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Kabui calls on nation to change attitude, adopt ‘survival spirit’

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, Jan. 1, 2015) – Governor-General Sir Frank Ofagioro Kabui has thanked the Government for its services to the nation in 2014.

In his New Year’s message to the nation through the National Broadcaster, Sir Frank Kabui says Solomon Islanders ought to thank their Government for its services.

He says the provincial government, churches, stakeholders and ordinary citizens are thankful for government services during the course of 2014.

"We do thank the Government for its services to us during the course of 2014, including the Provincial Governments, the churches also deserve our appreciation and thank you for your contribution to society. The chiefs, elders, women, young people and even the disabled are important contributors in the various of development in our society. They deserve our Thank you."

The Governor-General...

Insular Affairs asked to assist with high cost of utilities, water quality

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (The Samoa News, Dec. 31, 2014) – Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has shared with Esther Kia’aina, the new Interior Department’s Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, the high cost of utilities, as well as water quality problems faced by American Samoa.

Lolo is seeking Interior Department’s support for current alternative energy initiatives by the government that are being spearheaded by the American Samoa Renewable Energy Committee (ASREC).

Renewable energy was among the many issues cited in the governor’s letter to Kia’aina last month. He noted that the high cost of utilities is impacting the administration’s efforts to achieve its economic and social development goals and objectives. The governor has been pushing for renewable energy projects to move forward in an effort to reduce the cost of electric and water service in American Samoa...

Nearly 11,000 tourists visited Marianas last year

By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Jan. 4, 2015) – With a volatile Russian ruble and weakening Russian economy, the Northern Marianas may see fewer Russian tourists coming to the islands in 2015.

Facing sanctions from the West over its actions in Ukraine, the Russian government is still stabilizing its weak ruble that plunged in value by more than 40 percent last year with inflation skyrocketing.

Given these conditions, the Northern Marianas is still keeping its hopes up that it will be able to bring in Russian tourists.

MVA managing director Perry Tenorio said, "The Russia market is going through an extremely difficult time given the instability of the Ruble, declining consumer confidence, and the bankruptcy of AVIACHARTER which had provided direct non-stop charter flights to the CNMI until recently."

Tenorio said MVA is negotiating with other carriers on the...

Missionary killed during Chamorro uprising in 1684

By Maria Hernandez

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Jan. 5, 2015) – The University of Guam held a forum Saturday to discuss the history and significance of the arrival of a skull of a 17th century Jesuit missionary who was killed in Guam in a Chamorro uprising against the Spanish crown.

Father Manuel de Solorzano was a Spanish missionary for the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic order of priests and brothers founded in the 16th century. Members of the order are called Jesuits. He was killed during a trip to the Marianas in June 1684 at the age of 34.

The missionary's skull and more than 200 pages of letters he wrote while in Guam were brought to the island from Spain by his descendent, Manuel Lopez Casquete. The items have been passed down to his family over the generations, Casquete said.

Casquete spent some time at the forum explaining why he decided to bring the skull to the island....