PINA

The Papua New Guinea Government is ready to implement the giant economic Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) Project that ‘will transform PNG as a coastal state to a fully-fledged fishing State. Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources Dr Lino Tom convened a meeting in Madang recently to present to the Treasury Department and the Madang Provincial Government the fisheries potential...

The Vanuatu Parliament has elected Seule Simeon as the new speaker just hours after Gracia Shadrack resigned from the position. To stand as candidate for speaker, Simeon resigned his education portfolio in the government led by Bob Loughman. Simeon was elected with 32 votes against 16 votes for the opposition's Ephraim Boereve. Shadrack had been locked in a dispute with the government...

One death and a record 116 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Fiji. The Health Ministry said Tuesday night a 73-year-old patient at the country's main hospital in the capital Suva is the fifth person to die from the virus. The staggering positive infections take the total number of active cases in isolation to 943. The ministry said 93 of...

Papua New Guinea recorded 63 new COVID-19 cases on Monday further increasing PNG’s total to 16,791 cases including 165 known deaths. The new cases were reported in six provinces with Manus reporting the highest with 29 cases, followed by both Western Highlands and East New Britain with 12 cases each, Milne Bay reported eight, Hela and the NCD recorded one...

Former Associate Minister of Revenue, Sooalo Umi Mene was granted leave by the Supreme Court to withdraw his petition against FAST winner, Vaele Paiaaua Sekuini. His lawyers Lucy Sio Ofoia and Arthur Lesa confirmed before the Court on Tuesday the application to withdraw and publication of intention to drop the electoral petition. In response Vaele filed a motion to withdraw his...

In September 2019, the streets of Auckland, New Zealand were a sea of protesters. Across the globe, several million people were marching as part of the “School Strike 4 Climate” youth movement sparked by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg. But few demonstrations were more sweeping than the one in New Zealand’s largest city, where up to 80,000 marchers filled the streets. Less...

The Speaker of Parliament of Vanuatu Gracia Shadrack has resigned today amid a dispute with the government of the prime minister Bob Loughman. Last week, Shadrack declared the seats of the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and 16 other government MPs vacant for missing three sittings of parliament. The government challenged the move and a hearing of its constitutional application...

Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama has set 01 September, 2025, as the tentative date for the declaration of independence for the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. He told the House of Representatives that the Bougainville position had been tabled at the Kokopo consultation which detailed a five-year timeline from this year to 2025. “Each year comprises a number of key milestones to be...

Ten people have died in Fiji after testing positive for Covid-19 but only four had their deaths attributed to the coronavirus. The Health Ministry said six other patients had died from existing chronic conditions they had while being admitted at the country's main hospital in Suva. This has raised some concern among Fijians who are calling for an explanation over what...

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) will open its doors to the public on 16 June in celebration of the day the SPREP Treaty was signed. Around 150 guests are expected to attend the Open Day, including students and teachers from seven schools, and diplomatic dignitaries. One special addition that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic is the...