August
‘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
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
2022 PNG election results: nine findings
PNG’s 2022 elections have received a lot of publicity, most of it bad, and deservedly so. The electoral roll was clearly out of date, there were bouts of violence, ballot boxes were stolen, and more than one key
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