In this bulletin:
1. NEW|CALE — Pro-France loyalists lead in New Caledonia’s Southern Province election as turnout falls
2. FIJI — Ocean of Peace Institute to be established in Suva
3. PACIFIC — Pacific Resilience Facility must deliver results for communities: Forum SG
4. PNG — PNG-Solomon Islands relationship strengthened with PM Wale’s visit
5. AUST/VAN — Vanuatu PM to visit Australia as major bilateral deal awaits
6. FIJI — TNG Holdings Fiji appeals rejection of energy-from-waste project
7. PACIFIC — Global media leaders told journalism must change and the Pacific has a key role to play
8. FIJI — Fijian Media Association ready for Town Halls in Levuka and Korovou
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji to study creation of Sovereign Wealth Fund
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Timor-Leste welcomes Aero Dili’s new Darwin service
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Trades Union Congress condemns FNPF contribution cut and lack of worker relief
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Seams won’t bust: Local infrastructure being upgraded to accommodate higher arrivals
13. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — What the RFMF means to Fiji: Beyond the Budget — and Into the Grey Zone
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — Women in Metrology: Advancing Fair Trade Across the Pacific
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — Ten Pacific entrepreneurs pitch for top climate and environment innovation prize in Vanuatu
NEW|CALE – ELECTION/POLITICS: ANADOLU PACNEWS 1: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Pro-France loyalists lead in New Caledonia’s Southern Province election as turnout falls
NOUMEA, 29 JUNE 2026 (ANADOLU)—Pro-France loyalist parties secured a commanding lead in New Caledonia’s Southern Province elections on Sunday, according to preliminary results, in a key vote held more than two years after deadly riots shook the French Pacific archipelago.
The joint list of Les Loyalistes and Le Rassemblement won around 50 percent of the vote in the Southern Province, the territory’s most populous region, based on initial results covering most municipalities, including the capital, Noumea, TV5 Monde Info reported.
Outgoing Southern Province President Sonia Backes thanked supporters and said the result reflected “a useful vote” in favour of New Caledonia remaining part of France.
“The people of New Caledonia, particularly the inhabitants of the Southern Province, have made the choice of a useful vote,” she said, calling it “an unambiguous message” in support of the territory’s continued place within the French Republic.
Public broadcaster NC Premiere projected the loyalist alliance would secure 28 of the province’s 40 seats, ahead of the pro-independence FLNKS with seven seats and the Oceanian Awakening party with five.
At the territorial Congress, where 54 representatives elected from the three provincial assemblies vote on local laws and appoint the government, the alliance is expected to become the largest bloc with 24 seats but fall short of the 28-seat absolute majority.
Voter turnout stood at 63.7 percent, down from 66.5 percent in the 2019 provincial elections, according to the French High Commission.
The election was held under tight security, with around 2,400 police and gendarmes deployed across the archipelago.
The vote was seen as a major political test ahead of renewed institutional negotiations expected to begin in July.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has said the talks aim to reach an agreement on New Caledonia’s future before the end of the year.
The elections were the first provincial vote since riots erupted in May 2024 over plans to expand the territory’s restricted electoral roll. The unrest left 14 people dead and caused more than €2 billion (about US$2.3 billion) in damage.
Although the electorate was expanded this year to include more than 10,500 native-born residents previously excluded, voting remains restricted mainly to residents who settled in New Caledonia before 1998 and their descendants.PACNEWS
FIJI – OCEAN OF PEACE INSTITUTE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Ocean of Peace Institute to be established in Suva
By Pita Ligaiula
SUVA, 29 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS)—-The Fiji Government will establish the Ocean of Peace Institute in Suva as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s international leadership, with an initial allocation of $50,000 (US$25,000) provided in the 2026–2027 Budget for the preparatory phase.
In his Budget Address, Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel said the institute “will serve as a regional hub for policy dialogue, research and partnerships to promote peace, stability and sustainable development across the Pacific.”
“Government is also taking an important step in advancing Fiji’s international leadership through the establishment of the Ocean of Peace Institute in Suva. An initial allocation of $50,000(US$25,000) has been provided for the preparatory phase of this initiative, which will serve as a regional hub for policy dialogue, research and partnerships to promote peace, stability and sustainable development across the Pacific.”
The Minister also announced funding for the Office of the Prime Minister, saying it remains responsible for coordinating government policy, providing national leadership and delivering key development initiatives.
“The Office of the Prime Minister remains at the centre of Government’s policy coordination, national leadership and the delivery of key development initiatives throughout the country”
He said the Office of the Prime Minister has been allocated $9.7 million (US$4.85 million) in the 2026–2027 Budget.
“The Office is allocated $9.7 million (US$4.85 million) in the 2026–2027 Budget. A key component of this funding is an increase in the Development Grant to $2.5 million (US$1.25 million), which supports community development projects, particularly in rural and maritime areas,” said Esrom….PACNEWS
PAC – PRF COUNCIL: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Pacific Resilience Facility must deliver results for communities: Forum SG
By Pita Ligaiula
MAJURO, 29 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS)—The Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) has reached a major milestone with the convening of its inaugural Council meeting last week, with Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa saying the Pacific-owned mechanism must deliver practical support and tangible results for communities across the region.
Speaking at the First Pacific Resilience Facility Council Meeting in Majuro, Waqa said the meeting marked the realisation of a clear mandate from Forum Leaders to establish a Pacific-owned mechanism that strengthens resilience.
“Today marks an important milestone for our region. The convening of this first Pacific Resilience Facility Council meeting, which represents the realisation of a clear mandate from our Forum Leaders to establish a Pacific-owned mechanism, that strengthens resilience and delivers practical support to Pacific communities,” he said.
Waqa congratulated the Republic of the Marshall Islands for hosting both the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting and the inaugural PRF Council meeting.
“Let me begin by warmly acknowledging and congratulating the Republic of the Marshall Islands for its outstanding stewardship in hosting the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting and this inaugural PRF Council meeting, and for demonstrating steadfast leadership in advancing our regional resilience agenda,” he said.
He said Forum Economic Ministers had recognised the challenges facing the region and the need for a united response.
“Over the past two days, Forum Economic Ministers have set a strong platform for our work. They have been clear in their assessment that our region is facing a more complex and uncertain global environment, driven by geopolitical tensions, economic pressures, and climate risks – and that our response must be grounded in unity, cooperation, and foresight,” said Waqa.
SG Waqa said these priorities align with the ambitions of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
“These priorities speak directly to the ambitions of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, particularly the call for stronger regionalism, economic resilience, and solutions that deliver tangible outcomes for our people,” he said.
Waqa said the PRF, which is now legally in force, marks a change in the region’s approach to resilience.
“The PRF is central to that vision. Now legally in force, the PRF represents a shift in how we respond to vulnerability, from reactive approaches, to proactive, Pacific-led investment in resilience at the community level,” he said.
The Secretary General said the Council would establish its foundational elements, including governance and financial frameworks, while also considering transitional arrangements and the nomination of the Board.
“Today, we will establish the foundational elements of this Council—confirming membership, adopting procedures, and progressing key governance and financial frameworks. We will also address transitional arrangements to ensure continuity as the PRF moves into full operation, and to consider the nomination of the Board to guide its next phase,” Waqa stressed.
He urged Council members to focus on implementation and measurable outcomes.
“As you deliberate today, I challenge you to think beyond policy design, and to look to implementation and results.”
“The PRF must rise to that challenge, to demonstrate early, practical impact, and to ensure that regional commitments translate into real improvements in the lives of our people, consistent with the people-centred vision of the 2050 Strategy,” he emphasised.
Waqa also called for practical decision-making and collective ownership as the facility begins operations.
“As we proceed today, I encourage you to focus on practical decisions and collective ownership, to ensure that the PRF is fit-for-purpose from the outset.”
“This meeting is foundational. The decisions we take today will shape the credibility and impact of the PRF in the years ahead.”
“With that in mind, let us move forward with unity and purpose, in service of a more resilient and secure Blue Pacific,” Forum SG said……PACNEWS
PNG – DIPLOMACY: TVWAN PACNEWS 1: Mon 29 Jun 2026
PNG-Solomon Islands relationship strengthened with PM Wale’s visit
PORT MORESBY, 29 JUNE 2026 (TVWAN)—Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Mathew Wale’s visit to Papua New Guinea last Friday was aimed at boosting and strengthening diplomatic ties, trade, and investments between the two countries.
The visit also saw the signing of the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves (MOCOR) 2026 – 2030.
This initiative aims to protect marine life, coral reefs, and support local economies. MOCOR was established recently during the inaugural Melanesian Ocean Summit. Members include: Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands.
“So, Solomon Islands, we are looking to have a part in the meeting in terms of adhesion, but also in collaboration, and also in trying to reach consensus in the region on important issues, very important ones, which is regional security architecture,” Wale said during the signing of MOCOR.
Prime Minister James Marape, during a press conference with his counterpart, said both countries have economic, social, and geopolitical challenges, and through diplomatic ties and collaboration, these issues can be addressed.
Marape also highlighted that PNG has K1 billion (US$228 million) worth of investment in Solomon Islands and welcomed Solomon Islands to reciprocate by investing in PNG.
“Likewise, we do invite Solomon Islands investors and businesses to come and operate in the country. We also agree that we will look at a concept of free trade that is specially tailored between Solomon Islands and PNG and extended to Vanuatu and Fiji, and possibly to the other Pacific Island family,” Marape said.
Solomon Islands has also shown interest in PNG’s mining company, Kumul Mineral Holdings Limited and invited them to tour the country for potential investment.
“I was just looking to Papua New Guinea again for lessons in the resource extraction sector so that we see better governance in our own resources sector to make sure that our resources can build sovereign islands in the way that you are doing.
“Otherwise, we would run the risk of what the forestry industry has done to our country and basically reaped and pillaged the environment and have left very little indigenous tribes and populations. That’s a lesson, a hard lesson we’ve learned. It’s taken 14 years to learn,” said Wale.
He added that the bilateral discussion will greatly pave the way for Solomon Islands to build and grow its country, especially in the resource extraction sector…..PACNEWS
AUST/VAN – DIPLOMACY: AAP PACNEWS 1: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Vanuatu PM to visit Australia as major bilateral deal awaits
CANBERRA, 29 JUNE 2026 (AAP)—-Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to welcome his counterpart from Vanuatu to Canberra.
Jotham Napat’s visit this week will be his first to Australia on official business and comes as the two nations are poised to ink a $500 million (US$345 million) partnership.
The deal is expected to commit Australian funding over 10 years for critical infrastructure, climate adaptation, budget support and economic growth.
Napat pulled back from the so-called Nakamal Agreement in September after some in his government raised concerns it would undercut Vanuatu’s sovereignty.
However, talks are ongoing.
China has also pursued a pact with Port Vila, called the Namele Agreement, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong previously noting Australia was in “a state of permanent contest in the Pacific”.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale recently raised the prospect of a Pacific-wide security deal to counter Chinese influence with Albanese.
Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy has told AAP Australia would certainly be open to pursuing such an idea.
“We’ve got a number of bilateral security agreements … but ultimately, we turn up, we listen and act on the Pacific priorities,” he said.
Albanese is expected to travel to Honiara in July to meet with Wale to progress negotiations and will visit Fiji, where a new diplomatic agreement is on the table.
Albanese’s audience with Napat in Canberra will be their second.
He says the Pacific Islands leader’s visit will reaffirm a commitment to and elevation of the bilateral relationship between Australia and Vanuatu.
“We share a deep and enduring partnership based on mutual respect and common values,” Albanese said on Saturday.
“Strengthening our ties … is central to our shared ambition for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific region.”
Albanese will host Napat and his delegation at parliament house….PACNEWS
FIJI – INCENRATOR PROJECT: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 1: Mon 29 Jun 2026
TNG Holdings Fiji appeals rejection of energy-from-waste project
SUVA, 29 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS)—Earlier this month, Fiji’s Department of Environment rejected the EIA for The Next Generation Holdings (Fiji) Pte Limited’s proposed Energy-from-Waste plant and private port at Vuda Point, saying the assessment did not meet legal and technical standards.
The decision leaves the FJD$900 million (US$450 million) project facing unresolved questions over imported waste, hazardous ash, water supply, public health, and infrastructure impacts.
Now, TNG is fighting back to fight over the rejected energy-from-waste proposal to Fiji’s Environmental Tribunal, arguing the Department of Environment denied the company fair and lawful assessment process.
The company is seeking to overturn the Department’s decision to reject its Fiji Energy-from-Waste Project, which it says would deliver 80 megawatts of firm baseload electricity at Vuda Point, reduce reliance on imported diesel and divert waste from landfill.
Under Fijian law, the Environmental Tribunal is an independent statutory body empowered to hear appeals against Department of Environment decisions.
TNG says its appeal rests on a series of procedural and legal concerns, including the Department’s handling of information requests, the timing of the review process, and the use of third-party submissions.
Among the company’s grounds of appeal is the claim that the Department misread its own powers by concluding it could not seek further information after TNG submitted its Environmental Impact Assessment, even though the law allows it to do so.
TNG also alleges it was not given advance notice of 31 technical questions raised at a review meeting, that the Committee’s report was substantially drafted before its consultation meeting, and that it was denied the chance to review or answer outside submissions relied upon in the final decision.
The company further says the rejection cited information as missing from its documents when that material was already included, and that its written responses to the review Committee’s questions, submitted within five days, were not evidently considered before the decision was issued.
Rob Cromb, Director of TNG Holdings Fiji, said: “This appeal is about ensuring that decisions on nationally significant projects are made through a process that is complete, transparent, evidence-based and consistent with the Environment Management Act.”
TNG says the proposed facility would support Fiji’s energy security and emissions-reduction goals while addressing waste-management pressures across the Pacific.
The company argues that the project reflects a wider regional shift toward waste-to-energy, as governments seek alternatives to imported fossil fuels and growing landfill volumes.
“TNG’s facility at Vuda Point would generate 80 megawatts of firm baseload electricity, divert waste from landfill and reduce dependence on imported diesel to generate power. In doing so, it would support Fiji’s national energy security and emissions reduction objectives.”
“The Pacific faces a waste crisis and an energy crisis simultaneously. This project addresses both. The net environmental benefit is unambiguous,” said Cromb.
“TNG respects the role of both the Department of Environment and the Technical Review Committee, and we look forward to the consideration of our appeal by the Environmental Tribunal.”
Haniff Tuitoga Lawyers are representing TNG in the matter. The company said it would not make further public comment while the Tribunal process is underway….PACNEWS
PAC – MEDIA: PMN PACNEWS 1: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Global media leaders told journalism must change and the Pacific has a key role to play
BONN, 29 JUNE 2026 (PMN)—-Journalism is at a turning point and Pacific media could be part of the answer.
That was one of the strongest messages to emerge from last week’s Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany, where more than 1500 editors, journalists, researchers and policymakers from over 100 countries gathered to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the news industry.
The discussions centred on three urgent issues: the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, the growing influence of social media algorithms, and the loss of young audiences who are turning away from traditional news.
New research released during the forum, the Reuters Digital News Report, showed younger people are increasingly getting their news from platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram instead of established news organisations.
For countries and communities where young people make up a large share of the population, delegates said the trend raises important questions about how trusted news can continue to reach the next generation.
The forum also highlighted the growing power of global technology companies over the news industry.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organisation, UNESCO, launched an international consultation on new guidelines aimed at ensuring news organisations are fairly paid when their journalism is used by digital platforms and artificial intelligence systems.
The agency warned that a small number of technology companies now control how many people discover news online while many local news organisations struggle to survive as advertising revenue continues to fall.
For smaller Pacific media organisations, the issue is especially important because limited resources make it harder to compete with global platforms.
But alongside the challenges came a clear message of hope.
Delegates repeatedly argued that rebuilding trust will require journalism to work more closely with Indigenous and local communities and not just reporting on them only when disaster strikes.
Pacific Media Network (PMN) senior reporter Christine Rovoi told one of the forum’s panels that trusted journalism depends on strong relationships with the communities it serves.
“Our audience expects accurate, fair, and independent reporting. If we lose their trust, we’ve failed in our mission regardless of who funds us,” Rovoi said.
“When Indigenous voices are included early, when local knowledge is valued, and when relationships are built over time, coverage becomes more accurate, more nuanced, and ultimately more useful for audiences.”
Shaldon Ferris, a South African broadcaster from Cultural Survival, said Indigenous communities often recognise changes in the environment long before they appear in scientific studies or political debate.
His message echoed a broader theme throughout the week: journalism works best when local knowledge sits alongside scientific evidence, not behind it.
For Pacific delegates, the forum reinforced that while technology is reshaping the way people consume news, the future of journalism will still depend on something much older: trust, community relationships and telling stories that reflect people’s lived experiences…..PACNEWS
FIJI – MEDIA: FMA PACNEWS 1: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Fijian Media Association ready for Town Halls in Levuka and Korovou
SUVA, 29 JUNE 2026 (FMA)— Fiji’s Minister for Justice and Acting Attorney General, Siromi Turaga, Opposition leader, Inia Seruiratu and senior politician, Premila Kumar have so far confirmed their attendance at the Fijian Media Association’s next town halls in Levuka, Ovalau on Wednesday, July 1 and in Korovou, Tailevu on 03 July.
The FMA is still awaiting a response and confirmation from other key government ministers invited, including Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Ministers and representatives from key government agencies have been invited to attend both events to hear the concerns of the public first hand, and respond to them.
A zoom link will also be provided for ministers or their reps to respond to.
The Levuka and Korovou town halls are the fifth and sixth organised by the association, this time through the support of the BBC Media Action Group.
“What makes the FMA town halls special is the opportunity to talk to Ministers directly and raise issues directly with them, especially for people in rural areas and outskirts of urban centres,” FMA General Secretary, Stanley Simpson said.
“This is also a joint partnership between all the major media organisations in Fiji who will broadcast the forum live through the FMA Faceboook page and through their own platforms. Communities that cannot attend in person watch in real time, nothing is filtered, nothing is edited. The public hears the answers as they are given.”
In the last 12 months, the association through the support of the US Embassy has held four town halls in Savusavu, Labasa, Tavua and Ba attracting about 800 people in attendance and more than 650,000 views on the FMA Facebook page alone, not counting simultaneous broadcasts by Communications Fiji Limited, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Fiji Live, Fiji Sun, Fiji TV, Mai TV and The Fiji Times.
The Tavua and Ba town halls were attended by the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka with a number of ministers.
The Savusavu town hall was attended by Assistant Minister of Works, Naisa Tuinaceva who also attended the Labasa town hall with former Deputy Prime Minister, Biman Prasad.
“We are extending an open invitation to the people of Ovalau to come, ask questions and be heard by the people who make decisions that affect their daily lives,” Simpson added.
Issues raised at previous town halls include consistent concerns over roads, water and electricity infrastructure, under-resourced hospitals and communities waiting too long for government agencies to respond.
Residents in Levuka are expected to raise questions about employment opportunities, the upkeep of the town’s UNESCO World Heritage buildings, the reliability of ferry and inter-island shipping services, healthcare and infrastructure.
Farmers, families and young people in Korovou and across Tailevu are expected to come with questions on Korovou about land, livelihoods, roads, rural crime, health services and the reliability of water and power supply.
The town halls come days after the Finance Minister, Esrom Immanuel presented the 2026-2027 budget in parliament, which he described as a responsible plan for a country facing a fiscal deficit of $1.07 billion (US$535 million), public debt approaching 85 percent of GDP, and economic growth revised down to 1.5 percent because of the global fuel crisis.
The Levuka Town Hall will be held at the Levuka Town Hall on Wednesday, 01 July from 7pm to 9pm. The Korovou Town Hall will be held at the Tailevu Hotel from 5pm to 7pm.
“We are deliberately taking these forums beyond Suva. Rural communities have the same concerns as urban ones, often more urgent ones. But they have fewer platforms to raise them and less access to the officials who can respond. The town halls close that gap,” Simpson added……PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Fiji to study creation of Sovereign Wealth Fund
By Pita Ligaiula
SUVA, 29 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS)—The Fiji Government will undertake a study into establishing a Sovereign Wealth Fund as it looks to build long-term wealth for future generations.
Delivering the 2026-2027 National Budget last Friday, Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel said the study will be carried out by the Ministry of Finance together with either the Fiji National Provident Fund or the Fiji Investment Corporation Limited.
“We must also start thinking beyond the next Budget cycle and consider how we can build wealth for future generations. Government will therefore undertake a study into the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund for Fiji. This work will be undertaken by the Ministry of Finance together with either the Fiji National Provident Fund or the Fiji Investment Corporation Limited.”
The Minister said the study will examine whether Fiji should establish a government-owned investment fund.
“The objective is to explore whether Fiji should establish a Government-owned investment fund that can generate long-term returns, strengthen national savings and support future development priorities.”
He said a number of countries have already adopted the model to build financial security for future generations.
“Many countries have successfully used sovereign wealth funds to create financial security for future generations. It is time that Fiji carefully examines whether such a model can work for us as well,” said Esrom …PACNEWS
TIMOR – AIRLINE FLIGHTS: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Timor-Leste welcomes Aero Dili’s new Darwin service
DILI, 29 JUNE 2206 (ISLANDS BUSINESS)—-Travel to Timor-Leste becomes easier with the introduction of Aero Dili’s direct flights between Dili and Darwin.
The new service strengthens the country’s aviation network and deepens ties with one of its key visitor markets.
The route began earlier this month and will operate twice a week (Sundays and Tuesdays), with a flight time of about one hour and 15 minutes. It adds to the existing direct services operated by Qantas and Air North, taking the total number of direct flights between Timor-Leste and Australia to 12 a week.
Officials said the new connection is expected to make travel easier for leisure visitors, business travellers, diaspora communities and government, trade and education partners moving across the Timor Sea.
“We congratulate Aero Dili on this milestone,” said Antonio da Silva, Director General of Tourism for the Ministry of Tourism and Environment in Timor-Leste.
“This new direct Darwin–Dili service is an important step forward for Timor-Leste’s tourism sector.”
He said Australia remains a priority market for Timor-Leste tourism, with Darwin and the Northern Territory acting as a natural entry point for short breaks, adventure travel, diving, culture and business.
Aero Dili, Timor-Leste’s national carrier, is based in Dili and operates from Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport.
Founded in 2018, the airline flies Airbus aircraft and has been expanding its international network to support tourism, trade and regional engagement.
Darwin is Aero Dili’s first destination in Australia. The airline also serves Bali, Singapore, Malaysia and China, and plans to begin a Dili–Melbourne service in November 2026.
The government said the new route should create more opportunities for tourism operators, hotels, cultural attractions and local communities across Timor-Leste……PACNEWS
FIJI – SUPERANNUATION: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Fiji Trades Union Congress condemns FNPF contribution cut and lack of worker relief
SUVA, 29 JUNE 2026 (FIJI SUN)—The Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) argued that workers were ignored in the 2026-2027 national budget as no immediate relief was provided while great emphasis was placed on helping businesses.
Expressing his disappointment over the budget, FTUC general secretary Felix Anthony said there was a lot of attention given to businesses while workers were ignored.
“While we recognise and appreciate the budget concentrating on investments in infrastructure and so forth, there was little there for the workers of this country.
“We are disappointed that this budget offers no new relief to workers, particularly at the time where they are suffering and have difficulty putting decent food on the table,” he said.
He said workers are not exempted from the hike in fuel prices and are suffering first hand from the rise in cost of living.
“Circumstances have changed and more needs to be done. We cannot draw comfort by Governments’ assurance that taxes will not be raised, or VAT will remain at 12.5 percent and that previous assistance will remain.
“The minister (Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel) has basically tried to justify assistance to workers with what was done some two years ago or even last year which was given. There have been no new wages for workers in light of the rise in cost of living.”
The FTUC also condemned the governments’ decision to reduce Fiji National Provident Fund by two percent which Anthony said only worked for employers.
“It basically means that there has been a 2 percent pay cut for all workers. Government alone stands to save around $30 million (US$15 million) with this cut. Workers as a whole stand to lose hundreds of million dollars collectively. More so at a time when workers are struggling to put decent food on the table.”
Anthony argued the budget was heavily favoring government-owned enterprises and the private sector while the new and much needed relief for workers were not considered…..PACNEWS
FIJI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 29 Jun 2026
Seams won’t bust: Local infrastructure being upgraded to accommodate higher arrivals
SUVA, 29 JUNE 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—Fiji’s local infrastructure can comfortably handle a breach of the one-million-visitor mark without sacrificing high tourism yields or overloading services, according to ANZ Group senior Pacific Economist Dr Kishti Sen.
Allaying concerns that pushing for record visitor headcounts would place too much pressure on local properties and infrastructure, he said the country was already gearing up for much larger targets.
“Fiji won’t be ‘busting at the seams’ if it accommodated one million visitors in a calendar year,” Dr Sen told this newspaper in an e-mail interview yesterday, noting Fiji’s tourism industry had averaged 966,348 annual visitors from 2023 to 2025.
“In fact, Fiji’s aspirational near-term target is to welcome 1.25 million visitors by 2027 and two to three million arrivals by 2034.
“And we don’t need to lift occupancy all the way up to 100 percent and sacrifice on yields to those magical milestones,” he said.
Instead, he said maintaining occupancy around 80 percent would preserve yields, reduce staff stress, and allow for property maintenance.
“I’m banking on more rooms coming online from new developments to comfortably accommodate Fiji’s aspirational visitor benchmarks.”
He added major local infrastructure upgrades were already underway and or soon to be, including planned expansions by Fiji Airports at Nadi International Airport to handle higher passenger throughput.
However, Dr Sen warned of stiffening global competition for Fiji’s core market of young families.
Outbound travel from Australia and New Zealand to ‘value-for-money destinations’ like Bali, Vietnam, and Thailand has surged by double digits, causing Fiji’s Kiwi arrivals to drop by 11.8 percent this April, he said.
To counteract this, Dr Sen suggested policy interventions, viewing potential government costs like a repeat of the FJD$150(US$75) holiday stipend and a 50 percent departure tax cut as a “glass half full” scenario.
“Fiji heavily promotes itself as a family friendly and safe destination.
“That is our core market and I would like some consolidation and preferably more growth in this segment.”
He emphasised that the upfront costs would be easily offset by the massive influx of consolidated government revenue generated by higher visitor spending…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
What the RFMF means to Fiji: Beyond the Budget — and Into the Grey Zone
Opinion by Ro Jone Kalouniwai, RFMF Commnander
SUVA, 29 JUNE 2026 (FIJI SUN— “A reduced budget has never stopped a soldier from serving. It will not stop us now”.
There is a conversation worth having before we talk about numbers and allocations.
It is a conversation about what this institution has quietly meant to this nation — not in press releases or parade grounds, but in the lived reality of ordinary Fijians across every island, every village, and every storm.
And it is a conversation about the nature of the threat that faces us today — a threat that does not wear a uniform, does not declare itself at our borders, and does not announce its arrival with the sound of artillery.
The RFMF has never asked for recognition. But perhaps it is time we offer it anyway — and in doing so, ask ourselves honestly what it would cost us not to have it.
PART ONE
The Quiet Work That Holds Fiji Together
1. A DOORWAY FOR FIJIANS WHO HAVE NO OTHER DOOR
For thousands of young men and women from remote maritime and rural communities, the uniform was not simply a career — it was a doorway.
A doorway to skills, to purpose, to a wage that fed children and kept roofs over families. Like any organisation’s workforce, our soldiers are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, working to provide for those they love. The difference is that they do so while simultaneously carrying the weight of a nation on their shoulders.
Like any organisation’s workforce, our soldiers are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, working to provide for those they love. The difference is that they do so while simultaneously carrying the weight of a nation on their shoulders.
2. WHEN FIJI FALLS, THEY LIFT US BACK UP
When Tropical Cyclone Winston tore through our islands and left communities in ruin, it was RFMF engineers who rolled up their sleeves and restored over 200 schools and public facilities.
They did not wait to be invited. They did not send an invoice. They simply showed up — as they always have.
3. BUILDING COMMUNITIES THAT BUDGETS FORGET
Year after year, with no fanfare and no press conference, the RFMF Engineers Rural Development Unit has served an average of over 100 communities and villages annually.
They construct community halls, rural teachers’ quarters, schools, nursing stations, roads, river crossings, and family homes — in places where no contractor will go, in communities that a budget spreadsheet has never visited. Every nail driven, every foundation laid, every roof raised — free of charge. No labour cost. No invoice. Just service.
Year after year, with no fanfare and no press conference, the RFMF Engineers Rural Development Unit has served an average of over 100 communities and villages annually.
4. CARRYING FIJI’S NAME ACROSS THE WORLD
Since 1978, more than 40,000 Fijians have worn the blue beret of United Nations peacekeeping missions.
They have stood between conflict and civilians in some of the most dangerous places on earth — carrying this nation’s name with quiet honour and earning global respect for a small island state that punches far above its weight.
The millions of dollars in remittances sent home have sustained families and communities throughout the islands.
5. SHAPING THE LEADERS FIJI WILL NEED TOMORROW
In over 70 schools across the country, young Fijians are learning more than parade drill through RFMF cadet programmes.
They are learning discipline, resilience, teamwork, and the quiet confidence that comes from being held to a high standard — qualities that no classroom curriculum alone can teach.
6. FIRST IN, LAST OUT — HERE AND ACROSS THE REGION
When cyclones flood our roads, when landslides cut off our communities, when the sea rises and the winds howl, the RFMF does not wait for conditions to improve.
They move into the storm. They have done so not only in Fiji, but across our Pacific neighbourhood — standing alongside Tonga, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands during their most desperate hours, because the Pacific family looks after its own.
7. WHEN THE WORLD STOPPED, THE RFMF DID NOT
When COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill, the RFMF held Fiji’s borders, managed quarantine facilities, distributed food rations, and maintained civil order at a time when uncertainty threatened to unravel what we had built.
They held the line — quietly, steadfastly, and without complaint.
8. GUARDIANS OF 1.3 MILLION SQUARE KILOMETRES
Every single day, in waters stretching across 1.3 million square kilometres of ocean, RFMF naval personnel patrol our maritime sovereignty — guarding our borders, supporting Police, and safeguarding our exclusive economic zone from those who would exploit it.
PART TWO
The War That Has No Name
Understanding the Grey Zone Threat Facing Fiji
There are those who look at the images released today — narcotics parcels bound in evidence tape on a remote beach in the Lau Group, weapons retrieved from an abandoned villa, sailors in open water, divers surfacing with recovered contraband — and still struggle to see a nation at war.
This is understandable. The wars we learned about in school had frontlines. They had uniforms on both sides.
They had a beginning and an end, a declaration and a peace treaty. What Fiji faces today has none of these markers. And that is precisely what makes it so dangerous.
What we face is not a conventional war. It is something far harder to fight: a conflict that lives in the grey zone — below the threshold of declared hostilities, above the capacity of normal policing, and threaded through the very fabric of our national life.
THE DRUG PANDEMIC
Narcotics are not arriving in Fiji through military invasion.
They arrive hidden in fishing vessels, buried in sand on remote island shores, passed through networks that span continents.
They do not respect our borders because our borders — 1.3 million square kilometres of open ocean — were never designed to stop them. Every parcel seized in our chain of Islands is not simply a police matter.
It is a battle won in a war that most people have not yet recognised is being fought.
The drugs that reach our communities do not stay on the coastline. They enter schools. They enter churches. They enter the homes of families in Suva, in Labasa, in Sigatoka. They steal futures from young people whose names we will never see in any report — until it is too late.
THE CORRUPTION OF INSTITUTIONS WE DEPEND ON
Transnational crime does not operate in a vacuum.
It requires enablers — people inside the systems designed to stop it. When corruption takes root inside border agencies, the police force, the judicial system, or the business sector, it does not simply weaken those institutions.
It hollows them out. It turns the very mechanisms of governance and law enforcement into instruments of the problem they were created to solve.
This is the second front of the grey zone war: not the drug shipment itself, but the systemic rot that allows it to pass through undetected, uncharged, and unpunished.
It is a war against institutional integrity — and it is being lost in slow motion in places where no camera crew will follow.
THE EXPLOITATION OF THE VULNERABLE
The recent case involving the trafficking of three young teenage girls is not an isolated incident.
It is a symptom. When institutional trust collapses, when corruption displaces accountability, when communities are weakened by addiction and economic despair, the most vulnerable among us — our children, our women, our elderly — become the targets of those who operate in the spaces left behind by failing systems.
The RFMF’s support to Police in this case is not a military overreach. It is the only available response to an institutional gap that has left our most innocent citizens unprotected.
Fiji is not fighting a war in the conventional sense. But Fiji is absolutely in a crisis — one that is harder to see, harder to measure, and infinitely harder to win than any declared conflict. It lives in the grey. And it is growing.
PART THREE
A Response to the Budget Debate — With Respect
The RFMF acknowledges and genuinely respects the concerns raised in public commentary regarding national budget allocations — including the position that military spending should be reduced on the grounds that Fiji is not engaged in conventional warfare. These are legitimate questions in any democracy, and this institution welcomes them.
But we ask those who hold this view to look again. Not at our budget line, but at our work. At the sailors operating in open seas in the Lau Group this week.
At the engineers who built a rural school and Community Hall last month with no press release. At the soldiers who distributed food rations during COVID while the rest of the country stayed home.
At the peacekeepers who carried Fiji’s flag to the world’s most dangerous places. At the cadets who are learning, right now, what it means to serve something larger than themselves.
The RFMF has always operated with the minimum of resources.
A reduced budget has never stopped a soldier from completing the mission. It will not stop us now. What we ask is simply this: before reducing the capacity of the one institution still extending its reach into the grey zones of this crisis — consider what is left if we are not there.
We share the belief that education, health, and welfare deserve every dollar they need. We have never argued otherwise.
But we would gently offer that a nation whose institutions are being hollowed out by corruption, whose communities are being poisoned by local peddlers offering narcotics, and whose children are being preyed upon by traffickers — is not a nation that can afford to reduce the reach of the few who are still fighting back.
A reduced budget has never stopped a soldier from serving. It will not stop us now.
Every sailor and soldier who wears this uniform took an oath — not to a government, not to a budget line, but to this nation and its people.
We are taught from our earliest days in uniform that no soldier is indispensable. You fall today; someone rises tomorrow to take your place. We do not mourn our fallen — we celebrate their courage, honour their sacrifice, and carry their mission forward.
The RFMF will continue to serve Fiji with everything it has — and everything it is.
‘Onward’…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Women in Metrology: Advancing Fair Trade Across the Pacific
SUVA, 29 JUNE 2026 (PIFS)—Building on the success of previous years, a two-week attachment training programme for legal metrology inspectors from Tonga and Papua New Guinea was successfully completed from 11 to 22 May 2026 at the Trading Standards laboratory in Auckland and was co-funded by the EU SPIRIT Project through the Pacific Quality Infrastructure (PQI) Initiative of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The training was delivered by Trading Standards New Zealand, part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
The training focused on the verification of weighing scales and fuel meters, which are essential for ensuring fairness in everyday transactions such as markets, supermarkets, petrol stations, and pharmacies. Accurate measurement supports consumer protection, fair trade, and trust in goods and services.
Among the participants were Seeghoi Namaliu, Legal Metrologist from the National Institute of Standards and Industrial Technology (NISIT), Papua New Guinea; and Palu Vulase Filihia, Assistant Secretary and Inspector of Weights and Measures, Price Control and Consumer Affairs Division, Enforcement Unit, Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, Tonga.
Reflecting upon the training, Secretary General Baron Waqa said “It was a pleasure to see the participation of two female inspectors in the training programme, highlighting the increasing role of women in legal metrology and quality infrastructure across the Pacific. Their participation reflects strengthened technical expertise and advances gender inclusion within national metrology systems, contributing to more effective consumer protection and fair-trade practices across the Pacific Islands.”
Trading Standards Manager Compliance and Enforcement, Phil Sorrell said, “We were delighted to host two more of our Pacific colleagues as part of the metrology workstream under the PQI Initiative. The enthusiasm and professionalism shown by Palu and Seeghoi during their time with the Auckland team, reaffirm our shared commitment to building trusted systems that support accuracy and fairness in trade measurement across the Pacific.”
Seeghoi and Palu concurred, stating “The training has significantly expanded our knowledge of legal metrology and deepened our understanding of its role in promoting fair trade and protecting consumers. We look forward to applying these techniques and sharing this knowledge across the Pacific.”
The PQI Initiative, coordinated by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, improves standards, metrology, conformity assessment, and accreditation systems, strengthening the quality of goods and services produced or consumed in the Pacific Island countries…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Ten Pacific entrepreneurs pitch for top climate and environment innovation prize in Vanuatu
28 JUNE 2026 (SPREP)— Whether it is integrating nature-based solutions into agriculture, unlocking the power of remote sensing and geospatial tools to improve lives, diverting food from waste or eliminating plastic nappy waste across the Pacific, all these innovative ideas and more promise a lively Pacific Innovation Forum for Climate and Environment (PIFCE) Private Sector Climate and Innovation Pitching Competition next week.
Ten organisations and companies from across the Blue Pacific have been selected from multiple entries and are heading to Port Vila to lock horns during the inaugural PIFCE Pitching competition.
Over two-days, consisting of the semifinal and final, the entrepreneurs will have to convince the Jury that their pitch is the best, offering a commercially viable solution with positive climate and environmental impact to our Pacific communities.
The winner will receive a cash prize of AUD 10,000. There will also be a People’s Choice award, to be determined by an audience vote during the final.
“There is definitely excitement and anticipation as we get closer to the day of competition,” said V-Lab Founder and President, Mr Marc-Antoine Morel.
“We look forward to welcoming all the finalists to Vanuatu, and playing a part in providing a dynamic space for innovators, entrepreneurs, communities, governments, and development partners to showcase practical and scalable solutions for a more resilient and sustainable Pacific.”
V-Lab Vanuatu, a Vanuatu-based charitable association has been at the forefront of supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, green economy initiatives, and social development across the country. V-Lab is co-organising PIFCE, an initiative originally fostered through a proposal the country’s first business and innovation incubator developed jointly with Hon. Minister Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Climate Change, reflecting a shared vision to create a Pacific-led platform for innovation and climate action.
More than 300 government officials, entrepreneurs, non-governmental organisations, civil society groups, private sector leaders, and academic institutions from across the Pacific are expected to be in Vanuatu next week, as active drivers of change in addressing global climate and environmental challenges.
PIFCE is supported by the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). SPREP Director of Climate Change Resilience, Tagaloa Cooper said the Forum is an opportunity for SPREP and partners to strengthen private sector engagement and encourage new forms of collaboration between businesses, innovators, government agencies, and communities.
“I want to congratulate all our finalists,” she said. “SPREP’s mandate is to promote cooperation in the Pacific region and provide assistance to protect and improve our environment. Innovation is key in fulfilling our mandate, and I also believe innovation must evolve to match the magnitude of the challenges before us. We look forward to hearing innovative pitches by our Pacific people, that are relevant and fit for purpose.”
The Private Sector Climate and Innovation Pitching Competition is designed to bridge the gap between innovation and financing, while fostering partnerships that can support growth, replication, and regional impact.
The finalists are: Natures Farm Fresh Supplies (Fiji), Eagle Vetiver Systems Ltd (PNG), ENVIROMESH (Australia), Blue Garden (French Polynesia), Greentech Ltd (Vanuatu), Sea and Soil (Fiji), Kahuto Pacific (Fiji), The Greater Good Diaper Project (Samoa), Fine Food (Vanuatu) and Powa mo Wota (Vanuatu).
The semifinal will be held on Wednesday 01 July. Only five pitches will advance to the final on Friday 3 July.
The inaugural Pacific Innovation Forum on Climate and Environment (PIFCE) is held in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 01–3 July 2026.
Attended by Government Ministers, officials, entrepreneurs, non-governmental organisations, civil society groups, private sector leaders, and academic institutions from across the Pacific, PIFCE is an initiative of the Government of Vanuatu.
It is supported by the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), V-Lab Vanuatu, Japan International Cooperation Agency, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, British High Commission Port Vila and the United Kingdom Development. …PACNEWS
To find out more, visit: https://pcccinnovation.com/pifce2026/
