Pacific Magazine > Magazine > March 1, 2007

Government Briefs

Government Briefs

Region
Statistics New Zealand says that a national census last year by the government reveals that the number of Pacific Islanders in New Zealand has increased by nearly 15 percent. The total Pacific population is now 265,000 or 6.6 percent of the New Zealand population. Almost half of the 265,000 people are Samoan with nearly 70 percent of the Pacific population concentrated in Auckland. The next most represented Pacific communities are Cook Island and Tongan.

Federated States of Micronesia
Sebastian L. Anefal is the new governor for the state of Yap with   Tony Tareq as his lieutenant governor. Anefal was inaugurated on January 8. He has worked with the FSM government since 1995 in a variety of senior posts, including most recently as Secretary of External Affairs. The Yap Legislature also inaugurated a changeover of leadership including Speaker Charles S. Chieng, Vice Speaker  Sabino Sauchomal and Floor Leader John Mooteb. 

Guam 
On December 12, a Guam grand jury indicted  Anthony P. Sanchez, a top aide to Gov. Felix Camacho, and California attorney Howard Hills on charges related to the payment of $324,000 to disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The indictment alleges that in 2002, while Sanchez was administrative director for the Superior Court of Guam, he wrote 36 checks for $9,000 each to Hills which were funneled to Abramoff in order to block federal legislation (since enacted) which would subordinate the Superior Court to the Supreme Court of Guam. The indictment was one of the last actions of outgoing Attorney General Douglas Moylan.

Members of the Federated States of Micronesia national police force stand in formation as their boat, the FSS Micronesia, cruises across Apra Harbor, Guam on December 6. The boat, along with the PSS President H. I. Remeliik from the Republic of Palau, was in Guam for four days of joint exercises with the US Coast Guard Sector Guam as part of Exercise Sea Guardian. PHOTO: FRANK WHITMAN

U.S. Coast Guard  Sector Guam hosted Exercise Sea Guardian from December 6 to 10 during which members of the Federated States of Micronesia national police force and the Palau national police force trained in Guam. Participants were the crews of the PSS President H. I. Remeliik from the Republic of Palau and the FSS Micronesia from the FSM. The maritime patrol boats were given to the two nations—and 20 other Pacific Island countries—by Australia to increase maritime surveillance throughout the region. It was the first time the two boats had been to Guam.
American Samoa
A measure pending in the Senate seeks to impose a 10-cent tax on imported bottled water with the money earmarked for the  2008 Pacific Arts Festival. The bill calls for a 10 cent tax “per 500 fluid milliliters or fraction thereof on all bottled water to be applied to the measure of the container in which it is offered for sale by the importer.” The government estimates it will cost about $6 million to host next year’s Arts Festival. The bill states that funding for the festival shall terminate on December 31, 2008 and thereafter all taxes collected on water will be allocated to other government services.

Governor Togiola Tulafono has asked the Fono to approval the $20 million bond bill to fund critical infrastructure projects in American Samoa. Under the proposal, 19 projects are to be funded with the bond bill, which includes harbor dredging work, renovations of several government offices, an airport hangar, a seawall project and a new legislative building. The bond is to be guaranteed by the ASG Employees Retirement Fund.

Samoa
Government’s Police Powers Bill 2006   has run into opposition from the public, delaying passage. The new bill gives Samoa’s police powers to “carry and discharge firearms, explosives and dangerous weapons” where necessary. The bill also gives similar powers to a visiting contingent raising fears that it may open the way for outside armed intervention in Samoan affairs in the future. Opponents say the measures are against the spirit of Samoa’s constitution which has no provision for a standing army. Government claims the bill merely formalizes existing arrangements where the police carry firearms when required to deal with armed offenders.

Papua New Guinea
The government has struck a deal with its national doctors after the medical officers threatened to walk off their jobs. Health Minister Sir  Peter Barter said the doctors called off a planned strike after the Health Department agreed to improve their accommodation, review all acting positions, and restructure acting positions to enable doctors to be contracted to their substantive positions. Before the brokered deal, newly graduated doctors joined their senior colleagues on a same salary level that often put them on par with a chief physician, surgeon, pediatrician or gynecologist.

Fiji’s interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, after he was installed by the military that overthrew Prime Minister   Laisenia Qarase’s government in December, has suggested the country’s national budget for this year that was approved by Parliament will need a total revamp. The most controversial part of the budget was the increase in value-added tax for goods and services from 12.5 percent to 15 percent, which the military froze after it seized power. Last year, Chaudhry had been vehemently opposed to the budget saying it would make the poor suffer the most.

Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands government will spend SBD$2.6 million (US$340,300) on the salaries and allowances of 17 political appointees recruited by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. This money is being sought in the 2007 budget, which went before parliament in February. Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition Fred Fono has objected to $2.6 million going to people who he says do not have the right qualification and experience. Fono says each political appointee will be getting between SDB$80,000 and SBD$100,000 in salaries and other allowances—more than most qualified people working as lawyers, doctors and administrators in the government.

Contributors: Peter Rees, Giff Johnson, Samantha Magick, Frank Whitman, Fili Sagapolutele, Afamasaga Toleafoa, Alex Rheeney, Ricardo Morris and Alison Ofotalau.