PACIFIC BRIEFS

Faleomavaega returning to Washington

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa – Incumbent Congressman Eni Faleomavaega edged out Gus Hannemann by 1,995 votes to win Tuesday’s special run-off election.

As a result, Faleomavaega will head back to Washington D.C. for a seventh unprecedented two-year term, starting in January.

Unofficial election results show Faleomavaega received 5,500 votes or 61.1% of the total 9,005 votes cast. Hannemann polled 3,505 votes, representing 38.9% of the total.

The run-off election became necessary when none of the four candidates for Washington delegate received the required 50%-plus-one votes during the November 7 general election.

WB reports climate change will hit Pacific islands

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands – Small island states in the Pacific are among the most vulnerable nations worldwide to the impacts of extreme weather, and climate change could make it worse in the future, a new study World Bank study reports.

Among the most substantial impacts of climate change, the report stated, could be loss of coastal land, more intense cyclones and droughts, failure of subsistence crops and coastal fisheries, loss of coral reefs and the spread of malaria and dengue fever.

The bank has urged that climate change be considered one of this century’s most important challenges and a priority for immediate action.

Bougainville leaders leave negotiations

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea – Key Bougainville leaders have pulled out of negotiations with the Papua New Guinea government, leaving the process of determining Bougainville’s political future hanging in the balance.

The Bougainville delegation accused the PNG government of reneging on a previous commitment to include the question of independence in a future referendum.

The government now says it will only discuss the prospect of autonomy for the once-secessionist island.

Following ten years of civil war, island rebels agreed to a cease-fire in 1998.

Norwegians study seabed mining in Cooks

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands – A group of Norwegian scientists is scheduled to arrive in the islands next month to study the feasibility of mining manganese nodules on the seabed floor.

Permanent Secretary Tapi Taio, who returned this week from Norway, said modern mining technology has made the recovery of the manganese a profitable venture.

The nodules, worth millions of dollars, lie at a depth of four to five miles beneath the ocean surface.

Dual citizenship for Tongans

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga – The kingdom’s Human Rights and Democracy Movement is proposing changes to the Immigration Act that will allow Tongans living overseas to retain dual citizenship.

Currently, Tongans who become citizens of another country lose their Tongan citizenship.

Fred Sevele, the movement’s spokesman, said the group will launch a petition next year in support of efforts to amend the law.

“It (dual citizenship) should strengthen Tongans’ feelings toward their birthplace and make them more proud of their heritage,” he said. (Pacific islands Report)