Forum Chair calls for urgent rethinking of sustainable growth worries
The Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, says there is an urgent need for Pacific leaders to relook at how they have been handling sustainable growth in their
Pentagon eyes missile testing role for Australia
Australia could be a testing ground for U.S. hypersonic and other long-range precision weapons under the AUKUS pact, a top Pentagon official told AFP on Wednesday. U.S. Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said
Motion of no confidence against Vanuatu PM moved to next week
A motion of no confidence against Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau will now be debated next Wednesday, after the government didn’t appear at Parliament today. Twenty-five members of the Opposition camp attended
Petition for Tongan electoral reform
A petition calling for reform of Tonga’s electoral system so that the Prime Minister may be chosen by a popular vote (and not by the Members of Parliament in the House) has engaged the House this week. On Monday
Minimum wage rise increases private sector burden: Vanuatu Opposition
The newly introduced VT300 (US$2.49) minimum wage has increased the burden of the private sector, especially the small medium sized enterprises. This is one of the arguments that the Opposition bloc has cited in the
PNG Parliament Committee wants 40 doctors reinstated
A law passed by the Papua New Guinea Parliament to prevent public servants who contested general elections from re-entering the public service for five years is causing a severe shortage in a province’s health
Unified Pacific is the game changer, says senior UN executive
An Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations has urged a key gathering of finance ministers from across the Pacific to form a “unified and strengthened Pacific” as a game changer in the struggle against the
ICJ extends submission deadline for Advisory Opinion on climate change
A new timeline has been approved by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for written statements and comments on the landmark Advisory Opinion on the legal responsibilities of countries fighting climate change.
PNG’s foreign reps irk governor
Papua New Guinea’s Northern Governor Gary Juffa has raised concerns over foreigners representing Papua New Guinea to address the issue of climate change. “At a recent United Nations Framework Convention on
PNG firearms being bought from Jiwaka and Mt Hagen dealers
Three men in Papua New Guinea have been found with unlicensed firearms, ammunition, explosives and other illegal items after a raid was conducted in Western Highlands province last week. The apprehension of the three
‘Terrible’ rules starve climate-hit islands of finance, inquiry told
Development assistance rules are denying “vulnerable” small island developing states, or SIDS, of the help they need to combat the climate emergency and must be rewritten, a UK inquiry has been told. Multiple
Cook Islands PM asks partners to get serious about debt and climate financing as economic ministers meet
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says if the region’s donor partners are serious about helping Pacific economies grow and recover, they “have to be serious about looking at changing the rules around financing,
How an ex-commando trainer from Singapore is changing tourism in the Pacific
While the superpowers and regional actors jostle for influence in the Pacific Ocean, Singapore and an ex-commando trainer may play a key role in changing the tourism landscape there. In September, the new Alii Palau
Forum Secretariat told to step up: Forum Chair
Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says he wants to leave the Forum in a better place for the incoming Chair to build upon further. In his remarks at the Pacific Islands Forum
Pacific aid to enforce climate, gender equality targets
Australia will push to create local employment and boost the domestic economies of its Pacific island neighbours while keeping an eye on climate change and gender equality. The latest international development policy is
Tonga and Solomon Islands make bid for WHO Regional Director post
Tonga and Solomon Islands have nominated medical experts for the position of World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific. Tonga has nominated Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, and Solomon Islands has
Japan to start Fukushima water release as early as late August
Japan plans to start releasing treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean as soon as late August, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun reported on Monday, citing unnamed
Guam Defence system could require 1,000 acres, 700 soldiers
Some 2,000 acres of land, most of it on Department of Defence property, is being analysed for the construction of a new 360-degree missile defence system, DOD officials told members of the Guam media last week. As many
Samoa Electronic voting in place next year
The Office of the Samoa Electoral Commission is in the process of procuring an upgraded e-roll biometric system worth $1.129 million tala(US$412,000) which can immediately verify and confirm voters. The budget
Vanuatu cabinet reshuffle
Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau has made a cabinet reshuffle. MP for Santo Rural Samson Samsen has been appointed new Minister for Trade. Matai Seremaiah is now Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime
Strong message for Manu Samoa as RWC squad named
Manu Samoa’s 32 players for the Rugby World Cup in France were announced on Sunday and with that a strong message was given to the captains by Lakapi Samoa chairman Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. Tuilaepa told the
Nauru Airlines eyes growth in the Pacific as carrier launches new freighter plane
Brisbane-based Nauru Airlines has marked the beginning of a new chapter as a growing freight carrier with the addition of Australia’s first Boeing 737-800F to its fleet. Although the airline is headquartered on
How officials bought luxury ‘government’ cars with funding for victims of U.S. nuclear testing
The hydrogen bomb exploded at 6.45am, vaporising three islands in a fireball four-and-a-half miles wide and sending a tower of radioactive debris high into the atmosphere. At 15 megatons, the Castle Bravo device –
