BRIEFS November 20, 2014 Ganinngyan And Yangetmai Still Lead In Unofficial Yap Election Results YAP, FSM (Marianas Variety, Nov. 19, 2014) — With 2,273 votes, Yap gubernatorial candidate Tony Ganinngyan and running-mate Hopwwod Junior High School Social studies teacher James Yangetmai, are still leading based on unofficial Yap election results. Unofficial results as of Friday showed that Henry S. Falan and running-mate Sabino Sauchomal had 1,810 votes while the tandem of Charles Chieng and Francis I. Itimai got 644. The Yap Election Commission is still waiting for the absentee ballots from Portland and Dallas. Through a public advisory, the commission informed the Yap community that the absentee ballots were supposed to arrive on Monday but were delayed due to flight issues. In an interview, Yangetmai said: “We just need to hope for the best.” He said they can only wait and see until the official election results are announced. Yangetmai said if he wins, he will need to leave Saipan and serve the Yap community. He wants to help the Yap government generate and acquire more revenue and improve its economy. “I am grateful for the support I have received from the community,” he said. President Of Palau Wins Global Environmental Honor NOUMÉA, New Caledonia (SPC, Nov. 19, 2014) — The President of Palau, H.E. Tommy Remengesau Jr, has won the United Nations highest environmental accolade, a Champion of the Earth Award, for spearheading major conservation initiatives and building the Pacific nations economic resilience through green economy policies. The Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Dr. Colin Tukuitonga, has welcomed the recognition by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) of President Remengesau’s leadership on environmental issues in the Policy Leadership category. “This is a well-deserved accolade for President Remengesau and I wish to extend my congratulations on behalf of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community,” Dr. Tukuitonga said. “The President has led numerous conservation and broader environmental policies and initiatives which have implications beyond the Pacific region, for example by establishing the world’s first Nationwide Marine Sanctuary that protects more than 80 per cent of Palau’s 600,000 sq km of Exclusive Economic Zone.” President Remengesau will be presented with his award by the UN Secretary-General, Ban-Ki-moon, and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner, at a ceremony in Washington D.C. today (19 November). “I am honored to receive this award on behalf of the traditional leaders, the people of Palau, and the islanders around the world, who are the stewards for the protection of our vast oceans and natural wealth, President Remengesau said in a UNEP statement. Highlights of SPC assistance in relation with environment and conservation to Palau include the introduction of an energy efficiency retrofitting loans scheme and formal training programs in such fields as fisheries development, aquaculture, disaster risk assessment and energy security. For an overview of the development results Palau is achieving with SPC support see the 2014 Palau Country Program report. The Champions of the Earth is the UN flagship environmental prize which recognizes outstanding visionaries and leaders in the fields of policy, science, entrepreneurship, and civil society action. For more about the 2014 winners visit: unep.org/champions. Japan Recession No Threat To CNMI Tourism SAIPAN, CNMI (Radio New Zealand International, Nov. 20, 2014) — The Northern Marianas Visitors Authority says visitor arrivals from its key tourism market of Japan will remain steady for at least the next three months, despite Japan slipping into recession. Its managing director, Perry Tenorio, says its Japan office has analyzed tourism indicators, and believes travel from Japan is not expected to decline in the next few months. The office of governor Eloy Inos says it is closely monitoring economic reports out of Japan. It says while the CNMI is concerned with the situation in Japan, it is confident that its diversified portfolio, including South Korea, China and Russia, will soften the blow of a possible decline in Japanese tourists. UNICEF says many Pacific Countries Need To Improve Sanitary Conditions SUCA, Fiji (Radio New Zealand International, Nov. 19, 2014) — The UNICEF Pacific Representative says many Pacific countries desperately need to improve their toilet and sanitation conditions. Karen Allen says World Toilet Day is a reminder that a clean and safe toilet ensures health, dignity and well-being. Dr. Allen says access to water and sanitation in schools varies across the Pacific with countries like Niue and Palau have total access while Kiribati has only 2.5 percent. She says slow progress on sanitation and the entrenched practice of open defecation continue to put children and communities at risk. Open defecation typically has links with high rates of diarrhea and growth stunting. In the Pacific open defecation rates are high, especially in Kiribati with 37 percent and Solomon Islands with 18 percent. In terms of sanitation coverage the Pacific has the slowest rate of progress in the world and at 30 percent, it is tied with Sub-Saharan Africa as having the lowest level of improved sanitation coverage. India PM Offers Measures To Strengthen Partnership With Pacific SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive/PIR, Nov. 20, 2014) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed that a Forum for India- Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) be held on a regular basis. After meeting the leaders of the various Pacific Island nations in Suva during his one-day visit of Fiji yesterday, Modi said given the response he received, India is ready to host the next meeting in one of its coastal locations in 2015. He said India has always been keen to work closely with Pacific Island Counties (PICs) to advance their development priorities and the meeting gave him a better flavor of their perceptions and priorities. He also announced a number of measures to strengthen India’s partnership with the PICs. These include: 1. Setting up of a Special Adaptation Fund of $ 1 million: • Climate change is a major issue of concern for Pacific Island Countries. • By setting up this Fund, India would be happy to provide technical assistance and training for capacity building to our Pacific Island Partners. 2. Pan Pacific Islands Project: • Given the distance between the islands and poor connectivity, e-networks are an effective means for coordination. • In keeping with the success achieved in the pan-Africa Project, we propose to develop Pan Pacific Islands Project for telemedicine and tele-education. • We are also working on a solar energy project with the Pacific Islands at the community level. The regional hubs will be developed in the Pacific Islands. 3. Indian Visa on arrival all the fourteen Pacific Island Countries: • I have noticed the inconvenience in travel due to Visa issues. • I would wish to provide Visa on Arrival for nationals of all Pacific Island countries, Cook Islands, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, Republic of Nauru, Republic of Kiribati, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Niue, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. • I am confident that this will facilitate exchanges and promote better understanding between our peoples. 4. Increase in Grant-in-Aid to Pacific Island Countries: • Currently, we provide Grant in Aid of 125 thousand US Dollars annually to each Pacific Island Country for community projects selected by you. • I am happy to announce that we are increasing this aid to $ 200,000 annually. This would be rolled over annually. 5. Establish Trade Office in India: • This has been a long time request from you to promote trade between India and Pacific Island Countries. • We are ready to support the setting up of a Trade Office at an existing diplomatic representation in New Delhi. • We shall also provide complimentary space to Pacific Island countries during exhibitions organized by ITPO to showcase your products. • We need to find complementariness in our trade. India could be important source of low cost medicines. • We can do joint research in traditional medicine. Explore options of developing healthcare facilities for the benefit of people in the region. 6. Deputation of ITEC experts: • We will continue to share our experience and expertise with all of you. • In this context, I propose that we shall depute technical experts to your countries including in the fields of agriculture, healthcare and IT. 7. Training to Diplomats from Pacific Island Countries: • We shall be happy to expand our efforts for your diplomats. • In this context, Foreign Service Training Institutes will organize training programs to the Diplomats of Pacific Island countries. These would be held here and in India. 8. Distinguished Visitors Program: • I propose to commence a Distinguished Visitors Program. • Under this we can organize seminars and invite friends from the region. This would help to explore new ideas for strengthening our mutually beneficially economic cooperation. 9. Space Cooperation: • We propose cooperation in use of Space technology applications for improving the quality of life of our people and communications. • We can look at possibilities of sharing data that could be used for monitoring climate change, disaster risk reduction and management, resource management. The Prime Minister was officially welcomed at Albert Park before signing a number of Memorandum of Understanding with the Fijian Government and addressing Members of the Parliament. [PIR editor’s note: Radio Australia reported that Fijis main opposition party has boycotted a historic speech by Indias prime minister Narendra Modi to the countrys parliament. ... The leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), Ro Teimumu Kepa, said she stayed away after the government reneged on an invitation for her to give a vote of thanks to Mr Modi. ... Ms. Kepa also said opposition MPs were not allowed to meet with the Indian prime minister.] He then met the leaders of Pacific Island countries and later in the evening, he addressed member of the civil society at the Fiji National Universitys Nasinu campus before retiring for a state dinner and then flying out of the country around 10pm. Pacific Climate Warriors Call For Fossil Fuel Divestment PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier/, Nov. 20, 2014) — Today, 350 Pacific volunteers across the region, known as the ‘Pacific Climate Warriors’, are delivering letters to ANZ management asking them to divest from the fossil fuel industry. This is part of a new ‘divestment’ campaign being launched in the Pacific by the climate campaigning network, 350 Pacific. We launched this campaign to call on businesses operating in the Pacific to remove all forms of support from the industry—the fossil fuel industry—that will destroy us, said campaign spokesperson, Ms. Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, who recently addressed world leaders at the United Nations Climate Summit in September. The Climate Warriors are taking their message to ANZ, that they must commit to ruling out future loans to fossil fuel projects, and phase out existing loans over a five-year period. Organizations and financial institutions, such as the ANZ, must align their money with their morals. They need to make socially responsible investments because, it is not acceptable to profit from the destruction of our Islands. While the Pacific Islands may seem small, business for the banks here is profitable and growing. It is a moral imperative that as banks continue to grow in the region; they side with the people, not the polluters, added Ms. Jetnil-Kijiner. Over the past five years, ANZ has invested a total of $6.5 billion in fossil fuel projects, even when it is very clear that these fossil fuels, are the greatest man- made contributor to climate change and the destruction of the Pacific. Although many of our friends and families work for ANZ. Our fight is not with them, but with management at ANZ who guide where investments are made. With everything at stake in the face of climate change for our islands, we have to take every necessary step to protect our island homes, continued Jetnil-Kijiner. The Divestment campaign has its place in the Pacific. What we are calling for, are institutions and organizations to move their investments from the fossil fuel industry to more renewable and cleaner sources of energy, she concluded. Earlier this year, the Anglican Church of New Zealand and Polynesia became the first in the worldwide Anglican Communion, to pledge to divest from fossil fuel companies, while the College of the Marshall Islands are trying to get their campus to divest their endowment from fossil fuels. If they succeed, they could be the first College in the Pacific Region to divest. -END- COMMUNITY MESSAGE: Serving the community is an honor. It involves the level of pride, respect and caring that a good parent takes toward his or her family, even at a higher level at times as our culture goes. In our time though, it is more on what is in it for me. Some remarks in the recent election seemed to state about the same in a different way—building the economy for more and better job opportunities to entice or lure off-island folks to return home. No doubt for some seekers of greener pastures, if the economy should turn out well. And no doubt that building the economy, the talk for many generations now, is a must, if done in line with our culture, environment, etc. But, building it should be an honor and done by all for all. Not by a few.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 05:09:42 +0000
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