Pacific BRIEFS: Commoner made governor of Ha’apai

TONGA – The King of Tonga has appointed a commoner to the position of Governor of Ha‘apai for the first time.

Mo‘ale Finau missed out in a seat in parliament by just four votes in last year’s elections but says he is honoured to have now been given the new post. Finau says his appointment is another example of commoners finally being entrusted with responsibility and political power. “It symbolises a willingness of the King of Tonga to finally give an opportunity for the commoner to come and join in, if they are worthy, to be governor. I feel this is some type of freedom for the commoners to be trusted by the King. This is a victory for the King, not for me, because the King must have had a vision of the future of Tonga.” Finau’s appointment comes after a commoner was elected prime minister for the first time and just one noble was included in cabinet.

FIGI MINIMUM WAGE 'UNREALISTIC'

FIJI – The Fiji Trades Union Congress says the new minimum wage is too low and still does not come close to the rate set by the Wages Council many years ago. The newly re-installed general secretary of the Congress, Felix Anthony, says the national minimum wage needs to meet Fiji’s poverty line at least. The Fiji government has announced the minimum wage will go up 16 per cent to $2.32 Fijian per hour from July 1st. That’s NZ$1.52. It estimates about 100,000 workers will get more in their weekly wages but Anthony says it is not good enough. “At the moment we estimate the poverty line to be around about F$187 a week (NZ$122) for a family of four. The starting point needs to be a realistic starting point and not at $2 – $2.30. Because the gap is just too much.”

ANIMATED FILM OF MANUS ISLAND LIFE

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – A film maker living in Australia says he hopes his new animation on the plight of asylum seekers on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island will raise international debate on the issue of detention. Lukas Schrank says he was inspired by an Australian government comic distributed like propaganda in Afganistan aiming to discourage people from going to Australia. He says it has been very hard to find out what is happening on Manus and he hopes to give the refugees a global voice through animation. Schrank said the project is being contributed to by animators all round the world.He said he hopes the film entitled ‘Nowhere Line: Voices from Manus Island’ will be available online by the end of March and he may also enter it on the festival circuit.

SCRUTINY OF ACCOUNTS 'CO-OPERATIVE'

FIJI – The chair of Fiji’s Public Accounts Committee says its members are cooperating well as they scrutinise seven years’ worth of government accounts. Biman Prasad says the committee is acting in a bi-partisan manner for the interests of the people of Fiji. The key committee was in a state of impasse after its re-instatement following the September election when government MPs on the committee questioned the chairmanship of Dr Prasad who has criticised the military regime’s handling of the country’s finances.Dr Prasad says the chairmanship issue is now history. “And I am very pleased with the contribution of the three government members and I’m very pleased with the bi-partisan approach that we have taken.” Dr Prasad says senior public servants are also co-operating well by appearing before the committee and providing it with the necessary information.

DEATH OF RESPECTED TRIBAL LEADER

NEW ZEALAND – Ngati Porou leader Apirana Mahuika has died. Dr Mahuika was a Treaty of Waitangi scholar and Maori leader. He was known for his unapologetic voice for his people and has played a leading role in the development of Ngati Porou’s socio-economic pathway. New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters said Dr Mahuika was a leader who stood out. “He was a man of strong faith, a tremendous advocate for his iwi and a man of vision who could inspire those around him. In a real sense this is the end of a great era.” Dr Mahuika will lie in state at Rahui Marae in Tikitiki on the East Cape until Thursday.