Fiame prevails: “It’s a new day”

By Samantha Magick “Can I offer my deepest gratitude to you, the people of Samoa, and in particular acknowledge the dignity with which you have waited with patience and forbearance, peacefully and respectfully, for

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‘Tiny’ but tasty: Aelan’s global success

By Samantha Magick Vanuatu chocolate maker, Aelan hopes to launch a regional chocolate and cacao competition this year as a way of promoting high-quality chocolate from across the Pacific Islands region.  “We're

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A note from the editor

After more than two months and infinite patience on the part of voters, Samoa finally has a new Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa. We’re yet to see what Fiame’s ascendancy will mean for regional

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Virtual leadership- a new norm?

By Dennis Rounds During times of national crisis, people look to their government for political leadership, meaningful financial and welfare assistance, and general reassurance. The COVID-19 pandemic might not be a war

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Fiji real estate: A buyer’s market

By Samantha Magick The pandemic has flattened Fiji’s real estate industry, with the Reserve Bank reporting that commercial bank lending to real estate had plummeted 31.3% (or F$24million) for the year ending March

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Pleass Global: Celebrating 25 years of innovation

Sponsored From supplying Fiji cinemas with frozen soft drinks 25 years ago,  Pleass Global Limited has grown into a diverse company that is looking to new markets, new products and new opportunities. Co-founders

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Inclusivity is expedient for PACER Plus

I wrote: ‘Re-Negotiated PACER Plus for Post-Covid-19 Pacific Regionalism’ for the July 2020 Island Business issue. This was pitched particularly at strengthening Pacific regionalism (Pacific Islands Forum) as a

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Mia Kami: Harnessing the power of music to decolonise the mind

By Rowena Singh “Performing is more than just me standing up and singing a song in front of people; it is a chance for me to share a vision and a mission,” says Tonga’s Mia Kami. Kami’s original songs are full

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“We are lagging behind quite poorly”

By Samantha Magick In 2020 as shops and markets all over the world were forced to close due to the coronavirus, people shopped from home, with e-commerce seeing exponential growth in many markets. And the trend will

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“We can’t just sit back and wait for the tourists to come”

By Samantha Magick Banz Kofi’s online business was transformed when owner Patrick Killoran negotiated a significant reduction in freight rates.  Last year during COVID, while regular sales out of the company’s

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Now is the time for an independent Pacific think tank

By Dr Anthony Bergin and Dr Transform Aqorau Good foreign policy, diplomacy and sound national security in the Pacific Islands doesn’t just require solid ideas and good plans. It needs robust evidence of what works

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View from the West: High and dry in “new normal” Fiji

Here, in what some call the “burning West”, a pub with no beer is to some parched human throats what a dry river is to a herd of thirsty cattle. Due to COVID lockdowns, Fijians walked for close to two months in the

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