Samoa

The Samoa Observer reported that Tui Va'ai Jr is now facing an arrest warrant when he is found.

The Ministry of Justice told the newspaper that Va'ai had surrendered two passports when ordered by the court.

"To date we still have the two passports that were surrendered to the court as part of his bail conditions," said Justice chief executive Papali'i John Taimalelagi.

The immigration division of the Prime Minister's office have launched an investigation into how he left the country.

As part of its recommendation, the commission wants an executive midwife nurse to be one of the directors of the new entity.

The office holder should have the capacity to assist and support clinical leaders in deployment and professional development, it said.

The commission's findings said the task force's proposed management structure was overly complex and lacked clarity regarding clinical and administrative positions as well as systems of accountability.

The group also faced charges of disorderly conduct, obstructing the road, carrying dangerous weapon, throwing stones and using threatening language when they blocked the Luatuanuu road in March.

Eight of the men were jailed for six months for rioting while one was sentenced to six weeks in prison.

The oldest of the defendants, a 59-year-old village matai and a 35-year-old man, were convicted for using threatening words and disorderly conduct - they have been ordered to pay costs.

Justice Patu Tiava'asu'e Falefatu Sapolu said that would be a "retrograde step for Samoa".

He was delivering his reasons for denying an application by the Attorney General to appoint an overseas judge to sit on an appeal case involving the President of the Land and Titles Court.

Fepuleai Atilla Ropati had pleaded guilty to an assault charge and was discharged without conviction in the District Court.

Patu said when the case was heard in the District Court, the attorney general did not ask for an overseas judge to try the case.

Tuilaepa told KHJ News he feels Samoa should continue to keep the avenues of assistance open, irrespective of who is offering it.

The Prime Minister was referring to moves by countries like New Zealand, Australia and the US to combat the increasing influence of China in the region.

He said all that smaller nations like Samoa worry about is how to fund road or footpath repairs.

He was critical of the continuing scrutiny of Chinese assistance in the Pacific.

The police have confirmed the man died on a Taiwanese fishing boat from a suspected illness when the vessel was bound for Apia to unload a fish catch.

They have dismissed media reports that the 31-year-old's body was found floating near Apia harbour.

According to a report on TV1Samoa, an unnamed fishing vessel had found the man floating at sea and brought him ashore.

Police confirmed the matter and said the body was taken to the National Hospital morgue where he was identified as Indonesian.

Police have not released his name until his next of kin have been advised.

They said talks were under way at governmental level for repatriating the body.

The men were identified in a video circulating on social media allegedly driving recklessly along a main street of Apia ten days ago.

This follows the death of a teenage boy racer who had crashed his car into a power pole in the capital two weeks earlier.

Since that incident the police have stepped up their surveillance of teenage racers, particularly at night.

In a statement on facebook, Samoa Police Service said 13 drivers had been charged with driving under the influence and excess blood alcohol levels, during their first week-end road block.

The project are located at the Fiaga Power Station and the Faleolo International Airport on the main island for a total of 13.5 MWh of energy storage capacity.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi commented on the new project via Samoa Observer, “Without the new battery energy storage systems and micro grid controller, the system will not be able to operate efficiently with such a high percentage of solar penetration in Samoa of 55 percent,”

Samoa is rapidly transitioning from a fossil fuel-based energy industry to renewable energy.

Unasa Iuni Sapolu had filed a civil suit against Judge Talasa Atoa Sa'aga in relation to a criminal matter in which she had appeared before the judge in 2016.

Unasa was charged with using an insulting word and was found guilty and discharged without conviction.

The Samoa Observer says tThe lawyer then sued Judge Sa'aga alleging "apparent bias" and also claiming her constitutional rights had been violated.

Unasa claimed compensatory damages, exemplary damages and costs.