In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Palau President demands action on Oceans as Island States face Climate frontline
2. PACIFIC — Tuvalu calls climate-ocean nexus a matter of survival
3. PACIFIC — Pacific leaders at Tokyo summit say ocean management is a matter of survival
4. TUVALU — Australia opens green chancery in Tuvalu as ties deepen under Falepili Union
5. PACIFIC — Pacific no longer just a drug transit route, Fiji warns
6. NAURU — Nauru issues rare statement after whistleblower alleges violent threats against Australia’s non-citizens
7. NZ — Poll puts Opportunity party in Parliament territory as candidate eyes Pacific voters
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Samoa on precautionary alert over fuel supply situation
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Fuel crisis impact start to affect Government project delivery
10. PACNEWS BIZ — A new power future for Fijian fish company
11. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Where the runway becomes a playground: Tuvalu’s fight for a resilient future
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Take Five with Ruth Cross Kwansing, Minister of Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs and Member of Parliament in Kiribati: “Politics is leadership and service at scale
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — East Timor can’t PALM all the blame off on Australia
PAC – OCEAN SUMMIT: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Palau President demands action on Oceans as Island States face Climate frontline
KOROR, 05 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS) — Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has called for urgent global action on ocean governance and climate change, warning that island nations can no longer afford delays as they face the growing impacts of sea-level rise, coral bleaching, ocean acidification and extreme weather.
Speaking as Co-Chair of the Island States Ocean Summit (ISOS) in Tokyo, Japan, President Whipps told world leaders that small island and low-lying coastal states are bearing the brunt of a climate crisis they did little to create.
Addressing the summit in the presence of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Whipps spoke on behalf of Palau and the 39 island and low-lying coastal states of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).
“As AOSIS Chair, I speak for nations that together contribute less than one percent of global emissions, yet we face the most severe impacts of Global Warming. Storms, droughts, coral bleaching, ocean acidification and Sea-level rise are not just projections they are happening now,” Whipps said.
He said the ocean is central to the survival and identity of island nations and that global governance systems are failing the most vulnerable countries.
“We are here because the ocean is not a backdrop to our lives. It is our economy. Our food security. Our culture. Our very sovereignty. And it is changing faster than our communities can adapt.”
“International climate and ocean governance is not delivering for the most vulnerable. We need action that matches the urgency, said President Whipps.
The summit brought together more than 300 participants from around 30 countries, including Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. The event was co-chaired by Whipps and Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and hosted by Nippon Foundation.
Whipps thanked Japan for its longstanding support to Pacific island nations and highlighted the close relationship between Palau and Japan.
“Your Majesty, Japan has been a steadfast Pacific partner in fisheries, ocean science, education, and infrastructure the development of the Ngatpang fishing port that will give our fishers a modern home base is one example,” he said.
He also acknowledged Norway’s contribution to sustainable ocean management.
“Crown Prince Haakon, we commend Norway for its valuable contributions to ensuring a sustainable ocean economy.”
The Palauan leader said his country is taking concrete action by implementing Marine Spatial Planning across all of its waters.
“At home we are implementing Marine Spatial Planning across 100 percent of our waters.
This exercise is science driven and guided by our traditional wisdom, balancing protection and production. It is the foundation of a sustainable blue economy,” Whipps said.
He highlighted the Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity initiative, launched by Palau and Pacific countries at COP28, as an example of regional leadership on ocean governance.
“And we are not doing this alone. At COP 28 Palau and our Pacific family launched the Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity initiative. UBPP is our collective commitment to sustainably manage our Blue Pacific – 28 million square kilometers of EEZs, accounting for around 20 percent of all global EEZs…. It is the world’s blue food bowl, supplying over half of the annual global tuna catch and nurturing an astonishing wealth of marine ecosystems and biodiversity,” he said.
Whipps said stronger investment and legal frameworks are needed to support sustainable ocean management and highlighted Palau’s role in advancing international ocean governance.
“Integrated ocean governance is achievable. But it requires sustained investment and legal architecture.”
“Palau as CoChair with Norway of the High-level Panel on oceans believes in Sustainable Ocean Planning. That is why we were the first country in the world to ratify the BBNJ Treaty, because we believe the high seas must be governed and effectively managed not exploited,” he said.
He noted that the summit comes at a crucial time, with major international climate and biodiversity negotiations approaching and Palau preparing to host the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting later this year.
“The Ocean Decade is at its midpoint. Climate COP31 and Biodiversity COP17 are approaching. In three months, Palau hosts the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, where ocean governance will be central,” said Whipps.
Whipps urged world leaders to move beyond declarations and deliver practical support for island nations.
“The window for incremental action has closed. What island states need is financing that reaches us, technology that works in our context, and the political will to match commitments.”
Prime Minister Takaichi reaffirmed Japan’s support for island nations, including assistance for countries facing sea-level rise and extreme weather, enhanced cooperation on Maritime Domain Awareness, and support for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
Whipps also called on summit participants to leave Tokyo with a concrete plan for action.
“In Palau, we say the ocean does not belong to us — we belong to it. Let us leave Tokyo not with just a communiqué, but a plan of action,” he said.
The President was joined at the summit by Ambassador Peter Adelbai and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment Steven Victor, highlighting Palau’s commitment to strengthening global ocean governance and protecting the future of island nations…. PACNEWS
PAC – OCEAN SUMMIT: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 2: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Tuvalu calls climate-ocean nexus a matter of survival
TOKYO, 05 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo has called for a stronger global response that treats climate action and ocean management as one agenda, warning that low-lying island states can no longer afford to plan for the two separately.
Addressing the Climate Resilience Plenary at the Island States Ocean Summit in Tokyo, Teo said Tuvalu is already facing the effects of sea-level rise and warming oceans in daily life.
“Climate change is our reality. It is no longer a projection or mere speculation. It is a daily occurrence and a lived reality.”
Teo said the impacts are visible across the country, citing coastal erosion, coral bleaching, changing fish migration patterns and growing threats to livelihoods and food security.
“For Tuvalu, these are not distant warnings but immediate pressures shaping how communities live, work and survive.”
He told delegates that climate resilience must be built through an integrated framework that links ocean governance, climate adaptation, ecosystems, infrastructure and communities.
“For Tuvalu, Sustainable Ocean Planning and Management should not be a planning exercise only, but a survival framework.”
The prime minister highlighted the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project as a practical example of that approach.
Through the project, Tuvalu has reclaimed 15.5 hectares of elevated, flood-free land while strengthening coastal resilience and supporting national development.
He presented the project as evidence that adaptation can deliver both protection and development benefits when climate policy and ocean planning are aligned.
Teo also used the Tokyo forum to press for wider international recognition of what he called the climate-ocean nexus.
Looking ahead to the Pre-COP31 Special Leaders Side Event that Tuvalu will host in October, he urged the global community to make sustainable ocean planning a central part of climate action.
His remarks carried weight for other island states confronting similar risks, where rising seas, degraded marine ecosystems and unstable food systems are converging into a broader security challenge.
By framing ocean management as a survival issue rather than a technical policy debate, Teo positioned Tuvalu’s experience as a warning to the wider world.
“For nations on the front line of climate change, adaptation can no longer be treated as an abstract policy goal. It must be built into the way governments plan for land, livelihoods and the future of their coastlines,” he said…. PACNEWS
PAC – OCEAN SUMMIT: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Pacific leaders at Tokyo summit say ocean management is a matter of survival
TOKYO, 05 JUNE 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — Marshall Islands President Dr Hilda Heine has told a high-level forum in Japan that island states need greater access to finance, and technology to better manage their oceans.
Heine is among a handful of Pacific leaders – including Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo, and Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr – attending the two-day Island States Ocean Summit in Tokyo this week.
“For my country, the ocean is not simply a resource. It is our identity, our livelihood, our history, and our future,” Heine told heads of state, ministers, development partners and ocean leaders.
Heine highlighted the growing challenges facing island nations, including climate change, biodiversity loss, marine pollution and increasing pressures on ocean resources, the Office of the Marshall Islands President said in a news release.
The president stressed that while island states were leading efforts to protect and manage their oceans, “greater access to financing, technology, scientific data, and capacity-building remains critical.”
“As a large ocean state, sustainable ocean planning and management is not optional. It is essential,” she told delegates when delivering the Marshall Islands high-level statement at the summit.
According to the organisers, the summit will encourage island states to develop their national frameworks – the Sustainable Ocean Planning and Management (SOPM) – to balance ocean conservation with sustainable use.
Heine has thrown the Marshall Islands’ support behind the proposed SOPM Support Platform, and called for a demand-driven, country-led mechanism that strengthens capacity and partnerships while remaining responsive to national priorities…. PACNEWS
TUVALU – DIPLOMACY: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 2: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Australia opens green chancery in Tuvalu as ties deepen under Falepili Union
FUNAFUTI, 05 JUNE 206 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Australia and Tuvalu marked another step in their expanding partnership this week with the official opening of a new Australian High Commission Chancery in Funafuti.
Both governments cast the chancery as a symbol of their long-term relationship and shared interests in the Pacific.
Governor-General Samantha Mostyn and Tuvalu’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Labour and Trade, Paulson Panapa, jointly opened the building, which officials said will serve as a base for diplomatic engagement, development cooperation and wider people-to-people links between the two countries.
The chancery is powered by renewable energy, underscoring a broader focus on sustainability in a nation where climate change is an immediate threat.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mostyn called the new building “an enduring symbol of the relationship between Australia and Tuvalu” and said it reflects Australia’s commitment to “care, kindness and respect” in its Pacific partnerships.
She also pointed to the building’s location, saying “this land represents our shared endeavour to create opportunities for all to stay and thrive.”
Panapa said the chancery was more than a diplomatic post.
“This new Chancery is more than a building; it is a symbol of the enduring friendship and partnership between Tuvalu and Australia,” he said, adding that the opening shows Australia’s recognition of the importance of small island states.
The opening followed a series of high-level meetings and official events in Funafuti as Tuvalu hosted the Australian Governor-General. Earlier this week, Acting Prime Minister and Finance Minister Panapasi Nelesone met Mostyn to discuss cooperation under the Falepili Union, climate resilience, development assistance, national security and support for Tuvaluans settling in Australia.
Nelesone said Tuvalu remains on the front line of climate change, calling it “the single greatest threat facing our nation.”
He warned that sea-level rise was already shaping daily life, not merely presenting a future risk.
The government has repeatedly pointed to projects backed by Australia, including the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project, the National Security and Coordination Centre and budget support, as central to the country’s resilience strategy.
He also raised practical challenges faced by Tuvaluans relocating to Australia under the Falepili mobility pathway, including housing and transport.
For both governments, the events in Funafuti were intended to signal continuity: a small island nation confronting an uncertain climate future, and a regional power promising long-term support under a partnership now anchored in the Falepili Union…. PACNEWS
PAC – DRUGS FIGHT/CUSTOMS: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 2: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Pacific no longer just a drug transit route, Fiji warns
NADI, 05 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Fiji has warned that the Pacific is shifting from a transit zone to a destination for illicit drugs, as customs leaders from across the region gather in Natadola, Nadi, for a three-day conference focused on border security, trade facilitation and regional cooperation.
Finance, Commerce and Business Development Minister Esrom Yosef Immanuel opened the 28th Oceania Customs Organisation Annual Conference in Nadi, saying the region faces a growing threat from transnational crime that demands a coordinated response.
He said the Pacific can no longer be seen simply as a passageway for drugs, but increasingly as a market, with consequences that could reverberate across generations.
“The Pacific is no longer solely a transit corridor but increasingly a destination,” he said, framing the issue as both a security and development challenge.
Immanuel called for stronger intelligence sharing, closer cooperation between agencies, and more investment in frontline capabilities, saying Pacific governments must modernise their systems if they are to keep pace with criminal networks.
“As host of the OCO Secretariat, remained committed to strengthening regional partnerships and aligning customs work with global standards. Securing borders, he said, was essential not only to protect communities but also to support resilient economies and legitimate trade.”
OCO Chair and Fiji Revenue and Customs Service chief executive Udit Singh echoed that message, saying the Pacific’s maritime and aviation routes place customs administrations at the centre of global trade security.
He pointed to increasingly sophisticated threats, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, customs fraud, illicit financial flows and environmental crime.
Under the conference theme, “Scaling Up the Commitment of Customs to Protect and Grow Our Pasifika Communities,”
Singh said the region needs a stronger and more unified customs voice. That, he argued, will require innovation, technology and deeper technical expertise, alongside the political commitment to work as one.
The conference brings together representatives from 21 customs administrations across the OCO’s 24 members, underscoring broad regional participation.
Organisers say the gathering is intended to help shape a more secure, connected and resilient Pacific at a time when border agencies are under mounting pressure from both criminal networks and the demands of expanding trade…. PACNEWS
NAURU – DIPLOMACY: THE GUARDIAN PACNEWS 2: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Nauru issues rare statement after whistleblower alleges violent threats against Australia’s non-citizens
YAREN, 05 JUNE 2026 (THE GUARDIAN) — The Nauruan government has issued a rare statement insisting it is a “friendly” and “welcoming” country after a whistleblower alleged “serious threats of physical violence” were made against a group of non-citizens removed there by the Albanese government.
The unexpected defence, sent shortly after midday Thursday, was mounted hours after independent MP Andrew Wilkie used his three-minute constituency statement to read claims from an anonymous whistleblower familiar with the arrangements of the secretive $2.5bn (US$1.78 billion) deal between Australia and Nauru.
The person, who claimed to be involved in the process through their employment, said the serious threats arose from “numerous conversations” and “were not idly made”.
“They were said with a tone and gravity that indicated, at best, an indifference to the dignity and wellbeing of the removed cohort, and at worst, an active desire to cause them serious harm,” Wilkie said, reading out the whistleblower’s statement.
“I came to understand that those responsible for overseeing the removed cohort had a fundamental lack of respect for the humanity and rights of the cohort.
“The threats included comments that those removed were, quote, ‘absolute fucking pieces of shit’, who in Nauru would be mistreated in such a way to make, quote, ‘very clear’ how they are going to be managed for the rest of their lives.”
The person said they needed to remain anonymous due to fears about their employment security and physical safety.
The Nauruan government’s rebuttal said the group had free access to “modern sports facilities, employment opportunities and a relaxed, Pacific way of life”.
“Nauru is one of the safest countries in the Pacific, if not the world,” the statement said.
“We are a friendly, welcoming people and this welcome extends to those who arrive as part of our arrangement with Australia.”
Guardian Australia has spoken to advocates and an NZYQ-affected man on the tiny Pacific Island – home to about 12,000 residents – who warn the conditions are poor and unsustainable.
Twelve men formerly held indefinitely in Australian immigration detention centres until the landmark 2023 high court ruling now reside in the former regional process centre in Nauru’s north.
Australian authorities have been systematically applying for 30-year Nauruan visas on behalf of the 350-or-so former detainees since February 2025. After Nauru grants a visa under the arrangement, the non-citizen can be re-detained in immigration detention until their removal to Nauru.
More than 30 others have been re-detained since being granted a visa, home affairs department officials confirmed in Senate estimates last month.
Tony Kellisar, who arrived in the camp last month after his high court challenge was dismissed, has begun a hunger strike in protest of the conditions, which he described as living in a “hellhole” before sewing his lips shut in protest.
The 64-year-old Iranian-born refugee, who was convicted of murdering his wife in 1999, was released from jail and placed into indefinite immigration until the high court’s 2023 ruling in favour of NZYQ.
In a five-page document, seen by Guardian Australia, Kellisar outlined the camp’s isolated location, the “terrible state” of medical care, inadequate allowance for the price groceries and a lack of assistance by Nauruan officials as reasons behind the “demoralising” situation.
The camp is isolated from the main population, surrounded by coastal scrub and patches of jungle. The walk to the main road that loops around the island takes about 90 minutes in the humid, tropical weather.
The men are transported by car once a fortnight to the city to shop with Nauruan safety officers, though two of the cohort have acquired motorbikes, Kellisar said.
Guardian Australia has seen footage of one man, who arrived in late May, in a wheelchair, struggling to enter his room without assistance.
A home affairs department spokesperson said Nauru was responsible for managing the cohort once they reached the island. The spokesperson added the Pacific nation had “established processes to address medical concerns for settled persons in Nauru, including access to a range of physical and mental health supports”.
Kellisar has also claimed he and the other men have attempted to open bank accounts and obtain travel documents, in some cases trying for months, but were told by Nauruan officials it was a decision for the Australian government.
A department spokesperson said banking access was a matter for Australia’s Commonwealth Bank, which runs the local banking system, and travel documents were a matter for Nauru.
Australia and Nauru have signed a memorandum of understanding to provide the guardrails for the arrangement, expected to cost at least $2.5bn (US$1.78 billion) over three decades.
That MoU, however, is subject to a public interest immunity claim.
What is known is that around $20m (US$14 ,26 million) of the first instalment was expected to become immediately available for the Nauruan government to “facilitate the settlement” of the cohort.
The remaining $388m (US$276 million) provided to Nauru once the deal was inked was to go into a sovereign trust fund, jointly run by Nauru and Australia.
In Senate estimates last month, the home department’s first assistant secretary, Ben Biddington, revealed he was one of the overseeing committee’s board members while Damon Adeang, the Nauruan finance secretary and the Nauruan president’s son, was the other.
Biddington confirmed he had signed off on a $31.5m (US$22.47 million) withdrawal. Nauruan government documents show about $22.7m (US$16.19 million) of it went to the finance department, with $1.9m (US$1.3 million) going to the president’s office.
Nauru’s trust fund will receive a further $70m (US$49 million) each year from Australia as part of the deal, totalling more than $2.5bn (US$1.78 billion) across the three decades. A yearly $1,000 (US$713) fee for each long-stay visa will also apply.
The deal’s fine print allows Australia to allegedly “claw back” any funds provided to the trust should Nauru fail to deliver on the deal…. PACNEWS
NZ – ELECTION/POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 2: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Poll puts Opportunity party in Parliament territory as candidate eyes Pacific voters
WELLINGTON, 05 JUNE 2026 (PMN) — Opportunity party Pacific candidate Romeo Tevaga says the party’s latest polling boost shows voters are looking beyond the established political options.
The former public servant, who is contesting the Upper Harbour seat in the general election this November, says the Opportunity party should not be considered a wasted vote after Roy Morgan’s May 2026 poll put it at 6 percent.
Under MMP, a party can enter Parliament by winning at least 5 per cent of the nationwide party vote, or by winning an electorate seat,
Speaking on Pacific Mornings, Tevaga says the Opportunity party message is getting through as people “are sick and tired” of the established parties and the current political eco-system.
“They’re seeing hope, they are seeing something different, something bold with a new party like ours. I think it really is doing away with the narrative that we’re a wasted vote.”
The Opportunity party was founded in 2016 by economist and businessman Gareth Morgan, originally as The Opportunities Party.
The party has long pitched itself as a policy-focused alternative to the major parties but has failed to enter Parliament at the last three elections. In 2023 it won just 2.2 percent of the party votes.
The latest Roy Morgan poll shows the National-led bloc opening up a wider lead, with National, ACT and New Zealand First on 51.5 percent, while Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori have dropped to 41.5 per cent.
But if Opportunity’s 6 percent support were repeated at the November election, the pollster says it could translate to the party winning seven seats in Parliament.
Tevaga, who is Samoan, with ties to the villages of Le’auva’a, Afega, Samusu, Samalaeʻulu and Malie, was born and raised on Auckland’s North Shore.
He said he joined Opportunity knowing he might be the only Pasifika candidate in the party.
“I think it’s really important to have representation across all the different parties,” he says. “For me, I believe that the Opportunity party has some really well-integrated policies that really reflect our values as Pasifika.”
Tevaga says his role is not only to bring Pasifika views into Opportunity’s policy discussions, but also to be available to Pacific communities who want to understand what the party stands for.
That could be a challenge in a community where voters have traditionally leaned left, particularly towards Labour, which currently has the largest Pacific caucus in Parliament.
But Tevaga said he does not believe Pacific voters should be boxed into the old left-right political divide.
“I think we want to stay away from that whole political ideology,” he says. “In my personal opinion, it’s quite outdated, and I don’t think that’s how our Pasifika people operate anyway. It’s a very Eurocentric lens.”
He said Pacific voters are more interested in practical outcomes for families, communities and the country.
“I think what really matters is, first of all, what things do we need to propel our country forward? It’s making sure we look after our people and our environment.”
For Pacific communities, Tevaga says his party’s citizens’ income policy is one of the strongest examples, which would give adults aged 18 and over $370(US$217) a week, with no questions asked.
Tevaga says that could make a major difference for Pacific households, especially those with several adults living under one roof.
“If you think about our Pasifika households, we live in multi-generational homes,” he says. “If you look at maybe having four adults, it’s over $1,000(US$586) in the pocket of the household, which goes towards rent, to groceries, to help develop our families.”
He says the policy reflects a Pacific value of making sure people do not go without.
Tevaga says he is looking forward to campaigning in Upper Harbour, an electorate that is currently held by National MP Cameron Brewer, who won the seat in 2023 by 11,192 votes over Labour’s Vanushi Walters.
He says it’s a growing and changing electorate, with new developments, high-density housing and emerging communities.
Tevaga says he comes to the race with “a heart to serve” and wants Pacific communities to see themselves represented beyond the major parties.
“Aotearoa and Pasifika are a big part of Aotearoa. We’re front and centre and we don’t shy away from it either.
“So that’s why you’ll have someone like me sitting here and trying it out, to make sure that we’re represented and we count,” Tevaga says…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
SAMOA – FUEL CRISIS: TALAMUA MEDIA PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Samoa on precautionary alert over fuel supply situation
APIA, 05 JUNE 2026 (TALAMUA MEDIA) — The Chairman of the Samoa Disaster Advisory Committee (DAC) Lealaisalanoa Frances Reupena has confirmed that Samoa is currently on the precautionary alert over the impact of the global fuel supplies situation.
She confirmed that although there is enough supply for Samoa at the moment, the Government through various sectors are preparing for the worst if it happens.
Samoa Cabinet has approved the National Fuel Supply Plan which various Government sectors and the private sector are working towards preparations if the situation becomes critical.
Lealaisalanoa said three colours will identify the level the situation has reached.
The Green Colour indicates that there is ample supply and that Samoa supplies are stable.
The Amber Colour indicates the precautionary level and measures should be taken to address what might happen in the future. This is the level Samoa is operating at the moment.
“Although the supply is sustained but we still have to anticipate and look beyond and prepare in-case it gets critical,” Lealaisalanoa said.
The Red Colour means the situation has escalated and DAC will advise the Cabinet for a 30-day State of Emergency (SOE).
At Thursday’s press conference, various Government sectors were invited to give an update of their preparations should an SOE be issued.
The Public Service Commission Secretary Aootumua Kolone Tikeri said priority is given to essential services such as health, education, food security, border security, the meteorology office and the finance sector of the Government.
He confirmed that words have already been circulated to the Government ministries and corporations to reduce the unnecessary use of vehicles and other material that operate on electricity.
He also confirmed that other services will continue but there will be changes.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Education & Culture (MEC), Tauti Jenny Lauano said the Ministry’s preparations are already underway.
MEC is using the same method they used during the COVID-19 pandemic, the measles epidemic and dengue fever outbreak.
“We have prepared a learning package for the teachers, parents and students if an SOE is issued,” she said.
All schools will be closed, and they rely on good connectivity to enable the education services online.
She said internet connectivity was a challenge during the dengue fever outbreak, and they are working with the service providers to ensure connection is stable for all schools.
The Health Deputy Director General Tagaloa Dr Robert Thomsen said, they are currently doing a fuel consumption analysis on how much diesel and petrol use.
Besides the vehicles and generators which need fuel and diesel, the concern is the service provided by the incinerators and boiler machines.
“We cannot conduct surgery without the boiler which consumes 5000 litres of diesel per week for the most two weeks,” he said.
The incinerator machines are also needed to burn waste materials after surgery at a high temperature. There are also medicines that need cool places to store hence the need for high air conditioning in the rooms.
The ministry is also looking at holding off some of the health programmes to the community through the main hospital and district hospitals.
The EPC Manager for Finance & Commerce Palelemafuta Sofia Silipa said there is no intention to ration electricity distribution as this is a vital service for Samoa.
Priority is given to developing renewable energy.
She said there is supply generated from hydro-power and solar energy, however, there is a need to develop renewable energy especially when the demand for diesel is high.
“We urge families to utilise electricity when needed,” she said.
Business Advisor John Lemoa said the Chamber of Commerce is working on a strategy to complement the Government plans to counter the situation if it becomes critical.
“What the Chamber is looking at is the continuity of businesses and promoting renewable energy transition.
“Our long-term vision is to build a sustainability and resilience and to invest in solar energy and support the coordination effort at the national level”.
Lealaisalanoa also said that the National Emergency Operational Centre (NEOC) of which she is also the Chairperson, is monitoring the situation…. PACNEWS
FIJI – FUEL CRISIS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 05 Jun 2026
Fuel crisis impact start to affect Government project delivery
SUVA, 05 JUNE 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Rising global fuel prices are beginning to affect the delivery of essential rural development projects, with the Fiji Government warning that some planned works may have to be scaled back.
Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo said escalating fuel costs were putting pressure on the ministry’s budget and could reduce the number of borehole projects delivered in remote communities.
He said the fixed funding allocated for rural development projects no longer stretched as far as it once did because of higher operating costs.
“Where we are now with the set amount of money that we target for borehole projects, that amount of money means that we will do one or two less.
“The longer the distance we need to cover, the more the operational costs,” he said.
Vosarogo said the challenge was not only the cost of fuel but also managing supply in a volatile global market.
While Fiji’s fuel supply remained stable, he said prices continued to be influenced by international factors beyond the country’s control.
The Minister said Government faced the difficult task of maintaining fuel supplies and revenue streams while also trying to shield ordinary Fijians from the full impact of rising costs.
The comments come as fuel prices continue to climb, placing additional pressure on households, businesses and development programmes across the country…. PACNEWS
FIJI – FISHERIES: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 05 Jun 2026
A new power future for Fijian fish company
SUVA, 05 JULY 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Island Solar Fiji to move towards 100 per cent renewable energy for its Levuka operations.
For a company that has been part of Fiji’s industrial landscape for generations, the move is being framed as both a business decision and a long-term investment in survival, competitiveness and stability.
CEO Saiyad Raiyum said the initiative was about securing PAFCO’s future, reducing costs and protecting local jobs at a time when manufacturers are under increasing pressure to remain competitive.
PAFCO spends around $1.5million (US$750 million) each year on electricity and accounts for 90 percent of power consumption on Ovalau in eastern Fiji.
Raiyum linked the renewable push directly to the company’s position in the global tuna industry, saying that affordable, reliable energy is critical if PAFCO is to strengthen its position as a producer of loins and canned products while continuing to support employment in Levuka.
Island Solar Fiji founder and director Rob Manson argued that the current fuel crisis had sharpened the case for transition.
“The best time to install it was yesterday,” he said, but with energy costs soaring and the price of fuel “going through the roof”, now is the right time to seriously consider alternatives.
For Island Solar Fiji, the PAFCO project is not simply about installing solar panels on a factory. It is about responding to an energy system that has become more volatile and more expensive, while helping one of Ovalau’s largest electricity users chart a different path.
That broader ambition was reinforced by Island Solar Fiji managing director Eddy May, who described the project as something much bigger than a single solar installation.
Because PAFCO is one of the largest electricity users on Ovalau, he said the transition could influence how the entire island thinks about power.
With Energy Fiji Limited also part of the picture, the partnership is being positioned as a model for how private companies, utilities and local industry can work together to accelerate renewable energy in Fiji and, eventually, across the Pacific…. 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
Where the runway becomes a playground: Tuvalu’s fight for a resilient future
By Sera Tikotikovatu Sefeti
FUNAFUTI, 05 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — It is Wednesday afternoon in Funafuti.
The last plane of the day has taken off and within minutes the airport runway transforms.
Children race each other across the tarmac. Volleyball teams appear. Families roll out mats and gather to talk. Laughter fills the air where aircraft engines roared only moments earlier.
It is one of those uniquely Tuvaluan scenes that visitors never forget.
But behind the joy and simplicity of everyday life lies a reality that Tuvaluans know all too well.
The challenges of securing enough clean water. Keeping the lights on when power systems fail. Maintaining ships that connect distant outer islands. Protecting fragile reefs and fisheries that support livelihoods and food security.
These were among the issues discussed as officials from the Government of Tuvalu and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) met this week to review ongoing projects and future priorities for the country.
For ADB Pacific Regional Director Azusa Sato, the mission was about understanding both the progress being made and the challenges that remain.
“This is part of our ongoing country operations mission to assess progress of ongoing operations and discuss future support,” she said.
The visit comes at a critical time for Tuvalu, which continues to face pressures from climate change, infrastructure constraints, and recent disruptions to power and water services.
“Tuvalu faces multiple development challenges which require both technical and financial support, which ADB is able to offer,” Sato said. “The work of ADB will increase the standard of living of many Tuvaluans.”
Yet it was not only the challenges that left an impression.
“Tuvalu is a really unique country which has so much to offer in terms of natural beauty, community spirit and perseverance to fight against persistent shocks and challenges,” she said.
“Everyone should come and see this firsthand to really understand and experience these issues.”
One of the most urgent concerns remains energy security.
Recent power disruptions have highlighted the vulnerability of the country’s electricity system, prompting emergency support measures while longer-term solutions are pursued.
For Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Energy, Communications and Innovation, Simalua Taliu, ongoing renewable energy investments are about much more than electricity.
“They will help us meet our renewable energy targets, but most importantly they help move us away from our heavy reliance on fossil fuels,” Taliu said.
“With the recent energy crisis and rising fuel prices, these projects are needed by countries such as Tuvalu so that we can maintain our energy security in the midst of all these uncertainties.”
Across Tuvalu’s outer islands, solar installations and battery systems are helping reduce dependence on imported diesel while strengthening resilience in some of the country’s most remote communities.
At the same time, work continues to improve water security in Funafuti, where investments are planned to expand storage capacity and strengthen water and sanitation infrastructure for a growing population increasingly affected by drought and changing weather patterns.
Climate adaptation is another major priority.
New initiatives under development aim to strengthen coastal protection, improve urban infrastructure, enhance lagoon ecosystem management and support community resilience as sea levels continue to rise.
But development in Tuvalu is not only about power, water or infrastructure.
It is also about connection.
As a nation scattered across nine islands and atolls, maritime transport remains a lifeline.
Taliu said one of the most significant impacts of ADB support has been the strengthening of inter-island shipping services through the vessel Manu Sina.
“Our citizens rely on ships. Businesses rely on them. Medical supplies, school supplies and cargo for projects all depend on maritime transport,” he said.
“It is the lifeline to our outer islands, and it is a lifeline we don’t want to lose.”
Taliu was among those who travelled on the vessel’s maiden voyage and said what stood out most was its focus on accessibility and inclusion.
“As a mother, I was grateful to see changing rooms for babies onboard,” he said.
“But what really stood out was the accessibility for people with mobility challenges. It showed that transport should be for everyone.”
The mission also explored efforts to strengthen ocean governance, including updates to Tuvalu’s Reef Fisheries Stewardship Strategy and broader marine planning initiatives designed to protect the ocean resources that communities depend upon.
Together, the discussions painted a picture of a country confronting enormous challenges with determination and clarity of purpose.
While development is helping infrastructure, energy, health, transport and climate resilience, its real measurement is more than the dollar invested but the impacts it has on families.
As the sun sets over Funafuti and the runway once again fills with families, the work continues…. PACNEWS
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Take Five with Ruth Cross Kwansing, Minister of Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs and Member of Parliament in Kiribati: “Politics is leadership and service at scale
NADI/TARAWA, 05 JUNE 2026 (UN WOMEN) — Ruth Cross Kwansing serves as the Minister of Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs and as a Member of Parliament in Kiribati. She joined the two‑day intergenerational dialogue “Waves of Change: Pacific Women Lead Across Generations in Fiji”, held on 30 September and 1 October 2025 in Nadi, Fiji.
The convening aimed to advance women’s participation in leadership and decision‑making and to transform gender norms across the Pacific.
1. What inspired you to dedicate your career to politics?
I spent years working in the humanitarian and development space, leading community-based programmes, supporting resilience-building, and solving practical problems on the ground. That experience gave me a deep understanding of the challenges our people face every day.
But I reached a point where I felt I had done as much as I could at that level. I realised that to make lasting change—moving from band-aid solutions to addressing root causes and creating sustainable solutions—I needed to be at the decision-making table.
The final encouragement came from my mother. Without knowing my hesitations, as I had small children, she pulled me aside one evening and told me she believed I was meant to serve. That moment helped me see politics not just as a role, but as a calling and a way to serve my country at scale.
2. What helped you build the confidence to take that leap?
My confidence grew through both experience and exposure. Working across sectors built my leadership skills, but international programmes also shaped how I see my role.
I joined the East-West Centre’s Changing Faces of Women’s Leadership programme, which focused on women’s entrepreneurship and leadership, and later became Kiribati’s first participant in the Obama Foundation Asia-Pacific Leaders Programme. These experiences showed me how women across the region were solving problems differently.
Recognition also matters. When I received the Order of Merit from the President for my humanitarian work, it reinforced that leadership is about results, not titles. Each of these experiences gave me courage to take my seat at the table.
3. What are some of the biggest barriers facing women leaders in Kiribati and across the Pacific?
One of the biggest barriers is mindset. Women are increasingly respected for their contributions in law, politics, and community leadership, but many still hesitate to step forward.
Part of this comes from the realities of balancing leadership and family. When I first considered running for office, I had a two-year-old son. For many women, motherhood and public service feel like competing priorities. I sometimes say that stepping into politics means I’ve expanded my family from a few children to 130,000—the population of Kiribati.
To manage my own family, I had to rely on other solutions, including other women who could help care for my children while I serve. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. I had to create the systems around myself in order to do what matters to me as a woman in politics.
4. You’ve spoken passionately about temporary special measures (TSMs). How do you view their role today?
When I first ran for office, I believed that if women worked hard enough, they could always get there. But my experience since then has changed my perspective.
In recent years, I have personally encouraged several capable women to run for Parliament. I tell them, “You would be amazing, you have the skills and the experience.” Yet time and again, they give me the same reasons why they can’t: family, finances, fear of failure.
This is why I now fully support temporary special measures. They are not about privilege—they are about social equity. We already know these women can lead. But many won’t come forward until we create space and give them that first opportunity. Once they are in, it becomes easier for them to choose to run again. That is the real transformative power of TSMs.
5. How can intergenerational collaboration strengthen leadership in the Pacific?
True leadership requires all voices—elders, women, and youth—working together. In the Pacific, leadership has long been shaped by traditional systems, often led by elders and older men.
Youth are already doing so much. I’ve seen young people leading climate action, food security initiatives, and digital innovation across Kiribati. They combine traditional knowledge with new approaches. Their energy and creativity bring ideas to life in ways older generations might not envision.
When women, elders, and youth work together, we create more comprehensive, relevant, and sustainable solutions. That’s why I believe leadership should be inclusive.
6. What advice would you share with young women aspiring to lead?
Leadership is a mindset before it is a role. Focus your attention on where you want to go, not on the obstacles. I once heard a diplomat say, “Where attention goes, energy flows.” That has stayed with me.
If you fix your eyes on the challenges—the “why nots” and the “what ifs”—that’s where your energy will stay. But if you focus on your purpose, your vision, and the change you want to create, your energy will flow there instead.
Break your goals into achievable steps. Stay true to your purpose, even when the path is hard. Leadership is about moving forward despite fear, with focus and faith.
The convening took place under the WYDE | Women’s Leadership initiative, funded by the European Union, which aims to advance women’s full and effective political participation and decision-making at all levels, especially for those most often left furthest behind…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
East Timor can’t PALM all the blame off on Australia
By Richard Curtain
DILI/CANBERAA, 05 JUNE 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) — Jose Ramos-Horta, the president of Timor-Leste, for his own political purposes, last week again criticised the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme. He has directed harsh words at the Australian government but has not acknowledged how his own country’s government might be at fault as well.
In my research into the seasonal worker program over more than a decade, I have become only too aware of its complexity. The starting point for any analysis is to recognise that the PALM scheme is not an aid programme, where the donor through a managing contractor micromanages the programme’s inputs and outputs. In contrast, the employers, both growers and labour hire firms, are in the driving seat in a real sense. They individually are the source of the demand for workers. Employers want and need to have the final say on who is employed.
How workers are vetted, selected and recruited is a key element of the formal bilateral agreement between two sovereign countries. This agreement is backed up in Australia’s case by an approved employer Deed of Agreement and a detailed set of guidelines. The latter have gone through 11 revisions since 26 June 2023, and now number 166 pages. These revisions have made the PALM scheme increasingly more regulated and inflexible in how it operates, especially for employers in agriculture.
Since June 2023, the number of short-term PALM workers in agriculture has fallen from 19,370 to 14,990 in March 2026. This is a loss of 4,380 workers, or 23 percent.
In addition, regular reports of worker difficulties have been prominent in the media, especially the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, SBS News and The Guardian. This reporting is almost always one-sided, with employers not canvassed for their understanding of the situation. The result is a low-trust environment for the employers, labour hire firms and at least some of the workers.
From the beginning of the seasonal worker program, employers developed their own informal system to introduce a higher level of trust into how workers are selected and assessed. This high-trust system involves employers relying on return workers each year. These workers are invited to return because they are more productive and are happy with the work and living arrangements.
However, the Timorese government has built its own instability into the PALM program in three ways. First, this is done by controlling who is selected for a shortlist presented to an employer. The labour department insists employers select all new workers from the department’s own labour pool. This forces employers to take another round of untested new workers with the lack of skills and understanding of what to expect that they bring with them. Requiring the employer to use the department’s own shortlist also creates a high risk of corruption in the form of staff demanding payment. This was confirmed by an ABC video media report in April 2026, in which the head of the labour department acknowledged that a member of his staff had demanded and received a bribe.
The second source of instability is that the Timorese labour department has posted two Timorese civil servants to Darwin to be country liaison officers. These officials are not only in a location where there are few Timorese workers (in March 2026 there were 240 in the Northern Territory, 4.7 percent of the 5,115 Timorese PALM workers in Australia). These civil servants are from Dili and therefore have little understanding of Australian society. The feedback from various sources is that they are missing in action. In contrast, other sending countries such as Fiji have country liaison officers from their diaspora who are Australian residents. They reside in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Guildford, NSW. This means they are located within a reasonable travelling time to where their countries’ workers are.
The third source of instability generated by the Timorese government is the pressure on the embassy, and the ambassador in particular, to fill the gap. This requires that the ambassador spend her valuable time visiting workers in remote locations and reporting back to meetings with government agencies in Canberra. The problems identified are not addressed at the workplace but become the basis for formal complaints at a high diplomatic level.
In addition to resolving problems at workplace level, meetings at bilateral government-to-government level are also needed. A mechanism is required to note problems which go beyond a specific workplace. Its task should be to devise solutions, trial them, report back and, where successful, scale up. The existing officials are not suited to do this, as they are too limited by what they perceive to be their mandates. This applies to both the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the embassies and high commissions of the sending countries.
What is needed are high-level (that is, ministerial) bilateral discussions held on a regular basis (say every six months) between an Australian government minister or parliamentary secretary with each of the four major sending countries. These discussions should also include other key players, especially employer and labour hire representatives. These meetings need to be organised so that they are problem-solving exercises, accountable to senior government ministers…. PACNEWS
Dr Richard Curtain is a research associate, and a former research fellow, with the Development Policy Centre. He is an expert on Pacific labour markets and migration.
