PINA

Samoa is pushing its vaccination roll out to cover 99% of the population as the vicinity to Fiji poses a high Covid 19 risk as active cases rise to 1000 per day and 96 deaths so far. The Director General of Health, Leausa Dr Take Naseri told a press conference this week that the situation in Fiji is of concern...

Papua New Guinea has recorded four new COVID-19 deaths on Saturday 17 July, increasing the total number of deaths to 191. All four deaths were recorded in the Western Highlands Province. Also 48 new COVID-19 cases were reported within the same period in seven provinces, increasing the total number of cases to 17,515. New Ireland province reported 31 of the 48...

To date, over 10,758 people have received their second AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination on Tongatapu. The Ministry of Health said the daily vaccination average has steadily increased to 633 people per day Over 72% of Tonga's front liners have received their second dose (1,412 out of the total 1,955 workers). The Ministry also confirmed that there have been no extreme allergic reactions reported. The...

External investors can now apply to do business in Bougainville under an amended Inward Investment Act. ABG Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry Patrick Nisira made this announcement Tuesday saying that Bougainville is ‘open for business’. “We are looking to deliver on the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s ambition for a strong local economy which will be recognized both nationally and internationally as...

Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific says Australia will want to see COVID cases under control in Fiji before any commitment can be made on a travel bubble. When Fiji’s Minister for Economy delivered government’s 2021-2022 budget on Friday night, it painted an optimistic vision of a Fiji open to some tourists by Christmas. “I want us to all...

By Chloé Farand Nearly 100 developing countries have come together to define what success means at Cop26, raising the stakes for donor countries to step up their finance pledges Developing countries have called on rich nations to provide at least $100 billion a year in public finance to help them tackle climate change, ahead of discussions on the next global finance...

Tokelau has received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines, with a 5000 nautical mile trip to transport Pfizer vaccines now complete. HMNZS Wellington has successfully delivered the vaccine consignment to the Fakaofo, Nukunonu and Atafu atolls of Tokelau. Transporting the vaccines on behalf of the Ministry of Health, HMNZS Wellington and her 76 crew utilised a Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat and...

Former Health Ministry doctor Jone Hawea says Fiji Government’s “no jab, no job” policy threatens the livelihoods of those who do not wish to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Dr Hawea made the comments during a virtual discussion on Government’s ‘no jab, no job’ policy last week. Dr Hawea said he was not “anti-vaccine” but was against the manner in which Fijians...

Extreme weather events and natural disasters will continue to increase, the head of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) warned on Monday, saying that climate change was the root cause for the torrential rainstorms and deadly floods ravaging across Western Europe this summer. Speaking to Xinhua, Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the Geneva-based WMO, said: “We have always had extreme weather events,...

Only fully vaccinated Fijians will be able to travel, go to restaurants and attend large gatherings, says Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. He also said to protect against fraud, individual biometrics information would be captured to form the basis of identity authentication. While delivering the 2021-2022 National Budget last Friday, the A-G said Government was developing secure vaccine passports which were essentially...