Pacific Magazine > Magazine > April 27, 2008

People Briefs

People Briefs

Everett Walton

Palau Special Prosecutor Everett Walton, who has forced a higher-level of government accountability through investigations of government leaders use of taxpayers' money, has resigned after eight years. Family obligations and health concerns motivated his departure, he told local media. Walton's prosecutions and threats of court action resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars being repaid to government by elected leaders-largely for improper use of travel funds.-GJ

Craig Sims is the new ANZ Chief Executive Officer Pacific. ANZ Chief Executive Officer Mike Smith says Sims will be responsible for "continuing to drive growth and innovation in the Pacific" an "important element in becoming a 'super regional' bank over the next five years.-SM

Jamaican Tanya Menzies has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Digicel Tonga. Digicel-which is shaking up telecommunications in a number of Pacific Island countries-acquired the Tonga mobile operator TONFON in November 2007. Menzies joined Digicel in 2001 as a customer care agent just one month after the company's inaugural launch in Jamaica. Since then she has been involved in the rollout of Digicel operations across the Caribbean. "I feel very much at home here in Tonga and I am committed to ensuring that Digicel delivers the excellent mobile service the people of Tonga deserve as well as becoming an active member of the Tonga community," Menzies says.-SM

American Samoa-based Blue Sky Communications has appointed Pulelei'ite Li'a Tufele, Jr. as chief operating officer. Tufele replaces Jeff Harlow, who resigned to return to the U.S. mainland to care for his parents. Blue Sky President Barry Rose says Tufele is one of the founding members of Blue Sky who was instrumental in commissioning the mobile switch and the earth station.-FS

The Marshall Islands Postal Service Authority board in March named former Bank of Marshall Islands manager Heran Bellu as the new Postmaster General, replacing Sailass Andrike who retired at the end of 2007. He has been tasked with fixing long-neglected accountability and management problems in the Postal Service.-GJ

Fiji national Amena Yauvoli is the first manager of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community's Regional Office for the Northern Pacific in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. "SPC's presence in the subregion will make a significant difference to the delivery of its policy and technical advice and assistance to the people of the Northern Pacific," he says.-GJ

Former Cook Islands Solicitor General Mike Mitchell took a step down the public service ladder in January to assume the position of Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. While he may have been the country's top legal eagle, his new position is just as important given that he will be the gatekeeper of the country into the international community.-UKM

Su'a William Sio

Su'a William Sio became the fifth member of parliament of Pacific island descent in New Zealand after being sworn in during April to replace the retiring Dianne Yates. One of the others, independent MP Taito Phillip Field, a former Labor stalwart who left the party following an investigation into alleged corruption, faces a likely challenge from Su''a for his Mangere seat in the elections that must be held by November 15.-PR

The Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industries has a new chairman. He is Mike Hemmer, managing director of South Pacific Oil. He wants to see political stability in a country most often affected by civil tensions. No confidence motions in the prime minister seem to appear at almost all meetings of parliament. Hemmer said the private sector needs a stable political environment as an ingredient to positive economic development.-AO

Jerry Kramer

A high-level Boy Scouts of America delegation swing through the Micronesian area in March promises to produce greater U.S. support to U.S.-affiliated islands from the youth program. Bob Mazucca, head of Boy Scouts of America, said he was impressed with the programs in the Marshall Islands and other parts of the region, and planned to identify more resources to help the Boy Scouts develop in the islands. Delighted to see that there are 9,000 Boy Scouts from Saipan to Majuro, Mazucca commented: "The challenge is how to bring the program to Ebeye Island" and other under-served youth in the region. While on Majuro, Mazucca presented the Silver Beaver award to Pacific International Inc. owner and Boy Scouts pioneer Jerry Kramer-the highest award that Boy Scouts gives to a volunteer.–SM

Contributors: Samantha Magick, Fili Sagapolutele, Ulamila Kurai-Marrie, Giff Johnson, David Miho, Alex Rheeney, Peter Rees and Alison Ofotolau.