Pacific news and sport in brief for August 29

7:59 am on 29 August 2022

Covid-19 cases reported in French Polynesia

Another 24 Covid-19 cases have been recorded in French Polynesia in the last 48-hour reporting period.

There are 104 active cases.

The health authorities say one of the cases needs hospital care.

The death toll of the pandemic is 650, with most fatalities registered during last year's outbreak with the Delta variant.

Vaccinations have continued and more than 81 percent of those 12 years and older have had two jabs.

Volcano alert level for the Manu'a islands of Ofu and Olosega downgraded

In American Samoa, the volcano alert level for the Manu'a islands of Ofu and Olosega have been downgraded to normal or no volcano threat.

Data from seismometers installed in the Manuʻa Islands last week confirms that the ongoing earthquake activity is related to the Taʻū Island volcano and not Ofu-Olosega.

The US Geological Survey has now lowered the volcano alert level to normal and the aviation colour code to green for Ofu-Olosega.

Ta'ū Island remains on yellow advisory.

NZ delivers additional freight to Kiribati

A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules has delivered additional freight to Kiribati to assist its response to the extreme drought the country is facing.

The flight, which departed Auckland last week, delivered spare parts for the desalination plant, a forklift, and a utility vehicle.

The flight delivered a combined weight of just over eight tonnes.

It was the second drought-related flight by the RNZAF after a Hercules delivered urgent spare parts for the desalination plant on June 29th.

The latest Hercules flight will return to New Zealand with a piece of equipment owned by the Kiribati Public Utilities Board which requires urgent repair.

Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Shaun Sexton, said the transportation of the much-needed equipment was important for Kiribati, where the population of 120,000 is affected by the drought.

The Government of Kiribati declared a state of disaster in June and they have requested assistance with the transportation of this equipment.

Retired French special forces commander dies by suicide

A retired French special forces commander who played key roles in New Caledonia in the 1980s has died by suicide at his home in France.

Jean-Pierre Picon was 74.

Picon led the gendarmerie's intervention unit which in 1985 killed the Kanak politician Eloi Machoro, who was the security minister in the self-styled separatist government set up by the pro-independence FLNKS movement.

Picon was the number two commander during the controversial 1988 Ouvea hostage crisis when security forces killed 19 Kanaks to free 20 officers held hostage.

After the incident in Ouvea, the French government signed the so-called Matignon Accords with the anti- and pro-independence blocs, bringing to an end years of violence and unrest.

Samoa Law Society elects senior lawyer Alex Su'a as President

The Samoa Law Society has elected senior lawyer Alex Su'a as President for the next 12 months.

Radio Polynesia reports the election happened last week during the Society's Annual General Meeting which had been postponed for a year due to Covid.

Su'a has been acting President for over a year after the Society's President, Su'a Hellen Wallwork-Lamb was appointed by the Government as Attorney General in 2021.

Su'a has been a lawyer since 2005, is also the President of the Samoa Fa'afafine Association, and runs his own law firm.

Other members of the Council are:

Vice President, Faimalotumua Mathew Lemisio
Treasurer, Maposua Tanya Toailoa
Secretary, Violina Leilua.
Councillors are Mauga Precious Chang, Shirley Malielegaoi and Anne Matalasi.
Ex officio is Attorney General Su'a Hellene Wallwork.

Aden Attao bags bronze medal in Bulgaria

Aden Attao, who is the grandson of Jesus and Ramona Attao of Saipan in the CNMI, has bagged the bronze medal in the heavyweight division at the U20 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.