Putting Samoa on the global tourist map
Global event revolves around local show Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) Chief Executive Officer Matatamali’i Sonja Hunter says the SIDS event is an opportunity to showcase Samoa not only to the visiting 3000
2014 September
Straight-shooting PM ready to take on the world
Samoa willing to say no to China Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has been Samoa’s Prime Minister for 17 years. The frank and outspoken leader has had a long career in politics, diplomacy and public administration.
Farm to table – Chef’s passion is infectious
Oliver joins growing new food movement Award winning chef and author Robert Oliver is not one to rest on his laurels. The two-time winner of the world’s most prestigious cookbook awards for his Pacificthemed
Showcasing small islands enterprise
Traditional artisans to display products Several local, regional and global agencies are coming together to showcase a wide range of small islands enterprises – not just from Samoa but also from the Pacific
‘Samoa arrives on world cuisine stage’
“I didn’t win the award. Samoa won the award,” Oliver said when his second book based on the cuisines of the Pacific islands, ‘Mea’ai Samoa: Recipes from the Heart of Polynesia’, won
A premium offering from Samoa
Project offers land for sale to foreigners One of Samoa’s long established and reputable boutique accommodation providers, who built and run the popular Sinalei Resorts, has embarked on an ambitious firstof-a-kind
PNG: Happy birthday to the land of unexpected
Future depends on ability to fight crime Papua New Guinea, the largest of the economies within the island-Pacific in terms of population and gross domestic product, reaches the milestone of being 39 years since
New leadership for Pacific Islands Forum
In the absence of Australia’s Tony Abbott and New Zealand’s John Key, and with Fiji still suspended from Forum meetings, Papua New Guinea’s push for regional leadership was highlighted at the Pacific
Malaysians take over PNG palm oil giant
Pacific plantation yields record surge London Stock Exchange listed company and Papua New Guinea’s largest agribusiness, New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NPOL) will have a new owner. After two months of intense
Tonga floats Development Bank for the Pacific
Setting up a regional development bank gained the support of the Association of Development Financing Institutions of the Pacific meeting in Nuku’alofa last month. Tonga’s Acting Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu
Fuel company focuses on gas
The National Petroleum Company of Papua New Guinea (NPCP), the third largest shareholder of the world class Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas project (PNG LNG) is estimated to be valued at US$8 billion to US$9
The PIDF Comes of Age
The second Summit of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) was held on Fiji’s Denarau Island from June 18 to 20. Over 400 delegates from the region and beyond were in attendance and keynote presentations
The Pathway to the 3rd SIDS Conference in Samoa
Samoa will make history this year as the first Pacific island country to host an international United Nations conference. The 3rd International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), to be held from 1 to 4
Airport plans ended, back to square one
A RARE unanimous vote by Vanuatu’s MPs to end plans for a new controversial V$350 million (US$3.66m) international airport have refocused attention on the parlous state of Bauerfield International Airport. Plans
Spare a Tala for grassroots wisdom
TThe longish drive from Faleolo Airport to downtown Apia is always a great opportunity for a grassroots view of the goings on in Samoa – especially when your driver, even if loquacious, is eloquently so. Views
Confusion causes skepticism and policy paralysis
What outcomes should the world’s small island states that are congregating in Samoa realistically hope for at the conclusion of the conference in early September? These island states, joined at the hip by the
Nauru, Cook Islands elect women MPs
The Pacific Islands region has often figured at the bottom of global gender parity statistics. The region has the fewest women parliamentarians, at no time in their histories since independence more than a handful
Seasonal worker programme shows promise
One of the two biggest income earners for most Pacific Island countries, particularly in Polynesia, is remittances – the other being tourism. Vast numbers of Pacific Island people live and work mainly in
Whispers
PNG’s Meg Taylor: is the Pacific Islands Forum’s new head, the Melanesian Spearhead Group solidarity is in tatters and the whisper is that Fiji is fuming still. So much so that Fiji’s losing candidate,
Forum debates fisheries management
At the Pacific Islands Forum, regional leaders adopted a new agreement to strengthen enforcement and surveillance over the region’s fisheries. In a ceremony during last month’s meeting in Palau, New Zealand
Samoa rolls out red carpet to the world
Proud moment for donors’ darling It’s Samoa’s biggest moment on the global stage. The third United Nations Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) Conference that gets under way on September 1 is
Clearer skies ahead for economy
With its high dependency on tourism and agriculture, the Samoan economy is severely affected by natural disasters. In December 2012, Tropical Cyclone Evan is estimated to have caused damage of more than S$400 million
Thirty nine years of independent Papua New Guinea
Thirty nine years this month a proud independent nation, Papua New Guinea is starting at last to box its weight as a real regional force as well. At last month’s Pacific Islands Forum summit in Palau, Prime
