PACIFIC BRIEFS: TONGA’S BUDGET BIGGER THAN LAST YEAR

TONGA – Tonga’s public servants are in for a pay rise with a more than US$2.4 million boost in the first budget of the Akilisi Pohiva government

. New charges are to be imposed on foreign exchange and a large increase in airport tax to raise funds for the 2019 Pacific Games. The $242 million 2015-16 budget is about $6 million more than the previous year’s budget. The Minister said 47 percent of the budget will be funded by government with the remainder coming from development partners. Education and health are the sectors getting the greatest percent from the budget while spending on constituency development programmes is also up. The Budget includes a special fund to help Tonga pay for the hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games, with departure tax rise over the next five years by just under $US50. It also proposes increases in charges on foreign currency exchange, with the expectation foreign currency providers will cut their margins.

TYPHOON homeless need federal help

GUAM – Authorities in Guam are hoping for US federal assistance to address the hundreds of people still homeless almost three weeks after Typhoon Dolphin passed the island. The President of the Guam Housing Corporation, Martin Benavente, says at least 80 families are currently using canopies for shelter and people are still coming into the office asking for assistance. Benavente says the GHC has run out of tents but is trying to find rental properties to alleviate the problem. He says local authorities are dealing with the issue without federal assistance. “They still have not declared Guam a federal disaster area so whatever help they’re getting is coming from just the local government and then we have the Red Cross here and also with a group of church related groups that are helping out.” Benavente says Guam has requested federal assistance but has not received a reply.

dengue deaths have officials worried

AMERICAN SAMOA – Health authorities in American Samoa are concerned by the deaths of two people from dengue fever as there has not been any increase in reported cases of the disease for some time. The deaths, which occurred last month, have been confirmed in lab analysis carried out at the Center for Disease Control. The infection prevention nurse at LBJ Hospital, Sharmaine Mageo, says the deaths of a 10-month-old baby and a 37 year-old male have officials worried. “We haven’t had an outbreak here since 2008-2009, so it really is quite a concern that we are starting off the last couple of months with cases are now coming in positive.” The Department of Health is investigating the two cases stressing that the travel history of the two who died is important to determine if they caught dengue in the territory or from neighboring countries.

fiji roll over world cup favourites

fiji – In the biggest upset so far at the U20 FIFA Football World Cup taking place in New Zealand, newcomers Fiji have beaten favourites Honduras 3-0. All the action for Fiji took place in the first half with Iosefo Verevou, who scored Fiji’s first ever World Cup goal earlier in the week against Germany, added to his tally in the 14th minute against the Hondurans. Five minutes later Saula Waqa increased the Fijian lead with a loopy shot over a wall of defenders and finally Atonio Tuivuna was credited with a goal just before the half-time whistle, after his kick took a deflection off a Honduran player. Fiji have never before played in a FIFA tournament and were thrashed 8-1 by Germany in their debut match. Their final pool match is against Uzbekistan on Sunday and a win would put them through to the next round.

NATUMAN SACKS FOREIGN MINISTER KILMAN

VANUATU – Vanuatu’s prime minister Joe Natuman has sacked the foreign minister Sato Kilman (pictured). This comes after Kilman indicated he was prepared to support a motion of no confidence in the prime minister, which could potentially be lodged for the ordinary sitting of parliament next week. Another MP from Kilman’s People’s Progress Party, Isaac Hamariliu of Epi has been sacked as Government Whip. The prime minister’s spokesman, Kiery Manassah, says that Kilman was asked if he still supported the Natuman-led coalition government. “And he said that he wanted to go, that if there was a motion he would vote for it, and so the prime minister has simply acted on his wishes and terminated him. So the prime minister will need to find a replacement for him.”