Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Solomon Islands - aid
Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has pushed back against Australia's attempts to extract strategic concessions from his country in return for a US$120 million policing package.
Manele told the ABC that officials are trying to hammer out a "compromise" on the issue.
Australia is providing a policing package to expand the Pacific nation's police force and build a major new police training centre in Honiara.
This is in an effort to entrench its position as the country's key security partner and stop China from expanding its policing presence in Solomon Islands under controversial security and police agreements struck in 2022 and 2023.
Prime Minister Manele said officials are still locked in negotiations over a memorandum of understanding to implement it.
Guam - recovery
Guam's Housing and Urban Renewal Authority is hosting meetings this week to get public input on recovery funding granted in response to Typhoon Mawar in 2023.
The Guam Daily Post reported the agency saying it intends to use the funds to address "unmet needs in housing, infrastructure and public facilities, economic revitalisation and mitigation in disaster-impacted areas".
The Authority is responsible for putting together an action plan that meets the national objectives for eligible activities under the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
It says more than US$142m will be used for administration, planning, andf to conduct a mitigation needs assessment, to prepare a hazard mitigation plan.
That leaves $358.5m for meeting the national objective of benefiting low/moderate income persons, and $123.2m to meet the other national objectives.
Solomon Islands - funeral
A state funeral will be held on Wednesday in Solomon Islands for former prime minister Sir Francis Billy Hilly who died on 11 March in Honiara.
Sir Francis was prime minister from June 1993 to November 1994.
A government statement described him as a pioneer politician who was elected to the country's first parliament in 1976 as the MP for Ranonnga Simbo constituency.
His body will lie in State at the National Parliament Chambers from 8am to 1pm Wednesday local time.
A state funeral service will follow at the Wesley United Church in Central Honiara from 1pm onwards.
Sir Francis's body will then be transported for burial on his home Island of Ranonnga in the Western Province.
Vanuatu - cash programme
The digital cash transfer programme, initially promised by the Vanuatu government to assist disaster victims after Tropical Cyclones Judy and Kevin, have stalled.
Local media reported affected households are still waiting for updates on its implementation.
One family said they were told to provide their ID details for the cash transfer, but have still received nothing two years on - and after experiencing another disaster, December's severe earthquake.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea's State Enterprises Minister says he has deferred a power price increase in the interests and welfare of people and businesses.
The National reported Independent Power Producers saying the Government's intervention, pausing the five-per-cent rise, will chase away potential investors.
Minister William Duma said any price increase has been put on hold so power companies can present their cases on over-charging claims.
He said the "overcharging" matter had been heard in court which ordered arbitration.
IPP chair David Burbidge said the tariff increase was well below what it should have been.
He said customers would not like a price increase because of the poor service, but PNG Power could not fix its service delivery without a price increase that reflected its true operational costs.
Vanuatu - lagoon
The ban on using Vanuatu's Erakor Le Lagoon, initially set to be end in May, is likely to be extended due to continued poor water quality.
The Department of Water Resources told local media the lagoon is highly polluted, and failing to meet health and safety standards despite ongoing awareness campaigns and clean-up efforts.
The situation has been ongoing since 2020, when the ban was imposed, with no significant improvements up to now.
The primary source of contamination is believed to be untreated hospital sewage that continues to leak into the water.
Marshall Islands - adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has announced that Marshall Islands President Dr Hilda Heine has joined its advisory board.
The GCA promotes adaptation to the impacts of climate change.
Dr Heine will provide guidance based on the experiences and needs of Pacific atoll nations.
She said adaptation is not a choice, but a necessity - not just for atoll nations like the Marshall Islands, but for everyone, everywhere.
