Samoa

The Samoa Observer reported the Samoa Meteorological Service's, Tumau Neru, saying a trough of low pressure is lying over Samoa and causing continuous rainfall and occasional thunderstorms.

Samoa's Met Office has urged the public to take extra precautions over the next few days..

The 2019 Pacific Games Boxing Competition will be held on the island and the organising committee is counting on the public to wholly support the event.

Organising committee Chief Executive, Falefata Hele Matatia, said the decision to hold the competition in Savai’i is no accident.

“It’s about inclusiveness to ensure that Savai’i plays a leading role in the Pacific Games,” Falefata told the press conference.

A police source said investigators had so far interviewed a man and family members of the dead woman but found no evidence of foul play.

The death, according to police, is thought to be a suicide but this cannot be confirmed without a post mortem which can't be performed before next week.

This week Samoa is sending its first shipment of ripe bananas to New Zealand in over 50 years with the hopes of making regular shipments.

Lopao'o Natanielu Mu'a said the event marked a turning point for the industry, after interest in the plant dropped off nearly 30 years ago.

"The hold up of course is that the interest fell off, simply because of the availability of planting materials and also because of climate change.

A meeting on Pacific Labour Mobility held in Solomon Islands recently also heard that Samoan workers have contributed to the Samoan economy.

The meeting in Honiara gave Australian and Samoan officials the opportunity to work together to ensure Samoan workers can make the most of the opportunities in industries such as non-seasonal agriculture, tourism and aged care to gain valuable skills and income through the scheme’.

Samoa’s New Zealand-based Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Liaison Officer, Lemalu Nele Leilua said there is no room for nonsense and bad behaviour.

“This is in which you are not going to New Zealand to look for permanent residency by forgetting your matrimonial vows. And don’t think that you will get away with it under my watch,” Lemalu warned the workers.

“Infidelity has led to many past workers fall from the RSE program and has left nothing but misery and embarrassment for their families and our government,” she added.

The significant increase in drug offences bucked a downward trend of crime.

The figures contained in the police ministry's annual report shows a significant drop in the number of homicide cases.

Police only investigated 36 killings last year - that's 14 fewer than the year before.

Sex crimes also showed a slight decrease, with only 48 reports last year.

However, there were 138 drug cases investigated last year - that's up from 12 in 2016.

Property crimes recorded a similar increase, with the number of cases rising from 48 to 234 last year.

In his weekly radio programme, Tuilaepa denied owning eight homes in the United States.

He also denied having off-shore accounts in the Cayman Islands, saying he has never been there.

Tuilaepa has also denied any of his children have government jobs in the US.

He said although his daughter-in-law works at the ambassador's office in New York his son is only there to look after their children.

He again called on the Attorney General's Office to look at extraditing the supposed blog writers to face criminal charges.

The pair last year stole an estimated $US4,000 worth of the pain-killer in six separate incidents.

TV1 Samoa reports the men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to two and a half years in jail.

Paracetamol can be broken down to produce methamphetamine.

A third man accused of the same crime had entered a not guilty plea and will have his hearing at a later date.

The Police have charged the man who claimed to have attempted to stop the alleged kidnapping at Vaitele two weeks ago.

Liua Vaasili Savai’inaea has been charged with giving false information to the Police, in relation to the issue.

This was confirmed by Police Superintendent, Soloi Iosefo Tuimaunei, in response to questions from the Samoa Observer. 

The accused was arrested Tuesday night and is in the custody of Police.