Death of PNG political giant, climate change action call, and Santa calls for anti-independence cross-party talks
Sir Peter Barter dies in Cairns
The family of former Papua New Guinea cabinet minister Sir Peter Barter has announced his death on Wednesday at Cairns Hospital, Queensland.
Sir Peter spent 55 years in PNG, after going there to work as a pilot for the Divine Word missionaries.
He later became a prominent businessman involved in tourism, running a resort and ships, and later served three terms in parliament, becoming minister of Provincial Affairs and Health.
Commonwealth meeting hears demand for climate action
Small island nations are calling for strengthened global support for ocean and climate change action, as Commonwealth leaders convene in Kigali, Rwanda.
Heads of government are expected to discuss issues including shared climate ambitions, financing climate and ocean action, as well as rebuilding sustainable green and blue economies in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
During a meeting hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Fiji Government, High Commissioner Jitoko Tikolevu said the ocean and climate are inextricably inter-connected and the health of the oceans dictate the livelihoods of millions of people around the world, from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
Calls for talks of New Caledonia's anti-independence groups
The leader of New Caledonia's Rassemblement Thierry Santa has called on anti-independence parties to meet for talks to help prepare the territory's new statute.
Thierry Santa Photo: supplied FB Rassemblement
Santa, who is a former president, made the call after last weekend's French National Assembly election in which the candidates of a four-party coalition linked to French president Emmanuel Macron won both seats.
Santa ran for a Paris seat on a Rassemblement ticket but was eliminated in the first round of voting a week earlier.
He said the anti-independence parties should now all meet without any exclusion or national label to begin laying the foundation for a new statute based on common values.
The anti-independence movement has been riven by shifting rivalries, but for the Assembly elections four parties set aside their differences and fielded joint candidates, who were the two getting elected.
A French Senate law commission delegation is due in Noumea to consult New Caledonian leaders in the week to come on their views of the next statute, which Paris wants to have ready and to be put to a vote in a year.
Complaints about RSE allegations
Police in Samoa have received complaints about a couple pretending to be recruiters for RSE workers overseas and as a result, allegedly scamming more than $10,000 tala.
Speaking with Radio Polynesia, Deputy Police Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo said a man and a woman from Si'usega were being investigated by the Ministry of Police and Prisons over the claims.
Auapa'au said about 10 people have lodged complaints against this couple this week and police expect more complainants to come forward.
Auapa'au said people have paid thousands of tala for the RSE employment opportunities only to be told their trip has been postponed several times.
He said this is not the first time police have found people pretending to be RSE recruiters and there have been warnings in the past about RSE scams.
Leadership dispute in Vanuatu heads to court
The political leadership dispute in Vanuatu between United Moderate Parties President, Serge Vohor and Deputy President Ishmael Kalskau is boiling over into court.
Vohor has lodged his constitutional application in court over his suspension by Kalsakau's UMP faction.
While Kalsakau, a former Attorney General was reported by the local media as saying Vohor's suspension would be dealt with by the UMP Congress later this year, the Daily Post newspaper reports Vohor's spokesman Marcellino Pipite saying Kalsakau was not appointed by the UMP Congress.
The latest political turmoil is similar to the first power struggle of the leaders of the Vanuaaku Pati, 10 years after the country's independence, which created an internal power struggle to oust the then 'Father of Independence' the late Father Walter Lini, to form the current National United Party.
Bread shortage in Port Vila
There is no bread in the Vanuatu Capital of Port Vila due to flour being delayed in getting into shops.
The main importers have told the Daily Post that the delay in of the availability of flour in Vanuatu is because of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Tonnes of flour has finally arrived in Port Vila but is being delayed by a customs quarantine at the Main Wharf.