Professor Alec Ekeroma Photo: Otago University Wellington
Samoa has no intention of raising nurses' pay
Samoa's new Director General of the Ministry of Health says the government won't raise nurses' salaries to keep them in Samoa.
Aiono Alec Ekeroma told the Samoa Observer it's most likely the main reason for nurses leaving is there's more money to be made overseas with seasonal work schemes.
"And also you cannot beat an offer from, for example Australia, whereby you can walk in and work in each home, you can earn far more than what you earn in Samoa and in three years you can take your family with you, and you can apply for permanent residence."
Aiono said while the government can't improve salaries for nurses, it needs to look at other ways of enticing nurses to stay.
The health chief said this would include proper discussions with nursing leaders to understand what needs to be done.
PMA gets health contract for Pacific
A New Zealand-based network of Pacific health professionals have secured a five-year contract to provide medical services to six Pacific countries.
The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) said the contract with the New Zealand Medical Treatment scheme is significant as it recognises the experience and capability to treat patients across the region.
PMA Chief Executive Debbie Sorensen said with the limited resources in Pacific hospitals, patients look overseas for treatment.
Sorensen said that through the scheme Pacific patients can be treated in New Zealand if they meet certain conditions.
"People need to have something that can be fixed. For example, say heart surgery for a child who may be two or three and they will live a long and fruitful life, as opposed to someone who might have lots of things wrong with them and might be for instance - suffering from metastatic cancer which is not curable."
PNG bringing in overseas judges to help clear backlog
The Papua New Guinea Government is planning to hire judges from other countries to assist in clearing a backlog of cases.
Justice Minister Pila Niningi said the foreign judges would be part of the 20 newcomers to take the number of National and Supreme Courts judges up to 60.
The other half of the 20 new judges are set to be from PNG, but it depends on the availability of human resources.
The minister told The National that he planned to bring in judges from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Canada and other countries willing to assist.
Ex-Samoan PM gets police protection
Samoa's police commissioner says police will provide a security detail for the leader of the Human Rights Protection Party, and former prime minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
The Commissioner said the decision came after he was threatened on leaving the prayer service at the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration, during which his ulafala - traditional necklace - was broken.
He said under the law anyone that feels threatened should be given a protective detail while the police assess the threat level.
A police officer has now been assigned to Tuilaepa for a period of three months with an assessment to be done on whether it should be extended.
Bougainville president says gold refinery will open in a few months
The government in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville believes a refinery to process gold could earn up to $US55 million a year.
The President Ishmael Toroama is promising the refinery will begin operation early this year.
It has long been a scheme of the Bougainville government to provide a smelter for the many alluvial miners to discourage them from sending their raw material out of the province.
Another scheme long in the planning is the Bougainville Water Bottling project and this is also due to come on tap early this year.
"Bougainville must have a sound economic base that is complemented by a safe and secure environment as we prepare for political independence," Toroama said.
Fishermen reported to be using dynamite
Police at Tulagi in Solomon Islands Central Province are appealing for information about the use of dynamite by fishermen.
Provincial commander Superintendent David Soakai said they have reports that fishermen were travelling by boat around the Ngela reefs using dynamite.
Soakai said this form of illegal fishing is extremely destructive to the surrounding ecosystem; and if not stopped will severely affect communities.
Health chief opposed to new hospital in American Samoa
The chairman of the board of directors of American Samoa's LBJ medical centre has told senators he does not support the plan of a new hospital.
Malouamaua Tuiolosega said he prefers the money to be spent on upgrading the current medical centre.
Dr Tuiolosega has previously said he was on board, but has changed his tune now that he is an LBJ board member, and after reviewing everything within the hospital.
The governor, Lemanu Mauga, has reaffirmed his Administration's commitment to building a new $US21 million, 40-bed hospital in the village of Tafuna.
He said services to be included in the new hospital include cardiology, urology, orthopedic, neurosurgery and oncology.