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Repatriation, not retraining, the future for workers

APIA, Samoa (Samoa Observer, June 2, 2009)—Up to 500 cannery workers from Samoa will pack their bags and leave American Samoa when COS Samoa Packing closes shop in September.

The loss of those jobs is a serious blow to the Samoan economy as these workers sent money home and helped support the travel industry between the islands.

And while their American Samoan colleagues will benefit from a US Government-sponsored training and re-employment programme, the 500 Samoan workers will be left out.

They are in the territory under the special worker permit programme and will have no choice but to return home when Samoa Packing closes in September.

Their American Samoan co-workers will also become unemployed when the factory closes but will have a chance to retrain for other jobs under a training scheme being considered.

Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin told Sunday Samoan he has talked to the...

Editorial

Pacific Daily News

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (June 3, 2009) - A tip received Monday by the Department of Corrections allowed it to prevent an alleged planned prison break, but the incident served to show that prison officials need to get a much better grip on security.

After a phone call, Department of Corrections employees found a cellular phone and a flat, sharpened piece of metal that could be used to pick locks in the cell of inmate Frank Pangelinan.

Pangelinan, who previously has escaped from the prison, is serving a life sentence for murder. He is confined to the most restrictive section of the prison, according to DOC Director J.B. Palacios. Only corrections officers and other prisoners are allowed into that area, and prisoners are supposed to be searched.

Palacios said another cellular phone was found in a different inmate's prison cell.

"It's apparent that there is a lapse in security,"...

Commentary

By Ilya Gridneff

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, June 2, 2009) – A former Chinese dissident gets deported and growing anti-Chinese violence breaks out while the power of the local Asian mafia rises amid claims of widespread police corruption.

It sounds like a plot for a Hollywood action thriller, but it’s just a slice of everyday life in Papua New Guinea.

The opening scenes would show former Chinese government dissident Gu Kai being forced awake from his sleep and taken from his Port Moresby home, beaten by police, blindfolded, then taken hostage and driven to the outskirts of town.

In a hotel room he is beaten again, forced to sign affidavits accusing the PNG police commissioner of corruption and when he refuses, the beatings continue.

Next morning police and immigration department officials take the luggage-less, passport-less, battered and bruised man to the airport and deport him to Hong Kong.

...

Editorial

The National

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (June 2, 2009) – PNG has seen an upturn in construction work, particularly in the building industry.

Demand in this sector has always been high but supply has been low, thereby driving rentals through the roof.

This has driven senior managers to take up residence in settlements, particularly those whose employment contracts did not include hefty accommodation allowances.

In recent years, however, that groundswell of demand combined with lower interest rates, political stability and strong economic growth have caused a sharp increase in construction activity.

This has been evident in mostly the main centres of PNG, principally Port Moresby and Lae.

An industry link on the internet states: "Remarkably, this growth has occurred in spite of two significant limiting factors. First, there is a shortage of capacity in the sector. Second, there is a growing need for available secured...