Pacific Notes
Pacific Notes
Taiwan Promises
$50 M Trust Fund Donation
The Marshall Islands government’s newly established national trust fund will get a major boost from the Republic of China in 2002, when it is expected to inject $50 million into the fund. As significant as this Taiwan contribution will be to the Marshall Islands, it is only one facet of a broad program of economic development assistance that the Taiwan government has provided since the two countries established diplomatic ties in late 1998.
ROC Ambassador Gary Song-huann Lin made the trust fund announcement to the Majuro Chamber of Commerce in August as part of a speech outlining the extent Taiwan’s development support. Although Marshall Islands officials had announced the trust fund contribution in early 1999, Taiwan had not publicly confirmed its intention to make the $50 million contribution before. Lin’s comments followed the introduction in August of the Marshall Islands government’s fiscal year 2002 budget, which includes a $14.5 million investment in the fledgling trust fund — the first significant injection of capital to the new fund by the Marshall Islands itself.
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Lin said that since 1998, Taiwan has brought in four agricultural specialists to run an agriculture mission, providing training and technical advice to Marshallese, provided $3 million annually as budget support to the government, and spent $7 million annually for priority development grants identified by the government. Lin listed numerous projects that Taiwan’s development assistance have supported, ranging from school renovations to road paving to key infrastructure, including an oil refinery to process coconut oil, a power plant on an outer atoll, cargo ships, fire stations, and paving of outer island runways. “We commit ourselves to respect to Marshallese democratic institutions,” he said. “We respect efficiency, clean government and democratic rule.”
New Life for Niue?
Tiny Niue, which has struggled for decades with the problems of population decline, lack of resources and erratic regional transport connections, may have found itself a(nother) savior. This is publican Reg Newcombe, owner of the Civic Tavern in Auckland, New Zealand. Newcombe is about to lease and manage Niue’s only two hotels, Matavai Resort and the perennially troubled Niue Hotel.
Niue’s air services have depended at various times on Polynesian Airlines, Air Nauru, Air New Zealand and Royal Tongan Airlines, all of which have let it down at some point. Among the many ironies afflicting the country is that as its unusual tourism potential becomes better known, its air services appear to become less reliable.
Now, Newcombe, along with two of his South Pacific Hotel Management Ltd director colleagues, is implying that services may improve. He referred to the island’s need for its facilities — accommodation and transport — to be in top shape for the forthcoming celebrations in October, when the small, single-island country will celebrate a century of association with adopted parent New Zealand. Niue is one of the very few countries that declare a public holiday on both “annexation day” (the NZ takeover in 1901) and “constitution day” (self-government in 1974).
This is likely to be the most important party since October 1984, when Niue celebrated a decade of ‘free association’ with New Zealand, and had to enlist an elderly English tourist as representative of Great Britain, since there was no-one else available better suited to the occasion.
The “discovery” of Niue as one of the Pacific’s growing number of “best kept secrets” has been taking place for some time – in fact, every time a party of travel agents from New Zealand or Australia gets a familiarization tour. Predictably, tourism is seen as Niue’s main, if not only, hope of economic salvation. But it’s no secret that successful tourism depends on reliable transport, and this is something Niue, its government and its present population of about 2,000 have been praying for for a long time. Is the Auckland publican’s confidence in the future of the place going to be matched by one of the regional carriers?
Smokin Wheels
Return to Guam
Following a five year hiatus, the “Smokin’ Wheels” competition featuring off-road moto-cross cycling events as well a off-island competitors in the Pro-Stock off road truck class returned to Guam August 4 and 5 at the brand new Calvo memorial off-road track that is part of the still under-construction Guam International Raceway.
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Sen. Larry Kasperbauer wrote the legislation that brought the project to fruition by offering gross receipt tax rebates for companies donating materials, services and donations. “Guam has long needed a facility that would provide a venue for family entertainment, promote road safety and be a catalyst for business and economic development and expand our visitor industry base,” he said. President of the Guam Racing Federation and long time racing enthusiast Henry Simpson worked with Kasperbauer to figure out a way to get the project moving without tapping the local treasury first. Later, a drag strip will be built in two stages so drag racing can get under way while the park is still being built. Local architectural company Duenas & Associated drew up the plans. Dick Pacific, Hawaiian Rock, and Perez Bros., Inc. have been contracted to do the bulk of the work, Simpson said. The whole project Simpson hopes will be complete by 2006.
A. Samoan Says ‘Give My Relative Back’
An American Samoa man, Joseph P. Siofele, believes that the 9,300-year-old remains of “Kennewick Man” in the state of Washington are those of an ancient Polynesian and he wants them returned to their place of peaceful rest, in the Manu’a Islands. Siofele, who now resides in Moreno Valley, Calif., claimed in federal court documents that he is the descendant of the man whose 9,300-year-old remains have been labeled as “Kennewick Man.” Two college students found Kennewick Man’s remains in July 1996 at the bank of the Columbia River at Kennewick, Wash.. The bones also bear a stone spear point in the pelvis.
Siofele’s motion in a Portland, Oregon federal court seeks to be an intervenor in the legal battle between scientists who want to study the remains and Native Indian tribes who want the bones reburied. Siofele, 65, claims in the motion that he is “a direct descendant of Tuimanu’a (the King in the region),” and Manu’a “was the destination of the long prehistoric journey that started in northern Europe and Asia by few families who traveled eastward to Alaska, then southward to Washington (state), then to Oregon, in which the ‘Kennewick Man’ was a kinsman” (of Siofele).
Siofele says that he “is simply a relative who wants the best for his kinsman by returning his remains to where his family before and after him, rest in peace” in Manu’a.
Samoa News Sold to Local Buyer
American Samoa’s daily newspaper the Samoa News changed ownership in September, as former publisher Lewis Wolman and his wife, Eletise, agreed to a sale deal in August. The Samoa News was established in the mid-1960s as a weekly newspaper and grew to become a daily publication with a circulation of 4,500. Wolman told the approximately 20 staff in a memo that several years ago, he and his wife decided that they were willing to sell the newspaper if they could find the right buyer. “We have now found the right buyer and have agreed to sell the newspaper to Rhonda and her Annesley family,”
said Wolman.
Rhonda Annesley was the company’s general manager. Wolman said in an interview that “the Annesley family has proven their commitment to the community not only as business people but leaders in our society.” He noted also that Rhonda Annesley has worked in the company for more than five years and learned every aspect of the Samoa News. “It’s important to me that whoever takes over can do the job well, and doesn’t just buy the business because they have the money,” said Wolman. “The newspaper must be able to withstand pressure from every side, including politics.”
In 1990 the newspaper went from three issues a week to a daily, Monday through Friday paper and early this year, the newspaper added a Saturday edition. Wolman said he is proud of what he has accomplished over the years at the paper and said it was time for a change. “I have lost passion for building up the company and it’s time for someone else to step in,” said Wolman.
Photo: Eric Say
