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Mon
03
Jun
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Permit Issued For New Seawall, Dock At Am. Samoa Cannery

Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 00:00

Tri-Marine plans to build, operate new cannery

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (The Samoa News, June 1, 2013) – U.S. based Tri Marine International says it has received notice that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued the preliminary permit for the installation of a new seawall and dock at its Samoa Tuna Processor (STP) facility in Atu’u where a new cannery will be constructed.

"We have been assured that the final, fully executed permit will be provided in the coming days," according to a company media statement released yesterday afternoon.

STP is the locally owned subsidy of Tri Marine that will be operating the new cannery in the territory and Tri Marine had been working for some two years to obtain and secure the federal permit for the seawall and dock, which are necessary for cannery operations.

"With the uncertainty of the seawall permit behind us, our focus will now turn to the cannery construction phase, following which we will be ordering and...

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Mon
03
Jun
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Fiji Critical Of British Government After MP’s Resignation

Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 00:00

Bribery sting highlights ignorance of Fiji in British Parliament

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 3, 2013) – The Fiji government has criticised the British government and media for patronising attitudes towards Fiji, after a British media sting which resulted in the resignation of MP Patrick Mercer as government whip.

A reporter posed as a lobbyist for Fiji business interests to see if the MP could be hired for cash.

Sally Round reports.

"British media reports say an undercover reporter posing as a lobbyist was pretending to act on behalf of a bogus client, Friends of Fiji, to build support for Fiji’s readmission to the Commonwealth. The Conservative Party MP was filmed by the BBC, allegedly agreeing to the deal for a fee of about 3000 US dollars a month. ’ I, I do not charge a great deal of money for these things. I would normally come out at five hundred pounds per half day, to a thousand pounds a day.’ Patrick Mercer says...

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Mon
03
Jun
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Former Guam Governor Supports Rights For Territorial Citizens

Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 00:00

Gutierrez to help ‘We the People’ obtain legal support

By Mar-Vic Cagurangan

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Marianas Variety Guam, June 3, 2013) – Former Democratic Gov. Carl Gutierrez and former Republican Lt. Gov. Kaleo Moylan met Friday to discuss strategies to drum up support for the We the People Project, a new movement aimed at achieving equal rights and representation for Americans living in U.S. territories.

"We are trying to organize a group and develop a plan to get legal support for Neil Weare and his group of lawyers to help them sustain the fight for insular issues," Gutierrez said in an interview after his meeting with Moylan at Proa Restaurant.

Weare founded the We the People Project, a nonprofit group seeking equal rights for the 4.7 million marginalized Americans who live in U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

Lawsuit

The movement is anchored on the July 2012 lawsuit filed in the U.S. District of Columbia by persons born in...

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Mon
03
Jun
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Samoa Government Tables Budget For 2013-14

Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 00:00

Minister says budget focuses on ‘Rebuilding Our Economy’

APIA, Samoa (Samoa Observer, June 2, 2013) – With Samoa gearing up to celebrate 51st anniversary of independence today, the government set course for the next 12 months tabling the 2013/2014 budget yesterday.

Finance Minister Faumuina Tiatia Faaolatane Liuga addressed parliament on Thursday when he commended the budget to the House.

He said the budget has been framed along the theme ‘Rebuilding our Economy’.

"This is the reality of today’s global economy that despite the economic challenges we face every day, we have to rebuild and move on," the House heard.

"Against this backdrop, government will continue to build economic resilience through the realignment of its policies to underpin macroeconomic stability.

"This budget provides the means for stimulating economic activity through increased funding towards capital development."

He told members that on the revenue side, the...

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Mon
03
Jun
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Niue Premier Says New Wharf ‘Not A Priority’

Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/03/2013 - 00:00

Talagi says limited funds should be invested in airport improvements’

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 2, 2013) – The premier of Niue, Toke Talagi, doubts the country needs a longer wharf.

A scoping study is underway to determine whether it is feasible to extend the island’s modest wharf at Alofi and construct a boat harbour.

Given the geophysical constraints - the lack of a natural harbour, the deep seas and narrow reef - any such development is likely to come with a huge price tag.

Mr Talagi agrees but says a bigger wharf is not a priority for the island.

"In the analysis that we would be completing to determine in fact if it is worth spending that amount of money for the use of the port, which is once every 3 months for the ship [Matson’s freighter], quite regularly by small boat owners and so on, but in relation to the airport, and my belief at the present moment is that we should focus our attention on the...

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Tue
04
Jun
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Man Who Threatened Fitial Faces Trial In CNMI

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/04/2013 - 00:00

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Allegedly never told former governor he would assault him

By Andrew O. De Guzman

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, June 4, 2013) – Doctor John B. Joyner, who served as senior policy adviser to then-Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, yesterday testified that defendant Brian Kendall, 48, didn’t say that the then-chief executive would be bashed with a metal pipe or an aluminum bat.

Kendall, who has been diagnosed with bipolar and post-traumatic stress disorders, is being tried on the charge of making a terroristic threat.

According to Joyner. Kendall, after seeing Fitial’s photo in Joyner’s office, said the then-governor should not resign but die.

Joyner said Kendall suggested that someone could be present at one of the doors in the administration building and may do harm to the governor.

At the time, Joyner said...

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Tue
04
Jun
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Guam Judge Determined To Proceed With Blue

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/04/2013 - 00:00

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

House Trial
Sukola orders separate trials for defendants to avoid more delays

By Gina Tabonares-Reilly

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Marianas Variety Guam, June 4, 2013) – Guam Superior Court Judge Anita Sukola is determined to proceed with the trial of the two policemen involved in the Blue House case despite the defense’s argument that the time period for the defendants’ speedy trial has already lapsed.

The court says it still has six remaining days to avoid the violation of the Sixth Amendment rights of David Q. Manila and Anthony T. Quenga who have asked for a speedy trial. But defense attorney Terry Timblin asserts that the court has run out of time and the case against the two GPD members should have been dismissed.

Judge Sukola has already ordered the separate trials of Song Ja Cha, Manila, and Quenga to avoid further...

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Tue
04
Jun
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$13 Million Bailout Plan Proposed For Guam

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/04/2013 - 00:00

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Hospital
Governor suggests Compact funds to repay bank loan

By Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, June 4, 2013) – As the Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH) sits on the verge of running out of cash as soon as next month, Gov. Eddie Calvo and four senators proposed a $13 million bailout plan for GMH yesterday.

The plan calls for the passage of legislation that would allow GMH to borrow an additional $13 million, from a bank at which the hospital took out a $12 million debt two years ago. Under the law that authorized the previous debt, GMH is authorized to borrow up to $25 million, officials said yesterday.

If Bill 132 becomes law, this will be the third time since 2007 that money has to be borrowed --through a bank or from the bank market -- to help out the island's only hospital for civilians...

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Tue
04
Jun
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Flosse Calls For Self-Rule Referendum In

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/04/2013 - 00:00

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

French Polynesia
Territorial assembly passed supporting resolution last week

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 3, 2013) – The French Polynesian president, Gaston Flosse, has asked France to organize a referendum on self-determination.

The request has been made in a letter to the president, Francois Hollande, after the French Polynesian assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution for such a plebiscite last week.

The move follows last month’s United Nations General Assembly decision by consensus to reinscribe French Polynesia on the UN list of territories to be decolonized.

Both France and the new majority in the French Polynesian assembly wanted the territory to remain off the list.

The assembly has also passed a resolution asking the UN to revisit its decision and rescind the...

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Tue
04
Jun
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Guam Senators Discuss Delayed Tiyan Parkway

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/04/2013 - 00:00

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

Project
Federal government may pull $5.8 million in funding

By Mark-Alexander Pieper

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, June 4, 2013) – The government of Guam stands to lose $5.8 million in federal funds for the Tiyan Parkway Project if it doesn't buy cliffline properties that federal officials said should have never been given away.

Senators held a special session yesterday, at the request of Gov. Eddie Calvo, to act on Speaker Judith Won Pat's Bill 125, which provides $500,000 to the Department of Public Works to buy Tiyan cliffline land.

Public Works needs the money to buy up to two parcels of private land needed for the parkway project, agency Director Carl Dominguez told lawmakers.

After three hours of debate and a question-and-answer session with a panel of government experts, senators chose to...

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