Former Vanuatu PM avoids jail, Samoa village bans all political billboards, Amnesty International challenges Nauru on lack of transparency, and more.
Former Vanuatu prime minister Charlot Salwai. Photo: Hilaire Bule
Former Vanuatu PM avoids jail time
A former Vanuatu prime minister has been given a suspended jail sentence for perjury.
Justice Andre Wiltens said Salwai had no previous conviction and sentenced him to two years and three months but suspended the sentence.
He said Salwai provided untrue information through his sworn statement to mislead the supreme court of Vanuatu.
But he added that Salwai contributed a lot to the national development of Vanuatu, occupied various ministerial portfolios, and an MP for 18 years.
Justice Wiltens said Salwai is also respected by chiefs, churches and communities.
Although his sentence was suspended, the Pentecost MP will have to vacate his seat in Parliament.
Salwai has fourteen days to appeal against the sentence.
Samoa village bans all political billboards
A village council in Samoa has banned all political billboards from within the village boundaries.
The Samoa Observer newspaper reports Malie village has ordered at least three billboards removed and put a ban on any new ones.
The three billboards ordered down belonged to candidates from two parties opposing the ruling HRPP.
A source present at a village meeting convened on Monday, told the newspaper that families were warned to take down the advertisements after the village heard that the candidates allegedly did not ask for permission from the council before erecting them.
Fa'atuatua I Le Atua Samoa ua Tasi party leader Laauli Leuatea Schmidt says it poses no problems to remove billboards where they are not welcome.
He says there are other villages okay to have the billboards so they will put them there as they want to keep the peace.
The national elections are scheduled for 9 April.
Amnesty challenges Nauru to walk the talk on transparency
Amnesty International is challenging Nauru to walk the talk when it comes to transparency about its Human Rights situation.
Nauru is undergoing its periodic review at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Among the concerns raised by peers is the Nauru government's interference in the Judiciary, the welfare of refugees sent to the island by Australia, the jailing of political opponents and prohibitive visa fees for journalists wanting to visit the country.
Amnesty International's Pacific Researcher, Kate Schuetze, said throughout the proceedings Nauru has been defensive and critical of outside criticism from people its says have never visited the island.
"But many, including herself, have tried and failed to get a visa to go to Nauru," she said.
Solomons formalise multi-million loan arrangement with Japan
Solomon Islands and Japan have formalised a multi-million dollar arrangement to help the Pacific nation with its Covid-19 response.
The loan of about US$24 million will be used to help stabilise the Solomon Islands economy and support development responses to the pandemic.
It is to be made available under the Covid-19 Rapid Response Program co-financed by the Asian Development Bank.
Pending the completion of a loan agreement between the two governments the loan will support budgetary expenditure incurred during the pandemic.
The duration of repayment is 11 years at an interest rate of 0.01 percent after a grace period of four years.
Tongans to be repatriated
More than 110 passengers are expected to be repatriated to Tonga on Thursday
Tonga's head of government communication said a flight from New Zealand was scheduled to arrive tomorrow with passengers including stranded Tongans and seasonal workers.
Paula Ma'u said a separate flight tomorrow to Fiji would repatriate consultants working on a Tonga Renewable Energy Project, along with students and passengers from Fiji.
Meanwhile, a repatriation flight from Australia with 120 passengers is being planned for next Thursday.