Marape's boost for PNG health, plea for funds for Tonga recovery, and scale of armed violence-related death in West Papua revealed
PNG leader's plan to improve health service
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape has pledged over US$12 billion towards improving the country's health system.
The ten-year programme allocates funds towards boosting health infrastructure and services.
Jaime Cavalleroserna, from San Francisco, takes patient vitals in Kokopo, Papua New Guiena during a community health engagement. Photo: US Navy/Mayra A. Conde
Marape said the Covid pandemic exposed the country's limited health facilities, such as a lack of intensive care beds.
"As your Government, I bring to you our total commitment to ensure our national health plan is financed to the best of our best ability, and we can work together to raise the standards of country health for our people going forward."
Marape made the public announcement at a health conference in Port Moresby.
UN says Tonga in need of funds to support recovery
The head of the United Nations Development Programme in the Pacific, Levan Bouadze, said Tonga needs funds to support its recovery from the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano on January 15.
Tonga's government has appealed to the international community for almost US$200 million in funding.
Tonga has only received a small fraction of this according to his information.
"Against this background, what we saw for and with the figures that I have available. We believe only $11 million have been provided through international support.
"That is at least the figures that I have, out of which 7 and half million that was devoted to humanitarian needs," Bouadze said.
Monitor group reveals death toll from armed violence in West Papua
Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial) reports that 61 people died in 63 incidents of armed violence in West Papua between 2021 and July 2022.
Imparsial researcher Hussein Ahmad revealed that of those 61 people, 37 were from civil society and 21 were Indonesian soldiers.
Imparsial has issued a monitoring report titled "Armed Violence in Papua and the Impact on Civil Society."
It said mostly the armed violence occurred in urban areas and not in remote forest areas as many outside of West Papua believe.
French Senate proposes scrapping salary top-ups
The French Senate has proposed scrapping the salary top-ups given to officials posted to French Polynesia.
Public servants working in Tahiti and its islands are entitled to an extra five gross monthly salaries for every two years of service away from France.
The Tapura Huiraatira's Lana Tetuanui Photo: AFP
This is on top of their indexed salaries, which are doubled in French Polynesia.
Lana Tetuanui, a French Polynesian member of the French Senate, submitted a proposal to axe the remoteness bonus from 2024.
However, unions in the territory have opposed this, saying this would hurt the local economy and could create a skill shortage, in particular in the education sector.
They also suggest extending such bonus payments to French Polynesians going to France to obtain qualifications.
Unions in French Polynesia have voiced their opposition to a French Senate plan to scrap a salary top-up for officials posted to French Polynesia.
Over 300 Covid cases recorded in New Caledonia
New Caledonia's health authorities say they have recorded another 313 Covid-19 cases.
The latest figure, covering the last seven days, brings the total number of cases since September last year to 73,989.
The official update makes no mention of any Covid-19 patient still in hospital care.
Sixty-six percent of the population is vaccinated.
The death toll remains at 314 - all of them died after the Delta variant entered the community in September.
All pandemic-related restrictions were lifted last month.
Twenty covid cases recorded in Tahiti
Another 20 Covid-19 cases have been recorded in French Polynesia.
The number of active cases is still 58. - a figure unchanged over the weekend.
The health authorities say none of those infected need hospital care.
The death toll in French Polynesia, as reported to the World Health Organisation, is 649, with most fatalities registered during last year's outbreak with the Delta variant.
Vaccinations have continued and more than 81 percent of those aged 12 and over have had two jabs.
NZ Chief Ombudsman providing training in Samoa
New Zealand's Chief Ombudsman, Misa Peter Boshier, is in Samoa.
Boshier, who is also vice-president of the International Ombudsman Institute, told media that in the Pacific the Ombudsman treads a fine line between doing the right thing by the people and not getting offside with the Government.
He said trying to get fairness from the Government agencies can be really difficult, so the Ombudsman is there to help navigate, so the people can get answers when they have problems.
While in Samoa, he will provide support to the Office of the Ombudsman to carry out basic investigations training for Ombudsman Liaison Officers of public agencies.
Boshier has been the Chief Ombudsman of New Zealand since 2015. He holds the Samoan matai title of Misa from Falelatai which was bestowed on him in 2000.
Independence celebrations moves to Savai'i
In Samoa, the island of Savai'i took centre stage as the year-long celebration of 60 years of independence moved to its shores.
The first-ever official flag-raising ceremony on the island was held this week at the Don Bosco Technical Institute grounds at Salelologa.
Joining the Head of State and member of the Council of Deputies was the Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro.
Members of Cabinet, parliamentarians, government heads of ministries, and invited dignitaries also attended.
It was also an opportunity to continue events commemorating the Treaty of Friendship between Samoa and New Zealand, sixty years ago.
"We are indeed privileged with the presence of the Governor General of Aotearoa New Zealand, Right Honourable Dame Cindy Ciro and her delegation as our guest of honour.
In her address, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa said that in keeping with the first-ever flag raising ceremony in Savaii, Cabinet had also decided to meet there for the first time.
She acknowledged the sacrifices of their forefathers, which had laid the foundation for Samoa's independence from New Zealand in 1962.