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Authorities add a week for worst-affected areas

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Jan. 3, 2013) – The director of the National Disaster Management Office in Fiji says a state of natural disaster declared after Cyclone Evan has been extended for a week in the worst hit areas.

The category four cyclone caused widespread damage to Fiji’s northern and western divisions almost three weeks ago and 125 people are still in evacuation centres.

The 15-day state of natural disaster declared after Evan hit expired yesterday but Manasa Tagicakibau says it will apply for seven more days in the Yasawa Group, the Mamanucas, Malolo, Vatulele as well as Lautoka, Ba and Nadi on the main island of Viti Levu.

He says the remaining evacuees are expected to be able to return home to temporary accommodation over the next five to 10 days.

"We are providing them with tentage and for the partially damaged houses we are providing them with tarpaulins...

Porinetia Ora says Temaru’s campaign ‘completely irresponsible’

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Jan. 3, 2013) – A small French Polynesian political party has taken issue with President Oscar Temaru’s trips to the United Nations in New York, describing them as illegal.

The Porinetia Ora Party has issued a statement, saying the organic law gives the territorial government no powers in diplomatic affairs.

This comes as Mr. Temaru is due to return to New York this month to continue lobbying for the territory to be re-inscribed on the UN decolonization list.

Mr. Temaru, who was in New York last month, expects to meet members of the 120-strong Non-Aligned Movement when they convene at the UN.

Porinetia Ora says while his campaign is honorable on a philosophical level, in practice it is completely irresponsible.

It says his plan will plunge the territory into misery and force the people to beg for survival with Chinese,...

Song Ja Cha currently serving life sentence

By Brett Kelman

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Jan. 4, 2013) – Government prosecutors have tried to get Blue House brothel owner Song Ja Cha to cooperate with an ongoing investigation into Guam police officers, but the convicted sex trafficker turned the deal down.

Because Song Ja Cha declined to assist investigators, the brothel owner is headed toward a second trial later this year. Also, the Office of the Attorney General is now prosecuting three police officer suspects without the help of Cha -- a potentially valuable witness.

Last September, prosecutors discussed two separate plea deals with Cha's attorneys, according to letters from the AG's office, which were reviewed by the Pacific Daily News.

The letters were sent months before any police officers were indicted in the case. Three officers -- David Manila, Mario Laxmana and Anthony Quenga -- were indicted in November.

The first letter...

$405,300 approved to address damage from Cyclone Freda

By Douglas Marau

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Jan. 4, 2013) – The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) has approved more than SB$3 million [US$405,300] to meet cost of damages caused by Cyclone Freda in the Solomon Islands.

After a meeting held by NDMO officials on New Year’s Eve, the disaster office approved to activate a national disaster organizing committee after they passed a SB$3.7 million [US$499,870] budget for work programs to deal with the damages left behind by Cyclone Freda.

The NDMO is expected to present a paper to Cabinet sometimes this week before the budget will be released.

The budget will be used for transport, logistics as well as food relief supplies on the affected areas.

Cyclone Freda caused moderate damages in parts of the country with the worst affected in Makira/Ulawa province where it damaged infrastructures,...