July 10 Pacific News Brief

Tonga – Connect

Connectivity issues in Tonga have reportedly affected ATMs and Eftpos machines.

ABC Pacific Beat It was reported earlier this month that internet service in Vava’u and Haapai was severely disrupted, and internet providers have turned to satellite internet.

A source revealed Kaniva News Making calls using Digicel was difficult, ATM service was hit or miss, and EFTPOS was barely usable.

A specialist cable repair vessel is sailing from Singapore to Tonga and is expected to arrive next Thursday.

Kaniva News Yesterday’s report said internet conditions had improved, but good patches were intermittent and “off-peak hours” still existed.

Fiji – Politics

Fijian Prime Minister Sitiweni Rabuka has urged nine opposition MPs who have expressed their support for him to continue representing the people who voted for them.

Rabuka told Fiji Times It is very important that MPs continue to represent the people.

The now-defunct Fiji First party received more than 200,000 votes at the last election.

Opposition MP Mosese Bulitavu said the nine former Fiji First MPs received more than 7,000 votes in total.

Blitavu said the decision to offer support to Rabuka was influenced by some current independent MPs who urged him to work with the government.

Papua New Guinea – Violence

A drinking binge in a village in Papua New Guinea has left two people dead and destroyed homes and vegetable gardens.

this The country’s According to newspaper reports, a drunken man lost his mobile phone and got into an argument with his drinking buddies.

Police said the 22-year-old slashed five people before running into a house where he was killed.

Police reported that upon hearing the news of the death, clan members and relatives stormed the village, burning houses and destroying vegetable gardens.

Local councillor Richard Maru called on everyone to remain calm.

Papua New Guinea – Attacks

Papua New Guinea’s opposition leader Douglas Tomurisa says the cabinet minister accused of assault in Australia must be sacked.

Jimmy Maladina is due to appear in court in Sydney on Thursday after being accused of assaulting his wife during an argument at Sydney’s Bondi Beach at the weekend.

He has “resigned” from Cabinet but Tumurisa said that was no acknowledgement of the embarrassment and shame he had brought to Papua New Guinea.

this The Courier Ministers must be held accountable for their actions in public and private life, the report said.

He said resigning during the court proceedings was not enough and that Maladina must be removed from the cabinet.

Bougainville – Timber

The first export of balsa wood from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, marks a milestone for the region.

The timber will be shipped to an Australian company called 3A Composite.

The balsa trees are grown by Rarung Integrated Farming, which started planting them in 2016 in Hariya, Buka Island.

Bougainville Deputy President Patrick Nysila called the development of this new industry “a very exciting and historic day for Bougainville”.

The first shipment is one of several to be shipped to 3A Composite for a trial period of three months, the company said.

Northern Mariana Islands – Bones

Police are investigating after human skeletal remains were found in a cave in the Northern Mariana Islands.

this Mariana breed The bones were reportedly determined to be no more than 20 years old.

On July 7, a group of hikers stumbled upon the skeletal remains while exploring a cave in the Banzai Cliffs.

Because the cliff was located at a war site, people initially thought that the remains were from World War II.

Public Safety Commissioner Anthony Makaranas told media this week that was not the case and an investigation was underway.

He said they could not yet confirm whether there was any “foul play” involved.

The bones will be sent to a forensic anthropologist to determine age and sex.

Makaranas said the remains belonged to the same person.

Palau – Upgrade

Palau upgraded to ‘high-income’ country by World Bank.

“High-income” countries are often referred to as “first world” countries.

The World Bank report said Palau’s economy has recovered from the pandemic and exceeded the level required to become a “high-income” country.

Palau’s largest economic sector is tourism, which accounts for 40% of the country’s GDP.