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US vetoes SPC contribution; Maiava heading for cushy job?; Cracking down on infidelity...
Media project in doubt: A S$6million AusAID-funded media project for the Solomon Islands is now in jeopardy after the government-funded Solomons Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) kicked out its two RAMSI advisors.
Its new board which is made up of government appointees decided it didn't want them to continue because of concerns that RAMSI might be influencing the newsroom, WHISPERS has been told.
The pair's contracts are due to expire in July. People in the know there have expressed concern that the decision to terminate prematurely their contracts has put the multi-million project, scheduled to be implemented this year, in doubt.
Under this media project, SIBC is one of the major beneficiaries-with 40 percent of the funding going to the government radio station to improve its transmission to the outer islands.
Cracking down on infidelity: WHISPERS has learnt that there is a group in Honiara calling themselves the Honiara Society for Outing Unfaithful Expatriates and its main task is to crack down on infidelity.
In an email circulated, the society said its charter is simple: "to eliminate infidelity by expatriates living in Honiara. We regard such behaviour as disrespectful and destructive not only to their unfortunate partners but also to our local community."
Two expats are already on their radar. They are believed to be RAMSI advisors working in one of the government departments. Keep tuned for more!
US vetoes SPC contribution: Everything seemed to have gone Dr Jimmie Rodgers' way during his first CRGA meeting as head of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
The only thing that did not go his way was a decision by the Americans (the rest of the member countries agreed) to veto a 10 percent increase in SPC members' contribution. It believed this is the first time ever in the existence of SPC that the Americans have rejected such an increase. The US rep Thomas L Vajda (Deputy Director for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Affairs) did not make a commitment to increase its 2007 contribution. Could the Americans be telling us something?
Maiava for greener pastures? Could the long serving Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat's deputy secretary-general, Samoa's Iosefa Maiava, be saying his last good-byes? WHISPERS has learnt that Maiava could be heading for a cushy job in Nauru under PRAN (Pacific Regional Assistance for Nauru). Although they'll be a lot of people sad to see him leave, they'll also be some rejoicing that he is finally leaving the Forum Secretariat after more than 12 years there.
RAMSI work visas: There's a bit of a worry in Honiara over the work visas of RAMSI advisors. A whole bunch expire at the end of this month-but the government has changed its immigration procedures. Everyone is worried the visas won't be renewed as the minister responsible for immigration will now have the final say. Is this part of PM Sogavare's covert plan to kick RAMSI out?
Arming the protectors: PM Manasseh Sogavare of the Solomons has ordered the re-arming of the police force. The police had their weapons removed since the overthrow of the Ulufa'alu Government. And guess which unit will be the first to be armed? It's the police protection unit that looks after him.
Ssshh...ssshh: Keep it quiet, there's been some private talks amongst leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum that Fiji should be kicked out of the Forum after the December 5 coup-the fourth in 19 years. Two of those coups were by former Fiji prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka. A regional observer says to kick Fiji out would be retrograde. He also questioned whether such a move is being pushed by Australia and New Zealand.
Still on Fiji: The military-appointed public service commission CEO is becoming unpopular amongst civil servants with his new plans to reduce the size of the civil service. One such plan is to amalgamate departments, thus reducing them from 26 to 19. Under this plan, the finance and public enterprises ministries are to be merged and to be headed, as WHISPERS understands it, by the current CEO of the public enterprises ministry.
Indian Ocean revolutionaries: While the University of the South Pacific educates the region's best-it is running a side business in teaching Indian Ocean revolutionaries.
Back in the dark days of 2000, a group of Maldives students were holed up in the USP apartments as the Speight gang ran Suva, or parts of it.
Among those killing time was one Aishath Aniya, a graduate student who even then made it clear she was not all that keen on the Muslim men who run the appropriately named Maldives' capital, Male.
The Maldivians went home for a while but came back. Aniya graduated and with a group of others founded the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP), which aims to replace the 28-year long reign of President Maumoon Gayoom.
Aniya is now the MDP's deputy leader. Recently, she was arrested and went on a hunger strike and was beaten by the police.
"While we were in the van, a policeman opened the door and said something very rude to me," she told a website. "Then he punched me in the face with his clenched fist. The punch landed on the left side of my face. My face is now bruised and swollen. The male police officer then told the female cops: 'Take them to a dark alley and dump them.' They took us to a side street near the Maldivian Ports Authority. Shaheedha was pushed out of the van. I was thrown out. Then the police drove away and left us there."
Time to consult? Now here's yet another warning about what can happen with so many consultants buzzing here, there and everywhere around the islands. Seems the former police commissioner of one of the countries so many of these consultants come from was wrapping up a major and lengthy review of an island nation's police force. This included mapping out all future directions the force should take and step-by-step recommendations on how it should be done and what was needed. On his latest trip, the ex-police commissioner was delighted to run into one of his former staff members also visiting the same island nation. But he was surprised to find what the ex-colleague was actually there for.
Ex-colleague was a consultant for another agency which was looking at the feasibility of setting up an armed offenders' squad in that island nation's police force. Till this chance meeting neither former police colleague was apparently aware of the work the other was doing on the local police force.
Murderers in prison: Which Pacific country's prison has the most number of murderers? Well, if you said the Solomons, you're right. The Solomon Islands has the most number of murderers in prison per capita than anywhere else in the world.
Political pressure: A prominent Cook Islands politician is a little nervous at the moment. Police are reportedly hopeful a man they charged over a supposedly dodgy deal in New Zealand is close to talking with them about the said politician's alleged role. Judge suppressed all media reporting on the latest court appearance of the man charged.
Bai the latest excuse: The Fiji coup is taking its toll. And although the new regime has promised a free media, some employers may be secretly thanking the commodore for other reasons though. A journalist from one of Fiji's media outlets says the company's head honcho has warned staff to expect a 25 percent cut in wages because of the coup! Looks like Bainimarama is the latest excuse for some employers to dock wages.
Truly mobile: Owning a mobile is the latest craze wherever you go in the region. But it is not always that simple once you own one. In PNG, a mobile phone user had to climb up a tree to receive his calls. Naturally, when it rings he has to climb up the tree to answer it! His toddler son suggested that he strings an aerial to the mobile!
Forum outfit popular: The Nadi Pacific Islands Forum meeting outfit for leaders is proving to be so popular around the Pacific. In Espiritu Santo for the inaugural flight of Solomon Airlines' new Boeing 737-300 in November, Vanuatu's Prime Minister Ham Lini was spotted in this outfit.
Ministerial lineup? While the Fiji military is publicising the number of applications it is receiving from people interested in a position in the Interim Government, there have also been some direct approaches made on behalf of the military to certain individuals. One individual, a very senior medical doctor, was approached by two people-one a very senior government official and the other a high ranking chief with close ties to the Fiji Labour Party and also closely related to the doctor-to become the health minister in Bainimarama's Interim Government. Interestingly, the senior medical man declined.
Goodbye, Rarotonga hassles: Fiji's Aquarius Hotel group has apparently given up on the Cook Islands. It is selling its newly-developed Aquarius Rarotonga hotel, opposite Rarotonga International Airport, to a group run by local developer Tim Tepaki. Aquarius-headed by Fiji-based Canadian Terry Buckley-ran into a number of obstacles and some local opposition as it set up in the Cooks in 2006. It tried to maintain a Cook Islands image by employing only local staff, instead of bringing in people from Fiji. But it had difficulties with staff turnover too. Tepaki is developing a network of smaller Cook Islands hotels under his Kia Orana Group brand.
Goodbye, Fiji holidays: New Zealand rugby stars used to be frequent visitors to Fiji when taking a break from their busy playing schedules. But, with all the problems in Fiji, they are now heading to the Cook Islands, it seems. All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu and winger Rico Gear were the latest to be spotted relaxing on the beaches of Rarotonga.
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