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Pacific News In Brief For 19 November
Guam - RECA
Guam's radiation survivors have written an open letter calling on the US Congress to finalise their inclusion in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) before the year is up.
RECA is a financial compensation and medical treatment mechanism for people exposed to past nuclear testing.
It first passed in 1990 but left out some Pacific survivors.
Meanwhile, members of the public in Guam attended open-house meetings last week to learn more about the 360-degree Enhanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense System being planned for Guam.
The military is seeking public input on a draft environmental impact statement for the missile defense system.
The Guam Daily Post reported if a decision is made to proceed with the proposed missile defense system, site preparation and construction would begin in 2025 and continue, site by site, through 2035.
Vanuatu - expo
Vanuatu's National Expo Committee has announced the nation's participation in the 2025 World Expo in Japan.
The expo is set to take place from 13 April to 13 October 2025.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reported the country's pavilion will showcase tourism, investment opportunity, and Vanuatu-made products featuring locally crafted goods.
The Vanuatu Aid for Trade Unit is providing financial backing through December 2024, and the government continues to seek more support to ensure full participation throughout the Expo, which will run for six months in 2025.
Fiji - plastics
A pilot project has been launched for the collection, recovery and recycling of soft plastics in Fiji.
The Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Islands Plastics Pact, or ANZPAC, said the recovery rate for soft plastics in the ANZPAC region is approximately 5 per cent, and as low as 0.2 per cent in some Pacific Island countries.
The pilot is part of stage one of the Circular Pacific Plastics project, a whole-of-industry initiative bringing together brands with local decision makers to develop solutions for used plastic packaging.
PNG - military
More Papua New Guinea Women have been encouraged to join the Defence Force.
At a family sexual violence action committee meeting, PNGDF gender office acting director major Grace Kitoneka has revealed women make up just four percent of the entire Defence Force.
This is about 150 women from the 3,000-strong active force on the ground.
Kitoneka said the defense force is a gender-equal employer and encourages women to apply.
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