PINA

Instead of protecting the human rights of citizens, the 2013 Constitution protects military government decrees imposed before the 2014 General Election. National Federation Party (NFP) leader Professor Biman Prasad said this in a statement issued Wednesday. “This Constitution instead protects military government decrees ahead of human rights,” he said. “People are afraid to exercise their rights of expression, association or political rights. “Opposition...

A total of 13 candidates will be contesting the vacant seats for Tongatapu 4, 6 and 7 constituencies in Tonga's by-elections on 03 November. The office of the Electoral Commission released the candidates’ names, after closing registrations at 3:00pm on Tuesday o6 September. These by-elections are for the seats vacated by three members of Parliament, who were unseated by the Legislative...

In Vanuatu over 300,000 registered voters will go to the polls for a snap election on 13 October. The election was triggered after the dissolution of the country's parliament on 19 August by President Nikenike Vurobaravu, and on the eve of a motion of no-confidence against the now caretaker prime minister Bob Loughman. The Vanuatu electoral commission announced the official snap...

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is trying to douse political controversy over Australia's offer to fund elections in Solomon Islands after its Prime Minister accused the federal government of foreign interference. Manasseh Sogavare issued a biting statement lateon Tuesday saying Australia's offer to fund elections next year was designed to convince Solomon Islands MPs not to vote for a controversial...

Solomon Islands Opposition leader Matthew Wale says the excuse of funding is no longer a reason to extend Parliament. Wale made this statement following the announcement by the Australian government that they are prepared to fund the national elections next year 2023. The Opposition Leader said he was surprised by the Prime Minister’s response that Australia was trying to influence the...

Fiji and Indonesia convened a bilateral meeting to deepen cooperation for accelerated economic recovery through the global challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis. A meeting was held between Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Retno Marsudi, as she visits the country this week. Prime Minister Bainimarama welcomed Minister Marsudi to...

By Sanjeshni Kumar In seven to eight years, the Pacific will no longer be able to rely on the ocean for food security or as a source of livelihood as it does today because of plastic pollution. Experts say that by 2030, up to 53 million metric tonnes of plastic pollution will annually affect the livelihoods of approximately 25,000 Pacific islands...

-All 40 international team captains lined up in front of majestic Table Mountain in Cape Town on Wednesday as excitement reaches fever pitch ahead of the highly anticipated Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022, which takes place from 9-11 September at Cape Town Stadium. With an anticipated record-breaking crowd of more than 150,000 fans set to create an unforgettable atmosphere in...

Former rugby international and sports broadcaster Willie Los'e has died at the age of 55. Los'e - who died in South Africa where he was due to commentate the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament - played for the New Zealand under-21 side and later captained Tonga at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, playing all three pool games. In a statement, his...

Some Pacific Island nations are bristling at the label “Indo-Pacific,” a term that is increasingly being used by larger powers – including New Zealand – but which, they say, reduces them to a security bloc rather than a grouping of countries with different views and needs. From Australia to Japan and New Zealand to the United States, the term “Indo-Pacific”...