Ownership of Vailima back in local hands

Samoa Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa has applauded the patriotic initiative to return the Vailima beer brand to Samoa owned and managed by Samoans without any strings attached. Acknowledging the agreement

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USP welcomes home Vice Chancellor with prayers, standing ovations…and soon, FJ$10million

The two-year exile of the University of the South Pacific’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia from the university’s Suva campus ended with a thanksgiving ceremony last night. Professor Ahluwalia told regional

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NZ visa process ‘heartbreaking’: Samoa Minister of Police

The processing of New Zealand visa applications lodged by Samoans keen on visiting family is in the spotlight again, with a Cabinet Minister describing it as “embarrassing and heartbreaking”. Samoa’s Minister

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NFL star Jordan Mailata shows Pacific kids ‘anything’s possible’

Samoan league player-turned-NFL star Jordan Mailata has overcome the odds to play in Monday’s Super Bowl, but his rise to the sport’s pinnacle shows kids across the Pacific what’s possible, a Kiwi gridiron pioneer

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Samoa’s RSE Scheme resumes with 1,200 workers this month

Samoa Cabinet has endorsed new policy guidelines for the Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) scheme and 1,200 workers will depart to work in New Zealand and Australia at the end of this month. The New Samoa National

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Workers to head overseas after Samoa lifts labour ban

Samoa’s Cabinet is set to resume sending off workers to the Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) scheme, which was suspended for all of January. This was confirmed by Acting Prime Minister Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio,

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A New Era of Island Leadership: Samoa is AOSIS Chair

Samoa will now lead the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) as Chair. The announcement was made at a special Plenary meeting on Monday featuring the official handover from the outgoing Chair, Antigua and Barbuda.

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Cabinet approves establishment of Samoa Export Authority

Samoa’s Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Samoa Export Authority (SEA). This was confirmed by the Deputy Prime Minister Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio. He said export development was one of the

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Samoa Court to rule if three resigned MPs need to go back to by-elections

The three former Samoa Opposition MPs, who resigned from Human Rights Political Party (HRPP) last month, will go to court arguing the unconstitutionality of the 2019 Electoral Amendment Act that now stops them from

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Samoa and NZ reign in South Africa 7s

After three days of HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series action in Cape Town, Samoa’s men and New Zealand’s women ended the event – and 2022 – in style. Samoa’s men put in a brilliant performance to defeat

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EU adding tax-haven blacklist unfair: Chikoti

The European Union (EU) blacklisting member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific (OACPS) has been described as a “fig leaf” exercise. OACPS Secretary General, Georges Rebelo Chikoti told

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Samoa in cartel competition discussions

Samoan competition law enforcement officials will be among others from across the Pacific in Auckland with support from the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) for a roundtable discussion ahead of the

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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,

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Toa Samoa: One for the history books

So close and yet so far. That was what it came down to as the Toa Samoa valiantly fought the Australia Kangaroos in a 30 – 10 Rugby League World Cup grand final slugfest at the legendary Old Trafford Stadium this

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USD$100m needed to achieve Samoa’s renewable energy goals

Samoa needs approximately another USD$100 million in capital to achieve its goal of generating 70 percent of its energy needs by renewable energy sources by 2030. This is according to the Chief Engineer of the Electric

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StarKist Samoa to hire Samoan graduates

Starkist Samoa is targeting students graduating from Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) at the National University of Samoa (NUS). Samoa’s government owned newspaper reported that a partnership to

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Samoan weightlifters smash Oceania records

Two Samoan weightlifters have set new Oceania records at the New Zealand national championships in Mt Maunganui. Don Opeloge, who is the 2022 Commonwealth Games Gold medalist in the men’s 96kg class, set three new

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‘We have changed the game globally’: Samoa stars push for more Tests

Samoan players have pledged to keep playing for the Pacific nation and they may be joined by more stars after changing the face of the international game by qualifying for the World Cup final. After shocking Tonga and

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Samoa Court quashes appointment of Leota

Samoa’s Court of Appeal has found the appointment of Toomata Norah Leota as the 7th woman MP to be illegal and her subsequent swearing in as a member of the Legislative Assembly as invalid. “We declare that no

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‘For my people’: The inspiration behind Samoa’s World Cup win

“For my people”. Those three words written on Stephen Crichton’s wrist tape were the inspiration for his World Cup semi-final heroics, which included a rehearsed field goal ploy that earned Samoa an historic place

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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

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‘Tears in our eyes’: Inside Samoa’s shot at history

“You’ve just made history, boys!” Samoan players were in tears after their 20-18 defeat of Tonga as coach Matt Parish told them that they were the first team from the Pacific nation to qualify for a World Cup

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Pacific nations want compensation commitment at COP27, Samoa MP says

Samoa’s environment minister says Pacific island nations want the international climate talks in Egypt this month to establish a basis for compensating developing countries for losses caused by climate change. Pacific

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PACIFICi Portal to assist investigative anti-corruption efforts

With the Pacific Island region increasingly impacted by organised transnational crime, international drug and people smuggling, money laundering and corruption, a new web-based investigative tool, PACIFICi, is set to

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