Air Marshall Islands’ ongoing downward spiral
Lack of money fuels air woes In 2003, an ADB report said: “The financial position of Air Marshall Islands is precarious—it has never made an operating profit and depends heavily on government
Giff Johnson
Coastal flooding to threaten Vanuatu
Technology predicts catastrophe More than 3000 people displaced by coastal flooding and large sections of Vanuatu’s two main towns inundated is the catastrophic scenario predicted by the end of the century. Coastal
Revival of a disappearing resource
SPC and partners work to rebuild green snail fishery in Vanuatu Human activity has had profound effects on the productivity of fisheries resources. In the future, climate change could have similarly devastating impacts
Samoa-born Leapai loses fight but $1million richer
Declares “bigger, badder” comeback IT was a fight doomed to favour his opponent yet Samoan-born Alex Leapai entered the world stage ring with an outside chance. He had a few die-hard optimists in his corner
A cheap wood-fired cooking stove for the islands
Most islands in the Pacific notably Melanesian countries of Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and PNG have no shortage of wood fuel for cooking. When I analysed the 2008-09 Household Income and Expenditure Survey for the
World Oceans Day – 8 June
“We are the sea. We are the ocean. We must wake up to this ancient truth.” – Professor Epeli Hau’ofa The oceans play a vital role in supporting all life on Earth. The oxygen in every third breath
Australian budget cuts affect TV, climate research
The Australian Government led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced its first budget on 13 May and took a hit in the polls. The budget saw significant reductions in spending on domestic health, education and welfare
Coconut craze with virgin natural oil
Acoconut oil craze has been circulating beauty parlours around the world for the last couple of years – that it is a miracle answer to skin infections and it’s a natural way to remove makeup. So much so that
Nauru Debacle
Your article on Nauru (IB March 2014) contains many inaccuracies and accepts as true untested and generalised defamatory allegations from unnamed persons against ex magistrate Peter Law. I note as follows; Firstly,
Slumbering elephant awakens
India, often described as a sleeping elephant in contrast to the Chinese dragon, has thrown up a clear verdict for change. With a new prime minister and an all-new government, what will this mean for the world – and
It’s a ‘Win-Win’ Scenario
One of the most oft quoted traditional Maori proverbs goes, “He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!” This simple, universally relevant and permanently valid home truth translates as,
Tourism is the winner
I t is rare that positive news from the Pacific Islands region makes it to the world stage. More often than not, it is for all the alarming reasons that the islands find themselves making global headlines. In most cases
Curb on Overfishing
At a major business event in Papua New Guinea late last year, the audience heard from a number of industry leaders about the great business opportunities that this fast growing economy of the region had on offer. While
Data holds the key, says SPTO
Regional tourism body, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) wants tourism data to be accurate and made available on a timely
Palau seeks direct air links with PNG
One northern Pacific state has almost secured what has been a remote aviation dream shared by many of its small island neighbours – to get to its larger South Pacific island neighbours at as short a time and
Samoa
Ruling HRPP bows to growing pressure After several months of debate, secret meetings and petitions, the decision came down to the Samoan Minister of Finance, Faumuina Tiatia Faaolatane Liuga for him to heed the calls to
Logging industry cleans up its act in Solomon Islands
‘Cowboy’ operators worry registered firms In a world that’s becoming increasingly environmentally-friendly, logging is a dirty word. So much so that even commercial banks, conscious of the growing
Banking woes continue to plague Nauru
Uncertainties force banking downgrade Uncertainties in initial assessments on Nauru Island were behind the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank’s decision not to establish full commercial operations or a community bank as
Chinese yuan, PNG kina open new market of riches
It’s become the Pacific’s 2nd largest donor A new wave of splurge spending by Chinese in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea’s incredible leap into high economic drive with a mid-year opening of LNG
Senator Brett Mason
Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs firms up relations with Fiji After her first meeting with Fiji’s leader Frank Bainimarama in Suva in February, Australia’s Foreign
Island Biodiversity
Since its establishment the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has worked to raise awareness on environment issues across the region and help empower others to do the same. Through our
New hope for Pacific migrants
On one hand it is cautioning recipient countries in the Pacific to be wary of aid cuts from this year and on the other, the Abbott government is offering an olive branch to semi-skilled workers from around the region to
Pacific exporters pick up branding, supply chain skills
The importance of branding, cost-effective packaging, dealing with logistics and effective supply chain management were topics discussed at a workshop for exporters from Fiji and the Pacific last month. More than 80