“We have been lagging behind quite poorly”
In 2020 as shops and markets all over the world were forced to close due to the coronavirus, people shopped from home, with e-commerce seeing exponential growth in many markets. And the trend will continue. Online
E-Commerce trailblazer: Banz Kofi
Banz Kofi’s online business was transformed when owner Patrick Killoran negotiated a significant reduction in freight rates. Last year during COVID, while regular sales out of the company’s Mount Hagen coffee
“How did my husband die?”
The Parties to the Nauru Agreement ( PNA) has described them as the "eyes of the sea," who help provide critical data to ensure the sustainability of tuna stocks. But while fisheries observers are considered a valuable
Can electronic monitoring improve observer safety and security?
While collectively, Pacific fishing nations do not appear to be in a rush to send fisheries observers back to sea unless their environment is safe, some national programs have continued to deploy observers on fishing
The Forum after Dame Meg
As Henry Puna takes the reins at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Dame Meg Taylor has ended her term as Secretary General after more than six years in the job. In an interview with Islands Business (subscribers
PNG: Coping with COVID
By early June, Papua New Guinea’s COVID-19 cases stood at 15,938 and 15,088 of that number have recovered. There have been 162 deaths, and at the time of reporting, there were 688 active cases. So how is the PNG
Little light on power sale
With Fiji caught in the darkness of a descending cloud of COVID-19, its government has pushed through the sale of a large portion of the national energy company to a Japanese consortium. In its initial announcement, the
Behind the story
Ruben Vulawalu returned to his village of Drue, Kadavu after 20 years for his story, Between a rock and a hard place. He writes about the experience of seeing the devastation caused by Keni and Cyclone Harold. It was
Between a rock and a hard place
In the Fijian village of Drue in Kadavu, locals face a life-changing decision: to remain at the mercy of the rising ocean, or move their entire community to higher ground. Sixty-three-year-old stroke survivor
Fast-tracking PICTA
The Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), having acquired ratification by signatory Pacific Island Countries (PICs), came into force in 2003. However, some 18 years later, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is
Julian Aguon’s ‘The Properties of Perpetual Light’
I was invited to write a review of my dear friend Julian Aguon’s book ‘The Properties of Perpetual Light’. The task was a little daunting given his book has received the highest praise from the likes of Alice
Pacific artist soars to the top of the world
Spend a bit of time on TikTok and the chances are you will pretty quickly come across someone dancing to the iconic track “Iko Iko” performed by Pacific music star Justin Wellington, aka ‘JW’. While Pacific
Managing leadership for Pacific regionalism
If there was a time when leadership was critical for Pacific regionalism, it would be now. A new Secretary General (SG), former Cook Islands Prime Minister, Henry Puna, is taking over the rein of the Pacific Islands
Connected by the ocean and history
The University of the South Pacific has a proud history of student activism. ATOM (Against Testing on Moruroa) formed in Fiji in 1970, and many of its founding members were USP students and academics. In 1975, ATOM
Giving it his best shot
Ernest Gibson wondered if it was a hoax when he was first contacted about joining the Earthshot Prize Council as it came completely out of the blue. The Council, which includes Prince William, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of
Summits on the road to Glasgow
As countries prepare for the next round of global climate negotiations in Glasgow, major powers are organising a series of summits and initiatives to ramp up ambition towards the targets set by the Paris Agreement on
The new diplomacy: Vaccines and soft power
Despite efforts to coordinate coronavirus vaccine delivery on a regional and global basis, Pacific Island governments are increasingly meeting their vaccine needs through bilateral arrangements, a situation which is
How two unis are responding to COVID
When Islands Business met with leaders from the University of the South Pacific recently, they were just hours away from making the decision to cancel the year’s graduation ceremonies in Fiji. It was the start of the
Delving into digital: Kina finds its sweet spot
Kina Bank is set to bring new digital products to Fiji when it acquires Westpac's Fiji
Collected conversations: Iliesa Samu Lala’s ‘They Said’
"Most of what we inherit today, even believe, are based on what someone said. Topics in my books such as ‘The Human Brain is too small’, ‘Christianity is not for the Fijians', 'Do they still eat people in
Vale mine in New Caledonia
After months of political dispute, the Brazilian corporation Vale has finally sold its Goro nickel smelter and other assets in New Caledonia’s Southern Province. The new owners Prony Resources and Trafigura have
Saving for a rainy day
It is well understood that the Pacific Islands is one of the least insured regions in the world, with some estimates putting the penetration rate at just 3.6%. These figures are particularly sobering given our
