In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Cocaine trafficking surge in Pacific region fuels China policing fears, Australia a ‘cash cow’ for cartels
2. PACIFIC — CROP and UN leaders strengthen Pacific coordination
3. PNG — Papua New Guinea to host Tuna Economy Dialogue
4. PACIFIC — U.S deep-sea mining plans ‘terra nullius’ revisited, church leader says
5. SOL — New Solomon Islands PM residence set for 2028
6. UN — UN calls for urgent action to protect children from online information risks
7. SOL — China says it trains 1,200 Solomon Islanders to date
8. USA — Trump administration has revoked more than 175,000 visas, State Department says
9. PACNEWS BIZ — $2b drug haul did not drain reserves: Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Revenue Customs Services targets lost VAT revenue
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Opposition MP Usamate calls on PM to reconsider Singh’s return to sugar portfolio
12. PACNEWS BIZ — ‘We’re in the dark: ’Rota’s fragile business sector reeling from one storm after another
13. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — The race for critical minerals is clearing the path for deep-sea mining
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — A fairer Pacific migration system starts with Kiribati — Part 3
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — Restoring Resilience in Tonga’s ʻEua National Park
16. PACNEWS DIGEST — Saving Limbs, Changing Lives: Scaling up Health worker skills to fight diabetic foot disease in Solomon Islands
17. PACNEWS DIGEST — Shaken but not broken: Rota rises from Bavi’s ruins
PAC – DRUGS FIGHT: AFR PACNEWS 3: Tue 11 Aug 2026
Cocaine trafficking surge in Pacific region fuels China policing fears, Australia a ‘cash cow’ for cartels
CANBERRA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (AFR)—A surge in drug trafficking through the Pacific by transnational criminal syndicates has triggered fears China may exploit the crisis to expand its regional footprint, and added fresh urgency to the Albanese government’s push to become the region’s primary security partner.
More than 17 tonnes of illicit drugs – largely cocaine – have been seized by Australian and international law enforcement in the Pacific region this year, according to figures released by the Australian Federal Police(AFP), as drug cartels flood vulnerable island nations with illicit narcotics bound for Australia.
Security experts, diplomats and politicians say Australia and its partners must intensify joint efforts to combat the drugs surge or risk losing a bigger strategic battle as China continues to expand its economic, political and military reach.
“The Pacific cannot afford a fragmented response to a shared threat,” said Coalition foreign affairs spokesman Ted O’Brien, who recently returned from a visit to Fiji and Papua New Guinea, where he was inundated with reports about what he said was the “devastating consequences” of cocaine and methamphetamine use in local communities.
“Australia must work with our Pacific neighbours on a Pacific-led regional security agreement that strengthens our collective ability to confront transnational crime. If we passively stand by, we risk the emergence of a security vacuum that gets filled by others.”
Mike Hughes, director of the defence strategy programme at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said that although the government was intensifying efforts to tackle the problem, China was also seeking to leverage policing to shape the region around its own geopolitical interests.
“China absolutely uses its policing arm, the People’s Armed Police, and the Ministry of Public Security, as they are at the vanguard of advancing the Communist Party’s geostrategic interests in terms of mapping out and building a Sino-centric order that preferences the Communist Party’s interests as opposed to the Liberal Democratic order,” Hughes said.
He noted that despite any positive outcomes, China’s policing assistance remained intrinsically tied to Beijing’s promotion of an authoritarian worldview.
“There’s a fear in the Australian system that once a country adopts that style of policing, it’s basically putting a match to a tinderbox.”
Security experts such as José Sousa-Santos, associate professor at New Zealand’s University of Canterbury, pointed to the Trump administration’s lethal strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean as potentially contributing to increased trafficking in Australia’s neighbourhood.
“Interdiction in one theatre does not eliminate the trade – it squeezes the balloon and shifts pressure towards routes where surveillance and enforcement are weaker,” Sousa-Santos said.
“It is possible that intensified pressure in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific is contributing to route displacement, but it certainly did not create the Pacific drug highway.”
The main driver of the drug trade route remained the profitability of the Australian and New Zealand drug markets, which had increasingly become “cash cows for cartels and syndicates”, Sousa-Santos said.
“Criminal networks are exploiting the Pacific’s vast maritime geography, uneven surveillance coverage and limited enforcement capacity to move cocaine and methamphetamine into those markets.”
This year, reports of the discovery of at least seven semi-submersible vessels, also known as “narco subs”, indicated syndicates were increasingly using the covert craft to smuggle drugs shipments from South America.
In May, the AFP co-hosted an inaugural Pacific Transnational Crime Summit in Fiji and announced it would work with U.S, New Zealand, Mexican and Colombian law enforcement officers to disrupt some of the biggest drugs cartels on their home turf.
The latest Wastewater report by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission in April indicated Australians consumed about 26.8 tonnes of illicit drugs last year, with an estimated value of $14.3 billion(US$10.08 billion).
This represented a 21 percent combined increase from the previous year’s figures, said an AFP spokesperson.
O’Brien urged the government to develop a regional security pact in the Pacific.
“Australia cannot treat this solely as a problem occurring beyond our borders when demand on our shores is helping drive it,” he said.
“We have an obligation to strengthen maritime surveillance and support our Pacific neighbours in disrupting criminal networks operating across the region, and a Pacific-led regional security pact will be essential in supporting this outcome.” said O’Brien….PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS/PIFS PACNEWS 3: Tue 11 Aug 2026
CROP and UN Leaders strengthen Pacific coordination
SUVA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS/PIFS)— Heads of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) and the United Nations Pacific Country Team (UNCT) met in Suva for their inaugural Strategic Dialogue, aimed at strengthening coordination and alignment on Pacific priorities.
The meeting was held at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and builds on the CROP–UNCT Pacific Principles for Dialogue and Engagement signed in 2024.
The Dialogue comes as work begins on the next Pacific United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2028–2032.
It provided an opportunity for CROP agencies and the UN system to strengthen alignment with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and priorities identified by Pacific Leaders.
The meeting also focused on improving coordination between regional organisations and the United Nations to reduce duplication and strengthen the delivery of development outcomes for Pacific countries and communities.
The inaugural Dialogue marks a step towards a more coordinated CROP–UN partnership that places Pacific leadership at the centre of regional development and supports implementation of Pacific priorities….PACNEWS
PNG – TUNA INDUSTRY/DIPLOMACY: THE PNG BULLETIN PACNEWS 3: Tue 11 Aug 2026
Papua New Guinea to host Tuna Economy Dialogue
SUVA/PORT MORESBY, 11 AUGUST 2026 (THE PNG BULLETIN) —Papua New Guinea Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko has announced that PNG will host the Pacific-led Tuna Economy Dialogue from 13-16 October 2026 in Port Moresby.
This inaugural dialogue will forge practical partnerships to structurally engineer a lucrative and sustainable Tuna Economy in the region.
While addressing the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers Meeting on 07 August 2026 in Fiji, Minister Tkatchenko acknowledged regional solidarity.
“True regional resilience is achieved only when we synchronise collective security with absolute respect for national sovereignty,” Minister Tkatchenko said.
“Papua New Guinea is systematically matching its defence architecture with climate action, regional AI platform, and pioneering the maritime economic strategy to guarantee long-term prosperity for the Blue Pacific.”
While endorsing the Forum’s updated security architecture to counter current geopolitical vulnerabilities, Minister Tkatchenko stated that regional solidarity must strictly respect the sovereign boundaries of individual member states.
He underscored that PNG’s bilateral treaties-including agreements with Australia, the United States, Indonesia, France, and the United Kingdom-are intentionally designed to complement, rather than compromise, regional stability, while highlighting the critical role of the Pacific Policing initiative based in Bomana.
On climate change and disaster resilience, Minister Tkatchenko pushed for the immediate transition of the COP31 Pacific Partnership from strategic planning into active implementation.
Acknowledging Australia’s successful hosting of the 6th Climate Change Minister’s Talanoa, the Minister affirmed that the newly proposed Regional Renewable Energy Commissioner must play a pivotal role in capturing clean energy investments to safeguard Pacific marine ecosystems.
Capitalising on PNG’s successful hosting of the recently concluded ICT Ministerial Meeting in Port Moresby, Minister Tkatchenko backed a synchronized approach to regional digital transformation.
He envisioned that the new Pacific Digital and AI Technology Principles under the Lagatoi Declaration will serve as the practical baseline to capture the economic and social benefits of digital connectivity in the region……PACNEWS
PAC – DEEP SEA MINING: ABC PACIFIC PACNEWS 3: Tue 11 Aug 2026
U.S deep-sea mining plans ‘terra nullius’ revisited, church leader says
SUVA/PAGOPAGO,11 AUGUST 2026 (ABC PACIFIC)—The ocean floor surrounding American Samoa has never seen sunlight. It is an ancient realm teeming with deep-sea life that science has barely catalogued and for many Pacific cultures, it connects people directly to the sacred, spiritual underworld of Pulotu.
Now, this untouched world has become the battleground for what spiritual leaders like Reverend Professor Dr Upolu Luma Vaai are calling the defining moral issue of our time.
“Deep-sea mining is currently breaking up the region… it is one of those issues that is defining regionalism.”
As Vice-Chancellor of the Pasifika Communities University in Fiji, Professor Vaai is at the centre of a growing spiritual counter-movement across Oceania.
He is putting a provocative new frame around the fight against deep-sea mining: terra nullius beneath the ocean.
He argues the push to exploit the seabed follows the same logic once used to justify the taking of Indigenous land, that a place can be treated as empty simply because its inhabitants and value are not recognised.
“Whenever we do something to God’s creation, it is always a moral issue,” he said.
“The moment we think the ocean is unoccupied is a moment we practise terra nullius.”
The outrage comes as the U.S prepares to auction off the right to mine 31 million acres of ocean floor near American Samoa, across two 20-year leases and with tenders opening as early as November.
For the islands in the crosshairs, it is both an environmental threat and a democratic crisis, as territorial status leaves local leaders feeling powerless.
“We are not a sovereign nation, so we have no control. They can just come in and do whatever they want, we’re at their mercy,” Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said.
Guam’s Lieutenant Governor, Josh Tenorio, condemned the initiative as ‘a very violent proposal’ launched with ‘limited research and limited ethical supervision’.
In American Samoa, environmentalist Dr Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka pointed to the stark economic imbalance facing local communities.
“There are no benefits in deep-sea mining for American Samoa. Environmentally, we’re going to bear all the risks and we’re not going to get the money,” she said…. PACNEWS
SOL – PM RESIDENCE: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS 3: Tue 11 Aug 2026
New Solomon Islands PM residence set for 2028
HONIARA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS)—The GREAT Coalition says it will deliver a new official residence for the Solomon Islands prime minister before the nation celebrates its 50th independence anniversary in 2028.
Minister for Infrastructure Development Ricky Fuo’o told Parliament that work on the long-awaited national project has entered the design phase, with the Government targeting completion before the country’s golden jubilee celebrations.
“My Ministry, together with the Solomon Islands Infrastructure Programme (SIIP), is implementing the construction of the new Prime Minister’s Official Residence,” Fuo’o said.
It’s understood Australia is funding the project at a cost yet to be disclosed.
The project has been under discussion for almost two decades, dating back to around 2008.
Since then, successive governments have continued to rely on privately rented properties to accommodate serving prime ministers due to the absence of a permanent official residence.
The old residence, known as the Red House, located at Vavya Ridge in central Honiara, has run down, and was never repaired. It’s not clear at this stage where the new residence will be built.
Fuo’o said the recruitment of the lead design consultants for the project has now been completed.
The consultants, he added, arrived in Solomon Islands last month to begin the design phase.
At the same time, the Ministry has invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from national and international construction companies interested in undertaking the building works.
According to the Ministry, the new residence is intended to be more than just accommodation for the country’s head of government, but a nationally significant facility that reflects Solomon Islands’ sovereignty, cultural identity and resilience while supporting governance and diplomatic engagement.
The project is expected to provide a permanent venue for official engagements, including hosting visiting dignitaries and strengthening the country’s capacity to conduct state and diplomatic functions.
Minister Fuo’o said the ministry will continue working with its development partners to deliver infrastructure projects that provide long-term benefits for Solomon Islands…..PACNEWS
UN – ONLINE SAFETY: UN NEWS CENTRE PACNEWS 3: Tue 11 Aug 2026
UN calls for urgent action to protect children from online information risks
NEW YORK, 11 AUGUST 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE)—More than eight in 10 young people aged 15 to 24 worldwide are now online, and in low-income countries they outpace the rest of the population nearly two to one.
The UN warned on Monday that this deeply connected generation too often bears the brunt of the risks to information integrity, including disinformation, harassment, algorithmic biases and the malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI).
In a new brief published ahead of International Youth Day, the UN urges Member States, technology companies, advertisers, media and researchers to prioritise protection and participation to address harms.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called last month for an AI Child Safety Pledge, comparing emerging AI technology to untested medicine as he urged stronger regulation.
“No child should be a guinea pig for unregulated AI…When a child is harmed, the answer must never be ‘the algorithm did it,”Guterres said in July at the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance.
The brief argues that the harms young people face online are not accidental. Rather, they are the product of business models that monetise attention and personal data, and of design choices built to maximise engagement and spending.
From algorithms that keep young users hooked to “dark patterns”, loot boxes and other tactics that drive compulsive use, the brief warns that children – whose habits, identities and relationships are still forming – are especially exposed.
AI, it adds, is outpacing efforts to respond to its rapid adoption, compounding risks such as AI-generated content to AI-facilitated exploitation.
It also identifies increasingly hidden advertising tactics as a means to exploit children to increase online spending.
“Taken together, these practices normalise pervasive commercial surveillance and manipulative design during the years when children and young people are most impressionable,” the brief reads.
Children and youth are far more than potential victims, the brief stresses. They are creators, advocates and organisers, from youth-led movements reshaping civic life to young journalists and content creators contributing to public debate.
Yet the same online spaces that power youth movements also expose their organisers – often young women, minorities and activists – to online harassment and surveillance.
Young people’s perspectives must be integrated into research and policymaking that drives solutions to issues surrounding information integrity, the brief argues.
“Children and young people are among those most affected by today’s information crisis and among those most capable of helping to solve it,” said Charlotte Scaddan, UN Senior Adviser on Information Integrity. “Protecting them and including them are not competing goals. We have to do both.”
Governments and advocates have increasingly pushed children’s online safety to the forefront of policy debates on addictive design features, behavioural advertising, content moderation and privacy, the brief notes.
But with AI becoming increasingly ubiquitous, it warns the window is closing to write children’s rights into AI governance frameworks.
It suggests pathways for Member States to create laws, technology companies to protect child safety, advertisers to prioritise children’s rights, news media to serve young audiences and researchers to close gaps – such as in the Global South.
The UN continues to contribute to AI regulation efforts, including through the Global Dialogue and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI – a scientific body to assess the opportunities and risks of AI.
“As digital technologies and information environments continue to evolve, the current moment presents an urgent opportunity to move from principles to practical action,” the brief says…..PACNEWS
SOL – DIPLOMACY: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS 3: Tue 11 Aug 2026
China says it trains 1,200 Solomon Islanders to date
HONIARA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS) —China says it has helped more than 1,200 Solomon Islanders undertake training programmes in China over the last seven years.
And more than 200 Solomon Islands students are currently studying in Chinese universities with full scholarships, which empowers human resource development of Solomon Islands.
Chinese Ambassador to Solomon Islands Cai Weiming highlighted the figures in a social media commentary following Foreign Affairs and External Trade Minister Rick Houenipwela’s recent official visit to China.
Since 2019, Solomon Islanders from various sectors have been travelling in groups for two to four weeks’ short-term training in different fields across China.
Weiming described education and people-to-people exchanges as an important pillar of bilateral relations.
During his visit, Houenipwela met Solomon Islands students studying in China and visited Jiangsu Province, which has a sister-province relationship with Malaita.
Weiming said China was willing to deepen cooperation with Solomon Islands in education, youth, media and sub-national exchanges, with the aim of strengthening understanding and ties between the two peoples.
The Ambassador said the two countries had also agreed to deepen practical cooperation in areas including infrastructure, trade, education, healthcare and green development.
Houenipwela held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and China International Development Cooperation Agency chairman Chen Xiaodong during the visit.
Weiming explained the talks reached consensus on further strengthening the China-Solomon Islands Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
He said China would continue sharing development opportunities with Solomon Islands and supporting its human resource development.
The Ambassador also highlighted China-funded projects in Solomon Islands, including the National Stadium, SINU dormitory, National Referral Hospital Comprehensive Medical Centre and National Broadband Network, as examples of cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2019….PACNEWS
USA – VISA REVOKE: REUTERS PACNEWS 3: Tue 11 Aug 2026
Trump administration has revoked more than 175,000 visas, State Department says
WASHINGTON, 11 AUGUST 2026 (REUTERS)— The U.S State Department said on Monday it has revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals under President Donald Trump’s administration, as it continues a sweeping immigration crackdown that has stripped travel and immigration privileges from tens of thousands more people.
The department said in a statement the revocations targeted foreigners who “violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against U.S citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or endangered national security.”
Most visas were revoked following “law enforcement encounters,” with assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug crimes the leading causes, the department said.
Specific cases cited by the department include a person charged with felony rape and sexual battery, another charged with kidnapping and human trafficking, and a person facing more than a dozen counts of possessing child sexual abuse material.
A U.S embassy in North Africa revoked more than 100 visas from “birth tourist” parents who allegedly came to the U.S primarily to give birth so their children would receive U.S citizenship, it said.
The department also said it had revoked the visas of multiple foreigners who “celebrated” the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, including one who said he “died too late.”
In January, the department said it had revoked more than 100,000 visas, a record at the time.
The extent of the revocations reflects the broad immigration crackdown initiated when Trump returned to the White House last year, deporting an unprecedented number of migrants including some who held valid visas. The administration has also adopted a stricter policy on granting visas, with tightened social media vetting and expanded screening.
Rights advocates and human rights experts have condemned the Trump administration’s social media screening efforts, which they say threaten free speech and are akin to surveillance and singling out of immigrants…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – DRUGS FIGHT/RESERVES: FBC NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 11 Aug 2026
$2b drug haul did not drain reserves: Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor
SUVA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (FBC NEWS)—Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor Ariff Ali says the estimated $2 billion(US$1 billion) drug haul seized in Fiji did not mean the same amount of money left the country.
Ali made the comments while appearing before the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on the Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit Annual Report 2024.
He said the drugs were likely brought into Fiji as part of a transshipment network before being moved to other destinations.
“When the stock of $2 billion(US$1billion) of drugs that came to Fiji, the money, there’s no money that went out from Fiji. You know, if $2 billion(US$1billion) goes out of Fiji, our foreign reserves will fall from $3.9 billion(US$1.95 billion), $3.8 billion(U$1.9 billion) to $1.8 billion(US$900 million), and we’ll immediately know.”
Ali said those involved in moving the drugs through Fiji may have received small payments in cash or drugs.
“But it’s transshipment things. So, those who are part of, you know, moving it around, they get a small cut, small share.They get some paid. They get paid in drugs, or they get paid in cash. You know, those are things.”
He said the case highlights the need for financial authorities to look beyond large money transfers when investigating drug-related crime.
Ali says authorities may sometimes only identify warning signs after a crime has already occurred….PACNEWS
FIJI – LOST REVENUE: FBC NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 11 Aug 2026
Fiji Revenue Customs Services targets lost VAT revenue
SUVA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (FBC NEWS)—Billions of dollars in potential Fiji tax revenue could be slipping away across the Pacific through online services such as Netflix, Amazon, Booking.com and Airbnb.
While presenting the 2024–25 Annual Report to the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, FRCS Chief Executive Officer Udit Singh said Fiji currently does not collect VAT on many payments made to overseas electronic marketplaces, even though the services are consumed locally.
He said an IMF report estimates Pacific countries are losing around US$4 billion in revenue because electronic marketplace systems are insufficiently developed.
Singh said FRCS is working to strengthen legislation and establish an electronic marketplace framework to recover some of the lost revenue.
“We are also working with the ATO in an initiative to look at an association of 38 global vendors that will be party to an electronic marketplace arrangement. In particular, what we are foregoing in these payments is VAT. Because the service is consumed in this country, we are foregoing VAT.”
Committee Chair Sakiusa Tubuna said lessons from FRCS’s engagements with overseas partners could create opportunities for innovative ways to raise revenue and strengthen the tax system.
“Have you thought about introducing some of the changes that are being implemented internationally in terms of changing the legislation relating to FRCS? I’m trying to understand your question better. Yes, in terms of the overall FRCS legislation. Have you, from the exchanges that you have had with your partners overseas?”
In response, Singh said the changes are aimed at ensuring Fiji can collect VAT on services consumed locally and prevent revenue from being lost overseas.
He added that the initiative is expected to progress over the next 12 months…..PACNEWS
FIJI – SUGAR INDUSTRY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 11 Aug 2026
Fiji Opposition MP Usamate calls on PM to reconsider Singh’s return to sugar portfolio
SUVA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—Fiji Opposition Member of Parliament Jone Usamate has criticised the decision to return the Sugar portfolio to Charan Jeath Singh, saying cane farmers cannot afford what he describes as a return to failed leadership and unfulfilled promises.
Usamate said he was concerned that Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had again handed responsibility for the sugar industry to Singh, months after he was moved from the portfolio.
“It is with great concern that the Prime Minister has once again handed the Sugar portfolio to Charan Jeath Singh, barely months after he was moved out of it,” Usamate said.
“I believe this decision is a mistake and one that our cane farmers can ill afford.”
Usamate said Singh previously held the Sugar portfolio from December 2022 until January this year but, in his assessment, failed to deliver the meaningful changes promised to farmers.
“In that time, I did not see the meaningful change our farmers were promised. Instead, his tenure was marked by a fractured relationship with growers and industry stakeholders,” he said.
Usamate pointed to the National Farmers Union’s public reaction to Singh’s earlier removal from the portfolio and problems experienced at the Lautoka Mill, including an extended shutdown following a boiler tube leak.
He also questioned progress towards delivering a new modern sugar mill, saying farmers continued to depend on ageing milling infrastructure despite repeated announcements.
“For over a year now, we have heard talk after talk about a new, modern sugar mill for our farmers. Tenders were called, delegations travelled to India, Colombia and beyond and Cabinet ministers made one announcement after another,” Usamate said.
He said farmers were continuing to crush cane using ageing mills despite acknowledgement from the Prime Minister that replacement parts were no longer available for some of the equipment and that the mills had reached the end of their operational life.
“All the travel and all the press conferences under Singh’s watch delivered talk, not tonnes, and not a new mill,” Usamate said.
He questioned what Singh would do differently after returning to the portfolio.
“I ask the Prime Minister: what has changed? What new plan does Singh now bring to the table that he did not already try and fail to deliver in his first three years in the role?”
Usamate said the sugar industry remained critical to the livelihoods of nearly 200,000 people and needed leadership capable of rebuilding confidence among growers and delivering promised reforms.
“Our sugar industry and the nearly 200,000 people who depend on it deserve a Minister who can rebuild trust with farmers and actually deliver the modernisation this industry has been promised for years, not a return to the same fractured relationships and unfulfilled announcements,” he said.
Usamate called on Rabuka to reverse the decision.
“I call on the Prime Minister to reconsider this reappointment and to prioritise the interests of our cane farmers over political convenience,” he said…PACNEWS
CNMI – BUSINESS: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 11 Aug 2026
‘We’re in the dark: ’Rota’s fragile business sector reeling from one storm after another
ROTA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) —Super Typhoon Bavi delivered a second major blow to Rota’s fragile business sector this year, as several merchants were still reeling from Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which struck the region in April.
“It’s been hard, downhill,” said Juan Pan Tenorio Guerrero, acting president of the Rota Chamber of Commerce. “Sinlaku was just three months past us and we haven’t fully recovered in any economic sense.”
The island’s commercial community is facing immediate challenges ranging from debris removal to prolonged power outages that threaten food supplies and basic operations.
“Keeping power is the general issue,” Guerrero said. “If we continue to have no power for the next few weeks, it’s very hard to keep frozen items. All the restaurants and retail stores are running basically on generators and fuel is expensive.”
Several stores, including Safeway, Sunshine, Lucky Store and the Ad Store, are struggling to maintain inventory and refrigeration. Even the gas station in Songsong needs urgent assistance to keep pumps operating.
Shipping disruptions have added another layer of strain. Guerrero described chaotic scenes at the dock when the first cargo vessel arrived after Bavi received clearance from the U.S Coast Guard.
“People were practically at the dock trying to get their provisions,” he said. “You have commercial and then you have consumers trying to claim cargo. I think the shipping company should concentrate on the commercial side rather than the consumer. Let the consumer go to the airport.”
Rebuilding costs are also expected to rise, driven by global fuel volatility and supply chain pressures.
“We’re bombarded by the U.S situation with fuel and Iran,” Guerrero said. “We don’t know where the end is. We’re struggling, feeling like we’re in the dark.”
Despite the challenges, Guerrero is grateful to relief organisations, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for assisting the island.
But food security remains a concern. Due to a lack of fresh meat, residents have been consuming canned goods. “They need fresh food,” Guerrero said. “But again, we don’t have any USDA plan to slaughter (livestock). It’s a catch‑22.”
Guerrero estimated that basic community recovery could take at least three months, although business revenue may take six months to a year to rebound. He noted that even essential services remain disrupted.
“The post office has been closed for the last 10 days,” he said. “A lot of people depend on their Amazon, Kmart and Walmart deliveries. We need things to open in their natural way so people can start moving on with their lives.”
He also urged federal action on a major disaster declaration. “President Trump is taking his sweet time declaring a major disaster declaration,” Guerrero said. “If you come to Rota, you look and say, ‘Oh, it’s a 100 percent declaration.’ But we’re at the mercy of the U.S government.”
Guerrero encouraged residents to stay patient and continue cleanup efforts. “People are suffering. When you’re suffering, you have anguish, you have stress,” he said. “Let’s continue to be friendly. We wave and we smile,” said Guerrero….PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
The race for critical minerals is clearing the path for deep-sea mining
Corporate pressure and US-China competition are stalling global efforts to set environmental safeguards for seabed mining
Opinion by Kalinga Seneviratne
AUCKLAND, 11 AUGUST 2026 (SCMP)—We are on the threshold of a new “gold rush” for the critical minerals that fuel things like electric vehicle batteries and wind turbines designed to green the earth. But, in doing so, we may end up polluting the oceans as greed and power override scientific and environmental concerns.
People living on the small islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean are on the front line of a new geopolitical battle to control the supply chains of these “green” minerals. Inaction by the United Nations to pause the march towards deep-sea mining for precious metals would result in a catastrophic impact on the Pacific in the long term.
Eliki Drugunalevu, a member of the research team that compiled the Pacific Ocean and Climate Crisis Assessment report to the Cop29 meeting in Azerbaijan in 2024, also warned of the potential for conflict. “People on the Pacific islands rely on the ocean for their economic survival. If the fish are not going to come in, they will have to fish in another community’s fishing grounds, that will have a butterfly effect and create conflict.”
The deep blue oceans are expected to be protected by an autonomous international organisation, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), as the “common heritage of mankind” under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This international treaty was adopted by the UN in 1982 and signed and ratified by 168 UN member states. One exception is the United States, which objects to the articles restricting seabed mining.
On June 30, China published an assessment report on the workings of UNCLOS, warning that deep-sea mining has become a major test of the convention’s authority. It was critical of recent attempts to undermine it by the Trump administration.
Disappointingly, the ISA’s 36-member council and assembly concluded two weeks of meetings on July 31 without arriving at a set of commercial exploitation guidelines or regulations – the so-called mining code – for seabed mining. Negotiations will continue at their next meeting in March next year.
To date, more than 40 nations have called for a moratorium on seabed mining, with the Pacific nation Vanuatu proposing that such a pause be in operation until the risks are fully understood and the necessary scientific knowledge is available for a transparent process.
Despite concerns about the potential environmental impact of seabed mining, the pressure to start exploiting these resources continues to grow. The Clarion-Clipperton zone, a high seas area stretching over 4,500 miles (7,240 km) between Hawaii and Mexico, could soon be fair game to mining operators, with Canada-based The Metals Company seemingly on the threshold of beginning commercial exploitation operations there.
The company holds an exploration licence granted by the ISA and is pushing to receive permission from the body to start commercial exploitation. More recently, through its US subsidiary, the company has turned to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to seek exploitation permits. US authorities do not recognise UNCLOS.
A controversy is brewing in the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, over reported US corporate designs to mine the seabed in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Kiribati is also exploring deep-sea mining partnerships with China. Cook Islands’ EEZ covers 1.96 million sq km of sea, while Kiribati’s EEZ covers 3.55 million sq km, making it one of the largest oceanic territories in the world.
It is estimated that the critical minerals lying abundantly in the seabed are worth up to US$16 trillion, and a majority of these metals are believed to lie at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. For many of the Pacific Island nations with mineral resources within their EEZ seabed, licensing fees from foreign companies to mine would be lucrative revenue.
The US-China geopolitical rivalry has only added to the pressure. In an article published in April, RAND Corporation noted that the Pacific Ocean is rich with deposits of polymetallic nodules, “the minerals that drive modern economies”. It argued that these deposits could help the United States break its critical-minerals reliance on China, which otherwise controls the market. An attempt to secure the critical minerals supply chain to green the earth could well pollute the oceans.
A growing number of nations, as well as the scientific community, are calling for a moratorium. But it seems the custodian of the oceans created under UNCLOS – the ISA – has become a toothless tiger. Without a powerful international body to pause seabed mining, small island leaders could succumb to the temptation of allowing deep-sea mining at the expense of the environment….PACNEWS
Dr Kalinga Seneviratne is a Sri Lankan born journalist and international communications scholar. He is the author of GeoPolitics and the Media in Asia and the Pacific: Pulling in Different Direction.
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
A fairer Pacific migration system starts with Kiribati — Part 3
By Amota Ataneka
TARAWA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG)—In part 1 and part 2 in this series, the author set out the census evidence on Pacific migration and reflected on what Tuvaluans have built in Australia. In this final part, he turns to Kiribati’s own government.
In the first two articles in this series, I talked about Tuvalu’s migration success and argued that Australia should be fairer to Kiribati. But Kiribati must also do its part. Before I finish, I want to speak directly to my own government — this administration and every administration that follows.
If there is one national issue that should rise above political parties, it is migration.
Kiribati needs to embrace both outward and inward migration as a long-term national development strategy, and no Pacific nation has more reason to than we do. More than half of our population now lives on South Tarawa, one of the most densely populated atolls in the world, and our housing pressures, youth unemployment, infrastructure challenges, freshwater limitations, sanitation issues and increasing climate risks are all intensified by this concentration of people.
Migration should not be seen as an admission of defeat, but as an investment.
When I-Kiribati leave to study, work or settle overseas, they do not stop being I-Kiribati. They become part of a global I-Kiribati community, acquiring new skills, professional networks, languages, business ideas and life experiences. Many return home, others support their families through remittances and others create opportunities for the next generation. This is not brain drain; it is brain circulation.
We have already seen this within our own political leadership. Several members of parliament have lived, studied or worked overseas before returning home to serve our country, and we welcomed them through the ballot box because we recognised the value of the experiences they gained abroad. We should extend that same philosophy to all I-Kiribati.
I therefore encourage the current and every future government to make secure, permanent migration pathways one of our highest foreign policy priorities. Seasonal worker programs are valuable, but they should not be the end goal. We should pursue greater numbers under Australia’s PEV and New Zealand’s Pacific Access Category (PAC), and we should also pursue permanent mobility arrangements similar to Tuvalu’s Falepili Union. Whatever happened politically in 2024 that led to Kiribati only joining the PEV in its second year is now behind us, and looking forward we should participate wherever opportunities exist for our people.
Some people will disagree with me because they fear “brain drain” and for other personal or philosophical reasons. I understand those concerns, but for pragmatic purposes I encourage policymakers to ask ordinary I-Kiribati families what they want: go to the villages, visit the outer islands, conduct a nationwide survey or include these questions in the census. Listen before deciding on behalf of everyone.
I believe the answers would be very consistent. Just look at the number of I-Kiribati who applied for the PEV last year: 10,145, or roughly 100 applications for every visa available — a level of oversubscription that dwarfs even the long-standing pressure on the New Zealand PAC.
Most parents want better educational opportunities for their children, access to quality healthcare, secure employment and choices for their children that they themselves never had. That does not mean they love Kiribati any less; it means they love their children.
There is also an important lesson from Tuvalu. Whatever one’s views on the geopolitics surrounding Australia, China and Taiwan, one thing is difficult to ignore: Tuvalu has consistently pursued international relationships that produced tangible opportunities for its citizens. Whether one interprets the Falepili Union primarily as a climate agreement, a strategic security agreement or a combination of both, the outcome is undeniable — hundreds of Tuvaluans now have a pathway to permanent residency in Australia each year. That is good leadership.
Small island states cannot afford to ignore geopolitics. We do not choose the game, but we do choose how we play it. Our responsibility is not to take sides out of ideology alone, but to secure the greatest long-term benefit for the people we represent. My interest is not in whether China, Taiwan or Australia wins, but in whether I-Kiribati families win. That is the question that should guide every diplomatic decision we make.
Migration is no longer simply a climate issue. It is at once an education, labour, health, economic, housing and population policy, and above all a human and economic development policy.
If Australia and New Zealand are serious about fair or equity-based climate mobility, and not just geopolitical chess, they must look at the per-capita census data and ask honestly: why does Tuvalu receive, as noted in the first article in this series, 12 times more New Zealand PAC slots per capita than Kiribati? Why did Tuvalu receive a bilateral permanent residency treaty with Australia when Kiribati, which pioneered the entire global conversation on climate migration, has nothing comparable?
I am not asking anyone to treat Tuvalu differently. I am asking Australia and New Zealand to be consistent, and I am asking our own government to fight for that consistency — loudly and persistently.
And while we wait, the gap keeps widening. In March 2026, Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Feleti Teo met with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland and they signed a Statement of Partnership — a formal stepping stone towards a full treaty to be concluded by 2028, the 50th anniversary of Tuvalu’s independence. Prime Minister Teo has publicly stated his ambition to have this framework in place by that milestone, and New Zealand has already pledged an additional NZ$20 million to Tuvalu’s flood resilience work. The goal is a treaty that mirrors and complements the Falepili Union, a bilateral architecture that would give Tuvaluans two separate treaty-level migration agreements with two of the world’s most desirable destinations.
Prime Minister Teo is showing exactly the kind of principled, long-range, people-first leadership that I think we can learn from, building the future for his people with urgency and vision. But if Tuvalu secures that 2028 treaty with New Zealand while Kiribati remains without a single bilateral migration agreement, not with Australia and not with New Zealand, then it will be a profound failure on our part as leaders, and our people will pay the price for it for a generation.
Let us approach migration strategically, so that Kiribati can also build a global diaspora that will return home with the ideas, capital, skills and international experience needed to strengthen our nation for generations to come…..PACNEWS
This concludes the three-part series. Read part 1 and part 2 at devpolicy.org.
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Restoring Resilience in Tonga’s ʻEua National Park
EUA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (SPREP)— ʻEua National Park is one of Tonga’s most ecologically significant protected areas, covering approximately 451 hectares on the east coast of ʻEua island, and features an 800-meter-wide strip of protected tropical rainforest supporting a remarkable diversity of native species.
The park is home to 12 endemic plant species, including the rare and endangered conifer Podocarpus pallidus, as well as several endemic fauna species found nowhere else in the world. Established as a national park in 1992, the area remains one of Tonga’s most valuable natural assets.
Led by the Tonga Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change & Communications (MEIDECC) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Food (MAFF) in coordination with the SPREP led Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) programme has taken an important step forward in Tonga with the completion of a technical restoration assessment of priority ecological sites within ʻEua National Park.
Conducted in late July 2026, under the PRISMSS Resilient Ecosystems Resilient Communities (RERC) programme, the assessment provides a clear roadmap for restoring native biodiversity, strengthening ecosystem health, and enhancing the resilience of local communities that depend on these natural resources.
The assessment focused on two key restoration sites within the park, firstly the Lokupo Lookout site of 9ha in the north and the Veifefe Track site of 7ha in the south. Field observations revealed contrasting conditions between the two locations.
While Veifefe remains largely pristine, retaining healthy native forest and important habitat for endemic wildlife, the Lokupo site faces significant pressure from invasive plant species, particularly Cordia alliodora and Cestrum nocturnum (queen of the night), which threaten native vegetation and forest regeneration.
The impacts of invasive weeds extend throughout the ecosystem. As native plants decline, critical habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife can be degraded. Invasive species can alter forest structure, disrupt natural ecological processes and reduce the resilience of ecosystems to climate-related disturbances such as storms and droughts.
Other invasive species identified within the wider management area included taro vine (epipremnum spp.), which smothers native vegetation and host trees, and giant reed (arundo donax), a fast-growing species capable of reducing habitat quality and biodiversity.
Alongside invasive plants, black rats pose a continuing threat to native birds, seeds, seedlings, reptiles and invertebrates, making integrated pest management an important component of the restoration programme. Existing bait station networks at Lokupo and planned expansion at Veifefe will help reduce these pressures and support ecosystem recovery.
SPREP Invasive Species Officer, Josef Pisi shared that, “despite these challenges, the assessment found encouraging signs of ecosystem resilience.”
“Forest structure remains largely intact across both sites, native seedling recruitment is occurring naturally, and the Veifefe area continues to support important bird populations, including seabirds and the endemic Koki parrot.
“Minimal rat activity was observed in key parts of the park, reflecting the positive impact of ongoing invasive species management efforts.”
A key outcome of the mission was the development of a revised restoration framework for Lokupo. The site has now been divided into ten management zones, allowing restoration teams to progressively tackle invasive species from the most heavily affected northern areas to the healthier southern forests. This phased approach will improve operational efficiency, strengthen monitoring, and provide measurable restoration milestones under the RERC Programme.
The assessment team, comprising representatives from Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAFF), the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC), SPREP and local community members, identified several priority actions to be implemented over the next 12 months.
These include invasive weed control operations, field staff training in herbicide application and restoration techniques, baseline bird surveys, improved site monitoring systems, and stronger collaboration between partner agencies.
Viliami Hakaumotu, National Invasive Species Coordinator based with MEIDECC shared that, “community involvement will remain at the centre of restoration efforts as the programme aims to recruit and train local field workers, strengthen environmental stewardship and explore opportunities to establish a local conservation ambassador or ranger network.
“These initiatives recognise that long-term ecosystem resilience depends on empowered communities that are actively engaged in protecting their natural heritage.”
“Our restoration efforts demonstrate that addressing invasive species is not simply about removing weeds but about creating the conditions for native forests to recover naturally, supporting endemic species, strengthening ecosystem resilience and ensuring that ʻEua’s unique biodiversity can continue to thrive.”
The mission also identified several resource needs to strengthen implementation, including improved field equipment, protective fencing and enhanced transport capacity to support operations in this challenging terrain. Investments in these areas will help ensure restoration activities can be delivered safely, effectively and sustainably.
Looking ahead, the PRISMSS RERC programme will explore opportunities to work with Tonga Non-Government Organisations (NGO) like Vava’u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA) to support the establishment of a conservation ambassador or ranger development programme for ʻEua.
The programme will strengthen community participation, build local conservation leadership, and provide practical opportunities for residents, particularly young people, to contribute to the protection and restoration of the island’s unique biodiversity.
The vision for ʻEua National Park is to have healthy native forests free from invasive species, thriving populations of endemic plants and wildlife and communities equipped with the skills and resources needed to safeguard these ecosystems for future generations. Through the PRISMSS RERC Programme, Tonga is demonstrating how targeted ecosystem restoration can strengthen biodiversity conservation while building resilience to environmental and climate-related challenges.
For the approximately 5,000 people living on ʻEua, healthy forests provide benefits that extend far beyond biodiversity conservation. Intact ecosystems support water resources, protect soils, contribute to climate resilience and enhance the island’s eco-tourism appeal.
As restoration activities commence in the coming months, the ʻEua site stands as an important example of PRISMSS commitment to restoring nature, supporting communities, and creating a more resilient Pacific region….PACNEWS
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Saving Limbs, Changing Lives: Scaling up Health worker skills to fight diabetic foot disease in Solomon Islands
HONIARA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (WHO PACIFIC) —How do you react to a small blister or a cut on your foot? You’ll probably ignore it or even see it as a minor inconvenience. But if you’re a person living with diabetes, that small blister or skin cut can quickly threaten your health, mobility, and quality of life if it’s not properly cared for.
In Solomon Islands, diabetic foot complications remain one of the leading reasons for hospital admissions and lower-limb amputations among people living with diabetes. This is why the Ministry of Health and Medical Services is strengthening the skills of frontline health workers by coaching them on wound assessment, debridement, and wound care to identify and treat diabetic foot wounds before these become life-threatening.
For nurse Mevilyn Catherine Manetei, the coaching helped not only professionally but, most importantly, the patients she serves. “This was completely new for us because we don’t have any podiatrists in Solomon Islands,” she said.
“Before, many patients had to be referred to the diabetes centre. But through this coaching, our clinic now has the potential to have the right setup, allowing us to provide proper wound assessment, debridement, and wound care ourselves.”
Only a small number of health workers in Solomon Islands have received specialised coaching in wound management, but Mevilyn believes expanding these skills across health facilities and bringing these closer to communities can dramatically reduce diabetes-related complications, as patients can receive treatment much earlier, reducing delays that give small wounds a chance to fester.
Ensuring wounds stay small and heal
Diabetic foot disease often begins with something as simple as thick skin (callus), a blister, a crack in the skin, or a small cut. Without prompt treatment, these wounds rapidly deteriorate due to pressure combined with reduced blood circulation and nerve damage caused by diabetes.
For Mevilyn, early intervention is one of the most powerful tools health workers have. “We educate patients not to wait for the wound to worsen,” she said. “When they come early, we can assess the wound quickly, provide treatment and avoid foot amputation.”
The coaching has also strengthened health workers’ ability to perform safe wound assessments, use sterile techniques and choose appropriate dressings based on the severity of each wound.
Seeing hope in healing
Seeing patients recover is Mevilyn’s greatest barometer of success. She recalls how patients responded positively after receiving care using modern wound management techniques that she and other health workers learned during the coaching.
“Patients are happy because they can see their wounds improving and in the way they are being treated,” she said. “Using the correct dressing techniques for different types of wounds also means they don’t always have to come back to the clinic often.” These improvements accelerate healing, reduce the burden on patients, families and health facilities, while helping people continue their daily lives.
A simple message that could save a limb
Mevilyn hopes more people understand the importance of checking their feet every day and seeking medical attention as soon as they notice any changes. Her advice is simple but urgent.
“Please come to the clinic immediately,” she urged. “Many people think it’s only a small problem and stay at home. But diabetic foot disease can progress very quickly. Early assessment and treatment can prevent severe complications and save your foot.”
Through strengthened clinical skills, earlier intervention, and patient education, frontline health workers like Mevilyn are helping transform diabetes care in the Solomon Islands by bringing timely, compassionate, evidence-based care closer to home and giving people the best chance to live healthier, productive lives.
Diabetic foot wound management is made possible with support from the World Health Organisation, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Institute of Philanthropy….PACNEWS
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Shaken but not broken: Rota rises from Bavi’s ruins
ROTA, 11 AUGUST 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) —When Aubry Hocog became the first woman—and the youngest—to serve as mayor in Rota’s history, she understood the weight of breaking two barriers at once. But nothing in her tenure, nor in the island’s recent memory, compared to the force of Super Typhoon Bavi, the most shattering storm to hit Rota in more than two decades.
In the tense days before the storm barreled toward the Marianas region, Rota was already deep into emergency mode. Emergency officials tracked the storm’s path through daily briefings with National Weather Service‑Guam meteorologist Landon Aydlett, coordinated with Governor David Apatang and the EOC and mobilised personnel to reach families in remote farmlands who lacked reliable internet.
“We always make sure communication is key,” Hocog said. “We prepare notices, we drive around, we talk to people directly. We tell them what to expect, how best to prepare, where they can seek shelter. We don’t leave anyone behind.”
Those living in tin‑roofed homes were especially at risk. “We really wanted them to listen, and thankfully many did.”
Also called the “Friendly Island,” Rota has an estimated population of 1,660 in 2026, down from 3,280 in 2000. Known for its unspoiled environment, Rota is 12.3 miles long and 4.2 miles wide and located in the southernmost part of the Northern Marianas.
When Bavi arrived, it delivered the direct hit forecasters feared. Winds tore roofs off semi‑concrete homes, uprooted trees across the island and pushed seawater deep into coastal neighborhoods. “When you’re up in the air, you can see the major damage,” Hocog said. “My heart goes out to these families. Many of them worked so hard for what they have.”
Communication collapsed almost instantly. Roads were blocked. The airport lost power and suffered roof and fence damage. The seaport’s sinkholes widened and the West Harbor’s docking slip was ripped away. More than 100 wooden power poles snapped.
But once the all‑clear was issued, Hocog’s team moved immediately.
“We activated wellness checks right away,” she said. “Because we had major communication issues, we had to send DPS personnel house-to-house.” By what she repeatedly described as “God’s blessing,” there were no fatalities. “Just scratches and lacerations during debris cleanup,” she said. “Non‑fatal. Everyone was okay.”
Public Works crews cleared one‑lane access so emergency vehicles could reach families in need. CUC tapped its reservoir to restore water access after a pre‑storm pipe break. “Many of us would rather ensure we have water first,” Hocog said. “Sanitation, hygiene—that’s critical.”
Fuel access returned within days after the Department of Public Works cleared routes for Mobil tankers. Stores reopened with limited operations. Restaurants partnered with World Central Kitchen to feed shelter residents and responders. “World Central Kitchen responded immediately,” she said.
With communications still down in Sinapalo, the Emergency Operations Centre deployed Starlink units at the Aging Centre and other sites. Local residents offered generators and charging stations. “All these things make a difference,” Hocog said. “It helps people mobilize through these trying times.”
Relief distribution soon followed. FEMA assets such as water, MREs, cots, blankets and solar lights were delivered door-to-door. Nonprofits from Rota, Saipan, Guam and even Georgia joined forces to assemble 600 household relief bags. “We don’t want anybody feeling left out,” she said. “No matter how big or small the donation, people didn’t have to do this, but they did.”
Bavi delivered the most direct hit Rota has seen since Typhoon Pongsona in 2002. “When we talk to our elderly, many of them still remember Pongsona,” Hocog said. “I don’t remember it myself, but they’ve told us how strong it was, how it tore through the island and changed everything.”
For Rota, Pongsona remains the benchmark for destruction: a storm that flattened homes, crippled utilities and left communities isolated for weeks. Hocog said those memories resurfaced as Bavi approached, shaping both the fear and the determination of families preparing for impact.
“They’ve lived through the worst,” she said. “So when they heard Bavi was coming straight for Rota, they knew what that meant. They understood the magnitude.”
That generational memory, she added, helped reinforce the urgency of early preparation. “Our people listened because they’ve seen what storms can do. Pongsona taught them, and taught all of us, that you cannot take these typhoons lightly.”
Bavi has now become the island’s newest defining storm. While it echoed Pongsona’s severity, Bavi put Rota’s readiness, coordination and resilience to the test.
Even as Rota focuses on recovery, Hocog targets the island’s long‑term economic vision, especially tourism, which she describes as one of its greatest strengths.
Rota is famous for its historic sites, lush forests and natural wonders such as the “swimming hole,” a small naturally formed pool of seawater by the coast. Rota has diverse flora and fauna, including the endemic and endangered Mariana crow and Mariana fruit bat. Four wildlife conservation areas have been designated on Rota: Mariana Crow Conservation Area, Sabana Protected Area, I’Chenchon Park Wildlife Conservation Area and Liyo Conservation Area.
There are five plant species or subspecies that are endemic to Rota, including the critically endangered Osmoxylon mariannense and the endangered Nesogenes rotensis.
“We had great plans,” she said. “We want to showcase what makes Rota different from the neighboring islands.”
Hocog said Rota’s appeal lies in its authenticity and natural beauty. “For Rota, I think it’s the unique charm,” she said. “The special untouched island because we still have so much natural habitat.”
She pointed to recent interest from researchers and cultural practitioners. “We had doctoral students from Europe here during Bavi,” she said. “They came to study the plants and inland civilizations. Rota has a lot of history to offer.”
The mayor believes that once the island stabilizes, tourism can rebound stronger than before, especially if infrastructure is modernised.
“Every island has its unique features,” she said. “For us, it’s our culture, our environment, our people. And we want to expand that once we resume normalcy.”
Agriculture, she said, remains one of the island’s biggest untapped strengths. “We have such an abundance of land,” she said. “There’s a very positive cost-benefit to farming. Our neighboring islands want to purchase from Rota. The question is, can we meet the demand?”
Manufacturing interest has also grown. “Investors see the potential,” she said. “They want to come in, hire locals, support vendors. But they always ask about the ports. How can we expand our airport and seaport? That’s what we’re working on.”
Bavi, she believes, may accelerate long‑term improvements. “It’s a blessing in disguise,” she said. “Now we can really address the seaport. It’s a lifeline. If we restore it properly, we can welcome more vessels, stimulate businesses and even export. That’s an opportunity for our people.”
Hocog acknowledged her limitations. “I could not do it alone,” she said. “There has to be constant communication with the governor, the homeland security office, my cabinet, our first responders.”
Her vision for Rota is clear: stronger infrastructure, expanded agriculture, a revived tourism and new business opportunities that can withstand future storms. “All we can do is reflect on the past and plan,” she said. “And that’s what gets us moving.”….PACNEWS
