Pacific News In Brief For 6 August
Samoa's caretaker Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa has filed a police complaint against FAST Party chairman La'auli Leuatea Schmidt.
It follows public claims by La'auli in Savai'i, accusing Fiame of being involved in recent deaths.
Fiame said the allegations are already discredited and politically motivated and damaging.
The Samoa Observer reported police have confirmed the complaint and say the case is now with the Attorney General.
Fiame said she took legal action to protect the integrity of the Prime Minister's office.
Bougainville - election
The Bougainville Electoral Commission has launched a phone service to allow voters to confirm they are on the electoral roll.
The SMS roll verification and polling place look-up service will be available until 30 August.
Voting is on 4 September.
This new service is in addition to the display of the Preliminary Electoral Roll in every ward throughout Bougainville.
The Electoral Commissioner, Desmon Tsianai said everyone is encouraged to make use of this service.
Solomon Islands - tribute
The Solomon Islands parliament has paid tribute to the shortest serving prime minister, Snyder Rini.
Local media reported prime minister Jeremiah Manele announced the death of the 77-year-old in Parliment on Tuesday.
He was elected into parliament in 1997.
In April 2006, he was elected as prime minister.
Prime Minister Jeremaiah Manele said despite the challenge he faced, he worked hard to seek peace and stability in the country.
Guam - broadcaster
After almost 60 years Guam's Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is shutting up shop.
Local media reported it's set to wind down operations after the US Congress cut some US$1.1 billion in funding that had been earmarked for the next two years.
CPB president and CEO Patricia Harrison said despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, they are closing operations.
President Donald Trump and Republican supporters have argued against continuing to fund public broadcasting, charging that its news coverage maintains an anti-right bias.
CPB is a private, non-profit corporation authorized by Guam's Congress in 1967.
New Zealand/Fiji - car crash
Auckland's Fijian Indian community has been mourning the loss of a man killed in a car crash near Auckland Airport last week.
1News reported the man was 45-year-old Arvind Kumar.
His wife was injured in the crash.
Kumar had migrated to New Zealand from Fiji just over two years ago.
A small service was held at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital before Kumar's body was flown back to Fiji. His wife was able to attend despite being bedridden.
More than 600 people attended his funeral service in Fiji.
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