Leonard Louma is the new Director General of the MSG Secretariat. Louma is a seasoned PNG diplomat, with postings to the UN, France and China, and was involved in several regional initiatives, including the Pacific Island Forum’s ‘Pacific Plan’ and the MSG 2038 ‘Prosperity for All’ plan.
The Oceania Boxing Confederation’s new president is French Polynesia’s Tauhiti Nena. He was formerly OCBC’s vice president and was president of the Polynesian Boxing Federation for 23 years.
Pacific scholar Professor Katerina Teaiwa is the 2021 Australian University Teacher of the Year. Teaiwa was recognised for her visionary approach to teaching and mentoring students in Pacific studies. She is the first Pacific Islands woman to receive the prestigious award. Born and raised in Fiji, Professor Teaiwa is of Banaban, I-Kiribati and African-American heritage.
The Nauru government has named Gillian Itsimaera as the country’s Auditor General. Itsimaera has been the Senior Examiner of Accounts at the Nauru Audit Office since 2009.
Professor Arun Elias is the newly appointed Dean for the College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies at the Fiji National University. Elias joins FNU from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where he worked for 22 years.
Comrade Trustee Services Limited (CTSL) welcomes its new statutory manager, Peter Aitsi. With 30 years of experience, Aitsi has led and managed a number of well-established PNG-based businesses including Credit Corp, Newcrest Mining and PNGFM. He replaces Sitiveni Weleilakeba, who was removed from the role by PNG’s central bank.
Dr Amit Chanan is the new Chief Executive Officer of the Water Authority of Fiji. Chanan has expertise in urban planning as the Director of City Projects and Property with the City of Sydney, Australia.
Polish-born Father Walenty Gryk has been selected as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Goroka, Papua New Guinea. Gryk currently serves as the Coordinator of Formation and Secretary for the Missions of the Verbites in PNG.
In Niue, John Operator Tiakia is now a Member Assisting a Minister to support Niue’s Minister of Infrastructure with high priority projects and the ministry’s backlog of work for the next six months.
Dr Tammy Tabe joins the Oceania Research department at the East-West Center in Hawaii. Tabe holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from The University of Bergen, Norway and was an Assistant Lecturer in Environment and Sustainable Development at The University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji.
Lieutenant Colonel Nancy Wii is the first female to be a Commanding Officer in the Air Transport Wing of the PNG Defence Force. She is also known for being the first PNG female aircraft pilot.
Warren Gama is the new Business Intelligence Manager at Vanuatu Tourism Office. Gama has led a number of community tourism and agriculture programs in Vanuatu.
Mining expert Anthony Williamson joins PNG’s Adyton Resources Corporation board as its new Non-Executive Director. Meanwhile, Rod Watt resumes his position in the company as Chief Geologist.
Australia’s new High Commissioner to Niue, Louise Ellerton has presented her credentials to Premier Dalton Tagelagi. Australia is the second country to establish a diplomatic presence in Niue, first opening its High Commission in Alofi in August 2020.
Cook Islander Rebecca Tavioni is the new Chief Executive Officer for the country’s Chamber of Commerce. Prior to this, Tavioni was the Business Operations Manager for Rarotonga telecommunications provider, Avaroa Cable Limited.
Ajay Nand has confirmed that his term as Fiji’s Auditor General has expired, and he has also withdrawn his re-application for the position due to personal reasons. Sairusi Dukuno is now acting in the role.
President of Fiji Wiliame Katonivere has announced Mukesh Nand as the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission; Ateca Ledua as a member of the Electoral Commission;
Parvesh Sharma as the Chairperson of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, and Parvez Akbar as a member of that Commission.
David Ateti Teaabo has taken up his new role as Kiribati’s first Ambassador to China. Final preparations for Kiribati’s office and staff in Beijing are still in progress.
Siainiu Fa’alogo-Bull has been sworn in as Acting Puisne Judge of the Fiji High Court, and Waleen Maria George as Acting Chief Magistrate of the Fiji Magistrate’s Court.
Senior Adviser of the Pacific Disaster Risk Management Programme (PDRMP) Dana MacDiarmid has joined Niue’s National Disaster Management Office to provide technical support. PDRMP is funded by New Zealand’s MFAT and assists five Pacific countries; Niue, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Tonga and Samoa.
Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) has announced its four new company managers. They are Ani Topurua as Manager Social and Sustainability, Carolyne Manahave as Manager Contracts and Legal, Lyndah Brown as Manager Process Asset Renewal Project Interface, and Chantel Christensen as Manager Ok Tedi Way Project.
US Naval Base Guam (NBG) recently appointed Jessica Lancy-Johnston and Isabella Becker as new command ombudsman. They play an essential role in keeping NBG families informed of their sailors’ commands.
PNG General Mark Goina has succeeded Major General Gilbert Toropo as Commander of the PNG Defence Force. The force announced other promotions. They are: Lieutenant Colonel Paul Latau as Chief of the Reserve Force, Commander Thomas Ponjom as Chief of Commercial Support, Commander Raphael Yapu is Chief of Staff to the Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Fred Aile is Chief of Personnel, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Bando is Chief of Joint Operations, Commander Peter Tupina leads the Force Capability division, Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Malau becomes a Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel Craig Solomon is Chief of Force Preparation and finally, Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley Wawada as Chief of Logistics.
Janend Reddy is the new Country General Manager at Lightspeed Limited in Port Moresby, PNG. Reddy has served in the company for nearly five years.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has named two new ministers; Stanley Festus Sofu as Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology; and Augustine Auga as Minister for Agriculture and Livestock.
Dr Mema Motusaga has begun her role as the new Chief Executive of the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development. Motusaga is a published author and holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia.
In Memory:
Three rugby greats have been farewelled recently. Former Fiji captain Mosese Taga has been laid to rest in Suva, Fiji. Taga led the Flying Fijians at the 1991 Rugby World Cup.
Samoan rugby icon Va’aiga Tuigamala has died at age 52. Tuigamala had a successful international rugby career playing for Manu Samoa, New Zealand All Blacks, Auckland Blues and Wigan in the United Kingdom.
Fiji’s first All Blacks hero Joeli Vidiri died after a trio of cardiac arrests while battling COVID-19 in America. Vidiri had been dealing with kidney disease for a long time while still playing.
Guam national and former urban housing executive director Ray Topasna has passed away. Topasna served in the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority since the start of the Guerrero administration in 2019.
Micronitor News and Printing Company founder Joe Murphy has passed away. Initially coming to the Marshalls as a Peace Corps volunteer in the mid-1960s, he set up what has now become the Marshall Islands Journal at the end of that decade. He also set up a number of hospitality businesses in Majuro.
Meanwhile Fiji Sun publisher and CEO Peter Lomas has died in Suva. Lomas was a former editor of Islands Business and worked in senior editorial roles in Fiji, Samoa and Cook Islands.
