Whispers

‘Different animal:’ Fiji is a different animal when it comes to tourism. That’s the verdict of a seasoned Pacific tourism campaigner when confronted by Fiji’s aggressive presence in the

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10,000 foreign workers to go in the Marianas

US Labour Secretary has until July 4 “It will be a disaster,” said Juan T. Guerrero, general manager of the largest and oldest bakery in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as he ponders on the

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Air Marshall Islands’ ongoing downward spiral

Lack of money fuels air woes In 2003, an ADB report said: “The financial position of Air Marshall Islands is precarious—it has never made an operating profit and depends heavily on government

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Coastal flooding to threaten Vanuatu

Technology predicts catastrophe More than 3000 people displaced by coastal flooding and large sections of Vanuatu’s two main towns inundated is the catastrophic scenario predicted by the end of the century.

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Revival of a disappearing resource

SPC and partners work to rebuild green snail fishery in Vanuatu Human activity has had profound effects on the productivity of fisheries resources. In the future, climate change could have similarly devastating impacts

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Samoa-born Leapai loses fight but $1million richer

Declares “bigger, badder” comeback IT was a fight doomed to favour his opponent yet Samoan-born Alex Leapai entered the world stage ring with an outside chance. He had a few die-hard optimists in his corner

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A cheap wood-fired cooking stove for the islands

Most islands in the Pacific notably Melanesian countries of Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and PNG have no shortage of wood fuel for cooking. When I analysed the 2008-09 Household Income and Expenditure Survey for the

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World Oceans Day – 8 June

“We are the sea. We are the ocean. We must wake up to this ancient truth.” – Professor Epeli Hau’ofa The oceans play a vital role in supporting all life on Earth. The oxygen in every third breath

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Australian budget cuts affect TV, climate research

The Australian Government led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced its first budget on 13 May and took a hit in the polls. The budget saw significant reductions in spending on domestic health, education and welfare

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Big construction project in Chuuk in limbo

Legal wrangle holds up road work After huge cost overruns, major delays and problems with faulty designs, the largest construction project ever undertaken in the Federated States of Micronesia is now at a standstill

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Selling the Pacific to the world under one roof

SPTE 2014 a ‘success,’ says organisers Pacific’s national tourism offices have given thumbs up to efforts by the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) to organise a regional tourism buyer and

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LNG project absorbs skilled workers in PNG

Calls for more job training Operators of Papua New Guinea’s new liquefied natural gas export company have trained nearly 10,000 locals for production and delivery roles as the region’s biggest commercial

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Carsasses’ out, Natuman’s in

I t had all the guile and secrecy of a commando raid. And as much impact. This was the demise of Vanuatu Prime Minister Moana Carcasses after 14 months in the top job. He entered parliament on May 15 confident he had

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Lack of data affects tuna stock assessments

Foreign fishing nations who benefit immensely from fishing in the Western and Central Pacific region’s US$7.2 billion fishery are not releasing valuable tuna stock data needed to manage and sustain the industry.

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Donations to flood victims in Solomons mount

The two-day flash flooding that began on April 2 struck at the heart of Solomon Islands The two-day flash flooding that began on April 2 struck at the heart of Solomon Islands’ administrative and business and

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Mr. Nickel

SMSP’s Andre D ang transforms New Caledonia’s nickel industry It’s just days before New Caledonia’s elections and Andre Dang is angry. The conservative majority in the Southern Province Assembly

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Andre Dang

President & CEO of New Caledonia’s Société Minière du Sud Pacifique (SMSP) At his office in Noumea and on a trip to the Vavouto smelter, Andre Dang spoke to Nic Maclellan about the origins

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The rush to Fiji

So much to do, so little time, but Fiji’s Elections Office is optimistic By first June, the countdown clock on the Fijian Election Office’s official website would read 107 days to poll day. That website

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New Caledonia elections reaffirm divisions

Philippe Gomes is a happy man. His anti-independence party Calédonie Ensemble has done well in New Caledonia’s elections, gaining more seats than the conservative RassemblementUMP (RUMP) Party that has long dominated

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Three Opposition MPs suspended in Nauru

Crackdown against critics continues Police intervention was required twice in Nauru’s parliament as government and opposition MPs clashed over the suspension of three Opposition members last month. The standoff

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Coconut craze with virgin natural oil

Acoconut oil craze has been circulating beauty parlours around the world for the last couple of years – that it is a miracle answer to skin infections and it’s a natural way to remove makeup. So much so that

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