Government Briefs

Pacific

The U.S. State Department's annual Human Rights report released in February gives most of the Pacific Islands the thumbs up, with the exception of Tonga, Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The human rights report criticizes PNG police for committing arbitrary killings and using excessive force; ongoing assaults in Fiji on Indo-Fijians, restrictions on freedom of assembly and violence and discrimination against women; Tonga's poor human rights record, and recent attacks on freedom of press and speech; and Vanuatu's poor prison conditions, slow judicial process and continuing violence and discrimination against women.

-GJ

Nauru and the Cook Islands are still on the Financial Action Task Force's international money laundering blacklist along with five other remaining "Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories." The Cook Islands Parliament last year passed legislation tightening financial laws and the Nauru Parliament passed an anti-money laundering act and a new law shutting down its off-shore banks on the very day FATF met in France in late February. But despite these actions they remain on the blacklist.

-GJ

Papua New Guinea

The Asian Development Bank has earmarked about US$100 million in loans to Papua New Guinea over the next three years, according to the Country Strategy and Program (CSP) issued in late February. The planned lending program will support projects to develop better transport links-by road and water-health sector reforms, agriculture and rural development, and literacy programs. Since Papua New Guinea joined ADB in 1971, it has received 56 loans totaling $849 million through 2003, as well as 123 TA projects totaling $42.9 million.

-GJ

Kiribati

The Kiribati Copra Society exported 4,000 tons of copra in late February to Australia, its first export for the year. In previous years, the Society's maximum export level was 2,000 tons. But this year is exceptional, with increasing copra production from the outer islands as a result of an incentive price of A60 cents a kilo offered by the new government of President Anote Tong. This subsidized price is well above the world market price for copra that has been hovering in the US10-13 cents per pound range.

-BB

Marshall Islands

The revision of the Marshall Islands Asian Development Bank country strategy is taking a huge departure from the past. Normally, decisions about funding plans have been made between high officials of the government and ADB. For the first time, all heads of ministries and agencies as well as non-governmental organizations participated in the process to develop recommendations for Cabinet and the ADB-a process that was reported on by the media. "This can improve government services, increase transparency and accountability and insure that we're helping the real needs of the country," ADB consultant Tim O'Meara says.

-GJ

FSM

In an effort to boost opportunities for local craftsman and businesses, the Kosrae Visitors Bureau sponsored the first Kosrae Street Market. The event showcased local dance troupes, singing groups and musicians and a wide range of vendors sold their wares, from artisans to bakers to vegetable farmers, fishers and hotel and restaurant owners. The event coincided with the arrival of Bosei Maru, a 1,777-ton cruising research vessel from Tokai University in Japan that acts as a live-aboard School of Marine Science and Technology traversing the Pacific each year in February and March.

-OW

Palau

Head butting between President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. and Palau's National Congress continues over what one local newspaper is "Con Con." Remengesau has long asked the congress to approve legislation requiring presidential and vice-presidential candidates to run on one ticket, restructuring congress as one body and allowing Palauans dual citizenship. The matter remains unresolved. Remengesau commenced a people's initiative to address the issue; the congress countered by calling for a constitutional convention. Remengesau attempted mediation-advising congress of the expense of a constitutional convention, of its divisiveness and inherent dangers to the constitution. Nonetheless, in this year of elections, Con Con continues.

-NC

Guam

In U.S. District Court, Gil Shinohara, who held several high offices including chief of staff and director of the Department of Public Works in the administration of former Governor Carl Gutierrez, was indicted on February 18 on charges stemming from several different incidents. Shinohara is accused of defrauding the Bank of Guam when he and others obtained a loan to purchase, and then repair and renovate, the Pedro's Plaza office building in Hagatna in 1998, but diverted $300,000 to personal accounts. He also is alleged to have improperly awarded a contract funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the replacement of bus shelters damaged during Supertyphoon Paka in 1997 to former gubernatorial candidate and Senator Tommy Tanaka. Tanaka has already pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the case. Shinohara is widely considered to have been the most influential member of Gutierrez's administration. Former Senator Willy Flores is an unindicted co-conspirator in the Pedro's Plaza case and, as a result, resigned his position as chairman of Guam's Democratic Party. On February 20, in the Superior Court of Guam former Department of Education Director Rosie Tainatongo was indicted. She and two current DOE employees are accused of using $5,000 of department money for the Liberation Day Queen candidacy of one co-defendant's stepdaughter. The Liberation Day Queen is chosen on the basis of the total of funds she raises through raffle ticket sales.

-FW

Six B-52 bombers began arriving at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam on February 23. Though based in South Dakota, there will be an ongoing rotation of bombers to Andersen. Accompanying the bombers are about 300 support personnel. Business leaders and politicians have been lobbying for a buildup in the military presence in Guam because of the presumed positive impact on the local economy.

-FW

The Guam Legislature passed a bill setting new terms for the sale of the government-owned Guam Telephone Authority. Lieutenant Governor Kaleo Moylan quickly signed the bill into law in his capacity as acting governor. As requested by GTA management and Governor Felix Camacho though with some modification, the law reduces the minimum purchase price, increases the length of leases for GTA land and decreases the length of time current GTA employees will be protected from forced layoffs. Contrary to the administration's proposal, the legislature retained the authority to approve or reject any sale within 60 days after it is submitted to the legislature.

-FW

CNMI

Department of Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Thomas B. Pangelinan resigned from his post February 17 in a dispute with Governor Juan N. Babauta over government farm plot leases in Kagman. Pangelinan terminated the lease of one farmer, threatened to reduce the sizes of other farm plots, and put up yellow tape banning other farmers and employees from entering. Babauta ordered Pangelinan to stop termination actions and remove the yellow tape. Following a meeting, both agreed that due process be given the farmers before further action is taken. But Pangelinan resigned four days later. The farmers quickly moved back to their plots.

-FR

Hours before a second public hearing was to be held on the controversial Sugar Dock ferry project, the Commonwealth Ports Authority (CPA) withdrew its application from Coastal Resources Management forcing the cancellation of the hearing January 27. CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas said public opposition and review of other potential sites to launch the ferry factored in their decision to cancel the project. The "Save Sugar Dock" movement claimed victory for their effort in opposing the project, and maintaining it for family picnics and fishermen.

-FR

Lieutenant Governor Diego T. Benavente and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior David B. Cohen initialed an agreement on February 9 to provide long-term financial assistance to the Northern Mariana Islands. The agreement could provide up to $13 million per year for the next six years for capital improvements and will continue financial assistance indefinitely or until the U.S. Congress chooses to terminate it. The Department of Interior and the Office of Management and Budget must still approve the agreement before it is submitted to the U.S. Congress for approval.

-FR

Fiji

The Ministry of Health reports that100 people died by suicide in Fiji in 2003, with another 90 attempting suicide. The Ministry highlighted that suicide is most common in the Indo-Fijian community. The report revealed that Indo-Fijians on average were five times more likely to attempt or complete suicide than their Fijians, Fijivillage.com reported. In 1998, there were 174 complete and attempted suicides reported, while by 2002 the figure reached 230. However, they say this was an understatement as many cases were unreported.

-GJ

Tonga

Tonga's former court jester has agreed to pay $1 million to settle a legal dispute with Tonga, reported Agence France Presse. The island nation has for almost two years accused the king's former jester-American Jesse Bogdonoff-of mismanaging a $26 million trust fund. The out of court settlement requires neither side to admit any liability. Tonga claimed that Bogdonoff cheated King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV and his government out of the money the country made from selling citizenship to Hong Kong Chinese people ahead of the 1997 handover of the former British colony to Chinese rule. About $20 million of the fund's money allegedly evaporated after Bogdonoff invested it in life assurance for the terminally ill through a U.S corporation called Millennium Asset Management. This firm went bankrupt in 2002, with Tonga accusing both Bogdonoff and the company of siphoning off cash in bogus fees and commissions.

-GJ

Contributors: Giff Johnson, Batiri Bataua, Olivier Wortel, Nancy Chism, Frank Whitman and Frank Rosario.