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$50,000 saved as qualified staff add teaching to workload

By Moneth Deposa SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Feb. 2, 2012) – The Northern Marianas College projects to save about $50,000 in personnel costs after letting qualified staffers and employees teach at least one class this spring semester.

NMC president Sharon Y. Hart told Saipan Tribune that 24 courses in various programs are now being taught by these staff members without any added cost to the college.

She explained that employees who at a minimum obtained a bachelor's degree or higher were asked to use some of their weekly 40-hour schedule to teach a class.

An employee, for example, who is qualified to teach classes can use five hours of their 40 hours weekly schedule to teach. In case of staffers who are able to teach more than one class, a new schedule is being worked out with their managers.

This move arose out of the college's limited budget for operations this fiscal year and in...

PNG’S SOMARE READY FOR TALKS WITH O’NEILL CAMP Willing to talk, but will not budge on constitutional issues

By Poreni Umau PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Feb. 1, 2012) – The Somare faction has indicated that it is ready for a round table talk with the O’Neill regime regarding the ongoing political wrangling since December 12, 2011.

This was revealed by Nuku MP Andrew Kumbakor at a press conference yesterday.

But, Mr. Kumbakor said that they will not compromise on the subject of constitution.

He said that the Somare side is prepared to go to negotiations but a proposition remains and that is to allow them to comply as per the Supreme Court Order on December 12, last year.

Mr. Kumbakor’s call comes after the PNG Council of Churches called on the two political parties to take their grudges to a round table discussion and sort the political mess and lay everything to rest.

Last week the members of the PNGCC, under the...

TONGA’S AUDITOR GENERAL FACES REMOVAL FOR REMARKS Calls for dismissal after saying NZ minister is ‘two-faced’

By Pesi Fonua NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga, Feb. 1, 2012) – Tonga's parliament met yesterday, January 31, to pass a decision on a Motion for a Resolution to dismiss the auditor general for bad behavior, but the special session ran into some problems.

At the end of the first day of the special session the House could not agree on who should be dealing with the motion - the House, a Select Committee of the House, or the Standing Law Committee of the House.

The motion will effectively put the auditor general on trial by parliament.

The fact that the Tongan Parliament is putting the auditor general on trial is complicated by the fact that the House is the judge, the prosecutor and also the plaintiff.

A difficulty is that for a trial, the auditor general should be able to call witnesses and to defend himself, but the auditor general can...

‘Unorganized and irresponsible’ committee hinders preparations

By Daniel Namosuaia HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Feb. 2, 2012) – Malaita province premier Edwin Suibaea remained doubtful over co-hosting the Pacific Arts Festival since no clear indication was forthcoming from the festival national organizing committee (NOC).

This follows their meeting last week during which premier Suibaea and his delegation went back to Auki empty handed.

During the meeting premier Suibaea and his delegation submitted Malaita’s SB$40 million [US$5.4 million] budget to NOC to discuss and came up with a decision but until today no feedback was received.

This caused confusion and doubt to Malaita province whether they will be co-hosting the event or not.

Chairlady of the pacific arts festival last week revealed to The Solomon Star that only SB$2 million [US$270,000] was approved by their committee for Malaita and they should be formally notified over the...