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02
May
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FIJI TIMES PUBLISHER DEPORTED TO KOREA

Submitted by admin on Fri, 05/02/2008 - 00:00

Evan Hannah put on flight to Seoul

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, May 1, 2008) – Fiji Times publisher Evan Hannah was escorted from his home this evening, and taken to Nadi International Airport to be deported out of the country.

Fiji Television showed footage of Hannah driven out of Suva in darkness as reporters and cameramen from FijiTV and the Fiji Times followed.

Fiji Times editor-in-chief Netani Rika said he is unaware of where the three Immigration officers and policeman are taking Hannah.

"It’s a disturbing event," he said. "We had just heard the interim Prime Minister assure the nation of media freedom two days before Media Freedom Day (on May 3)."

Fiji Sun publisher Australian Russel Hunter was deported by the authorities in February this year.

[PIR editor’s note: Radio New Zealand International reports that Hannah was put on board a Korean Airlines flight that left for Seoul this morning after Air Pacific refused to take him to Australia...

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Fri
02
May
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FIJI TO IMPORT INDIAN SUGAR, EXPORT IT’S OWN TO EUROPE

Submitted by admin on Fri, 05/02/2008 - 00:00

Fiji sugar commands premium price in EU nations

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, May 1, 2008) - Fiji will be again importing sugar from India this year for regional and local market consumption.

The Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) said 45,000 tons of bagged sugar would be imported from India.

This is to ensure that Fiji’s sugar reaches the European Union market, which pays premium price, it said.

The FSC said the imported sugar would be diverted to meet local and regional needs.

This practice began last year when Fiji imported 30,000 tons in the 2007 season.

Last year, Fiji could not fulfill its quota to the EU due to lower production, following a drought.

The FSC also highlighted that the EU has agreed to provide Fiji with an additional sugar quota. This, despite a price reduction in preferential prices by 9.2 percent in 2008, bringing total reduction by 14.3 percent from 2006.

FSC’s acting chief executive officer Deo Saran said that...

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Fri
02
May
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FIJI FIGHTS U.S. CUSTOMS AGENCY PROPOSAL

Submitted by admin on Fri, 05/02/2008 - 00:00

Increased fees would make Fiji products more expensive in U.S.

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, May 1, 2008) - The Fiji Embassy in the United States has filed a submission with the US Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) on behalf of various Fiji agencies opposing a new CBP proposal which, if implemented could increase the prices for some Fiji exports to the USA.

On January 24, 2008, the CBP issued a notice in the Federal Register proposing to eliminate the "first sale rule" that when an import transaction involves a series of sales, the customs import value upon which CBP assesses import duties, fees and taxes may be based on the sale price of the first arm’s length transaction for goods clearly destined for export to the US.

In a statement today, the embassy said this means that US importing companies can lawfully minimize import duties, fees, and taxes by basing the customs import value on the manufacturer’s sale price to an intermediary rather than the...

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Fri
02
May
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FIJI ‘DERELICT’ IN PROTECTING FIJIAN LANGUAGE

Submitted by admin on Fri, 05/02/2008 - 00:00

FIJI ‘DERELICT’ IN PROTECTING FIJIAN LANGUAGE Madraiwiwi challenges teachers to promote native tongue

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, May 1, 2008) - Former Fiji Vice President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi says the State has been derelict in its obligations towards the Fijian language and dialects.

Ratu Joni said the current administration is not at fault since Fijian-dominated Governments have ruled Fiji for most of the thirty-eight years of independence.

"The SDL Government was in office for over five years. It was perceived by many to have promoted indigenous priorities at the expense of other communities. Yet it too, did little to pursue measures to protect and promote the use of Fijian and its dialects."

Ratu Joni raised his concerns at the Annual General Meeting of the Fijian Teachers Association in Suva yesterday.

Former PM Laisenia Qarase and members of his ousted SDL Government were amongst the invited guests at the conference.

Ratu Joni challenged...

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Fri
02
May
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$69 MILLION RESORT UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON SAIPAN

Submitted by admin on Fri, 05/02/2008 - 00:00

Hotel and golf course to open in November 2009

By Mark Rabago

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, May 2, 2008) – Laolao Bay Golf Resort broke ground on its $68.8-million Golftel project yesterday with Kumho Asiana executives joining local government officials led by Gov. Benigno R. Fitial in what is easily Saipan's biggest construction undertaking in more than a decade.

Kumho Resort president Bong Ku Kim said the project to build a world-class golf resort is further proof that their mother company is dead serious in its commitment to invest in the Commonwealth.

Laolao Bay Golf Resort president Sun Don Jhung presented a brief project summary and said the Golftel is scheduled to open in November 2009.

The $68.8-million project will involve two phases. The first phase will cost $54.2 million and involve the construction of two Golftel towers with 73 lodging units, five independent-structure golf villas, completion of the full facilities and services (...

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Fri
02
May

PNG TAXPAYERS ASK: WHERE’S THE MISSING $380 MILLION?

Submitted by piradmin on Fri, 05/02/2008 - 00:00

Editorial

PNG Post-Courier

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (May 2, 2008) – A billion kina [US$ 379.5 million] gone, vanished from the hands of the government officers entrusted with looking after the nation’s income.

That is the sad, astonishing claim coming from those who are running the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee. And the figure, as quoted to the committee yesterday by Auditor-General George Sullimann, could go even higher. Records available to Mr Sullimann’s office from the Finance Department revealed a loss of K850 million [US$ 322.6 million] in just three years, but with further probing, they expect to uncover losses of much more than that. Mr Sullimann said Finance officers had failed to produce records despite being asked to do so three times. It seems, from the committee’s standpoint, that K750 million went through one trust account and was misappropriated without a trace!

How can this be? How can it happen without a trail being left...

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Fri
02
May

POLYNESIANS DIE FROM CANCER MORE OFTEN THAN WHITES

Submitted by piradmin on Fri, 05/02/2008 - 00:00

News Release

Cancer Research Center of Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii May 2, 2008

Native Hawaiians, Maoris, and other Polynesians die at higher rates from cancer compared to whites of European ancestry who settled in the Pacific islands, according to a report on worldwide cancer disparities to be published in the May 2008 issue of the "The Lancet Oncology," a monthly medical research publication focusing on the latest developments in cancer. Dr. Loïc Le Marchand, director of the Epidemiology Program of the Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i (CRCH), is among the contributors of the report.

"Education regarding cancer screening programs, diet, and smoking could help address this problem," said Dr. Le Marchand. "With these data, we can help advocate for more funding to support culturally appropriate programs, including education and better health care to help individuals quit smoking or make cancer treatments more available to those who need it. These would lower the...

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Mon
05
May
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TONGAN KING APPOINTS SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT

Submitted by admin on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 00:00

Tu’ilakepa is a Noble from Vava’u

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, May 2, 2008) – Hm King George Tupou V appointed Hon. Tu'ilakepa as the new Speaker of the Tongan Parliament on April 29.

The king's Private Secretary, Sateki 'Ahio read the king's letter of appointment of the new Speaker at the noble's residence at Longolongo.

Hon. Tu'ilakepa is one of the two Vava'u Nobles' Representatives to the Tongan parliament. He was re-elected with Hon Luani during the Nobles' Election on April 23.

During his last three-year term in parliament, Hon Tu'ilakepa was the Chairman of the Whole House Committee. Before he entered parliament in 2005 he was a civil servant with the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources.

The Tu'ilakepa's estates are Talasiu, Ofu, Okoa and Vasivasi.

Matangi Tonga Magazine: www.matangitonga.to/home/

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Mon
05
May
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EU APPROVES INCREASED SUGAR QUOTA FOR FIJI

Submitted by admin on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 00:00

31,500 additional tons will boost Fiji exports

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, May 1, 2008) - The European Union has agreed to provide Fiji with an additional sugar quota allowing growers to enjoy an increase in cane payments this year, the Fiji Sugar Corporation said.

This, despite a price reduction in preferential prices by 9.2 percent in 2008, bringing total reduction by 14.3 percent from 2006.

FSC’s acting chief executive officer, Deo Saran said that instead of the usual quota of about 172,500 as per the Cotonou Agreement, EU has given Fiji an additional quota of 56,500 for this year.

As a beneficiary of the Economic Partnership Agreement, Fiji has received 31,500 tons as additional tonnage and 25,000 tons as complimentary quota for the 2008 season.

This brings the total tons for the EU market to 229,000 this season compared to 188,000 for the 2007 season.

Consequently, the 2008 season’s forecast price has increased to FJ$46.26 [US$31.05]...

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Mon
05
May
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FIJIAN SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN BLAST

Submitted by admin on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 00:00

29-year-old soldier was on first mission

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, May 4, 2008) – A Fijian soldier serving in the British army was killed when his patrol vehicle hit a mine in Afghanistan last week.

Britain’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Trooper Ratu Babakobau, 29, arrived in Afghanistan only last month and was on his first mission overseas.

The BBC reports that three other soldiers were injured in the explosion as they were providing protection for a routine patrol in Helmand province's Nowzad area.

The four soldiers were all members of the Household Cavalry Regiment, the same regiment as Prince Harry.

An Afghan translator was also seriously injured in the attack.

The married father of two young boys joined the Army in 2004 and served in both the Mounted Regiment and the Household Cavalry.

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Fullerton, commanding officer of the Household Cavalry, said:

"He was already a leader of men. Words...

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