PINA

By Barbara Dreaver, 1News Pacific Correspondent The appointment of Baron Waqa, former President of Nauru, to head the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) next year was a jaw-droppingly poor decision and an insult to everything the regional body is meant to represent. What were the Forum leaders thinking? Here’s the thing, they were probably told he’s the former President of Nauru, he’ll...

---“Let’s get to work!” These were the words of Prime Minister Mark Brown to the Cook Islands delegation supporting his attendance at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Special Leaders Retreat (SLR), on his assumption of Pacific Islands Forum Chair responsibilities at the closing ceremony of the SLR on Friday in Fiji. The Cook Islands delegation included Special Envoy to the...

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders will undertake work to consider the establishment of a permanent PIF Special Envoy Office in the United States. According to the PIF leaders retreat communique, the leaders are recognising the “increased interest in the Blue Pacific region, including at the United Nations level and with the United States of America, Leaders.” The leaders said the PIF...

All Vanuatu government workers have been told to stay home until Tropical Cyclone Judy has left the country. Tuesday, damaging gale-force winds affected the northern provinces of Torba, Sanma, Penama and Malampa. The category three cyclone is bearing down on Vanuatu's northern provinces, moving in a southerly direction. The Vanuatu Met service in its latest cyclone warning said destructive hurricane-force winds of...

The Papua New Guinea leadership tribunal inquiring into misconduct allegations against suspended Madang MP Bryan Kramer today found Kramer guilty on seven of the 12 allegations of misconduct against him. Initially, there was 14 allegations in total but two of the allegations were withdrawn during the course of the trial. The tribunal panel comprising Justice Lawrence Kangwia as Chairman and Magistrates...

A new report by the World Bank says Fiji was the strongest performing Pacific economy in 2022, buoyed by a rebounding tourism sector GDP growth increased to an estimated 15.1 percent in 2022. According to the report – Pacific Economic Update – Fiji is forecast to continue a stable growth trajectory and see inflation fall as low as 2 per...

Trade and investment opportunities between the U.S and Pacific are expected to gain traction, with the first iteration of the US-Pacific Trade and Investment dialogue Tuesday. The dialogue was held virtually, supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and U.S Government and attended by senior officials from: trade, investment and fisheries agencies from each Forum Member country; the Office of...

By Karen McVeigh Almost two-thirds of the world’s ocean lies outside national boundaries. These are the “high seas”, where fragmented and loosely enforced rules have meant a vast portion of the planet, hundreds of miles from land, is often essentially lawless. Because of this, the high seas are more susceptible than coastal seas to exploitation. Currently, all countries can navigate, fish...

Fijian Drua has announced key re-signings of five players beyond the current Super Rugby Pacific season. Players that have recommitted their services to the Drua are hookers Tevita Ikanivere, Mesulame Dolokoto and Zuriel Togiatama as well as Flying Fijians props Haereiti Hetet and Livai Natave. Fijian Drua chief executive, Mark Evans said they’re delighted to retain the services of the talented...

Climate change forecasters have warned for years that the warmer and wetter world created by the climate crisis will drive a surge in mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever. Experts say that in the Pacific Islands, such predictions are now becoming a reality. The regional development organisation, the Pacific Community, says between 2012 and 2021, its Pacific island members...