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Toribiong want the people to decide

By Jose Señase SAIPAN, CNMI Islands (Marianas Variety, Dec. 31, 2010) – Palau’s President, Johnson Toribiong signed into law last Wednesday the amended casino referendum bill.

"In a democratic society, the people are supreme and now they are called upon to render the final decision on this controversial issue," Toribiong said. Let the people decide."

According to the new law, the referendum will be held from 120 to 180 days after the effective date of the Act.

The election commission will announce the date of the referendum not later than 90 days prior to the date on which it will be conducted.

Those who are qualified to vote but are not registered may submit their application to vote in accordance with applicable laws. Any person who is currently registered in the general registry need not re-register in order to vote in the referendum.

If a majority of votes cast are in favor of a casino, the national...

Trading company fined but allowed to profit

By Douglas Marau

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Dec. 31, 2010) – The Cabinet’s decision to allow Haizhen Trading Company to export the $4 million worth of beche-de-mer it was caught with, could see the company earn $3.2 million from its illegal dealings and the government $800,000.

Haizhen Company was fined twice this year for illegally trying to export beche-de-mers out of the country.

The Asian company was initially caught by Customs and police officers trying smuggle out a 20 feet container filled with trochus shell and beche-de-mer. The company was again caught recently by fisheries officers and last week found illegally possessing a seaweed consignment.

After the arrest of the company the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources liaised with the Attorney General’s Chambers which subsequently advised that the two charges against the company be compounded and to fine the company $100,000...

Southern Highlands group wants development grant issues resolved

By Stephanie Elizah

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Dec. 31, 2010) – A group of landowners of LNG project sites in Southern Highlands have warned that there will be no K50 billion PNG LNG project unless business development grant (BDG) issues are resolved.

They also warned LNG developer ExxonMobil to be prepared to vacate all project sites next week as talks of sabotaging the project spreads.

The landowners said this in response to the news of 16 legitimate landowner companies were paid a total of K89.208 million for spin-off business ventures last Thursday at March Girls resort outside Port Moresby.

LNG landowners pressure group team leader Henry Duguno, in a statement, said a recent media statement by acting Prime Minister Sam Abal that all landowner companies would be paid their seed capital did not materialise when only 16 identified companies were paid.

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The public has lost confidence in the system

By Charles Pitt RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (The Cook Islands Herald, Dec. 30, 2010) – In Cook Islands, a review of the Ministry of Justice’s computerized land records has revealed an alarming statistic and that is some 4 out of 10 applications have been incorrectly recorded making the computer record only about 60 per cent accurate.

The review found two major problems have caused the inaccuracies. They are an error in linkages which omits important data and human error.

The review was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and funded by the Public Sector Technical Assistance fund. The review was carried by Lynnsay Rongokea and her report was submitted to the Secretary for Justice Mark Short in December.

Computer records of land titles were introduced early in 2000. Information held on hard copy court records (minute books and the original register of Titles was transferred to computer. Much of the work was...