Page 8 - IB January 2022

Whispers Whispers

Fisheries dramas medical transfer of opposition leader, Accounting tricks?
The head of a major fisheries agency has Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegoai to New Greenpeace has accused Australia of
survived a move to stop her from sitting Zealand. He spent five days in inten- falsely counting Pacific projects under
a second term. The move was driven by sive care in Samoa earlier in January, climate adaptaion aid in order to meet
New Zealand, with the support of Cook and has not attended parliament since. its funding obligations. Greenpeace
Islands, who wanted the membership to Minister of Health, Valasi Tafito Selesele accused Australia of using “accounting
accept a “consensus candidate” for the told local media: “He needs to be mind- tricks” to spend US$80 million over 2018
Director General’s role. However when ful of his health and his age – he needs and 2019 for a governance facility in
negotiations failed, Fiji called for a the proper care and a lot of rest so he Papua New Guinea. It has made similar
vote, and New Zealand backed off. can continue his service to the country. claims about projects in Kiribati.
“He is a very important person, there-
Air Kiribati waits for take off fore, he needs to look after his health.” United says no to Majuro
When will Air Kiribati’s new Embraer 190 United Airways has cancelled its flights
jet make it out of the Australian hanger Meanwhile, there was less transparency to and from Majuro due to the con-
in which it continues to sit? Kiribati has around the health status of Fiji Prime dition of the terminal building, the
been locked down for more than 12 Minister Voreqe Bainimarama when he Marshall Islands Journal reports. The
months due to COVID-19 and its national underwent heart surgery in Australia “high risk” posed of the roof collapsing
airline has concentrated on domestic earlier this month. Acting PM Aiyaz was noted two years ago; now United
routes with great success. Once borders Sayed-Khaiyum eventually confirmed passenger services have been suspended
re-open, its new jet will pose a threat the PM had undergone the procedure, indefinitely. United will continue to fly
to Fiji Airways which controls the Nadi- and said he was “well on his way to to Kwajalein. “It’s unfortunate we’ve
Tarawa route. The Embraer will allow recovery.” However an information vac- reached this stage,” the Chief Secretary
Air Kiribati to compete on, and poten- uum of several days led to widespread Kino Kabua told the Journal. “For now
tially take over the route. Meanwhile, speculation and misinformation in the we will come up with some immediate
the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer has country, exacerbated by a Facebook temporary solutions — without fail.”
confirmed a second jet is also on their post on the Government’s feed showing
books to be delivered to Air Kiribati; the Prime Minister out and about in the Victoria for Games?
CEO Francisco Gomes Neto says they are community. Later clarifications on that The 2026 Commonwealth Games may
clearing a backlog of orders. Mean- feed said the post was retrospective. be held closer to home than anticipated
while, a new CEO for Air Kiribati is still for Pacific island athletes. Officials in
to be announced, several months after Kiribati and the pandemic Victoria, Australia say they may bid to
recruitment began. Kiribati is reeling from the news that host the games four years earlier than
36 of the 54 passengers on a flight from originally planned, with the Canadian
China’s Solomon Islands interests Fiji this month tested positive for COVID city of Hamilton looking to delay its bid
China’s bid to increase its footprint -19. Kiribati had only just opened its by four years. Victorian authorities say
in the Solomon Islands continues. borders, under stringent conditions, they can be ready ahead of schedule, as
China apparently wants to open a bank prior to the flight, which was a church they are focussing on upgrading existing
through which Chinese investors will group charter. Kiribati authorities say venues rather than building lots of new
operate, and the proposal has support- the passengers had undergone three ones.
ers in high places. China is also suggest- tests before departing Fiji, and had
ing that one of its own airlines services been in quarantine for two weeks Monitoring Yasur
the Solomons- Beijing- Shanghai route, before departure. They were all vac- While all eyes were understandably
rather than Solomon Airlines. Opposi- cinated. However on testing in Tarawa, on the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai
tion leader Matthew Wale says the more than half of them were found to submarine volcano activity in Tonga this
government should be open about what be positive. A security officer had also month, montoring of Mount Yasur vol-
is being discussed. Meanwhile, it will tested positive at the time of printing, cano activity in Vanuatu also continues.
be interesting to see how Fiji, which with other frontline workers now also For much January, Yasur continued to
currently flies to China from the region, quarantining. The Kiribati government emit gas and ashes, and the Volcanic
reacts to this development. has responded with stricter public Alert Level remains at Level 2. Visitors
health measures. are discouraged from accessing areas
Tuilaepa’s treatment within the danger zones, and nearby
Samoa’s cabinet has approved the villages continue to be on alert.

8 Islands Business, January 2022