PINA

By Miranda Forsyth and Gordon Peake Elections in Papua New Guinea are notoriously volatile and dangerous. But this year’s elections have involved violence, intimidation, corruption as well as administrative ineptitude on what looks like an exceptional scale. The Commonwealth observer team on the ground has called for an urgent review of the electoral process, noting almost half of eligible voters may...

Tonga have continued their tradition of having an oiled-up, shirtless flag bearer lead their team at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, leaving fans around the world in a frenzy. Pita Taufatofua became a viral sensation at the 2016 Olympics in Rio when he carried the Tongan flag at the opening ceremony while shirtless. He then repeated the trick at...

With 161 votes in favour, and eight abstentions*, the UN General Assembly adopted a historic resolution on Thursday, declaring access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, a universal human right. The resolution, based on a similar text adopted last year by the Human Rights Council, calls upon States, international organisations, and business enterprises to scale up efforts to ensure...

Re-elected Papua New Guinea MP Tim Masiu says much of the blame for the country's election fiasco can be directed at the Electoral Commission. The Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae has accepted a recommendation from the Electoral Commission to delay the return of writs in the country's general election. Masiu, who was Communications Minister in the former government, said there were no...

Fijian Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says it is now up to the University of the South Pacific’s Council (USP) to investigate the alleged unfair appointment within the institution. Earlier this week, the Minister read out in parliament a letter by a whistleblower who works within the human resources department of USP. The letter outlines claims of acting appointments made at...

Tonga’s last repatriation flight arrived Thursday with over 300 passengers, before Tonga's international border opens on 01 August with zero MIQ. MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u said the passengers were from New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. This is last repatriation flight before opening of the border on 1 August with zero MIQ, he said. The passengers will be in quarantined at usual in...

Developers have been invited to register interest in a landmark housing project in Fiji, which will provide affordable, climate-resilient homes for 3,000 low and middle-income families. The Fijian government has commenced the process of engagement with potential developers of this crucial public-private partnership (PPP) project, which comes at a time when Fiji has a huge need for more affordable, climate-resilient...

By Kishti Sen and Tom Kenny, ANZ Senior International Economist Looming elections usually see incumbent governments loosen constraints in an attempt to accelerate spending on previous and new promises. However, Fiji’s 2022-23 National Budget shows restraint in public sector spending,even though an election is due to be called within the next six months. It is also less aggressive on...

Written by Simona Marinescu, Isabella Massa, Guillaume Lafortune After major setbacks to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Pacific needs fairer access to financing as it fights to overcome climate challenges. Crises in climate, geopolitics and global health have caused major setbacks for the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 global benchmarks adopted by all UN member states in...

As the 2022 Commonwealth Games opens in Birmingham today and the Commonwealth Decade of Sport commences, the Commonwealth Secretariat is working to leverage the vital role that access to sport can play in promoting peace, better health, equal rights and sustainable development across the Commonwealth’s 56 member countries. Sport as an enabler for core Commonwealth principles Speaking at the Commonwealth Games,...