Briefs
Government
Kosrae
Globalization is killing island languages. This according to noted author, linguist, and professor at the Shonan Institute of Technology, David Hough.
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To counter this, the FSM has mandated a language policy for the development of locally produced instructional materials and learning resources, and the establishment of local language commissions.
In Kosrae, Hough has been working with Alister Tolenoa, chief of instructional services at the Department of Education, on an ambitious three-year project that is aiming to preserve the language and culture of the island through modern means. The most recent development is a computer spelling game for grades preschool through six that features photos of traditional activities, and totally composed in the Kosraean language. The game has been immensely popular with teachers and students alike in initial pilot tests, says Tolenoa.
-OW
Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands government revenues dropped nearly 30 percent for the first three quarters of 2003 compared to the same period a year ago, according to a quarterly Bulletin of Statistics issued by the Economic Policy, Planning and Statistics Office in Majuro. Government tax, fish and ship license revenues from Oct. 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003 barely reached $19.3 million, a 28 percent drop from the $26.7 million collected from Oct. 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002. Fishing revenues plunged from nearly $2 million to just $170,000, while ship registry revenues were less than half ($250,000 compared to $594,474). Business gross revenue taxes were down by 42 percent.
-GJ
The biggest embezzlement trial in the history of the Marshall Islands took more than three weeks to complete, with a jury of three women and one man finding former College of the Marshall Islands comptroller Louiston Louis guilty of 64 of 98 counts of cheating and grand larceny. He was found guilty of stealing more than $393,000 (he had been charged with stealing $641,600) over a four year period. Sentencing is set for Aug. 20, though Louis' attorney David Lowe said he will file a motion for a mistrial before that date.
-GJ
Palau
There seems to be a three-way tug of war going on between President Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. and the two houses of the Palau legislature over the reinstatement of the so-called "sin taxes." Remengesau recently reached an agreement with the Senate to pass a supplemental appropriations measure that included the sin tax. The Senate did so, but with riders that were unacceptable to both the President and the House of Delegates. If passed, the sin tax is expected to increase revenues by $100,000 per month.
-NC
President Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. will push for a 2004 referendum on whether to allow Palauans living in the United States dual citizenship-if Congress fails to support his bill offering that benefit in its upcoming session. Dual citizenship would allow Palauans to take full advantage of state and federal programs in the United States and advance more freely through the ranks of the U.S. military. At home it would let those same Palauans continue to own and inherit land, a right reserved only for citizens.
-SR
American Samoa
The territorial government blames "collection shortfalls" in corporate and excise taxes, and lawmakers' failure to pass some of the Administration revenue bills, as the major causes for its General Fund's projected fiscal year 2003 $8.3 million deficit. Faced with the deficit, Governor Togiola Tulafono has implemented a hiring freeze on all government jobs funded by local revenues. The government's FY 2003 budget had originally projected $42 million in taxes would be raised but more recent projections indicate only $35 million, or less, will be raised.
-FS
The federal trial of four defendants who entered not guilty pleas in the American Family Life Assurance Company case is now set for August in the U.S. District Court in Honolulu. AFLAC defendants Tausiga Tolualii Ofoia, Ateliana Teo, Kilepoa Tuitama and Irata Finauga all pled not guilty at arraignments in June. Only Tuitama was released on a $50,000 secured bail. Four other defendants who pled guilty under separate plea agreements with prosecutors are Tagiilima Shimasaki Fruean, Anevili Semeatu, Iosefo Filipo Toilolo and Dr. Ivan Faofetai Tuliau. All eight local residents are charged with allegedly defrauding AFLAC out of more than $200,000 in a medical insurance scheme at the hospital.
-FS
Samoa
Samoa followed up on its newly acquired status as model economy in the region by holding what was hailed as the first corporate governance summit in the region. The summit was the first of two ideas approved by the Samoan government to help raise the performance of directors in both the private and public sectors in Samoa. The second idea was to establish an Institute of Directors to facilitate director development in the country especially in view of company and public bodies legislation recently passed that will, over the next five years, phase out public servants and politicians from government statutory bodies and corporations. The new legislation will also make directors and managers more accountable for the performance of the bodies they direct. The corporate governance summit was held on June 3-5.
-AT
Solomon Islands
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said that corruption in the Solomon Islands police force has been as responsible as criminal elements for the collapse of law and order in that country. He said that many weapons collected last year by NZ-appointed military armorers had been redistributed by corrupt senior members of the police and that it was mainly home-made weapons which had been destroyed. Goff said that between 700 and 800 high-powered weapons are still in the hands of people whose intent was criminal. "The police have been part of the problem," he says, "not the solution."
-ND
Nauru
Nauru's new government says it has terminated its off-shore banking operations, following a meeting with the Financial Action Task Force, an international body that has threatened Nauru with heavy penalties for continued operation of its off-shore banks. The tiny republic, the only country facing almost total sanctions because of its money-laundering operations, has claimed that it became involved in the schemes because of fast dwindling revenues from phosphate mining and the failure of other investments.
-ND
Region
Peacekeeping troops from Australia will leave Bougainville to make way for another part of the peace process in the long troubled island, part of PNG's North Solomons province. A combined military and civilian force, including personnel from New Zealand, Fiji and Vanuatu, has been stationed there since 1998 as part of the peace program. They will be replaced by a civilian team to help with the setting up of the province's new autonomous government, as soon as the United Nations expresses satisfaction with the progress of the weapons disposal program. However, provincial Governor John Momis has said that the national government of PNG failed to honor its commitment to the peace process by not providing promised funds.
-ND
FSM
Kosrae Governor Rensley Sigrah has released the first performance-based and financially diminished annual budget for the start of Compact II on Oct. 1. Total recommended expenditures for government operations in 2004 are $9.4 million, a 6 percent decrease from the current fiscal year. "I've had to forego essential requests," Sigrah says, revealing the direct negative impacts that the more "meager financial resources" of Compact II may have on local communities, with the municipal governments especially taking a hit "because we can no longer afford to place them in our budget."
-OW
Guam
The Supreme Court of Guam nullified a controversial contract between the government of Guam and Guam Resource Recovery Partners to build a waste-to-energy plant. The ruling came in response to an appeal of lower court ruling that upheld the contract.
-FW
Guam Governor Felix Camacho in late June asked the Supreme Court of Guam for the authority to borrow $246 million. Attorney General Douglas Moylan has refused to give his approval for the loan, contending the government of Guam has exceeded the debt limit set by the enabling federal law.
-FW
Fiji
The Fiji government aims to increase its ownership share in the Daily Post newspaper as part of an affirmative action blueprint for indigenous Fijians and Rotumans, reports the Daily Post. Information Minister Simione Kaitani said the move was part of the government's efforts to increase Fijian and Rotuman participation in business and to ensure "equitable" participation in the industry. "It's nothing new. We already have majority shares in Fiji Television through Yasana Holdings and now were venturing in the print media," says Kaitani.
-GJ
-Contributors: Olivier Wortel, Giff Johnson, Nancy Chism, Scott Radway, Fili Sagapolutele, Afamasaga Toleafoa, Norman Douglas, Frank Whitman
