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Oct
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ISABEL ISLAND VILLAGE GETS WIRELESS EMAIL

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/05/2005 - 00:00

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Oct. 4) – Samasodu community in Isabel province, Solomon Islands, is now connected to the rest of the world following the opening of a PFnet email station last Friday.

Funded by Isabel Province Development Project (IPDP) and the United Nations Development Project (UNDP), the email station will enable the community to access information from anywhere in the world.

Chief Edward Vunagi said his community is no longer isolated.

"My people now have a voice and can now participate in building this nation, in collaboration with our provincial and national government," he said. "We can now communicate and work with our government in service-delivery, and this initiative in Isabel can replicate to other provinces with the same objectives."

Representative from Pfnet, Randall Biliki, said Samasodu makes Isabel Province highly connected in terms of communication.

He said the province was fortunate with five stations...

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Wed
05
Oct
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QARASE PROMISES ‘CHANGES’ TO FIJI AMNESTY BILL

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/05/2005 - 00:00

QARASE PROMISES ‘CHANGES’ TO FIJI AMNESTY BILL

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Oct. 4) – The Fiji Reconciliation, Tolerance and Unity Bill – criticized by opponents as a ticket to future coups - is to undergo major changes, Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase says.

The assurance was emphasized in a radio talkback on VitiFM radio today by the Qarase - the mover of the controversial Bill.

Despite the mounting criticism against the Bill both locally and internationally, largely from human rights advocates, Qarase maintains he will not withdraw the Bill. However, the contentious Amnesty provision of the Bill, which may allow perpetrators of the 2000 coup to walk free, will be amended to please Qarase’s opponents.

"There will be changes, particularly in the Amnesty provision, following good points raised by the public so that the Bill is constitutional and in accordance with the Bill of Rights," Qarase said. "Plus it does not interfere with the judiciary, police, and the...

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Wed
05
Oct
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TAHITI TO CUT INTERNET ACCESS RATES

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/05/2005 - 00:00

PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Oct. 3) – Tahiti’s government has announced it will lower the access rates to Internet broadband service starting Nov. 1 for businesses, educational institutions and individuals.

The government also announced new broadband services and less expensive prepaid cards for cell phones.

The lower subscription rates for ADSL, or broadband, hookups were recently announced by Emile Vernaudon, the Temaru government’s minister of French Polynesia’s postal system and telecommunications. He described the current rates as "excessively" high, adding that all planned reductions would be considerable.

Big businesses and official organizations will have their broadband subscriptions lowered between 47 percent and 50 percent. Educational institutions will have unlimited yearly broadband access that will cost nearly 30 percent less than now regardless of the volume of Internet downloads.

Individuals will be able to sign up for a new ADSL...

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Wed
05
Oct
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FEDERAL REPORT NOTES AMERICAN SAMOA CORRUPTION

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/05/2005 - 00:00

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (Samoa News, Sept. 30) - Three cases of corruption from American Samoa are included in a U.S. Department of Justice report regarding activities and operations of the agency's Public Integrity Section, Criminal Investigation for 2004.

According to the 46-page report, the Integrity Section undertook an investigation into systemic corruption in the territory of American Samoa which involved investigations and litigation in the Districts of Hawai'i, Washington D.C. and American Samoa.

The report points out that the three cases were handled in the federal District of Hawai'i, because American Samoa was not located within any judicial district.

The first case deals with former chief procurement officer Tafua Fa'au Seumanutafa, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States in the awarding of contracts for bookshelves and library furniture for public schools.

The second involves Patolo Mageo,...

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Wed
05
Oct

SOLOMONS VOTERS CAN TURN CORRUPTION TIDE

Submitted by piradmin on Wed, 10/05/2005 - 00:00

Editorial

Solomon Star

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Oct. 4) – The latest joint report by two international organizations on the results of poor governance in the Solomon Islands is not only shocking but should send a clear message to our leaders to think more seriously about ways to address the Solomon Islands’ weak governance system.

The report, by the Asian Development Bank and the Commonwealth Secretariat, says Solomon Islands has lost billions of U.S. dollars in the past three decades since Independence as a result of poor governance.

The report was released ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum Summit in Port Moresby this month.

The report correctly states that Good Governance and Economic Growth should be given priority in a plan for greater regional cooperation in the Pacific. But the essence of this report is the challenge on Solomon Islands on where it should go from here.

We have seen an absolute snail-pace development in our country...

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Wed
05
Oct

PROCESSING IS KEY TO PNG COPRA FUTURE

Submitted by piradmin on Wed, 10/05/2005 - 00:00

Editorial

PNG Post-Courier

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (Oct. 4) – The Kokonas Indastry Korporasen (KIK) is heading in the right direction by encouraging Papua New Guinea farmers to concentrate on the processing of their own produce.

The coconut industry group is doing this to help producers deal with the lack of roads and other infrastructure needed to get their dried copra to markets.

Board chairman Joe Eko said after the series of forums earlier this year identified the lack of road infrastructure as a major impediment to the industry, especially in terms of marketing of copra.

KIK plans to supply small copra mills to selected local government councils and wards where the farmers could mill the copra and sell virgin oil. KIK estimates 14 bags of copra could produce five litres of virgin oil which could then be easily transported to the markets and sold.

The coconut industry has been through some of its worst times in recent times and...

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Thu
06
Oct
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PALAU SENATOR NAMED TO REGIONAL HEALTH POST

Submitted by admin on Thu, 10/06/2005 - 00:00

By Agnes M. Abrau

KOROR, Palau (Palau Horizon, Oct. 6) – Palau Senator Caleb Otto is the new chairman of the Regional Health Council of the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures (APIL).

Otto was selected to head the committee during the first meeting of the council in Oahu, Hawaii in spring of this year.

Its members said the new council is committed to the improvement of health services in the Pacific and to work closely with other regional organizations.

Guam’s Sen. Lou Leon Guerrero is the council vice chairwoman and Matagi Ray Mailo McMoore of American Samoa is the secretary.

Resolution 24-GA-05 was adopted by the APIL recently to congratulate the new officers of the Regional Health Council.

The council members agreed that they should serve as an advisory body to the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures.

They will report to APIL’s standing committee on health and environment.

The newly formed council cited the...

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Thu
06
Oct
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TONGA SHAKES WITH 6.1 QUAKE

Submitted by admin on Thu, 10/06/2005 - 00:00

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, Oct. 6) – A strong earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale occurred close to Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga, at 11.07 p.m. local time last night.

No damage has been reported.

The US Geological Survey world Data Center for Seismology in Denver, Colorado reported that the earthquake was centred 115 km (75 miles) east north east of Nuku'alofa, and 215 km (135 miles) south of Neiafu.

The location was fixed at 20.572 degrees S, and 175.295 degrees W, in the sea at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).

In Nuku'alofa, people who felt the swaying motion of the earthquake said it lasted for about 30 seconds.

October 6, 2005

Matangi Tonga Magazine: www.matangitonga.to 

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Thu
06
Oct
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KIWIS TO BUILD SOLOMONS TEACHERS’ COMPLEX

Submitted by admin on Thu, 10/06/2005 - 00:00

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Oct. 5) – The largest New Zealand Education Institute (NZEI), Te Riu Roa, will fund a new building complex to house the Solomon Islands National Teachers Association (SINTA).

The Institute announced the assistance on its website yesterday as teachers around the world are preparing to mark World Teachers Day today.

The announcement was made following a request sent to NZEI from the General Secretary of SINTA, Father Francis Maaka.

"There is an urgent need for the union to have a building with enough space to implement its plans to increase the number of quality teachers in the Solomon Islands and to provide for the academic development of youth and students in Honiara," Fr. Maaka said in a letter to NZEI.

NZEI, Te Riu Roa National President, Colin Tarr, said they are willing to assist Solomon Islands teachers after the devastating effects of the recent ethnic crisis.

"This year, NZEI members are marking World...

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Thu
06
Oct
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NEW MUSEUM OPENS ON PALAU

Submitted by admin on Thu, 10/06/2005 - 00:00

By Agnes M. Abrau

KOROR, Palau (Palau Horizon, Oct. 6) – The new Belau National Museum opened Friday night in Palau with a major exhibition coinciding with its 50th anniversary.

The exhibit, titled "A Cherechar a Lokelii: Palau Through the Years," aims to trace Palau’s history from the early pre-contact period, through the traders and whalers’ period, to the colonial periods during the administrations of Spain, Germany, Japan and the United States, and up to the modern day republic.

In addition, there is a natural history exhibit, the Taiwan exhibit, the Pacific material culture and arts, and Palau’s sports legacy exhibit.

A ceremony was held at the museum’s amphitheater where President Tommy Remengesau and High Chief Reklai Rafael Ngirmang welcomed foreign dignitaries and members of the diplomatic community who came to view the exhibit.

These included Ambassador of Spain to Palau Ignacio Sagas; first secretary of the Embassy of Germany Eike Peter...

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