Pacific news in brief for April 5

Tonga/China – policing

Tonga’s Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni says his government is open to recieving policing assistance from China.

The PM met with officials from China’s Ministry of Public Security in Nuku’alofa on Wednesday to discuss security needs ahead of the Pacific Islands forum to be held in Tonga later this year.

It sparked unease in Canberra, with opposition MP Simon Birmingham expressing concern over Beijing’s influence.

Hu’akavameiliku told journalists on Thursday that Beijing had offered to provide equipment.

Fiji – rights

Fiji has seen its highest improvement in political and civil rights in six years.

This comes as Washington-based Freedom House ranked Fiji as ‘partly free’, with a Global Freedom Score of 66 out of 100.

The report stated the repressive climate that followed the 2006 coup has eased, with three democratic elections held to date.

It also attributed the peaceful transfer of power, following the 2022 election which marked the end of a 16-year rule by coup leader Frank Bainimarama, as a step in the right direction.

The report found political rights and civil liberties deteriorated in 52 countries, with only 20 per cent of the world’s population living in countries considered “free,” while a majority of people live in “partly free” (42 per cent) or “not free” (38 per cent) countries.

Cook Islands – appeal

Former Cook Islands National Environment Service director Nga Puna is appealing his fraud case.

Puna was sentenced to five years in prison last month in the Cook Islands High Court, alongside his wife Diane Charlie-Puna, who was the former secretary of Infrastructure Cook Islands, and former deputy prime minister, Robert Tapaitau.

The trio were convicted of taking NZ$70,000 in public funds between April 2019 and March 2021.

Puna’s lawyer Lavi Rokoika said she will file the appeal notice by 14 April.

Papua New Guinea – fisheries

Papua New Guinea’s National Fisheries Authority (NFA) is planning a major transformation to make the sector more competitive and diverse.

The Post Courier reports the NFA wants to increase exports of crab, prawn, lobster, reef fish and seaweed.

The NFA managing director Justin Ilakini said they also want to grow the tuna fishery by increasing tuna landings, establishing new processing plants and investing in cold storage facilities to support exports.

Ilakini said this will drive economic growth and ensure food security.

Papua New Guinea /India – elections

Papua New Guinea has been invited to visit India and observe its biometric voting system at work.

India’s high commissioner to PNG Inbasekar Sundaramurthi met with PNG’s administrative services minister Richard Masere on Wednesday and invited him to witness India’s elections to see if it is something PNG was interested in using, The National newspaper repoter.

Sundaramurthi said India wants to help PNG implement a free and fair electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections.

India’s National election has been set down for 19 April to 2 June.

It will take over six weeks and is to be carried out in seven phases to accommodate the 917-million eligible voters.

“There are a lot of processes involved, but we want to help you to do the same here in PNG, so that your 2027 elections can be free and fair,” Sundaramurthi said.

Northern Marianas – recycling

A lawmaker from Rota in the Northern Marianas wants excise taxes on foreign bottled products to be increased in an effort to curb waste.

On top of that, representative Julie Ogo’s bill proposes the establishment of incentives for local bottling companies to develop and implement recycling programmes.

Coupled with higher taxes on foreign bottled products, she said empowering companies to take proactive measures to address environmental concerns would spur the promotion of sustainability across the local bottling industry, and reduce the environmental footprint of the bottling industry.

Ogo is confident the proposed legislation would not only benefit local businesses but also contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations.

She urged her colleagues to support the bill and emphasised the importance of bipartisan cooperation.

Northern Marianas – power

The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation board of directors is concerned about the potential impact of the federally funded ‘Solar for All’ programme on the local power grid.

Board chair Simon Sanchez told the Marianas Variety a federally funded renewable energy program is being developed.

He said the board supports the use of renewable energy both at an individual or at a utility scale, but there is a long list of concerns on the ‘Solar for All’ programme.

This includes off-grid individuals getting power, if there is a sustained period where solar panels and batteries are not able to recharge.

Vanuatu – casino

The owners of Vanuatu’s Iririki Island Resort, in Port Vila harbour, have shut down the casino that was part of the complex.

The Vanuatu Daily Post quotes Brendon and Mark Deeley saying having fewer casinos will benefit the people of Vanuatu.

“Casinos are terrible, terrible things that destroy people’s lives,” Brendon Deeley said.

The brothers plan to turn the resort into a convention centre that will attract people from across the Pacific.

The casino closure has cost jobs, but Brendon Deeley told the newspaper the new convention centre would eventually mean more employment.

NZ Pasifika – covid

Maori and Pasifika people are being warned by Health New Zealand to consider the ongoing risks of Covid-19 following a spike in cases.

There were 3399 new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand in the week to Tuesday.

Of the new cases, 2068 were re-infections.

A recent study by epidemiologists suggest profound health-equity implications for Māori and Pacific people, as well as people with disabilities or underlying chronic conditions.

Experts say Long Covid is still concerning, with teachers being the most vulnerable occupation to getting Long Covid, which can still affect people years after catching the virus.