Pacific People
Pacific People
Pacific People
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| Immanuel Mori | Alik L. Alik |
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—GJ
The Palau Senate now has all nine members with the swearing in of Hokkons Baules on May 15 that filled the vacancy left by the death of former Senate President Johnny Reklai in a fishing accident in March. The tumultuous Senate had been in stalemate with two factions of four members with no majority to determine the presiding officer or senate committee chairmanships. Baules was granted a pardon by President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. on April 3 for nine criminal convictions enabling him to run for the office in a special election in May. As Pacific Magazine went to press, Baules had yet to disclose which faction he would join. Meantime, the Senate is operating with unusual harmony under the current Senate President Surangel Whipps, Sr.
Palau’s Attorney General Jeffrey Beattie is leading the investigation into the collapse of Pacific Savings Bank last November. Beattie, a former associate high court justice of Palau, in late May filed three criminal charges of bank cheating against the bank’s former President Tim Taunton. Taunton is reportedly living in New Zealand and the AG has asked Chief Justice Arthur Ngiraklsong to issue an arrest warrant to launch extradition proceedings, as Palau does not have an extradition treaty with New Zealand.
—DM
The Tonga Tourist Association has a new executive, led by Peau Vava’u Airlines CEO, Fakatele Faletau. He is joined by Vice Presidents Saia Moehau of Black Pearl and Lavili Maka of Jones Travel and Tour. Le Club and GTI Marketing’s Kololiana O. Naufahu is the new secretary general and Cindy Soakai of Vaepopua Apartments is the treasurer. They face a tough task as Tonga, and in particular Nuku’alofa, rebuilds after last November’s riot.
Fiji national Jahir Khan has been appointed new Police Commissioner of the Solomon Islands. Khan was appointed to the position in May, amidst controversy that public service procedures were not followed. A tribunal is looking into the conduct of the Public Service Commission in Khan’s appointment. Khan, a former acting assistant police commissioner for operations in the Fiji police force, says his first priority will be to revamp the police. “I’ll make sure that discipline is upheld in the organization,” he says, adding: “I will look at the service and conditions of police officers. I understand police are the lowest paid people in Solomon Islands and I would like to see that their salaries are addressed by the government.”
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| Senator Hokkons Baules |
—DM
Papua New Guinea-based mining company, Highlands Pacific Limited has a new chief executive officer. The company, which currently operates the Kainantu and Ramu nickel mine in PNG, has appointed John Gooding as its CEO. Gooding, 52, previously held management positions with Normandy Mining, MIM, Xstrata, OK Tedi Mining and Roche Mining. Highlands Pacific board Chairman Bob Bryan said Gooding’s skills will be valuable to the company, especially at the Kainantu gold mine, which is experiencing production ramp-up problems.
—ARNorthern Marianas Governor Benigno R. Fitial has appointed retired three-star Marine Corps General Wallace “Chip” Gregson as his special advisor for military affairs. Gregson, is a 36-year Marine Corps veteran, will be working with the military task force set up to address the planned military buildup on Guam, with possible use of Tinian and Farallon De Medenilla islands as training sites. Fitial told the Chamber of Commerce during its monthly meeting in May that the Northern Marianas is putting together a proposal that the U.S. Defense Department “can’t refuse.” Other members of the military task force are Lt. Governor Tim P. Villagomez; business executives Robert Jones, Marian Aldan-Pierce, Douglas Brennan, Lynn Knight, House Speaker Oscar M. Babauta, Senate President Joseph Mendiola, Public Lands Secretary John S. Del Rosario Jr., and Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Ignacio Dela Cruz.
—FSRDavid Craddick, general manager of the Guam Waterworks Authority since January 2003, resigned April 11 citing personal reasons. During Craddick’s tenure, the number of sewage spills, water outages and boil-water notices dropped markedly. In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that Guam had “the safest drinking water...in decades.” Most observers credit the progress to Craddick’s no-nonsense approach and the support he received from the Consolidated Commission on Utilities, which hired him. John Benavente, the CCU’s general manager, has temporarily taken over Craddick’s position.
—FWCriminal charges were filed in late May against former Federated States of Micronesia Ambassador to the United States, Jesse Marehalau and former FSM Washington Embassy employee Enrico Calderon. The FSM government has charged both Marehalau and Calderon with alleged criminal conspiracy and alleged violations of the FSM financial management regulations. In March 2006, Calderon was arrested and then charged by the United States government with alleged conspiracy to import illegal aliens into the U.S. using illegally issued FSM passports.
—SMThe Board of Higher Education, the governing body of the American Samoa Community College (ASCC), unanimously voted in April to renew the contract of college President Dr. Adele Satele-Galea’i for two years. It is her fourth term. She started at ASCC in 1978. Others appointed to key positions in May: former lawmaker Dr. Falema’o M. Pili as the new chief financial officer; Dr. Emilia Sabado Le’i as the dean of student services; and Keseta Okenaisa Fauolo as the director of the Institute of Samoan Studies.
—FSNew Zealand Member of Parliament Taito Phillip Field is expected to go to trial on charges of corruption-related offences and bribery after New Zealand police announced in late May that they would approach the High Court for permission to prosecute him. Police said 14 charges would be filed alleging the MP profited financially in return for granting immigration favors. Police reopened the inquiry after a special report last July—despite exonerating Field of wrong doing—didn’t assuage public opinion, the New Zealand Herald reported. Field, who is of Samoan ancestry, resigned from the Labor Party earlier this year when the party moved to expel him.
—GJ |
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| Jeffrey Beattie | Chief Justice Arthur Ngiraklsong |
Executive director of the Commonwealth Ports Authority (CPA) Claudio “Clyde” Norita resigned from his post in May after publicly accusing the seven-member board of “micro-managing” the affairs of the agency, a charge board members denied. Norita’s resignation came just six months after his controversial hiring. The board was accused of lowering the standards required to hire Norita, a member of the Covenant Party who lost the Senate race in the last general election. Stanley C. Torres Jr., head of the fire/police division of CPA, is currently the acting head.
—FSRA veteran forester has been appointed managing director for the Papua New Guinea National Forest Authority (NFA). Kanawi Pouru, 52, worked for the NFA between 1975 and 1999 before becoming a consultant for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the World Bank. He was the forestry program manager for PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd. since July 2005. PNG timber industry officials and green groups say Pouru’s appointment is a step in the right direction, especially when the industry continues to come under scrutiny over illegal logging claims.
—AR
The Tonga Tourist Association has a new executive, led by Peau Vava’u Airlines CEO, Fakatele Faletau. He is joined by Vice Presidents Saia Moehau of Black Pearl and Lavili Maka of Jones Travel and Tour. Le Club and GTI Marketing’s Kololiana O. Naufahu is the new secretary general and Cindy Soakai of Vaepopua Apartments is the treasurer. They face a tough task as Tonga, and in particular Nuku’alofa, rebuilds after last November’s riot.
—SM
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| Jahir Khan PHOTO: Alison Ofotolau |
—AO
Former Guam Senator Dr. Carmen Fernandez is the new president of the Northern Marianas College (NMC). Fernandez, chosen on April 27, has her work cut out as NMC was put on probation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in January this year. She replaced former president Anthony R. Deleon Guerrero, who retired late last year. NMC has had five presidents in the last six years. A native of Guam, Dr. Fernandez was a vice president of business administration at the University of Guam.
—FSR
The New Zealand government has appointed an expert educator in Pacific health to lead its Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, based in Wellington. Dr. Colin Fonotau Tukuitonga was named the new Chief Executive in April, replacing Fuimaono Les McCarthy who has retired. Of Tongan descent, Tukuitonga will oversee a restructuring of the Ministry aimed at closer relations with the Pacific community and work with heads of other government agencies on policies relating to New Zealand’s growing Pacific community, which now numbers over 266,000.
—PR
Leading Port Moresby share broking and funds management company BSP Capital Limited has a new chief executive officer. Former Commonwealth Bank of Australia executive general manager (retail sales and service) David Marshall is now CEO. BSP Capital Limited board of directors chairman Dr. Ila Temu said Marshall will oversee the development of additional merchant banking products.
—ARLeading Tongan health researcher Dr. Etuate Saafi was selected as the new chairman of the Pacific Island Advisory Council (PIAC) for Manukau, South Auckland in April. He beat off a close challenge by Cook Islands community representative Tupou Manapori, who previously held the position. The PIAC covers an area with the highest concentration of Pacific Islanders in New Zealand. Last year, the council adopted the Pacific Peoples Policy and Action Plan. “The policy not only acknowledges the positive contributions made by Pacific peoples toward the city’s development, it also provides a framework for Pacific peoples to voice their aspirations, needs and priorities,” says Saafi.
—PRPalau Chief Justice Arthur Ngirklsong has dismissed as “unfounded” the concerns raised in an appeal by prominent Senator Joshua Koshiba. Ngiraklsong reviewed the procedural and ethical allegations made by Koshiba in his objection to Judge Lourdes Materne’s ruling that Koshiba’s election as Senate President was unconstitutional. Materne, while acting Chief Justice, made the appointments for the appeals panel judges in the case that Koshiba questioned. In ruling Koshiba’s concerns “unfounded,” the Chief Justice said “all of the Justices and Judges in the unified judiciary are accomplished jurists who take both their judicial duties and ethical obligations very seriously.”
—DM |
| Dr. Carmen Fernandez |
Afioga Matatamalii Sonja Hunter is the new chief executive officer of the Samoa Tourism Authority. Matatamalii holds tourism and hotel management qualifications from a number of universities in Japan and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of the South Pacific. She begins the role as the latest tourism arrivals to Samoa showed a decline of 1.7 percent in March 2007 compared to March last year. Broadly speaking, however, Samoa’s tourism industry has been growing in recent years due to increased air service and accommodation options.
—SMTuvalu’s Feleti Te’o is the new Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The former Forum Fisheries Agency director “brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on the Pacific region,” says Forum Secretary General Greg Urwin. As FFA head, he was a strong advocate for keeping the political and technical regional institutions separate. The Forum Secretariat is charged with implementing the so-called Pacific Plan, which brings together the work of these organizations under a wide variety of work plans and objectives.
—SM |
| Dr. Colin Fonotau Tukuitonga |
The Solomon Islands government appointed former Parliamentarian Michael Maina as its special envoy to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Since arriving in the country in July 2003, the administrative component of the mission has worked cordially with the government’s administrative arm. But relations between RAMSI and the country’s political leaders have been frosty since the government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare came to power last May. Maina’s role as special envoy is a move to ease tensions. “One of my assignments is to see that dialogue is effective so that our government is not seen to be led by the nose,” Maina says.
—AOIn Memoriam
A public holiday was declared in Vanuatu May 21 to mourn Monsignor Michel Visi, who died suddenly at the age of 52 two days earlier. Visi was also the vice president of the Fiji-based Pacific Episcopal Conference (CEPAC). He was well-known throughout the Pacific, having trained in New Caledonia’s St. Léon de Païta and Suva Catholic St. Pierre Chanel Seminars.
—SMFormer Guam businessman, civic leader and legislator Paul J. Bordallo died on May 12 at the age of 76. He was an advocate for Chamorro rights and as a member of the Guam Legislature from 1971 to 1974, he sponsored legislation that created the Chamorro Land Trust and successfully blocked a U.S. Navy plan to build an ammunition wharf at pristine Sella Bay. He was also a member of Guam’s Commission on Self-Determination in the 1980s.
—FWThe King of Wallis Tomasi Kulimoetoke died after a long illness May 7. The “Lavelua,” who was 88, was crowned in 1959. Two years after his coronation Kulimoetoke signed a pact with France that granted both Wallis and Futuna Islands the official status of “French Overseas Territory,” reports Oceania Flash. In 2005, disturbances between clans on Wallis, some aligned to the late King and others calling for “reform,” were reported. But now chiefly clans have announced a six-month taboo on the highly sensitive appointment of a possible successor. “During those six months, the coronation of a new Lavelua will not be mentioned. It will only be considered after those six months,” the “Kuli’tea” or chiefly Prime Minister of the House of Wallis told mourners at the King’s funeral.
—SMFour Pacific Islanders died in April and May in Iraq. In April, U.S. Army Sgt. Raymond S. Seva’aetasi, 29, of American Samoa died in Baghdad of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He is the 12th person of Samoan ancestry to die in the Iraq war. U.S. Army Spc. John D. Flores, 21, of Guam was killed in Baghdad on May 3, when his unit came under attack from enemy small arms fire. He is the tenth person from Guam to be killed in the ongoing hostilities. Victor Michael Fontanilla of Tinian died in a bomb blast in Iraq in mid-May. Army Sgt. Iosiwo Aruo of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia died in late May in Iraq after his unit was attacked. A total of 21 Micronesians (including Guam and the Northern Marianas) are reported to have been killed to date in Iraq.
—FS, FW, GJContributors: Giff Johnson, Fili Sagapolutele, David Miho, Samantha Magick, Alex Rheeney, Frank S. Rosario, Frank Whitman, Peter Rees, and Alison Ofotalau.
