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Tahiti politicians allegedly assured ‘tests were clean’ by France

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, July 31, 2013) – French Polynesia’s nuclear test veterans organization has taken exception to comments by local top politicians that they had been guaranteed by France that its nuclear weapons tests were clean.

France carried out 193 tests in the Pacific - the last one in 1996.

Moruroa e tatou says it was French money that ensured Gaston Flosse and Edouard Fritch kept quiet when people’s health and environment were being attacked.

It says it’s hypocrisy to claim now that they’re standing up for the French Polynesia’s victims while voting in Paris for attempts to delay compensation.

Furthermore, it says, these politicians have denigrated the work of experts, which amounts to defamation.

Governor wants to ensure activities appropriately authorized

By Haidee V. Eugenio

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, August 1, 2013) – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands agencies may not have been fully aware of—or do not have proper oversight over—different visits that U.S. military personnel or their contractors have been making to Pagan and other islands, officials told Saipan Tribune. Gov. Eloy S. Inos himself said it "appears" that the CNMI’s authorization and permitting requirements "are at risk."

Inos urges an improved oversight and governance of military activities in the CNMI.

"I want to build a consensus on how to address this issue and have asked the lieutenant governor to take the lead role in this process to create greater organizational control over the Executive Branch’s oversight of the military operations and field work," the governor said in a two-page memo to five department and agency heads.

Inos issued the memo after...

Only select individuals allowed to watch games

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, July 30, 2013) – The finals of the Tongatapu Secondary Schools Rugby are going ahead quietly this week at the Teufaiva Stadium in Tonga, but without the crowds of spectators who are not allowed to attend, in order to prevent any school fights.

The finals for Grade 3 and 4 were held today, July 30 and the finals of Grade 2 and the 1st XV will be held on Thursday, August 1.

The Tongatapu Secondary School Principals Committee announced today that the finals would be divided and held on two-days and only selected individuals, including the players’ parents and media, would be allowed to attend the games.

The committee stated that Tupou College, a finalist for both Grade 1 and Grade 5 had decided to cede the win to Tonga Side School in Grade 1 and ‘Apifo’ou College in Grade 2, and not to play the finals this year.

Tense

The Assistant Deputy Police Commissioner Soakai...

AG urges collaboration to improve Fiji’s economic position

By Reginald Chandar

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, July 31, 2013) – Fiji can be made the ‘Singapore of the South Pacific’ if workers joined management and the government to improve productivity and overall living standards, says Public Enterprises Minister and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

Speaking at the launch of the new public-private partnership agreement between the Fiji Ports Corporation and the Aitken Spence company of Sri Lanka in Suva today, Sayed-Khaiyum raised the specter of Fiji being ‘a new Singapore’ if a collaborative effort is made to improve the country’s overall economic position.

"In the late 1960’s, Singapore used to look up to Fiji as a role model. We now look to Singapore as somewhere that is highly unachievable but we can also do it", he said.

Under the agreement, Aitken Spence is taking over the management of the FPC subsidiary, Ports Terminal Limited, to introduce...