Vote for a ‘vibrant, functioning democracy’, students told
Fijian youths found their voice at a recent talanoa dialogue on the upcoming election with panelists that included the Supervisor of Elections (SoE), Mohammed Saneem. The University of the South Pacific Students
Less prayer, more presence
It’s not every day that a young Pacific islander tells regional church leaders to stop praying about climate change and take firm, practical measures which people can see. Fresh off the flight from COP27 in Egypt,
A tick for loss and damage
The disconnect between countries was palpable at the recent COP27 climate conference, as small island nations fought with developing countries to get their issues onto the agenda and into negotiations. Addressing the
Development, Indigeneity and existing tables
For real and collective development, we must stop insisting on localising strategies, frameworks, tools, or whatever else our Pacific communities keep getting fed with, because it worked somewhere else. We require
MOG will judge if Fijians can vote ‘freely and easily’: Wojciechowski
But won’t rule on ‘fairness’, as this is ‘highly subjective’ The Coordinator of the Multinational Observer Group (MOG) observing Fiji’s elections, Australian Paul Wojciechowski, says modern observer missions
Fiji 2022 elections: Pre-Poll voting begins December 5th
The Fijian Elections Office has announced today Pre-Poll Voting for the 2022 Fiji General Election begins from Monday, December 5, 2022. Fiji’s Electoral Act allows for votes to be cast early in remote locations
Marstella Jack is PIANGO’s New Board Chair
The Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisation (PIANGO) convened its Council after it was delayed from 2019 due to COVID-19 threats. Twenty of the 24-member country representatives of PIANGO network
Legal bodies ‘deeply concerned’ over Fiji lawyer case
International legal bodies are “deeply concerned” over the Attorney-General of Fiji’s legal pursuit against Fijian lawyer Richard K. Naidu, calling for the judiciary to uphold the Rule of Law and set aside the
Visa on arrival in PNG for Melanesian countries
Solomon Islands nationals and nationals of other Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) countries can now get their visa on arrival when travelling to Papua New Guinea. This came after the PNG government formally declared the
Fiji marks first Corporate Bond Offer under new regulations
Fijian Holdings Limited (FHL) last week opened a Wholesale Corporate Bond offer of F$30 million, stating it marks a major step forward in efforts to diversify the nation’s financial market. It is the first bond offer
Fiji lawyer found guilty of contempt
A prominent Fiji lawyer, Richard Naidu, has been found guilty of contempt and scandalising the court by the country’s High Court, in a case that has attracted international scrutiny. Judge Justice Jude Nanayakkara
A free and fair Fiji elections, NGOs urge
Fiji’s NGO Coalition on Human Rights (NGOCHR) is calling for free and fair elections in the upcoming December 14 elections. Members of the NGOCHR include the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC), Fiji
Oceans yet to make it to formal climate talks agenda
Fiji and other Pacific Small Island Developing Countries (PSIDS) continued their push to include oceans on the agenda of the global climate talks in Sharm El Sheikh this week despite very little movement on the issue in
Pacific groups welcome call to ban deep sea mining
The Pacific Blue Line collective has welcomed the call by France for a ban on deep sea mining, a call that Pacific civil society groups and movements have been pushing for since 2012. French President Emmanuel Macron
Fiji 2022 elections: the road to Dec 14
The count down is on. Fiji is heading to the polls on December 14, 2022. Nine registered Political Parties will be vying for a seat in the 55-member parliament. They are: All Peoples Party, FijiFirst, Fiji Labour Party,
The Pandemic, War and the Effect on Island Travel
It’s an early Tuesday morning in the seaside town of Levuka. A fish salesman is busy opening his doors to suppliers as they bring in their catch after the night’s fishing. A shop owner scurries around preparing to
Australia dominates Fiji to win Hong Kong 7s
Australia clinched a thrilling final 20-17 to claim the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens crown and bring to an end Fiji’s dominance that had seen them take the last five titles in Hong Kong. A pulsating end-to-end
‘Til death do us part: Village holds out against the waves
As the sun sets over Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island, a gong sounds, calling the people to evening prayers. Waves crash on the shoreline, inching ever closer to the village and threatening their very
A Holy Vow: Churches attempt a lost cause
On the black sand a child ran, face turned upwards as he chased a butterfly. Oblivious to the encroachment of rising sea levels and the gradual erosion of his village, he ran back and forth - lost in this moment. Fifty
A cog in Fiji’s history: Site links ancient kingdoms
One account of the origins of Vunisavisavi begins with a young chief setting out from the pre-European kingdom of Verata which was, at the time, a dominant political force. With his retainers, the chief left his home on
EV Chargers may spawn e-revolution on Fiji roads
The company behind Fiji's first electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is optimistic that its transformative clean energy project will also spill over to Fiji's maritime transportation, with plans to produce
Saved from the Unknown
One in four women with cervical cancer live in what the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines as the ‘Western Pacific Region’, a collection of Asia and Pacific Island states and territories. An estimated 145,700
Qaqi Mai: Bike Share
When I was younger, my friends and I used to say ‘Qaqi Mai’ when we were ‘choking’ each other for bus fare, a teasing way to say, ‘walk home’! But aspiring businessman Eliki Dakuitoga is giving the
