Samoa dealing with ‘taro trouble’
Taro, a Samoan staple food, has been on the decline for the last few years and as a result the prices have soared and supply to the local markets has dropped. This has also seen many Samoans consume less of the healthy
Plastics producers deceived public about recycling, report reveals
Plastic producers have known for more than 30 years that recycling is not an economically or technically feasible plastic waste management solution. That has not stopped them from promoting it, according to a new
Stop fuel supply notice to affect PNG Air flight
The stop fuel supply notice by Puma Energy has now posed an imposition to business and communities traveling on the PNG Air Network. PNG Air in a statement said that under the circumstances PNG Air has assessed that the
Bank boss paints positive picture of PNG prospects
Kina Bank plans to invest over K30 million (US$7.9 million) this year to expand and refine its services with a focus on improving Papua New Guinea customer service, says Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer,
Call for King to ‘urgently’ refine Tonga democracy
Tongan Democrats in New Zealand have called on the King to urgently refine what they describe as the country’s fragile democracy. They said the memorandum King Tupou VI sent withdrawing his consent to the appointment
Country must never face repeat of civil unrest: PNG Business Council
Papua New Guinea Business Council President, Susil Nelson-Kongoi says there should not be a repeat of the 10 January civil unrest in Port Moresby and around the country. She told the Prime Minister’s back-to-business
Australian Defence Chief unaware of Commander Naliva’s torture allegation
Australia’s Defence Force Chief was unaware a Fijian officer who became a Deputy Commander of 3000 troops was alleged to have committed torture. Colonel Penioni Naliva was appointed the Deputy Commander of the 7th
U.S. Senate fails to add Compact Funds to aid package
A last-minute bipartisan effort to add key funding aimed at countering China in the Pacific has failed in the U.S. Senate even as a US$95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan moved forward. A renewal of
O.U.R. Party unveils five key policy priorities: Solomon Islands Caretaker PM Sogavare
Solomon Islands Parliamentary leader of O.U.R. Party and caretaker Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare has unveiled the five key policy priorities of the party during the launching of the party’s manifesto. The
PNG PM Marape addresses Opposition’s vote of no confidence motion with confidence
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, James Marape has openly welcomed the Opposition’s motion for a vote-of-no-confidence against him. This announcement came after the Acting Speaker, Konie Iguan, briefed Parliament
Complaints mount at PNG ‘care centers’ for volcano displaced
Several thousand people remain in limbo three months after the eruption of Papua New Guinea’s Mt Ulawun, living at muddy camps euphemistically named “care centres” by authorities, and increasingly unhappy about
Russian oligarch’s seized yacht costs $7 million a year to maintain, U.S says
The U.S government said it is spending more than US$7 million a year to maintain a superyacht it seized from a sanctioned Russian oligarch, and urged a judge to let it auction the vessel before a dispute over its
Huge pay rise for Solomons politicians
Members of Parliament in Solomon Islands are due to receive a huge pay rise this year despite the nation’s precarious state of the economy and poor government service delivery. The pay increase was published in a
PNG PM Marape describes challenge as ‘frivolous’ and ‘opportunistic’
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, James Marape has described planned attempts to challenge his government in a vote of no confidence motion as “frivolous and opportunistic”. The traditional 18-month grace period that
Japan Foreign Minister assures Pacific nations of ALPS treated water discharge compliance
Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa has reassured her Pacific counterparts the discharge of Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean last year
Cook Islands Foreign Minister urges global recognition of regional priorities
Cook Islands Foreign Affairs Minister, Tingika Elikana, Monday highlighted the need to drive discussions on regional priorities and forge inter-regional cooperation essential for global acknowledgment of these
Joseph Lelang resigns as PNG Opposition Leader
Joseph Lelang has resigned as Papua New Guinea Leader of the Opposition and also as a member of the People’s National Congress party. This shocking announcement comes after Lelang received huge backlash from the
Pacific Islands push for more university students in Australia
Going to university in Australia could become simpler for Pacific Islanders if they are considered domestic students. The high commissioner for Samoa, Hinauri Petana, told federal politicians the crippling cost of
Niue facing more power rationing
The Niue government says in recent weeks, power use has surged by up a third and more rationing is possible. Issues with the generators which left the island without power for a week were fully overcome by last
Disciplinary charges for 50 PNG Police officers involved in black Wednesday civil unrest
Fifty police personnel allegedly involved in the 10 January civil unrest in Port Moresby will be facing disciplinary charges, says Papua New Guinea police commissioner David Manning. The decision was based on an
Fiji Outsourcing conference set for June
Hopes for expansion of FJ$216m industry Fiji is gearing up to host its first in-country outsourcing event, the Exploring Outsourcing in Fiji conference (EXO Fiji) in June. While Outsource Fiji has previously
Fiji Business Briefs: Ministry name change, medicinal cannabis movement, Down to Earth deal
Name Change for Ministry of Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Communications The Ministry responsible for small businesses will have a name change, to acknowledge micro enterprises and their role in
Three PNG MPs defect government amidst vote of no confidence agenda
Three members of Papua New Guinea parliament have defected from the government to join the opposition as moves aimed at throwing out the Pangu-led government. The vote of no confidence agenda is high on the table as
