Briefs
People
Lori Cruz Hayden of Guam was awarded the gold medal in the lightweight division of the International Federation of Body Building's Women's World Amateur Championships. IFBB officials notified Hayden that Russian Alevtina Goroshinskaya, who had received the gold medal, was disqualified when she failed the drug test taken at the competition. The championships were held in Santa Susanna, Spain on Sept. 26-29.
-FW
Pacific Islanders in Communications announced the appointment of Jacqueline Arriola Marati to its Board of Directors. PIC is a non-profit media arts corporation based in Honolulu, Hawaii that supports the development of U.S. public television programming by and about Pacific Islanders. Marati is vice president and special assistant to the president of the Bank of Guam in Hagatna, Guam. Other PIC Board members from Guam include Sonny Ada of Ada's Trust and Investments, Inc. and Catherine Cruz, originally from Guam, currently a news reporter for KITV-4 in Honolulu.
-GJ
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In a drama-filled election, former Wapenamanda Member of Parliament Sir Pato Kakaraya is the new Governor General of Papua New Guinea. Sir Pato was elected the nation's eighth Governor General by Parliament in early December, beating fellow knights Sir Paulias Matane and Sir Albert Kipalan.
-GJ/The National
Thelma Ann Perez, former Guam Power Authority general manager, was indicted by a Superior Court of Guam grand jury on Nov. 20. She is charged with theft of services and official misconduct. Specifically, she is alleged to have directed the installation and use of about 2,400 streetlights on private property, presumably as political favors, at a cost to taxpayers of about US$700,000 per year. Perez is the latest of a number of officials in the administration of former Gov. Carl Gutierrez to face criminal charges during the past year.
-FW
The Saipan Chamber of Commerce elected a new set of officers for 2004 in a Nov. 5 meeting at Dai-Ichi Hotel. Alex A. Sablan of Saipan Shipping Company is the new president, replacing Jay B. Jones of Triple J Motors who became the new secretary. Richard A. Pierce, executive director of the Saipan Garment Manufacturing Association, is the vice president. Larry Knecht of Verizon remains the Treasurer. Swearing in for the new members will be held in early January 2004.
-FW
Ambassador William Hans Weiss of the Sovereign Order of Malta presented his diplomatic credentials to Marshall Islands Acting President Brenson Wase in a ceremony recently in Majuro. Fr. Francis X. Hezel, S.J., was also on hand to deliver a blessing for the ceremony. The Knights of Malta have provided over US$775,000 in medical aid to the three Pacific Island nations with whom they have diplomatic relations.
-GJ
National Federation Party candidate Charan Jeath Singh in early December filed suit in the Fiji high court against his opposing Labour Party candidate Mohammed Rafique as well as Labour leader Mahendra Chaudhry claiming that the party is defaming him, according to a report carried by Fiji Village/PINA Nius. The suit is objecting to what Singh says is Labour's distribution of leaflets alleging his involvement in the May 2000 coup, and also that he is "buying votes" for the mid-December by-election in Labasa.
-GJ
The tenure of National Development Bank of Palau President Tukana Bovoro expired in Oct. and a replacement is expected in early 2004. Under Bovoro, the faltering NDBP regained viability-most recently receiving a US$5 million loan from the U.S. Social Security Administration for housing and small business loans and awaiting finalization of a $5 million loan from International Commercial Bank of China.
-NC
New Marshall Islands High Court Associate Justice Richard Hickson was sworn in for duty by Chief Justice Carl Ingram in early December. Hickson is an Australian attorney who formerly worked in the Marshall Islands Attorney General's office until mid-2002, when he returned to work in the Australian Securities and Investment Commission in Perth and later Sydney. Taking over the Supreme Court Chief Justice post is Daniel Cadra, who was a High Court judge for four years in Majuro and a land court judge in Palau until last year. He replaces Allen Fields, who resigned recently after more than six years in the post.
-GJ
Palau Pres. Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. and Bilung Gloria Gibbons Salii were among those chosen to receive this year's Gusi Peace Awards in the Philippines. Remengesau was recognized for his efforts toward the protection and preservation of the environment. Salii was honored for her efforts toward the empowerment of women.
-NC
In the annual University of the South Pacific journalism awards, I-Kiribati student Akka Rimon won the Newsroom Tanoa Award for the journalism student of the year. Solomon Islander George Herming won the Radio Australia Prize and Storyboard Award for outstanding regional journalism. Joana Olsson, of Nauru, won the Communications Fiji Ltd. prize for best radio story.
-GJ
Contributors: Frank Whitman, Giff Johnson, Nancy Chism and Scott Radway
