Legal protection essential for people displaced by climate change: UN expert
An independent UN-appointed climate expert on Tuesday called for full legal protection to be given to those displaced by the impacts of climate change, to guarantee their human rights. “The effects of climate change
Illegal narcotics and meth use among youths a concern in Fiji
When Fiji’s Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua pointed out last year that the use and distribution of hard drugs had spiraled out of control and was a far bigger disaster than climate change, he was not
Opinion: The Pacific – Securing the Future
Submarine cables are a vital element of infrastructure for Pacific Island countries. Over the last five years, a focus on the Pacific region submarine cable development has demonstrated enormous growth in the number of
$8M to support Kiribati’s drought relief efforts
An $8 million grant has been disbursed by the Asian Development Bank to the Government of Kiribati to help fund drought relief efforts. ADB says the support comes after a state of emergency was declared last month in
Solomon Islands leader takes High Court action over election delay
Solomon Islands leader of the Independent Group, John Kuku has filed a legal suit challenging the legality of the extension of Parliament to 2024. Parliament September last year passed the extension of Parliament by
Fukushima nuclear plant operator says equipment to release treated wastewater into sea is complete
All equipment needed for the release into the sea of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant has been completed and will be ready for a safety inspection by Japanese regulators this week,
PNG Stock Exchange adopts corporate governance code
The National Stock Exchange of PNG (PNGX) has adopted a new Corporate Governance code developed with characteristics of the PNG market in mind. Chairman David Lawrence said this initiative aimed to provide to the boards
PNG logger fined K140million by Internal Revenue Commission
A major logging operator in Papua New Guinea has been charged a whopping K140 million (US$39 million) for tax evasion, Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) boss Sam Koim announced Monday. Koim said IRC has imposed a
Solomon Islands optimistic to reduce electricity costs through reforms: Vehe
Solomon Islands Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification Dr Chris Vehe has highlighted the energy challenges facing Solomon Islands and reforms the Government is undertaking to
Marshall Islands Compact held up by nuclear legacy
The lack of agreement on the nuclear legacy issues holds up the Marshall Islands’ Compact Review negotiations with the United States, according to Marshall Islands Speaker Kenneth Kedi during the Marshall Islands
Pacific communities placed on El Niño alert
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Programme has advised Pacific communities to prepare for the potential impacts of an El Niño. SPREP says there is approximately a 70 percent chance of El Niño forming in 2023,
Lethal force to be used by PNG Police
Papua New Guinea police will be able to use lethal force to deal with crimes that come under Domestic Terrorism through the amendments to the Criminal Code Act. Police Commissioner David Manning said this as the
World Bank to suspend debt repayments for disaster-hit countries
The World Bank will start offering a pause in loan repayments to the “most vulnerable” countries when they are hit by catastrophic events including climate-related disasters. The bank’s new chief Ajay Banga
Largest solar and storage project in western Pacific online in Palau
The largest solar and battery storage project in the Western Pacific has been installed in Palau, a 15.3 MW solar system combined with a 13.2 MWh battery. The US$29 million installation will meet more than 25% of the
Overseas medical cost a concern: Samoa PM Fiame
Samoa’s Government remains concerned about the affordability of overseas treatment for non-communicable diseases, says Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa. The Prime Minister made the comments when she
Japan’s Fukushima wastewater plan is safe, says expert on Pacific islands panel
Fish that swim in treated wastewater from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant would be safe to eat, according to an expert who is part of the Pacific islands scientific panel that criticised Japan’s plan to
Pay our nurses, says Fiji Women’s Rights Movement
The Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) has called on Fiji’s Government to place more emphasis on the appropriate allowances and pay for nurses and midwives. For several years, nurses and midwives in Fiji
PNG payroll blowout
The Papua New Guinea Special Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Reform and Service Delivery is concerned about what the country gets in return for employing 132,898 public servants. Committee chairman Gary Juffa
PNG National Fisheries Authority clarifies tuna supply issues
Papua New Guinea’s National Fisheries Authority (NFA) says tuna supply issues facing the processors in Lae have nothing to do with the lack of fish stocks in the waters. It added that the issues resulted from supply
Tonga PM urges Pacific partners to properly manage seabed minerals
A fifth Pacific-SIDS regional and capacity development workshop and a high level panel for sustainable management of seabed minerals of the Blue Pacific continent is being held this week in Nuku’alofa.
New website to monitor PNG government funds
Community advocacy organisation ACT NOW has launched a new website to promote transparency and accountability in how government funds are used across all 94 Districts in Papua New Guinea. The website –
World leaders headed to Paris summit in push for global debt, climate reform
World leaders will gather in Paris this week with ambitions to reimagine global financing for a new era shaped by climate change, as a cascade of crises swamps debt-burdened countries. French President Emmanuel Macron
Samoa Government takes over $30 million Aggie Greys hotel shares
The Samoa Government now holds 30 percent preference shares in the Aggie Greys Hotel Limited which owns the Sheraton Samoa and Aggies Greys Hotel & Bungalows in Apia. This was confirmed by the Minister for the
