• Specific Year
    Any

Hassall,, Graham; Tipu, Feue --- "Local Government in the South Pacific Islands" [2008] ComJlLocGov 3; (2008) 1 Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance 6

[1] The authors acknowledge the research assistance by Raijieli Bulatale and Amrita Nand. Other informants include Ms Cherol Ala, Deputy Director Dept of Local Authorities, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vanuatu; Ms Benateta Betero, Assistant Secretary, Local Government Division, Ministry of Internal and Social Affairs, Kiribati; Iete Avanitele, Director of Rural Development, Ministry of Home Affairs and Rural Development, Tuvalu; Pita Vuki, Deputy Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, Tonga; Maulolo Tavita Amosa, Department of Local Government, Samoa; Terry Parker, CLGF Pacific Project; and Azmat Khan, Secretary/Treasurer, Fiji Local Government Association, Mr. Pioni Willie, National Statistics Office of Vanuatu, and Professor Ted Wolfers, University of Wollongong. Additional data for tables has been sourced from http://www.paclii.org (Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute) and http://www.state.gov/misc/list/index.htm (the US Department of State), including in some cases local government departments.

[2] For the Pacific region see www.mdgasiapacific.org and www.undp.org.fj See also UNCDF, 2007 & Kiyagi-Nsubuga, 2007 which explore the relationship between local government performance and MDG attainment.

[3] <http://www.unescap.org/huset/lgstudy/index.htm> accessed 30 October 2007.

[4] Independent states: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu Dependant states and territories: American Samoa (US), Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands (US) , Cook Islands (NZ), Guam (US), New Caledonia (France), Niue (NZ), Norfolk Island (Australia), Papua / West Papua (Indonesia), Pitcairn Island (UK), Rapa Nui (Chile), Tahiti - French Polynesia (France), Tokelau (New Zealand), Wallis & Futuna (France).

[5] The pressures on Fiji’s cities and towns is attracting increasing media attention: in 2007 Fiji’s “squalid shanty towns” drew the attention of Time magazine: Callinan, R. (2007). Wrong Side of Paradise. Time: 27-31. The cover story for Fiji Islands Business in October 2007 read “Urban Explosion: Gripping and choking our main urban centres”.

[6] The Urban Fijian Programme Unit within the Ministry of Fijian Affairs has, as part of its remit, to address the issues surrounding the inclusion of Fijian villages within the boundary of a municipality.

[7] Other principal legislation includes the 1982 Provincial Government Act [Cap 118]; the 1995 Mamara-Tasivarongo-Mavo Development Agreement Act [Cap 145]; the 1996 [Revised Edition] Town and Country Planning Act [Cap 154] 1996; the Provincial and Local Government Act 1997; the Local Government Ordinance, and the Honiara City Council Act 1999.

[8] The change is interesting because in one respect it testifies to the faith and acceptance by the people of Kiribati of the manner and process through which their President (Beretitenti) is elected at the national level.

[9] In the 1990s corruption and mismanagement brought the country near to bankruptcy; in 2008 the country remains without a banking system.

[10] Legislation regarding local government in Tonga comprises the District and Town Officers Act Cap 43] 1930, the Town Regulations Act [Cap 44] 1903, and the Fonos Act (Cap 50) of 1924 (note also 1991: Fonos (Amendment) Act).

[11] There are variations in estimates of the total number of villages in Samoa. The Britannica On-line gives a figure of 360 or more villages; CLGF (Pacific Project) has estimated that a more realistic figure for Samoa would be around 250.

[12] Note also the 1997 Internal Affairs Amendment Act.

[13] Additional power devolved from Central government to Island Councils through the Tupe Fakanaa A Falekaupiule Act 1999 (Local Government Trust Fund Act). Funafuti [the main island] Town Council (1) and the other 7 island councils each consist of 6 elected members and provide a limited range of local services

[14] Other relevant provisions are found in the Palmerston Island Local Government 1993, as well as the 1966 Cook Islands Ordinance Amendment; 1973-4: Local Government Amendment; and 1990 Outer Islands Local Government Amendment.

[15] Municipal councils are required to transfer to central government 5% of revenues collected under S16 of the Business License Act 1978 (Cap 204). This was derived from General Rates on property, Market Fees, Council Properties, Business Licenses, Bus Station Fees, Taxi Base/Carrier Fees, Rental Properties, Garbage Fees, and Recreation Facilities.

[16] These include the Public Health Act 1985; Town Planning Act 1978; Sub-divisional Land Act 1978; Land Transport Authority Act 1998; Shop (Regulation of Hours Employment) Act; and the Litter Decree 1991

Download

No downloadable files available