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Muna, governing board to put full attention on certification issues

By Tammy Doty

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, May 1, 2013) – The Northern Marianas Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation’s (CHC) newly appointed interim chief executive officer, Esther Muna, told the media yesterday that "failure is not an option."

The statement came on her first day in the executive post in response to CHC’s most pressing concern: maintaining federal certification.

The NMI’s lone hospital has just 60 days left to correct the remaining Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, or CMS, citations.

A loss of CMS certification would mean a loss to the hospital of over $10 million in yearly funding, which in effect would shut the facility down.

As we move toward June, CHC is expecting a CMS site visit although the exact date is not announced beforehand.

The hospital leadership understands that CHC must pass the...

Lilo says government will not be responsible for consequences

By Daniel Namosuaia

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, May 1, 2013) – Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo says Bishop Terry Brown acted "unlawfully" when he decided to release the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report.

Expressing his disappointment from Bangkok where here is attending the 69th Session of the Economic Commission of the Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), Mr. Lilo said:

"I don’t expect such an action to come from a person of Bishop Brown’s caliber."

"The bishop has broken all the confidentialities accorded to him by responsible authorities including the Solomon Islands Government. Also, in this case he has no right to publish the report as it is the property of the Government," Mr. Lilo said.

Canadian Bishop Brown, the former bishop of the Anglican...

Toeolesulusulu did little to alleviate situation, officers say

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, Samoa (Talamua, April 30, 2013) – Two witnesses today testified that Samoa Member of Parliament Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster encouraged fellow villagers to retaliate against the Police.

In testimony before the District Court Constables Junior Afereti and Ma’anaima Patu both said Toeolesulusulu also assisted fellow residents of Satapuala to fend off Police who had arrived August last year at a road block the village had put up with two stones walls.

[PIR editor's note: Toeolesulusulu is currently on trial for 15 charges in relation to the Satapuala blockade. 17 co-defendants join him in the same trial, amongst whom are a number of matai.]

"He (the MP) stood on the stone wall and pushed me away calling ‘wait,’" said Constable Patu.

Armed...

Company itself pleads guilty to breaching media decree

By Fonua Talei

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Sun, April 30, 2013) – The charges against Fiji Times Limited’s five directors were withdrawn yesterday in the Suva Magistrates Court.

However, Fiji Times as a company pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 38 and 43 (1) of the 2010 Media Industry Development Decree.

Presiding over the case yesterday, Magistrate Sufia Hamza withdrew charges against company directors Kiritbhai Patel, Rajesh Patel, Manu Patel, Bhupendra Patel and Jinesh Patel.

Further, Magistrate Hamza issued an order for all their travelling documents to be released from the court registry including bail bond monies.

This is after the State lawyer made an application for amendment in the particulars of the charge and informed the court that the charge is now only against the company and not its directors.

Suva lawyer Devanesh Sharma appeared on behalf of the directors while Jon Apted...