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Visitors asked to think about Fiji’s political situation

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, May 6, 2013) – Trade unions in Australia and New Zealand have launched a joint campaign urging tourists visiting Fiji to support workers' rights.

The Destination Fiji website and social media campaign asks visitors to send messages to their respective foreign ministers and Fiji's interim prime minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

Australian Council of Trade Unions President Ged Kearney has told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat they want tourists to think carefully about the political situation in Fiji rather than avoid visiting the country altogether.

"This campaign is not about asking people to stay away from Fiji," she said. "It's saying when you do go to Fiji or if you're considering Fiji as a...

Allegedly wished aircraft carrying officials would crash

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, May 6, 2013) – Vanuatu police say that a local journalist has been arrested for publishing a seditious statement about the government on the internet.

Gratien Tiona was arrested this morning over his comment on a popular Facebook forum that he was praying that the aircraft transporting the Council of Ministers back to Port Vila following its meeting in Torba would crash.

George Twomey, who heads the criminal investigation division, says the arrest was made following a complaint laid by the Prime Minister Moana Carcasses.

Chief inspector Twomey says Gratien Tiona’s statement was considered unlawful and a threat to the peace.

"And we’re dealing with the case as a serious issue. The Prime Minister wouldn’t accept that kind of statement. He says it’s alright to talk about the government on pretty well anything but if it’s a threat then it...

Says issue will reappear if residents call for constitutional convention

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, May 6, 2013) – The American Samoa Governor, Lolo Matalasi Moliga has told his cabinet members they must think about the territory’s relationship with the United States in terms of its political status.

A Constitutional Convention was held in 2010 and the issue of political status was raised by several members of the convention, but it was noted at the time that the political status was not on the agenda for discussion, but to be taken up as a separate issue in the future.

Governor Lolo raised the issue at a recent cabinet meeting, and said the issue will continue to come up especially when there is a call residents for another constitution convention.

"So it’s time that we all think what can we do. Are we prepared to move out of where what we are today?"

Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga did not reveal whether he is...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

News Release

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Noumea, New Caledonia

Monday, May 06, 2013

At their recent meeting with the Executive team at Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) headquarters in Noumea, the Pacific Plan Review team heard about the wide range of initiatives that SPC has been undertaking to support the Plan’s implementation across the Region.

"The current Plan mixes high level vision and objectives with a listing of priorities and implementation details," noted SPC’s Director General, Dr. Jimmie Rodgers.

But he expressed concern that the Plan’s existing governance and reporting arrangements do not fully acknowledge the architecture of Pacific regional organizations.

"SPC is the Plan’s largest implementing agency, but this is not always adequately recognized," Dr. Rodgers said. To...