[picture id="4P7TNCJ_copyright_image_49663" crop="16x10" layout="thumbnail"] Photo: AFP
Retraction: Oro governor refutes bribery trial allegations as false
On the 13th of March RNZ Pacific published in its news briefs section a paragraph about the Papua New Guinean MP and Governor for Oro Province being due to stand trial for three allegations of bribery.
The story attributed to the National Newspaper was incorrect and misleading and RNZ Pacific has retracted it and encourages all content sharing partners to also remove the story from their platforms.
RNZ Pacific has a recorded statement from Gary Juffa in which he refutes the report and outlines the correct parameters of the case in question.
“I am not standing for trial for bribery. The election petition has gone to trial. In that election petition three persons, none of whom are obviously me, have been named as alleged to have committed acts of bribery to influence the outcome of the elections,” Gary Juffa clarified.
“And they are alleged to be my agents. So that is what is being tried or that is what is going to trial.”
Gary Juffa says he has spent 10 years in the public service and 16 years in politics and he has never bribed anyone. “It is not something I do. And to have my name associated with that act or that crime is not something I appreciate.”
Australia/Nauru - detention
The Australian Human Rights Law Centre says toxic politics was behind Canberra's refusal to endorse legislation to end offshore detention.
The Migration Amendment [Evacuation to Safety] Bill was introduced by Greens Senator Nick McKim but tossed out by Labor and the Liberal opposition.
The Law Centre's Scott Cosgriff said the law change, for the remaining approximately 150 people trapped on Nauru, is an opportunity to move to Australia after they have endured ten years of inhuman treatment.
Cosgriff said there was a lack of courage and political will.
French Polynesia - trial
The trial of 12 men in French Polynesia, accused of paying for sex with a 14-year-old prostitute, has been abandoned and the case against them needs to be re-established.
The accused include a medical doctor, an intelligence officer and senior private and public sector administrators, who are alleged to have paid for sex between March and October last year.
The accused have said they believed she was more than 18 years old.
After a day's deliberation of procedural matters, the court declared itself incompetent to judge, and it was concluded that the case against the 12 needs to be re-established.
New Caledonia - protests
Roadblocks in New Caledonia set up to stop a planned social security reform have been lifted.
Repeated mass demonstrations have failed to persuade the government to change its stance.
The employer-backed protest movement then paralysed traffic in the Noumea area, which resulted in talks to revisit the reform.
The interim solution has led to planned strike action being abandoned.
New Caledonia - media
The publisher of New Caledonia's only daily newspaper has applied for its liquidation - less than a year after seeking bankruptcy protection.
A court decision on the liquidation is expected on Thursday, as no new investor has been found to take over the paper from the Melchior group.
Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes which was established in 1971 and has about 100 staff, became an online publication at the end of last year.
The change prompted the closure of the Pacifique Rotative printing shop, with the loss of 17 jobs.
PNG - crime
Security forces in Papua New Guinea are monitoring the district of Porgera following a recent incident where five people were killed and others wounded.
Enga Provincial Police Commander George Kakas said the Aiyela tribesmen were alleged to have joined forces with the Epekapi tribesmen and attacked Kairik villagers.
He said the real motive is yet to be established.
Samoa/American Samoa - customs
A delegation from American Samoa has visited Samoa in a bid to improve customs relationships.
This was aimed at promoting open dialogue in trade facilitation, border protection, and enforcement.
In a statement, the Government of Samoa said in-depth discussions held during this week covered areas of concern, including illicit drugs and substances, false declaration and undervaluation of goods, and increased trade of counterfeit goods and medicine.