Articles Search

Government suspends program half way through year

By Jane Joshua

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (Vanuatu Daily Post, July 1, 2013) – The Vanuatu Government’s budgetary allocation of around Vt108 million for the 2013 Copra Subsidy program has been exhausted.

The exhaustion of funds has forced the government to suspend the Copra Subsidy program, Wednesday this week (June 26).

Two days earlier Prime Minister Moana Carcasses signed the withdrawal instrument (Official Gazette No. 23 of 2013 and published on June 24), with immediate effect, transferring the responsibility for the Vanuatu Commodities Marketing Board (VCMB) from the Ministry of Tourism and Commerce (MTC) and assigning it to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

And on Wednesday, the PMO advised all copra buyers of the suspension of the government’s copra subsidy program.

"The government budgetary allocation for 2013 has 2013 is exhausted and there are not sufficient funds to meet all subsidy...

Donor support to make up 55% of $192.6 million

By Pesi Fonua.

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, June 28, 2013) – The Tonga government's biggest-ever budget estimate of T$357.6 million [US$192.6 million] for the 2013-14 financial-year was unanimously passed by parliament yesterday evening, 27 June.

The budget – the third to be produced by Tonga's current government -relies on foreign aid donor funding to meet 55 per cent of its total costs. [See earlier article: Tonga's biggest budget depends on donor pledges]

Donor-supported government has become a fact of life for Tongans whose economy is predicted to make invisible growth of 0.5% in the coming financial year.

Significantly, there are no major projects in the new national budget that could boost the economy, other than opportunities for Tongan workers to work overseas and send money back to their families in Tonga.

Salaries and wages...

Flosse government doesn’t want UN to organize self-determination referendum

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, July 1, 2013) – The French Polynesian opposition has shrugged off a threat by the ruling Tahoeraa Huiraatira to boycott a self-determination referendum if it is organised by the United Nations.

The ruling party itself wants to have a plebiscite as soon as possible but organised by France and without restricting voting rights to long-term residents.

Walter Zweifel reports.

"The president Gaston Flosse, has again rebuked the UN for returning the territory onto the decolonisation list last May, accusing the world body of being dictatorial. His latest attack came on Autonomy Day in Papeete which the rival pro-independence side marked on the other side of town by hoisting the UN flag. The opposition says the public needs education so that the indigenous people can decide its future, but Mr Flosse says a majority wants to stay...

Price drops, increased Chinese production threaten industry

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, July 1, 2013) – Problems facing the global nickel market are being discussed in New Caledonia this week at a gathering of the world’s top producers.

The volatile nickel price has dropped as two new huge nickel plans have this year begun production in New Caledonia, which has about a quarter of the world’s nickel ore supply.

The Noumea conference is being attended by among others Vale of Brazil, Xstrata-Glencore of Switzerland, BHP Billiton of Australia and Chinese, French and Russian producers.

The long-standing New Caledonian producer, SLN, is again feared to be making a loss this year as the crisis in Europe has cut demand and led to growing stockpiles.

China is also reported to have become a massive producer, based on ore imports from Indonesia and the Philippines.