PINA

By Michael Field Since long before the steel-hulled fishing boats from foreign countries arrived in the South Pacific its people have had their own systems for sharing the ocean’s catches. In the New Zealand colony of Tokelau, in the middle of the region, the 1,400 people living on its three atolls practise a system called inati, which ensures every household...

Leaders identify pandemic recovery, climate change, sustainable development as top priorities The leaders of 11 nations and territories across the Pacific have issued a group communiqué following a two-day online gathering of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders, or PICL. During the June 1-2 summit, a new group of Pacific Island leaders recommitted to the important regional role of the...

The Marshall Islands launched Covid-19 vaccinations for commercial fishermen temporarily in port Majuro this past week — possibly the first Pacific island to vaccinate fishermen. With the country vaccination programme nearing 80 percent completion for the two urban centres, and public health teams now conducting vaccinations for remote outer islands, the Ministry of Health and Human Services announced earlier in...

By Matin Karimli and Sheldon Yett Child labour remains a persistent problem in the world today, including in the Pacific Islands, jeopardising children’s future. Every child has a basic right to protection, as defined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, “The right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is...

Lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines should be considered “global public goods”, the UN chief told journalists on Friday, covering the G7 Summit of leading industrialised nations taking place in the United Kingdom. Speaking via videolink in London, Secretary-General António Guterres said there was no other way of defeating a virus that spreads across developing countries “like wildfire” and risks mutating, other than through...

Samoan women’s issues researcher Dr Mema Motusaga says invoking the gender quota to decide Samoa’s Government following the 2021 General Election was “perverse” and "an insult” to women leaders of the past and is a mockery of the Constitution. Dr Motusaga, who advocates for women’s equality and was born and raised in Samoa, made the statement in Part two of...

Fiji has reported 105 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday, taking the total number of infections since the outbreak started in April over 1000. Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr James Fong said of the 105 cases, 98 of the new cases are linked to the existing clusters: *CWMH – 21 *Nawajikuma, Nawaka, Nadi – 16 *Tramline, Nawaka, Nadi – 6 *Kinoya – 1 *Navosai –...

The arrival of 50,000 more Australian manufactured AstraZeneca doses last Thursday night is a further demonstration of Australia’s commitment to stand with Fiji during this difficult time. “It is Australia’s highest priority that countries in our region, including our Fijian vuvale, have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. Australia has now delivered 180,000 vaccines in just over a month...

Papua New Guinea has recorded 40 new COVID-19 cases last Thursday increasing the country’s total cases to 16,661. The cases were reported in ten provinces with National Capital District reporting the highest of ten cases followed by both West New Britain and Western Highlands with seven cases each. Enga province reported five cases, East New Britain four, Western and Morobe two...

Israel’s parliament on Sunday narrowly approved a new coalition government, ending the historic 12-year rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sending the polarising leader into the opposition. Naftali Bennett, a former ally of Netanyahu turned rival, became prime minister after the 60-59 vote. Promising to try to heal a divided nation, Bennett will preside over a diverse and fragile coalition...