Cooks hauls in fish dollars
Korea, Kiribati pay for services PURSE seining revenue has accounted for the majority of fisheries revenue collected by the Cook Islands since 2014. According to Cooks Islands Fisheries Ministry submission to the
2016
Support for purse seiners
Agency monitors bigeye stocks THE Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) is highly supportive of the Cook Islands endeavours to increase its participation in the tropical purse seine fishery, according to
Trouble in paradise
Pagopago canneries close PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (Invictus News) – American Samoan tuna workers took a huge blow last month when processors suspended operations. Pago Pago-based Starkist – the
How sustainable is Pacific tourism?
FOR sometime now, sustainability has been the buzzword in development circles. We have the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs that Pacific member countries of the UN have adopted and are working
Rebuilding a stronger Ha’apai
CYCLONE Ian, the most powerful storm ever recorded in Tonga, struck the Ha’apai Islands on January 02, 2014, destroying or severely damaging nearly a thousand houses and public buildings. World Bank funding of
Fighting corruption
Asset declaration is the key UNDERSTANDING the roots of corruption in society will help communities address the issue. And parliamentarians must understand their roles in stopping corruption through their oversight of
Vanuatu continues to lead the kava market
Danger lies within VANUATU has always taken great pride in the varieties of kava cultivated locally. As long ago as 2002 the International Kava Executive Council was formed and Vanuatu saw fit to start to introduce
The FUTURE of kava
Yoshida looks to Ovalau as market key OVALAU, Fiji (Invictus News Service) – In the sleepy little town of Ovalau, once capital of Fiji and a pivotal Pacific port, an ancient crop is emerging as a potential game
Whispers
Hospital moves WORD on the streets of Fiji’s capital is that a new private hospital is about to open its doors. This time a group of doctors at the current private treatment place close to the Colonial War
A call to renewal
A TERRIBLE, unjust system – indentured labour – was ended in Fiji 100 years ago this month. Known as girmit, the practice of recruiting labourers in India to work for a pittance on farms in Fiji lasted an
Movers & Shakers
Bishops speak on Papua CATHOLIC bishops from across the Pacific region have declared support for West Papua to have a greater international voice. Dignity for West Papuans was a focus issue for the executive committee
Proceed with caution
THE inclusion of New Caledonia and French Polynesia in the Pacific Islands Forum raises some interesting questions for regional relationships and independence. These French territories have autonomous legislative
North Pacific opens
New Guinea’s bird spreads its wings TRAVEL to the Northern Pacific has opened further with new schedules released by Air Niugini. Beginning in December, Papua New Guinea’s national carrier will fly to Chuuk
Beyond a culture of silence
THE apparent absence of debate, particularly among the Taukei, is attributed by commentators to ‘a culture of silence’. Open, vigorous public discourse is not yet a feature of Taukei or Fijian society at
Lessons learnt from Winston
“THE fluttering of the tent in the wind just takes me back to that night,” said Eta Tuvuki, 37-year-old single mum. Her story is just one reminder that the recovery following Tropical Cyclone (TC) Winston is
Detentions widen political gulf
RECENT events in Fiji point to a widening gulf that has developed between Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama’s Fiji First Party- led government and the country’s Opposition political parties. Six prominent
Former Tuvalu PM a ‘free man’
Judge questions handling of case by PM and his deputy A LANDMARK court case last May in Tuvalu which saw the jailing of a former prime minister who is a sitting opposition MP has ended abruptly when the island’s high
Turf wars
SPC may need to absorb SPREP, says study REDIFINING and differentiating mandates could be the way out to resolving overlapping and the so called ‘turf wars’ that exist among the many regional
Kava legacy tested
AS a country with many more cultivars of what the region generally knows as kava, Vanuatu is pleased to have scientists of the WHO / FAO Codex Alimentarius studying in country the large number of noble kavas produced
Long way to go for Pacer Plus
Forum leaders fail to resolve trade dispute THE Forum leaders meeting in Pohnpei could not resolve ongoing disputes over the PACER-Plus trade agreement. Since 2009, Forum member countries have been negotiating
Mining madness
Namosi gold and copper mine exploration with a flawed plan THE same mine plan and the flaws in it that prompted the halt of mining in early 2012 is currently being used for copper and gold exploration by the Namosi
Leaders agree to disagree on West Papua
THE issue of West Papua remains a headache for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Member countries like Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji are reluctant to grant full membership to the United Liberation Movement of West
And now there are 18
New Caledonia and French Polynesia join forum BURIED in the communiqué of the 47th Pacific Islands Forum, at item 30, is a single sentence: “Leaders accepted French Polynesia and New Caledonia as full