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Legislation doesn’t require full recount, attorney says

By Cameron Miculka

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Jan. 7, 2013) – Although the Guam Election Commission is making progress on its obligation to audit the 2010 General Election, legal questions remain as to how far the commission can go to determine the election's legitimacy.

Last month, the Legislature passed an election reform bill, overriding a veto by Gov. Eddie Calvo. The bill makes several changes to Guam's election code. In addition, it has several provisions that require the GEC to review the 2012 General Election. The provisions were in reaction to claims made in 2010 -- mostly by the Democratic Party -- that alleged illegal voting and ballot-box tampering occurred.

In order to make that determination, the commission is now required to perform an audit of the election's vote totals.

There's just one problem -- nobody seemed to know what "audit" actually means and the Legislature...

Scheduled to lose Least Development Country status in 2014

By Lance Polu

APIA, Samoa (Talamua, Jan. 3, 2013) – Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says Government has no plans at the moment to request the United Nations to postpone Samoa’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status scheduled for 2014.

However, he pointed out, Samoa’s vulnerability to natural disasters continues to be exacerbated by climate change. As has been the experienced with Cyclone Evan three weeks ago and the 2009 tsunami.

He said that natural disasters are a major threat to economic stability and sustainability for small island states like Samoa.

This vulnerability will be highlighted prominently when Samoa hosts the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) summit in late 2014, the Prime Minister said.

The single largest international conference to be hosted in Apia, over 2000 delegates from over a hundred countries are expected to attend the SIDS...

People’s Party leader sure government to interfere with process

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Jan. 6, 2013) – The president of Fiji’s United People’s Party says the treatment of the man chosen by the interim government to head the Constitution Commission is a clear indication of the fate of its work.

A Constituent Assembly appointed by the interim prime minister is expected next week to begin debating the draft constitution produced by Professor Yash Ghai’s commission.

Professor Ghai says he was intimidated by police officers who poured kerosene and burnt copies of the draft document in front of him at the shop where he was having it printed.

The People’s Party’s Mick Beddoes says it will be miraculous if the interim government permits the assembly to operate in a free, fair and transparent manner.

"But their record and their attitude and their actions to date, including the burning of shredded copies in the face of the...

House of Delegates raises concerns about implications of deal

By Aurea Gerundio-Dizon

KOROR, Palau (Island Times, Jan. 3, 2013) – The Senate Joint Resolution to endorse and ratify agreements between the Republic of Palau and Earth Energy International Co., Ltd. to build a solar-powered generator and provide electric power to the islands is unlikely to pass in the House of Delegates, a delegate expressed yesterday.

The delegate disclosed that most of his colleagues are convinced not to adopt the resolution as there are reportedly so many legal implications.

Those not favorable for the adoption of the resolution reportedly expressed concern on some provisions in the agreements. To name a few, the exemption from FIB requirements, exemption from Labor requirements and granting of permanent resident status to employees hired by EEC.

Moreover, majority of the delegates are reportedly concerned that Palau is going to be locked with $.39 cents for 30...