Pacific Magazine > Magazine > January 1, 2008

People Briefs

People Briefs

Barely a week after Northern Marianas Governor Benigno R. Fitial called for his firing, the U.S. Department of Interior’s  Office of Territorial and Insular Affairs (OTIA) reappointed federal Ombudsman James Benedetto for another three-year term. Benedetto publicly called for the disapproval of the controversial labor reform bill that Fitial signed in November, citing possible violations of federal and local laws. The former assistant attorney general in the Northern Marianas government has been the ombudsman since October 2002.  Benedetto champions labor cases of non-resident workers who complain about non-payment of wages or discriminatory practices by local employers.

American Samoa’s Congressman Faleomavaega Eni dismissed reoccurring rumors that he is thinking of retiring after his current term in office, his tenth consecutive two-year term, to take aim at the governor’s race in 2008. Faleomavaega said he will seek re-election in 2008, that he has no intention of either running for governor or retiring from office.

Although final official voting results from the most controversy-studded election in the history of the Marshall Islands were not expected until late December, the early returns indicated that President Kessai Note’s ruling United Democratic Party suffered serious losses to the opposition Aelon Kein Ad party, and that Note, although reelected, was unlikely to return for a third term as president. Much jockeying for the 17 MPs needed to form a government and elect the President was ongoing as Pacific Magazine went to press. A key feature of the 2007 election was the unprecedented emergence of several independent senators in the Parliament.

October should have been designated “Women’s Month” for the Solomon Islands public service. While the executive arm of government broke the male dominance of Cabinet by appointing its first woman Secretary, Ruth Liloqula, the judiciary also moved to break a 29-year male monopoly in the profession by appointing its first female Principal Magistrate, Emma Garo Ma’aramo. Liloqula says her appointment is a manifestation of government’s recognition of the talents and values that Solomon Islands women add to decision making. Congratulating Ma’aramo, Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer said her appointment demonstrates that the bench is not only for men and recognized Ma’aramo’s high standard of legal competency. Ma’aramo said her appointment was a tribute to all women in Solomon Islands and she promised to do the job to the best of her ability.

Cuba’s recent establishment of its first embassy in Wellington, New Zealand is part of an expansion of Cuban interest in the Pacific. Cuban Ambassador Jose Luis Robaina Garcia was quoted by The Dominion Post in early November as saying the embassy was established to recognize New Zealand’s independent foreign policy and its history of opposition to United States sanctions against Cuba. Formerly, he was Cuba’s ambassador to Beijing. In addition to ties with New Zealand, Cuba has a dozen medical doctors in Kiribati, and Nauru officials are discussing similar medical support with Havana.

The new officers of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce for 2008 are expected to work closely with the Fitial administration and Northern Marianas Legislature to make amendments to the new and controversial labor reform law signed by Governor Benigno R. Fitial in early November. Jay Arenovski will assume the presidency in January, replacing Juan T. Guerrero. Arenovski is an active volunteer with the Crime Stoppers program, as well as a businessman both on Saipan and Guam with Delta Management Corp. Harry Blalock of KZMI/KCNM Radio is vice president, Michael S. Johnson of Deloitte is the treasurer while Kathryn Barry, marketing manager of PTI Telecom, is the new secretary.  Two other new board members are Jay Santos, general manager of Hertz, and Alex Sablan of Saipan Shipping Company.

Vivi Nguyen is Palau’s newest wastewater engineer working at “Sludge Pond” at Malakal wastewater treatment plant in Koror, one of the 48 treatment plants in Palau and the largest. A second-generation Vietnam refugee who was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, Nguyen earned a master’s degree in microbiology and wastewater engineering at North Caroline State University. She says she turned down two job offers at twice what Palau is paying her because “Palau is a unique challenge, an opportunity to really make a difference and is incredibly beautiful and pristine. I want to do my part to keep it that way.”

Contributors: Fili Sagapolutele, Samantha Magick, Alex Rheeney, David Miho, Frank S. Rosario, Giff Johnson, and Alison Ofotalau.