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Taro, cocoa, coffee, coconut and livestock initiatives pushed

By Nanai T. Laveitiga Tuiletufuga

APIA, Samoa (Savali, Oct. 31, 2013) – Improving the Agriculture Sector’s declining 10% contribution to the gross domestic product is the drive behind the aggressive campaign by Samoa’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to revive the sector.

In 1978, the sector’s GDP contribution was 51%. However, 22 years later in 2010, the Agricultural Sector’s GDP had fallen to a record low of 10%.

The data was released by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi in a sleeves-up address at the opening of this year’s annual Agriculture Show for farmers on Monday.

To alleviate the situation, the Prime Minister said a range of projects have been implemented by government.

Talo exports

To maximize on the sudden surge of talo exports to New Zealand and the United States, the Prime Minister said that a packing facility will be built at the Matautu wharf...

US territories reportedly excluded from some mandates

By Mark Rabago

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Nov. 1, 2013) – Healthcare insurers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and other U.S. territories are expected to be in a bind come January 2014 when the full brunt of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) takes affect.

ACA, otherwise known as healthcare reform or Obamacare, is a federal statute that aims to increase the quality and affordability of health insurance, lower the uninsured rate by expanding public and private insurance coverage, and reduce the costs of healthcare for individuals and the government.

However, Eric Plinske, Staywell Insurance branch manager for Saipan, said the Commonwealth, Guam, and other U.S. territories are at a disadvantage because a conflict in the definition of what constitutes the United States excludes them from some of the important mandates of the law while requiring them to not discriminate on coverage....

O’Neill Calls For Special PNG-Australia Economic Zone PM says zone would be powered by Purari hydroelectric project

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Oct. 31, 2013) – Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has called for a special economic zone to be established between PNG and northern Australia.

Speaking in Brisbane, Mr. O'Neill said while he doesn't think PNG is ready for a free trade agreement with Australia, he would like to see the creation of a special economic zone that joins the two countries.

"I think it's important that we should consider possibly establishing a northern Australia, Papua New Guinea economic zone," he said.

Mr. O'Neill says the zone would be powered by a massive hydroelectric project on PNG's Purari river.

"The Purari power project, even at stage one, can deliver up to 2,500 megawatts of affordable, reliable, and almost zero carbon emissions energy, " he said.

Mr. O'Neill says PNG would also be...

Live cattle shipments would help Guam and CNMI: DLNR

By Ferdie de la Torre

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Nov. 1, 2013) – A proposal to update Guam’s existing quarantine regulations to allow the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to export live cattle to Guam is one of the issues that the House would want to bring to the table when they discuss trade between the two territories during the Nov. 12 and 13 inaugural session of the Mariana Islands Legislature Association (MILA) Congress.

At least half of the House’s 20 members will be going to Guam for the MILA session, as of Wednesday’s tentative count by the speaker.

Another topic that CNMI lawmakers would be adding to the discussion list is interisland travel, including allowing small aircraft to fly from Tinian to Guam without U.S. Transportation Security Administration clearance. Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz has been pushing for this.

House Speaker Joseph Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) met...