Mine campaigners' complaint success
There's been some success for campaigners trying to stall the development of a huge copper and gold mine in Papua New Guinea's Sepik region.
Project Sepik and Jubilee Australia have had the Australian National Contact Point of the OECD accept their complaint about the threat posed by the tailings dam for the huge mine project on the Frieda river, a tributary of the Sepik River.
Their complaint asserts that Brisbane-based, but Chinese owned, Pan Aust Ltd, had failed to get free, prior and informed consent from the local communiaties.
Frieda River heading north to join the Sepik River. Photo: Facebook - SEPIK Capital, PNG - Wewak Urban Local Level Government
They said the planned tailings dam, covering more than 31,000 acres, would need to safely hold waste from the mine forever.
But it's to be sited in an earthquake-prone area that gets heavy rain, and a flood could destroy the huge Sepik River and the livelihoods of 430,000 people.
Jubilee Australia's Luke Fletcher said both bodies hope the acceptance of the complaint will lead to an important shift in awareness of how extractive sectors impact on indigenous peoples.
Ex-candidates charged under Electoral Act
Five former Solomon Islands election candidates have been charged for breaching the Electoral Act.
The police said they were candidates in the 2019 general election who allegedly failed to submit their statement of account.
Every candidate must submit a statement of account or expenses within 90 days of the election result.
Superintendent Michael Bole said more people are expected to be charged for breaches of the Act.
Bole said the penalty for the breach is SI$20,000 - equivalent to US$2450 - and/or two years imprisonment.
Hope for church memorial site
There is optimism that the Christchurch City Council will take steps to memoralise the site of St Paul's Pacific Trinity Church where a proposed stadium is planned to be built.
It follows months of complaints by members of the Pacific Community in Christchurch at being left out of consultations.
Built in 1877, the Church hosted the earliest Pasifka migrants to Christchurch but was demolished in 2011 after being severely damaged by the earthquake that year.
At the time of closure the congregation were predominately Pasifika.
"Talking to the councillors and the mayor and their response helped me feel like there's a new chance we can get this right and that our matua and family who used the site for nearly 50 years. There's a fresh chance that it can work," said Josiah Tualamali'i who addressed Christchurch city councillors on July 14.
Tualamali'i suggested the stadium also be used for Pacific theme events, and contribute to "a sense of belongingness" by bringing people together for events.
Niue increases covid workers
Niue has increased the number of workers in its covid-19 teams with the help of a medical assistance team from New Zealand.
Secretary of Government, Gaylene Tasmania, said while most of the New Zealand medical support left Niue last week, one specialist has stayed on to help with refining protocols and the processes for quarantine.
Tasmania said alot was accomplished in the time the New Zealand team was on the ground.
"They were able to work with our clinical team in setting up the isolation ward, providing some professional development for the team as well as looking at our protocols."
29 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded at the border in total since the pandemic began.
Canberra donating to Tongan power company
Australia's Government is donating $US556,000 worth of essential power supplies and equipment to Tonga's only power company - Tonga Power.
Australian Deputy High Commissioner Donald Mortimore presented the first donation including eight tranformers, power poles, cables and a large generator.
The donation contributes to the Kingdom's response and recovery from January's volcanic eruption and tsunami.
USP vice-chancellor says body is struggling due to non-payments
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP) says Fiji's refusal to pay its subsidy over the past three years is hurting the regional institution.
The University estimates it's owed $FJ78.4 million because the grant from the Fiji government has not been paid since 2019.
Speaking from Apia in Samoa after being deported from Fiji last year, Professor Pal Ahluwalia says there are many things USP has not been able to do throughout the 14 campuses.
"I made a commitment to spend $FJ5 million a year to fix this and catch up. Now, of course, we haven't been able to do that.
"My aim was in five years to catch on all the deferred maintenance by investing in it, and so we can't do that, and that is all over the 14 campuses that we have."
Last weekend the USP's staff unions ran an advertisement in a Fiji paper pleading with the government to pay the outstanding subsidy.
Wallisian thrower takes out French national title
A young athlete from Wallis and Futuna has won the French javelin title, throwing 78.09 metres.
According to the New Caledonian athletics training centre Felise Vahai Sosaia now has a chance of being selected for the French team for next month's European Championships.
