Water woes
By Samantha Magick Earlier this month the world learnt of the plight of Banabans, who had been living without fresh water for a year according to residents. A social media post from an overseas-based Banaban gave a
March
Tuvalu’s digital ambitions
By Dionisia Tabureguci Tuvalu has become the first country in the world to choose Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV) blockchain to help it migrate to a fully digital economy, a move that may see it also adopt Bitcoin
Mountains of hydro trouble
By Samisoni Pareti Mountain tribes in Fiji are thwarting plans by the country’s power monopoly to build a multi-million hydro power plant. The people of Nubu and Cawanisa say Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) only has itself
Farmers have their say
BUT ARE THEY BEING HEARD? By Samantha Magick Were you one of the many Pacific Islanders who spent the first few weeks of the coronavirus pandemic with soil under your nails? The introduction of lockdowns plus border
Can mining dig Fiji out of COVID hole?
By Dionisia Tabureguci Fiji's minerals sector is tipped to lead its post-COVID economic recovery, with gold production expected to strengthen later this year and interest in gold prospecting on the rise. "The
Opinion: What is to become of Pacific regionalism?
By Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola In the September/October 2019 issue of this magazine, I reflected on the ‘Death of Pacific Regionalism?’ (also known as Pacific Islands Forum). It was a leading question in my mind at
Things fall apart
I was only two years old when Nigerian author Chinua Achebe published his novel, Things Fall Apart, in 1958. Achebe’s novel focused on the struggles, chaos and bewilderment which are the consequences of a culture on
The art of listening
At the celebration of Sir Michael Somare’s life at Suva’s Sacred Heart cathedral this month, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong spoke about the willingness to listen as one of the Grand Chief’s defining characteristics.
Farewell to the Chief
After three weeks of mourning, Papua New Guinea’ founding father, Sir Michael Somare, was laid to rest at Kreer Heights in Wewak, East Sepik Province on March 16. In Port Moresby, a national Haus Krai saw thousands of
Tuvalu’s digital ambitions
Tuvalu has become the first country in the world to choose Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV) blockchain to help it migrate to a fully digital economy, a move that may see it also adopt Bitcoin SV, the cryptocurrency
Mountains of hydro trouble
Mountain communities in Fiji are thwarting plans by the country’s power monopoly to build a multi-million hydro power plant. The people of Nubu and Cawanisa say Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) only has itself to blame
Pacific farmers have their say
Were you one of the many Pacific Islanders who spent the first few weeks of the coronavirus pandemic with soil under your nails? The introduction of lockdowns plus border closures precipitated an explosion of backyard
Minoru Nishi on business during COVID
For farmers and producers like Tonga’s Minoru Nishi, Managing Director of Nishi Trading Company, COVID-19 has been a double-edged hoe. “Our exports actually increased in terms of demand from the market, and I
Local produce, local menus
When 116 farmers in Fiji’s western division received ‘Cash for Cultivation’ from the government, Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy told them: “We want the demand for vegetables, fresh produce,
From tree to bar to table
Kokomana is a small artisan ‘tree-to-bar’ chocolate maker and social enterprise run by Richard and Anne Markham in Savusavu, northern Fiji. The operation produces about 100 bars of high-quality chocolate
Can mining dig Fiji out of COVID hole?
Fiji’s minerals sector is tipped to lead its post-COVID economic recovery, with gold production expected to strengthen later this year and interest in gold prospecting on the rise. “The mining sector
Facebook and Pacific news
The importance of Pacific news on Facebook was thrown into sharp relief by the stand-off in January between the Australian government and Facebook over the government’s media code. Facebook closed access to Pacific
Big Audit Fail
Nearly six years out of date. Not leaked audit reports from the Cook Islands, as exposed by Islands Business last month, representing hundreds of millions in unpublished, unaudited micro-state assets. This time