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Tue
06
Dec

CNMI Senate Passes Pay Raise Bill For Executive Officials, Legislators

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 15:23

 

The Senate voted 8-0 to pass a bill increasing the salaries of all elected CNMI officials—governor, lieutenant governor, mayors, and legislators—in yesterday’s session that dragged on until late 8pm. House Bill 19-3 HS1 HD1, introduced by House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan (R-Saipan), now goes to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres for signing. HB 19-3 would also enact a new base salary schedule and increase the salary ceiling for classified civil service government employees.

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Tue
06
Dec

Samoa Prime Minister Launches Major Renovation Plan For Apia Waterfront

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 15:34

 

Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, has called for open minds and for members of the public to think of the possibilities in relation to the Apia Waterfront Plan. Launched on Monday, the Apia Waterfront Project, a joint initiative by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (through the Planning and Urban Management Agency) and the Samoa Tourism Authority on the development of the Apia waterfront area.

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Tue
06
Dec

Anti-Corruption March To Take Place In Solomon Islands Capital

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 15:49

 

People from all walks of life are being encouraged to join anti-corruption activities in Solomon Islands' capital Honiara this week. The activities include a march on Friday. The march is the first in a series of events being held in the capital to mark this year's International Anti-corruption Day with the theme "Breaking the Corruption Chain."

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Tue
06
Dec

Cook Islands Minister Of Agriculture Calls For More Action On Invasive Species

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 15:55

 

The Cook Islands Minister of Agriculture wants immediate action to curb the impact of invasive species. This comes after the importation of avocado trees from New Zealand and Australia seven years ago was believed to be the source of the destructive black twig borer now present in the country. Minister Kiriau Turepu said both the ministry and private individuals had brought in the plants but he said it was a problem he had only been made aware of in the past two weeks.

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Tue
06
Dec

Australia Public Broadcaster To End Shortwave Services To Pacific

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 16:03

 

Australia's public broadcaster says it will end its shortwave service to the Pacific on the 31st of January. The ABC said the move is in line with its commitment to dispense with outdated technology and expand its digital offerings. It said the savings made from ending shortwave services to the Pacific will be reinvested in a more robust FM network and expanded content.

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Tue
06
Dec

Guam Stands To Lose $126 Million If Trump's Tax Plan Enacted

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 16:12

 

The Guam Tax Commission warned Tuesday that if Congress adopts President-elect Donald J. Trump’s proposed tax policy, the local government could lose roughly $126 million in revenue from territorial income taxes during fiscal 2017. Guam currently mirrors the federal tax code, but has had the ability since the 1980s to create its own unique tax code for the island. Several commissions, which have since been disbanded, previously were enacted to review the feasibility of delinking codes.

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Tue
06
Dec

Foreign Landowners In Fiji Upset Over Land Law Changes Campaign For Travel Ban

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 16:18

 

A group representing some foreign landowners in Fiji says it'll be mounting a campaign against travel to the country as a protest over land law changes. The Fiji Landowners Association said many foreign landowners were having to sell off their land cheaply to avoid hefty fines brought in with changes to the Land Sales Act two years ago. The association's founder, Dave Rand, said the landowners had been told they would have to pay $1000 and disclose their finances if they wanted questions answered about the issue.

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Tue
06
Dec

Chinese Investor To Build $4.4 Million Solar Generation Facility In Tonga

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 16:21

Zhuhai Singyes Green Building Technology has long-term energy purchase deal with Tonga Power Ltd.

NUKU‘ALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, Dec. 6, 2016) – Queen Nanasipau'u officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony today for the construction of a new 2 MW solar farm at Matatoa, Tofoa – the largest to be built in Tonga.

The privately-funded $10 million pa'anga [US$4.4 million] development by Zhuhai Singyes Green Building Technology Ltd. from Guangdong, China, is expected to be completed by June 2017. Their investment in Tonga solar power generation is based on a long-term agreement with Tonga Power Ltd. as customer.

Tonga Power Ltd. CEO Robert Matthews said the solar facility is being constructed by Singyes, an Independent Power Producer, who had signed a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with TPL in September.

Based on the agreement, Singyes will sell all output power from the farm to Tonga Power network at a fixed rate for the next 25 years.

He...

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Tue
06
Dec

Samoa Census Shows Only Slight Population Increase Since 2011

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 16:27

 

Samoa’s population slight increase by only 4,522 people in five years rings suspicions. Even more suspicious when there were more men at 192,342 over 187,829 women. The slight increase of only 4,522 prompted the Prime Minister to say that something was not right in the equation during the launch of the preliminary 2016 census results last Friday. “There is a huge imbalance,” Tuilaepa said “and someone is not contributing,” which brought out laughter from the guests that attended the preliminary census report launching.

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Tue
06
Dec

Vanuatu Business Continue To Struggle Since Cyclone Pam

Submitted by PIR Editor on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 16:31

Investment Promotion Authority to drop business fees by 75%

By Thompson Marango

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (Vanuatu Daily Post, Dec. 7, 2016) – Since the country was struck by Tropical Cyclone Pam last year, businesses have voiced their concern about the struggle to recover, their voice has not fallen on deaf ears, the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority (VIPA) has announced its intention to drop business fees by 75%.

VIPA Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Raymond Vuti told KIzzy Kalsakau of Buzz FM news that the initiative will start next year to allow struggling businesses to regain full operation. At the moment a new application to do business in Vanuatu stands at Vt 120,000 [US$1,100], the amount was increased last year straight after Cyclone Pam.

Recently VIPA was very concerned to learn that at least 40 businesses are said to be on shaky ground due to various factors affecting their operation.

“This news is very concerning to VIPA,...

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