“It looks like malaria, dengue, pneumonia and asthma all in one”
By Scott Waide Our mother, Patricia, sits on the bed in the small room she is currently sharing with our dad, Peter. There’s an oxygen bottle at the bedside and she’s breathing through a tube. She was sleeping
COVAX: A lost opportunity
By Dan McGarry COVAX could have provided nations with a rallying point to promote international unity and cooperation. It could have put developing countries on even ground with the most advanced nations. It’s parent
COVID-19 lessons for public messaging
By Mere Nailatikau Whether it was the early reports out of China in late 2019, the World Health Organization’s announcement of a pandemic in March 2020, or the dreaded first official announcement of an in-country
Fit for purpose
Concerns over Solomon Islands quarantine centres By Ben Bilua The smell of new paint is still strong at the newly refurbished Nusatupe Quarantine site in Solomon Islands. The quarantine site has been empty since its
Five-year timeline to vaccinate
By Kevin McQuillan New modelling has revealed that Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea will have vaccinated less than 20% of their adult populations by the end of this year and it could take five years to
Rewarding the sick?
Palau needs NCD prevention, not just off-island referrals By Bernadette Carreon Palau’s looming non communicable disease burden needs to be treated with the same urgency and priority as environmental issues says a
Malapoa College serves up aelan kaikai
By Len Garae The kitchen of Malapoa College was full of the sound of sizzling and stirring, and smells that made my imagination run wild when I visited recently. That day the college’s 1600 students lunched on grated
Setbacks at COP26 climate talks
By Nic Maclellan On one hand, the index finger is raised. On the other, five digits are displayed. One point five. 1.5 to stay alive. In the midst of the global pandemic, Pacific delegations mobilised to campaign for
Our Ocean’s Promise
From Aspirations to Inspirations: The Marshall Islands Fishing Story By Giff Johnson The story of how the Marshall Islands went from being a bystander in commercial fishing in the Pacific to operating the world’s
Just drop it!
By Jason Jett The pandemic may have forever changed the way people shop. As COVID-19 caused a sharp economic downturn in travel-related industries, home-delivery services boomed and are continuing to be vital. During
Pacific goes head to head at WTO
By Samisoni Pareti Bruised and battered from the grueling negotiations at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this month, six Pacific island nations are now steeling themselves for another battle. This time they are
“AKIN TO A DECLARATION OF WAR”
France boosts police and military before New Caledonia vote By Nic Maclellan As New Caledonia moves towards a referendum on self-determination on 12 December, France is deploying new police and military forces to the
Movers and Shakers
The Tui Macuata, Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere has been sworn in as the new President of Fiji. He becomes the sixth President since Fiji gained independence. Ratu Wiliame, 57 was installed as the Tui Macuata and
Independents the winners in Tonga’s election
Is the party over? Tonga’s election has seen support for the country’s two major parties disintegrate, in favour of a large new cohort of independents, Kalafi Moala writes. The people have spoken and voted for
Pacific leaders join call for delay in New Caledonia referendum
In a significant intervention, former Pacific island presidents, prime ministers and senior officials have written to French President Emmanuel Macron, urging him to delay the next referendum on self-determination in
ANALYSIS: Challenges for Tonga as election looms
As Tongans lose faith in the major parties, the country’s election will likely see a rise in new independent members of parliament, Kalafi Moala writes. Tonga goes to the polls on 18 November to elect 26 members of
Tap into “environmentally conscious” tourists: Pacific report
A recently released report is recommending that Pacific destinations tap into environmentally conscious tourists when rebuilding their tourism sectors. This was part of recommendations in a recently released
Tonga election 2021 – missing the ‘Akilisi Pohiva election factor
Tonga election 2021: Tonga’s most prominent political group Paati Temokalati ‘Otumotu Anga’ofa (PTOA) is sorely missing its leader, the late prime minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva in this year’s general election.
New Caledonia referendum to proceed in December
France’s High Commissioner to New Caledonia, Patrice Faure, has announced that New Caledonia’s referendum on self-determination will proceed on 12 December, despite calls from independence parties for a delay until
COP26 at the micro level
(Pacific climate talanoa) By the beginning of the second week of September, the informal Pacific Regional Talanoa Group (PRTG), of which I am a member, was suitably enthused to start its virtual talanoa series on the
COP26 Pacific voices, young and old, call for action at climate talks
COP26 Pacific voices: On one hand, the index finger is raised. On the other, five digits are displayed. One point five. 1.5 to stay alive. In the midst of the pandemic, Pacific islanders, young and old, are campaigning
“You might as well bomb us” Palau President tells World leaders at COP26
(PACNEWS) The inaction of world emitters to reach an agreement on the rapid reductions of fossil fuels has annoyed Pacific island nations on the front lines of climate change. Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr,
FSM paving the way for the Pacific by depositing its maritime boundaries with the UN
(Pacnews) COP26: Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is the first country in the region to deposit its maritime boundaries baselines with the United Nations. Speaking at the ‘Implementing the ocean-climate nexus