Figuring Out PIF’s Support for the Multilateral Trading System
The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Trade Ministers met in February in Suva. Their key outcome on the World Trade Organization (WTO) was: “there is support for the multilateral trading system and the opportunity therein
Surviving the tsunami: COVID-19 and Pacific economies
Papua New Guinea’s Treasurer, Ian Ling-Stuckey says his country has not had “an economic crisis of such complexity or magnitude since World War 2.” Samoa’s finance minister Sili Epa Tuioti calls it a “social
After COVID- what next for Pacific heath systems?
The Pacific’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to lead to increased scrutiny of health budgets and investments in our region. However first there are the very pressing questions of how to scale up response
USP Saga: Thompson under pressure to cease probe
The controversy surrounding the top job at the University of the South Pacific (USP) has refused to go away nearly one year after it first erupted at its main campus in Suva, Fiji. By March this year, exactly 10 months
FNU seeks to leap into first place
Fiji National University is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a national university, but 150th anniversary as an education provider. Talking to Islands Business just before his recent departure, FNU Vice-Chancellor
ATH offering shares to pay down debt
Shareholders in Fiji’s biggest telecom conglomerate are being offered more shares for cash. Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH), which owns all major telecom carriers in Fiji except Digicel Fiji, is listed on the South
Fiji faced with a potential US$608 million tourism loss
Fiji is looking at a potential loss of F$1.4 billion (US$608 million) in tourism earnings as global travel grinds to a halt by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This is according to a recent assessment by the ANZ Bank
USP students’ body backs VC Ahluwalia
Students of the University of the South Pacific have weighed in on the leadership row surrounding the university by calling on the USP’s top decision making body, the USP Council to reign in its chairperson who’s
‘Prepare as well as you can’: Mitchell to Pacific Olympic hopefuls
Will the 2020 Olympics still go ahead in July as scheduled? The International Olympic Committee says it will make a call within the next four weeks. Options could include a scaled-down version of the Games, a delay of
Pacific children take centre stage
“It’s within our culture and religion to discipline our children physically, but sometimes we don’t know the line between discipline and abuse, so usually its confusing for us to find that line.” “Physical
Coronavirus travel restrictions: a Pacific wrap
There have been no cases of coronavirus reported in the Pacific Islands region, although Australia and New Zealand have reported cases, and in the case of Australia, one death. However the Pacific region has responded
