PINA

Four Pacific Island nations have been forced to withdraw from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics due to travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, it has been confirmed. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that Samoa, Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu will no longer compete at the Games which are due to start on Tuesday (24 August). The news comes five days...

A sign of the times -- the United Nations releasing a watershed climate report warning of more devastating environmental consequences if major action isn’t taken now. Micronesian leaders on the frontlines are speaking on the issue. “Unlike other states, and countries, people from all nations have nowhere to retreat to the ocean is at our backyard, literally about frontlines as well,”...

The findings of the IPCC’s sixth report represent a clear condemnation of humanity’s reckless abuse of the planet and a dire warning about the consequences of failing to drastically cut carbon emissions. Every Pacific Islander should read –– or at least, review –– this report. It is compiled by a panel of 234 authors and endorsed by 195 nations. It...

Fiji’s suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum in 2006 demonstrated that geopolitical influences had an influence on the decisions made by the Forum, Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum told Parliament on Wednesday. He said despite the two coups, despite five years of decree-led Government, Fiji was not suspended from the Forum. “Despite the Prime Minister of Fiji at that...

Covid vaccinations for commercial fishermen are being ramped up and expanded, following preparations involving multiple government agencies in the Marshall Islands over the past two weeks. The Marshall Islands became the first nation in the Pacific islands to offer Covid vaccinations for fishermen on longline and purse seine vessels when it started in June in Majuro. But after vaccinating 312 fishermen...

Vanuatu leader of Opposition, Ralph Regenvanu has urged Australia not to grow kava. “I wish to say to Australia, our friend, don’t grow kava,” MP Regenvanu said. “Do not allow kava to grow in Australia commercially, make it illegal but make it legal for us to export Vanuatu kava to you. That is the request of Vanuatu and other Pacific Islands.” He...

The Fijian Government should answer why it has taken Fiji 16 years to ratify the 2005 agreement on establishing the Pacific Islands Forum(PIF), says Opposition MP Niko Nawaikula. He also said Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum should also tell Fiji why it decided to form a rival group the Pacific Islands Development Forum(PIDF) in 2013. Nawaikula said the AG should also explain why...

Fiji does not accept Professor Pal Ahluwalia as the vice-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP), says Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. And he says that Fiji will not provide any funding or assistance to the university for as long as Prof Ahluwalia remains the VC and the university council “fail in its duty to independently investigate him”. Prof Pal was...

Forum Secretary General Henry Puna has welcomed Fiji’s Parliament approval to ratify the 2005 Agreement establishing the Pacific Islands Forum. “I offer my warm congratulations to the Republic of Fiji for its unanimous approval in Parliament Wednesday, to ratify the 2005 Agreement Establishing the Pacific Islands Forum. It is a historic moment for Fiji and for our Forum family. “Upon Fiji’s...

As the global aid community marked World Humanitarian Day on Thursday, UN chief António Guterres paid tribute to all those who help people in need and urged support for the day’s #TheHumanRace campaign, which aims to protect the most vulnerable people from the climate emergency. “Humanitarian workers are here to help the world’s most vulnerable people when disaster strikes”, the...