Solomons police investigate gruesome murder of alleged sorcerer, American Samoa returnees in quarantine all return negative Covid-19 tests, and more.
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Solomons police investigate gruesome murder of alleged sorcerer
Police in Solomon Islands are investigating the gruesome murder of a man accused of sorcery in Temotu Province.
Police say the 50 year-old was killed by a younger man at remote Rakisu Village in Tikopia last week.
A 30 year-old suspect accused the victim of using sorcery to kill his child and poison his wife.
Police commissioner Mostyn Mangau said witnesses alerted by the victims' cries for help saw the accused fleeing the scene
They took the victim of the attack to a local clinic where he died from acute blood loss, before being buried last Saturday.
Commissioner Mangau said he died the victim also made a statement which was recorded on a phone.
Returnees in quarantine in American Samoa all return negative Covid-19 tests
The final Covid-19 test for the 159 people in quarantine at the Tradewinds Hotel in American Samoa taken yesterday have all returned negative.
This was the fifth test since the group of residents, who were stranded off island, gathered at the White Sands Hotel in Honolulu for a 12 day quarantine period before the flight home.
Wednesday was the 10th day of a 14-day quarantine for the travellers since their arrival in the territory and Thursday's test was the second and final one.
KHJ News reports three members of the repatriated group said that they are scheduled to be released from quarantine on Monday, February 15.
Before they leave anyone who wants to receive the Covid-19 vaccine will be given their first dose.
Samoa's government offers support to hospitality industry.
Samoa's government is continuing support for the country's hospitality industry by approving an extension of the deadline for owners to meet overdue loan repayments.
The Samoa Observer reports that it gives hotel operators with Development Bank debts until June 2021 to service their loans.
This is the second time the industry has been given help since 2019 and the latest has been precipitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The first grace period for the hotel owners was approved by the Cabinet in 2019 and expired in November last year.
But the industry has struggled to recover since the measles epidemic in late 2019 and a second request for another extension was made.
It's hoped the latest move will give the operators some breathing space to restructure their finances or even look for potential buyers.
Fiji's Code of Conduct Bill not approved according to Sayed-Khaiyum
A Code of Conduct Bill has not been approved by Fiji Parliament.
Fiji's Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Civil Service, and Communications Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum confirmed this while replying to an question in parliament.
The Opposition MP Pio Tikoduadua on Friday asked for an update on the Accountability and Transparency Commission given annual budgetary provisions for its establishment.
The Fiji Times reports Mr Sayed-Khaiyum as saying the Code of Conduct Bill was with the Standing Committee.
The Attorney-General explained that for the past couple of years the government had making budgetary allocations in the hope that the Committee will bring the Bill back to Parliament.
He said hat in the event it gets approved, the budgetary allocation for the Commission to start its work can become instrumental.
Vanuatu public servants called 'lazy' by MP
The outspoken Minister of Finance and Economic Management, Johnny Koanapo, has criticized the Government's public servants for being lazy.
"Many government projects are delayed because public servants are incompetent in carrying out their duties," Mr Koanapo said.
The Daily Post Newspaper reports the Minister is delivering the criticism in his capacity as Chairman of the National Co-ordinating Committee of Projects.
The Committee was set up to follow up on outstanding government projects with funding that have not taken off the ground.
A perfect example is the Hall of Justice Project, which has not started yet, which the Chairman said is a clear example of incompetence on the part of all those public servants responsible.
The country's former colonial Court House was burned down by an arsonist over ten years ago.