PINA

China has assured Solomon Islands that all funded Games Infrastructure will be completed and ready in time for the Sol2023 Pacific Games this year. The Chinese Ambassador to Solomon Islands Li Ming, reassured Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare of this during a brief meeting last week in Honiara. “All the Games infrastructure facilities that China is financing will be completed...

Double Olympic Games gold medalist Jerry Tuwai has been named the 2022 Fiji Sports Awards Fiji Tattslotto Sportsman of the Year. This is the second time Tuwai has received this award for his accolades after being named the sportsman of the year in 2020. Tuwai has become Fiji’s most decorated 7s player after collecting the World Rugby 7’s Player of the...

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says remittance inflows from our sports men and women contracted abroad is one of our highest foreign exchange earners, with remittances between $30m and $60m (US$15 - $30 million) annually. Rabuka said Fijians know what it would mean for a not just a family but a community or village when one of our own secures...

States must take drastic action and accelerate climate ambitions without delay, in line with recommendations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a UN expert said Friday. “I urge the big emitters to make more ambitious commitments ahead of the Climate Ambition Summit in September 2023,” said Ian Fry, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of...

U.S President Joe Biden's administration is seeking more than US$7 billion over the next two decades for economic assistance to three Pacific island countries, a State Department official said on Thursday, funds seen as key to insulating the U.S allies from growing Chinese government influence. Washington said earlier this year it had reached consensus with the Marshall Islands, Palau and...

Humanity is facing a “difficult truth” the UN chief said just ahead of World Meteorological Day, marked on Thursday – the damage already being caused by climate change is “making our planet uninhabitable.” He laid down the challenge to governments worldwide, to make 2023 a year of “transformation, not tinkering” when it comes to seriously addressing climate change, with meaningful...

China’s Ambassador to the Solomon Islands Li Ming has insisted infrastructure projects for this year's Pacific Games in the capital Honiara will be completed in August. Approximately SBD$1.85 billion (£184 million/US$226 million/€207 million) in funding is being provided by China for the Games, including the construction of the main stadium. Li said that work by Jiangsu Provincial Construction (JPC) and the...

The Fijian media industry has strongly called on the coalition government to repeal the Media Industry Development Act (MIDA)which first came as a decree in 2010, and stick to the promise they made during the campaign period. In a submission signed by Communications Fiji Limited Chair William Parkinson, Fiji TV Limited Chair Deepak Rathod, Fiji Times Limited General Manager Christine...

Samoan Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa has expressed her concern over Australia’s potential to launch new gas and coal projects ahead of the country’s bid to host the world’s biggest climate conference. Mata’afa told reporters on Wednesday she would have concerns if the Australian government doesn’t ban future coal and gas projects, with climate change one of Samoa’s “biggest threats.” In...

Samoa’s prime minister has raised concerns about China muscling its way into the Pacific but stressed relations with Beijing need to be seen in a more nuanced way. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa is in Australia to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with the two signing a new co-operation agreement. Mata’afa said Pacific nations needed to be the first point of call for...