PINA

The World Bank’s Board of executive directors has approved a US$30 million project in Marshall Islands, where access to high-speed internet remains extremely limited and costly, that will secure faster, more reliable, and more affordable internet access across the country.

In addition to expanding online access, the Digital RMI project aims to promote private sector investment in climate-resilient digital infrastructure and establish the foundations for digital government services and the digital economy. The project will be implemented over seven years and is being led by the Government of the Marshall Islands through its Ministry of Finance, Banking & Postal Services and the Ministry for Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

“COVID-19 has only served to underscore the importance of being digitally connected. We are proud to be standing with Marshall Islands to improve internet access for all Marshallese, and to invest in the development of digital government services and the digital economy,” said Stephen Ndegwa, World Bank Country Director for Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.

“The links between extreme poverty and a lack of access to basic public services are clear and research has shown direct ties between an increase in high speed internet access and economic growth. Improved access to the internet and digital government services – including for health and education – will be critical for the Marshallese people now and into the future.”

Limited online access has constrained the country’s ability to participate in the digital economy, further isolating the atoll nation and its people and reducing economic and social opportunities.

“I sincerely thank the World Bank for its support of the Digital RMI project,” said the Marshall Islands Government Chief Secretary Kino Kabua. “This project will secure a more prosperous future and greater opportunities for every citizen of Marshall Islands through faster, more reliable and more affordable digital connectivity. This represents a critical opportunity that will benefit generations to come.”

The project addresses connectivity issues in four areas while laying the foundations for the development of digital government services and the digital economy. One component of the project will drive new investment in energy-efficient, disaster- and climate-resilient digital infrastructure across all 24 inhabited atolls and islands, including Majuro and Ebeye.

Another aspect of the initiative focuses on investments in digital government platforms, cybersecurity, and digital skills, with work to prioritise key services such as e-health and e-education. Digital job creation, skill development and initiatives to close gender gaps in the access and use of digital infrastructure and services will also be prioritised to support the Marshall Islands’ transition to the digital economy.

The project will also support the Ministry for Transport, Communications and Information Technology, including with the strengthening of the policy, legal and regulatory environment around digital economy and digital government services. These reforms – particularly around data protection and privacy, cybersecurity and combatting cybercrime – will be essential to help build trust around the delivery and use of digital services.

The total project cost will be US$37.5 million, with a US$30 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank’s fund for the world’s most in-need countries – and US$7.5 million of private capital, which will be mobilised under component one of the project.

The World Bank works in partnership with 12 countries across the Pacific supporting 86 projects totaling US$2.06 billion in commitments in sectors like agriculture, health, education and employment, climate resilience and adaptation, energy, fisheries, rural development, economic policy, macroeconomic management, aviation and transport, telecommunications, and tourism.

SOURCE: WORLD BANK/PACNEWS

Fiji Airways, Fiji’s national carrier, today commemorated its 70th anniversary.

The occasion was marked by Fiji Airways staff connected virtually from around Fiji and global offices to reminisce the airline’s 70-year history and rally around their commitment to ensure its survival post-pandemic.

Fiji Airways took off on its first flight one 1st September 1951, as founder Harold Gatty’s 7-seater De Havilland Dragon Rapide, piloted by Captain Fred Ladd, took off from the Fiji’s Luvuluvu airstrip (Nausori) to Drasa Airport (near Lautoka). From the bumpy one-hour Dragon Rapide flight 70 years ago to operating 20 jet and turbo-prop aircraft today, Fiji Airways has grown into an international airline with an extended network to 108 destinations globally.

Rajesh Punja, Fiji Airways Chairman said: “Fiji Airways has consistently broken new ground for 70 years, creating a bridge for Fiji to the world and the world to Fiji. COVID has grounded commercial flying temporarily, but cannot wipe our 70-year history. We thank our predecessors, our people, and partners old and new for their commitment and support over the years and we prepare to resume flying, hopefully in just a few months, and lead Fiji’s tourism and economic recovery.”

Addressing staff from their Nadi Head Office, Managing Director & CEO Andre Viljoen said the National Airline draws strength from its 70-year history, to fight the current existential crisis caused by the COVID pandemic.

“While we are not celebrating our 70th anniversary, or FJ 70 as we call it, with fanfare, we are commemorating the occasion quietly to recognise how far we have come as an airline. Our grit and determination to survive and thrive, as we have done for 70 years, is the foundation on which our airline will return to the skies post-pandemic.”

He added: “The trailblazing achievements of our founder Harold Gatty created a legacy that has lasted seven consecutive decades. The commitment and resolve of our people, shareholders and partners will see us power through for another seven decades and more. We must acknowledge the critical and ongoing support we have had from the Fijian Government, especially our Prime Minister and Line Minister the Attorney General. We thank them for their unwavering commitment to the National Airline. Of course, we are eternally grateful to the people of Fiji for their faith in Fiji Airways throughout the 70 years.”

Fiji Airways has been the most connected airline in the region throughout its history, linking to more Pacific Island countries than any other carrier. It flies directly to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, and regionally to Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu. Its wider network through its oneworld and bilateral partner airlines increases the airline’s reach to 108 destination worldwide.

Viljoen continued: “The world has changed and there will be a new normal for travel when most countries re-open their borders and we are ready for it. Through our Travel Ready programme, Fiji Airways has attained two distinct awards that will give confidence to our customers when commercial flying resumes.”

“We are the only airline in the Australia-Pacific region, and one of only a handful in the world, to achieve a Skytrax 5-Star COVID Safety rating, as well as the highest “DIAMOND” or Hospital Grade certification for APEX Health Safety powered by Simpliflying.”

Viljoen said Fiji’s vaccination rollout has helped accelerate the timeline, and a re-opening framework was being finalised in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the COVID Response Management Team comprising of key Permanent Secretaries from across Government.

“Our flight schedules will be released immediately following an official announcement by Government which outlines border requirements. One of these will undoubtedly be that visitors must be fully vaccinated, a position Fiji Airways strongly supports.”

Fiji Airways is on track to complete its return to commercial flying programme, internally termed “Fly Ready”.

SOURCE: FIJI AIRWAYS/PACNEWS

More than 160 seasonal workers from Vanuatu have landed in Darwin to bolster the Northern Territory’s mango-picking workforce for this year’s harvest.

The workers arrived on a chartered flight from Port Vila on Tuesday and will spend the next 14 days at Howard Springs quarantine facility, before heading to work across Top End orchards.

The group will join dozens of ni-Vanuatu harvest workers who arrived in September last year and had their visas extended to continue picking fruit.

Without them, Darwin Fruit Farmers manager Mark Smith said, many growers would not be able to send their mangoes to market.

“We’d go broke, I’d say,” Smith said.

“You know, eventually, if you drop the fruit too many times on the ground, it doesn’t last too long.”

The charter flight carrying the mango pickers from Vanuatu, plus the cost of funding each worker’s supervised quarantine period, is estimated to be costing the industry more than $650,000(US$475,000).

A second flight carrying 220 workers from Samoa is due to arrive in Darwin on 19 September.

The NT government said it has been working with the Australian, Vanuatu and Samoan governments to arrange the workers’ charter flights and quarantine.

“The Territory’s mangoes are the absolute best, but it’s important we’ve got the workers,” Agriculture Minister Nicole Manison said.

But Katherine-based mango farmer Nino Niceforo said the NT government had failed to support all growers.

Speaking to ABC Country Hour, Niceforo said he arranged for 75 seasonal workers to come to Australia, but they were forced to quarantine in Western Australia because the NT government did not allow them to use the facilities in Darwin.

“It’s very messed up,” he said.

“We aren’t getting any support at all from the Territory government.”

The NT’s mango industry generates more than $130 million (US$95 million) per year, and accounts for more than half of Australia’s mango production, according to the NT Farmers Association.

Paul Burke, chief executive officer of the NT Farmers Association, said “loads of prisoners” were already picking fruit on NT farms as part of a prisoner employment programme.

However, the extra boots on the ground have not been enough to offset the COVID-induced labour shortfall in an industry that relies on foreign workers.

That’s why he urged Australians to put up their hands and contact Harvest Trail Services, an Australian government-run service that connects job seekers with growers and farmers in the Top End.

“I just want to reiterate: There are jobs here if any Australians want a job,” Burke said.

“We have plenty of work.”

However, securing a job picking fruit during the pandemic is not as simple as picking up the phone.

About 220 Australians have registered their interest in coming to the NT to pick fruit, but remain stuck in the locked-down states of New South Wales and Victoria, Burke said.

Meanwhile, more than 6,500 seasonal workers have arrived in Australia under the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) between August last year and July 31, according to data from the federal Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

That figure includes at least 342 arrivals in the NT.

The minimum award rate for a fruit picker is $24.95 (US$18,25), Burke said.

“We have zero tolerance for exploitation,” he said.

“They get paid per hour, like any other person in any other industry.”

The seasonal workers may have arrived, but it seems the weather has not been kind to a lot of mango growers.

The industry has released its first crop forecast for the season, with predictions the Darwin region will produce around 2.8 million trays – which is similar to last year.

“I’ve always been a firm believer that after a good wet season, we’d have a good mango season in volume-terms, but [the weather] has proved us all wrong,” said Leo Skliros, president of the NT Mango Industry Association.

“I’ve been speaking to growers and the pattern that has emerged is the same.

“Particular varieties such as the KP (Kensington Pride) are very, very low yields around Australia, but varieties such as R2E2 and Calypso seem to have heavier [yields] than the last few years.”

“The fruit that is there is looking very good though and they’re sweet and juicy, I just hope we can get this crop off and get it down to the public.”

Around 70,000 trays of mangoes have been picked in the NT over the last fortnight, with the NT’s mango season due to peak around the middle of October.

SOURCE: ABC/PACNEWS

Members of the Papua New Guinea Special Police Forensic Criminal Investigation Team (SPFCIT) on Monday arrested and charged former Acting Managing Director of PNG Power Limited, 48-year-old Australian woman Carolyn Blacklock in Port Moresby.

The team established under office of Commissioner of Police have been conducting a combined forensic and criminal investigation into high level financial crimes.

Blacklock is alleged to have conspired with one other person to forge a purported employment contract as Acting Managing Director of PNG Power Limited, and defraud the state-owned entity, and the State itself over K1.7 million (US$484,000) between period August 2018 and August 2019.

She has been charged with conspiracy, forgery, false pretense, misappropriation, under Sections 515, 462(1), 404(1)(a), 383A(1)(a) of the Criminal Code, Chapter 262.

Police learnt that in August 2017, Blacklock from Mareeba, Queensland, was employed by Cardno PNG under the PNG Australia Economic & Social Infrastructure Programme as a specialist advisor to the PNG Department of the Prime Minister and National Executive Council on infrastructure and major initiatives.On 22 December 2017, the National Executive Council (NEC) appointed Blacklock as Acting Managing Director for PNG Power Limited to perform the duties of the Acting Managing Director of the power authority while on secondment from the Department of the Prime Minister and National Executive Council.

It was reported on 17 January 2018 at a press conference by the then Minister of State-Owned Enterprise that Blacklock commenced her role on 15 January 2018 and, in accordance with NEC directives, Kumul Consolidated Holdings Limited would advertise the position for the Managing Director of PNG Power in the open market to allow a suitable candidate to apply.

Police alleged that Blacklock while on secondment as an advisor with the Department of the Prime Minister and National Executive Council, maintained her employment by Cardno PNG. The investigators alleged that in August 2018, Blacklock and the Chairman of PNG Power Limited, Peter Nupiri, conspired to fabricate a contract of employment for Blacklock for the position of Acting Managing Director, without approval from the PNG Power and Kumul Consolidated Holdings boards and the NEC.

The investigators alleged that Blacklock was to assume the role as Acting Managing Director of PNG Power Limited until a substantive appointment was made. She was never duly appointed to the substantive position of Managing Director of PNG Power Limited, nor did the PNG Power Limited and Kumul Consolidated Holdings Limited boards or NEC resolve for the PNG Power chairman to enter in a contract of employment with her.

It is alleged that between December 2018 and August 2019, Blacklock relying on the fraudulent contract, directed PNG Power finance staff to pay her K1, 768, 448.25(US$484,000), as purported backpay, while receiving a salary under her existing contract of employment with Cardno PNG.

The police alleged that Blacklock conspired with Nupiri to fabricate a fraudulent contract of employment and facilitated the fraudulent payments of over a million Kina to her under the false pretense that she was entitled to outstanding renumeration and termination pay.

Police also alleged that Nupiri failed to notify or consult the PNG Power or Kumul Consolidated Holdings boards of the contract of employment, rendering it and the payments fraudulent.

Blacklock was arrested at Harbour City, Konedobu, cautioned, informed of the reasons for her arrest, and conveyed to the National Capital District Fraud Squad office and interviewed.

After the interview, the police were satisfied there was sufficient evidence and she was formally charged with five counts under the Criminal Code.

SOURCE: PNG POLICE/PACNEWS