National Democratic Party Wins 2015 Virgin Islands Elections

Press Release

Colene A. Penn
Communications Officer

Deputy Governor’s Office 

Telephone: 468-2350

Email:    Copenn@gov.vg

The National Democratic Party (NDP) emerged victorious at the Virgin Islands 2015 General Election held on June 8, winning 11 out of 13 seats. The remaining two seats were won by the Virgin Islands Party incumbent’s in districts one and three. The final tally is seen below.

Supervisor of Elections, Ms. Juliette Penn (pictured below) said that the process was a lengthy one and encountered some challenges along the way but all the persons involved in the process executed their duties with integrity and in a transparent manner. 

Ms. Penn said, “I extend my appreciation to the complement of staff employed in this general election in particular my returning officers, presiding officers, tally clerks, poll clerks, tabulators, administrative staff and my Deputy, Ms. Lorna Christopher.”

She added, “This is one exercise in which the community comes together to ensure democracy is served and that elections are free and fair in the Virgin Islands.”

The next step will be the returning of the Election Writs to His Excellency the Governor.

The Office of the Supervisor of Elections is responsible for the administration and execution of General Elections in the Virgin Islands.

Electoral District	Candidate	Party Affiliation	Votes
District 1	Andrew Fahie	Virgin Islands Party	652
District 2	Melvin “Mitch” Turnbull	National Democratic Party	600
District 3	Julian Fraser	Virgin Islands Party	596
District 4	Mark Vanterpool	National Democratic Party	717
District 5	Delores Christopher	National Democratic Party	590
District 6	Alvera Maduro-Caines	National Democratic Party	765
District 7	Dr. Kedrick Pickering	National Democratic Party	607
District 8	Marlon Penn	National Democratic Party	943
District 9	Hubert “Bertie” O’Neal	National Democratic Party	669
Territorial At-Large	Archibald Christian	National Democratic Party	4,659
Territorial At-Large	Ronnie W. Skelton	National Democratic Party	5,333
Territorial At-Large	Dr. D. Orlando Smith	National Democratic Party	5,753
Territorial At-Large	Myron V. Walwyn	National Democratic Party	5,777

_________________________________________________________________

Tally according to Virgin Islands Daily News

1st District

Andrew Fahie, VIP, 652.

Shania Smith, NDP, 277.

Preston Stoutt, Independent, 68.

2nd District

Melvin Turnbull, NDP, 600.

Elford Parsons, People Empowerment Party, 291.

Raja Smith, VIP, 25.

3rd District

Julian Fraser, VIP, 596.

Kevin Smith, NDP, 561.

4th District

Mark Vanterpool, NDP, 717.

Joanne Romney, VIP, 151.

5th District

Delores Christopher, NDP, 590.

Zoe McMillian, 399.

Abdul Shabazz, 23.

6th District

Alvera Maduro Caines, NDP. 637.

Elvis Harrigan, VIP, 237.

Dion Jennings, Independent, 43.

7th District

Dr. Kedrick Pickering, NDP, 607.

Oleavine Pickering-Maynard, VIP, 199.

8th District

Marlon Penn, NDP, 943.

McLloyd Walters, VIP, 185.

9th District

Dr. Hubert O'Neal, NDP, 669.

Elton Sprauve, VIP, 389.

Independent:

Albert Wheatley, 63.

Vernon Vanterpool, 37.

Stephanie Faulkner-Williams, 36.

Fay Reese, People's Empowerment Party, 27.

At-large

Myron V. Walwyn, 5,777.

Dr. Orlando Smith, 5,753.

Ronnie Skelton, 5,333.

Archibald Christian, 4,659.

Dr. Karl Dawson, 3,420.

Irene Penn-O'Neal, 2,905.

Sharie B. de Castro, 2,676

Dancia Penn, 1,837.

Charmaine Rosan-Bunbury, 1,770.

J. Alvin Christopher, 894.

Natalio Wheatley, 470.

Khoy Smith, 158.

Lorie Rhymer, 157.

Dr Rawle Hannibal, 119.

Edmund Maduro, 86.

Ishmael Brathwaite, 64.

Law experts: It’s possible to cancel approval of new U.S military base construction

Lawyer Tsutomu Arakaki (center) and other committee members filed a written opinion claiming that it is possible to cancel the landfill approval. At the Press Club in the Okinawa Prefectural Government Office on the morning of May 1.

 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Review Committee which is investigating the possibility of cancelling the approval for the construction of a new U.S. Military Base consists of lawyers and administrative law experts in Okinawa. On May 1, the committee members visited the Okinawa Prefectural Government Office. They filed a written opinion claiming that it is possible to cancel the approval for the landfill application at Henoko, Nago (where a replacement for U.S. Futenma Air Station is being built) granted by former Okinawa Governor, Hirokazu Nakaima.

After filing the documents, lawyer Tsutomu Arakaki said, “The landfill approval falls within the realm of statutory commissioned affairs. The Okinawa Governor has jurisdiction over this matter.” Arakaki went on to say, “It is possible to cancel the approval now, even before a third party committee set up by the Okinawa Prefectural Government has finished scrutinizing its validity.”

As well as the written opinion, the committee members filed documents on countermeasures which the Okinawa Prefectural Government could take if the Japanese government challenged the cancellation.

(English translation by T&CT)

Okinawa Governor expresses continued opposition to new military base in talks with U.S. officials

OPINION

"To avoid an all-out confrontation with Okinawa, the Abe administration needs to search in earnest for an alternative plan that will reduce the Okinawans’ base burden."

Abe should heed Onaga’s words

Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga recently paid a visit to the United States to convey to government officials and legislators, including Republican Sen. John McCain, as well as to U.S. security experts, the sentiments of Okinawans who oppose the Japanese government’s plan to build a new air base for the U.S. military in the northern part of Okinawa Island. Although the visit did not produce concrete results, it was significant that the governor directly expressed his views to U.S. officials and lawmakers, and that “they at least understood” — according to the governor — the situation in Okinawa surrounding the base issue.

Onaga visited the U.S. apparently because he thought that the Abe administration — in its push to build off the Nago coast a replacement facility for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan — turned a deaf ear to the protests of those who oppose the project and that it would be more effective to make an appeal to U.S. officials and experts. In this sense his trip was aimed at Tokyo as well.

Although Onaga was elected governor in November, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and key members of his Cabinet refused to meet him for months. Finally, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga met with him in Naha in April and Abe and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani did so in Tokyo later that month. Neither of them would answer Onaga’s question of why a new base must be built in Okinawa rather than in another part of Japan. They only repeated that construction of the replacement facility off the Henoko district of Nago is the only solution to remove dangers from the Futenma base located in a residential area of Ginowan in central Okinawa.

In Washington, Onaga encountered a similar response in his joint meeting with Joe Young, head of the State Department’s Office for Japanese Affairs, and Cara Abercrombie, acting deputy assistant secretary of the Defense Department: They said the Henoko plan is “the only solution that addresses operational, political, financial and strategic concerns” and ends the continued use of the Futenma base.

Both the Abe administration and the U.S. government should pay heed to what Onaga said just before and during his U.S. visit. Despite his opposition to the construction of the Futenma replacement facility in Henoko, he is not against the Japan-U.S. security alliance per se. In his meeting with McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the governor said he understands the importance of the security setup. But he pointed out that while Okinawa accounts for only 0.6 percent of Japan’s land mass, some 74 percent of the bases solely used by the U.S. military in Japan are concentrated in the island prefecture.

The Japanese and U.S. governments should realize that the Henoko plan represents the last straw to Okinawans bearing the U.S. military’s heavy presence and could ratchet up local resentment toward both Tokyo and Washington and the security alliance.

In an interview with Kyodo News ahead of his U.S. visit, Onaga expressed the sentiment of many Okinawans when he stated to the effect that since other parts of Japan do not want to accept U.S. military facilities, Okinawa, where local residents are seen as accustomed to existing U.S. bases, has been forced to accept a new base and that Tokyo thinks it can overcome local opposition by offering government spending for development projects. He also said the purpose of the visit is “to say that building the new base at Henoko will cause considerable harm to the Japan-U.S. alliance and the security setup.” Both Tokyo and Washington should not make light of his warning.

Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democratic member of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on defense, whom Onaga met with in Hawaii, stressed the need to review the Henoko issue in view of serious concerns that local residents have toward the plan, and pointed out that local people’s support is indispensable for any security-related project. This is a reasonable and important point. Both the Japanese and U.S. governments should stop to think about whether it is wise to push ahead with the construction of a new base in Okinawa in the face of strong local opposition.

During his U.S. visit, Onaga mentioned the principle of democracy in explaining Okinawans’ opposition to the Henoko plan and criticized Abe for ignoring it. He emphasized that his election as governor on a platform of opposing the construction of the new base at Henoko has made clear the collective opinion of local voters, and that the Abe administration has failed to “guarantee the freedom of Okinawans and democracy” by ignoring their will concerning the Henoko issue. What he said with apparent reference to Abe’s policy of “proactive contribution to peace” was scathing. He said, “How can a nation that cannot protect the freedom and equality of its own people and democracy protect the world?”

It would be a grave mistake for the Abe administration to think it can force the Henoko plan past the determined Okinawan opposition. The administration should not take lightly Onaga’s statements in the interview to the effect that the Okinawan people’s spirit for autonomy is so strong that they will not back down in the face of difficulties, and that “if the image of them resisting (the Henoko construction) is broadcast worldwide, the Japan-U.S. alliance will not be able to hold out.”

To avoid an all-out confrontation with Okinawa, the Abe administration needs to search in earnest for an alternative plan that will reduce the Okinawans’ base burden.

______________

Opinion poll: 77% support canceling the former governor’s approval of landfill Henoko

the result of the poll on Governor Onaga's policy of seeking cancellation of the former governor's approval of the landfill.

June 2, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Ryukyu Shimpo and the Okinawa Television Broadcasting (OTV) carried out a telephone poll on the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma relocation issue on May 30 and 31.

According to the poll, 77.2 percent of respondents support Governor Takeshi Onaga’s plan to cancel the former Governor Hirokazu Nakaima’s approval of landfill in Henoko, Nago, if an expert committee recommends it. The poll showed that 83 percent of respondents oppose relocation of the Futenma base within the prefecture.

The percentage of respondents opposed to the relocation plan is the second highest ever recorded in this survey, behind a May 2012 recording of 88.7 percent. It is the highest since the Abe administration took office in December 2012.

the result of the poll on the Henoko relocation.

The poll shows that criticism of the central government, which is continuing preparation work for the landfill in spite of opposition, remains strong among Okinawa people. This year’s poll falls on the 70 th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The former Governor Hirokazu Nakaima previously approved the landfill plan off the coast of Henoko, Nago, reneging on an election pledge not to allow it. Governor Onaga intends to revoke the former Governor’s decision.

The poll shows 77.2 percent of respondents support Governor Onaga’s policy, including 52.4 percent who responded “greatly support” and 24.8 percent who responded “somewhat support.”

Even after the inauguration of the Onaga administration, which is is opposed to the Henoko relocation, the central government is pushing on with early construction work on a new U.S. base off the coast of Henoko. Part of this work includes a boring survey. 71.6 percent of those surveyed responded “the work should be stopped,” while 21 percent responded “the work should be continued.”

On the question of how to solve the Futenma base issue, 31.4 percent, the largest majority, responded “Futenma should be relocated outside of the country.” This was followed by 29.8 percent, who responded “Futenma should be closed and removed unconditionally,” and 21. 8 percent responded “Futenma should be relocated to other prefectures.”

Eighty-three percent of respondents are opposed to the relocation of the Futenma base within the prefecture.

While 10.8 percent responded “Futenma should be relocated to Henoko, Nago”, and 3.4 percent responded “Futenma should be relocated to anywhere in the prefecture other than Henoko.”

(English translation by TCT)

Go to Japanese

Curacao Prime Minister concludes successful visit to China

Consul General: “China Has Good Relations with The Netherlands And Now Also With Curaçao”

WILLEMSTAD – As it is already known, China and the Netherlands have a good relation. The Prime Minister of China had been already in the Netherlands on an official visit, but also the Prime Minister of the Netherlands was in China for an official visit. And during these visits, many agreements were signed between the two countries. This is according to the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Curaçao, Chen Qiman during a press conference. The Consul General made these statements in relation to the visit of the Prime Minister of Curaçao, Ivar Asjes to China.

According to Qiman, it’s her responsibility to promote the cooperation and relation between China and the Dutch Caribbean. This is why she was very excited when the Prime Minister accepted her invitation to visit China.

The preparation for this visit started before the end of last year. Thus, it took almost six months. Finally the Curaçao delegation traveled to China and this opened the doors for cooperation between the two countries.

“Now, the two countries don’t know each other very well. Many in China are asking where Curaçao is located and on the other hand, the people of Curaçao don’t know much about China,” said the Consul General.”

This is why Qiman believes that one of the major challenges is to let the people of both countries meet and understand each other. The delegation was able to see for themselves what is happening in China. They visited many authorities, companies and other entities and also interesting facilities.

“What they have seen in China could have made an impression on them. They were able to see the social stability, high level of technology, hardworking people, an efficient administration and finally the pleasant life in China,” said the Consul General.

Thousands March in New York and Puerto Rico for Oscar López Rivera

On May 30, 2015, nearly 5,000 marched in New York to call on President Obama to offer clemency to Oscar López Rivera. Puerto Rico also celebrated their 2nd Caminata Nacional for the Puerto Rican political prisoner who completed 34-years behind bars yesterday.

The New York march, which went from Central Harlem to El Barrio for a subsequent rally, included prominent elected officials, such as New York City council members Rosie Méndez and Melissa Mark-Viverito; and Congressional Representatives Nydia Velázquez and José Serrano. The march, organized by the May 30th Coalition to Free Oscar López Rivera, also included important community members from across the Diaspora such as Professor Ana López, LGBTQ activist Pedro Julio Serrano, youth from El Puente’s many programs, and contingents from Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Massachusetts.

La Respuesta magazine’s New York crew proudly marched side-by-side with our people and were met with many non-Boricuas practicing solidarity, including our sisters from the Dominican Diaspora magazine, La Galería, and Mexican residents of Nueva York.

SEE THE FULL REPORT IN LA RESPUESTA

Condado March for Puerto Rico Independence set for June 14

Univ. of Virgin Islands (UVI) expands regional and international ties

UVI Signs Six MOUs with National & International Colleges & Universities; Establishes Campus on St. Maarten

Press Release

The University of the Virgin Islands has entered into six Memoranda of Understanding with several institutions of higher learning this year. UVI has signed MOUs with the University of St. Maarten, Philipsburg, St. Maarten; the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica; Fielding Graduate University, California; Nantong University, China; Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, China; and the University of Nebraska At Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska. 

Each of the MOUs are unique, but share a spirit of cooperation and understanding. “The common goal of the MOUs is to enhance the UVI experience, either by having students from other parts of the world in the classroom here at UVI or by having UVI students sit in the classrooms around the world,” said UVI Provost Dr. Camille McKayle. 

“A 21st Century education needs to be a global education.” she continued, “UVI graduates will find themselves in work environments with people from around the world, actually and virtually. UVI aims to prepare them for that environment by giving them opportunities to see that world so that it is a less daunting place.”


More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu – and from this direct link.

Treaty between Switzerland and the Kingdom of Hawai'i still valid

manoa.hawaii.edu

Hawaiian Kingdom Blog

Weblog of the acting government of the Hawaiian Kingdom

 presently operating within the occupied State of the Hawaiian Islands.

Swiss Federal Criminal Court Recognizes Switzerland’s Treaty with the Hawaiian Kingdom was Never Cancelled and Implies Hawai‘i was Never Annexed

In a cogent and thoughtful decision the Swiss Federal Criminal Court Appeals Chamberrecently issued two important and profound statements as to the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Although the Court held that, the filing was untimely and no longer appropriate in a Swiss Federal Criminal Court. The case has now been moved to the Criminal Law section of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in Lausanne. These procedural issues do not diminish the two critical statements the Court made about the status of Hawai‘i.

Download Federal Criminal Court Decision (German) (translation to English)

First, the Court stated that the 1864 Treaty between Switzerland and the Hawaiian Kingdom was never canceled—and is still in effect. Second, the Court identified certain officials and former officials of the State of Hawaii by name as possibly subject to a continuing investigation as to alleged war crimes. 

Although the Court ruled the filing was untimely, the Court did provide a means by which the plaintiffs could obtain review in the Swiss Supreme Court.

Professor Williamson B.C. Chang, a law professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, called this statement by the Swiss Court “an extraordinary assessment of the status of Hawaii with enormous ramifications. It confirms my own views that the United States never acquired the Hawaiian Islands, either in 1898 or thereafter.”

Professor Chang also stated, “Indeed, the fact that the statement was made, given that there was no need to make such a statement, renders the statement even more significant. If Hawai‘i had been annexed then all treaties of the Hawaiian Kingdom would have become void.”

The U.S. congressional joint resolution that purportedly annexed Hawai‘i in 1898 during the Spanish-American War stated, “The existing treaties of the Hawaiian Islands with foreign nations shall forthwith cease and determine, being replaced by such treaties as may exist, or as may be hereafter concluded, between the United States and such foreign nations.” Obviously the Swiss Court was not swayed by the language of the joint resolution of Congress, and therefore concluded that the Hawaiian-Swiss Treaty was not cancelled.

To Professor Chang, the statement of the Swiss Court directly contradicts the official position of the United States as currently maintained by the United States Department of State, Office of the Historian, on its official website, “The McKinley Administration also used the [Spanish-American] war as a pretext to annex the independent state of Hawaii… At McKinley’s request, a joint resolution of Congress made Hawaii a U.S. territory on August 12, 1898.”

Second, and equally significant, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court of Appeals specifically named present and former State of Hawai‘i officials as well others who are defendants and alleged war criminals. Again, the Swiss Criminal Court dismissed on the grounds of untimeliness, nevertheless, the Court held that plaintiffs had a pathway to bring their claims before the Swiss Supreme Court. Thus, the actions of the Defendants will continue to be examined before that Court.

The naming of names is significant because the Court had no need to identify these individuals. Those named are the former Chief Executive Officer of Deustch Bank, Joseph Ackerman, the former Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, Neil Abercrombie, current Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui, former Director of the Department of Taxation, Frederik Pablo, and former deputy Director, Joshua Wisch.

The Swiss criminal action began when the Swiss Attorney General received a war crimes report by Dr. Keanu Sai, as the attorney-in-fact for Mr. Kale Gumapac, a Hawaiian subject, who was a victim of war crimes in December 2014. Dr. Sai also represents another war crimes victim who is a Swiss citizen residing in the Hawaiian Islands, but his name is kept confidential for safety concerns. Prosecutor Andreas Muller from the Attorney General’s Competence Centre for Terrorism and Competence Centre for International Criminal Law initiated a war crimes investigation.

Prosecutor Muller abandoned the investigation on February 3, 2015, and Dr. Sai appealed to the Swiss Federal Criminal Court Appeals Chamber seeking an order to direct the Prosecutor to complete the investigation and proceed with the prosecution.

The Appeals Chamber concluded they were prevented from hearing the appeal because of a previous court case that stated if a private courier, such as FedEx, was used to submit documents to a court it would only recognize the date it was received and not the date it was postage marked. There was a 10-day period to appeal after Dr. Sai received the Prosecutor’s decision and report on March 23, 2015. The deadline to appeal was April 2, 2015. Although, the appeal was sent via FedEx on April 1, 2015, it did not arrive at the Appeals Chamber until April 8.

“When I received the Prosecutor’s report I needed to get it translated into the English language in order to draft the appeal,” said Dr. Sai. “Once I got the translation, I wrote the appeal, which was 12 pages, and then I proceeded to get it translated into German before sending it off. After the translation was completed on April 1, I immediately went to FedEx.” At the request of Dr. Sai, the Clerk of the Federal Criminal Court forwarded the case to the Federal Supreme Court in Lausanne.

In a letter (German) (translation to English) to Dr. Sai from the Criminal Law Section of the Federal Supreme Court dated May 21, 2015, the Clerk of the Court stated the Supreme Court will accept the case if Dr. Sai would “explicitly state by June 5, 2015 that the Federal Supreme Court should accept and treat [his] submission as an objection in criminal matters.” As directed, Dr. Sai drafted a letter dated May 24, 2015 (German) (translation to English), which stated “I hereby explicitly state that the Federal Supreme Court should accept and treat my submission in the above case as an objection in criminal matters pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Supreme Court Act (BGG) of June 17, 2005.” Dr. Sai’s letter arrived in Switzerland by a personal courier and mailed to the Supreme Court through the Swiss postal service on May 28, 2015, which met the deadline of June 5.

Bougainville': from punchline to looming issue for Australia

Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

Two Bougainville Revolutionary Army soldiers during the fight for independence from Papua New Guinea in the late 1990s. Photo: Mike Bowers

Daniel Flitton | Fairfax Media

“Bougainville” has been a punchline of Australian politics – a put down for Broadmeadows, or used by Kevin Rudd to describe Julia Gillard’s occupation of the Lodge. But the real place, a resource-rich yet poorly developed island north of Australia, is no laughing matter.

From the middle of next month, Bougainville will be entitled to hold a vote on breaking from Papua New Guinea and becoming a nation on its own. There is a bloody history. A separatist conflict in the 1990s saw as many as 20,000 people killed. But a peace deal that put off a decision on independence for a decade is fast running out.

Port Moresby is becoming acutely sensitive about it, demonstrated by an ugly spat with the Abbott government this month that saw Australians banned from the island.

Here are four things to watch in the months ahead as Bougainville decides its future.

Cocktails in Buka?

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has made two trips to Bougainville, and revealed this month in the federal budget plans for Australia to open a new diplomatic post at Buka, the capital of the province. Trouble is, it seemed no one thought to tell the government in Port Moresby.

PNG’s leaders quickly branded Australia’s plans “outrageous” and “mischievous”, then retaliated by banning Australians, including diplomats, from visiting the island.

Bougainville isn’t exactly a tourist destination, so the ban had little practical effect. It also appeared doubly unfair, because Bishop insisted Australia did consult with Port Moresby before going public.

The two countries agreed at the weekend there was a communications “misunderstanding” and have agreed to move on.

The proof will be if Australia does actually send in more diplomats

Back to the future

Australia has good reason to want to pay close attention. Bougainville won the right to govern its own affairs within PNG under the terms of a 2001 peace deal. But that wasn’t the end.

The deal also included a clause for Bougainville’s people to vote on eventual independence no sooner than 10 years after the first autonomous government was elected.

That happened on June 15, 2005 – which means from next month the decade-long wait will be over.

That doesn’t necessarily mean a decision right away. But under the explicit terms of the peace deal, a five-year countdown will now begin where the people of Bougainville must be give the chance to vote for independence.

The vote veto?

But here is the sting. The national parliament in Port Moresby has the final say, regardless of the referendum outcome.

The peace deal includes a clause for “ratification” and PNG’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill insists Bougainville is an essential part of his country.

At one time the massive Panguna copper mine on Bougainville made up almost 20 per cent of the nation’s income. Rio Tinto ran Panguna in the 1980s and mismanagement of the mine was the major source of strife on the island. The future of the mine is still hotly contested, with some seeing a potential boon for a newly independent nation, while plenty of locals are opposed.

PNG has since gained other sources of income, but O’Neill has effectively declared Bougainville will never be independent on his watch.

Australia climbs off the fence?

Any veto of the referendum might lead Bougainville to make a unilateral declaration of independence, and no one quite knows where that might lead.

The moral power of a “yes” vote would be impossible to ignore.

Which brings Australia back into the picture. Having just ended a decade-long, $2.6 billion intervention in neighbouring Solomon Islands, Australia won’t welcome the prospect of another tiny and fragile nation on the doorstep. And by relying on PNG to resettle refugees, the Abbott government doesn’t want to get Port Moresby offside.

But Australia is also backing a peace process that could well see Bougainville chose to become independent. Some time soon Australia will have to declare a hand.

This issue looms as a big test for Julie Bishop, the hard part only just beginning. She once stirred Kevin Rudd during Labor’s leadership wars by asking in question time when he would “return to Bougainville”.

She might find herself spending a fair bit of time there, too.

American Samoa Governor: "Current political status... is neither sustainable nor economically secure" and "lacks... self-governance"

Statement of The Honorable Lolo Matalasi Moliga 

Governor of American Samoa 

delivered by

Talauega Eleasalo Ale 

Attorney General 

United Nations Caribbean Regional Seminar 

on Implementation of the Third International Decade 

for the Eradication of Colonialism 

Managua, Nicaragua

May 19 to 21, 2015 

Mr. Chairman, 

Members of the Committee, 

Ladies and Gentlemen: 

Talofa Lava. 

Thank you for the opportunity to offer this statement on behalf of our Governor, the Honorable Lolo Matalasi Moliga, regarding American Samoa’s experience as a Territory of the United States of America. Overview: 

Under Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter, the administering nations have accepted as a sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost, the well-being of the inhabitants of non-self-governing territories, and to this end, to ensure, with due respect for the culture of the peoples concerned, their political, economic, social, and educational advancement, their just treatment, and their protection against abuses.

And further, under Chapter XI, the administering nations have committed to develop self-government, to take due account of the political aspirations of the peoples, and to assist them in the progressive development of their free political institutions, according to the particular circumstances of each territory and its peoples and their varying stages of development. 

In my view, much of what Chapter XI encourages has already occurred with respect to American Samoa’s relationship with the United States of America. Indeed, by any measure, our union with the United States has resulted in substantial benefits to the people and government of American Samoa. 

But despite the many benefits of our relationship, it is my firm belief that American Samoa’s current political status as an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States is neither sustainable nor economically secure. Moreover, it lacks appropriate vestiges of self-governance as required by the UN Charter. 

SEE FULL TEXT AT LINK ABOVE.

French Polynesia Nuclear Victims Dubious About Commission

Testing victims skeptical of need for more hearings

 WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, May 25, 2015) – The head of an organisation representing victims of nuclear testing in French Polynesia says a commission set up to assess the aftermath of the testing could just be a charade.

It was set up by France's defence minister, and will be made up of 24 members and chaired by the French High Commissioner in Papeete.

The director of Moruroa e Tatou, which represents victims of testing on the atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa, says 80-percent of the members suffer serious health conditions, including cancer.

Roland Oldham is questioning why more more evidence is needed.

"Why more more and more commissions...isn't there enough proof now that it had a bad impact on the environment, and a bad impact on the health of polynesian people - itsn't it enough proof?"

He says they will make themselves heard.

"As far as we're concerned, we will be speaking with a very loud voice, because we have had enough of all these lies, of 40 years of lying, and if this commission's just for another lie, then it's just a waste of money and a waste of time."

New York March to free Oscar Lopez Rivera set for May 30

Compañeros Unidos para la Descolonización de Puerto Rico