Opinion: The Pacific Labour Scheme and the Royal Commission into Aged Care
In Suva, new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took a smiling selfie with Fijian aged care workers, who are preparing to come to Australia to look after our elderly in a new pilot program. Raising the standard of aged
PNG youth carrying weapons ‘becoming a norm’
The rise in the use of a newly invented weapon called the wire-catapult or “silencer” is a big concern for East Sepik Province in Papua New Guinea, says East Sepik Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Superintendent
PNG negotiates security pact with Australia
Papua New Guinea’s new Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko has revealed his country is moving to negotiate a security treaty with Australia — and potentially New Zealand — in a move that could have far-reaching
Air Vanuatu YJ-AV12 twin-otter repossessed
Air Vanuatu’s YJ-AV12 twin-otter has been redelivered to Hevilift, a Papua New Guinea based Aviation Service Business which owns the aircraft, last week. A reliable source confirmed the aircraft was repossessed
Roch Wamytan re-elected President of New Caledonia Congress
Pro-independence leader Roch Wamytan has been re-elected President of the Congress of New Caledonia. It is Wamytan’s fourth successive term in this position. He received 29 votes in favour of his re-election and
PNG Election ‘severely flawed’, report shows
Transparency International PNG has described the accumulated failures in the preparation, conduct, delivery and conclusion of the 2022 PNG General Election as being a severely flawed process. TIPNG in its preliminary
West Papua: conflict continues, Indonesian soldiers arrested
Six Indonesian soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of killing and mutilating four indigenous Papuans. The soldiers are accused of luring their victims to a meeting with the promise of selling them weapons.
‘Everyone’s business’ – Vanuatu reopens to tourists
Vanuatu reopened to tourists on July 1, but there is still some work to do to reopen properties that have been shuttered for two years and fill frontline tourism positions. Virgin Australia says it will resume its
Whispers
Kiribati’s constitutional crisis Kiribati’s constitutional crisis over the status of high court judge David Lambourne continues. This month, the court of appeal ruled that government orders to deport Lambourne
A note from the editor
This month, Islands Business was able to attend the Forum Economic Ministers meeting in Vanuatu. You’ll see coverage of some of the big issues discussed at FEMM—climate and resilience financing and supply chain
More home games but more growth expected: Fijian Drua CEO
Fijian Drua will have more home games in their second year of Super Rugby in 2023 but may not see a big improvement in results, says new CEO Mark Evans on Tuesday. The Drua managed two wins to finish 11th in the 12-team
Climate finance crunch
The Pacific Islands Forum is taking another look at its ambitions to take control of resilience funding following the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in Vanuatu this month. The hybrid meeting saw attending delegates
Porgera, prices and access
The government of Papua New Guinea’s newly re-elected Prime Minister, James Marape will be focused on building investor confidence and getting Porgera reopened, as it begins its new term. In his first speech to
Opinion: The Pacific Islands Forum’s Forgotten Pacific Islanders
No one disputes that a central objective of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is to improve and enhance the broad socio-economic and political development of Pacific Island peoples and address any and all factors
Opinion: Putting the Case Forward for Pacific Integration
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders identified and discussed the various elements that could constitute the 2050 Strategy at their annual meeting in Funafuti, Tuvalu in August 2019. They then tasked the Pacific Islands
AI-Based ChatBot to Streamline FDB Customer Service
Fijian tech firm ITGalax will be working closely with the Fiji Development Bank (FDB) to bring to life its winning Artificial Intelligence-based chatbot solution concept. ITGalax was one of five winners in the
Supply chain chaos and cooperation
Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers and officials have been advised to consider reviewing export taxes and tax credits to stimulate trade in the region. A review commissioned by the Forum says all sectors,
Aging ports infrastructure under scrutiny
The shared challenge of aging ports infrastructure will be one of the key issues discussed at the upcoming Association of Pacific Ports annual conference in Saipan next month. Ports authorities recognise it is time to
Jaro Local takes Pacific and the world by storm
Award-winning Solomon Islands singer/songwriter, Jaro Local, is a soaring star around the Pacific, making waves internationally with his unique blend of contemporary island, R&B, pop and reggae music. Jaro is
Opening the window
Vanuatu is leading the region in the use of an Electronic Single Window System to ensure trade documentation is organised in a more efficient and transparent way. The manager for the Electronic Single Window Project,
New parametric insurance products launched
In early August, Salaseini Koroi, a schoolteacher turned cane farmer, sent two tonnes of harvested cane to Lautoka mill. It was the culmination of a year’s hard work in the fields of Lautoka, in Fiji’s western
Photo exhibit challenges anti-Micronesian attitudes in Hawaii
A photography exhibit by veteran Pacific journalist Floyd K. Takeuchi opens in Honolulu on September 1 with the explicit purpose of challenging local negative stereotypes about the state’s small but highly visible
Milk goats and soaps
From her garage-turned-lab, entrepreneur Beatrice Nast is creating Fiji’s first soap made from pure goat milk. The current president of the Society of Fiji Travel Associates, Nast has worn many hats during her tourism
