PINA

New Zealand’s recent outbreak of the Delta variant of Covid-19 in Auckland means it is not yet safe to open up travel to the Pacific, Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says. A nationwide alert level 4 lockdown was activated at 11.59pm on Tuesday after a case of the virus was found in the Auckland community. The Government confirmed it...

Fiji has recorded 781 new cases of COVID-19 and eight new deaths Thursday, increasing the total number of cases to 42,541 and 419 deaths since the outbreak in April. Permanent secretary of Health, Dr James Fong said 626 cases are from the Western division, 154 cases are from the Central division in Vitilevu, Fiji's main island and one case from...

A Southland doctor is fearful of the Delta variant spreading throughout New Zealand and also reaching the Cook Islands. Pacific Islands Advisory Charitable Trust chairman and surgeon George Ngaei is currently in Rarotonga, holidaying with his wife Bobi. However, he has still kept a close watch on the news in New Zealand, especially since the Delta outbreak of Covid-19 in Auckland,...

Fiji's Supervisor of Election says he respected the decision handed down by the Courts of Disputed Returns this week. SODELPA party MP Niko Nawaikula was removed from the Register of Voters last month by the Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem, who is also the Registrar of Political Parties. The move caused the Speaker, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, to declare Nawaikula's seat in...

The Pacific Islands Forum is a crucial power in the goal to promote and safeguard the vision of a Blue Pacific continent, a former U.S congressman says. The Forum faces a crisis, as most of its northern membership has officially started the process to withdraw from the regional body. Micronesian leaders are unhappy at the structure of the Forum and domination...

Humans are responsible for the rise in the earth’s global temperature and it won’t stop rising unless immediate action is taken — UN panel By Imelda Abaño and Sanjeshni Kumar The impacts of human-caused climate change are severe and widespread as soaring temperatures, droughts, intense storms, rising seas and other extreme weather events will continue to be felt for...

Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says a key focus of his tenure as chair of the Pacific Islands Forum(PIF) will be to restore solidarity in the region. He made the comment Wednesday while speaking in support of a motion that Parliament ratifies the 2005 agreement that established the PIF. Bainimarama said part of his key focus was rebuilding “trust and confidence...

Fiji's Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has labelled the appointment of University of the South Pacific’s vice chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia – illegal. He said this is a backward and divisive step that goes against the interest of students, governments and regional goodwill. Sayed-Khaiyum claims Professor Ahluwalia’s desperate bid to drum up media attention and frame himself as a victim, has deeply...

The Niue government is considering cancelling an incoming Auckland flight on Monday, in light of New Zealand’s Delta-outbreak that’s seen cases rise to seven on Wednesday. It isn’t clear how any passengers are booked to fly out, but Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi said his team was exploring all options in terms of its Covid-19 response. New Zealand went to alert level...

The motion to ratify the 2005 Agreement establishing the Pacific Islands Forum has been passed by the Fijian parliament Wednesday. The agreement recognises the Forum as an international organisation and will be a region of peace, harmony, security, and economic prosperity, whose people can all lead free and worthwhile lives. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said Fiji remains a key player in...