PINA

By Shayal Devi A deep care and affection for the ocean is deeply ingrained in all Pacific Island dwellers and they have made combined efforts to sustainably maintain this precious resource for future generations. Today, a widely condemned plan of action adopted by one of Fiji’s longstanding partners threatens to jeopardise years of advocacy and diplomacy. Japan made headlines recently for...

Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy has announced Australia’s support of AUD$220,000 (approx. WST 390,000)for the Manu Samoa team ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup to be held in France. The Minister was on the final day of his two day visit to Samoa that focussed building on the people-to-people connections that make the Samoa-Australia...

Intelligence reports detail Papua New Guinea allegedly has more than 15 methamphetamine (meth) manufacturing laboratories. About seven of them are operating in nation’s capital with clandestine laboratories, three in Lae, Morobe Province, one in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands Province, and one in Kimbe, West New Britain Province. These labs are operating with some good and strong connections and owned by foreigners. It...

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution confirms there is a docket against Methodist Church of Fiji President Reverend Ili Vunisuwai. The ODPP released a statement today with an update on the progress of police complaints involving high-profile individuals. They include Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho, former CID Director Mesake Waqa,...

New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) support to the Australian-led Solomon Islands International Assistance Force (SIAF) will continue with the deployment of four more personnel, replacing the most recent contingent who have returned to New Zealand. SIAF was stood up after a request for support from the Solomon Islands Government in November 2021 following a period of civil unrest. Completing the six...

The National Broadcasting Corporation(NBC) of PNG and its sister public broadcaster, the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) today signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in the areas of exchange of staff, sharing of news content, and technical cooperation. The signing was done by Managing Director of NBC, Kora Nou and Chief Executive Officer of SIBC, Johnson Honimae. Part of the...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has set up office in Papua New Guinea for the first time in 25 years and aims to work more closely with the Government. IMF official Sohrab Rafiq said it was the first time that the fund would have a resident representative based in country. “I hope that this goes a long way to show that...

The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), Internews Earth Journalism Network, Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) are proud to announce the inaugural “Pasifika Environews Awards”. The awards will honor exemplary reporting and photography/videography that sets a standard for environment, ocean, and climate change reporting in the Pacific. There are six awards...

A group of former leaders of Pacific island nations have condemned the AUKUS security pact saying it is “bringing war much closer to home2 and goes against the Blue Pacific narrative. The deal between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom will see Canberra forking out billions of dollars over the next three decades to acquire a fleet of...

The Pacific Elders’ Voice is urging the Pacific Islands Leaders to take a decisive and ethical stand on the submarine deal between Australia, United Kingdom and the United States which signals greater militarisation by joining Australia to the networks of U.S military bases in the Northern Pacific and is triggering an arms race, bringing war much closer to home. The...