Former Nauru President, Baron Waqa has begun his term as the new Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). He succeeds Henry Puna.
Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) has appointed Rufino Varea as its new Regional Director.
Niuean Associate Professor, Sir Collin Tukuitonga has been appointed as Chair of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases for the Pacific region.
Former Chairman of the Fiji Electoral Commission, Graham Everett Leung is the country’s new Attorney General. He succeeds Siromi Turaga, who continues as Minister for Justice.
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, James Marape has re-appointed Kavieng MP Ian Ling-Stuckey as Minister for Treasury.
Tavu’i Mike Lemisio has been appointed to lead the Samoa Post Limited as Chief Executive Officer for the next three years.
Pouli Dr Keneti Faulalo is the first Chief Executive Officer of the newly created Samoa Export Authority. His appointment is for three years.
Nine new Heads of Missions have been appointed to represent Papua New Guinea. They are:
● Betty Palaso – High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
● Jimmy Ovia – High Commissioner to Malaysia
● Vincent Sumale – High Commissioner to India
● Kapi Maro – High Commissioner to Singapore
● Fred Sarufa – Ambassador to the United Nations
● Simon Namis – Ambassador to Indonesia
● Helen Aitis – Ambassador to South Korea
● Joseph Varo – Ambassador to Belgium
● Henry Mokono – Ambassador to Israel
President of the Federated States of Micronesia, Wesley W. Simina has received the letter of credence from Nicolas Bruhl, the new nonresident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Swiss Confederation to the Federated States of Micronesia, with residence in Manila, Philippines.
Justice Chang B. William has been sworn in as the first native of Kosrae to serve on the Supreme Court of the Federated States of Micronesia.
Bwereti T. Tentoa has been appointed as the new Secretary for Kiribati’s Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs.
Guam Air National Guard has three new appointments. They are Christopher Leon Guerrero as pilot, and Cody Lizama and Mikayla Legaspi as second lieutenants.
The new Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) Palau Office is Aoki Tsunenori. He replaces Kobayashi Ryutaro.
The Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) has re-appointed Maikani Mereng Andres as a Researcher, following her graduation from the University of Hawaii at Hilo with a major in Marine Biology.
Organic Pasifika has appointed Uraia Waibuta as the Navuso Organic Learning Farm Advisor. As the Head of Navuso Agricultural Technical Institute (NATI), Waibuta has years of experience in training and facilitation in agroecology.
Triple J Enterprises has appointed two experienced professionals to its management team – Deanna Reyes as the new manager for Surfrider Hotel, and Steve Sablan as the operations manager for Hertz and Dollar Rent a Car.
The newly established Pacific Islands Humanities Network has appointed its members. They include Northern Marianas Humanities Council Executive Director, Leo Pangelinan as Chair, Aiko Yamashiro as Vice Chair, Dr Melissa Taitano as Secretary while the convening Chair is Niualama E. Taifane.
Jesta Toka, a senior player in Vanuatu’s Australian Rules Football League (AFL), is the first female athlete from Vanuatu to play for the Wyong Lakes Magpies Club in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Narend Kumar from Tanoa Hotel Group has been re-elected as the Board President.
Charlene Manglona Ogo has been appointed the new Director/Business Advisor for the Rota Small Business Development Centre.
Northern Marianas’ Governor Arnold I. Palacios has sworn in businesswoman Eleanor Alinas as the newest member of the Commonwealth Zoning Board.
The Solomon Islands Police Support Program (SIPSP) has welcomed three new SIPSP advisors from New Zealand— Detective Sergeant Simon Woodhams, Sergeant Terri-Ann Sole, and Detective Darryn Gabb, who are being deployed as part of the SIPSP for a year.
Canada’s non-resident High Commissioner to Niue, Joane Lemay has presented her credentials to the Premier Dalton Tagelagi.
Ten new members of the Bougainville Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority Council (BACRA) have been sworn in. They are:
● Kenneth Dovaro, Secretary Primary Industries
● Joshua Tauko, Acting Secretary Treasury & Finance
● Alex Kerangpuna, Secretary Commerce, Trade, Industry & Economic Development
● James Butubu, Chief Compliance Officer BACRA
● Wendy Sawa, Director Agriculture & Livestock
● Lucy Maisan, Farmer Representative North Bougainville
● Chris Korokoro, Farmer Representative Central Bougainville
● Edward Kamuai, Farmer Representative South Bougainville
● Rhoda Lunberg, Women’s Representative
● Robert Critchley, Business Representative
Me Yves Piriou has been elected as the new President of the Papeete Bar Association in French Polynesia for the next two years.
Kano Balos has been appointed the new Foreign Service Officer under the Bureau of Multilateral Affairs of the Marshall Islands. Inaugural Moana Pasifika Captain and 110-test Australian International, Sekope Kepu will retire from professional rugby at the end of the 2024 DHL Super Rugby Pacific season.
The Solomon Islands Basketball Federation (SIBF) has announced the appointment of Baptiste Kelesi as its new Executive Officer.
Experienced athlete and Cook Islands middle distance champion, Alex Beddoes has been elected to the 2024 Oceania Athletics Association Athletes’ Commission.
Micah James has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer for the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation.
The Fiji National Rugby League has appointed Akuila Masi as its new Chairman.
Special Recognition
Marshall Islands’ President, Dr Hilda C. Heine has been awarded the 2024 Vital Voices Lifetime of Leadership Award for her unwavering commitment on the front lines of climate change.
Chair of the Regenerative Vanua Board, Votausi Mackenzie-Reur has received the Honorary Ambassador Award from the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism, in light of her commitment to elevating Vanuatu on the global gastronomic map.
Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Solomon Islands, Pamela H. Naesol, has won the APAC Insider’s Best Accountancy Regulation CEO 2024 (Oceania) Award.
Vani Arei was named the Rooster Chicken Women’s Player of the Year at the Fiji Airways Drua Awards 2024, while Iosefo Masi was awarded the Fiji Airways Men’s Player of the Year Award.
Four Cook Islanders’ have been recognised as recipients of the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours awards. They are Ritua Kathleen Rose Marie Koteka, for services to health, the public and the community; Mereana Taikoko, for services to mental health care and awareness, and to the community; Juliana Teinakore Etches, for services to the public service and community in the areas of education and culture, and Tutavake Tutai, for services to the community.
Cook Islands marine conservationist, and founder of the Moana Foundation, Jacqueline Evans has been awarded Honorary Doctorate from the Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale (ULCO) in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. She played a key leadership role in establishing the Marae Moana marine reserve.
In Memory
Former publisher and general manager of The Fiji Times, Hank Arts passed away at his home in Cairns, Australia.
Former Senate President of Rota in Northern Marianas, Julian S. Calvo, died on May 14, at the age of 84.
Professor Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard, a former American Samoan academic and writer, has been laid to rest. She was 77 years old.
