Tourism continues to buoy Fiji’s economy, but inflation still 5.2%
The Reserve Bank of Fiji says the country’s economy continues to buck international trends on the back of a “marked recovery in tourism.” In November 2022, more than 560,700 international visitors arrived in Fiji,
Owen soars high with Solomon Airlines
Solomon Airlines has promoted one of its female pilots to Captain the national carrier’s largest domestic aircraft – Dash 8. Lyndah Tito Owen was Dash 8 First Officer before officially receiving her Captain’s
No domestic flights in PNG today
Air Niugini has cancelled domestic flights indefinitely, citing the suspension of fuel supply by Puma Energy within Papua New Guinea. Hundreds of holiday-makers who travelled to other provinces during the Christmas
Race for PNG head of state
Papua New Guinea is on the cusp of voting in their first female Governor General (GG) after nominations for the post lapsed on Tuesday afternoon. In the running are only three familiar names. Former PNG High
FijiFirst clarifies it’s still in govt until election of PM
FijiFirst General Secretary, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has spoken out for the first time after the result of the election was made public on Sunday – clarifying that Voreqe Bainimarama and his cabinet remain in government
New hope for explorer sitting on huge deposit in Bougainville
Enigmatic Bougainville Copper (BOC) was up as much as about 30 percent on Wednesday morning, despite no solid news. It was still up more than 20 per cent at 3pm, perhaps related to reports about the company’s
Cook Islands tourism industry faces spectre of fewer visitors
Cook Islands Tourism operators are preparing for a quiet few months, as visitor numbers drop as predicted. In November there were 10,278 visitors to the Cook Islands, a drop of about 24 per cent compared to October
FSM reiterates plea for lifting ban on Philippine labour deployment
Micronesian officials have renewed their appeal for the Philippine government to rescind its four-year-old ban on deployment of Filipino workers to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Last week, FSM Justice
Samoa Court to rule if three resigned MPs need to go back to by-elections
The three former Samoa Opposition MPs, who resigned from Human Rights Political Party (HRPP) last month, will go to court arguing the unconstitutionality of the 2019 Electoral Amendment Act that now stops them from
Alternergy says Palau battery project nearly complete
Renewable energy pioneer Alternergy on Monday said that a solar PV and battery storage project in Palau, which is expected to commence commercial operations by April 2023, was nearing completion. In a statement,
Indonesia president supports plan to scale back troops in Papua
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday he supports plans to scale back the presence of troops in the eastern region of Papua, where the country’s military has been accused of human rights abuses in tackling a
COP15: Historic deal to protect a third of the world’s biodiversity
Negotiators reached a landmark agreement Monday at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) to protect 30 percent of the planet’s lands, coastal areas and inland waters by 2030. The Kunming-Montreal Global
Punching above its weight, Pacific pushes for ship polluters to pay
Punching above our weight has been the statement echoed in London this week to describe the tiny Pacific’s bold push against some of the global heavyweights to have polluters (ship) pay-up for their pollution. This
Napier fishing fleet giant off to Kiribati
The biggest trawler fishing out of Napier for most of the last two decades has been sold to a partnership between the government of Kiribati and Auckland business interests. The sale was confirmed to Hawke’s Bay Today
Forum SG ‘remains confident’ in Fiji’s electoral process
Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General, Henry Puna says he remains confident in Fiji’s constitutional processes to ensure a peaceful transition towards the formation of a new government. The Secretary-General
Kiribati government looking to get flights back in the air
Kiribati’s transport boss says his ministry aims to re-establish air service connections in the Line Islands. The Minister of Information, Communication and Transport, Tekeeua Tarati, said part of the work is to
Fiji Writ of elections to be returned this afternoon
The Fijian Electoral Commission Chair Mukesh Nand says the General Election was held in a peaceful and environment. The Electoral Commission is now calculating the allocation for the 55 seats in the next Parliament.
SODELPA still pondering coalition
Fiji’s Social Democratic Party (SODELPA) has denied rumours that they have decided who they will support to form the next Fiji government. The SODELPA Party leader, Bill Gavoka, says, “It’s still very much
Seven Vanuatu Opposition MPs defect to Govt side
Vanuatu leader of Opposition, Bob Loughman, has confirmed that the President of the Rural Development Party (RDP), Jay Ngwele, and six Party members are no longer members of the Opposition bloc. This follows on their
While West Papua faces an ‘existential threat’, PNG plans defence pact with Jakarta: Kogoya
“We are part of them and they are part of us,” declared politician Augustine Rapa, founder and president of the PNG Liberal Democratic Party, on the 61st anniversary of the struggle for West Papuan independence
‘No faith’ in vote count after glitch in elections results app: Rabuka
Fiji’s main opposition leader Sitiveni Rabuka says he doesn’t have faith in the vote count underway from Wednesday’s general election, and will complain to the Fijian Elections Office (FEO). Provisional
Be wary of outsiders, says FSM President Panuelo
One of the Pacific’s top leaders has endorsed Australia’s newly inked security treaty with Vanuatu, warning that the Pacific “family” has to make sure outside forces do not come in and disrupt the peace and
France rules out New Caledonia referendums for five years
The French government says it won’t organise another referendum in New Caledonia during the president’s current five-year term. A year ago, then-overseas minister Sebastien Lecornu said he planned to have a
