South Pacific Albacore Tuna crisis: collective action of the Pacific Islands is the way forward
James Movick, Director General of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency There has been a lot of press coverage in the past few months about the crisis in the southern albacore tuna longline fishery. Long liners
Display of double standards
The Pacific Solution – Australia’s strategic policy to deal with the increasing hordes of asylum seekers arriving by boat on its shores first thought up at the turn of the century – continues to be a
Westpac woos women to top ranks
Goal is equal representation A new benchmark claiming a world first for women is being touted in the South Pacific by Australia and the region’s oldest and 200-year-old company – Westpac. Embracing a need
Whispers
Fiji to host SPC HQ? ... Is Fiji really putting up a renewed bid to host the main headquarters of SPC which is currently housed in a beautiful piece of real estate in Noumea, New Caledonia? Whispers began to be heard
Theatre creates magic for students, community
Russian play was a big hit The erosion of tradition. The breakup of families. The destruction of an ancient, longstanding community. Passionate politics. Music that captures the soul. The struggle to make ends meet.
Deadly Lusi claims 11 lives in Vanuatu
Vanuatu is still reeling from monster cyclone Lusi that took at least eleven lives and caused millions of dollars in damage to gardens and properties early March. Yet in this rare instance, the cyclonic winds were not
Storm surges rendered Majuro residents homeless
US Government offers $100,000 High tide energised by storm surges flooded many parts of Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands, on 3 March — the latest in a series of inundation events that have hit this north
Selling the Pacific dream
Would you believe that out of the over 900 million international tourist arrivals registered by the United Nations' World Tourism Council in 2012, only 1.6 million visited the shores of 16 Pacific Islands countries
Give preference to local fishing fleets
Pacific Islands governments have a responsibility to control tuna fishing in their waters, and should be giving preference to local fishing fleets instead of granting more licences to foreign fishing vessels. Parties
Toyota joins Holden exodus
Only two months after Holden pulled out of manufacturing cars in Australia,
Climate Karma—chickens come home to roost?
According to popular climate change lore, the continuous spewing of carbon and harmful greenhouse gases over nearly 200 years, primarily by western nations, is what has caused the earth to warm up irrevocably these past
Nurturing Entrepreneurs: Key to Economic Growth
Across the Asia-Pacific region, the news is mixed when it comes to ease of doing business, but at least the Pacific Islands are better than the likes of Burma and Somalia. Or, are they? When it comes to doing business,
Land of business and opportunties
Starting from the first March 2014, Papua New Guinea is implementing new rules for Australian nationals visiting the country. The visa on arrival regime will be discontinued. Visitors wishing to travel to Papua New
New SIVB boss outlines plans
Josefa Tuamoto once Fiji’s top tourism marketing official is now taking his vast years of experience to the Solomon Islands. Last month, the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) announced Tuamoto’s
Undermining investor confidence
A survey of businesses in Papua New Guinea published last month paints a damning picture of the state of the country’s governance both in terms of corruption and spiraling law and order problems. The country’s
Leapai rallies Pacific for world fight
That is the clear message Samoan Alex Leapai would like the boxing world to believe as he readies himself for what is deemed as the biggest fight on earth on April 27. Leapai is destined to make history not just for his
Latest move causing some consternation
This appears to be one of those summers. And the region’s media seems to be in the middle of two cyclones. One in the region’s most substantial media organisation and the other in its media academia.
Dengue outbreak raises questions in Vanuatu
Is the health ministry capable? A major dengue fever outbreak in Vanuatu, with several hundred cases recorded in Port Vila and Luganville, has opened serious allegations about the state of the Ministry of Health. The
Whispers
Threatening Aussie scribe…So what’s the real whisper about one veteran Australian journalist who reportedly waved his fingers angrily at a woman executive of the Pacific media body, PINA at their biennial
Weathering the storm together
I n January 2014, Tropical Cyclone Ian devastated a number of islands in the Kingdom of Tonga, a brutal and sobering reminder of how extreme weather affects our islands homes. On behalf of SPREP, I extend our deepest
Nauru’s new lawman under the microscope
I t could be a classic case of jumping from a frying pan into the fire for Nauru as the government fired its two top judicial executives in favour of another Australian with claims of “deceptive conduct”.
Samoan language finally official
After 51 years of independence, the government of Samoa has just made its mother tongue the official language of the country. Many did not know that since 1962 that the English language had always been Samoa It was told
Debate over proposed power increase
The proposed 10% increase in electricity tariff in Samoa has received negative responses by the Samoa Chamber of Commerce and the country’s Opposition. While it’s still in its consultation stage, the
