August 12 Pacific News Brief

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero
photo: RNZ Pacific/Eleisha Foon

Guam – Drugs

Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero delivered a special address on the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

She told the media that Guam is no stranger to the drug war.

She said fentanyl, a powerful and deadly synthetic opioid, is beginning to cast a shadow over Guam.

Leon Guerrero said it’s unlike any other drug — one dose can be fatal.

In early July, Guam Police Chief Stephen Ignacio reported three fentanyl-related deaths on the island.

Kiribati – Health

There is currently an oxygen plant in operation in Kiritimati, one of the most remote atolls in the world, on the island of Kiribati.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that as of July, Kiritimati’s oxygen plant can fill up to 24 oxygen cylinders with medical oxygen within 24 hours, which means that the facility can treat four critically ill COVID-19 patients at the same time, providing relief to the local health system.

Previously, the hospital in Kiritimati relied on sea transport of gas cylinders from the National Referral Hospital in South Tarawa, more than 3,000 kilometres away.

The plant was brought to Kiribati through a joint effort between WHO, the EU and the Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

Papua New Guinea – Military

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force’s regional headquarters in Mount Hagen will be relocated to Mendi in the Southern Highlands.

Papua New Guinea’s Defence Minister Billy Joseph announced the change.

this The Courier Reports indicate that a large number of defence forces are required to be stationed in the upper parts of the Highlands region, namely Southern Highlands, Hela and Enga provinces, where the situation is highly unstable.

He said having a headquarters in Mendi would create a more peaceful environment and help reduce lawlessness.

Kiribati – Recycling

Kiribati’s commercial operation to recycle used lead-acid batteries could be replicated and applied to other Pacific countries to deal with hazardous waste.

Kiribati’s lead-acid battery recycling system was highlighted at the fourth Clean Pacific Roundtable held in Funafuti, Tuvalu.

Alice Laney of the Kiribati Solid Waste Management Program said lead-acid batteries are one of the most common toxic chemicals found in the environment in the Pacific.

Kiribati exports an average of about 20 tonnes of batteries every six months, mainly to Australia and Asia.

Fiji – Travel

Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad said the launch of a route from Nadi to Dallas, Texas, would bring “countless” benefits to Fiji.

Prasad, who is also Fiji’s Minister of Finance and National Development, said by connecting Fiji to one of the world’s busiest tourism hubs they would open the door to a huge new market of tourists from North America.

He said by 2023, tourism will contribute 40% to Fiji’s economic growth and create more than 36% of jobs.

New Zealand – Employment

New Zealand Labour Party spokesperson for employment and Pacific peoples weighed in on the unemployment figures released last week.

Willie Jackson and Carmel Sepuloni said statistics showed 11,100 more Maori and Pacific people were unemployed compared to the same period last year.

Statistics New Zealand figures show the unemployment rate for Pacific Islanders is 8.3 per cent.