Pacific news in brief for 15 October

Photo: 123 RF

PNG - drugs

A man has been jailed for 20 years for facilitating and transporting 4.88 kilograms of methamphetamine from Daru, in Papua New Guinea's Western Province, to Australia.

The National newspaper reported the 50-year-old man from Kunini village in South Fly was jailed for 20 years on one count each of facilitation and transportation of methamphetamine, to be served concurrently.

The magistrate ordered the deduction of one year for time spent in custody, and the man will serve 19 years with hard labour.

The magistrate said maximum penalties imposed by the courts to drug offenders should send a deterrent message to the public.

Palau - court

Palau's Speaker of the House of Delegates has been ordered to pay taxes, penalties and interest relating to real estate transactions in 2015.

The Island Times reported this case has drawn significant public attention and raised questions about transparency and accountability among Palau's leadership.

Sabino Anastacio's legal troubles are rooted in a series of real estate transactions conducted between January 2015 and January 2016.

According to the investigation, he failed to obtain a valid business license as required by Palauan law while conducting these transactions.

Additionally, the Speaker is accused of not reporting the income he received from these deals, violating the Unified Tax Act.

The court has reached a deferred prosecution agreement, under which Anastacio must pay the overdue taxes and obtain a valid business license to continue any real estate activities.

If he complies with the terms of the agreement and avoids further legal violations, the charges against him could be dismissed in July 2025.

Tonga - weapons

Tonga has joined the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The Island Times reported Tonga has endorsed the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) a US-led global movement that seeks to stop the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction.

The US Department of State has welcomed Tonga's participation in the initiative.

Tonga is the 115th state to endorse the PSI and the ninth government to endorse it this year.

Samoa - facility

The Samoa Victim Support Group has unveiled its new Psychosocial & Medical Center at the Campus of Hope shelter facility.

The center is dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of abused women and children under care at the shelter while also providing accessible counseling support.

Guests were invited to tour the center, which features space for group counseling, one-on-one sessions, and a dedicated room for medical checks and children's immunizations.

Northern Marianas - tourism

The Northern Mariana Islands has landed a spot in the Top 10 most satisfying destinations list for Korean tourists.

A recent consumer report in South Korea ranks the CNMI at number nine among destinations worldwide.

Saipan follows Switzerland, Austria, Hawaii, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Australia, Italy, and New Zealand.

Marianas Visitors Authority Marketing specialist, Skye Han, said Korean visitors make up 75 percent of the tourism market.

He said survey results like this show that protecting and promoting the CNMI's pristine nature and warm island hospitality and culture is a winning combination.