PORT VILA, VANUATU, January 10, 2009
/24-7PressRelease/ -- 1.Papua New Guinea hopes to continue its 6 - 7% economic growth in the coming year, despite of the world financial crisis.
2.Solomon Islands experienced the highest economic growth of the area in 2007, with a 10% increase. It hopes to continue this trend, along with its continued highest population growth in the area. They love visitors.
3.Vanuatu's (New Hebrides), tourism is flourishing thanks to the increased activity by five airlines. As a tax-haven it hopes to quietly stand firmly in spite of the world financial crisis.
4.Military strongman Commodore Frank Bainimarama is determined to wipe out the country's coup culture, with changes to the election laws, before the voters get to go to the polls.
5.Samoa continues to cruise along as the only island nation not grappling with poor leadership, corruption and instability. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi has been in power for eleven years.
6.The Cook Island only salvation may be its tourism industry. It feels the financial crisis through its use of the New Zealand dollar as its currency.
7.Niue continues to struggle with its extreme cash flow problem. Unfortunately it purchased, with a loan from New Zealand, $1 million worth of aviation fuel so as to help ferry members to the recent Pacific Islands Forum in Niue. The fuel was never used.
8.Australia continues to bail out Nauru from bankruptcy, to the tune of Au$1000 per capita per annum.
9.Still using the Australian dollar as its currency may cause Tuvalu severe buffeting from the world financial crisis. Breaking the pattern of being ousted by no confidence vote, the current prime minster has managed to remain unchallenged since Aug 2006.
10.Kiribati causes deep concern to the Asian Development Bank and donors as it continues to draw down on its reserve funds, which are invested overseas. Urban overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure remains the major problems to this tropical island nation.
11.French Polynesia holds the record for change of government, with 8 rising to power in the last four years.
12. Wallis and Futuna, the smallest nation of all will be least affected by the world financial crisis. Visit here and it is a good chance you will get to meet the 2 co-ruling kings.
13.New Caledonia should be able to comfortably ride out the financial crisis with its new US$4 billion Koniambo nickel mine. It may be heading for independence, though.
14.Guam has had an influx of 8000 US troops, relocated from Okinawa, Japan. However, the promised massive boost to infrastructure may not take place as soon as was hoped for.
15.The status of 10,000 Philippino workers could be altered through the new changes to the immigration laws, in Northern Marianas. Japanese and South Korean tourist numbers are also expected to drop.
16.Palau may be left stranded if loses its US$700 million aid and Japanese tourist numbers drop away.
17.Marshall Islands may not get the spin off from Guam's new US military base that it had expected.
Of all the travel destinations in the world, the tiny exotic South Pacific tropical islands seem to be the best value for money options for 2009.
Dr Wendy Stenberg-Tendys and her husband are CEO's of YouMe Support Foundation,Child Trust Fund (http://youmesupport.org). They are totally dedicated to supplying high school education grants to kids who will never go to high school without outside assistance. You can be part of this worthwhile project and it may completely change your life, after you win a free holiday to Vanuatu. Take a few minutes to look at Win A Resort (http://winaresort.com)
About YouMe Support Foundation
YouMe Support Foundation in partnership with Win A Resort, is raffling Seachange Lodge in a world first on the internet. All funds are placed into a Child Trust Fund to provide high school education grants to underprivileged students.
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