More cyclones loom for the region?
As many as 11 predicted in next 3 months It’s been slow in coming this season but the next three months could bring as many as 11 cyclones to the Pacific islands region. In the preceding 2012-13 November-April
2014
Wetlands and agriculture— partnering for sustainability
We commemorate World Wetlands Day on February 2, each year to mark the birthday of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. This is an international environment agreement that now has 168 contracting parties, with 2,170
Measuring sea level rise in the Pacific
Crucial for decisionmakers Anticipating the effects of climate change on sea level is a pressing task, particularly in the Pacific. Getting hard data on sea level into the hands of decisionmakers and scientists is one
Low copra prices prompts Karkar’s bio-fuel diesel
The plummeting world copra prices has forced copra plantation owners to look for other avenues to raise the value of their copra. The average price per metric tonne of copra is now just over US$700, down from US$1,500
PM confident Samoa will do well after LDC
New Year’s Day 2014 will be remembered as the day that Samoa left the group of countries considered the least developed in the world. For many years, Samoa had managed to stay as an LDC for many years. The
Yazaki Samoa cuts working hours
The weekly 40 working hours for some 800 Yazaki Samoa factory workers will be reduced starting February to 32 hours. It’s a decision the management of the wire harnessing group says has been taken instead of
PNG launches first national security policy
Security institutions neglected: O’Neil The PNG government has chosen a new Commander for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF)—Colonel Gilbert Toropo, the former Commanding Officer of the 1st
Gov Inos deals with land issues
US withholds transfer of 5 offshore lands U.S. President Barack Obama signed on Sept. 18, 2013 a law conveying 3-mile submerged lands to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, only to temporarily withhold the
New MP Tausi to be the next Speaker?
Parliament to decide in March or April Expect a new Speaker for Tuvalu’s parliament when parliament sits either in March or April. Following the Nanumaga by-election on January 14—Otinielu Tausi won the seat
The West Papua debate: How will MSG dance?
Two regional conferences are taking place in Melanesia this month. And although they attract different participants, they both share a common denominator; it’s about the people of the Pacific determined to take
