PINA

A record surge of COVID-19 is threatening to overwhelm hospitals and fragile health systems in Pacific countries as the virus is running rampant in several countries for the first time. Solomon Islands is experiencing its first-ever community outbreak, with more than 780 reported cases and its first five COVID-19 related deaths. Fiji is experiencing its third wave of COVID-19 infections,...

Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, have announced the week of 20 June 2022 as the new date agreed with member countries for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). CHOGM was due to have been held in Kigali in June 2020 but has been postponed twice due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. CHOGM is...

Australia has distributed 18m doses of Covid-19 vaccine to neighbouring countries but is being urged to dedicate money and resources to Covax – the global vaccination mechanism – so that the world’s least-inoculated countries can access vaccines. Australia’s “vaccine diplomacy”, focusing on bilateral donations to the Pacific and south-east Asia has come at the expense of commitments to the global...

Total of 303 more people are reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 in Solomon Islands Monday. Minister of Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana release the new figures in his Covid-19 update saying, three additional Covid deaths are recorded, two at Kilufi hospital in Malaita and one at the Central Field Hospital in Honiara. “Based on our testing capacity, and reports...

More staff from overseas have arrived in Honiara to support construction work on the 2023 Games facilities. The additional staff, presumably from China arrived via a charter flight. Confirming this, Chairman of the Solomon Islands National Hosting Authority and Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr Jimmie Rodgers says all arrivals are staff to work on the Pacific Games project. “Due to the...

The devastating impacts of this month's natural disaster in Tonga has resulted in Tonga withdrawing from taking part in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ OFC preliminary competition. The large volcanic eruption and tsunami which struck on January 15 has caused widespread damage across much of Tonga and impacted over 80 percent of the population. Many in Tonga have had their...

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has tested negative for Covid-19 after being deemed a close contact of a positive case on a flight. Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and a staff member in the prime minister's office who were on the flight with her have also had negative results. Ardern and Dame Cindy Kiro have been self-isolating and took PCR tests...

Princess Anne will visit Papua New Guinea in April to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae said in a statement last week that he welcomed plans to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II ascended the British throne in 1952. “We look forward to receiving Her Royal Highness Princess Anne,”...

Vanuatu has had its voting rights reinstated at the United Nations after recently being denied the right over unpaid fees. Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Yvon Basil, confirmed that the Government has paid USD$192 to re-establish its right to vote. An amount of USD$74,562 was also paid to settle outstanding arrears, he said. “We’ve paid out our right to vote...

The Vanuatu Government has acknowledged the demands by the European Union (EU) for amendments to the Governance of the Vanuatu Citizenship Program. The Prime Minister convened a meeting last week with the Leaders of the Coalition Government in an attempt to take steps to address the concerns of the European Union. The EU Visa Waiver arrangements are a vital element in...