Pacific Brief

OPPOSITION NEEDS FUNDING RESOURCES FIJI – A Pacific academic says a new parliamentary funding system in Fiji doesn’t help the state of democracy.

Professor Brij Lal from Australian National University says a new directive structuring payments to parties to reflect their respective size is not the best way to provide resources. The move has forced the opposition parties to dismiss support staff with both groups saying they can’t work effectively. Dr Lal says the size of a party’s parliamentary presence does not necessarily show how much resources they need. He says for example the three-member opposition National Federation Party holds various chairmanships and shadow portfolios which need staff. “It is important for a robust parliamentary democracy to have well-resourced opposition parties of the type you have in Australia and New Zealand”

PNA fishing access costs rise

THE PACIFIC – The minimum price for a fishing day in waters of the eight-member Parties to the Nauru Agreement has risen to US$8000.The figure for January 1 marks a 33 per cent jump on last year’s benchmark price. The PNA members who control waters where over half of the world’s skipjack tuna is caught have worked to limit the number of fishing days sold to purse seiners to create scarcity and drive up the fishing day price. The director of the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority, Glen Joseph, has confirmed that days are at a premium in 2015 – so much so that companies are already talking with his fisheries agency to secure fishing days for 2016. He predicts some boats will be tied up at dock this year because this situation will force fishing companies to give limited days to the larger, more efficient vessels.

Dispute over VILLAGE chieftainship

VANUATU – The biggest village in Vanuatu is engulfed in a traditional chiefly dispute. The Daily Post reports that Chief Simeon Poilapa, who is the son of the late paramount chief, disagrees with 13 caretaker chiefs of Mele, who applied for a stay order of his ordination which will be heard on March 16. Chief Poilapa claims he was ordained in line with Efate custom law practices and both the Efate Island Court and the Supreme Court have recognised the process. However Chief Marik Namata argues that when the Supreme Court referred his stay order to be heard in the Magistrate Court, it also meant the ordination of Chief Poilapa was null and void.

‘MAKE THE MOST OF FALLING OIL PRICES’

THE PACIFIC – An energy expert from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community says countries in the region should take the opportunity of falling oil prices to invest more funds in sustainable energy resources. SPC’s Deputy Director of Energy Solomone Fifita says the fall in oil prices will provide some relief to the region, where prices for fuel rank among the highest in the world due to importing costs. But Fifita says that commitments made by governments towards increasing reliance on renewable energy means Pacific countries wont be affected as much by changing oil prices in the future. “Regardless of how long this decrease in price will last, it is to the advantage of small island countries in the Pacific to continue to pursue using renewable energy and energy efficient technologies.”

SAMOA'S HOTTEST YEAR IN DECADES

SAMOA – The Head of the Meterology Division in Samoa says 2014 was the hottest year in nearly 60 years for the islands. Mulipola Ausetalia Titimaea says preliminary findings show the average high was 31.8 degrees Celcius for the year and the average minimum was 24.5°C. Mulipola says this means 2014 had the warmest temperatures since 1958.