PINA

By Monica Evans When Niueans are babies, their parents traditionally take them down to the seashore and throw them in the water so they learn to swim, Mona Ainu’u told Mongabay. That’s more important in Niue than most places. The country’s 260-square-kilometer (100-square-mile) land area is a single chunk of coral jutting out of the South Pacific Ocean; its...

China will today donate at least two water cannon trucks and a host of vehicles to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), in yet another sign that it is intent on entrenching its position as a major security partner in the country. The vehicles will be handed to the RSIPF at a lengthy ceremony on Friday in Honiara with...

-Three new Tongatapu People's Representatives have been elected into the Legislative Assembly, after the by-elections on 03 November. Electoral Commissioner Pita Vuki has announced the by-election results for the three constituencies of Tongatapu 4, Tongatapu 6 and Tongatapu 7 after polling closed Thursday. The successful candidates are Mateni Tapueluelu , Dulcie Elaine Tei and Paula Piveni Piukala . Dulcie Elaine Tei...

One of the paramount pillars of an election that is free, fair and credible is the right to secrecy of the ballot. This was highlighted by Fiji’s Supervisor of Elections(SOE) Mohammed Saneem during a talanoa session at the University of the South Pacific. One of the University Alumni raised questions on important documents such as the ballot paper not being numbered. However,...

The Green Party is calling on the New Zealand Government to change visa settings to allow people visiting Aotearoa from the Pacific Islands to do so without having to apply for a visa. “Pacific peoples should be able to travel to Aotearoa to visit their family regardless of their income and without having to jump through colonial hoops to spend...

In June this year, the 12th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation passed an interim agreement that aimed to curb harmful fish subsidies and also protect the world’s fish stock. It is also part of efforts to fulfill Sustainable Development Goal 14. But did it really fulfill that mandate? This is part one of a three part series scrutinising...

We, a group of experienced Pacific Island leaders, speak as one in calling for urgent action at the climate change Conference of Parties (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh. We support the Egyptian Presidency’s call for an ‘implementation COP’. We look forward to decisive actions, within the broad principles of climate justice, human rights and equity, to enable nations to implement...

Flying Fijians Head Coach Vern Cotter has named three debutants in the 23-member team which kicks off their Autumn Nations Cup campaign against Scotland on Sunday. Ratu Leone Rotuisolia, who missed the opportunity while in camp during the mid-year internationals, has finally made his cut into the run-on team. Former Fijian 7s and Olympic Games Gold Medalist, Sireli Maqala and Livai...

Apisai Koroisau will move to the five-eighth position for the Fiji Bati in their Rugby League World Cup quarter-final match against New Zealand on Saturday (Sunday Fiji time). Koroisau, who played at hooker against Scotland last week, moves to number 6 to allow Penioni Tagituimua to move into the number 9 jumper. Tui Kamikamica moves back into the front row after...

Samoa’s French-based lock Brian Alainuuese and former All Black Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen are set to make their test debuts after being named on Thursday in the team to face Italy in Padua on Saturday. New Zealand-born Alainuuese, who plays at Toulon, is in the starting lineup while tighthead prop Toomaga-Allen, 31, is among the replacements. Toomaga-Allen played three times for New Zealand,...