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By Mark Rabago

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Jan. 9) - Starting February 1, 2008, Hotel Nikko Saipan will be no more and the hotel at the northernmost part of Saipan will henceforth be called Palms Resort Saipan, with new owner United Micronesia Development Association still deliberating on who among world-class hoteliers Sheraton, Hilton, and Marriott to manage the property.

[PIR editor’s note: According to Businessweek, United Micronesia Development Association, Inc. owns Marianas Cablevision, which operates cable television systems. It also operates hotel pay-per-view operations and Internet service providers. The company is based in the Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. ]

In an interview yesterday, director of asset management and chief financial officer Hiroyuki Saito said bringing in a well-known hotelier to run operations for Palms Resort Saipan will be in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

"[It's for] the future of the CNMI [Commonwealth of...

By Giff Johnson

MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Marianas Variety, Jan. 10) – An International Monetary Fund official says without more money going into the Marshall Islands government’s trust fund, there will be a huge drop in funding for this western Pacific nation when grants from the United States end in 2023.

A return on investments at six percent will make available only $24.4 million for use by the government in 2024, a shortfall of $22.5 million over the $47 million level of U.S. grants in the final year of the Compact of Free Association.

The IMF evaluation follows a similar report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office last year that said the U.S. and Taiwan-funded trust fund will not produce enough interest to replace U.S. aid.

But U.S. State Department officials have said there is no requirement that the trust fund replace the nearly $50 million in aid the U.S. will provide in 2023, and provided the trust fund produces any money at all, it...

By Douglas Marau

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Jan. 9) – Eight cruise ships will be visiting Solomon Islands this year.

Destination Solomons Travel and Tours Limited managing director Wilson Maelaua said these cruise ships are scheduled to visit the country at different times of the year.

These ships include the Spirit of Oceanus, Silver Whisper, Orion, MS Statendam, Doulos, Spirit of Enderby and Clipper Odyssey.

Mr Maelaua said some of these boats are scheduled to make two visits this year.

The first ship Spirit of Oceanus will be arriving this month.

According to the copy of the 2008 Cruise ship schedule provided by the Destination Solomons Limited, Spirit of Oceanus will arrive on January 17.

Mr Maelaua said this ship will visit Isabel Province and Tikopia.

The 89.8 metre length ship will be bringing 114 guests and 64 crews. It will depart on January 20.

Mr Maelaua said the second ship Silver Whisper will...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Jan. 9) - Grade 10 students and their parents throughout the country will be disappointed to learn that only about a third of those who sat for their exams last year will make it to Grade 11 this year.

This is because of very limited space in secondary and national high schools in the country.

This was announced by acting Secretary for Education Luke Taita yesterday.

Mr. Taita said from the total of 32,000 students who sat for the Grade 10 exams last year, 11,000 students were eligible for Grade 11 this year.

These students have been awarded places in the 62 secondary and six national high schools throughout the country.

This leaves 21,000 students with no place in PNG’s formal education system.

Taita said that according to the standard set criteria, students had to score four Upper Passes or better to qualify for selection to continue their education.

"Entry qualifications for secondary...