PINA

The Pacific Games Council (PGC) President, Vidhya Lakhan, and CEO Andrew Minogue have paid their first visit to Honiara since the Covid-19 pandemic to assess preparations for the 17th Pacific Games which will be held in the Solomon Islands from 19 November – 02 December 2023. During their visit, the PGC delegation held meetings with the following stakeholders: •The Prime Minister...

Solomon Islands Opposition MP Derrick Manuari says he believes that the government’s agenda to extend Parliament from four to five years is influenced by foreign elements. Speaking at the Opposition Group’s ‘INSIGHT’ programme recently, the Member of Parliament for West Makira said it is clear the current decisions and actions of the government are against the will of the people. He...

Fiji's Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has condemned the Fiji Law Society and the Law Council of Australia for their analysis of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2022. Sayed-Khaiyum said the major objection by these two organisations is on Clause 3 of the Bill as the amendment to the Act will provide powers to the Supervisor of Elections necessary to carry out...

The Conflict Group of Islands in Milne Bay province cannot be sold to foreign interests, Papua New Guinea Parliament was told Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands John Rosso said the privately-owned controversial islands would instead be turned into an environmental marine conservation area. Irked by the potential sale of the islands for a substantial amount of money, Rosso...

Fiji 7s Head Coach Ben Gollings has recalled Olympic gold medalist Sireli Maqala for the Rugby World Cup 7s in Cape Town, South Africa next weekend. Last week Gollings said Maqala and Aminiasi Tuimaba may be considered for the World Cup after their outings at the Commonwealth Games earlier this month. The duo were not part of the LA 7s squad...

Fijian Warriors Head Coach Kele Leawere has made four changes to his starting 15 as they get ready to take on Manuma Samoa in the Fiji Rugby Invitational Series decider at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva on Saturday. Leawere had added more experience in the forward pack with Raikabula Momoedonu starting at the flanks and combining with Joji Kunavula who...

Oceania Rugby is excited to announce the world's first women's rugby Combine programme. It will accelerate rugby development for women in the Pacific and pave the way for the region's brightest rugby talent to join the Australian Buildcorp Super W competition. The Oceania Rugby Women's Combine follows the successful World Rugby Men's Pacific Combine (launched in 2018). The Women's Combine...

Hazards such as earthquakes, floods, heatwaves, and wildfires, can be prevented from becoming life-threatening disasters, according to the authors of a UN report launched on Wednesday. From record-breaking heatwaves in British Columbia, to wildfires in the Mediterranean, floods in Nigeria, and droughts in Taiwan; the period between 2021 and 2022 saw record-breaking catastrophic disasters in all corners of the world. Some...

The Law Council of Australia has backed calls made by the Fiji Law Society regarding the proposed Electoral Act Amendment Bill No. 49, which will be debated in Fijian Parliament today. The Law Council takes the view that Parliament needs to take more time to consider and consult on the proposed Bill to ensure it does not unnecessarily erode citizen’s...

The Fijian Government has received a total of $91,780,940.37(US$41,142,298.98) in reimbursement between 2015 and 2022 for our troops in United Nations peacekeeping missions. Minister for Defence and National Security Inia Seruiratu revealed this in parliament this week when asked to update the House on this subject. He said in 2015, the reimbursement to the Government was around $12,846,973.81(US$5,751,500.56). In 2016, he said...