Pacific News Briefs

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Coast Guard is slated to continue solidifying its Pacific footprint with new funds from Congress as the service plays an increasingly prominent role in Washington’s regional strategy.

The U.S. House Committee on Appropriations in June approved measures funding federal homeland security and foreign affairs programs for the upcoming fiscal year 2025. That includes $2.1 billion for the U.S. government’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and $175 million for assistance specifically for Pacific island countries.

The Coast Guard was the only military service mentioned by name in the White House’s Indo-Pacific strategy, which is largely aimed at challenging China as Beijing and Washington compete for influence.

The current draft legislation includes $60 million to allow the Coast Guard to base another Medium Endurance Cutter in District 14 — the area of operations that includes the Pacific islands and is headquartered in Honolulu — as well as other funds set aside for the Coast Guard’s expanded presence in the Pacific islands region.

The Coast Guard in 2023 reassigned the Medium Endurance Cutter CGC Harriet Lane from Virginia to Honolulu to serve as the service’s first “Indo-Pacific Support Cutter” devoted to Oceania, with a major emphasis on helping Pacific island nations protect their waters from illegal fishing.

The Medium Endurance Cutters — known as “270s” to Coast Guardsmen for their 270-foot length — are new to the region. U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, pushed for the Lane’s reassignment to Honolulu for Pacific operations and has advocated for increased Coast Guard funding across the board.

The current draft of the spending legislation also includes $3 million to increase the presence of regional Coast Guard advisers, as well as $1.2 million for the Coast Guard’s Indo-Pacific Workforce Support Project, which includes funds to increase housing, medical and child care access and capacity in Hawai‘i and Guam to support the service’s Pacific operations. It also calls for the service to acquire a new pier at its Sand Island base, expand facilities and come up with a report on infrastructure at Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point.

(Star Advertiser)

MOVE TO BAN VAPING

A move to ban the sale of e-cigarettes and vapes in the Cook Islands this month has been delayed to next month.

The extension to 1 August was confirmed by health secretary Bob Williams, who told Cook Islands News this is to allow businesses more time to sell existing stock and upgrade customs regulations.

Once in place offenders can be fined NZ$100,000 or face up to three months in prison.

Businesses in breach of the ban will be fined NZ$1 million.

(RNZ Pacific)

SOLOMON ISLANDS FLIGHTS

The Solomon Islands and New Zealand are discussing adding a third weekly flight between the two countries.

This comes as the two have signed a revised air service agreement to bolster tourism, trade and economic exchange.

The revised document replaces the initial 34-year-old agreement, catering to the modernization of the aviation industry, including major upgrades of airport infrastructure.

(RNZ Pacific)

WEST PAPUA FORESTS

In West Papua, 245,506 hectares of land is under review to be recognized as customary forest land.

Local advocates say the livelihoods of indigenous people are dependent on the existence of customary forest grounds, which they feel are threatened by the palm oil industry.

JubiTV reported an estimated 2.6 million hectares of land in Papua New Guinea is currently used by industrial plantation companies.

Submissions were made by nine clans of the Wambon Kenemopte Tribe, in Boven Digoel Regency, South Papua in an effort to reclaim control over indigenous land.

(RNZ Pacific)

HUMAN REMAINS RETURNED

After almost three years of negotiations, three kilograms of human remains, gathered in the 1970s from archaeological excavations, have been returned from Hawai'i to French Polynesia.

Local media reported that the bones were kept at Honolulu Museum.

Cultural Heritage unit head, Anatauarii Tamarii, said they were harvested from marae and other historical sites in the Marquesas, Tuamotus, Raromatai, Tahiti, and Moorea.

This repatriation was facilitated by a collaboration between the Bishop Museum and the Directorate of Culture and Heritage.

(RNZ Pacific)

PACIFIC COAST WATCHERS FINALLY RECOGNIZED

They were the eyes and ears of the allied forces during the Pacific campaign in World War II, but for decades, civilian Pacific Islands coast watchers did not receive the same recognition as their New Zealand counterparts.

But now New Zealand's Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro has presented families of over 25 Pacific Islands coast watchers — along with five Post and Telegraph Department coast watchers — with certificates to honor the sacrifice of their relations' service.

The long-awaited ceremony in recognition of dozens of war-heroes took place at Government House in Wellington on Tuesday.

A historical report prepared by defense historian John Crawford concluded about 50 to 60 civilian coast watchers and another 50 civilians elsewhere in the Pacific did not receive formal recognition of their service.

Crawford said: "The only sad thing of course is that it is too late for the men themselves, which is a bit grim but that is the way it went.

"To actually work on a project which makes a difference and puts a right to some degree — an oversight from many years ago — is pretty special to me. And it is so heart-warming to see the families; they are really quite excited about it."

(RNZ Pacific)