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Fifth time emergency called over decrepit power plant

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Dec. 4, 2008) – The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. remains under Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s control after he renewed the CNMI’s state of disaster emergency declaration for the fifth time to ensure that CUC’s rented generators will keep producing electricity pending its compliance with U.S. environmental laws.

The emergency declaration also allows Fitial to award contracts without going through the bidding process.

Signed on Dec. 3, Executive Order 2008-21 states that CUC desires to comply in advance with environmental and land use regulations in relation to the 15-megawatt containerized generators of Aggreko but its operation cannot be interrupted.

"Taking Aggreko’s units off line, while undergoing the time and expense of computer modeling of the emissions of Lower Base power plants, would have triggered renewed rolling blackouts for Saipan," Fitial stated in his six-page E...

Mineral prices, foreign exchange rates bode poorly

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Dec. 3, 2008) – The 2009 National Budget is expected to be severely hit by the expected fall in commodity and mineral prices, and the appreciation of the kina against the Australian dollar by over 30 percent in recent months.

National Planning Minister Paul Tiensten told The National in Sydney yesterday that the fall in commodity and mineral prices and the exchange rate fluctuations were factors beyond the Government’s control.

He admitted that the Government might have to revise the 2009 Budget downward next year if conditions worsened, or end up with a budget deficit.

The prices of oil and copper, two of PNG’s big revenue earners, fell by over 50 percent this year, while gold also fell, wiping out hopes of more surplus income. The falls were connected to the slowdown in the major world economies due to the global financial crisis.

This year, the kina...

Connecting Honiara with Australia twice weekly

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Times, Dec. 3, 2008) At the Henderson International airport yesterday, the aviation office together with the public welcomed the first flight of Virgin Blue's sister airline, Pacific Blue, to the Solomon Islands from Australia.

In a welcome party hosted by Sir. Tommy Chan at the Honiara Hotel, the Pacific Blue's Public Relations Manager, Ms. Heidi Marchant expressed the company's excitement in operating the business in the Solomon Islands.

She stated that the team is very privileged to mark another milestone on the development of the tourism, adding that "we hope to contribute in boosting the tourism of the country."

She said that they are overwhelmed by the support of the Solomon Islands government as they begin their operations. She also expressed her gratitude for the Civil Aviation and the Solomon Islands for making it possible for their aircraft to land safely in the...

New system would eliminate double paychecks

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, Dec. 2, 2008 ) – The new single parliamentary salaries of Tonga's Cabinet Ministers have not been put into place, but when they are there will be no increase on the budgeted amount, Tonga's Minister of Finance Afu'alo Matoto told Matangi Tonga on November 28.

Although the Privy Council had approved a recommendation for Cabinet Ministers to receive only one salary, and not two, as had been the practice during the past few years, he said the Ministry of Finance were still working on the implementation of the new salaries of Cabinet Ministers.

The work followed Privy Council approval on September 16 of a 2006 recommendation by an independent assessor Peter Salway and the Higher Salaries Review Committee to give Ministers only one salary.

Afu'alo said that the new salary would combine three components, "their salaries from Parliament plus allowances, and their salaries from their...