Photo: AFP/STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN
Caledonian Union says leaders being personally attacked
The pro-independence Caledonian Union says its leaders, in particular Gilbert Tyuienon, are increasingly being subjected to personal attacks.
A Caledonian Union party official said the practice is reminiscent of the 1980s when efforts were made to neutralise certain politicians in the hope of weakening the mobilisation for the territory's independence.
Christian Tein said while the issues raised are about the change of administrators at Aircalin, the construction of a confectionery plant, and export tax, they are always aimed at Tyuienon, who has been a member of the government for 11 years and spent two stints as vice-president.
Tein said the virulence is becoming the norm in all-out attacks orchestrated by the anti-independence camp seeking to thwart reforms to help the economic and budgetary situation.
However, he said the Caledonian Union will not let anyone intimidate its leaders.
Samoan govt's concern over lack of audits on diplomatic missions
The Samoan government has ordered the audit of finances of all overseas diplomatic missions.
The Samoa Observer reports Cabinet approved this after a request from the Audit Office, amid concerns of a four-year period since the accounts of Samoa's diplomatic missions were last audited.
The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for the Audit Office, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, said he couldn't understand why it took so long for the missions to be audited when it should be done annually.
But he said missions' finances have not been totally neglected as they are monitored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Deputy Prime Minister also said it's not a lot of money but it is still public funds and needs to be accounted for.
Samoa has diplomatic missions in New York, Canberra and Sydney, China, Japan, Wellington and Auckland, Fiji and American Samoa, all operated on a budget of about $US7.3 million.
New tuna alert system being considered
Pacific countries are looking at a system to alert them to the looming departure of tuna from their territorial waters.
The Honolulu Civil Beat reports the so-called "advanced warning system" is part of a larger, $US70 million proposal currently moving through the United Nations to help Pacific Island countries better react to the changing global climate.
Fourteen Pacific nations aim to better understand the full extent of the upheaval they'll face as climate change pushes significant masses of tuna out of their waters.
Most depend heavily on fishing access fees, paid by foreign purse seine fleets, to sustain their economies.
Samoan minister rushed to hospital overseas
A Samoan government minister has been taken to New Zealand by air ambulance for heart treatment.
Newsline Samoa reports a special Cabinet meeting on Sunday approved the emergency medical evacuation for the 63-year-old Minister for Commerce, Industry and Labour, Leatinu'u Wayne So'oialo.
The air ambulance costs, about $US27,000, are met under the Government health evacuation programme.
Leatinu'u took over recently as acting Prime Minister while the Prime Minister was overseas.
Twenty new covid cases in Niue
Niue has recorded 20 new cases of Covid-19 in the latest reporting period.
There are 54 active cases of the virus on the island.
In a statement a government spokesperson says there is Covid-19 circulating on the island.
They have released a list of tips to avoid Covid-19 while gathering over the festive season.
ADB tips economies to improve in Pacific
Economic growth in the Pacific is set to improve, according to the latest issue of the Asian Development Bank's Pacific Economic Monitor.
The report said fuelling for the projected growth includes stronger-than-expected tourism activity in Fiji and Papua New Guinea's minerals sector recovery and election spending.
But the report also said the positive outlook masks economic challenges in the region, including the impact of the volcanic eruption in Tonga in January; slower-than-expected tourism recovery in Palau; and rising inflation due to volatile international prices.
Vanuatu minister orders reinstatement of councillors
Vanuatu's new Minister of Internal Affairs, Christophe Emelee, has ordered the newly elected Mayor of Port Vila Municipal Council, Steve Kiel, to immediately reinstate three suspended councillors.
The Daily Post reports the minister's order follows the suspensions of former Mayor Eric Festa, Marie Louise Milne and Albert Sandy Daniel.
Council clerk Peter Sakita said there was a motion to remove mayor Kiel for apparently not having a budget, but the minister called this petty and ordered the mayor to re-instate the trio.
EU-UN scheme to help PNG farmers
A scheme funded by the European Union and the United Nations is aiming to strengthen the use of digital skills in the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea.
A train-the-trainers programme has just been completed for secondary teachers and farmers - teaching them digital skills and financial literacy.
It is the first of a series of similar sessions envisaged by the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations Capital Development Fund.
East and West Sepik provinces are largely agriculture-based provinces, but a lack of access to credible and timely information is one of the setbacks they face.