July 9 Pacific News Brief

photo: Guam Air Force

Guam – Extension

The people of Guam have been given an extended lifeline to submit feedback on prolonged missile testing on the U.S. island territory.

Guam’s acting governor, Joshua Tenorio, was concerned about the test and asked for a 60-day extension to fully understand the impact on landowners and residents.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency agreed to extend the deadline for submitting applications by 30 days, instead of the required 60 days.

The plan calls for two missile tests per year at Andersen Air Force Base over the next decade.

If the testing goes ahead, there are concerns about the disruption it could cause to residents and landowners.

Elected officials asked the Army to extend the comment period to review a 378-page environmental assessment that states testing could require closures or restrictions on nearby public and private lands for up to four days at a time.

The public meeting is scheduled for July 25. People have until August 2 to make their voices heard.

Samoa – Deportation

A Chinese national who attempted to bribe a senior Samoan official has been sentenced to six months in prison and fined 130,000 tala before being deported.

this samoa observer Chinese national Yang Qinping reportedly pleaded guilty to one count of prohibited export — related to attempting to export sea cucumbers and similar species — and one count of bribing a government official.

He went to the home of a customs official and tried to get the container through without inspection.

District Court Judge Matautia Raymond Schuster said the attempt to bribe a government official with 5,000 tala was serious and should be severely punished.

West Papua – Land

In West Papua, 245,506 hectares of land are being reviewed for recognition as traditional forest land.

Local advocates say their livelihoods depend on traditional forestland, which they see as a threat from the palm oil industry.

Jubi TV It is reported that about 2.6 million hectares of land in Papua New Guinea are currently occupied by industrial plantation companies.

Nine clans from the Wambun Kennimoput tribe in Bowendigore regency in South Papua filed a petition seeking to regain control of indigenous lands.

Palau – Seats

Palau’s Senate would gain two more seats under a 2024 plan drawn up by a congressional redistricting commission.

The final plan would retain the single Senate district and increase the number of Senate seats from 13 to 15.

According to the plan, the move is intended to improve voters’ access to elected officials, ensure more equal representation and a broader distribution of political power.

this Island Times Key factors reportedly considered in the plan include the latest population data, the need for equal representation and the operating expenses of the Senate.

Palau – Agribusiness

The EU’s largest grant programme in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific is reaping results.

The EU-STREIT PNG project, which focuses on training and improving farmers’ skills in East and West Sepik Provinces, has reached nearly half a million people and supported more than 750 agribusiness groups.

Farmer Fabian Homboku from Huareheng village is the latest farmer to receive support through fish farming, vanilla and cocoa plantations.

He has passed on his fishing skills to a thousand farmers in 12 villages.