch,
Speed dial for whom?21 unjustifiable.” A DFAT spokesperson and the potential for government-
said that in both instances, the most owned Walesi to control television
Who exactly is benefitting from the appropriate aircraft options to support stations, and by extension the content
Fijian Government’s practice of ‘speed the Tuvalu and Fiji tasks were provided they broadcast. People’s Alliance leader
dialing’ its bills through parliament by through Defence’s Air Transport Stand- Sitiveni Rabuka has called for a public
activating Standing Order rule 52 is the ing Offer Panel. inquiry into the matter, particularly
question doing the rounds of Suva. Un- given audited accounts for the gov-
der this provision, MPs are given just 48 Keeping the family together ernment-owned Walesi have not been
hours to study and debate bills before Well-respected Marshall Island diplo- publicly released. In this year’s budget
they are taken to a vote, much to the mat Albon Ishoda has left Fiji, and is re- the Minister for Economy announced
annoyance of opposition members who portedly headed for Korea. Ambassador government’s intention to see Walesi
complain of lack of time to scrutinise Ishoda has been an important figure in look after all broadcasting transmission,
the many proposed changes to current Micronesian discussions over the bloc’s television and FM services, although
legislation. One particular change which future with the Pacific Islands Forum. there is no announcement yet as to
was speed dialed in this way was a bill PIF leaders are due to meet in Suva, Fiji when radio stations may be required to
seeking to retrospectively legislate the in February next year, which is when shift.
waiver of capital gains tax (CGT) for the ‘deadline’ for their departure from
sale of shares before 2011, and the ru- the Forum (a protest against the failure PNG sovereignty in Solomons
mour mills are in full swing as to which of their candidate to be appointed as Thanks but no thanks. That was the
company benefitted from the changes, Forum Secretary General) will be up. message from the Papua New Guinea
and why, and who may have (errone- Yet the strength of regional action Police Force contingent deployed to
ously) advised them as to their CGT has been clearly displayed in recent Solomon Islands when asked to operate
commitments prior to the legal change. months. In the leadup to and during under Australian command recently.
COP26, some of the most powerful PNG High Commissioner to Solomon Is-
To defect or not to – postscript! interventions on behalf of the Pacific lands, Moses Kaul told media “When the
Well it turns out that not one, but emanated from Micronesian nations. proposal came from the Solomon Islands
two cabinet ministers of Tuvalu were Similarly Marshall Islands has been government, for ‘PNG Police Force to
among passengers that flew in a char- working with Solomon Islands and oth- submit to Australia, when the operation
tered Chinese aircraft from Funafuti to ers to push the green shipping agenda orders are given for the deployment on
mainland China last October. Minister at the World Maritime Organisation. the ground, basically we rejected the

8 Islands Business, December 2021