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GUAM’S STRAPPED EDUCATION SYSTEM TO CLOSE SCHOOL Government to save $157,000 a year

By Brett Kelman HAGATNA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, July 1, 2011) – Guam's smallest public school won't reopen when summer ends, in an effort to cut costs for the cash-strapped school system, despite opposition from the neighboring community.

F.Q. Sanchez Elementary School, a tiny campus along the coast in Umatac, will be closed and students will shift to nearby Merizo Elementary School, according to a decision made by the Guam Education Board yesterday.

Less than a dozen staff from the school will be transferred to fill vacancies at other campuses, said Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Taling Taitano. Principal Derrick Santos, who has been splitting duties between F.Q. Sanchez and Merizo Martyrs Memorial Elementary, will now focus only on Merizo.

According to an audit released in 2009, the closure of this school is expected to save the school system about $...

Cabinet minster Iauko pleads guilty in March 4 assault

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 30, 2011) – Vanuatu cabinet minister, Harry Iauko, has pleaded guilty to charges relating to the assault of publisher Marc Neil-Jones.

The Daily Post reports that Senior Magistrate Rita Naviti sentenced the eight men involved in the assault of its publisher with fines ranging up to nearly one thousand US dollars

[PIR editor’s note: The assault, in which Daily Post publisher Marc Neil-Jones was reportedly choked, took place at the Post offices on March 4 of this year.]

Mr Iauko, who was recently re-named the public utilities minister, was sentenced to fines totalling nearly 150 US dollars for aiding and abetting damage to property and for aiding and abetting intentional assault.

Three charges of unlawful assembly, unlawful entry and criminal trespass were withdrawn by the State Prosecutor after he pleaded not guilty.

In her...

Group threatens to shut water treatment plant

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 30,2011) – The governor of Papua New Guinea’s National Capital District has refused to get involved with a group threatening to shut down a water treatment plant.

The group of Koiari landowners have threatened to close the Eda Ranu plant if they get no response to their petition which follows a recent sorcery-related death of a Koiari in the capital.

They demanded a response from the governor but Mr Parkop says it’s a criminal matter that is for the police to deal with.

Mr Parkop says the situation is different from his recent intervention with Koiari landowners who’d sabotaged the city’s power and water supplies in April, over what he calls social rather than criminal grievances.

"Yeah it’s like a new trend because in other parts of the country people have been doing this and it’s not been a practice here in the city. But it’s becoming...

Couldn’t obtain licenses

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 30, 2011) – A Taiwanese fishing firm is ending a 12-year agreement with the Northern Cook Islands Fishing Company and wants more than a quarter of million US dollars refunded.

The Cook Islands News reports that in 2009 the Ministry of Marine Resources issued licences to the NCIFC, which the local company sold to Taiwanese fishing vessels.

It got money from the Taiwanese company for multi-year contracts for 16 vessels but seven of these trawlers were never licensed.

The Taiwanese company is seeking repayment of all monies paid for the seven vessels that remain unlicensed plus other expenses.