PINA

Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has clarified that her government will not change the laws only to satisfy some of the recommendations by the United Nation’s recent Human Rights Report. Some of the fundamental rights central to the UN report included rights to abortion, same sex marriages and euthanasia. These were raised in the Universal Periodic Review of Samoa’s state...

United Nations Resident Coordinator to Fiji Sanaka Samarasinha says it is important to note that there were some successes achieved at the COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. Samarasinha's comment comes after some Pacific leaders were upset with the outcomes of the meeting. He said while the spotlight was on the failure of developed nations to completely phase out coal usage, one major...

Voting for nine Tongan nobles’ representatives was held Thursday at the Palace Office in Nuku’alofa. The nine newly elected Nobles Members of Parliament include: *Lord Vaea *Lord Tu'ivakanō *Lord Fohe *Lord Nuku *Lord Tu'iha'angana *Lord Fakafanua *Lord Tu'iafitu *Lord Tu'ilakepa *Lord Fotofili. Members of the public will elect 17 representatives from Tongatapu (10), ‘Eua (1), Ha’apai (2), Vava’u (3) and the two Niua’s (1) after today’s general election. That will make...

By Richard Herr The Pacific Islands Forum states have made a bold claim to be the authentic custodians of the Pacific Ocean’s marine resources and health through the forum’s ‘Blue Pacific’ strategy. In essence, the PIF members have attempted to parlay their vast collective exclusive economic zones into diplomatic and political assets to advance their climate-change and marine-resources agendas more...

The Commonwealth Secretariat is announcing the appointment of a consortium of experts to advise on ocean-climate finance. Generously supported by the United Kingdom, the appointment is a joint venture of the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and the Commonwealth Blue Charter. The consortium will  work with Commonwealth governments, through the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub’s regional and national climate finance advisers,...

The 2022 general election in Papua New Guinea will go ahead as scheduled, starting with a issuing of writs on 28 April, says Prime Minister James Marape. Marape said there would be no deferral. He was responding to questions from Tewai-Siassi MP Kobby Bomareo on the voting system, election funding and the updating of the common roll. “The elections will go ahead...

The Fijian Drua has unveiled its major sponsor for the Super Rugby Pacific. Swire Shipping has boarded the Drua as the naming rights sponsor following the official announcement at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva Wednesday. The team will now be known as the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua. The company has been sponsoring Fiji Rugby since 2017. Drua Interim Chief Executive, Brian Thorburn...

Fijian winger Eroni Sau was suspended for five matches for his red card against Wales in Cardiff. Sau was sent off Sunday for striking the head of Johnny Williams with a swinging arm midway through the first half. Fiji was leading at the time. It eventually lost 38-23. Sau disagreed at his disciplinary hearing on Tuesday that he committed foul play,...

Tonga heads to the polls today for its general election, but citizens living abroad, including in Australia, won't be casting their vote. From a small radio studio in Sydney’s western suburbs, Inoke Fotu Hu'akau is spending his morning catching up on the latest news out of Tonga. He might’ve lived the past 25 years of his life in Australia thousands of...

While climate change and COVID-19 have dominated the news cycle, Tonga's battle with corruption and drug use are also front of mind for the kingdom's voters as they head to the polls. Tonga is a constitutional monarchy and this is just the fourth election since its political system underwent major reforms in 2010. The former king relinquished many of his powers,...