PINA

Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai has removed Bob Loughman from his position as Minister for Trades, Tourism, and Ni-Vanuatu Business. Loughman’s removal is based on sub-article 42 of the Constitution, which allows the PM to appoint and remove cabinet members at any time. The Public Relations Officer of the Prime Minister’s Office, Hilaire Bule, confirmed the removal but did not know...

Managing Climate and Disaster Risk for a Resilient Pacific hosted by the Government of Fiji at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat started today 23rd September 2024. Fiji's deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Professor Biman Prasad in his keynote address emphasised that the meeting is happening at a pivotal time with global meetings...

Moeloto Tuilaepa Tiatia of Samoa has been elected to the Commonwealth Youth Council executive board ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa. She emerged as Pacific representative after a keenly contested election in which 48 candidates vied for 10 seats on the council. The election process concluded on 18 September 2024 with keen participation from youth delegates across...

World leaders on Sunday adopted the Pact for the Future, a landmark declaration pledging concrete actions towards a safer, more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world for tomorrow’s generations. The Pact along with its annexes, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations, was adopted by consensus, despite a last-minute proposal for an amendment by some countries, including Russia,...

As the U.S, China and other powers vie for strategic influence in Pacific Island militaries, the army chief of New Zealand told The Associated Press that not all of the larger nations bidding to offer support are supplying what tiny island nations find most helpful. New Zealand, which has trained Pacific soldiers for decades, has little military might and has...

With King Charles and Queen Camilla on their way, Samoa prepares for a royal visit and a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government. Against the backdrop of this year’s Teuila Festival Samoans have been busy sprucing up the capital in readiness for next month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, known as CHOGM. Held every two years, the last general meeting was...

Fiji’s Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations, Livai Driu has assured the public that there is no need for concern following the recent release of 2000 coup leader George Speight and mutiny leader Shane Stevens. Speaking on FBC TV’s “Your Voice,” ACP Driu states that t the situation is under control and well-managed. He is urging Fijians to remain calm, stating that...

The decision to pardon coup prisoner George Speight and former CRW leader Shane Stevens or any other prisoner has been carried out without any arbitrary or political motivation. This was the assurance from the Mercy Commission as it reiterated and clarified the purpose of pardoning prisoners, following mixed reactions from the public with the release of Speight and Stevens. In acknowledging...

A recent online opinion poll conducted in the Cook Islands revealed that 66 per cent of residents oppose deep sea mining, while 49 percent disapprove of exploration. The government regulator overseeing seabed minerals activities in the Cook Islands rejected the poll result saying that the methodology was flawed and “did not fully capture the breadth of the public’s views on...

By Catherine Wilson Parliamentary representation by women in Pacific Island countries remains stubbornly low at 8.4 percent. Yet women leaders across the region have been meeting every year for the past four decades to discuss goals and drive action to address gender inequality and the most pressing development challenges in the Pacific. One of the critical issues discussed at the 15th...