Articles Search

Auckland construction, Christchurch rebuilding may boost jobs

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 10, 2013) – Tough economic times are not putting off the number of people in Samoa looking for a new start in New Zealand, with three thousand more people than last year registering their interest under the annual quota scheme.

Immigration New Zealand’s Pacific regional manager says this year almost 18,000 people applied under the scheme, which is limited to 1,100 places.

Alan Barry says over the past couple of years the quota has not been met.

This year the electronic ballot system has pre-selected just over one-thousand three-hundred people to help make up any shortfall when the quota is decided.

"In good, strong economic times, then the quotas are hit relatively easily compared to when the economy isn’t so strong because the job offer is the key to a successful quota application."

Alan Barry says it’s possible that...

Tuilaepa: operators not doing enough to boost industry

By Niccola Hazelman-Siona and Jason Brown

APIA, Samoa (Samoa Observer, June 10, 2013) – Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has brushed off recent claims that Samoa’s tourism industry is in "crisis," putting the controversy down to industry "tricks."

Tuilaepa said that he did not know where the claims stem from and that the problem was the industry members are "fighting among themselves."

"I think it has something to do with the industry wanting more tourists to come to Samoa and the government has been doing everything to make that happen.

"Everything the government has done with regards to tourism is catered towards bringing more tourists to Samoa," he told media during a Thursday press conference.

"The government built airports, the government has also helped boost individual hotels through various promotions...

Guam Attorney General’s Office Asks For Bigger Budget AG says even minimal increase would be welcome

By Louella Losinio

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Marianas Variety Guam, June 11, 2013) – Ideally, Guam’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO) wants a budget of $17 million for fiscal year 2014, an increase of about $7 million from last year’s $10.8 million AGO budget.

But during yesterday’s budget hearing, Attorney General Leonardo Rapadas told senators frankly that his office would be happy with even just a "minimal" hike as long as it’s an increase over the previous fiscal year’s budget.

Rapadas said the AGO’s budget request is modest and looks at the reality today but also looks forward to the future in terms of what the AGO needs to sustain their burdening caseloads in all of the AGO’s divisions.

"At a minimum, we look to return to our 2012 levels. Remember that all the chief deputies and the division deputies have each expressed a need for more personnel,"...

Contract with MEDC amounts to $60,000 over 5 years

By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, June 11, 2013) – The partnership between Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is still a go.

Commonwealth Development Authority (CDA) loan manager Oscar Camacho confirmed to Variety, "Everything is approved. The paperwork has yet to be completed."

The CNMI, through the Department of Commerce and CDA, is poised to launch the $13.1 million State Small Business Credit Initiative program with MEDC as third-party underwriter.

Michigan — through MEDC — piloted the private-public finance programs for distressed automotive companies which needed a bailout when credit markets were frozen. The banks devalued machinery and other assets pledged as collateral.

MEDC’s program became the model for the U.S. Treasury’s $1.5 billion State Small Business Credit Initiative program in 2010 and...