PINA

Dedicated towards conserving Cook Islands biodiversity, the island nation is applying for the Takitumu Conservation Area to be recognised as an ‘Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure’. If successful, this will be the first internationally acknowledged OECM in the Pacific Islands region. OECMs are not formally Protected Areas but are geographically defined areas that are governed and managed in ways that...

The Papua New Guinea Government plans to introduce laws to curb free speech and freedom of the press, former prime minister Peter O’Neill says. In a statement, O’Neill said the same law would jail any journalist or person who published anything the Government deemed to be “misreporting”. O’Neill described the Government’s proposal as “deeply concerning and need to be vehemently opposed...

Tonga's Acting Prime Minister Samiuela Vaipulu says the government will resolve its differences with the King “the Pacific Way” This comes after the government rejected a directive from the Privy Council, which said King Tupou VI was revoking the ministerial appointments for defence, held by Prime Minister Hu'akavameilku, and foreign affairs held Fekita 'Utoikamanu. Tonga's Attorney-General Linda Folaumoetu'i advised the Prime...

FijiFirst Leader Voreqe Bainimarama, former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and former Health Minister Dr Neil Prakash Sharma have been granted bail by the Suva Magistrates Court. The three appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Waleen George for abuse of office-related charges. State Counsel, Laisani Tabuakuro did not object to bail but asked for strict bail conditions including $10,000 (US$5,000) cash bail. Tabuakuro said...

The renewal of key provisions in the Compacts of Free Association (COFAs) with Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia has been omitted from the U.S Senate’s Budget Supplemental text. The absence of renewal provisions in the budget proposal is surprising as negotiations on the terms had reportedly been completed. Reasons for the omission are unclear, although some speculate it could...

Climate envoy for the Marshall Islands says financing must be prioritised to protect the world’s most vulnerable countries The Marshall Islands may be a small and remote nation but it has become one of the most prominent advocates for climate action on the UN stage. Its climate envoy Tina Stege spoke to climate correspondent Attracta Mooney last week about the finance...

Tonga's Cabinet has defied an order issued by King Tupou VI to dismiss three Ministerial appointments. In response to the King's directive, Cabinet conveyed to the monarch that the two affected Ministers will remain in their roles overseeing His Majesty's Armed Forces, Foreign Affairs, and Tourism. A statement released by the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday evening confirmed that last Friday,...

Three prominent figures, former Fijian Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, his Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Health Minister, Dr Neil Prakash Sharma will will appear in the Suva Magistrates Court today for abuse of office-related charges. The charges against them relate to their alleged failure to comply with statutory requirements for tenders under the 2010 Procurement Regulation. Following a caution interview Tuesday,...

Australia will roll out the red carpet to the visiting Papua New Guinea prime minister, James Marape, amid efforts to stall China’s security talks with the Pacific country. Marape is due to arrive in Canberra on Wednesday before he addresses a joint sitting of the Australian parliament on Thursday – the first Pacific leader to be afforded this honour. Amid increasing...

Tropical Cyclone Nat is expected to move north over the Southern Cook Islands over the next 24 to 36 hours as a category one system. A category one system is at the weaker end of storm systems but still brought the potential for damaging winds, impacting crops and trees and a likelihood of craft dragging their moorings. From later today, the...