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
MP’s jailing a warning
The jailing of a Papua New Guinea MP, his rival and their supporters in Madang for contempt of court has sounded a warning to politicians and their supporters to strictly abide with the court orders. Last month, member
Climate ‘line in the sand’
“The 2007 IPCC report was rather a gamechanger in terms of people’s view of climate change,” says Dr Arthur Webb. His office is stacked high with maps of the Pacific, charts and technical reports.
From Mexico to the Marshalls
Castaway survives 14-month Pacific ordeal Late in 2012, El Salvadorian fisherman Jose Salvador Alvarenga and his Mexican companion Ezequiel Cordoba left southern Mexico in a 24-foot boat for a day of shark fishing. They
At 60, legacy of Bravo still reverberates
MUnresolved issues remain to be resolved March 1 is a national holiday in the Marshall Islands marking the day the Bravo hydrogen bomb was exploded at Bikini Atoll, spewing radioactive fallout on islands around the
Dual citizenship
Govt hopes to raise over US$98m The creation of dual citizenship in Vanuatu through constitutional change has created two fiercely opposing camps in a debate that refuses to die. In one corner are the purists, led by
New benchmarks for Australian aid
Bishop announces ODA cuts and reviews As Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop joined members of the Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group (MCG) in Suva last month, she highlighted Australia’s new
Fiji back from the cold?
FiMCG anticipates Fiji’s full Forum participation Fiji is coming back in from the cold. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama’s announcement that he would step down as military commander on February 28, then on
Fiji to sharpen teeth on money laundering
Interception of communication through such means as the tapping of telephones lines will soon be legalised in Fiji as part of national effort to combat money laundering and anti-terrorism
Sold for Sex!
Ongoing police investigation into a human trafficking racket in Fiji has uncovered the exploitation of two 12-year old girls who are allegedly being sold for
Cobalt in Cooks awaits exploitation
Could supply 10% of global supply This year could be a defining year for seabed minerals in Cook Islands. There are plans by its government to move a step closer to exploration of its massive cobalt resource, following
Brazil coffee oversupply to hit PNG/Vanuatu
Global production to exceed demand in 2014 As global supply exceeds demand for coffee for a fourth straight year, small world producers like Papua New Guinea and to lesser extent Vanuatu will feel the pinch of exports
Good news for the Pacific in terms of EU funding
The Pacific should consider itself lucky. It is not amongst the 19 countries that will suffer aid cuts under the European Union’s new international aid initiatives. A spokesperson from the European Union’s
“Carbon bubble” threatens to be destructive to the planet
MediaGlobal News Bureau Chief Nosh Nalavala interviewed Ambassador Marlene Moses, Permanent Representative of Nauru to the United Nations on the impact of climate change on small islands. Last month at the General
Tattoo business takes off in Samoa
The gift the Fijians gave away When the gift of tattoo was given to Samoan twin girls in Fiji, they swam all the way to Samoa to perform the first tatau. It was a gift that’s lasted thousands of years and while the
New mag shines light on Pacific’s health issues
Alarming stats for islanders It has been known for some time now that people of Pacific Islands origin living in New Zealand find themselves overrepresented in health-related statistics—particularly around
Memory loss linked to starch and sugar-laden diets
A big worry for Pacific islanders Forget weight gain—long-term spatial memory loss has now been linked to starch and sugar-laden diets as a warning to Pacific islanders over their lifestyle of high fat traditional
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
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
