PNG counts cost of riots as PM vows Cabinet reshuffle
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister has promised a cabinet reshuffle as businesses reckon with the cost of looting and rioting last week that inflicted heavy damage on the impoverished Pacific Island country’s
Death toll in PNG riots jumps to 22
The national death toll from violent riots in Papua New Guinea has climbed to 22, with the remains of six people found in Port Moresby yesterday. It’s understood the remains of the six people were found at two
The 2024 Pacific Forecast: A Turn for the Worse?
It’s 2024. Heading towards the halfway mark of this decade, the Pacific’s landscape is vastly different from four years ago, gripped in a steadily escalating set of challenges that may well define what the next
Westpac stays, so what’s next?
Westpac’s October announcement that it no longer planned to sell its remaining businesses in Papua New Guinea and Fiji, and its statement to the Australian Stock Exchange that it would increase investment in its
Fiji Business Briefs: ANZ survey, Drua sponsorship deal, Raine & Horne reopens
ANZ business survey: Turnover up, profitability down ANZ’s Fiji Business Survey for Q3 2023 has reported a positive upturn in turnover, with 42% of surveyed firms noting higher demand compared to the previous quarter.
ADB approves financing package to boost Solomon Islands’ education
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday said it has approved a financing package of US$45.7 million to boost senior secondary education and climate resilience in the Solomon Islands. “The Solomon Islands Senior
Nations can look elsewhere: Micronesia ex-leader urges U.S. to keep funds pledge
Months after exiting office, the former president of the Federated States of Micronesia has urged American lawmakers to keep their promise of approving funds for the Compact of Free Association (Cofa) pact, warning that
Porgera will fix FX, economy: PNG PM Marape
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, James Marape says once the Porgera gold mine comes on next year, it will help fix the country’s economy, especially the shortage of foreign exchange (forex). “Our people need the
New Caledonia passes first sugar tax bill
New Caledonia’s Congress has endorsed, for the first time, a new “flexible” tax on sugar products. The tax, in its initial stages, targets a first list of sugary food products. During the Congress
K27.3 billion budget tabled in PNG
The Papua New Guinea Government Tuesday handed down a whopping K27.3 billion (US$7.3 billion) 2024 Budget. Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey when presenting the Budget in Parliament described it as a responsible budget that is
CNMI tourism is in ‘desperate mode’
The Commonwealth of Northern Marianas (CNMI)‘s only industry, tourism, is in a “desperate mode,” according to the officers of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association of NMI. In a meeting with members
Alii Palau Airline’s inaugural flight opens a new gateway to Palau
After several delays, the Alii Palau Airline’s first flight to Palau became a reality Thursday last week. At 6:40 AM on Thanksgiving Day, 23 November 2023, Drukair, a Royal Bhutan Airline, chartered by Alii Palau
Opinion: Australia should listen to PNG not the IMF
In late 2021, following the first phase of a review of the 2000 Central Banking Act (CBA) by an independent advisory group, the Papua New Guinea parliament unanimously amended the CBA. Among other things, the amendments
Tonga did not sign the Samoa Agreement
Tonga did not sign the Samoa Agreement, that took place in Samoa last week. Tonga’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu, said that there is a requirement in order to formalise Tonga’s
Raise PNG wage rate, says CPL founder
A prominent businessman has urged the PNG Government to increase the minimum wage to enable grassroots people to survive in these tough economic times. City Pharmacy Ltd Group founder, Sir Mahesh Patel, said the base
Opinion: New data to inform big decisions around Pacific labour mobility
There has been much discussion about how the rapidly expanding labour mobility programmes in Australia and New Zealand have affected lives in the Pacific. Many have pointed to the significant economic benefits to
Opinion: NZ wants more seasonal workers – but Pacific nations no longer want to be the ‘outposts’ that ‘grow’ them
The three party leaders currently negotiating to form New Zealand’s next government might have their differences, but they seem to agree on one thing: the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme needs to expand. New
27 Fiji greenpreneurs graduate, receive 350k in grants
Twenty-seven micro, small and medium enterprises in Fiji have been awarded US$350,000 in grants to further develop their businesses sustainably. They are part of the Pacific Greenpreneurs Incubator and Accelerator
French Polynesia tourism arrivals back to pre-Covid levels
French Polynesia’s tourism arrivals have returned to pre-Covid levels, with a specifically high spending by international visitors, latest statistics revealed. Figures for the whole year 2022 show the number of
Cook Islands PM happy with Pacific Islands Forum meeting success
Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is happy with the outcome of the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting. “I am very happy with our outcomes as leaders. Of course, there are a number of
Opinion: A long-term fund to lift the Porgera mining curse
The last three decades of gold mining in Porgera (1989-2019) have been wasted, with little to show in terms of the socio-economic conditions of the landowners and people of Porgera-Paiela district in Enga Province,
Samoa no longer in ‘debt distress’: Minister
Samoa has been taken off the list of “debt distress” nations and is now eligible to apply for loans from the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank. The Minister of Finance, Lautimuia Uelese
Salwai prioritises revenue and instability curse
Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas is Vanuatu’s third prime minister to be elected in less than a year. Salwai is no stranger to the driver’s seat. His last reign was from 2016 to 2020 when he managed to successfully steer