Tongan airline Lulutai seeking $7 million subsidy
The Tongan government is assessing the possibility of ceasing Lulutai Airlines services due to its inability to meet financial obligations, the Minister for Public Enterprises says. The news follows serious
Australia tallies Pacific impact of U.S foreign aid cuts
Australia is racing to identify the South Pacific’s most pressing funding needs as the United States moves to slash its foreign aid budget, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Thursday. Crucial food, climate
847 Samoans receive New Zealand citizenship in three months
New Zealand Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says 847 Samoans have been granted New Zealand citizenship since the Citizenship [Western Samoa – Restoration] Amendment Bill passed into law three months
Crucial 2023 PG documents ‘missing’
Supporting documents to complete a full audit into the 2023 Pacific Games expenditures have reportedly gone missing and may have been destroyed, sources have revealed. These documents include receipts, authorisation of
Paradise Lost: Eight years later, Freesoul site still a mess
A company found guilty of destruction on Malolo Island is still to rehabilitate the site, years after the judgement. While the case against Freesoul Real Estate Development (Fiji) over destruction on Malolo Island was
Kangava community demands justice for 2019 oil spill
The customary landowners of Kangava Bay in the Solomon Islands have filed a claim with the Solomon Islands High Court for damages caused by a 2019 oil spill, the worst of its kind in the nation. The claim was filed
Cook Islands PM’s challenges go beyond China
It’s a cold weekend in one of the coldest cities in Northeast China. Just before heading back to Rarotonga from a controversial mission to China, Prime Minister Mark Brown stepped outside to film one of his regular
New Zealand’s strange diplomatic stoush with Kiribati
The squabbles between New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters and heads of government in Kiribati and the Cook Islands have been denounced by some as neo-colonial grandstanding but welcomed by others as
We say: It’s time to stop the rot
Five years ago, Pacific leaders recognised the worrying levels of corruption which existed throughout the region. To manifest their concern, the Teieniwa Vision was signed as a commitment towards rooting out systemic
Whispers
Kava questionsFiji is taking the battle for the kava market to the United States, of all places. A large delegation led by Assistant Minister Tomasi Tunabuna visited the US, apparently in response to the growing of kava
Providing stability and school
When a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Vanuatu in December 2024, it left a trail of destruction, damaging schools, disrupting learning, and adding another layer of trauma to children already vulnerable to the impacts of
The tide turns: Fresh approach to regional education
On a bush track in the interior of Fiji’s mani island, Viti Levu, three weary colleagues trudge toward a village, barely visible through the mist. The team from the Regional Institute for Leadership Development is on
Envisioning ocean literacy across the Pacific
Students at the International School Suva (ISS) learn about the ocean from the moment they step through the school gates. Under the leadership of the Whole School Ocean Coordinator Hannah Nanovu, the school is not just
Trump’s foreign aid freeze: Who will step in for the Pacific
Programs addressing domestic violence, renewable energy, literacy, hospital infrastructure, fisheries management, media capacity building, transport and infrastructure, and health procurement are amongst the many
Fiji’s Garment Industry at (another) crossroads
Look at the label on your clothing, and chances are it will tell you it is made in China, India, Bangladesh, or Vietnam. If it is Pacific wear, the tag may read Fiji or one of her neighbours. Fiji once had a thriving
Pacific Designers: The survivors, young guns and patriarch
Pasifika designs, with their bold and unapologetic aesthetic, have become a powerful symbol of cultural identity for those seeking a deeper connection to the Pacific way of life. Showcased through clothing or
Briefs
American SamoaThe Department of Human and Social Services (DHSS) in American Samoa is investigating Samoans who have returned to Samoa but continue to receive food stamp benefits. DHSS Director Panisia Neueli told a
Super Rugby Pacific 2025: Island teams have a solid start
The 2025 Super Rugby season has kicked off, with Pacific teams Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua having decent start to the season, even if the scoreboards didn’t go their way. Judging from action in round one, the
We say: Prepare now for emergencies
Traditionally the Pacific cyclone season spans the months from November and March. But with temperatures rising constantly, every year brings a new facet to the climate change phenomenon and the potential for cyclones
Movers and Shakers
Jotham Napat has been elected as Vanuatu’s new Prime Minister, securing the top post unopposed. Former Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, leader of the Reunification Movement for Change, nominated Napat, the MP for Tanna.
Pacific Island leaders unite at Honiara Summit to strengthen regional tuna fisheries
Papua New Guinea Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources, Jelta Wong, has addressed the gathering of Pacific Island leaders to describe the East New Britain Initiative (ENBi) during a weeklong Honiara Fisheries
Vanuatu’s CBD partially re-opens more than two months after killer quake
Vanuatu authorities have reopened parts of Port Vila’s central business district more than two months after it was devastated by a massive magnitude-7.3 earthquake. Over 14 people were killed during the 17
Knee issue could force Tigers’ Olam into retirement
The NRL future of Papua New Guinea international Justin Olam is under a cloud as the Wests Tigers centre battles an ongoing knee injury. Olam has been absent from the Tigers’ two pre-season games and is