Articles Search

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Nov. 30) –Solomon Islands Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza says he has done nothing wrong in receiving compensation of nearly US$121,000 for personal losses incurred during the ethnic tension.

Kemakeza made the comment after an audit report alleged that more than US$5 million is missing from a loan by Taiwan’s Exim Bank for compensation claim arising from recent years of unrest in the Solomons.

Sir Allan was the Minister of National Unity and Reconciliation at the time of the disbursement of some US$20.7 million in loan moneys.

The report, which has now been tabled in parliament, says many of the claims were excessive or false.

Sir Allan says he was not given enough compensation for the loss of his resort on Savo, his home island.

"The assessors physically visited some of these areas because Savo is clear that the officers visited and they came up with a claim of 1.8 million dollars, which I...

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, Nov. 30) – The head of the Fiji Great Council of Chiefs has called for higher returns on native land, after hearing that every three in 10 indigenous Fijians live below the poverty line.

Great Council of Chiefs’ chairman Ratu Ovini Bokini told the council's final meeting of the year yesterday that despite owning 90 per cent of land resources in the country, Fijians were still living in poverty. He called for chiefs and the Native Land Trust Board to push for higher returns on native land.

"I believe that now is the time for the landowners, as well as resources owners, to wake up and try to earn a fair return similar to the earnings of those who are using these resources," he said in Fijian. But, Ratu Ovini said, other races should not be blamed for the poverty levels of the Fijian people. He said this was up to Fijians themselves and the decisions they made for their future.

He warned chiefs to guard against selling out Fijian interests...

By Cynthia Kaneshiro

KAUAI, Hawaii (The Garden Island, Nov. 30) – Kauai County prosecutors in Hawaii are upset that a statement given to police by a suspected ice dealer has been ruled inadmissible as evidence in a court case.

There is disagreement between a Kaua'i Police Department officer and the suspect about whether or not the statement was given after the officer made the suspect a verbal commitment to release him, his wife, and daughter, and try to have the charges reduced or dismissed.

First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Richard Minatoya filed late last month a motion to reconsider a ruling made by Fifth Circuit Court Chief Judge George Masuoka.

In that ruling, Masuoka determined that Rizal Balgos' statement made to Kaua'i Police Department officers was not made voluntarily, and ruled that statement inadmissible as evidence at his jury trial, which is scheduled to begin in January.

According to court documents, Balgos said a police officer...

PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Nov. 29) – An estimated 3,000 to 4,500 persons turned out Wednesday morning to begin a march and eventual sit-in in front of the French Polynesia Assembly to protest the Temaru government's proposed tax reforms.

Officials of a confederation representing 16 labor unions said they were satisfied with the turnout for an unlimited general strike march from a Papeete athletic field to the French Polynesia Assembly.

The union officials estimated the size of the marchers at 4,500, while the police estimate was 3,000. The turnout included many French State and territorial government civil servants, ranging from customs employees and teachers to salaried employees at the French State owned and operated RFO radio and television station, union officials said.

Declaring themselves "satisfied overall with the mobilization", union officials said the marchers also included salaried employees from big private businesses, all of whom are...