PINA

Vanuatu narrowly avoided a political crisis as Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament on Wednesday. Vote of no confidence against PM Kalsakau was defeated as opposition failed to achieve absolute majority of 27 votes. 26 Opposition Parliamentarians voted for the removal of PM while 23 MPs from the government side voted against. The Opposition is demanding to know...

Papua New Guinea Police personnel have been issued with a Commissioner’s circular on the approved use of force in the execution of their duties to protect lives from domestic terrorist and other criminal activities. With the escalation of violence in the Highlands and other areas, Police Commissioner David Manning said personnel must be clear on the extent of their powers,...

The Sixth Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-6) Meeting closed Wednesday buoyed by the potential of the Weather Ready Pacific Programme for the safety of our Pacific Islands. The Seventh Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-7) will be hosted by Vanuatu in 2024, with the Eighth Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-8) and the Fourth Pacific Meteorological Ministers Meeting (PMMM-3) to be tentatively hosted by the...

Ten years ago, at the Second Pacific Meteorological Council there was one woman at the head of the table representing her national Met Service. At the Sixth Pacific Met Council Wednesday there are six women at the table propelled by the saying – “if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” The World Meteorological Organisation has cemented actions to...

NOAA Fisheries has awarded FLOAT Partners a five-year, USD$50 million) contract to oversee efforts to put observers on commercial fishing vessels in the Pacific Islands. Under the contract, which is set to begin 01 September and continue into 2028, Hawaii, USA-based FLOAT will recruit, supervise, and outfit fisheries observers as part of the Pacific Islands Region Observer Programme (PIROP). The programme...

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Government of Solomon Islands have signed a letter of agreement (LOA) for the Greening of the 2023 Pacific Games initiative. The support delivered through the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) underlies the partnership and collaboration between SPREP and the Solomon Islands Government. The signing between the Director General of SPREP,...

The Kangaroos will host Toa Samoa and the Jillaroos will play the Kiwi Ferns in re-matches of last year’s World Cup finals to kick off a new Pacific Championships involving men’s and women’s teams from seven nations. The Australian Rugby League Commission announced details of the Pacific Championships to be played in 2023 and 2024, with Australia, New Zealand and...

Flying Fijians Coaches Wednesday conducted a short coaching clinic at the team’s training ground in Pornic While the Flying Fijians were on a day off from training, the coaches were invited to attend a coaching clinic that had around 60 kids from Rugby Club Pornic and Rc Trignqc Rugby Club. It was a scene of excitement in the kids as their...

By Sanjeshni Kumar Fiji has come under scrutiny from the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) for endorsing Japan’s decision to discharge over one million tonnes of treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean despite the fact that the Pacific Islands Forum has commissioned an independent panel of scientific experts. Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he is satisfied with...

The United States has reaffirmed support for the Peoples’ Coalition Government’s development priorities to enhance democracy, boost economic growth, improve food security, empower women and youth; and enhance access to water, health and education. This was conveyed to Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka during a courtesy call from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power. In appreciation...