PINA

The Republic of Marshall Islands(RMI) can achieve higher household incomes, increased employment and economic growth by focusing on the health and education of its people, improving the quality of government spending, and maximising the benefits of key sectors like fisheries, according to new World Bank economic analysis. The Marshall Islands’ Country Economic Memorandum and Public Expenditure Review has examined the...

Westpac is reportedly still looking for a buyer for its Pacific banking business – but finding an interested party hasn’t been easy, according to some market watchers. Chinese lenders have reportedly expressed interest, but that could be problematic due to the tensions between Australia and China. One possible solution could be a deal similar to the one made with Pacific’s largest...

Tide Prediction Calendars for 24 Pacific locations were distributed last week to National Meteorological Services and ocean stakeholders around the region to assist in decision making on their daily ocean use. The annual tide prediction calendars are a popular product of the Australian-funded Climate and Oceans Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac) and are designed and produced in the region...

Papua New Guinea Minister for Defence Solan Mirisim, Monday announced that the Chief of Defence Force Major General Gilbert Toropo, will no longer serve as the Commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF). He made this announcement following a National Executive Council (NEC) decision to revoke the appointment of Major General Toropo upon recommendations from the Defence Council. The...

New Zealand has now given almost 1.2 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Pacific and Asian nations, with more than half of them going to Indonesia, which has suffered one of the worst outbreaks in the region. The Government is now halfway towards making good on its pledges to help vaccinate poorer countries. A further 1.2 million doses of vaccine will...

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta variant and is causing infections in people already vaccinated or who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan added it would be “unwise” to conclude from early evidence that Omicron was a milder...

Wiro Nongganop says he commands a battalion of West Papua independence fighters, but he has no guns, only bows and arrows, and lives in exile in a bark hut, sometimes surviving on potato leaves. Nongganop and a few members of his Muyu tribe fled their homeland in 2019, crossing the poorly marked Indonesian border for the relative safety of remote...

Fiji’s Opposition Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) leader Viliame Gavoka has called on People’s Alliance Party leader and former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to leave them alone. Gavoka's comment comes after the former Party Leader called on members to play their cards right. In an interview with FijiLive, Gavoka said Rabuka’s comments are becoming tiresome and he should just move on...

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand is coming under increased criticism from the Pacific diaspora over planned changes to kava regulation in Australia. The food and drink regulator is calling for public comment on proposed changes to the food standard regulating kava use which it said would clarify the original intent of the kava standard, and limit its preparation and...

Solomon Islands is slowly returning to normality. And because of that Secretary to Prime Minister (SPM) Dr Jimmie Rodgers has thanked the foreign forces for helping the country to bounce back over the past weeks. Honiara was hit by rioting, looting and burning late last month after a peaceful protest calling for the removal of current Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare turned...