Page 34 - IB September 2018 Edition

Business Intelligence - PacIFIc

Samoa wins US$36m World Bank grant

THE World Bank has approved a US$35.75 million grant to
improve the climate resilience of Samoa’s road network and
facilitate a rapid response in the event of a natural disaster.
Thousands of residents on Samoa’s two main islands, Upolu
and Savai’i, will benefit directly from this investment.
“Safe, reliable and resilient roads are critical to our na-
tion’s economic development, connecting people, facilitating
the rapid movement of goods, and enabling people to access
vital services,” said Minister of Finance Sili Epa Tuioti in a
statement by the World Bank. “The Government of Samoa
has been working with the World Bank on improving our
road network through multiple projects for more than a
decade, and we are pleased to see this partnership continue.”
The Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project is the first
in a series under the Pacific Climate Resilient Transport Pro-
gramme that focuses on building resilience in infrastructure
and institutions through four components: uncommitted project funds to rapidly fund urgent post-
• Technical assistance to improve the way that climate disaster rehabilitation or reconstruction needs in the
change is factored into road development, including event of a major natural disaster.
through better asset management and planning systems “Samoa’s transport network is highly vulnerable to vari-
• Infrastructure investments to improve the climate re- ous factors including sea level-rise, storm surges, flooding
silience of the West Coast Road between Malua and and landslides, largely due to its proximity to the coastline,”
Faleolo, and slope protection and stabilisation and drain- said Michel Kerf, Country Director for Papua New Guinea
age on the East Coast Road to reduce landslip and rock and the Pacific Islands in the statement.
fall hazards. Further works will include the replacement “This project will build on the works and lessons learned
of the Afega Bridge and the Lano Ford Crossing, and a under the World Bank-funded Enhanced Road Access
study into potential future upgrades of Alafa’alava Road Project, which has successfully rehabilitated Vaitele Street
• Institutional and regulatory reforms for road sector asset and rebuilt Leone Bridge to climate resilient standards.”
management and maintenance, including measures to The Samoa Climate Resilient Transport Project is funded
strengthen local capacity and to increase the sustain- through a US$35.75 million grant from the International
ability of climate resilient road investments Development Association, the World Bank’s fund for the
• A provision for the Government of Samoa to redirect world’s most in-need countries. (Samoa Observer)

Futuna rejects seabed exploration and goods safer and more efficient. The project will also help
MATA’UTU, Futuna - The kingdoms on the French Pacific develop Tuvalu’s transport, fishery, and tourism sectors. “Im-
island of Futuna have ruled out allowing any work related proving connectivity and maritime safety between the outer
to seabed mining in their waters, saying their stance is final. islands and the main island of Funafuti is critical to expand
The rejection of any further exploration of the seabed was access to essential services and drive economic growth,” said
expressed at a meeting in Futuna with French delegates sent to ADB Pacific Department Director for Transport, Energy, and
explain the potential of mining rare earths. The king of Sigave Natural Resources Olly Norojono. “Climate resilience is being
as well as a leader of the kingdom of Alo told local television incorporated in project design and operations.”
that any discussion about land matters had to be held with
the customary leadership and not with the assembly of Wal- Online taxation services for businesses
lis and Futuna. They said they had seen the negative impact HONIARA, Solomon Islands - Businesses here will be able to
of activities in French Polynesia and didn’t want a repeat of file their tax returns electronically through a new web-based
them in Wallis and Futuna. At the beginning of this decade platform launched by the Inland Revenue Division, Solomon
French teams carried out three exploratory missions in the Islands (IRD). Businesses must register for an IRD online ac-
territory’s waters without consulting the local kings who are count and use their allocated IDs to electronically file Goods
officially recognised by the French republic and on its payroll. Tax, Sales Tax and PAYE. The upgraded system also has a
The traditional leaders’ view of what comprises their domain number of e-payments options, such as internet banking and
clashes with the law which grants France the control of its EFTPOS for businesses to pay their tax obligations. IRD says
exclusive economic zone. that they are also looking into the possibility of extending digi-
tal payments to mobile and app-based services in future. IRD
ADB approves support for Tuvalu maritime announced that these new services are the first of two phases
FUNAFUTI, Tuvalu - The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) in its goal to modernise Solomon Islands taxation system.
Board of Directors has approved a US$15.4 million grant
as additional financing for the ongoing Tuvalu Outer Island US demand drives Heilala Vanilla expansion
Maritime Infrastructure Project. The overall project, which NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga - Heilala Vanilla is expanding its opera-
is focused on the construction of small-scale maritime port tions in Tonga to meet increasing international demand for
facilities in the outer islands, will make the transfer of people its vanilla. Heilala Vanilla has developed and built vanilla

34 Islands Business, September 2018