PACIFIC BRIEFS 14/2/2017

Inquest into asylum seeker’s death PAPUA NEW GUINEA – A coroner’s inquest into the death of an asylum seeker detained on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island has resumed in Australia. Hamid Khazaei, a 24-year-old from Iran, died in Brisbane in 2014 from blood poisoning caused by a small leg infection. Last year, the coroner heard Khazaei died a slow and agonising death caused by delays in transferring him to Brisbane. Doctors on Manus requested he be flown to Australia, but 36 hours later he was flown to Port Moresby where he suffered multiple heart attacks. Evidence given last year included that Khazaei was not given prescribed medication and the Manus medical clinic was dysfunctional. The coroner will hear evidence from ten witnesses including the former chief medical officer with the Immigration Department’s and staff from medical contractors. TONGA no CONFIDENCE vote next week TONGA – A vote of no confidence in Tonga’s government will be tabled in parliament next week. A notice of the motion was distributed by Speaker Lord Tu’ivakano in Tonga’s parliament just before the house closed yesterday. Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva was not in Parliament, but Lord Tu’ivakano said he may respond to the vote of no confidence between now and next Monday when the vote will be dealt with. Earlier Pohiva said he had the numbers to defeat the vote. Lord Tu’ivakano said the actual vote of no confidence will have to take place by the end of Monday, February 27. In Tonga a vote of no confidence may be tabled, only after 18 months has passed since a general election. Concerns at rising price of chicken TONGA – Concerns over the high price of chicken have been raised in Tonga’s parliament. A report from Ha’apai stated cartons of chicken were selling for as much asUS$27. Tongatapu MP Mateni Tapueluelu questioned who should take the blame for the high prices. The Minister of Revenue Tevita Lavemaau says the price of chicken is controlled by the government’s Competent Authority. Lavemaau says the only tax imposed on chicken is 40 seniti or 18 US cents per kilo so such goods should not be expensive. The Competent Authority says the retail price for chicken is just over US$1.80 and cartons vary from 19 to 23 dollars. The Minister of Justice Vuna Fa’otusia says it is important that members of the public raise price issues with the authority. Prosecutor alarmed at Flosse defence FRENCH POLYNESIA – The public prosecutor’s office in French Polynesia has taken issue with comments made against the judiciary which it says could amount to attempts to spread misinformation and exert political pressure. The statement was issued after last week’s trial of former president Gaston Flosse over the 2014 theft of US$70,000 worth of chinaware. His defence lawyers, who include his son-in-law, have claimed that Flosse is being hounded amid a fixation to sever his links with his voters. The prosecutor took Flosse to the appeal court because he wasn’t given a custodial sentence in the criminal court last year and is also asking the court to make him ineligible for public office for five years. The prosecutor says such punishment is necessary to stop the degradation of democracy in French Polynesia and to show corruption will not be tolerated with impunity. Church investigators on way to Guam GUAM – The Catholic Church on Guam says a group of investigators will soon arrive as part of the canonical trial of the island’s archbishop. The Archbishop, Anthony Apuron, is facing a Vatican trial after several former altar boys accused him of sexual assault in the 1970s, when he was a parish priest. The Pacific Daily News reported Archbishop Michael Byrnes – who will replace Archbishop Apuron when he retires, resigns or is removed – also announced tougher policies against sexual abuse that will include background checks for anyone working around children, required reporting to civil authorities any allegation involving abuse of minors and suspension of clergy if an accusation is deemed credible.