The Pacific Community (SPC) has appointed a new Micronesia Director based in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. William Kostka has decades of environmental, community and development expertise across the North Pacific.
Major Jacqueline Lilih has been posted to the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in Sudan, the first female PNG Military Officer to be deployed on such a tour of duty.
The Fiji National University has confirmed Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba as Vice-Chancellor. She has almost 40 years’ experience in the higher education and development sector and had been acting in the position.
Chitra Jeremiah is the first Nauruan to be accredited as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Nauru to Switzerland. She is also the country’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva.
Leilani V. Lujan is the first Indigenous Chamorro woman to serve as the next Federal Public Defender for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Belinda Manning has become the first female to be appointed to the PNG Ports Corporation Limited Board of Directors. She has been appointed for three years.
The American Bankers Association (ABA) has selected Joaquin P.L.G. Cook, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Guam, to serve on ABA’s Community Bankers Council.
Samantha Imo-Munif has been appointed as Air New Zealand’s new Country Manager for Samoa. She has been working for the airline for 13 years.
The Business Council of Papua New Guinea has appointed new board members. They are Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Banking and Business Management, Susil Nelson-Kongoi as President; Kina Bank Senior Economist, Moses David as Vice President National; Puma Energy Chairman and Managing Director, Hulala Tokome as Vice President International; and PricewaterhouseCoopers Senior Manager Advisory, Courtney Boustridge as Treasurer.
Fiji’s Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro has been appointed the Deputy Party Leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party.
Palau President Surangel S. Whipps Jr has accepted the credentials of Qatar’s new Ambassador to Palau, Ahmed Saad N.A. Al-Homidi, Philippine’s new Ambassador to Palau, Mylene De Joya Garcia-Albano, Germany’s new Ambassador to Palau, Dr Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke, and Alvaro Jara Bucarey, Chile’s third Non-Resident Ambassador to Palau.
Fiji’s judiciary has welcomed more officers following the swearing-in of Filimone Jitoko as President of the Court of Appeal; Isikeli Mataitoga as Resident Justice of Appeal; Karen Clark as Justice of Appeal; Savenaca Banuve and Dane Tuiqereqere as Puisne Judges; and Pita Ulu Katia, Anuleshni Neelum Neelta, Penijamini Ravulolo, and Mary Motofaga as Resident Magistrates.
Dr Sione Vailala Matoto has been reappointed as the Chief Executive Officer for the Tonga Ministry of Fisheries for the next four years.
Fiji’s Department for Environment and Climate Change has seen some changes after Sandeep K. Singh resigned from the role of Director. Dr Sivendra Michael is now Permanent Secretary.
The new Australian High Commissioner to Niue, Katy Stuart, has presented her credentials to Niue Premier, Dalton Tagelagi.
Cook Islands Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Mark Brown, has confirmed the appointment of Chere Arthur as Principal Immigration Officer.
Businessman Robert Lee has been appointed as Fiji’s Ambassador Designate to The People’s Republic of China.
Fiji Airways’ new chief financial officer is Naomi Vuibureta. She was the airline’s Financial Controller for seven years.
Papua New Guinea’s Acting Governor-General, Job Pomat has sworn-in Emmanuel Pok as the new Head of Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates, and Joseph Molita as Acting Ombudsman of the Ombudsman Commission of PNG.
Joeli Cawaki is the new Chief Executive Officer of the Fiji Maritime Safety Authority.
Desmond Tsiana is the newly appointed Acting Commissioner for the Bougainville Electoral Commission.
Steph Anderson has joined the Australian Embassy in Palau as its new Second Secretary (Development).
Dr Sean MacDuff has been appointed as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Superintendent for the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.
Theodore D. Subris and Richard Ngiratrang have been sworn in to the Palau Bureau of Public Safety.
Pacific Immigration Development Community has appointed Nanai Sovala Agaiava as its new Deputy Head of the Secretariat.
Solomon Islands’ new Director of Public Prosecutions is Andrew Kelesi. He replaces Rachel Olutimayin.
The Board of Directors at the National Bank of Vanuatu has appointed John Aruhuri as the bank’s new Managing Director.
The iTaukei Land Trust Board has appointed Cama Raimuria as its General Manager Corporate Services.
Rohit Punja has stepped down as the Director of the Rice Company of Fiji and Chairman of the Atlantic & Pacific Packaging Company Limited, which are subsidiaries of FMF Foods Limited. He has been replaced by Sanjay Punja.
New Zealand’s Dame Valerie Adams, a double Olympic and four-times world champion in the shot put, has been elected as World Athletics Athletes’ Commission Chair.
Special Awards
Tongan-born immunologist Chris Puli’uvea has received the Cranwell Medal, a New Zealand Association of Scientists’ award, alongside fellow academic researcher and virologist Dr Natalie Netzler for their contribution in informing Māori and Pacific communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tonga’s National Invasive Species Coordinator, Viliami Hakaumotu has been honoured as the 2023 Battler of the Year. He has played a pivotal role in coordinating operations to restore biodiversity at priority sites in Tonga.
Veteran Samoan journalist, Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson has been awarded the Freedom of the Media Award for Excellence in Commentary and Criticism in advocating for the rights of minority journalists around the world.
Elena Qereqeretabua is the first Fijian and Pacific Islander to win the prestigious J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence. She is the Assistant Front Office Manager at the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort.
In Memory
Former Speaker of the Niue Legislative Assembly, Johnny Tofo Funaki, and Jack Willie Lipitoa, former Member of the Niue Legislative Assembly for the Village of Namukulu, have passed away.
Fiji’s former politician and career civil servant, Poseci Bune has been laid to rest. He also served as Chair of the Public Service Commission.
Former Fiji Chief Justice, Kamal Kumar has died. He was appointed as Acting Chief Justice in 2019 and sworn in as Chief Justice in 2021.
