PINA

Fiji's leader of Opposition Inia Seruiratu has confirmed that there has been no genuine attempt by the FijiFirst Party to amend its Constitution, as required by the Registrar of Political Parties Ana Mataiciwa. Speaking to FijiLive, Seruiratu said: “We have not done anything to amend the Party’s Constitution because the question is ‘Who has the authority to amend the constitution...

By Kalinga Seneviratne Addressing the impact of climate change on oceans and coastal communities requires input from all academic disciplines, an emphasis on collaboration and greater involvement of local communities. The importance of connectivity was foregrounded at the annual meeting of university presidents of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) held at the University of Auckland, New Zealand this week...

The NRL aims to reveal its master plan by the end of the season for a possible 20-team competition, as part of the sport's most radical growth in decades. League bosses met over several hours on Wednesday afternoon in Melbourne, opening the process for expansion over the next 10 years. Consortiums representing possible expansion options will be able to submit expressions...

The Vanuatu footballers have become instant legends after reaching their first ever final of the OFC Men’s Nations Cup after defeating Fiji 2-1 in Thursday’s semi-final at VFF Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila. The hosts will meet New Zealand in the final on Sunday in what will be memorable occasion for this football-mad country Both Fiji and Vanuatu were hoping to...

The upcoming regional Forum Leaders Meeting led the agenda for the first visit of Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Baron Waqa to Tonga this week. In his first official visit on Wednesday with Tonga Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, SG Waqa shared his key priorities for regionalism with the incoming Forum Chair. This was followed by a formal call this morning...

Nearly five years after the islanders of remote Bougainville voted decisively in a referendum for independence from Papua New Guinea (PNG), local frustrations are rising as the political process falters. More than 97 percent of voters in the autonomous island region of about 300,000 people, in eastern PNG, chose independence over greater autonomy in a 2019 referendum. But there cannot...

The climate crisis and the humanitarian crisis are “two in one,” said Emeline Siale Ilolahia, Executive Director of the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations(PIANGO), speaking to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the sidelines of UN Economic and Social Council's(ECOSOC) Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS). “We need to continue making the connections,” she said. But...

Fisheries and Forestry Minister Kalaveti Ravu will be appearing in the Sigatoka Magistrates Court this afternoon. He has been charged by Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). Along with him, Regional Manager North Tekata Toaisi faces the same charge. It is believed the charges relate to abuse of office.

Three years after its groundbreaking ceremony, the Centre for Agriculture Technology Transfer (CATT) officially opened in Nausori, leading a new era for Fiji’s agriculture. Despite delays due to the pandemic, the centre is set to transform local farming practices, with a strong emphasis on reducing carbon emissions and fostering sustainable growth. Dr Charles Li, Secretary-General of the Taiwan International Cooperation and...

Lower costs of cocaine production have led to falling street prices and increased use of the controlled drug, says a flagship report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), released on Wednesday. The World Drugs Report also includes data on the impacts of cannabis legalization and advocates for an approach to drug use that lays an emphasis on...