Islands Business Magazine March 2018 Edition

Political Brief
Tuvalu rejects NZ study on expanding land
A student on Tuvalu makes his plea to the world amid the rising ocean around his tiny island
nation.
Photo: Whale Oil Media
FUNAFUTI, Tuvalu -- The government of Tuvalu has rejected
findings of a research conducted by scientists at the Auckland
University that says the tiny island nation may not be sinking
due to the impact of climate change.
Enele Sopoaga has called on scientists and the media to
exercise care when conducting research of atoll islands such
as Tuvalu which he is Prime Minister of, so as not to confuse
the public.
Speaking at press conference he called in Suva, Fiji last
month, PM Sogopaga said Tuvaluan as well as Pacific scientists
whom he did not name believed the research ‘had holes.’
“The important thing is to have the scientific reports properly
clarified by credible scientific communities,”
the PM said.
“The scientists working with us are very stunned
by the manner in which this report was done and
was released and the media was able to pick it up
and put it out without verification.”
Funded by the Auckland University, the New
Zealand study largely based on 40 years’ worth
of imagery of the Tuvaluan shoreline concluded
amongst other things that the country’s habitable
land mass had expanded.
“The timing is alarming me to think more deeply
about the true motive behind the report. It comes at a
very, very critical time when the world had convened
COP23 very successfully under the leadership of PM
Bainimarama,” PM Sopoaga said.
The Tuvalu leader accused the three university
researchers of Professor Paul S. Kench, Dr Murray R.
Ford and Dr Susan D. Owen of not seeking his government’s
consent on the study.
“According to the analysis of their reports, there’s a lot of
holes, it doesn’t hold water. It has to be verified by SPREP,
perhaps by some of the regional environmental communities
and by the IPCC,” PM Sopoaga said.
The study was released online on 9 February and NZ media
carried it as a news item the next day.
“I must say however that this is not the first time that a
report like this has come to the attention of the public. There
were a couple of other reports that came sometime even before
Paris COP21,” he said.
DPM Natuman pleads guilty
Port Vila, Vanuatu -- Joe Natuman, deputy prime minister and
minister for tourism, trade, commerce and ni-Vanuatu business
has pleaded guilty to two counts of obstructing or interfering
with the execution of a criminal process, reports the Daily Post
newspaper. Natuman was joined by the other defendant in the
Criminal Case 188 of 2016, former Acting Police Commissioner,
Aru Maralau, who also pleaded guilty to one count of complicity
to obstruct or interfere with the execution of a criminal process.
Natuman and Maralau entered guilty pleas ahead of the initial
trial date which was set for 15 and 16 March. Sentencing is now
scheduled for 16 March. Meanwhile Natuman will continue to
hold the position of DPM and his portfolios following an agreement
with Prime Minister Charlot Salwai. “Depending on how
heavy or light the sentence will be, it will then be up to the Prime
Minister or even myself,” he said on his future.”
Pacific Mission takes on 4 Poly nations
Wellington, New Zealand - New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister
Winston Peters says the government’s Pacific Mission will
take place from 4-9 March and will encompass Tonga, Samoa,
Niue, and the Cook Islands. “It will be an honour to have the
Pacific mission led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and is a
further sign of the importance New Zealand attaches to our Pacific
neighbours,” says Peters. “The government carefully considered
whether the Pacific mission would impose a burden on Tonga
and Samoa in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Gita. However the
government decided to proceed to allow the delegation to see
first-hand the ongoing response,” he says. The Pacific mission
delegation is made up of MPs, Pasifika community leaders, and
NGO representatives. The delegation size is smaller this year with
the mission changing focus because of Tropical Cyclone Gita.
Solomon Islands, Fiji to assist PNG
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - Solomon Islands Prime
Minister of Solomon Islands Rick Hou said his government will
look at the possibility of sending a contingent to assist PNG with
their policing during APEC. Hou, in an interview said discussions
are on-going and Solomon Islands stands ready to assist PNG as
it prepares to host the summit. “It pretty much depends on what
PNG will want us to engage in. There have been some talks on
assistance on policing and discussions are ongoing and Police
Authorities are already in discussions,” Hou told the Post-Courier.
“Solomon Islands will send its police contingent to Papua New
Guinea later this year so they can assist with policing with APEC
and the MSG countries have been told to send their contingents
here for policing training.”
Long wait for Cyclone Winston victims
Suva, Fiji - About 50 per cent of all homes damaged by Severe
Tropical Cyclone Winston on Koro Island in Fiji’s central islands
are yet to be built or completed, reports the Fiji Times. About
10 Islands Business, March 2018