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
Archives
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
Rags of riches
Hard work and innovation clothe business success THE Fijian coup of 2006 and subsequent currency valuation forced small businesses to take drastic measures. Some folded and went out of business. For the Chute
Whispers
School flip flops FIRST Fiji’s Education Ministry pushed out a memo to all teachers stating they must not speak in public without the permission of the Permanent Secretary. By the way, that includes all gatherings
Life with cancer
THROUGHOUT the Pacific cancer has infiltrated the lives of our people at every strata of society. In Fiji, prostate cancer is an emerging new killer threatening men, families the workforce and the economy. Among women,
Golden success for Fiji and the region
FIJI’S success at the Rio Olympics will be shared throughout the region and remembered across the Pacific for years to come. In terms of tourism, the mere fact that Fiji played so well and in such a spectacular
Our people at risk
OUR Pacific finds itself in an emergency and how we choose to deal with it right now will determine our future. Non-communicable diseases – primarily heart disease, cancers, chronic lung diseases and diabetes
Diabetes hits home hard
FELITI Hoeft, 54, comes from the village Tofoa in Tongatapu. Before getting diagnosed with diabetes, he was a hard working man, gainfully employed operating heavy earth moving machines. Today, both his feet are gone
A fight for life
Sinking isles face new rising threat KIRIBATI has been a world leader in the field of climate change, punching way above its weight and keeping the spotlight on global warming and sea level rise. Climate change is,
Culture new strategy at heart of EU ties
THE strategy adopted today is in line with the Europen Union Commission’s priority to make the EU a stronger global actor. Culture can play a crucial role in strengthening international partnerships. The
Can of worms
Dispute over tinned meat FED up with constant bullying and a continued trade imbalance with its Melanesian neighbour, Papua New Guinea has threatened to ban imports from Fiji. It’s a reaction to Fiji shutting out
Hollow words
Does Obama mean what he says DESPITE his recent call for a world without nuclear weapons, the United States under President Barack Obama is about to embark on a trillion-dollar modernisation programme. This will ensure
Battle for justice
Churches call for fair settlement AT the heart of the cry for justice in the Pacific is the damage to property and life caused by the region’s former and current colonial powers. The church has historically been
Hope for youth with different abilities
WHILE the Fiji National Budget 2016 – 2017 allocation towards the people with different abilities was a sign of progressive realisation, lack of facilities towards accommodation was still a concern for many.
Transfer fees fall
Bank helps island communities JUST a month before New Zealand imposed drastic limitations on remittances and money transfers, its largest bank announced it was slashing transaction fees to move cash to Samoa, Vanuatu
Solomons bid to bridge China, Taiwan gap
SOLOMON Islands preparation toward hosting the 2023 Pacific Games could harmonise the deep political division between China and Taiwan. Well, that is if both countries decide to assist Solomon Islands build the needed
Jittery race
Turnbull holds on THE count hadn’t been completed yet in Australia’s triennial federal election and questions were already being raised about party leadership. How long would Malcolm Turnbull be able to hold
Storm warning
Fury over West Papua flag ON July 13, Indonesian delegates — angry because the Morning Star Flag, emblem of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP), was flown alongside other members’ flags
Our link to the world
THE region’s communications needs continue to grow as technological advances make contact so much easier across the globe. In the Pacific, however, cost has always been an inhibitor. But a new cable link will make