Samoa parliamentary committee urged to revisit suspension process, Tahiti budget criticised, and job numbers in Samoa keep declining
Call to re-examine process of Tuilaepa's suspension
The Speaker of the Samoan Parliament has called the Privilege and Ethics committee to reconvene over the formerly suspended opposition party leader and secretary.
Human Rights Protection Party leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and party secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi were reinstated following a suspension.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. Photo: Screengrab
But the Samoa Observer reported Speaker Papalii Ta'eu Masipa'u as saying the committee needed to complete its work.
He said the Court found a procedural error in the Committee process and the Legislative Assembly, regarding the penalties for the members, which showed the work of the Committee was incomplete.
He said this was a prominent opportunity for the members to request the Committee to reconsider the penalty given to them.
Papali'i said he intended for the two members to have more opportunities to plead to their punishments before the Committee.
"They will also have an opportunity, when Parliament is convened on 18 October, 2022", he said.
Opposition critical of French Polynesian budget
French Polynesian opposition parties have criticised President Edouard Fritch's economic outline, given during last week's opening of the budget debate.
He announced allocations to cushion the impact of inflation while pointing to an up-tick in economic activity, in particular the revival of tourism.
220414. Photo RNZ. French Polynesia. Photo: RNZ
However, the opposition's Tony Geros said the announced measures didn't correspond to the government's policies of the past months.
He said the president was on one side worried about price rises, but didin't stop them, while on the other he celebrated a bigger tax take linked to the price hikes.
Geros said as the social divide was widening, no one understood what he wanted to say or where he wanted to go.
He said there was no surprise his team mates left - a reference to last week's joint resignation of three senior party members.
Bomb disposal efforts continue in Solomons
Police in Solomon Islands are carrying out bomb disposal operations in the Western Province this week.
The officer in charge of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, Inspector Clifford Tunuki, said this was in response to multiple reports of unexploded WWII ordnance from people in the province.
The operation, which will run for just over two weeks, begins on Wednesday in the areas of Munda, Noro, Sasavele and surrounding communities on the island of New Georgia.
It will also cover Rendova Harbour and the communities on Rendova Island.
Inspector Tunuki is urging anyone living in these areas to continue to report any sighting of unexploded ordnance while the team is on the ground.
This can be done to the Police toll free line 999 or directly to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team via mobile 7495215 or at the nearest police station.
The Solomon Islands bomb disposal team recently removed a huge bomb at Taro airstrip in Choiseul.
FSM leader earns UN praise
The UN secretary-general has praised the Federated States of Micronesia for its leadership in tackling climate change.
FSM President, David Panuelo Photo: Office of the President of the FSM
President David Panuelo visited the secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, who commended the island nation for its leadership on the issue, and leadership of other Small Island Developing States in tackling climate change.
Panuelo and Guterres discussed continued support from the United Nations into the FSM and the North Pacific via the Multi-Country Office sn Pohnpei.
The President and the Secretary-general exchanged views on Covid-19-related economic recovery, and on cooperation between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum.
Job numbers keep falling in Samoa
The number of people employed in Samoa in the June 2022 quarter has declined by 1.1 percent, making it the 11th consecutive quarter of decrease since December 2019.
According to the Samoa Bureau of Statistics, this reflects the impact of global and national restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It says this has impacted industries such as accommodation, restaurants, communications, business services, manufacturing and construction.
However, wages and salaries for the June 2022 quarter were $US51 million, a miniscule increase of 0.1 percent over the June 2021 quarter.
Samoa police adamant about probity in dealing with defamation claim
The Samoa Police Commissioner has rejected claims the police prosecutor sabotaged a criminal libel case.
The case in question was a criminal libel case against an ordained church minister based in Sydney, who hosts a radio programme there.
The ruling FAST Party lodged a complaint against Tiumalumatua Maifea Fetu, who was subsequently arrested and charged with criminal libel last month when he arrived in Apia for a church conference.
The Samoa Observer reported the sabotage claim was made by the party chairman Laauli Leuatea Schmidt on a programme on EFKS TV2.
Samoa police commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo said the case file would be looked at to see if the police overlooked anything in their investigation.
But he maintained the police prepared for the case properly.
FAST lodged a second complaint against another individual who lives abroad, accusing the person of making defamatory comments directed at party members.
Police are investigating.
"If there is any suspicion on police work then I can assure you nothing like that happened as police did their investigation and work," Auapa'au said.
Covid-19 numbers plummet in French Polynesia
The pandemic in French Polynesia is waning rapidly, with only ten Covid-19 cases recorded in the last five-day reporting period.
The number of active Covid-19 cases dropped to 17.
The health authorities say none of those infected are in hospital.
They said despite the improvement of the local situation, the risk of new waves existed, as was being observed in France now.
Vaccinations have continued and more than 81 percent of those 12 years and older have had two jabs.