PINA

Telstra has announced that it has partnered with the Australian Government to acquire Digicel Pacific, the biggest mobile operator in the South Pacific region. Australia has deep personal, historical and cultural ties with the Pacific, forged over decades of sustained engagement, and Telstra, via our International team has been doing business there for decades. A statement from Telstra said its mobile...

The Australian Government welcomes today’s announcement by Telstra of its decision to enter into an agreement to acquire and run Digicel Pacific. Digicel Pacific is the leading telecommunications operator in the South Pacific, providing mobile and network services in Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga and Fiji. The Government has committed to provide a financing package through Export Finance Australia...

The Pacific is likely to experience a rare occurrence of what is called a double dip La Niña in the coming months, Climate models and predictions tools used by Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological services (NMHSs) show. The prediction, based on anomalies identified by the climate models and tools, was revealed in a statement on the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO),...

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) has predicted that between nine to twelve tropical cyclones could impact the the Pacific region this cyclone season. Three or more could develop into severe tropical cyclones. The prediction was revealed during the Ninth Pacific Island Climate Outlook Forum (PICOF-9) this week. Ben Noll, Meteorologist at NIWA, said the Pacific would...

Six current and one former Member of Parliament appeared in court today in relation to charges laid by the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption. SODELPA MPs Salote Radrodro, Peceli Vosanibola, Niko Nawaikula, Adi Litia Qionibaravi, Simione Rasova and Ratu Suliano Matanitobua are charged with giving false information to public servant and obtaining financial advantage. Also in court was former government MP...

The U.S government—through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)— is providing an additional US$1.9 million to help Pacific Island countries manage the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance was obligated to UNICEF Pacific headquartered in Fiji to support both emergency commodity and supply assistance to Fiji and vaccine technical assistance activities to countries throughout the Pacific. “This additional...

Tui Macuata Ratu Wiliame Katonivere was today elected the new President of Fiji after receiving 28 votes from Members of Parliament. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama moved Ratu Wiliame’s name on the floor of Parliament to be the next President of Fiji while Opposition Whip Lynda Tabuya moved the name of former SODELPA and Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa. Ro Teimumu received...

By Iliesa Tora Tongans who are eligible to vote must register and vote at the 18 November General Elections in Tonga. Supervisor of Elections Pita Vuki made the call at a media workshop on Monday this week. “People should know that they have the opportunity to elect their reps and government at the election and they should exercise that right by...

By Wesley Morgan, Researcher, Climate Council, and Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University The Pacific Islands are at the frontline of climate change. But as rising seas threaten their very existence, these tiny nation states will not be submerged without a fight. For decades this group has been the world’s moral conscience on climate change. Pacific leaders are not...

All members of Fijian parliament will be present today to appoint the new president of Fiji. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will move Tui Macuata Ratu Wiliame Katonivere’s name on the floor of Parliament to be the next president of Fiji. Tui Macuata has accepted Bainimarama’s nomination to assume the nation’s Presidency. While the opposition leader Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu will move Ro Teimumu...