PINA

So far, with the help of development partners, in particular Australia and New Zealand, the vaccine rollout in the Pacific islands has exceeded expectations. Fiji (the Pacific islands’most populous country) aims to vaccinate 53% of its adult population (one dose each for about 316,000 people)by the end of June and have all adults fully vaccinated by October 2021. Vanuatu, Samoa,...

New Zealand is providing additional support to Fiji to mitigate the effects of the current COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable households, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “Recognising the increasingly challenging situation in Fiji, Aotearoa will provide an additional package of assistance to support the Government of Fiji and Fijians most affected by the current outbreak,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “The assistance includes...

By Bernadette Carreon In his last email to his family, Eritara Aati Kaierua told them he loved them and apologised for not being in touch sooner. “Fish is a little scarce or maybe this location is not fertile, we are now fishing in Papua New Guinea and we are still here,” he wrote to his wife, Tekarara, on 21...

Fiji is not out of the woods yet and the worst is yet to come. UN resident Coordinator for Fiji and the Pacific Sanaka Samarasinha sounded this alarm while encouraging Fijians to be vaccinated. “The worst is not over yet. We will see increasing numbers and we really need to get over the next three months or so get those remaining...

António Guterres was on Friday re-appointed to a second term as UN Secretary-General, pledging as his priority, to continue helping the world chart a course out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking the oath of office in the General Assembly Hall, Guterres said he was aware of the immense responsibilities bestowed on him at this critical moment in history. “We are truly...

Partnerships and advocacy for urgent climate change action, partnerships for a new regional resilience financing facility, and a reinvigorated vision for regionalism towards 2050 are key aspects of a mission to Australia this week for Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General, Henry Puna. While he is currently working from Auckland pending onward travel to Suva, SG Puna is taking advantage of the...

Vanuatu's Supreme Court has upheld a decision by the former Speaker of Parliament to expel 19 government MPs from Parliament. The court ruling looks set to trigger the collapse of the government led by Bob Loughman and the Vanua'aku Pati. Gracia Shadrack, who resigned the speakership last week, ruled that the 19, who include Prime Minister Loughman, had vacated their seats...

Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party is seeking clarity from the court to overcome the differed interpretation of the situation from that of their rivals, the deputy leader, Laauli Leuatea Schmidt confirmed. Speaking on Friday, the Member-elect of Gagaifomauga No. 3 said the Government is in a deadlock due to the Human Rights Protection Party’s claims that...

An even higher number of positive COVID-19 cases – a total of 166, and a death have been recorded by Fiji’s Ministry of Health Sunday. Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong said the 77-year-old man had been bedridden for several months, and had been diagnosed positive by the CWM screening team. Dr Fong said while the man had pre-existing medical conditions,...

Fifteen new caps have been included in the Tonga rugby squad to face the All Blacks and Manu Samoa in New Zealand next month. The 30-man squad includes 22 players based in New Zealand, with four from France, two from Australia and one each from Japan and Italy. The new faces includes recent Super Rugby debutants Solomone Funaki (Highlanders) and Viliami...