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| Be warned...Tonga
has raised penalties for drug smuggling. |
Tonga gets tough on drug smuggling
Tonga has raised the maximum penalty for drug smuggling to 30 years hard
labour and/or a fine of up to US$500,000, and the penalties for cultivating
or distributing illegal drugs up to a maximum of 25 years hard labour
and/or a maximum fine of US$340,000. Drugs busts, rumours and allegations
suggest that the country has been used as a transit point for the smuggling
of large quantities of narcotics to Australia and New Zealand.
Doubts over Somare's survival
Papua New Guinea's parliament was due to vote on a move to extend a government's
immunity from a no-confidence vote attack on it from 18 months to three
years. There is doubt about whether the present coalition government,
led by Sir Michael Somare, would survive such a vote after the expiry
of the present immunity next February. - ADVERTISEMENT -
Politicians blamed for economy
Rick Hou, governor of the Central Bank of the Solomon Islands, told a
November meeting of aid donors that the country's economy had been wrecked
by its rotten political structure. He didn't think the country could progress
unless political leaders at all levels of government had a vision for
their country. Hou said the country's political institutions were immature
and many cabinet ministers hadn't held not even community leadership positions.
Samoa grants Chinese visa on arrival
Samoa now grants visas on arrival to Chinese citizens visiting for up
to 30 days, or in transit. They previously needed an advance permit. In
October, the government signed an agreement with China for assistance
for the construction of an aquatic centre needed for the 2007 South Pacific
Games. Fiji bows to US pressure Fiji has joined the list of countries
that have bowed to American pressure to sign an agreement not to hand
over United States citizens to the International Criminal Court. The United
States claims its people would not get a fair trial by the court, which
foreign minister Kaliopate Tavola said Fiji was still committed to support.
As a reward, the United States said Fiji would get a number of advantages
including aid for the army. The United States wants Fiji to send troops
to Iraq, but says while it will equip them, it won't pay them.
Kipalan's election invalid
Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court in November ruled that the recent
parliamentary election of Sir Albert Kipalan as the next governor-general
is invalid. The anti-corruption Ombudsman's Commission went to court saying
that election procedures had been flawed. The court found that there were
defects in the nomination process since the parliamentary clerk had failed
to reject all nine nomination forms for the post because some MPs supported
more than one candidate, or tried to withdraw their support after nominations
were submitted. The court directed parliament to hold a fresh election.
Vakalalabure on assault charge Fiji's deputy parliamentary speaker, Ratu
Rakuita Vakalalabure, was charged with assault after an incident in which
a restaurant barman was punched during a dispute over a bill. Vakalalabure
is awaiting trial on a charge of taking an illegal oath during the 2000
coup. He's ignored calls to step down from office.
Judge condemns Manus as untenable
An Australian judge has condemned as "untenable" the detention
of a lone prisoner in the jail opened by Australia at Manus Island, Papua
New Guinea, for the imprisonment of people caught trying to smuggle themselves
in to Australia. Judge Peter Gray heard that since the last of 1000 detainees
had left, Aladdin Sisalen, 24, had been kept in the camp alone badly fed
and without medical care because the cook and medical staff had left.
Through a lawyer, Sisalen applied to be transferred to an immigration
jail Australia has in Nauru or one in Australia. They admitted that Australia
dumped Sisalen in Manus. The judge, who adjourned the case to December
8, was told that Australia's agreement with Papua New Guinea for the Manus
jail has been extended to October next year.
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