In this bulletin:
1. SOL — Solomon Islands GREAT coalition to unveil policy blueprint on Monday
2. AUST — Australian Parliament opens inquiry into Australia-Vanuatu Nakamal agreement
3. COOKS — Cook Islands Unity Party leader says talks with New Zealand could wait until after election
4. PACIFIC — Asia Pacific leaders updated on Fiji’s Pre-Cop preparations
5. PNG — PNG received millions after Cyclone Maila, but some residents still wait for relief
6. W|PAPUA — Papua separatists kill American pilot in ‘message’ to U.S and Indonesia
7. PACNEWS BIZ — Resource rich PNG leaving its Pacific people behind: World Bank
8. PACNEWS BIZ — PAFCO dismisses closure fears, workers assured
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Report finds labour migration putting pressure on Samoa businesses
10. PACNEWS BIZ — U.S Coast Guard, Fijian partners conduct bilateral operations in Fiji
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Desperate warning raises questions about the future of Chuuk hospital
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — ClimSA Pacific expands coding Capacity Training to Polynesia with Tonga workshop
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Five entrepreneurs make final of PIFCE Climate and Innovation Pitching Competition
SOL – POLITICS: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS 2: Fri 03 Jul 2026
Solomon Islands GREAT coalition to unveil policy blueprint on Monday
HONIARA, 03 JULY 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS)–Solomon Islands GREAT Coalition Government will unveil its long-awaited policy blueprint on Monday 6th July , setting out the direction of Prime Minister Matthew Wale’s administration following its rise to power last month.
Assistant Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ronald Toito’ona, confirmed that the Government’s policy document will be officially launched in Honiara.
The document is expected to outline the Coalition’s priorities and reform agenda after the Government assumed office following the successful vote of no confidence that ousted former Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele.
Since taking office, Wale has repeatedly pledged that his Government will deliver change, warning Solomon Islanders that some of the reforms would be difficult but necessary to rebuild public confidence and strengthen governance.
The Government has already begun implementing a number of changes.
These include the removal of several Permanent Secretaries, the reshuffling of two others, and the suspension of the Commissioner of Police Ian Vaevaso, while investigations into drug-related allegations continue.
The Prime Minister has also identified reform of the country’s mining sector as one of his administration’s key priorities, promising greater transparency and stronger governance to ensure Solomon Islands derives greater benefits from its natural resources.
He has also announced the provision of free education starting next year.
The launch of the policy document is expected to provide the first comprehensive outline of the Government’s plans across key sectors, including governance, economic development, public sector reform and national priorities. PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 2 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
The GREAT Coalition came to power after Parliament passed a vote of no confidence against the previous administration, paving the way for Wale’s election as Prime Minister.
Monday’s launch will be closely watched as the Government sets out its roadmap for delivering on its election promises and the reforms it says are needed to reshape the country’s future…PACNEWS
AUST – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Fri 03 Jul 2026
Australian Parliament opens inquiry into Australia-Vanuatu Nakamal agreement
CANBERRA, 03 JULY 202(PACNEWS)—- The Parliament of Australia has opened submissions for an inquiry into the proposed Australia-Vanuatu Nakamal Agreement, with the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) set to examine whether the treaty advances Australia’s security interests in the Pacific.
According to the Parliament of Australia, the committee has commenced its inquiry into the agreement, which proposes to strengthen the security relationship between Australia and Vanuatu through new obligations and commitments for both countries.
The statement said the proposed agreement would see Vanuatu commit to preventing its territory from being used for foreign military bases, while Australia would increase its support in policing, development and disaster response.
“The Nakamal Agreement proposes to develop Australia and Vanuatu’s security relationship by creating new obligations and commitments for both parties.”
It states that these proposed commitments include “Vanuatu committing to prevent its territory being used for foreign military bases and Australia increasing policing, development and disaster response assistance.”
The committee will assess whether the agreement strengthens Australia’s security interests in the Pacific.
The Parliament is inviting individuals and organisations to provide submissions on the agreement and its implications.
Submissions will remain open until Wednesday, 29 July 2026, and can be lodged online through the committee’s website, where the full treaty text, National Interest Analysis, and guidance for submissions are also available…..PACNEWS
COOKS – ELECTION/POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 2: Fri 03 Jul 2026
Cook Islands Unity Party leader says talks with New Zealand could wait until after election
RAROTONGA, 03 JULY 2026 (PMN)—The leader of the Cook Islands United Party says major talks with New Zealand could be put on hold until after both countries have gone through their upcoming elections.
Te Ariki Heather says if his party wins the 12 August election, it would pause efforts to reset relations with Wellington until New Zealand’s own general election later this year.
Speaking on Pacific Mornings, Heather said timing would be key to repairing what he described as a strained relationship under current Prime Minister Mark Brown.
“Our plan is, once we take government, we wait until the 7th of November when New Zealand makes their decision on who’s the government,” Heather said.
“Looking at next year will be sort of a priority for us to come across to New Zealand and sort of like to discuss our relationship.” PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 3 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
New Zealand officials have previously stressed that the Cook Islands’ relationship with Wellington is built on a long-standing constitutional arrangement, with both countries closely linked through citizenship and shared responsibilities.
“New Zealand and the Cook Islands are close partners, with many constitutional, Pacific, and people-to-people links,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
Cook Islanders hold New Zealand citizenship under the current free association arrangement, which has shaped the relationship between the two countries for decades.
Heather also moved to rule out any move towards a separate Cook Islands passport.
He said the country’s ties with Aotearoa must remain central.
“We will never in the Cook Islands have our own passport,” he said. “We love our relationship with our people in New Zealand, Australia and everywhere else and we want to keep New Zealand associated or citizenship with New Zealand. “
The Cook Islands government has previously said it remains committed to its relationship with New Zealand while maintaining its own identity.
“Celebrating Cook Islands identity while preserving our relationship with New Zealand,” Brown’s office has said in a previous statement on constitutional ties.
Domestically, Heather says the rising cost of living and inflation and a new water tariff are among the biggest concerns for families.
He said the United Party would push to reduce reliance on imported food by investing more in farming and fishing and encouraging people back to the homeland.
‘It’s a focus for us to try and reduce NCDs in Cook Island and the only way we can do that is go back to the land, plant and vegetables and everything else.
“When we take government, we’re going to really increase the budget for agriculture,but also demand power in that area and encourage our people to go back and plant in the land.
Heather also criticised Brown’s economic outlook, saying it does not reflect the pressure households are feeling from higher freight and import costs.
‘It’s not as rosy as the Prime Minister thinks it is because the increase in our freight costs and everything else will have a huge impact on all imported goods to the country now, but more so in the area of where our GDP is rising as well.
Prime Minister Brown has said strong tourism numbers have helped the Cook Islands avoid a five percent drop in GDP.
However, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management has warned the economy could still face inflation pressures and a possible downturn.
Heather said his party is ready for the campaign ahead with policy work already well underway.
“We’ve been ready since the beginning of this year,” he says. “We’ve been working hard, getting all our manifesto policies ready.”
Under the current arrangement, New Zealand retains responsibility for defence and foreign affairs at the request of the Cook Islands, while the country remains self-governing in free association.
The Cook Islands goes to the polls on 12 August to elect 24 members of parliament…..PACNEWS PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 4 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: FIJI GOVT PACNEWS 2: Fri 03 Jul 2026
Asia Pacific leaders updated on Fiji’s Pre-Cop preparations
BANGKOK, 03 JULY 2026 (FIJI GOVT)—Fiji has updated Asia-Pacific leaders on preparations to host the Pacific Pre-COP meeting in Nadi this October, with Minister for Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya outlining the Pacific’s priorities ahead of COP31 in Türkiye.
Delivering Fiji’s national statement at the Ninth Session of the Committee on Environment and Development in Bangkok, Thailand,Tabuya said the Pre-COP will bring Pacific and key global leaders together to build consensus around key regional priorities, including keeping the 1.5°C temperature goal within reach, improving access to climate finance, and strengthening the climate-ocean nexus as a central pillar of global climate action.
She also highlighted the appointment of the Pacific Special Envoys to COP31, who will work alongside Pacific leaders to ensure the region speaks with one strong voice during the negotiations.
“Collaboration, coordination and collective action must be the foundation of Agenda 2030 and beyond,” Tabuya said.
The Minister said Fiji’s Climate Change Act 2021 demonstrates the country’s whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach by bringing together communities, traditional resource owners, provincial and local authorities, civil society, the private sector and development partners to deliver climate action.
Tabuya reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to protecting biodiversity through ecosystem restoration, stronger environmental legislation and enforcement, expanded protected areas, and community-led conservation, while ensuring Pacific priorities remain at the forefront of global climate negotiations.
Meanwhile, Fiji has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring young people help shape climate action during a bilateral meeting requested by the Asia Pacific youth of the Ninth Session of the Committee on Environment and Development in Bangkok, Thailand.
Tabuya highlighted Fiji’s investment in youth leadership through initiatives such as the Climate Youth Negotiator Programme, Yumi Rise Collective Leadership Programme and the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network Youth Leadership Programme, which prepare young people for climate diplomacy and decision-making.
The Minister also updated youth representatives on Fiji’s preparations to host the Pacific Pre-COP31 meeting from 05–08 October, including plans for a dedicated youth convening with UNICEF, UNFPA and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), ensuring young Pacific voices help shape the region’s priorities ahead of COP31…. PACNEWS
PNG – CYCLONE RESPONSE: RFA PACNEWS 2: Fri 03 Jul 2026
PNG received millions after Cyclone Maila, but some residents still wait for relief
PORT MORESBY, 03 JULY 2026 (RFA)— After Cyclone Maila devastated parts of Papua New Guinea in April, disaster relief funds poured into the country, but many of the affected residents told Radio Free Asia that they have received little or no assistance from authorities.
In early April, the cyclone appeared over the Solomon Sea, between PNG and the Solomon Islands. It rapidly increased in intensity and severely damaged roads and homes, and submerged crops. PNG authorities reported 25 fatalities due to landslides and flooding.
Though authorities have been trying to assist affected residents, they have not yet been able to reach everyone. Marina Kaisa Eroro, who lives with her family in Samarai Island off the southeastern tip of the New Guinean mainland, told RFA. PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 5 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
The cyclone blew down her breadfruit, betel nut, and fruit trees, she said.
“The trees fell on our water tank and damaged our source of drinking water,” said Eroro. “No assistance at all came from the authorities.”
Eroro said that councillors from the ward, the lowest division of the local government, had visited to determine the extent of damage.
The island is under the jurisdiction of the Bwanabwana Rural local-level government, or LLG, in the Samarai-Murua district of Milne Bay Province.
The province is headquartered on the mainland, though many of its administrative bodies are located on Samarai, which was the provincial capital until 1968.
“No national or provincial government official visited our area to assess the damage,” said Eroro.
Even in cases where residents do get assistance, it is minimal, Cora Diala, who lives in a small village in Weraura LLG, in the same province but on the mainland, told RFA.
“Last month was the first time we saw relief supplies from the government,” she said, adding that the extent of the relief was a 1 kilogramne packet of rice for most people. “Widows like me got two packets of rice. Nothing else.”
After the storm had dissipated, foreign governments began offering money to the PNG government as aid.
On 14 May, the Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby handed over US$1 million to the PNG government in a public handover ceremony, during which Chargé d’affaires Pang Hanzhao, after giving the oversized check to several senior officials, including Prime Minister James Marape, expressed condolences to the affected people, saying “a friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Marape expressed his gratitude, saying the assistance came at a critical time, when the government was continuing to “support communities affected by Cyclone Maila, and is gratefully appreciated by the PNG Government and people.”
Other countries also provided assistance, including US$1.72 million from Australia to both PNG and the Solomon Islands.
The U.S, meanwhile, delivered relief supplies through existing disaster preparedness programmes.
But the government has not distributed assistance to everyone affected.
It focused only on the areas and communities that needed assistance most, Randal Ganisi, the acting disaster coordinator in Milne Bay province, told RFA.
“Much of the relief supplies was given to Murua Island communities who were severely affected by the tropical cyclone Maila than those only partly affected,” said Ganisi. “However other districts of Milne Bay province were not supported with relief supplies due to the fact that they were not severely affected.”
Though he provided a list of LLGs that the supplies were delivered to, he was not able to provide an outline of how much cash and food supplies were sent to each territory.
RFA contacted the National Coordinator for an update on the distribution but received no response….PACNEWS PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 6 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
W|PAPUA – PILOT KILLED: THE GUARDIAN PACNEWS 2: Fri 03 Jul 2026
Papua separatists kill American pilot in ‘message’ to U.S and Indonesia
JAYAPURA, 03 JULY 2206 (THE GUARDIAN)—Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s restive easternmost region of Papua have shot dead an American pilot and set a civilian plane on fire, in what a spokesperson for a local militant group described as a “message” to the U.S and Indonesian governments.
Sebby Sambom, a spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), named the pilot as Nicholas F Gosselin and said separatist fighters had set his plane on fire after it landed in the Yahukimo region of Highland Papua province.
He claimed the aircraft had been “frequently dropping Indonesian military personnel and violating the TPNPB’s ultimatum”.
A low-level battle for independence from Indonesia has long raged in the resource-rich western half of Papua, where attacks by independence fighters have grown deadlier and more frequent as they have procured better weaponry.
Yusuf Sutejo, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s joint police-military operations in Papua, confirmed that a plane with an American pilot carrying seven passengers had been found burned at an airport in Yahukimo, but he could not confirm whether it had been attacked by rebels or whether the pilot had been killed. All the passengers were Papuans, he said.
Sebby said the attack in the Balinggama district of Yahukimo was a message to the Indonesian and U.S government for “failing to address the root causes of the conflict in Papua between the Indonesian military and the West Papua National Liberation Army”.
He said rebels would start conducting attacks if Indonesia kept allowing civilian aircraft to enter rebel-controlled red zones of Papua.
Rebels carried guns and axes and raised the Morning Star flag, a symbol of independence, while announcing the attack, according to a video sent by TPNPB.
The U.S embassy in Jakarta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Indonesia’s transportation ministry said the plane had carried one pilot and seven passengers and had flown to Yahukimo from Wamena, another city in Highland Papua.
It said communications had ceased after the plane landed. The aircraft is owned by the airline operator PT AMA, whose planes carry food, fuel and mail to remote villages in Papua, according to its website. PT AMA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In February 2023, Papuan rebels kidnapped a New Zealand pilot, Phillip Mehrtens, after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga in Highland Papu. They freed him in September 2024….PACNEWS PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 7 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
PACNEWS BIZ
PNG – RESOURCES: AFP PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 03 Jul 2026
Resource rich PNG leaving its Pacific people behind: World Bank
PORT MORESBY, 03 JULY 2026 (AFP)—Gold and gas-driven economic growth in Papua New Guinea, the South Pacific’s largest nation, is leaving its people behind, the World Bank said on Thursday.
Papua New Guinea saw strong economic growth of 5.6 percent last year, up from 3.4 percent in 2024, as world prices for its gold, copper and liquefied natural gas exports soared.
But these industries contribute only 6 percent of formal jobs, and foreign-invested gas projects largely kept earnings offshore, said a World Bank report.
When rapid population growth was taken into account, employment fell by 0.3 percent last year, the World Bank found.
It painted a dire picture of a nation where one-in-two children under five years has stunted growth, and nearly three-quarters of 10 year-olds leave school illiterate. Eighty percent of those with jobs are employed informally.
The report described “a growing economy that is leaving most of its people behind”.
In the highlands of Goroka in central PNG, Maureen Ken says she is “struggling”, out of sight and mind of government officials, as she provides jobs for 80 villagers at a coffee processing factory she built six years ago in her home town.
Women dry coffee in the sun and hand pick beans. Men move hundreds of sacks of beans that arrive from growers, preparing for export to Australia.
“The kids are going to school because they can pay for the school fees. They can pay for medical bills in the hospital and buy medicine,” she told AFP in a telephone interview.
“They are working and supporting their families. They really appreciate that.”
Her coffee company, Lass Malo, is also transforming life for growers.
“We drive into the remote areas with rugged roads and mountains with our own vehicles, we pay for our own fuel. Then we bring in the coffee to the factory, and they get a good door price at the factory,” she said.
But she adds, “All my vehicles now have wear and tear. I am still struggling here.”
Reshika Singh, the World Bank’s senior economist for PNG, said the government needs to find ways to support private businesses, if it wants to create enough jobs.
“Agriculture is the key driver for job creation in Papua New Guinea, as the country moves up the value chain and commercialisation. But to reach there, several constraints need to be addressed and one of them is access to roads, access to transport,” she said.
A third of PNG’s population live more than 2 kilometres from all-season roads, cutting them off from markets, services and formal employment. …PACNEWS PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 8 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
FIJI – FISHERIES: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 03 Jul 2026
PAFCO dismisses closure fears, workers assured
LEVUKA, 03 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN)—The Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) has assured workers their jobs are safe despite the departure of long-time partner Bumble Bee Seafoods, announcing it has secured a new agreement with one of Spain’s largest tuna exporters to keep the cannery operating.
Responding to growing concerns over the future of the Levuka-based fish processing plant, PAFCO management representative Ashok Kumar said Bumble Bee would finish processing this week, but the company’s operations would continue under a new partnership.
“There is a lot of misconception going around lately.
“So, I think this is a good opportunity to clear things once and for all.
“There was some news going around that Bumble Bee was leaving PAFCO – that is true, yes they are leaving.
“This is the last week of processing,” he said.
Kumar said PAFCO had already secured a replacement partner.
“Having said that, PAFCO has joined hands with one of the largest suppliers from Spain, they are one of the largest tuna exporters in Spain which we have signed an agreement with.
“So there is no need for people to worry about their jobs and the future operations of the company.
“The work will continue and PAFCO will go on in terms of doing business,” he said.
He acknowledged the tuna industry continued to face global challenges.
“The global trend is tuna stocks are declining because if the lack of vessels going out due to high fuel costs.
“People are still employed and they will continue to be employed.”
Kumar made the comments during the Fijian Media Association town hall meeting in Levuka on Wednesday night.
His reassurance follows months of concern among Ovalau residents about the future of the Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO), one of the island’s largest employers.
The issue was raised at the Lomaiviti Provincial Council meeting in May, where Losio Waqa said residents were worried by reports that production had slowed and that some workers had been told to stay home because of reduced fish supplies.
He also raised concerns that Bumble Bee Seafoods was due to end its operations at the processing facility in June.
Kumar said the new partnership would ensure PAFCO remained in business and that employees would continue to have work…..PACNEWS PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 9 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
SAMOA – MIGRATION/BUSINESS: TALAMUA MEDIA PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 03 Jul 2026
Report finds labour migration putting pressure on Samoa businesses
APIA, 03 JULY 2026 (TALAMUA MEDIA)— Despite the benefits Samoa gets from labour mobility through overseas employment opportunities, remittances and worker experience, domestic businesses are also facing increasing pressure.
This is one of the major findings of the Labour Migration Survey Report 2025/2026 launched by the Chamber of Commerce last week.
The report highlights the need to balance these benefits with stronger local workforce development, employer support, improved workforce data systems, return-worker reintegration and the productive use of remittances.
The report is based on 408 valid business responses collected from July 2025 to April 2026. It provides an evidence-based assessment of how labour migration and labour mobility pathways are affecting Samoa’s private sector through workforce departures, skills shortages, staff retention costs, replacement challenges and productivity impacts.
Key findings from the report show:
*Labour mobility-related workforce departures are substantial but uneven across sector.
*Retail/Wholesale, Hospitality/Tourism and Manufacturing recorded the highest numbers of affected businesses.
*While skilled and semi-skilled workers were the most affected role categories.
*Businesses also reported rising wage and incentive costs, productivity pressures and challenges in replacing experienced worker.
The report identifies priority action areas including the establishment of a private sector workforce data and HR reporting system, sector-specific workforce plans, practical skills development, employer retention support, return-migrant reintegration, remittance investment pathways, improved access to Government and donor support, and productivity-enhancing technology and automation.
The launch brought together invited guests from the diplomatic corps, development partners, Government representatives, members of the private sector and key national stakeholders for an evening of dialogue, networking and reflection on the impact of labour migration and labour mobility on Samoa’s workforce and business community.
Will Robinson, Australian High Commissioner to Samoa acknowledged the importance of evidence-based policy dialogue and continued partnership in supporting Samoa’s private sector and labour market resilience.
“From Australia’s perspective, we recognise that labour mobility pathways – such as the PALM scheme and the Pacific Engagement Visa – can present a dual reality of both benefits and challenges to participating countries. Australia remains committed to supporting Samoa to get this balance right and we are committed to listening to you and tailoring our migration pathways in response,” said Robinson.
SCCI President Fa’asootauloa Sam Saili also acknowledged the support of the Government of Australia through MDF and recognised the contribution of key national partners including the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour, the Samoa Bureau of Statistics and the Labour and Employment Export Programme.
“Labour mobility is an important part of Samoa’s development story, but it must be supported by stronger domestic workforce planning and private sector resilience,” said Fa’asootauloa. PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 10 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
“This report does not seek to question the value of labour mobility. Rather, it calls for a more balanced and coordinated approach that supports workers, families, employers and Samoa’s wider economy.”
SCCI Chief Executive Officer John Lemoa said the report provides a practical evidence base to support future dialogue between the private sector, Government and development partners.
“The value of this report is that it captures the voice of businesses directly. It helps us move from general concern to practical action. The findings will guide SCCI’s advocacy, sector planning and support services for members and the wider private sector,” he said….PACNEWS
FIJI – MARITIME SURVEILLENCE: US EMBASSY PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 03 Jul 2026
U.S Coast Guard, Fijian partners conduct bilateral operations in Fiji
SUVA, 03 JULY 2026 (US EMBASSY) — The crew of medium endurance cutter USCGC Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) conducted bilateral maritime law enforcement operations with Fijian partners across Fiji’s sovereign waters, including the Southern Lau Group, from 20–26 June.
During bilateral maritime law enforcement patrols spanning six days, the Harriet Lane crew assisted officers from the Republic of Fiji Navy, Fiji Police Force, Fiji Ministry of Fisheries, and Fiji Revenue and Customs Service with 32 boardings of commercial fishing vessels and recreational vessels within Fijian waters, performing safety checks, reviewing documentation, inspecting gear, and verifying catch.
The Harriet Lane crew and Fijian partners conducted these operations under the existing bilateral maritime law enforcement agreement between the United States and Fiji.
These agreements allow U.S Coast Guard personnel to assist partner nations with enforcing their sovereign laws and protecting shared maritime interests, countering malign behaviors and transnational criminal activities.
“Our collaboration on the water actively deters illegal fishing, narcotics trafficking, and other illicit activities that jeopardise the livelihoods of Fijian mariners and communities,” said CDR Justin Matejka, commanding officer of the Harriet Lane.
“While the Harriet Lane provides the operational platform and capabilities, our Fijian partners lead operations under our bilateral agreement, determining where to patrol, which vessels to board, identifying violations, and carrying out the follow-on procedures necessary to safeguard their sovereignty.”
During their port call in Suva, the crew hosted tours highlighting the cutter’s maritime law enforcement capabilities and participated in a subject matter expert exchange at the Vuvale Maritime Essential Services Centre to discuss search and rescue and illegal fishing concerns around Fiji’s waters.
Additionally, the crew played American flag football with Nasinu and Sila primary school students and attended a reception hosted by John Degory, Chargé d’Affaires, alongside local Fijian officials, U.S Embassy staff, and representatives from Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
“The Harriet Lane’s arrival here is not a routine port call. It is a visible expression of the United States’ enduring commitment to this region – a commitment embodied in Operation Blue Pacific,” said Chargé d’Affaires John Degory.
“Through Operation Blue Pacific, the U.S Coast Guard deploys throughout the region to promote maritime safety, security, and cooperation with our partners. We do this because we believe in a peaceful, secure, and prosperous Pacific – one where every nation, large or small, can exercise sovereignty over its waters, protect its resources, and benefit from lawful access to the maritime domain.”
The Harriet Lane crew visited Fiji as part of their ongoing Operation Blue Pacific patrol, which commenced earlier in June…PACNEWS PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 11 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
FSM – HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 03 Jul 2026
Desperate warning raises questions about the future of Chuuk hospital
CHUUK, 03 JULY 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES)—A warning from Chuuk’s top health official has reignited concerns about the safety and future of Chuuk State Hospital as deteriorating infrastructure continues to threaten the island’s primary healthcare facility.
In a recent letter to Chuuk State Governor Alexander R. Narruhn, Director of Health Services Dr Bosco Buliche issued what may be one of the strongest public appeals ever made regarding the hospital’s condition.
The urgency of the message was apparent from the subject line itself: “Desperate Reminder: Imminent Fire Hazard and Forced Shutdown of Hospital Due to Severe Roof Leaks.”
The wording reflected more than frustration. It reflected alarm. “I am writing to you today to issue a desperate plea for immediate intervention before an irreversible tragedy occurs at Chuuk State Hospital,” Buliche wrote. “Today, I am forced to remind you—with the heaviest sense of urgency—that the situation has officially crossed the line from logistical nightmare into a clear and present danger to human life.”
For many residents, the letter confirms what healthcare workers and patients have been witnessing for years: a facility struggling under the weight of aging infrastructure, chronic maintenance challenges and limited resources.
Originally built with a 120-bed capacity, the Chuuk hospital is the only inpatient facility in the State of Chuuk, serving over half of the FSM population, nearly 50,000, spread out over dozens of islands inside and beyond the Chuuk Lagoon. The hospital underwent renovations in 2008 by Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133, funded by the Department of Defence Pacific Partnership program.
According to Buliche, severe roof leaks have created conditions that could potentially lead to electrical fires, placing patients, staff and visitors at risk. The situation is especially troubling because Chuuk State Hospital is the only primary referral centre for thousands of residents across the state.
A few days after the letter, however, the United Nations’ International Organisation for Migration came to the rescue with the hospital roofing work done and videographed on Facebook. According to the IOM website, the organisation is a key player in responding to humanitarian and public health emergencies, and supporting health system recovery and resilience.
When the director of health services warns of an “imminent fire hazard” and the possibility of a forced hospital shutdown, the issue extends beyond building maintenance. It becomes a public safety concern.
Hospitals are among the most critical institutions in any community. They provide emergency care, childbirth services, surgery, treatment for chronic illnesses and lifesaving interventions during disasters. Any disruption to hospital operations could have far-reaching consequences for the people who depend upon those services.
The concerns raised in Buliche’s letter also arrive at a time when Chuuk is already facing broader healthcare challenges. Like many Pacific island jurisdictions, the state continues to struggle with shortages of medical personnel, limited specialty services and the increasing cost of maintaining aging infrastructure.
The hospital’s deteriorating condition has long fueled discussions about replacement facilities and major capital investments. Over the years, local leaders, healthcare officials, and international development partners have discussed various plans to modernize healthcare infrastructure in Chuuk.
Yet many residents argue that progress has been slow compared with the population’s growing needs.
Buliche’s warning may now intensify pressure on policymakers to act more quickly. PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 12 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
What makes the letter particularly significant is its source. Health directors are generally measured and cautious in their public communications. Their role often requires balancing advocacy with administrative diplomacy. For such an official to describe the situation as a “clear and present danger to human life” suggests that concerns have reached a critical stage.
The letter raises difficult questions.
How long can the hospital continue operating safely under current conditions?
What contingency plans exist if portions of the facility become unusable? And how much longer can emergency repairs substitute for long-term solutions?
For patients and healthcare workers, these questions are not theoretical.
Doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff work daily inside the facility, often under challenging circumstances.
Patients arriving for treatment expect a safe environment where they can receive care without additional risk. Any threat to the hospital’s infrastructure directly affects those expectations.
The warning also places renewed attention on government priorities.
Infrastructure investments often compete with numerous other pressing needs, including education, transportation, public safety and economic development. Yet few public services are as essential as healthcare.
Buliche’s letter suggests that the cost of delay may now be greater than the cost of action.
Whether the immediate response involves emergency repairs, additional funding or accelerated plans for a replacement facility, the message from the Department of Health Services is unmistakable: the situation can no longer be viewed as routine deterioration.
“It’s horrible!” said Clark Graham, former assistant administrator for Akoyikoyi School in the village of Penea. He now lives in Gresham, Ore.
Relatives and parents from the school use that hospital regularly as it is the only major healthcare facility for the entire Chuuk state. And that worried Graham.
The letter serves as both a warning and a call to action.
The future of Chuuk State Hospital has been debated for years. But if Buliche’s assessment is accurate, the discussion may no longer be about future planning alone. It may now be about preventing a crisis before it occurs. And in the words of the state’s own health director, time appears to be running short. …PACNEWS PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 13 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
ClimSA Pacific expands coding Capacity Training to Polynesia with Tonga workshop
NUKU’ALOFA, 03 JULY 2026 (SPREP)—A five-day workshop in Python programming for climate data analysis is underway this week in Nukuʿalofa, bringing together National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) staff from across Polynesia through the funding support of the European Union’s Climate Services and Related Applications Programme in the Pacific (ClimSA).
Across Pacific Island countries, most weather offices depend on proprietary software to generate the climate products their communities rely on. These are tools that cannot be adapted to local conditions, interrogated when outputs are unclear, nor can they be maintained if the one staff member who knows how to operate them is no longer available.
When that happens, bulletins go out late or not at all, and seasonal outlooks become outdated and irrelevant. This is the operational vulnerability that the ClimSA Pacific capacity building series is designed to address.
“For a long time, weather offices here in the Pacific have had to use computing tools that we didn’t build and couldn’t change. This week, we are learning to use new, free tools that allow us to create our own weather stories. When we make our own maps and charts, we truly own the information and can better help our people,” said Salesa Nihmei, Director of SPREP’s Climate Science and Information Programme, at the opening of the Tonga workshop.
The workshop is jointly facilitated by Associate Professor Awnesh Singh from USP’s Centre for Sustainable Futures under the APN CAPYTHON project, alongside Dr Philip Sagero and Dr. Shilpa Lal and technical staff from Earth Science New Zealand (ESNZ).
The training covers the full stack of open-source climate data programming. Sessions cover Python fundamentals and scientific libraries including NumPy, Pandas, Xarray, and Cartopy, through to time series analysis, spatial mapping, and the processing and visualisation of NetCDF datasets.
A dedicated session focuses on connecting Python workflows directly to CliDE, the climate database system most Pacific NMHSs already operate, enabling the automation of routine products such as monthly bulletins and climate summaries that currently require manual production.
By the final day, participants will have worked with station data, gridded datasets, and satellite-derived products to produce publication-ready maps and scientific visualisations from raw data. A session on future applications introduces cloud-based tools including Google Colab, GitHub workflows, and dashboard development, pointing toward longer-term possibilities for collaborative and remotely accessible climate service delivery.
A core design principle of the ClimSA Pacific capacity building series is that training should not vest in a single individual. The workshop carries forward the train-the-trainers model established in Suva. Participants leave Tonga with not just new skills but a full training package, including session plans, structured documentation, and working code repositories that can be adapted to each country’s data environment and delivered to colleagues at home.
The participants were selected because they have both the technical background to absorb the material and the standing within their organisations to teach it forward, meaning that the ClimSA Pacific programme’s investment in this workshop is not bounded by the number of people in the room. PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 14 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
“You have been chosen for this training because you have the skills to lead. This is a learn-and-then-teach programme. We expect you to take what you learn here in Tonga back to your home islands and teach your workmates,” added Nihmei.
The decision to customise this second training for Polynesian met services reflects the ClimSA Pacific programme’s approach to demand-responsive capacity development: responding to what Pacific institutions identify as priorities and working with partners to build the technical infrastructure to meet them.
The Climate Data Analysis using Python Programming workshop, from 28th June to 3rd July at the Tanoa International Dateline Hotel, is the second in a series of EU-funded training activities delivered under the ClimSA Pacific programme. It follows a Train-the-Trainers workshop held at the University of the South Pacific in Suva in May, 2026, which equipped IT specialists from Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu with the programming skills.
Following that first workshop, meteorological services in Polynesia requested an equivalent training tailored to their operational context, and the ClimSA Pacific programme worked with partners to design and deliver this Tonga session accordingly.
The APN-funded CAPYTHON project has developed the training curriculum, resources and regional programming capacity that underpin these workshops, while the European Union-funded ClimSA Pacific programme has enabled the expansion of this capacity-building initiative across the Pacific. It is supported by the Climate and Oceans Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac)…PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Five entrepreneurs make final of PIFCE Climate and Innovation Pitching Competition
PORT VILA, 03 JULY 2026 (SPREP)— The finalists for the Pacific Innovation Forum for Climate and Environment (PIFCE) Private Sector Climate and Innovation Pitching Competition have been announced.
From the 10 organisations and companies from across the Blue Pacific who contested the semifinal round on Wednesday, five have made the cut and are preparing for the final round today.
The finalists are Kahuto Pacific (Fiji), Blue Garden (French Polynesia), Eagle Vetiver Systems (PNG), Fine food /Ocean Environmental Solutions (Vanuatu) and Enviromesh (Australia/Vanuatu).
Before the main plenary on Friday, these five companies will have to convince the Judging Panel that their pitch is the best, offering a commercially viable solution with positive climate and environmental impact to our Pacific communities.
V-Lab Founder and President, Mr Marc-Antoine Morel, announced the winners and congratulated all the finalists.
PIFCE is supported by the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC)/Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
SPREP Director of Climate Change Resilience,Tagaloa Cooper acknowledged the innovation of all entrepreneurs and said SPREP is proud to have been able to support their work.
The winner will receive a cash prize of AUD 10,000. There will be consolation prizes as well as The People’s Choice award, to be determined by an audience vote during the final.
The inaugural Pacific Innovation Forum on Climate and Environment (PIFCE) is held in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 1–3 July 2026. PACNEWS Second Edition Friday 3 July 2026 Page 15 – © Copyright PINA 2026 Pacific Islands News Association, Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Phone (679) 3315 522, E-mail pacnews@kidanet.net.fj Web Site www.pina.com.fj
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)/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/
