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

News Release

Secretariat of the Pacific Community Nadi, Fiji

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) signed an agreement forming a partnership to combine their efforts on behalf of their 14 common members in the Pacific on 30 April 2013.

The four-year memorandum of understanding will reinforce the relationship between the organizations, which both play a crucial role in people-centered development actions in the region.

This partnership will cover a wide range of cross-cutting issues, such as human development (health, education, gender and youth), population advocacy and statistics, and human rights.

The signing of this agreement is an important step in the ongoing effort to better coordinate development activities for the...

President: Board needed to protect fund, eliminate excessive withdrawals

By Aurea Gerundio-Dizon

KOROR, Palau (Island Times, May 2, 2013) – President Remengesau Jr. is looking forward to the re-establishment of the Compact of Free Association Board of Trustees in order to protect the trust fund.

Earlier reports showed Remengesau disclosed that previous administration had withdrawn more than the $5 million limit in FY 2011 and FY 2012.

The excess drawdown had caused delay in the release of US financial aid to Palau for FY 2013. According to Department of Interior Budget Officer Tom Bussanich, there is about $6 million in FY 2013 funding for Palau operations that is available for drawdown. But the US cannot release this until Palau returns the overdrawn amount from the trust fund.

Finance Min. Elbuchel Sadang said during the press conference Wednesday at Palau Wave radio station that the overdrawn amount was already returned to the trust fund....

Order formalizes transfer from Healthcare Corporation

By Emmanuel T. Erediano

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, May 6, 2013) – Governor Eloy S. Inos on Thursday issued an executive order declaring the reorganization and transfer of the medical-referral program from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. to his office.

Then-Gov. Benigno R. Fitial took over the off-island medical-referral office early last year but according to Press Secretary Angel A. Demapan, there had not been an executive order formally reorganizing the program since the enactment of Public Law 16-51 which created the healthcare corporation.

"[So] the only thing new about this declaration is the declaration itself," Demapan told Variety.

In his declaration Inos said that, although CHC personnel have a role in determining who receives medical referrals, "it is unnecessary and inefficient to have the referral program under CHC when it is not fiscally responsible for the operations of the...

Resolution introduced to define Guam as ‘downwind’

By Louella Losinio

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Marianas Variety Guam, May 6, 2013) – A resolution petitioning the United States Congress to amend the "Radiation Exposure Compensation Act" to include Guam and to increase compensation for those affected by radiation has been introduced by Sen. Ben Pangelinan, Vice Speaker Benjamin J.F. Cruz, Sen. Tina Muña-Barnes, and Sen. Michael F.Q. San Nicolas.

"The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act" (RECA) or Public Law 101-426, which was signed into law in 1990 by former President George H. Bush, only covered those who were affected by nuclear fallout during testing in Nevada and the Marshall Islands.

But last April, U.S. Sens. Mark Udall, Tom Udall, and Congressman Ben Ray Lujan introduced legislation amending RECA which expanded the downwind areas covered by the law to include several areas, including Guam.

The amendment would provide all claimants with equal...