PINA

With Fiji’s visitor economy poised to grow by an additional $4 billion (US$2 billion) over the next 4 years, adopting an open sky policy will only enhance Fiji’s tourism industry significantly. That is the word of deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Viliame Gavoka in a ministerial statement he delivered in parliament Wednesday. “While Fiji previously believed...

By Achim Steiner, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Small island developing states (SIDS) are scattered across the globe, dotting the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, the west and east coasts of Africa and the Indian Ocean. These low-lying highly indebted countries are on the frontlines of climate change and natural resource scarcity, already facing the extremes of sea level rise, unpredictable weather events,...

The Fijian Drua have named their squad for the crucial away-match against the Highlanders this Sunday in Round 14 of Super Rugby Pacific in Dunedin. Head Coach Mick Byrne has made three changes to the match-day 23 squad after last week’s win over the Queensland Reds. In welcome news, Flying Fijians flyhalf Caleb Muntz has been named on the bench,...

State of Origin star Xavier Coates has been earmarked as the face of the franchise if Papua New Guinea’s bid for an NRL club is approved. Papua New Guinea is in a battle to become one of the newest teams, with Perth also rumoured to be a strong chance. As the NRL assesses which teams will be part of their next...

As Fiji grapples with its methamphetamine crisis, the country is also facing widespread corruption in its police force. Officers are being asked to tamper with evidence, steal meth and in some cases are heavily involved in the dealing network. 1News has been told by high level sources that a tonne of meth, linked to the Nadi meth consignments seized earlier this...

The ruling Pangu Pati has 56 members in Papua New Guinea Parliament, including current deputy Opposition leader James Nomane who is yet to resign from the party, according to the Registry of Political Parties and Candidates. Registrar Emmanuel Pok said the registry had received notices from some MPs that they were resigning from the government, but had not officially resigned...

A festival planner announced Monday that a Pacific country and an island territory of France have withdrawn their participation in the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture. The announcement comes as Hawaii is less than three weeks from hosting the largest celebration of Indigenous Pacific Islanders starting 06 June. The state will host delegates from at least 28 Pacific countries...

Response to the G7 Climate, Energy, and Environment Ministers' Communique PICAN acknowledges the commitments laid out by the G7 nations in their recent communique. While these commitments indicate a recognition of the climate crisis, they lack the urgency and specific actions required to mitigate the immediate and devastating impacts faced by front-line communities, such as those in the Pacific Islands. We...

A global maritime court found on Tuesday that greenhouse gases constitute marine pollution, a major breakthrough for small island states threatened by the rise in sea levels caused by global warming. In its first climate-related judgment, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) said emissions from fossil fuels and other planet-warming gases that are absorbed by the...

Vanuatu has called on France to engage peacefully with the leaders of the indigenous Kanak people of New Caledonia after the French government announced that President Emmanuel Macron will visit the island nation. Protests and rioting erupted in the capital city of Noumea last week after the French government imposed new laws on who is allowed to vote in local...