A police landcruiser patrols the streets of the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby. Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Koroi Hawkins
PNG - manslaughter
A police officer in Papua New Guinea has been jailed for ten years on a manslaughter charge.
Ryan Osara was sentenced last week in the National Court in Lae.
In April 2020, he was on patrol outside Lae when officers tried to disperse a crowd.
Osara had thrown a bin at the victim and then hit the person with a metal bar.
The National newspaper reported the judge saying the sentence should be punitive, and a deterrent to reflect the peculiar nature of the case, in which police brutality was exposed.
Fiji - gender
Fiji is looking to close gender disparity and reduce gender violence with a five-year plan.
The Fiji Women's Economic Empowerment Plan is currently being formulated, with consultations with over 100 stakeholders across the private and public sectors.
Minister for Women Lynda Tabuya told Parliament on Tuesday her ministry planned to have a draft validated by Cabinet in September this year.
"Only 35.2 percent of women are in formal employment," she said.
"And they account for less than 3 in 10 engaged in paid informal work.
"This disparity's underscored by the labour force participation rate - 45.5 percent of all women, compared to 82.6 percent of men."
Samoa - voting
With Parliament's approval, all eligible Samoan voters - including the diaspora - must register or re-register to vote in the next general election.
The Government newspaper, Savali, reported the Minister in Charge of the Electoral Commission, Faualo Lefau Harry Schuster, saying the old electronic registration system lacks the capacity to store new voters' registration.
He said under the law, compulsory registration is for all Samoans who have turned 21 years old.
Faualo said voters already on the electoral roll only have to do biometrics to complete the new registration system.
Pacific - health
Pasifika Medical Association's chief executive says staff turnover is the biggest challenge for Pacific nations maintaining consistent public health services.
Debbie Sorenson has told the Samoa Observer many Pacific island nations lose their workforce to New Zealand and Australia.
She said all you have to do is look at what's happened with the RSE workers, but also in the health sector - they are losing nurses and doctors all the time.
Two other problems the Pacific continues to face are the conditions of the hospital facilities and the shortage of medical supplies, which Sorenson said is not limited to Samoa.
Fiji - pardon
An application of a pardon review for Fiji's imprisoned 2000 coup leader has been left in the lurch.
George Speight is still serving a life sentence for treason, having received a commutation of his original death sentence in 2002.
The Attorney General, Siromi Turaga, told Fiji Times a date was yet to be set in order to hear his submissions.
In December last year, those sentenced to prison with Mr Speight for the same crime were pardoned by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere.
NZ - Speaker of the House
New Zealand's Speaker of the House is leading a delegation to the Cook Islands and Niue.
Both are self-governing states in free association with New Zealand.
Gerry Brownlee was to arrive in Rarotonga on Wednesday, accompanied by a multi-party delegation.
The delegation will have the opportunity to engage in workshops with Cook Islands Members of Parliament, focusing on topics such as oral questions, interrogation of bills, and constituency work.
Bronwlee will arrive in Niue on April 23, with a different delegation.
Tonga - meetings
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has been holding meetings in New Zealand, despite the Opposition arguing his trip could have been done online to save taxpayer money.
Kaniva Tonga reported the visit was not publicly announced on the ministry's social media page ahead of the first meeting, raising questions around transparency regarding government activities.
Lord Tu'i'āfitu faces scrutiny in the wake of the Opposition criticising the Prime Minister of increasing the government's travel budget.
Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku told the House the increase is for ministers to travel overseas to negotiate grants for the country.
