PACIFIC BRIEFS – 02/05/2018

HEALTHCARE CONTRACTOR LEAVES MANUS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – The company contracted to provide healthcare to refugees detained by Australia on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island ended on Sunday. In a statement International Health and Medical Services, or IHMS, said it was maintaining “a core group of staff in Manus and Port Moresby to support the transition to a new health service provider”. The Australian government told SBS News it had “engaged a new health services provider”. It said “individuals will continue to have access to appropriate primary health services” but would not say who the new provider is. IHMS said it had extended its contract to deliver health services at Australia’s refugee detention centre on Nauru and to refugees residing in the Nauruan community.

TRANSPORT OFFICERS ‘ALTERED RECORDS’

SAMOA – Two senior officers at Samoa’s Land Transport Authority have been asked to resign for allegedly altering records for their own benefit. The Samoa Observer reports assistant chief executive officers, Mata’afa Sepelini and Anoanoa’i Pepe Lafai were alleged to have changed records to allow taxis they owned to be registered. Mata’afa is denying the allegations and was adamant he would not resign. “I am talking to a lawyer and weighing my options here but I am fighting this,” Mata’afa said. The minister responsible for the authority, Papalii Niko Lee Hang, said an investigation was near completion and when he receives the report the right decision will be made. Papalii has not ruled out taking the matter to the Attorney General’s office but says if the officers resign, “that would be the end of the matter”.

POLICEWOMEN CLAIM WORK HARASSMENT

AMERICAN SAMOA – A victim’s advocate in American Samoa says two policewomen have filed sexual harassment complaints against two senior police officers. The allegations have been made against the commander of the Tafuna police substation and a supervisor at the Fagaitua substation. Victims advocate Ipu Lefiti said the policewomen initiated police reports immediately after the alleged incidents – one in June last year and the other last month. Lefiti said no criminal cases had yet been filed against the alleged perpetrators who she said held prominent positions in the church and carried chiefly titles. She’s calling on women of influence to speak out including first lady Cynthia Moliga and congresswoman Aumua Amata. Commissioner of Public Safety, who is in charge of the police force, Lei Sonny Thompson has refused to comment.