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Huli Wigman Obama: A controversial picture of US President Obama superimposed on an image of a PNG Huli wigman in full traditional regalia has ignited the ire of many Papua New Guineans living in the US and around the globe. They say the controversial picture is racist and insulting to Papua New Guineans, and hurts the nation’s pride, according The National newspaper. The Huli wigman is a tribal warrior from the PNG Highlands. The Obama-Huli wigman’s image was one of the posters used by the Americans to protest the Obama healthcare scheme. WHISPERS sought the view of the US Congressman Eni Hunkin Faleomavaega of American Samoa: “There is no question of the cultural insensitivity by these people who characterize Obama as a witch doctor in this photo—it is a classic example of ignorance at its best and it is considered quite rude to other countries and culture.”
Grynberg back? The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has finally made an official announcement that Australian Dr Chakriya Bowman will start this month as the new Director for Economic Governance. This is despite it being already a public secret. Ms Bowman replaces Dr Roman Grynberg whose contract was not renewed under controversial circumstances. She held the post of Director and Trade Advisor to AusAID’s Pacific Group (2007-2009). She has responsibility for trade policy issues ranging from the WTO and “aid for trade” through to Pacific economic integration, trade agreements and bilateral trade issues.
Previously, Bowman worked on trade policy for AusAID’s Asia regional programme, where she managed trade and APEC programmes. Immediately prior to joining AusAID, she worked in the Crawford School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University on projects including the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research and the Advancing East Asian Integration series of policy maker meetings.
She is the author of “The Naked Investor: Uncovering the Secrets of the Australian Financial Markets” (Text Publishing, 2005), and speaks regularly on the topic of trade and development. At some stage in her distant past she was a computer systems engineer and worked for CSC and Boeing.
But could we be seeing the re-emergence of the tough talking, no-nonsense Dr Grynberg?
Well, WHISPERS has been told there are moves behind the scenes to get him back to the islands by a certain bloc to head their trade negotiations team. Keep tuning for more details.
Still on the Forum: Interesting comments were made by the Forum Secretary-General when announcing the appointments of Ms Bowman and Kiwi Sua Kevin Thomsen as Director Strategic Partnerships and Coordination: “The appointments to the two senior positions were made after an open and transparent process of advertising the positions and assessing the candidates including several rounds of interviews.” But what happened to the appointment of the Chief of Staff? Was the same process observed? Some concerned Forum observers WHISPERS was told were not concerned so much about the creation of the position because such a position is equivalent to an executive officer and in line with what is happening in other similar organisations for instance the ACP, but how the position was not advertised to allow qualified people including Pacific Islanders to apply and of course not in line with the open and transparent process the SG talks about. One observer said such an appointment does not reflect well on the SG. Previous SGs operated without a chief of staff, so why does he need one now?
Second honeymoon? How about this quarreling couples? For many happy couples, a trip is taken to commemorate joyful events, like a marriage or the impending birth of a child. Then there are other couples—the ones who certainly aren’t happy but who aren’t quite ready to rush off to Vegas for their divorce party. For them, there’s “divorce tourism”. The Daily Mail reports that a company in India, called KV Tours and Travel, is offering packages to destinations like the Maldives aimed at helping couples on the brink of divorce to reconcile. India has typically had a very low divorce rate—only about one out of every 100 marriages end in divorce.
But in India’s largest cities, it is becoming more common. The company offers a few different packages, ranging from local stays to more expensive exotic destinations. Vijesh Thakker, the company’s chief executive said, “We’re trying to send them where they have not been before, where there are not many people—and no relatives”. For couples that don’t want to invest in saving their marriage, the company reaches out to family members and asks them to foot the bill on the couple’s behalf. Experienced marriage counsellors accompany the couple on their trip and help them work through their issues and determine if they want to stay together or go their separate ways. Can a seven-day vacation save a marriage? Not likely, which even the concept’s creator admits. “We’re not destiny changers. We want them to treat the trip like a second honeymoon”.
No takers: What would happen if there was an auction for control of one of Australia’s most iconic media assets? Control of the Ten Network passed from its owner of ten years, Canwest, to...no-one. Not one media tycoon, or would-be media tycoon, or global media outfit put up their hand to buy arguably Australia’s most successful free-to-air TV network, even though the price was a meagre $1.30 a share (it was over $4 four years ago). Instead, Canwest’s 50.06% controlling interest is being dispersed among institutional buyers. The Ten Network auction that attracted no buyers is a watershed moment in Australian media, the moment when a thoroughbred media asset was treated by the media market like an old cart horse. Every owner of every major newspaper, TV, radio or magazine network in Australia must now confront the reality that the most astute arbiter of value of all—the marketplace—has decreed that the era of old media being a licence to generate exceptional profits, or wield exceptional power, is over.
Paranoia prevails: There must be paranoia amongst the top brass of quasi-government organisations in coup, coup land. WHISPERS has learned that one particular top brass insists that all her official dealings or any official emails to her should be sent to her Gmail account rather than her work email. Someone from a local company who was trying to send her an email regarding a meeting was told to send the message to her Gmail account. She checked whether the top brass was out of town but was told she was in town and would prefer all her emails to be sent to her Gmail account! Talk about paranoia!
Faleomavaega’s John Wayne: Americans are basically ignorant and particularly when dealing with the Pacific. A Fox News anchorman was interviewing Eni Hunkin Faleomavaega, delegate to the US House of Representatives from American Samoa, who is based in Washington, on the tsunami which swept Pago Pago shortly after a nearby earthquake. Before he finished the interview, the Fox News anchor thanked the US senator and admitted he could not pronounce his name. Well, the US Congressman sharp as always replied: “Just call me John Wayne.”
God of rebates: The evangelical leader of a new Christian movement sweeping through the Pacific has appeared on television saying he does not know where “blessings” such as international airline tickets come from, claiming them as “gifts from God”. Airline staff members who work with the spouse may have a better idea. They say the international tickets have more to do with the employee rebate the spouse is entitled to than some holy bestowment.
Sign of the times: Times are definitely tough. In a shocking turn of events, an airline has requested its employees to work four days free of charge until the airline recovers from its massive financial slump. The request comes after the airline recorded a massive loss of almost Rs. 9.5 billion for the year, which ended March 31, 2009. Not only that, the airline is also freezing increments and bonuses for workers hoping that it will have a financial turnaround!
New York, here I come: What was the PIFS Secretary-General doing in New York attending the UN dedicated summit on climate change? Looks like the SG was doing Australia’s bidding by representing the climate position and the Pacific aspirations at the UN summit. Isn’t it nice for a fellow islander to go and represent a compromised position? Nice strategy by the Australians to send a Pacific islander to do its bidding! Well, reports from NY said leaders were wondering what he was there for. “He had no role to play at the AOSIS and he was there with two others from Forum. Some Pacific leaders said that Slade’s visit was a waste of money. He tried to even get his team to work on some text for AOSIS and he was snubbed. It was obvious at the AOSIS that Slade and his team were not welcome given the outcome in Cairns. Australia wanted to sit as an observer at the AOSIS and they were told where to go. Slade sat with the Samoa delegation,” the report from New York said.
Pacific pearl: Which high profile Fiji-based lawyer has recently developed a penchant for pearls? Not just any pearls will do for this legal eagle but the very best cultured gems, which hail from Savusavu in the country’s north. It started off innocently enough with a single pearl bracelet, which depending on the quality, can go for up to a cool F$1000. Upon receipt of his latest bracelet (he has several), the said member of the bar is rumoured to have placed an order for a new bracelet, this one made entirely of pearls.
Gay times: The recent Vodafone sponsored Fiji Hibiscus Festival saw the return of the popular gay pageant Adi Senikau to the nation’s capital Suva. Although, since many, many queens were involved, it was not without the requisite drama. Prior to the event, the organisers received anonymous threats from fundamentalist groups which led to the beefing up of security. What this year’s organisers also didn’t realise was that the pageant was registered, so when the original founders of the event learnt it was going ahead without their involvement, the shit hit the fan, so to speak. A last minute band-aid solution was their inclusion in the event. Fiji’s Acting President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, who serves as a UN Pacific Ambassador for HIV/AIDS Awareness served as chief guest. When crowning the night’s winner Melissa United As One Rose, Nailatikau addressed the audience saying words to the effect that although there were people out there who did not approve (of gays), he was there to reassure the community that they are loved by the majority of people in Fiji.
If you have any Whispers, please contact the Editor-in-Chief on editor@ibi.com.fj
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