Pacific News In Brief For 19 May
Article – RNZ
A round-up of Pacific news from around the region, including an official end to Samoa's whooping cough outbreak.
Samoa – whooping cough
Samoa's Ministry of Health has declared its whooping cough outbreak over.
It said last Wednesday that this follows a consistent decline in reported case and no suspected cases in the previous four weeks.
The outbreak of the disease, also known as pertussis, was declared on 28 November last year.
It said that the total of suspected and confirmed cases since the declaration had reached 427.
The Ministry said that while the spread of the disease is under control, people are urged not to be complacent and to check their children's immunisations are up to date.
Papua New Guinea – children
Police in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea have been investigating the deaths of two young children whose bodies were found in an abandoned car outside the city at the beginning of this month.
According to police the four and five year olds were last seen alive at the beginning of March.
Their remains were found in a vehicle at Gereka, just outside Port Moresby.
A postmortem was conducted at Port Moresby General Hospital on 6 May to determine the cause of death.
NBC reported the Police Commissioner David Manning saying the Crimes Investigation Team is working around the clock to gather evidence and identify witnesses.
He also expressed grave concern over the increasing trend of child abuse in the country, condemning these as despicable acts and betrayals of trust.
He has urged parents and guardians to take their responsibilities seriously and he reminded the public of the 'Lukautim Pikinini Act', which carries severe penalties for negligence and abuse.
Northern Mariana Islands – court
A jury trial is set for July in a federal child pornography case in the Northern Marianas.
The case is against Nicolas Franklin Salas Palacios, who faces charges of possession of and access with intent to view child pornography.
He has entered a plea of not guilty.
The indictment includes a forfeiture notice, signaling that if convicted, the accused may be required to forfeit specific items or face a money judgment as an alternative.
He remains detained at the Department of Corrections pending trial.
Fiji – telecommunications
Starlink has been installed at Rotuma Government Station in Fiji, as part of a broader project to connect 10 rural and maritime government stations across the country.
Fiji's government said this technological advancement will allow civil servants to access real-time information and improve communication with headquarters, while also opening digital doors for nearby communities.
The initiative is also designed to improve coordination during emergency situations.
New Zealand/Pacific – visit
The Pacific Islands Forum secretary-general Baron Waqa is visiting New Zealand this week.
He will meet New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Pacific Peoples Minister Shane Reti.
Ulu o Tokelau Esera Tuisano will also make his first official visit to New Zealand, ahead of New Zealand and Tokelau celebrating a centenary of their constitutional relationship next year.
Peters said regular face-to-face dialogue is crucial for underpinning New Zealand's relationships throughout the region.
Aoteraoa New Zealand – University of the South Pacific
New Zealand is hosting the council of the University of the South Pacific on Monday.
Twelve Pacific countries will be represented at the meeting.
Pacific Peoples and Universities Minister Shane Reti said New Zealand's role as hosts reflects the country's steadfast commitment to advancing tertiary education through Pacific regionalism.
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