Solomons' opposition said govt scheme to extend term deceptive; Samoa temporarily reducing RSE flights, not stopping them altogether; questions in NZ Parliament about human rights abuses in Papua; Pacific slowly opening up; twenty Samoa under investigation over alleged illicit drug offences; Samoa autopsy backlog completed and Tower insurance to pull out of PNG
Solomons' opposition said govt scheme to extend term deceptive
The Solomon Islands opposition claims the government has a deceptive strategy in its scheme to extend the term of the current parliament.
The government is pushing for a five year term instead of four, allegedly so there is no clash in 2023 between the elections and the Pacific Games.
But the opposition said an awareness pack given to MPs is misleading and deceptive.
The government said it has consulted with premiers, the churches and the chamber of commerce but the opposition says the churches oppose the idea, as do most of the chamber and a number of the premiers.
The opposition said national elections must go ahead next year as required under the constitution, while the Games could be moved back a year, if need be.
Samoa temporarily reducing RSE flights, not stopping them altogether
Samoa's government has confirmed Seasonal Worker flights to Australia and New Zealand are being reduced to around one a month.
Samoan RSE workers heading to Australia Photo: Supplied / Tipi Autagavaia
Samoa Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Labour CEO Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling said his office is conducting a review following concerns around the actions of workers abroad.
He said there has not been a complete halt on flights but there will be less while investigations are underway.
"The outflow of workers will be slowed down, for example maybe just one flight a month to new zealand, we have started the review and the public will be notified as to the outcome, the obvious outcome would be for the other sideto have more employees," he said.
Mr Chu Ling said there have been more than 400 people repatriated back to Samoa this year and more than 100 in the last month alone.
Questions in NZ Parliament about human rights abuses in Papua
New Zealand's Foreign Minister was questioned in parliament this week about the latest human rights abuses in Papua.
A Green MP Teanau Tuiono asked Nanaia Mahuta whether Wellington was raising any concerns with Jakarta about them.
Amnesty International Indonesia called out its government last week for excessive use of force in Papua against protesters who were rallying against Jakarta's plan to create new provinces in the country's easternmost region.
There has been a lack of consultation around the move which would see an increase in the Indonesian administrative and security apparatus in Papua.
The Foreign Minister replied, saying New Zealand respects Indonesia's territorial integrity but that she has raised the issue of human rights abuses in Papua with her counterpart in Jakarta and with President Widodo.
Pacific slowly opening up
Pacific nations are slowly opening up to the rest of the world with just under a dozen expected to have their borders open to tourists by the end of the year.
Fiji, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia are already open to all tourists and the Cook Islands is open tourists who come via New Zealand or Australia.
Pacific Tourism Organisation, chief executive Christopher Cocker, says it's promising that the other nations are making announcements to re-open their borders.
He says the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu open in July, Niue will just be for NZ Citizens in July, Samaoa is opening August or Septemeber and Tonga is in November or December for tourists.
Twenty Samoa Police under investigation over alleged illicit drug offences
An internal Samoa Police investigation of 20 officers over alleged illicit drug activities has ended with three officers charged with bringing the Police into disrepute.
Samoa Observer reports Deputy Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo said two of the charged officers have opted to resign but one has challenged the charge.
The Police Tribunal is to sit next week to hear the officer's case.
Auapa'au said the remaining 17 officers under investigation have been cleared and are back at work but said the ministry has decided not to pursue matters against the officers who resigned.
The officers under scrutiny ranged from constables to senior sergeants and had been posted in Police district outposts since the beginning of the year.
Reports from the public raised allegations against the men and women officers, according to the ministry.
Some of the police officers implicated in the early stages of the investigation have either family connections or are close contacts of certain defendants who were recently arrested and charged by the police for possession of narcotics.
Tower insurance to pull out of PNG
New Zealand insurance company, Tower, is selling its Papua New Guinea subsidiary.
It has put Alpha Insurance on the market for $AU7.9 million dollars.
Tower chief executive Blair Turnbull says the sale will enable Tower to accelerate its strategy of streamlining and modernising its other Pacific business operation.
He says the company remains committed to its business in Tonga, Samoa, American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu.
Samoa autopsy backlog completed
A forensic pathologist from Fiji has completed autopsies on 8 deceased people in Samoa, some of whom had been in the mortuary since August last year.
The Samoan Government had sought help from Fiji with the autopsies.
The pathologist arrived last week and has now completed the task.
The eight bodies have since been released to their families for burial after the autopsies were completed.
Samoa police have confirmed a 14-year-old male whose body was found at Moamoa in November last year was included in the autopsies performed.
Police have been investigating the death of the teen who found by a man from Moamoa while on his way to his plantation.
They are now awaiting the postmortem findings before they can release a report based on these autopsy results.
They are now awaiting the postmortem findings before they can release a report.