PINA

Papua New Guinea leader of Government Business and Minister for Finance Rainbo Paita has moved a motion of vote of confidence in Prime Minister James Marape. The Opposition in protest walked out with the numbers overwhelmingly in favour of PM Marape. Despite the shouts of protest by Leader of Opposition Douglas Tomuriesa and attempts by East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, the...

Given the negative impact of plastic pollution on Pacific communities, Pacific Leaders at the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Meeting in the Cook Islands last year encouraged members to join the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, and continued to support the involvement in the ongoing sessions of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding...

A senior Australian intelligence chief has acknowledged a landmark climate and security deal with Tuvalu may be at risk in the wake of the Pacific nation’s election. Andrew Shearer, who leads the government’s Office of National Intelligence (ONI), said his agency was “obviously aware of recent political change and turbulence in Tuvalu”. But he cautioned that he could not yet predict...

Australia’s Defence Force chief was unaware a Fijian officer who became a deputy commander of 3000 troops was alleged to have committed torture. Colonel Penioni Naliva was appointed the deputy commander of the 7th Brigade in Brisbane as part of an effort to embed Pacific officers in the ADF. Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell admitted normal processes failed and...

The Special Parliamentary Committee deliberating on the Vote of No confidence met Wednesday to discuss the motion to bring a no confidence vote to the floor of parliament against Prime Minister James Marape. NBC confirmed the sitting of the committee after the motion was filed on Tuesday following the end of the 18 months grace period last Friday. The committee verdict...

By Niuone Eliuta Tuvalu, a picturesque island nation nestled in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, is currently grappling with a relentless onslaught of storm surges and towering waves, wreaking havoc on coastal communities. While spring or king tides always come around in February, this year’s king tide is like nothing we have witnessed before. This week, the...

A last-minute bipartisan effort to add key funding aimed at countering China in the Pacific has failed in the U.S Senate even as a US$95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan moved forward. A renewal of the 20-year agreement known as the Compacts of Free Association or COFA was signed late last year, but US$7 billion dollars to...

-Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has openly welcomed the Opposition’s motion for a vote-of-no-confidence against him. This announcement came after the Acting Speaker, Konie Iguan, briefed Parliament about receiving the notice at 1.45pm Tuesday, just before the February session resumed. “I welcome the notice of motion of a vote-of-no-confidence by the Opposition,” stated Prime Minister Marape. He further elaborated on...

-The Papua New Guinea Opposition has nominated East Sepik Governor Allan Bird as their alternative Prime Minister. Leader of the Opposition Douglas Tomuriesa announced this in a news conference Tuesday at the end of parliament sitting. The opposition confirmed handing the vote of no confidence motion to acting Parliament Speaker Koni Iguan before parliament convened at 2pm Tuesday The alternate government comprising...

An election result in Tuvalu has been delayed by two weeks as dangerous weather stops boats from bringing new lawmakers to the capital to vote for prime minister, highlighting why climate change is the top political issue in the Pacific Islands nation. Tuvalu's prime minister, Kausea Natano, lost his seat in a general election on 26 January closely watched by...