In brief: Sexual violence worsening in Vanuatu

An increase in sexual offences in Vanuatu is being blamed on greater access to the internet and pornography brought in by overseas workers.

Sexual violence worsening in Vanuatu

SOLOMON ISLANDS – An increase in sexual offences in Vanuatu is being blamed on greater access to the internet and pornography brought in by overseas workers. Serious rape cases made up more than half of last month’s criminal cases in Vanuatu’s Supreme Court. Now there is a push to revive discussions about violence against women and the failure to curb the problem. Vanuatu’s Police Commissioner Arthur Caulton says there is a need to screen workers who return from work schemes in Australia and New Zealand. “There has been an increase in sexual violence. There are a lot of people who are able to access internet porn sites. And also a lot of people who are coming from overseas. We are having issues with people coming back from the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme and bringing back items that are prohibited for Vanuatu.”

Dialysis patient to be deported to Fiji

NEW ZEALAND – The immigration spokesperson for New Zealand’s opposition Labour Party, Rajen Prasad, says a Fiji man with renal failure will have to leave New Zealand this week, because the Immigration Minister has decided not to intervene in his case. Dr Prasad says Sanil Kumar, who is 30, is a plumber and sheet metal worker who was on a work visa until he was diagnosed with a renal disease requiring a transplant. Dr Prasad says Kumar is receiving dialysis, and it will be known in May whether a family member is a suitable donor. Kumar’s family has raised the funds needed to pay for the kidney transplant. Dr Prasad says the Associate Minister of Immigration, Nikki Kaye, has refused to intervene because the Ministry of Health says Kumar can have the dialysis in Fiji. However, he says Kumar is not a cost to the state, and the minister should exercise special consideration in Kumar’s case.

Three jailed for death of village matai

SAMOA – Samoa’s Supreme Court has convicted and jailed three men from Savaii for the death of a 44-year-old village matai last June. Tagaloa Teropika has been sentenced to eight and half years in jail, while Tuleaga Aiesi and Tavita Pauli will serve seven and a half years after pleading guilty to one charge each of manslaughter and grievous bodily harm. According to the police summary of facts, the matai and two other men were swimming and drinking beer at a pool in Sapapalii. The defendants became upset at the fact the men were breaking pool rules by drinking alcohol, with one of them swimming naked and then assaulted the men as they tried to escape.

Biggest solar power array underway

SAMOA – The largest solar-power array in the Pacific should be built in Samoa this year in time for September’s Small Islands Developing States conference. The country is turning to solar, wind and hydro energy as a way to cut back on its heavy reliance on diesel fuel. New Zealand has allocated $14 million to the project, going thirds with other donors. The project manager, Fonoti Perelini Perelini, says the 10,000 panels in the middle of a racecourse in Apia should last 20 years if they are maintained well, and it’s part of wider measures to cut back on diesel reliance. “Seventy per cent of electricity is generated from diesel right now, and that’s the focus, to replace that.”

Waiting for news of UN peacekeepers

FIJI – Fiji police are yet to receive word from the UN or the contingent commander of any adverse situation directly affecting Fijian police officers stationed in South Sudan in Africa, says Acting Commissioner of Police Ravi Narayan. Last week rebels disguised as protestors opened fire at a UN base killing many civilians and injuring two peacekeepers. At this time it’s not known which country the peacekeepers are from. Fiji has 24 police officers serving as peacekeepers in South Sudan. Narayan said police were yet to be informed if any drastic step would be taken by the UN after the increase in violence in the region.“We wait for their advice before any decisions are made regarding our officers currently serving there.”