Samoa
Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt is in New Zealand this week to meet seasonal workers and their families.
He and Labour Minister Fata Ryan Schuster met Samoan Recognised Seasonal Employer workers near Napier on Sunday.
While in Napier, La’auli heard from Mr Apple RSE programme head Belinda Brans about the importance of Samoan workers to the company..
She said Samoans have been central to the RSE programme since it began.
In February, La’auli said he planned to cap the number of Samoan RSE workers at 3000 a year, down from 4000 in the past year.
Meanwhile, the prime minister is to meet his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon in Wellington tomorrow.
Later in the week, La’auli and delegation are due to meet more workers in Blenheim before returning to Samoa on Friday.
Vanuatu
Prime Minister Jotham Napat says he will not apologise to the country for the impasse with France over the disputed Matthew and Hunter Islands because there is nothing to apologise for.
Napat was responding to a call from opposition leader Ishmael Kalsakau who accused the government of mishandling talks over the long-running territorial dispute.
It comes after the government said earlier this month that talks with Paris over the ownership of the islands had failed to reach a resolution.
Vanuatu has indicated it will seek arbitration through the International Court of Justice.
Napat said this could not be done without first exhausting all diplomatic avenues of resolution.
Tonga
Three prison escapees in Tonga are at large, including a New Zealand national.
Tonga Police say the New Zealand national is considered the highest risk due to their criminal history and the seriousness of their offences.
Members of the public are urged to avoid the men if seen, and contact the police immediately.
Nauru/Marshall Islands
Nauru and the Marshall Islands have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on trade, investment and commercial partnership.
Minister for Nauru Air Corporation Asterio Appi said they are opening doors that will benefit businesses, workers, and communities for generations to come.
Nauru says both governments have committed to establishing a joint working group to oversee implementation of the MOU.
The MOU will progress to formal commercial agreements scheduled to be signed in late August, it added.
Papua New Guinea
An opposition MP says the PNG government’s decision to close Taiwan’s trade office in Port Moresby was likely not a geopolitical decision, but a financial one.
The government announced its decision last week, prompting surprise from Taipei.
Allan Bird told the ABC the decision appears to be linked to large loans from China that PNG’s government has been racking up.
Bird said the government is not thinking in geopolitical terms, but says he suspects it views the move as a monetary transaction.
PNG’s government says the decision is consistent with its One-China policy.
Fiji
Acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga says the Vuvale Union is expected to be tabled in parliament during the next sitting for formal ratification.
The Fiji Sun reports Turaga saying he had received advice from Australian officials that funding and other provisions would commence after the treaty was ratified.
Turaga said the treaties would first be referred to a parliamentary select committee for scrutiny, before returning to the House for debate and a final vote.
The Vuvale Union and the Ocean of Peace Alliance were signed by Fiji and Australia on 6 July.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea police say 27 men have been arrested after investigation into the Sambio village massacre in Morobe Province in April.
Provincial police commander Samson Siguyaru said twelve people were killed and six residential houses were completely destroyed by fire.
He said 25 suspects have each been charged with 12 counts of wilful murder, while two suspects were charged with six counts of arson.
Siguyaru said all 27 accused have appeared before the Bulolo District Court on Monday, 13 July.
