Independence party wins French Polynesia elections

Moetai Brotherson is the new President of French Polynesia, after the stunning electoral victory of the independence party Tavini Huira’atira no Te Ao Mao’hi in elections for the Assembly of French Polynesia. Voters

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ASPA’s new broom

But regional airline challenges remain David Tohi is a new broom at the Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA). While he takes over from Fiji’s George Faktaufon, who spent more than 30 years as ASPA Chief

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Fiji Airways’ A350-degree turn

Fiji Airways’ Executive Manager Global Sales expects the airline will carry one million passengers on its flights this year.   Akuila Batiweti says while this is the airline’s 2024 target, he is optimistic

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How are Pacific government-owned airlines performing?

Throwing good money after bad? An expert on State Owned Enterprises with the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Private Sector Development Initiative, Christopher Russell says the Samoan government’s experience with

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Maimarosia inspires youth through indigenous Solomons music

Western influences can at times corrupt and dilute traditional Pacific indigenous music, but one Melbourne-based, Solomon Islands musician is reversing this trend.  Charles Maimarosia headlined the Wantok Music

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Pacific regionalism: To Hell with Drowning

Julian Aguon is from Guam and is a human rights lawyer, and founder of Blue Ocean Law, a progressive firm that works at the intersection of indigenous rights and environmental justice. He is also a writer. He wrote his

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Widen tax base, spend more efficiently

World Bank's Advice to 9 Pacific Economies The World Bank says six Pacific Island countries are at high risk of debt distress, and that gradual cuts to government spending are vital for balancing budgets and avoiding

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Cyber Food Fiji: From near defeat to survival

Technology has provided a fair share of both challenges and opportunities for Majid Shahzad, CEO and Founder of Cyber Food Fiji. When he started the business in 2018, Shahzad had just one vehicle, three partner

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Digitising without data

Pacific policy makers need support A recent United Nations report on the Digital Economy has recommended the formation of an ‘Institute for Pacific Digital Economies’ in one of the region’s universities to track

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Not so innocent bystanders

Policymakers in the Pacific Islands have been urged to consider adopting laws requiring bystanders to report online violence against women and girls. The suggestion comes from an Online Bystander Report by the

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Whispers

Biden cancellation disappoints The cancellation of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Papua New Guinea this month was a disappointment for PNG, which has spent months planning the visit.  “We are disappointed

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Briefs

American SamoaAmerican Samoa wants associate member status of the Pacific Islands Forum, after being an observer since 2011. Governor Lemanu Peleti Maunga said it was crucial for American Samoa to push for greater

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Movers and Shakers

Viranria Brown is the first woman to be appointed as Vanuatu’s High Commissioner to Fiji since independence. She previously served as the First Secretary to the Vanuatu High Commission in Suva from 2020 to 2023. Fiji

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