PINA

By Ben Bilua The 6th Pacific Media Summit – the region’s biggest gathering of media executives and Practioners – opens at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara this evening. Up to 150 media delegates from the region and beyond are attending the week-long event. “We are privileged to be given the opportunity to host this prestigious and big media event,” Media Association...

By Ben Bilua Former Member of Parliament and longtime journalist, Alfred Sasako says Solomon Islands has been engrained by corruption that there seems to be no solution to address the issue. Speaking during a penal discussion on “Media’s Role in Investigating the Management of Public Resources” Monday, Sasako said the issue continues to be a challenge due to a number of...

By Eddie Osifelo Pacific media owners, editors and senior journalists are urged to investigate corruption in order to prevent and tackle the scourge in their respective countries. The call comes at a workshop held Monday ahead of the official opening of the 6th Pacific Media Summit this evening in Honiara. Speaking on the media's role in Investigating the Management of Public Resources,...

As the clock ticks towards COP27 in the city of Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Pacific nations, who are the forefront of climate change impacts, have gathered in Apia to deliberate, discuss and consolidate their positions on priority thematic areas ahead of the global negotiations. The Pacific Small Island States (PSIDS) Preparatory Meeting for the UNFCCC COP27 from 26 – 29 September...

Five former prime ministers of Vanuatu are lining up to contest the election in a little over two weeks. They are Serge Vohor in Santo, Charlot Salwai and Ham Lini on Pentecost, Sato Kilman on Malekula, and Joe Natuman. The caretaker prime minister Bob Loughman is standing on Tanna. Vohor will contest for his newly established political party Pikinini blong Ground Movement,...

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Henry Puna said his personal friendship with Kiribati President Taneti Ma'amau has remained unchanged despite the controversial decision of Kiribati to hold to its withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Forum. Secretary General Puna confirmed to a virtual media briefing on the weekend that he had met the President and “despite what is...

A Pacific Islands Forum statement released to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons has criticised Russia's invasion of Ukraine, noting the nuclear threats being made by President Putin and his government are 'unacceptable' the statement on the Forum website, has no speaker as it was submitted in writing. The only other Pacific statement on the...

By Richard Herr When the White House announced that President Joe Biden will host U.S – Pacific Island Country Summit on 28–29 September, it noted that it’s the ‘first ever’ such meeting. This both focused attention on the importance the U.S attaches to repositioning its place in the Pacific island region and gave a Johnny-come-lately look for a country that...

Recognising that integrity in sport begins with the youth, the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project (UN-PRAC) produced the Integrity and Sport for Pacific Youth Toolkit to help eradicating corruption in sport. Sport has been acknowledged as a very powerful tool in the fight against corruption and the pursuit of integrity, justice and sustainable development, and Pacific Sports Ministers have recognised...

Despite pressure from China to do otherwise, Palau intends to continue diplomatic relations with Taiwan, said Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. He noted, however, that the number of countries with a similar policy toward Taiwan has dropped from 30 to 14 since Taiwan and Palau established diplomatic relations in 1999. “(The drop in the number of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies) is concerning...