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House Vice Speaker faces misdemeanor charges

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, America Samoa (Samoa News, June 3, 2009)—House Vice Speaker Laolagi Savali Vaeao has been summoned by the District Court to appear Friday morning to answer to a misdemeanor charge in connection with an incident that occurred last month. Laolagi, who represents Manu’a District #2, is facing one count of public peace disturbance for an incident that occurred on May 15.

In the incident, the defendant allegedly "intended to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or reckless[ly] creating the risk of it [by] engaging in fighting or in violent or threatening behavior," according to court documents.

The charge is a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for six months, a fine of $500 or both.

According to a court affidavit, it was the morning of May 15 that a local resident contacted police to report an attack against herself, in which the defendant allegedly...

Environment threatened by vehicle accident

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, June 3, 2009) – The Ramu nickel slurry pipeline’s proximity to the Madang Highway poses a threat to the environment in the event of a vehicle accident or natural disaster, says a leading Papua New Guinean ecologist.

"There is a lot to answer for in terms of why approval was given for the pipeline to be constructed along the highway," Professor Simon Saulei, the Forest Research Institute’s director, said.

Prof Saulei said he was concerned that the pipeline’s features, the route and its construction disregarded the climate, geology, environment and the populace of the area.

The 135km pipeline will ferry slurry from the Kurumbukari mine site, along the existing route to the Basamuk refinery, located 52km southeast of Madang on the Rai Coast.

The project is expected to shift from construction into operations next year.

When operations commence, 3.2...

First time Palau has a five-year strategy with ADB

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Times, June 4, 2009) -The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of the Republic of Palau have agreed to a five-year strategic partnership aimed at supporting sustainable development and alleviating the impacts of climate change.

Endorsed by ADB's Board of Directors in Manila today, the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) 2009-2013 provides for $9.8 million in lending to build essential public infrastructure and attract private investment. A further $3 million will be spent on technical assistance to strengthen economic and financial management, enhance institutional effectiveness, boost private sector growth, and support the implementation of a climate change adaptation action plan.

This is the first time the ADB and Palau have entered into a CPS. Palau joined the ADB in 2003 and is classified as a Pacific developing member country.

"This important new...

Year old effort gives victims a second chance

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, June 3, 2009) – They were treated like dirt. Beaten and abused continuously by their husbands, these women lived a life in hell.

Marriage life was not blissful as they were led to believe when they were young and beautiful.

The sad tales of women in these relationships unfolded yesterday at the Boroko Police Station and precisely at the Victims of Family and Sexual Violence Desk (VFSVD).

Each of the women told their story of the years of verbal and physical abuse inflicted on them by their husbands who view them as nothing less than the dirt they trod on.

There were also stories of their children being victims of the physical and verbal abuse at the hands of their fathers.

One recalled a blow to her head which exposed her skull. The blow had ripped her scalp apart like rubber at both the front and back end.

She told of the pain and how...