Samoa's Lands and Titles Court President convicted

Fepulea’i Attila Ropati Photo: RNZ Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia

Samoa's court of appeal has convicted the Lands and Titles court President, Fepulea'i Attila Ropati, on one count of intentionally causing bodily harm and ordered the defendant to pay a total fine of $US3,500.

The penalty fine includes a reparation cost of $US850 to be paid to the victim and complainant who is the security officer of the court.

The judge had attacked the security officer during his end of the year function in 2017.

Last year, the president had pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared in the district court.

However, in passing sentence in May 2018 the district court judge discharged the defendant without a conviction which was the subject of the appeal.

The appeal court has now ruled the presiding judge of the district court, who was dealing with the case, materially understated the gravity of the offence.

"The Judge also downplayed the injuries. She did not regard them as serious, describing them as a minor, and therefore surface, laceration. In her view the complainant had to take some blame for the extent of his injuries for failing to get treatment," the ruling said.

The court of appeal has also pointed out the judge overlooked the complainant's shame and loss of face in being assaulted by a respected superior and the likelihood that he was trying to protect him from the likely consequences of reporting the attack.

"Our conclusion on disproportionality makes it unnecessary to exercise the statutory discretion that would otherwise follow. We would simply add two comments. There is no doubting the consequences of a conviction for the respondent personally, and for his career."

"However it is also of fundamental importance that the judiciary not be seen to be protecting one of its own. Judges are expected to conduct themselves to the highest standards. They must be held to account like all other members of the community. In similar circumstances other offenders have suffered significant penalties for serious assaults involving a weapon directed to vulnerable areas of the body", the ruling said.

Judges of Samoa Court of Appeal Photo: RNZ Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia

Pro-independence parties align for New Caledonia poll

New Caledonia's pro-independence Palika has confirmed that it will be part of a joint electoral list in the southern province.

The FLNKS umbrella group had decided to run one list in the anti-independence stronghold around Noumea in next month's provincial elections.

The FLNKS flag widely used in New Caledonia Photo: RNZ Walter Zweifel

The list in the southern province will be led by the Caledonian Union's Roch Wamytan.

The Palika leader Paul Neaoutyine, who is the veteran president of the northern president, will be the party's top candidate in the north where the FLNKS will have two lists of candidates.

The pro-independence side is expected to dominate outside the southern province and hopes to make enough gains this year to secure a majority in the territory's Congress for the first time.

The 54-member Congress will be made up of representatives of the three provincial assemblies which will all be elected for a five-year term.

Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Walter Zweifel

Samoa issues fines for by-election abstentions

Photo: 123RF

An estimated 1,000 voters did not vote in a recent by-election in Samoa, and all of them have been given a $US40 fine for not voting.

However, Samoa's Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio told the Samoa Observer that the number may decrease because they have yet to remove names of the deceased from the roll as well as those who live abroad.

The by-election at Fa'asaleleaga Number 2 Electoral Constituency is the first under new amendments passed early this year which now makes it compulsory for all registered voters to vote.

The commissioner also urged eligible voters to register as it is now also illegal for people not to register.

He said the main reason is to address corrupt practices at election time from the past and now puts the onus on the voter to register and turn out to vote.

CNMI casino developer ordered to pay out $US3 million in wages

A troubled casino developer in the Northern Marianas has been ordered to pay out more than $US3 million over wages violations.

The court decision last Thursday dealt a blow to Imperial Pacific International, which is building a hotel-casino in Saipan.

Photo: RNZ/Mark Rabago

Thursday's decision was the result of a years-long investigation and legal case brought by the US Department of Labour.

Hong Kong-based Imperial Pacific International was accused of failing to pay contractors building its resort in Saipan.

In the US District Court for the Northern Marianas on Thursday, Chief Judge Ramona Manglona ordered Imperial Pacific to pay overtime and minimum wages.

Combined with penalties, liquidated damages and interest, the company has been billed more than $US3 million over the next three years.

It made an initial payment of $US300,000 on March 27 to the US Secretary of Labour.

Imperial Pacific was also ordered to co-operate with an independent monitor which will inspect working conditions at its building sites.

In recent months, the company has laid off dozens of workers, battled law suits accusing it of human trafficking, had its casino shuttered by cyclones and violated government lease agreements to meet construction deadlines.

NZ helps launch electrification project in PNG's Enga

Officials from New Zealand's High Commission in Papua New Guinea have visited the Highlands to launch an electrification programme.

no acption Photo: RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly

They visited Tsak in Wapenemanda district of Enga Province to launch the programme that aims to connect up to 30,000 households in the area.

It's part of an agreement PNG signed with Australia, New Zealand, the US, Japan and South Korea during last November's APEC summit in Port Moresby.

The rural electrification programme aims to deliver power to 70 percent of PNG by 2030.

So far the project has been launched in Okapa, Eastern Highlands, and Bundi in Madang.

Bangladesh pledges to bring trafficking victims home from Vanuatu

Bangladesh has begun steps to bring home 101 trafficking victims stranded in Vanuatu after they were lured there with the promise of work that never materialised, a government official said on Wednesday.

The migrants, who include two minors, have been stuck in the remote Pacific island nation since November when four people were arrested on charges of trafficking them, and are living off handouts and rations.

Bangladeshi human trafficking victims in Vanuatu Photo: Supplied

Details of their plight emerged last month and the government has asked its nearest high commission in Australia to verify that they are Bangladeshi.

"They will send a team to Vanuatu and begin the national verification soon," home ministry official Abu Bakar Siddique told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, saying it was a first step towards bringing them home.

The Bangladeshis, two of whom are under 18, have been named as witnesses in the trial of the four accused, who deny the charges.

One of the largest exporters of manpower in the world, Bangladesh depends heavily on remittances from abroad. According to official data, at least 1 million Bangladeshis secured jobs overseas in 2017 - the highest number ever recorded.

But this depends largely upon unlicensed brokers working in rural areas and opens the door to trafficking, campaigners say.

The 101 migrants are all male and say they were duped by a network of brokers in the central Bangladeshi cities of Tangail and Barisal who transported them to Vanuatu via India, Singapore and Fiji over the last two years.

Lured by the promise of sales jobs in Vanuatu and nearby Australia, the Bangladeshis said they had sold property and taken out loans worth up to $20,000 to pay for the move.

Vanuatu, with about 280,000 people spread across roughly 80 islands, is one of the world's poorest countries. Only about a third of its inhabited islands have airfields and proper roads.

Harun Or Rashid, one of the 101 victims, expressed doubts they would be able to leave soon because of their role in the trial.

"We have told the local NGOs here that we want to work and earn some money because this case might go on for a long time," he said by phone from Vanuatu.

"Some of the NGOs are trying to get us a work permit for at least four months. If we get that permission, it will help us a lot."

The men are currently living off the support of the local government, local charities and the United Nations migration agency.

"The next hearing is on Sunday," said Rashid. "Hopefully that will bring us some positive news."

Thomson Reuters Foundation

Sport: PNG Hunters have chance to register first win

The Papua New Guinea Hunters have a chance to register their first win of the Queensland Cup rugby league season tomorrow against the Central Capras.

Photo: RNZ Pacific/Melvin Levongo

The 2017 champions have lost five times this season but the Capras are only one place above the Hunters in 13th on the ladder.

The Capras, however, have home advantage and will be desperate to mark their 500th game in the competition with victory.

Sport: Fiji Sevens team urged to focus on Singapore tournament

The young players in the Fiji Sevens team have been asked to move on from the elation of victory in Hong Kong to focus on this weekend's tournament in Singapore.

Fiji's Vilimoni Botitu scored one try and set up another in the final. Photo: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby

Fiji face Canada, Scotland and South Africa today in pool play.

They've never won tournaments on consecutive weekends and coach Gareth Baber says Fiji needs to shelve the joy of their Hong Kong success.

"We know that Hong Kong was emotional but part of our players' learning, especially these new boys who haven't been in this situation before, is to understand how they put that tournament in its place, reset their minds from what they've done last week and repeat the performances that they need to put in this weekend."

Playmaker Jerry Tuwai has been suffering from a virus in the buildup to today's tournament and Baber said while all his players were fit, care has been taken with Tuwai.

"We've managed him in the amount of training that he's been required to do this week with a view that he's good for the weekend but outside of that just getting over little niggles, little sore ankles, knees. We did some contact work yesterday and apart from Jerry everybody took part."

Gareth Baber's Fiji are second in the World Series standings just seven points behind the USA.

Samoa hoping to dominate weaker teams

Meanwhile, Samoa Sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens said his side has to dominate the weaker teams it will meet today in pool play at the Singapore Sevens.

Samoa take on Spain, Japan and New Zealand.

Samoa's Tofatu Solia was selected in the Hong Kong Sevens Dream Team. Photo: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby

After a dismal couple of years, Samoa has regularly reached tournament quarterfinals this season, and Sir Gordon says continuing that form has to start with victory over Spain.

"They've beaten us before, they've beaten New Zealand. They're a good side. You've also got Japan and they've beaten both New Zealand and ourselves as well and other teams. It's always about one game at a time and we have to treat them (Spain) like they're one of the top four sides. Its all about attitude and getting up and having that attitude that you can go out and beat them."

Rising rugby star Phillip Luki could make his debut for Samoa this weekend and Sir Gordon Tietjens said Luki was an exciting player.

"He's played a lot of 15s, he's a very good 15s player but I suppose the time he's spent with us is getting sevens conditioned and that's been his real challenge. He's just come back from playing with Samoa A over in Fiji and played particularly well. So he's come into our side now and I've a lot of confidence in him. He's new to game of sevens but he's a very good footballer and if he gets on this weekend I'm sure he'll go very well."

Sir Gordon Tietjens' Samoa are sixth in the World Series standings after coming fourth last weekend in Hong Kong.

New Caledonia's president to resign from politics

The president of New Caledonia, Philippe Germain, has announced his retirement from politics.

The President of New Caledonia's collegial government, Philippe Germain. Photo: RNZI / Koroi Hawkins

In a video message posted to Facebook, he said he wouldn't stand for office in next month's provincial elections.

Mr Germain said it was time to take a step back, describing it as an honour to have served as president over the past four years.

A delegation led by Mr Germain arrived in Vanuatu on Friday for trade talks and will be there until Sunday.

According to a copy of his agenda, he was expected to sign bilateral trade agreements while there.

Marshall Islands sets goals for next four years

The Republic of the Marshall Islands has set out its development goals for the next four years in an agreement signed with the Pacific Community, or SPC.

The President of the Marshall Islands, Hilda Heine. Photo: Pacific Community

The Country Programme for 2019 to 2022 outlines a framework to achieve priorities in reaching the country's Sustainable Development Goals.

President Hilda Heine said the plan laid out a clear path on areas needing more focus including statistics, biosecurity, agriculture and non-communicable diseases.

She said the country was grateful to the SPC for its technical and scientific support in areas such as fisheries, education, disaster risk reduction, and climate change.