Samoa

In a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua, Samoa's Parliament Speaker Leaupepe Taimaaiono Toleafoa Faafisi spoke highly of the Belt and Road Initiative and thanked China for its support to the island nation's economic growth. 

"The Belt and Road Initiative is very good and we thank China for raising this initiative, which is to promote the global trade cooperation and especially good for the South Pacific island countries like Samoa," the parliament speaker said. 

The latest incident occurred when a video of bail proceedings for one of the accused in the death of an MP's son was posted on social media.

According to Talamua Online, the Ministry of Justice has laid a complaint with police who are looking for the person and charges are expected to follow.

Filming and photography of court proceedings is prohibited, but last week a 'live' video was posted during the hearing of the bail application by Herman Westerlund.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer this week, Tuiletufuga Le Mamea Ropati Mualia, was responding to concerns raised by Supreme Court Justice Vui Clarence Nelson.

The judge had spoken about a lack of work being done at village level to deal with the drug problem and abusers.

Justice Nelson questioned why the Apia village council did not penalise a man from Apia village who recently pleaded guilty to drugs charges.

The new registered nurses and midwives recently took their oath after receiving their certificates and badges at the National University of Samoa Fale.

The Samoa Observer reports that Health Minister Tuitama Talalelei Tuitama underlined the importance of their roles at the certification ceremony.

He said a nurse is someone who is well prepared and soothes pains with their voices, language and actions.

The minister implored the graduates to do their job with love and patience, and to remember to always co-operate with every other area of healthcare services.

A police statement said officers from Faleolo responded to an attempted Sexual Violation call on 5 December after a woman lodged a complaint.

The suspect allegedly attempted Sexual Violation and Assault with intent to Commit Sexual Violation with his daughters aged 16 years and 18 years respectively.

He has since been charged with Attempted Sexual Violation and assault with intent to commit sexual violation.

The grant will assist the school committee with the reconstruction of the current school building that has deteriorated over the years due to its age conditions and impacts of past cyclones. 

Manono Uta Primary School will reconstruct its current school building that will house 8 classrooms, a staff room and a library or computer lab. 

Fisheries Minister Lopaoo Natanielu Mua told delegates at this week’s 15th WCPFC meeting this is one key area that is critically important to Samoa and also of importance to other Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

“We are not comfortable with any revision of the tropical tuna measure that will tend to limit the opportunity for a small island developing States to participate in high-seas fishing until such time as a high seas limits and a fair price for allocating that limit has been agreed to by the commission.

He made his initial appearance in the Supreme Court on Monday and asked Chief Justice Patu Falefatu Sapolu for legal representation.

Manuele faces charges of murder and being armed with a dangerous weapon.

Prosecution asked for an adjournment for the police to finalise charges.

Two men aged 69 and 42 were allegedly murdered in November - the older of the two only just having arrived in Samoa a few hours earlier from New Zealand.

Patu has adjourned the matter until Monday next week to allow Manuele time to find a lawyer and for police to finalise charges.

Australia and New Zealand have blocked Huawei from building 5G networks, while British telecoms giant BT Group will strip the company from core networks.

Japanese media are today reporting that Japan will follow the United States in banning government purchases of Huawei gear.

Regulator Lefaoali'i Unutoa Auelua-Fonoti said she was satisfied with the checks Digicel and Bluesky have done in Samoa.

She said no governments had directly raised issues with Samoa.

A signing ceremony to facilitate the funding took place at the Embassy of Japan in Apia this week. 

The two selected schools are Taelefaga Primary School and Lona Primary School. 

Ambassador Maugaoleatuolo Shinya Aoki signed over the grants to the representatives of the two primary schools.