Briefs
Government
Guam
U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visited Guam for about 18 hours on Nov. 13 and 14. Rumsfeld was accompanied on his 19-hour flight by Guam Congressional Delegate Madeleine Bordallo. On his arrival, Rumsfeld met with Gov. Felix Camacho for about 30 minutes and spent the rest of his visit touring Guam’s military facilities, meeting with local military leaders and holding a “Town Hall” meeting with military personnel on Andersen Air Force Base. Bordallo and Camacho lobbied for an increased military presence in Guam, seeking the home-porting of an aircraft carrier. More than once Rumsfeld acknowledged the continuing importance of Guam’s location and facilities to the U.S. defense strategy.
—FW
Palau
In November the Palau National Congress passed and submitted Palau’s first copyright law to President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. Some nations and performers planning to attend the 2004 Pacific Festival of Arts had expressed concern that their original artistic creations would have no protection and could be copied and sold without compensation or recourse. The new law is comprehensive and is good through the life of the author plus 50 years.
—NC
- ADVERTISEMENT -
Addressing the November Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders in Honolulu attended by President George W. Bush, Palau’s Pres. Tommy Remengesau, Jr. took the opportunity to ask Bush to expand the Coral Reef Task Force membership to the Freely Associated States. In his address to the conference, Bush emphasized “cooperation” and the U.S. intention to be an “equal partner and to find activities that are of mutual benefit to the U.S. and the Pacific region.”
—NC
Federated States of Micronesia
FSM Sen. Roosevelt D. Kansou, former Senators Simeon R. Inocenti and John Petewon, Kansou’s wife Memorina, James Fritz, John and Rosemary Engichy, Frank Darra, Frank Cholymay, EM-R, RIBC Aggregates Inc., Market Wholesale, K&I Enterprises Inc., and Solid Builders & Trading Services were all charged by the FSM attorney general for having “stolen, diverted to businesses owned by one or more of the defendants, improperly obligated or been the subject of conspiracy to improperly obligate” more than US$1.2 million in national government funds between 1998 and 2003.
—OW
American Samoa
An audit of the territorial government’s Department of Agriculture discovered a checking account set up outside the American Samoa government’s general fund in violation of local laws. The audit calls the account “illegal” and notes that it was set up in 1999 by the late Gov. Tauese P.F. Sunia for proceeds from sales of crop seeds, banana trees and agriculture chemicals to be deposited. The agriculture director is against closing this account despite the audit report. The audit recommends the termination of this account.
—FS
Solomon Islands
A key figure in the 2000 coup reappeared in court in Honiara in early December to face fresh charges. Policeman Manesseh Maelanga was detained in November on a series of charges including malicious damage, rape, being armed in public and intimidation. He is the most senior policeman to be arrested since the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands in July, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Opposing bail, the prosecutor in the case told the court that Maelanga had already attempted to interfere with witnesses and he feared there would be further attempts if he was released.
—ABC/PINA Nius Online
Vanuatu
For the second time in eight days in early December, opposition lawmakers in Vanuatu were forced to abandon plans for a vote of no confidence in the government of Prime Minister Edward Natapei. A scheduled no confidence vote never took place the first week of December when it became clear that opposition leader Serge Vohor did not have the numbers to topple the prime minister, according to Radio New Zealand International. The motions for the votes of no confidence came after Vohor’s party, the Union of Moderate Parties, was dumped from the government coalition. The government claimed that the UMP was not pulling its weight in the coalition and replaced it with the National United Party, the Greens and independents.
—RNZI/PINA NIUS Online
CNMI
The Commonwealth Ports Authority board announced at a Nov. 10 meeting that it would expand and renovate the arrival and departure areas of the Saipan International Airport to accommodate the increase in passenger and airline traffic. Executive Director Carlos H. Salas says CPA will earmark the more than US$5 million it receives annually from the Federal Aviation Administration under the entitlement program to fund the proposed renovation.
—FR
The Washington Representative says the funds came as a result of meetings, letters and phone calls to members and staff of the U.S. Congress.
—FR
Tuvalu
Representing the Tuvalu Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, Siuila Toloa and Robert Laupula visited Taiwan in early December on a fact-finding mission. The Taiwanese embassy in Funafuti had invited the pair to visit a number of organizations in Taiwan, including the Society of Wilderness, the Society for Wildlife and Nature and the National Sports Training Center. The trip was paid for by the Taiwanese government.
—GN
Samoa
Rural residents do not yet understand the potential of computers and government is installing infrastructure that will allow them access to information technology, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says. In a speech at the launching of the Samoa Information Technology Society in November, Tuilaepa said that access to information technology is crucial to the development of any country.
—FS
Contributors: Frank Whitman, Nancy Chism, Olivier Wortel, Fili Sagapolutele, Frank Rosario and Graham Norris
