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SOLOMONS MINISTER CALLS FOR POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEM

Submitted by admin on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

By Jeremy Inifiri

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Feb. 2, 2008) – The Solomon Islands need to adopt the Political Party System to avoid a repeat of the 2006 April riot, says Minister of Environment and Conservation Gordon Darcy Lilo.

Mr Lilo said this is the best option for Solomon Islands.

"This way people are more involve and participate in choosing the prime minister," Mr Lilo said.

The Minister was speaking before the Commission of Inquiry into the 2006 April riot yesterday.

He said in the party system the party with the majority automatically forms the government and its leader becomes prime minister.

But he warned that for that to happen there is need to resource these parties.

"To prevent then from turning to the elite people here in town whereby this would eventually result in lobbying which seems to be the cause of the 2006 April 18 riots," Mr Lilo said.

The riot started following the announcement of Snyder...

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Mon
04
Feb

CYCLONE SWINGS AWAY FROM VANUATU, NEW CALEDONIA

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Feb. 2, 2008) – Tropical cyclone Gene was moving away from Vanuatu on Saturday after lashing the southernmost islands of Futuna and Anatom throughout Friday.

The Vanuatu meteorological service says it expects the cyclone has caused severe damage but there are few details as yet.

Reports from the area say a number of houses on Futuna have already been destroyed.

Gene is 160 kilometres south of Anatom, moving slowly towards to New Caledonia.

It is expected to hit the small islands to the west of New Caledonia in around 36 hours.

New Caledonia is also preparing for Cyclone Gene's approach, with communities are being advised to begin securing property that could be blown away by strong winds as the .

[PIR editor’s note: According to weather website Tropical Storm Risk, the cyclone on Sunday made an abrupt southward turn to the east of Vanuatu, sparing its southern islands from the full brunt of its force...

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Mon
04
Feb

CONVICTED GUAM OFFICIAL SEEKS REDUCED TERM

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

By Gina Tabonares

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Feb. 4, 2008) – The former assistant general manager of the Guam Mass Transit Authority (GMTA) who was convicted of illegal use of a government-issued credit card three years ago wants a reduction of his 5-year imprisonment sentence.

Tony Diaz filed a motion to reduce sentence before Superior Court Judge Steven Unpingco after the Supreme Court of Guam sustained his conviction.

It's been three years since a trial court jury found him guilty on one count of theft of property, a second degree felony, one count of theft of property as a misdemeanor and 23 counts of official misconduct.

The 58-year-old former GovGuam official who was also ordered to serve 1,000 hours of community service and surrender himself on May 5, 2005 remains free on bail and has not served his sentence.

His counsel Randy Cunliffe is asking the court to reduce his client's jail time and place Diaz on probation saying that "while...

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Mon
04
Feb

PNG’S LAE DOESN’T HAVE EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD REPAIRS

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

PNG’S LAE DOESN’T HAVE EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD REPAIRS

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Feb. 1, 2008) – Papua New Guinea’s Lae Urban Local Level Government (LULLG) does not have proper equipment to maintain the roads.

[PIR editor’s note: Lae, capital of Morobe Province on the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea, is the country’s second largest city with a population of 120,000. The issue of poor road conditions has been the object of much concern in recent weeks.]

The council admitted its shortcomings in the Project Form-ulation Document (PFD) submitted to the Government in order for the funds earmarked for the Lae City road rehabilitation to be released.

The PFD highlighted this was one of the reasons why roads in the city were not maintained on a timely basis and left to deteriorate.

"This project may be required to assist in purchasing some basic capital equipment and machinery and after the project is completed, the...

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Mon
04
Feb

AUSSIE OFFICIALS ON GOODWILL TOUR OF PACIFIC

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Feb. 3) – Two Australian Parliamentary Secretaries visiting Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati this week will discuss regional issues as well as inspecting Australian aid projects.

The tour by the Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, and the Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Duncan Kerr, is part of the new approach Canberra is pursuing with Pacific neighbours.

Duncan Kerr says the new Australian government is committed to a fresh approach to developing constructive relations in the region based on mutual respect and trust.

"There will be a lot of opportunities for us to see on the ground work that has already been undertaken by AusAID and by the Australian representatives in the high Commissions so that we can make certain we have a clear understanding of what we have achieved, how we can add to that achievement and also the views of the government."

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Mon
04
Feb

KOSHIBA ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR PALAU PRESIDENT

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

KOROR, Palau (Palau Horizon, Feb. 4, 2008) — Sen. Joshua Koshiba on Thursday night announced his presidential candidacy and vowed to run on an anti-corruption platform.

Koshiba, who has never lost an election and has been named by his colleagues as the "dean" of the Senate, said he wants to eliminate corrupt government officials.

Koshiba mentioned a "prominent name" as his running mate, but the latter requested not be to identified.

"I have been talking with him for a long time -- he knows about this declaration," Koshiba said.

He earlier promised to make an announcement by the end of January.

[PIR editor’s note: Palau’s general elections are scheduled for Nov. 4, 2008 ]

Koshiba said the closure of Pacific Savings Bank was one of his main considerations when he decided to seek the highest post of the republic, adding that he will go after those who were "involved."

"The first thing I will do is to investigate the attorney general and...

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Mon
04
Feb

PNG COFFEE AGENCY BANS SALE OF COFFEE "CHERRIES"

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Feb. 1, 2008) – The Coffee Industry Corporation has imposed a blanket ban on the sale of cherry coffee.

The nationwide ban which became effective as of last month to avoid stealing of cherry coffee and to control quality of cherry coffee.

CIC says growers do not seem to benefit from their coffee due to constant thefts of cherry and the increase in roadside buying of cherry coffee. It says at the same time quality of the coffee has dropped and the ban is necessary to ensure growers receive direct benefit while coffee quality is properly maintained.

[PIR editor’s note: The "cherry" is the red coffee fruit picked at harvest time but discarded in the roasting process of it’s internal seed, or bean. ]

According to CIC, most of the roadside buyers have been the agents of major coffee processing companies with poor quality from roadside buying as most of the cherry have not been through proper checking before...

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Mon
04
Feb
admin's picture

CYCLONE SWINGS AWAY FROM VANUATU, NEW CALEDONIA

Submitted by admin on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Feb. 2, 2008) – Tropical cyclone Gene was moving away from Vanuatu on Saturday after lashing the southernmost islands of Futuna and Anatom throughout Friday.

The Vanuatu meteorological service says it expects the cyclone has caused severe damage but there are few details as yet.

Reports from the area say a number of houses on Futuna have already been destroyed.

Gene is 160 kilometres south of Anatom, moving slowly towards to New Caledonia.

It is expected to hit the small islands to the west of New Caledonia in around 36 hours.

New Caledonia is also preparing for Cyclone Gene's approach, with communities are being advised to begin securing property that could be blown away by strong winds as the .

[PIR editor’s note: According to weather website Tropical Storm Risk, the cyclone on Sunday made an abrupt southward turn to the east of Vanuatu, sparing its southern islands from the full brunt of its force...

+ continue reading
Mon
04
Feb
admin's picture

CONVICTED GUAM OFFICIAL SEEKS REDUCED TERM

Submitted by admin on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

By Gina Tabonares

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Feb. 4, 2008) – The former assistant general manager of the Guam Mass Transit Authority (GMTA) who was convicted of illegal use of a government-issued credit card three years ago wants a reduction of his 5-year imprisonment sentence.

Tony Diaz filed a motion to reduce sentence before Superior Court Judge Steven Unpingco after the Supreme Court of Guam sustained his conviction.

It's been three years since a trial court jury found him guilty on one count of theft of property, a second degree felony, one count of theft of property as a misdemeanor and 23 counts of official misconduct.

The 58-year-old former GovGuam official who was also ordered to serve 1,000 hours of community service and surrender himself on May 5, 2005 remains free on bail and has not served his sentence.

His counsel Randy Cunliffe is asking the court to reduce his client's jail time and place Diaz on probation saying that "while...

+ continue reading
Mon
04
Feb
admin's picture

PNG’S LAE DOESN’T HAVE EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD REPAIRS

Submitted by admin on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 00:00

PNG’S LAE DOESN’T HAVE EQUIPMENT FOR ROAD REPAIRS

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Feb. 1, 2008) – Papua New Guinea’s Lae Urban Local Level Government (LULLG) does not have proper equipment to maintain the roads.

[PIR editor’s note: Lae, capital of Morobe Province on the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea, is the country’s second largest city with a population of 120,000. The issue of poor road conditions has been the object of much concern in recent weeks.]

The council admitted its shortcomings in the Project Form-ulation Document (PFD) submitted to the Government in order for the funds earmarked for the Lae City road rehabilitation to be released.

The PFD highlighted this was one of the reasons why roads in the city were not maintained on a timely basis and left to deteriorate.

"This project may be required to assist in purchasing some basic capital equipment and machinery and after the project is completed, the...

+ continue reading

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