Business Briefs

ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank has filed an application with the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to establish two mobile branches in American Samoa to serve banking needs of its customers, particularly in the areas surrounding the tuna canneries for two to three days a week. For the remainder of each week, they would be located in areas that are considered to best suit the banking needs of the eastern and western districts of Tutuila Island. -- FS

Samoa

Samoa is expected to have a second television network operating by the end of February. LAU Television is privately owned, headed by former Samoa Television CEO Leota Uelese Petaia. LAU Television will be leasing equipment and studio equipment from the worldwide religious service Graceland Broadcasting Network to begin with. It is also receiving technical and marketing advice from former Fiji TV technical staff. -- AT

Papua New Guinea

The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) has proposed it will only give joint marketing rights for 16 years of the PNG Gas Project's 30-year lifespan. The ACCC indicated in a statement it was concerned the project proponents sought authorization to apply for the life of the project to be extended to all future participants. The ACCC is not certain benefits will outweigh any potential anti-competitive detriment for a period as long as the life of the project, which would see the construction of a 3,000-kilometer gas pipeline to Australia. -- AR

American petroleum company Syntroleum is looking at advancing an experimental venture in alternative fuels in Papua New Guinea. The New York Times reported Syntroleum is among a number of global oil companies that are investing big money in technology that converts natural gas into clean-burning diesel. The U.S. company's action on the PNG project comes after it signed three agreements with the PNG government in November last year that could lead to the construction of a gas-to-liquids plant. -- AR

Papua New Guinea energy company Oil Search Limited (OSL) has struck it rich in its exploration ventures in Africa. The company's managing director Peter Botten advised the Port Moresby Stock Exchange that drilling at Nabrajah-9 well in the Republic of Yemen unveiled strong oil and gas results. Nabrajah-9 is the second well in the first phase of the Nabrajah basement appraisal/development program where OSL is working to determine the physical extent, reserves and likely production rate of the field. -- AR

Solomon Islands

Australian Levers Pacific Holdings Pty Ltd. is negotiating with the Solomon Islands government on the possible take over of Russell Islands Plantations Limited, (RIPEL). The company says it expects the total investment to exceed A$25 million. Managing Director Peter Caswell has expressed the intention to proceed with the plan to invest in a project to revitalize the coconut and cocoa industries in the Russell Islands in the Central province as well as Isabel and Guadalcanal provinces. The plan for the new ownership of RIEL is supported by the government, which wants to see a reopening of a major coconut and cocoa industry. -- AO

Guam

A year after privatizing, Guam's telephone service provider Guam Telephone Authority launched its new GSM mobile phone network and service on January 14. The new service represents one part of $25 million spent by the new company to upgrade its equipment and facilities. During the past year, the company began providing consumer Internet services, upgrading its fiber optic network and burying its aboveground telephone pedestals. -- FW

As a sign of growing confidence in Guam's economy, two Guam auto dealerships are investing in new sales centers. CarsPlus broke ground on a new $7 million showroom and sales headquarters on January 11. The new facility is located on 3.4 hectares and will include a 36,000 square meter building. In addition to new and used automobiles sold by CarsPlus, a sister company, CyclesPlus, will sell motorcycles at the new location. Another Guam auto dealership, Triple J Motors, is expected to open its new showroom and corporate offices in April. The $11 million facility is being built by Dick Pacific. -- FW

CNMI

David M. Sablan, a long-time business executive on Saipan, has been voted "2005 Business Person of the Year" by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce. Sablan's award came during the installation ceremony of the new officers of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce on January 10 at the Fiesta Resort & Spa. Sablan is currently the president of Century Insurance, Tours and Travel. In addition, Sablan holds high-ranking positions with numerous companies owned by Tan Holdings. The announcement was made by Jerry Tan, the 2003 recipient of the same award. -- FSR

For the second consecutive month-November and December 2005-the visitor arrivals to the Northern Marianas declined by a little over 19 percent as compared to the same period in 2004, according to statistics released by the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA). MVA attributed the two-month decline to the pullout of Japan Air Lines between Saipan and Japan and Continental Micronesia, between Saipan-Taipei and Saipan-Hong Kong. For November 2005, the total number of visitors was 35,267, a 19.65 percent decline as compared to November 2005. For December 2005, 38,353 visitors came to the Northern Marianas, compared to 47,817 for December 2004, a 19.79 percent decrease. -- FSR

Marshall Islands

The Marshalls Energy Company in mid-January closed a new fuel supply deal that ends a more than 14-year relationship with Mobil Oil Micronesia, based in Guam. During 2005, relations between MEC and Mobil deteriorated, with both companies finger-pointing over the inability to reach a new supply deal. The year ended with the Marshall Islands government accusing Mobil of "price gouging" and asking U.S. Interior Department Deputy Assistant Secretary David Cohen to investigate Mobil's negotiating tactics. In mid-January, just weeks before MEC's tank farm would have run out of diesel fuel to power the capital atoll, Bank of Guam approved an approximately $5 million loan that was backed by the Marshall Islands government. This allowed MEC to conclude a one-year supply deal with SK Networks of South Korea, and get delivery of a tanker of diesel before the end of January. -- GJ

Fiji

Shell Fiji Limited has begun looking for prospective buyers for its Fiji operations. Shell's parent company announced late last year it intended to sell off some of its Pacific operations because it considered the market small. Shell Fiji General Manager Peter Walsh said the process of searching for a buyer and negotiating the sale was expected to take at least 12 months. Walsh said Shell would still wants to supply products to the new owner. -- RM

The troubled Emperor Gold Mining Limited, which operates the Vatukoula Gold Mine, sacked a further 374 workers on Dec. 29. After talks with the miners' union, which had threatened strike action, the company agreed to recall 136 permanent employees who were on extended leave in mid-January. Emperor is Fiji's largest private employer with a workforce of 1,954 permanent employees. -- RM

Contributors: Fili Sagapolutele, Afamasaga Toleafoa, Alex Rheeney, Alison Ofotalau, Frank Whitman, Frank S. Rosario, Giff Johnson and Ricardo Morris.