Business Briefs
Business Briefs
October 2005
| French Polynesia
The Brasserie de Tahiti, which produces beer, bottled still water, fruit
juices and soft drinks, has been named the best business for 2005 in French
Polynesia. President Oscar Temaru presented the award to Jean-Pierre Fourcade
in recognition of Brasserie de Tahiti's activities, growth and participation
in the economic and social development of French Polynesia. - ADVERTISEMENT - Fiji Westpac has announced the start of the search for the 2005 Business Woman
of the Year in Fiji. Westpac Chief Manager David Evans says it is important
to celebrate the achievements of women in Fiji, as well as strengthen
the recognition of women high achievers in the corporate world. Past winners
include Gaetane Austin of Pure Fiji, and Caz Tebbutt-Dennis. Westpac is
holding similar competitions in Tonga and Vanuatu. American Samoa Hawaiian Airlines started offering in August a reduced airfare exclusively
for American Samoa residents needing medical care in Honolulu. The discount
fare saves travelers nearly $300 off regular airfares. Meanwhile, the
Honolulu-based carrier provided complimentary round-trip air transportation
between Honolulu and Pago Pago for a 14-member team of doctors and volunteers
on a goodwill mission in American Samoa in August. The Hawaii-based team
from the TzuChi Medical Foundation provided free medical services to nearly
800 patients. Mobil Oil Australia and BP Southwest Pacific Ltd. will pay more than
$90,000 in penalties and spend over $246,000 to purchase equipment for
the LBJ Medical Center for alleged violations of the federal gasoline
additive regulations in American Samoa. A settlement agreement was reached
between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the two oil companies
in August as a result of an investigation requested in 2002 by Congressman
Faleomavaega Eni. Samoa The Samoa National Provident Fund (NPF) has awarded the contract for
management of its new desiccated coconut factory to Samoa Niu Products,
a newly formed local management company. The US$2 million Desicco Samoa
Ltd. plant at the Vaitele industrial zone was commissioned after failure
of the original plant to meet export standards. The desiccated coconut
factory was originally a joint venture between the Samoa NPF and Sri Lankan
interests. Samoa Tel, Samoa's government-owned telecommunications services provider,
has been asked by local land owners to remove a telecommunications tower
it built on what turned out to be a historic site on the island of Manono.
Samoa Tel CEO Mike Johnstone says Samoa Tel had not been told of this
when negotiating the lease for the land, but adds the company is considering
other options. The star-shaped rock platform site is one of about 50 such
man-made constructions around the country, relics of earlier human settlement.
Solomon Islands Japanese company Sumitomo Metal Mining Company Ltd. (SMM) has expressed
interest in undertaking nickel and cobalt mining operations in Isabel
Province, Solomon Islands. Representatives of the company visited Santa
Isabel Island along with senior officials from the Department of Mines
and Minister of Mines and Energy Basil Manelegua. SMM received Foreign
Investment Board approval in 2004, and has received a letter of intent,
paving the way for a prospecting license to be issued. Cook Islands Five Taiwanese fishing boats on charter to the Cook Islands have pulled
out of operations after less than a year due to exorbitant fuel costs.
Head of Ministry of Marine Resources Ian Bertram is concerned that the
Taiwanese fishing boats won't be the last to cease operation due to fuel
costs. Local fishing boats are continuing to struggle.
The revised controversial Unit Titles Bill has received overwhelming
support from landowners, a far cry from its early days. The bill aims
to encourage investment in the Cook Islands. It gives unit titles to anyone
owning a portion of a building without leasing the land. The initial bill
was designed only for land earmarked by New Zealand-based hotel developer
Tim Tepaki to build major hotels, including a Hilton. However, a special
parliamentary select committee was formed to carry out public consultations
on the bill after a public outcry. The revised bill now applies to all
land. CNMI
Masaki Erikawa is the winner of the "See My Marianas-Diving Photo Contest
2005" with this shot entitled "Rota Hole." The Marianas Visitors Bureau
organized the contest to entice more divers to visit the Marianas. 167
photos in three categories were submitted to the MVA office in Japan during
the campaign. The MVA says 12 to 15 percent of total visitors from Japan
choose to visit the Marianas for diving purposes. Meanwhile, visitor arrivals
in July declined by 2.8 percent overall, according to the MVA. The drop
was blamed on the decline of airline seats capacity. Visitors from Guam
and the U.S., however, increased by 71 percent compared to July last year,
due to the arrival of three U.S. military ships in July. The Commonwealth Ports Authority (CPA) is the recipient of a $250,000
matching grant from the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA), Department of
the Interior to fund a new incinerator at the Francisco C. Ada Saipan
International Airport. Guam Marianas Cablevision, of Guam and Saipan, filed notice that it is purchasing
EC Communications, a Guam-based internet service provider and long distance
telephone carrier in Guam and Saipan. EC Communications was formerly Startec/PCI
until 2003 when it was bought by Calvo Enterprises. Earlier this year,
Marianas Cablevision-a cable television carrier as well as an internet
service provider-was purchased from United Micronesia Development Association
by New York-based Seaport Capital. The acquisitions are another chapter
in the telecommunications shakeup that began in January when the Guam
Telephone Authority was privatized. The U.S. Navy awarded Global Food Services, a Guam-owned company, a $5.17
contract to provide morale, welfare and recreation services on naval bases
in Guam. Options in the contract could bring its value to $26.82 million
by 2010. Palau Palau's Small Business Development Center hosted a Women in Business
workshop in late August focusing on key issues for small business start
up: communications, finances, marketing and sales. Twenty local women
from various industries attended the one-day workshop led by Denise Mendiola,
SBDC representative from the University of Guam. Papua New Guinea The parliamentary public accounts committee has directed the government-owned
airline Air Niugini to pay its national pilots the same wages as their
expatriate colleagues. The committee chaired by MP John Hickey slammed
the airline for paying its expatriate pilots 20 percent more and for accommodating
them outside of PNG in Australian cities such as Cairns. Air Niugini has
returned to profitability in the last two years making a net profit after
tax of K31.3 million (US$9.7 million) in 2004. Kiribati The Kiribati government has approved licenses for 34 purse seiners from
the Taiwan Deep Sea Tuna Boat Exporters Association to fish in Kiribati's
waters. As part of the deal, the 34 Taiwanese boats will each employ two
I-Kiribati fishermen, offering a total of 68 new jobs. Contributors: TahitiPresse, Samantha Magick, Fili Sagapolutele, Afamasaga Toleafoa, Bruce Edwards, Frank S. Rosario, Ulamila Kurai Marrie, Frank Whitman, Blaire Phillips, Alex Rheeney and Batiri Bataua.
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