Page 6 - IB January 2022

Briefs Briefs

gency surgery in early January and is expected to return to
work at the end of February. Official news of the procedure
American Samoa followed days of speculation as to the Prime Minister’s where-
A bid by American Samoans to be recognised as American abouts.
citizens has failed. While plaintiffs in the Fitisemanu v United
States have had their petition for a full panel hearing denied A clean-up is underway following flooding and damage
by the US 10th Circuit Court of Appeal, their lawyers say that caused by Tropical Cyclone Cody. Many areas in the coun-
the ultimate issue of whether American Samoa lies within the try’s western division were underwater, with schools turned
United States, for the purposes of citizenship, has yet to be into evacuation centres. Estimates of damage are yet to be
directly answered by the US Supreme Court. compiled.

CNMI French Polynesia
The Commonwealth of Northern Marianas House of Rep- Nascent domestic carrier, Air Moana continues to prepare
resentatives has voted to impeach Governor Ralph Torres for its mooted April launch. Local company Natireva has an
for alleged commission of felonies, corruption, and neglect operating licence for the airline and is recruiting captains and
of duty, in violation of the CNMI Constitution. His political officers. It plans to lease three aircraft to fly to the Society
opponent, Representative Christina Sablan, who will contest Islands and the northern Tuamotu group.
the governorship in this year’s gubernatorial elections, said
the impeachment follows two years of investigations. “It is
unfortunate to witness the hatred and the wilful spread of
misinformation from the mouths of certain individuals, as evi- Guam
denced by the calls for impeachment and the demonstration The Guam government has the go ahead to use more than
held outside of the Legislature,” Governor Torres said after US$180 million in federal funds to help build a new Guam
the vote. The Senate will need a two-third vote to remove Memorial Hospital. “The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has
him from the position. highlighted the critical need for a new hospital,” Governor
Lourdes Leon Guerrero stated. “We are grateful to have the
hospital build expressly permitted in the latest guidance.”

Cook Islands
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of
the Cook Islands have signed an US$80 million loan agreement Kiribati
to fund reforms to improve public financial management and The International Monetary Fund says Kiribati’s economy is
foster private sector activities. The ADB will provide an initial gradually recovering, with real GDP growth projected at 1.5%
$40 million to meet immediate financing needs, and up to $40 for 2021, boosted by strong fishing revenues and “supportive
million as a precautionary financing option. fiscal policies”. It says some measures will be required to en-
sure economic stability in the longer term, including a review
Air New Zealand has resumed daily flights between Raro- of the sustainability of the copra subsidy, adherence to the
tonga and Auckland, with strong bookings in January. New rules-based policy regarding withdrawals from the sovereign
Zealanders make up two-thirds of all tourists to Cook Islands, wealth fund, and provisioning for climate change adaptation.
with almost 110,000 visiting in 2019.
Kiribati has reopened its borders to its citizens and individu-
als providing essential technical assistance. All travellers will
need to be vaccinated, provide a negative COVID-19 test and
Federated States of Micronesia undergo quarantine on arrival.
Yap’s governor Henry Falan has been removed from office
after a vote in the state legislature, and has been replaced by
Lt Gov Jesse J Salalu. The vote was taken in mid-December,
two months after an earlier bid to remove him failed. He has Marshall Islands
been accused of “malfeasance and misfeasance.” The next US Army Commander Col. Thomas Pugsley offered his
election is this November. personal apology to the people of the Marshall Islands for a
“breakdown of established protocols” for Army repatriation
groups arriving at Kwajalein Atoll, reports the Marshall Islands
Fiji Journal. This follows the departure of a flight carrying army
Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is recovering from personnel from Honolulu before passengers’ COVID results
heart surgery in Melbourne, Australia. He underwent emer- were available. Three passengers subsequently tested posi-

6 Islands Business, January 2022