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‘Desperate’ Solomons Students In Fiji Waiting On State Stipends Reportedly foraging for food from USP campus breadfruit trees

By Ednal R. Palmer

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Aug. 1, 2012) – Solomon Islands students studying at the University of South Pacific’s Laucala campus in Fiji are reportedly in a desperate situation to survive.

A Laucala student Sitiveni Shadds said some students are now surviving on breadfruits around the campus.

"Others who are able to secure lending funds will have to repay a substantial amount of interest on top of what they owed from lenders when they get their allowances," Mr. Shadds said.

The students had been pleading for the Government to pay up their allowances, but said no payments had been received to date.

Mr. Shadds said it was a heartbreaking and discouraging sight when some students resort to fruits around the campus to help settle their stomachs.

"Student could not purchase their...

55 percent of profits to be equally divided between state governments

By Aurea Gerundio-Dizon

KOROR, Palau (Island Times, July 31, 2012) – The proposal to equitably divide all revenue derived from licensing foreign vessels to fish in Palau was signed into law yesterday.

But President Toribiong, even if he approved the new formula, said it would have been more equitable if the states with greater population will be provided more money.

The new formula for the division of fishing revenues is as follows: 15 percent goes to the national government; 55 percent will be equally divided among states; and 30 percent will be divided among states according to population of each state as stated in the most recent national government census.

The Governors’ Association, since Fiscal Year 2011, has been asking for the national government to release fishing revenues to the state governments.

The last time state governments received its share from the...

Officials supposedly demanding cash for ‘constituency payments’

By Alfred Sasako

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Aug. 1, 2012) – Solomon Islands politicians appear to have found a way round Treasury requirements that funding from the SB$50 million-a-year [US$6.8 million] Rural Livelihood Fund be paid directly to suppliers instead of through Members of Parliament (MP).

Each Constituency is allocated SB$1 million [US$135,100] in Rural Livelihood Funding, which is tax-payer funded, each year. This money is intended for micro-project funding in all 50 Constituencies.

The only requirement is that no hard cash be provided to MPs from this source.

Instead, MPs are required to provide quotes for projects to be funded to the Ministry of Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs.

Payments would then be made directly to the supplier and MPs would simply collect the items on order.

However, sources claimed some politicians have now found...

Tinian Mayor’s Employees Excluded From CNMI Work Hour Boost 72-hour schedule reportedly only for departments that can afford it

By Haidee V. Eugenio

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Aug. 1, 2012) – Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz announced yesterday that Mayor's Office employees won't go back to 72 work hours biweekly from the current 64 hours because there are no funds available to cover the additional eight hours beginning July 29 up to Sept. 30.

Then-acting governor Eloy S. Inos, in a July 26 memo, said no department or agency may increase work hours if fund balances are insufficient to cover the additional eight working hours for the remainder of the fiscal year.

This Friday is supposed to be a working day for government employees if agencies have sufficient lapsed funds to cover the eight hours.

Dela Cruz said there are no lapsed funds for the mayor's office.

"I am sorry to bear this bad news, but there will be no work this coming Friday. No...