Life in interesting times
LATE last month Papua New Guinea returned the government of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to power – albeit with a much smaller majority. At the same time the people of the Pacific’s largest democracy removed three
2017 September
A warrior falls
Tony de Brum 1945-2017 … He was a giant of history, a legend in every meaning of the word … AT the age of nine, Tony de Brum was fishing at sea with his grandfather when he witnessed an explosion which was
Whispers
Missing cash WHERE is the $515,000 given by Methodist people from Fiji who now live in New Zealand for the construction of a new home for the head of the church? At the recent Methodist Church in Fiji annual conference,
Friends no more
Tonga heads to the polls AS a student at the University of the South Pacific, Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva decided to put an end to what he saw as the corrupt system of governance in his homeland – Tonga. The monarchy
About to fall down
PNG – land of the mystic PAPUA New Guinea marks its independence this month, just weeks after the end of elections. This land of contrast with vast amounts of natural resources has been plagued by corruption and
Brother Kanaky
MSG seals deal with Independence group ahead of referendum THE Melanesian Spearhead Group will take a lead role in a political referendum in New Caledonia next year. MSG Director General, Ambassador Amenatave
Taking God out of the islands
UNLESS you are cocooned in a tourist bubble, it is hardly possible to miss God when you visit the Pacific Islands. In every village and on every main street there seems to be a church or temple, packed to bursting point
Kelly Bently, Coordinator for the ManFightback after Winston
SINCE Tropical Cyclone Winston made its brutal landfall in the country last year, Fiji has doubled its efforts to building back better and tripled its commitment to combat climate change. Keeping in mind the Paris
R&D – The way forward
Academics to provide climate change impact EXPECT greater consultation between government and academics – at least in Fiji – as preparations begin for the first Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Things fall apart
Tokelau calls for support FOR close to 40 years the tiny island nation of Tokelau has been without a local meteorological service. That’s ever since New Zealand withdrew direct funding for the facility in the 1980s.
Battle for power
Australian, Japanese firms fight over deposits THIS year marks the 70th year of the end of the war in the Solomons. Yet the battle over natural resources in these islands ended in the courts just months ago and there
Family security under scrutiny
“IF your family is hungry, if there is no food in the kitchen, there will be a problem.” These were the words Anitelu Toe’api, publi relations and communications officer for the Civil Society Forum of Tonga. “If
Vendor back on her feet
UN project boosts families THE decision of her husband to leave her behind with her two children did not deter Sulueti Liku from living her life. Her husband was the sole bread winner of the family and was a very
Raising voices
OXFAM in the Pacific, working in partnership with the Pacific Disability Forum, has been awarded a grant by the European Union to implement “Raising Pacific Voices”- a three-year, £2.55million (FJ$5.46m) programme
Tour operator goes hybrid
Green fleet WITH the growing number of tour operators and tourism logistics companies, every passenger moved makes a difference. And sometimes the business edge comes not only in volume of traffic but by the ability to
Killing the golden goose
High taxes threaten tourism HIGH taxes and service charges have pushed Fiji’s major revenue generator into the more expensive destinations for tourists. With VAT increasing from 5 to 10 per cent and Service Turnover
Time to walk the talk
Conference to dialogue on tourism issues In a bid to provide a regional platform for dialogue on matters of interest in international and regional tourism, the first ever Pacific Tourism Insights Conference (PTIC) will
Church to set up uni
THE Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma will establish a Methodist University that will cater for students who don’t reach tertiary education. The proposal – which aims to provide Methodists, and others, with a
Permanent no more
“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still have one apple. But if you and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas”
Watch this space
Emerging brand makes it to World Cup WHEN the West Indian cricket team took the field at Edgbaston in England last month, their kit was provided by local brand BLK. It’s a brand that was propelled onto the world scene