In this bulletin:
1. COMMONWEALTH — ‘CHOGM 2026 is our moment to shape what comes next’ – Secretary-General
2. PACIFIC — Expert: Deep-sea mining latest subversion of Pacific islands’ sovereignty
3. PACIFIC — On the brink of ruin due to climate change, Pacific Islanders know who is to blame
4. UN — COP17: Nations chart ‘Yerevan Pathway’ to speed up action for nature
5. PACIFIC — Japan, Australia pledge closer security and Economic cooperation in Pacific
6. FIJI — Foreign Minister Ditoka urges younf Fijians to prepare for future diplomatic roles
7. PACIFIC — Air Force eyes Northern Marianas airfields for annual exercises
8. FIJI — NFP leaser Biman Prasad quits Fiji Constitution committee
9.GUAM— Declining student population prompts talks about facility realignment
10. FIJI — Online speculation clouds commission of inquiry says former Tonga Chief Justice
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji among Pacific’s most compelling resort destinations – Marriott International
12. PACNEWS BIZ — RH Group director Tiong says PNG deserves landmark investments
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fiji looks at stronger regulatory controls on single-use plastics
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — Serving Fiji and the region on the road to COP31
PAC – CHOGM: COMSEC PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
‘CHOGM 2026 is our moment to shape what comes next’ – Secretary-General
ST JOHNS, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (COMSEC)—World leaders will gather in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda,this week for the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) with a call to accelerate partnerships and investment in the interest of the Commonwealth’s 2.7 billion people.
“The world is changing and CHOGM 2026 is our moment to shape what comes next. We have 2.7 billion reasons to act,” said Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Botchwey.
The summit, which takes place from 01-4 November, is the first CHOGM under her leadership.
Addressing the theme, Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth, leaders will meet with investors, philanthropists, and development partners to finance proposals relating to climate, trade and youth employment.
These ‘investment-ready projects’, currently valued at US$34 billion, have been submitted by 20 developing Commonwealth countries.
CHOGM, which takes place every two years, is also an opportunity for leaders to agree on Commonwealth priorities.
This year, this includes a Commonwealth work programme on trade for removing barriers to intra-Commonwealth trade, fashioning a common platform on sustainable debt and concessional funding based on vulnerability and a strategy for taking the investment agenda forward in 2027.
“At a time of global fracture, compounded by a legacy of economic crises and a climate emergency, the Commonwealth remains a force for building resilience and shared prosperity.
On the eve of CHOGM 2026, our focus is clear: creating ambitious partnerships that respond to the expectations of our 2.7 billion people, with action on democracy, trade, investments, climate and opportunity for all,” Secretary-General Botchwey added.
Foreign Ministers will meet ahead of the Leaders’ sessions, alongside a ministerial meeting on small states.
The Leaders’ sessions will culminate in the Leaders’ Retreat, a unique Commonwealth gathering restricted to Heads of Government.
The Retreat is an opportunity for the group’s 56 leaders to have frank discussions on an informal basis.
As Head of the Commonwealth, King Charles III will address the opening ceremony on 3 November. He will be accompanied in Antigua and Barbuda by Queen Camilla.
Alongside the high-level meetings, four forums will be held: a Youth Forum, Women’s Forum, People’s Forum and Business Forum. Additionally, there will be four side events – covering eye health, sport for development and peace, blue finance and innovation, and governance and democracy.
Antigua and Barbuda is the smallest country to host CHOGM and will celebrate its 45th anniversary of independence on the eve of the event.
The country is also hosting a special ‘One Commonwealth, One Team’ cricket match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, with teams made up of Commonwealth leaders.
At the launch of the series in September 2026, Sir Vivian Richards, CHOGM 2026 Envoy, said:” Cricket has always been much more than a game across the Commonwealth. It is a shared language that brings people together across nations and generations. I am delighted that, as we welcome the Commonwealth to Antigua and Barbuda, cricket will help bring the spirit of CHOGM 2026 to life – celebrating friendship and teamwork and creating opportunities to work together as one team.”
Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, will welcome delegates to the summit at a ‘One Commonwealth Night’ featuring music, poetry and dance performances from across the Commonwealth regions…..PACNEWS
PAC – DEEP SEA MINING: GUAM PACIFIC DAILY NEWS PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
Expert: Deep-sea mining latest subversion of Pacific islands’ sovereignty
SAIPAN/HAGATNA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (GUAM PACIFIC DAILY NEWS) –Deep-sea mining is less a question about discovery and more of a question about decisions shaping future political and economic arrangements, according to Theresa Arriola, Blue Ocean Law director of operations and chairwoman of Our Common Wealth 670.
As one of the presenters at Pacific Centre for Island Sustainability’s Micronesia Security webinar last Friday, Arriola said the process to lease acres of seabed in the Pacific Ocean and kickstart commercial deep-sea mining for minerals reveals a familiar pattern where the administration lacks accountability and ignores Pacific islands’ sovereignty.
“Once those arrangements are in place, they can influence which alternatives are available, which investments are encouraged, et cetera. It starts to snowball. The anticipated strategic value of minerals is already becoming a basis for federal action, even though many of the assumptions underlining that value are unresolved,” Arriola said.
Especially considering how local governments in the Pacific islands are or are not being consulted or accommodated, Arriola’s presentation focused on deep-sea mining in the context of security and militarization in Micronesia.
As of July, 46 countries called for a moratorium, precautionary pause or ban on commercial deep-sea mining, including several Pacific Island countries.
Arriola said these countries are not all advancing the same policy, but they are raising concerns about moving into commercial mining before understanding the consequences.
“That’s important out here in the Marianas in particular, because the United States is advancing its offshore mineral policies at a time when technology, economics and regulatory frameworks are still developing,” Arriola said.
Arriola cited a 2020 paper by Jeffrey Drazen that challenges the assumption that the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining would be confined to the ocean floor. It said the specific equipment and methods that might be used in the Marianas have not yet been established, so the impacts cannot be fully understood.
“Essentially, scientists across different fields of deep ocean research have emphasised how limited our baseline data still is, particularly when it comes to understanding what species live in these environments and how these ecosystems function,” Arriola said.
In some areas, Arriola added, mining is being considered in environments lacking a complete record of what lives there, “much less how these ecosystems would respond to any kind of disturbance.”
Without adequate baseline data, she said it is difficult to establish what conditions existed before mining or measure the full extent of any changes incurred.
“This is an issue we’ve encountered in other environmental review processes in the CNMI. An impact is determined to be less than significant, simply because the scientific baseline data is missing or absent,” Arriola said.
Put simply, deep-sea mining involves extracting mineral deposits from the ocean floor at depths greater than 200 meters. This activity stirs up sediment that can interfere with surrounding species, compromise their breathing, feeding, ability to sense surroundings, as well as habitat loss.
On the push for deep-sea mining in the United States, Arriola conveys it as the most recent action to access “places with deep cultural and historical significance to island communities” for the sake of “strategic” action.
Arriola said “national security” is likewise thrown around to justify impacts on communities for the sake of military planning, land use or war planning.
She said it is a familiar pattern for island territories extending from access to land to access to the ocean, rationalized by “supposed critical need.”
“I’m really interested in how that value gets determined and connected to global, national and local security concerns. At what point does the possibility that a resource might be needed in the future become enough to justify decisions about that resource in and around our islands?” Arriola said.
Arriola added that minerals are not born critical but are made critical by how governments anticipate needing them.
Arriola also mentioned that commercial deep-sea mining has yet to become established.
“That’s a really important point to make. It’s not yet a profitable industry on a large scale,” Arriola said.
She said the Cook Islands has issued exploration licenses and is studying the potential for seabed mining but has no authorized commercial extraction.
While deep-sea mining is mostly intended to find cobalt, zinc, copper and other minerals, some deep-sea discoveries simply are not profitable yet.
For example, Japan, a country known for developing and testing technology to recover these deep-ocean minerals, recovered rare earth mud in February that is “not commercially feasible yet,” Arriola added.
With governments and community groups voicing disapproval, concerns and outcry against deep sea mining in Guam, the CNMI and America Samoa, Arriola said the continued push shows how federal interest trumps local interest.
“If we take a closer look at the offshore mineral leasing process that has unfolded in the Marianas, we can see how federal interest in these resources has translated into specific administrative actions in this really condensed timeframe … People have been asking a lot of questions and making their concerns known in a pretty unprecedented way,” Arriola said.
Arriola recalled how the Marine Minerals Administration moved forward to the next stage of the leasing process, area identification, despite allowing an extended comment period where hundreds of letters and petitions against the activity were submitted.
In that time, legislation was also made to deter or make use of deep-sea mining in the Marianas, namely Guam’s Public Law 38-129, which prevents seabed mineral extraction in Guam’s territorial waters.
CNMI Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds also proposed a bill that would split certain federal seabed leasing revenues, 50 percent for the U.S Treasury and 50 percent to be shared among the territories that would be included in the plans.
Arriola said the amount received would depend on how close a territory is to the particular mining area, but the idea would be for the funds to support environmental restoration and infrastructure.
“Of course, it’s not law yet, and there’s still a lot of questions about how much the CNMI would actually receive in this deal, and whether or not that money would be enough to cover potential damage,” Arriola said…..PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: THE INDEPENDENT PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
On the brink of ruin due to climate change, Pacific Islanders know who is to blame
NADI, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (THE INDEPENDENT)—Living on the brutal frontline of climate change, locals are urging the world to take urgent action at the upcoming COP31 summit in Antalya – warning that the consequences otherwise will be catastrophic.
Pointing at the murky water of the Nadi River, Lessy Rokocoko remembers the four homes that her neighbours lost.
“There was a big flood in the village and they were swept away,” the 31-year-old mother of two says, with a weariness in her voice.
This is Yavusania, a small village near the west coast of Fiji that is under constant threat of flooding.
The tranquility, with large mango and coconut trees swaying in the gentle sea breeze, can be deceiving: here lies the frontline of the climate crisis, where communities are fighting for their lives.
Nearby, Lessy’s two-year-old daughter Joanna frolics in the shrubbery. Her mother wonders what kind of future she can give her: “I don’t want her to see or experience what we experienced when we were growing up.
“We always have that feeling that maybe one day the flood will just take away my house. We are scared, but we are always ready.”
As she speaks, Lessy looks me dead in the eye: “In a bigger country like where you are from, you’ll never see or feel real climate change compared to our smaller islands.
“In reality, we are really facing climate change right now.”
Flooding is increasingly common in the low-lying coastal areas of Fiji – where 90percent of the population live – and across the 13 other Pacific Island nations.
Despite contributing to just 0.02percent of global emissions, the Pacific faces the most existential climate threats: rising sea levels could wipe away coastal communities, massive storms can lead to devastating floods and increasing ocean temperatures are destroying local marine ecosystems.
The islands are now urgently calling on the world to take drastic measures to limit global warming ahead of November’s COP31 summit in Antalya.
Looming over the meetings is the UN’s recent warning that the world will significantly overshoot the 1.5C climate target necessary to prevent irreversible climate harm. Under the current trajectory, the world could warm by up to 2.8C by the end of the century.
The islanders say that the funds provided for projects and initiatives to address the impacts of climate change are so far insufficient, with villages left to fend for themselves.
“Not a day goes by when we are just living happily on our own,” Lessy adds.
She ushers me into her home, a pale green wooden structure on stilts just metres from the riverbank with an simply-furnished open-plan living room.
Rich smells fill the room; a traditional Fijian lunch of ota miti – a fresh coconut cream cooked with fern leaf sprouts – is being cooked by Lessy’s 59-year-old mother, Meri. The family, including husband Kelevi, 35, and sister-in-law Maggie, explain the depth of their ties to the land and the devastation losing their home would cause.
Meri moved to Yavusania around 30 years ago when she married Lessy’s father, Apete, who died last year. The home had been in his family since the early 19th century.
For the villagers, the house is so much more than a physical structure: it symbolises vanua, their bond to the land and an unbroken link to their ancestry and identity.
Listening to her speak, the gulf in the threats that climate change poses between Fiji and the UK becomes increasingly apparent. Last summer, Europe suffered its worst-ever wildfire season, burning swathes of France, Spain and Italy to the ground. But Fiji has been dealing with this existential threat for years – with far less attention.
This sense of injustice is summarised by taxi driver Asaeli Moce as he heads to one of the large hotel chains hosting an event for the pre-COP31 climate summit in Nadi, the island’s main international gateway.
The 52-year-old explains that his cousin’s home is frequently cut off from the rest of his village due to flooding, forcing him to wade through water each time he carries out any menial daily task.
“Those countries overseas cause it,” he says. “We are victims of it. We put very little into the atmosphere, but we are the ones being affected. We are on the verge of losing our heritage.”
All 14 of the island nations that make up the Pacific, including Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands, are under threat.
In Tuvalu, the situation is so critical that four years ago its government created the world’s first ‘digital nation’ to allow it to exist even if its land is lost. This involves a 3D-mapped virtual replica of its physical territory, a living archive of Tuvaluan heritage, language and music, and online governance – including voting and digital ID.
The climate figures are brutal. The Pacific Islands contribute 0.02-0.03percent of global emissions with just 0.16percent of the world’s population, according to the World Meteorological Association. The US produces between 11 and 13percent of emissions, with 4percent of the population; while China accounts for around one third of emissions with around 17percent population.
Nowhere is this threat of destruction more keenly illustrated than in a small corner of the Sabeto Valley, where a simple home is perched two metres away from a severely eroded riverbank, which lies on a steep three-metre drop down to the river below.
Ben Qoro, the headman of the local village, is urging residents to move, but no one will listen.
“The landslide is eating the areas here,” he says, standing outside one of the threatened homes. “I told them there is no warning. Once [a flood or landslide] comes, whether in a night or day, it will happen. So I told them, please, for the time being, find somewhere safe. Once a slide comes, there is no warning.”
The Sabeto Valley communities all sit at the bottom of the Mountain of the Sleeping Giant, perilously positioned next to mountain streams that lie just two kilometres from the sea. During tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall causes disastrous sudden rises in the level of the river.
The river is both the community’s life source for fishing and agriculture, and its greatest threat – and Ben says the next flood is a matter of when and not if. “Once it comes, all of us will be affected. The river and what we have in the river will no longer be there.”
Ben’s plea to the West is simple: “Please think of us. Think of our communities, of our children and what we will face in the years to come.”
Their threatened homes provide a sharp contrast to the pre-COP conference on Denarau Island, an exclusive resort featuring several major hotel chains catering to honeymooners and wealthy jetsetters. In the middle of the resort sits a large, grey concrete block, where the construction of a brand new resort, the Vatu Talei, is underway.
Denarau Island was once an area containing large mangrove swamps, which serve as a natural defence barrier against severe weather, help to support local fisheries, and store huge amounts of carbon. Scientists estimate the global value of mangroves to the ecosystem is as high as US$1.6 billion (£1.2 billion).
Most of the mangroves, many of which were more than 100 years old, were removed as the vast hotels were constructed, because they “interfered with tourists’ access to the sea and did not mesh with the new vision of a highly manicured landscape”, according to the UN’s Disaster Risk Reduction office.
Nonetheless, Pacific Islanders seize the opportunity of the conference to place their voices front and centre of the climate debate.
Rachel Kyte, the UK’s special representative for climate, points out that holding the event in the Pacific means it is impossible for delegates to remain detached from how the climate crisis is impacting livelihoods across the ocean.
Vishal Prasad, the 30-year-old director of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, is one of those leading that bid for change. He is under no illusions about the threat faced by the Pacific as he stands on the shores of Wailoaloa Beach, where coastal erosion and flooding is a permanent risk.
“If we lose the 1.5C target, we are in for a very, very horrific next few decades,” he says. “We need to hold that line.”
Lynda Tabuya, Fiji’s environment minister, goes further: “The 1.5 degrees Celsius is a matter of survival for us. We are under threat. We need large emitters to reduce emissions.”
For Lessy, Ben, and the millions of ordinary Pacific Islanders whose future is linked inextricably to the fight against climate change, the distance between the decision-makers and the reality on the ground can feel vast.
“We are not just small islands, we are also people,” Lessy says.
But as she digs into a rich bowl of home-cooked food in her home, she dares to finally hope that their voices are being heard in the corridors of power….PACNEWS
UN – BIODIVERSITY: UN NEWS CENTRE PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
COP17: Nations chart ‘Yerevan Pathway’ to speed up action for nature
APIA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) —At the halfway mark to 2030, countries meeting in Armenia have agreed a roadmap to accelerate action for nature, after a global review found the world off track to meet its biodiversity targets.
Agreement was formalised through the Yerevan Pathway as the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17) closed in the Armenian capital on Saturday.
It sets out priorities for the four years left to deliver the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
“We cannot protect nature while continuing to finance its destruction,” said Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The pathway calls on countries to tackle subsidies that harm nature and to increase financial, scientific and technical support for developing countries.
It also calls for national budgets and economic decisions to be aligned with the framework, and for stronger monitoring and reporting.
“Over these two weeks we have demonstrated that differences can be bridged, commitments can become decisions and cooperation can deliver,” said COP17 President Hambardzum Matevosyan.
Parties adopted nearly 50 decisions, covering areas including protected areas and forests, wildlife management, invasive alien species, marine and coastal biodiversity, and synthetic biology.
After intensive negotiations, they also agreed the Sevan Guidelines.
These set the rules of operation for a new permanent body strengthening the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in shaping global biodiversity policy.
Nearly US$2 billion in new biodiversity funding was announced. This included US$560 million under the Global Environment Facility’s latest replenishment and US$500 million through the Species Recovery Alliance.
Another US$330 million is going to the Value Nature Fund, which aims to mobilise private capital for nature.
Other initiatives included a new biodiversity bond and investment incubator launched by the Asian Development Bank, and new indicators to improve biodiversity monitoring and accountability.
“In Yerevan, we saw environmental multilateralism prevail once again,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
“Countries came together, found the spirit of compromise and allowed us to agree important decisions that will support real progress for people and for planet.”
The next conference, COP18, will be held in Ecuador, with two years remaining to achieve the targets.
“Ultimately, the test is not what governments agreed in Yerevan, but what they change when they return home,” said Schomaker….PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
Japan, Australia pledge closer security and Economic cooperation in Pacific
ATLANTA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Japan and Australia have agreed to strengthen security, economic security and regional cooperation, including in the Pacific Islands, amid growing geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific.
The commitment was made during a meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta, United States, on 31 October.
Motegi said closer cooperation between the two countries was important for advancing an updated vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
He welcomed progress in bilateral engagement, including the Japan-Australia Strategic Consultations and Japan-Australia Leadership Dialogue held to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the two countries.
Wong agreed on the importance of the partnership, saying Australia attached great importance to its relationship with Japan and wanted to continue building practical cooperation.
The two ministers acknowledged that regional challenges facing both countries were becoming increasingly severe and agreed to expand cooperation across security, economic security and economic development.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to working together as like-minded partners on regional and international issues.
The discussions included developments across the Indo-Pacific, particularly the Pacific Islands region.
Both ministers agreed to maintain close communication and coordination on regional developments.
The 15-minute meeting comes as Japan and Australia mark five decades of diplomatic and economic cooperation under their Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, signed in 1976….PACNEWS
FIJI – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
Foreign Minister Ditoka urges younf Fijians to prepare for future diplomatic roles
SUVA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Fiji needs a new generation of skilled diplomats to strengthen its international relationships, expand economic opportunities and advance the country’s national interests, Foreign Affairs Minister Sakiasi Ditoka says.
Ditoka made the call at the graduation ceremony of the Junior Diplomacy Training Programme (JDTP), organised by the United Nations Association of Fiji (UNA Fiji) at the University of the South Pacific in Suva last Friday.
The four-month programme graduated 26 young people who received training in diplomacy, international relations, negotiation and global citizenship.
Congratulating the graduates, Ditoka urged them to remain confident in their abilities and committed to their aspirations, saying they had the potential to become Fiji’s future diplomats and leaders.
He highlighted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade’s role in connecting Fiji with international partners, strategic opportunities and cooperation that deliver tangible benefits for the country.
Ditoka said Fiji’s strategic position in the Pacific provided opportunities to strengthen its role as a regional hub, expand trade, attract investment and build partnerships to support economic growth and national development.
He also emphasised the importance of Fiji’s diplomatic missions abroad in advancing national interests through bilateral and multilateral relationships.
Fijian diplomats, he said, played an important role in supporting citizens living overseas and advancing priorities in trade and investment, climate resilience, peace and security, and sustainable development.
The Minister said diplomacy went beyond representing Fiji at international meetings, requiring diplomats to build lasting relationships, create opportunities and protect the country’s interests.
“It is about ensuring that Fiji’s voice is heard, its interests are protected and its contributions are respected on the global stage,” he said.
Ditoka acknowledged UNA Fiji’s role in developing young people’s leadership and diplomatic skills and reaffirmed the Ministry’s support for initiatives that prepare the next generation to contribute to Fiji’s international engagement….PACNEWS
PAC – DEFENCE: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
Air Force eyes Northern Marianas airfields for annual exercises
HAGATNA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES)—The U.S Air Force plans to use the Northern Mariana Islands’ existing airports, as well as a World War II-era airfield, for thousands of training exercises to boost the service’s combat and disaster readiness. Up to 1,000 personnel may be on the ground at each of these airfields during these exercises.
The Department of the Air Force has posted a notice in the Federal Register announcing the preparation of an environmental impact statement to assess the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts associated with the planned training exercises.
The Air Force is proposing training exercises at the Saipan, Tinian and Rota international airports and the historic Tinian North Field, where the planes took off in August 1945 to drop the atomic bombs on Japan.
The EIS will assess the potential environmental impacts of conducting small, medium and large training and exercises consisting of up to 1,200 fixed-wing and 320 rotary-wing operations per airfield each year. That includes takeoffs and landings of airplanes, helicopters, unmanned drones and gyroplanes, among other types of aircraft.
According to the notice published in the Federal Register on 28 October, the training exercises would be supported by up to 550,000 gallons of fuel per airfield, including fuel receipt, storage and distribution; up to 1,000 personnel per airfield; the temporary installation of infrastructure and utilities; munitions handling including chaff and flare; support services; and associated pre-and post- training and exercise activities.
The EIS will also evaluate the impacts of two other alternatives. The first one boosts the number of training exercises by 20 percent. That’s up to 1,400 fixed-wing operations and up to 384 rotary-wing operations per airfield each year. The second one is the “no action” alternative.
The Air Force said its proposed actions in the CNMI will improve its ability to deploy resources and personnel across multiple sites within a specific area, enhancing efficiency and responsiveness while maintaining an agile and coordinated force in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Air Force said the proposed training and exercise opportunities across several locations in the CNMI are aimed at developing the skills, procedures, and relationships necessary to rapidly maneuver, sustain, and deploy its forces.
The proposal is primarily based on the Air Force’s needs but could also support training and exercises involving other branches of the armed services, U.S allies, or other partner nations.
The Air Force said it has no plans to build or modify any of the CNMI’s existing airspaces, nor does it plan to increase or amend the use of munitions beyond those already analyzed in previous National Environmental Policy Act documentation.
The department assures it will comply with all requirements of the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, coastal zone consistency under the Coastal Zone Management Act, and the Clean Air Act.
It also plans to consult with the Federal Aviation Administration, CNMI’s Commonwealth Ports Authority and federal agencies with expertise on environmental analysis.
A 30-day scoping period will take place, and the public, stakeholders, and other interested parties are invited to these meetings:
18 November , 5 pm. to 8 pm., ChST, Saipan Pacific Islands Club, San Antonio, Saipan.
19 November, 5 pm. to 8 pm., ChST, Tinian, Tinian Western Lodge, Marpo Heights, Tinian.
21 November, 12 noon to 3 pm., ChST, Rota, the Rota Mayor’s Office, Tatachok, Rota with potential alternate locations for Rota being the Courthouse or Round House.
The department is also soliciting written comments on alternatives, impacts, relevant information, studies or analyses. All comments will be accepted at any time during the EIS process.
The draft EIS is expected to be issued in the fall of 2027 and the final EIS is anticipated in the summer of 2028….PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
NFP leaser Biman Prasad quits Fiji Constitution committee
SUVA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—National Federation Party (NFP) leader Professor Biman Prasad has withdrawn from the special Fiji parliamentary committee reviewing the Constitution (Amendment) Bill and will not sign its report to Parliament.
His decision comes as Parliament prepares to consider the committee’s report this week, with the NFP directing its Members of Parliament to vote against the Bill at its third reading.
Prasad said repeated attempts to persuade Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the committee to extend the constitutional review timetable had failed.
“We have exhausted all avenues to convince the Prime Minister and the committee to extend the timeline beyond the general elections for continuation of the process.”
“I will therefore no longer participate in the special parliamentary committee, nor will I be a signatory to the Report of the committee to Parliament.”
Prasad said he had written to Rabuka on 29 October, urging The People’s Alliance party (PA) to withdraw Bill No. 32 of 2026 from Parliament’s consideration on Monday, 02 November.
The NFP Management Board had directed the party’s MPs to vote against the Bill at its third reading.
Prasad criticised the 19-day timetable from 12 – 31 October.
He also raised concerns that the proposed Constitution had not been translated into Vosa Vakaviti and Hindi, that people making submissions had limited time and that committee members had not collectively examined the Bill clause by clause.
The NFP supported the Bill at its second reading on 02 October.
“We cannot condemn the imposition of the 2013 Constitution while accepting an inadequate process for replacing it. Fiji deserves a Constitution made with its people, not hurried past them.”
The committee’s report is expected to come before Parliament in this week’s parliament sitting….PACNEWS
PAC – EDUCATION: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
Declining student population prompts talks about facility realignment
HAGATA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES)—The Office of Public Accountability has initiated an analysis of the Guam Department of Education’s school facilities vis-à-vis student enrollment to guide ongoing talks about structural reorganisation.
“Its preliminary objective is to determine whether the current student population aligns with the number, capacity and utilisation of existing school facilities, and whether decommissioning, consolidation, repurposing or other alternatives may be necessary,” the OPA said.
Discussions about facility use review were prompted a steady decline in public school enrolment. Records show that the number of students dropped from 26,600 in 2020 to 23,121 in 2025.
The OPA analysis will cover all operating public school facilities and student enrollment through School Year 2024–2025.
“This analysis is intended to provide a clearer understanding of the relationship between student enrollment and the capacity and utilisation of our public-school facilities,” Public Auditor Benjamin J.F. Cruz said.
OPA said it will examine relevant information and documentation concerning school facilities, enrollment, school budgets, deferred maintenance and applicable laws, rules, regulations and management directives.
The process will also involve interviews to better understand the functions and operations of GDOE’s school facilities and student enrollment.
OPA will conduct the analysis in collaboration with the GDOE Internal Audit Office. The scope and objectives may be adjusted as additional information is obtained and evaluated throughout the engagement.
“Examining these factors can help inform discussions about the effective use of government resources and the future needs of Guam’s public schools, whether it be rebuilding Simon Sanchez High School or decommissioning existing schools,” Cruz said.
The analysis comes amid ongoing public discussion about school enrollment and the utilisation of existing school facilities.
OPA’s work will examine the available information to help establish an informed basis for evaluating potential options and considerations for GDOE’s school facilities….PACNEWS
FIJI – COMMISSION OF INQUIRY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Mon 02 Nov 2026
Online speculation clouds commission of inquiry says former Tonga Chief Justice
NADI, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—The rise of digital media and instant public commentary has created an environment in which commissions of inquiry generate uncontrollable, misinformed, and hostile publicity, says former Tonga Chief Justice and Fiji High Court Judge Michael Scott.
While addressing the Fiji Law Society Annual Convention in Nadi, Scott observed that 19th-century frameworks for commissions never anticipated the instantaneous reach of the internet.
Rather than informing the electorate, Scott said inquiries often trigger waves of speculation that inflame public controversy instead of resolving it.
He stressed that official proceedings now ran the constant risk of being distorted online, making it difficult for the public to separate factual findings from speculation.
He also called on modern governments to carefully weigh these public fallout risks before establishing formal commissions under current statutory provisions.
“The amount of attention and publicity that is generated by these collisions is such that it’s completely uncontrollable and now we’ve gone into the internet age,” he said.
“Most of the attention and publicity is ill-informed, misunderstood, or hostile; you don’t know what’s true and what’s not true.”
Meanwhile, millions f dollars spent on a massive inquiry amounted to zero while damaging Fiji’s key institutions, says Fijian Media Association (FMA) General Secretary Stanley Simpson.
While addressing participants at the Fiji Law Society Annual Convention in Nadi, Simpson highlighted a 144-page ruling from 14 August, which detailed severe findings of natural justice violations and a reasonable apprehension of bias.
While lawyers were awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars, Simpson said the report essentially left the public with nothing.
Simpson said the public verdict was straightforward after watching institutions shake, ministerial careers end, and reputations suffer.
“Well, to the public, it became clear that this was a system that had turned inward, that became consumed by internal warfare rather than an initiation of justice,” he said.
Simpson said citizens began doubting the legal advice given to leaders, losing confidence in the fishery and losing trust in the legal fraternity itself.
He said many questioned why the process was done in the first place if its findings could not even be used in a court of law.
To move forward, Simpson stressed the urgency of rebuilding shattered public trust through transparency and public education.
He urged authorities to respect the rule of law, adhere strictly to statutory deadlines, and treat taxpayer money with reverence.
“If you shut the doors to the public and the press, don’t be surprised when the public stops believing in the system because they start believing what people are writing on social media,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 02 Nov 2026
Fiji among Pacific’s most compelling resort destinations – Marriott International
NADI, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —Fiji has been described as one of the Pacific’s most compelling resort destinations by global hotel giant Marriott International as it prepares to introduce its luxury JW Marriott brand to the country in early 2027.
Marriott International President for Asia Pacific Excluding China, Rajeev Menon, made the remarks following the signing of an agreement with Dubbo Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF), to open the 282-room JW Marriott Fiji Resort and Spa on Denarau Island.
“Fiji is one of the Pacific’s most compelling resort destinations, and we are excited to work with Fiji National Provident Fund to introduce JW Marriott to the market,” Menon said.
The resort, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2027, will mark the luxury brand’s debut in the Pacific Islands, with reservations expected to open in December 2026.
Menon said the JW Marriott brand’s emphasis on wellness and meaningful guest experiences was well suited to Fiji’s natural surroundings.
“JW Marriott’s focus on mindful experiences, meaningful connections and holistic well-being is a natural complement to the resort’s beautiful natural setting on Denarau Island.”
He said the company was looking forward to providing guests with an experience that combined international luxury hospitality with Fiji’s renowned warmth.
“We look forward to creating a destination where guests can come together, be present and experience the warmth of Fiji through the lens of this exceptional luxury brand.”
FNPF chief executive officer Viliame Vodonaivalu said the partnership represented an important milestone for the Fund’s tourism investments and reflected confidence in the industry’s future.
“As custodians of our members’ retirement savings, every investment decision we make is centred on creating long-term value for the people of Fiji,” Vodonaivalu said.
“The introduction of JW Marriott is a significant milestone for one of our key tourism assets and reflects our confidence in the future of Fiji’s tourism industry.”
He said the agreement was not only about strengthening an existing tourism asset but also ensuring that FNPF members benefited from investments supporting Fiji’s broader economy.
“Through this collaboration, we are not only strengthening an important investment on behalf of our members, but also supporting an industry that creates jobs, attracts visitors and contributes to the growth of our economy.”
Vodonaivalu said the introduction of the luxury brand would usher in a new chapter for the Denarau property.
“We are proud to see this iconic Fijian resort enter a new chapter with one of the world’s leading luxury hospitality brands.”
The agreement brings together Marriott International’s global hospitality expertise and FNPF’s investment in Fiji’s tourism sector, with the new resort expected to further expand the luxury accommodation options available on Denarau Island.
The planned opening in early 2027 will also establish JW Marriott’s first resort presence in the Pacific Islands….PACNEWS
PNG – INVESTMENT: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 02 Nov 2026
RH Group director Tiong says PNG deserves landmark investments
PORT MORESBY, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—Papua New Guinea deserves world class landmark and more investments, says Rimbunan Hijau Group director David Tiong during the grand opening of the Sheraton Port Moresby Stanley Hotel Suites.
Tiong told Prime Minister James Marape, Marriott International Asia Pacific president Rajeev Menon and dignitaries: “We celebrate 10 years of this property and the rebirth of Sheraton Port Moresby Stanley Hotel Suites. We have invested significantly to bring this hotel to full Sheraton standards.
“It is a tribute to a vision of my late father, the founder of our Group Tan Sri Datuk Tiong Hiew King.
“He believed that this great nation deserved all the world class landmark built with not just concrete and steel but with opportunities for its people and the pride for the nation.
“His philosophy guided everything we built, from Vision City to this very hotel.
“It was simple, invest for the long term, built to the highest standards and always give back to the community that welcomes you,” he said….PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Fiji looks at stronger regulatory controls on single-use plastics
SUVA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (SPREP)— Fiji is exploring options to strengthen regulatory controls on problematic and avoidable single-use plastic products as part of efforts to prevent plastic pollution at its source and advance the transition towards a more sustainable, circular plastics economy.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), through the Australian Government-funded Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP), convened a targeted stakeholder scoping workshop in Suva this week, bringing together government agencies, technical experts, development partners and key stakeholders.
The workshop provided an opportunity to examine potential regulatory measures to reduce the importation and use of plastic products that pose risks to human health and the environment, particularly those for which safer and more sustainable alternatives are available.
“As a net importer of plastics, Fiji faces the challenge of managing products and packaging manufactured elsewhere. Plastic pollution continues to affect our communities, livelihoods and marine environment, highlighting the importance of preventing pollution before it occurs,” said Iva Josivini, Acting Principal Environment Officer for the Waste, Pollution and Control Unit at MECC.
The workshop follows a Cabinet directive for the Ministry to undertake a comprehensive assessment of plastic bans in Fiji and provide recommendations on their potential implications.
MECC emphasised that the workshop was an initial scoping exercise, rather than a consultation to approve new bans or finalise a list of prohibited products. Its purpose was to share technical work undertaken to date and gather stakeholder perspectives on a comprehensive, phased approach to regulating problematic and avoidable plastic products through import controls and complementary domestic measures.
Technical findings presented by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Centre for Sustainable Development Reform included a review of 78 regulatory instruments across 35 jurisdictions and a preliminary shortlist of 41 plastic products identified for further assessment.
Among the products considered for prioritisation were plastic straws, plates, cups, cutlery and confetti.
Discussions explored a range of regulatory options, including import restrictions, product bans, levies, product standards and product stewardship measures. Stakeholders also examined the safety, affordability and environmental sustainability of alternatives, including concerns surrounding biodegradable plastics and opportunities to promote locally available natural substitutes.
Other considerations included product testing, cost-benefit assessments, appropriate exemptions, transition periods for businesses, stronger enforcement mechanisms and capacity-building for relevant agencies.
The workshop builds on Fiji’s existing efforts to address plastic pollution, including plastic bag and polystyrene controls, strengthened litter enforcement, school and community awareness initiatives, and ongoing reforms relating to Product Stewardship Scheme legislation and Container Deposit Regulations.
It also contributes to the priorities outlined in Fiji’s National Development Plan 2025–2029 and National Waste Management and Pollution Control Strategy 2026–2035, which emphasise waste prevention, resource recovery and stronger pollution control.
The work further supports Fiji’s engagement in international efforts to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, particularly on addressing plastics across their entire life cycle.
“The Pacific has been at the forefront of calling for stronger global action on plastic pollution. As negotiations towards a legally binding global plastics treaty continue, countries must also strengthen their national systems to ensure they are prepared to implement future commitments,” said Andrea Volentras, Project Manager of POLP.
“Fiji’s regulatory review is an important part of this process, helping to identify practical measures to address problematic and avoidable plastics while contributing to the wider international effort,” he added.
The next steps for Fiji will include further engagement with industry and private sector stakeholders, assessment of suitable alternatives, regulatory impact analysis and broader consultations.
Particular attention will be given to ensuring that any proposed measures are practical, affordable and responsive to the needs of households, small businesses and maritime communities…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Serving Fiji and the region on the road to COP31
SUVA, 02 NOVEMBER 2026 (SPC)—During her secondment to Fiji’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, SPC’s Rejieli Rokosalu supported preparations for Pre-COP31 and Pacific delegations.
In October 2026, the Australia–Pacific partnership for COP31 brought the Pacific Pre-COP and a leaders’ event to Fiji and Tuvalu. For the first time, presidents and prime ministers took part in a pre-COP leaders’ event in the Pacific, bringing regional priorities into focus ahead of the UN climate conference in Türkiye
To support Fiji’s preparations, Rejieli Rokosalu, SPC’s Finance Officer for Loss and Damage, spent a month working with Fiji’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Her secondment, a temporary placement with the Ministry ran from 17 September to 16 October 2026, bringing her directly into the team preparing to host Pre-COP31.
She worked alongside Keresi Tuimanono, Fiji’s Senior Adaptation Officer and Loss and Damage focal point.
One of Rokosalu’s key responsibilities was coordinating the Talanoa Centre, where Pacific Island country delegations held bilateral meetings. She designed the booking process in the Pre-COP portal, managed booking requests and arranged rooms for high-level discussions. The rooms were named NANAI, KULAWAI, VOKAI and IKA DU after Fijian wildlife.
Rokosalu’s contribution extended across the programme. She supported other Pacific Island country delegations to arrange bilateral meetings and supported side events. She also worked with the registration and operations teams, including on badge issuance for around 4,000 participants.
Rokosalu said the work was demanding, but the team’s shared purpose kept them going through late nights.
“Even in the late hours of the night and early morning, we shared a prayer, a joke and a smile, all working towards the same goal: to make our country proud and make Pre-COP memorable for delegates”.
Tuimanono acknowledged Ms Rokosalu’s valuable contribution to Fiji’s preparations, noting that her coordination helped facilitate Pacific delegations’ participation in bilateral discussions and side events.
“Her support with the Talanoa Centre, bilateral meetings and side events was invaluable. Beyond the coordination itself, Rokosalu brought a reassuring presence behind the scenes, keeping us grounded in the purpose of our work while ensuring that the practical details were taken care of.
Whether responding quickly to challenges with the bilateral meeting room or transforming the space into a more welcoming and formal setting, she demonstrated initiative, adaptability and sound judgement. Her ability to work independently and anticipate what was needed gave us confidence that things were in capable hands, allowing the rest of the team to focus on welcoming Pacific delegations and delivering the programme
For Rokosalu, working inside the Ministry also brought a closer understanding of Fiji’s priorities on loss and damage, including the importance of traditional knowledge and communities lived experiences. She had previously worked with Fiji colleagues on a grant funded through the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
The secondment strengthened relationships across the Ministry and gave her first-hand insight into how government approvals and timelines shape work with national partners.
Rokosalu said the experience reflected SPC’s mandate to serve its member countries.
“Working alongside Fiji’s Ministry team gave me a better understanding of the country’s priorities and how government works. I’ll carry that understanding into SPC’s work with Fiji and other Pacific countries”.
At Pre-COP31, national and community priorities were part of the wider regional discussion. On 7 October SPC, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and Santiago Network convened “Pacific Loss and Damage: Evidence to Action” to explore how stronger evidence can inform decisions and improve access to finance.
As Fiji and other Pacific countries take their priorities to COP31 in Türkiye, Rokosalu brings back something that will strengthen SPC’s work long after the meeting rooms are packed away: first-hand understanding of how government teams work, closer relationships with Fiji’s climate officers, and a clearer view of the support Pacific countries need. That is the value of secondment in practice, SPC expertise working alongside a member country, then carrying those lessons forward in service of the wider Pacific…..PACNEWS
