PINA

As we join the global community in marking the UNESCO 2021 World Press Freedom Day today, the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) acknowledges the great sacrifice and commitment of our media workers in covering the COVID19 pandemic and related issues. While our health workers have been rightfully recognised as ‘frontliners’ in the fight against COVID19, the critical frontline efforts of...

The Fijian Media Association takes this moment on World Press Freedom Day to thank and pay tribute to its members for their courageous and committed reporting on the Covid- 19 pandemic which has played a key role in keeping Fijians safe from the virus. We thank you for the sacrifices you have made, the long hours endured, for taking the...

Written by Greg Fry At the centre of the recent crisis in Pacific regionalism has been a high stakes tussle over the appointment of the next Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General. As is the case with the United Nations Secretary-General, the role of the Forum Secretary General has expanded significantly beyond the narrow managerial role prescribed in the founding...

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown have today announced that, pending final confirmation by New Zealand’s Director-General of Health and the Cook Islands Secretary of Health, two-way quarantine-free travel will commence between the two countries on 17 May (NZT). “Two-way quarantine-free travel is a significant step in both countries’ COVID-19 recovery, and a...

The attack on police and burning of 13 police houses in Milne Bay last week is an act of terrorism and will be dealt with swiftly and strongly, says Papua New Guinea Police Commissioner David Manning. “These are not your common criminals but are terrorists and will be dealt with as such,” he said adding that the terrorists had declared...

Marking World Press Freedom Day 2021, the Pacific Anti-Corruption Journalists Network (PACJN) has called for a regional Pacific commitment to boost media freedom and help increase reporting on activities at risk of corruption. PACJN coordinator, Samisoni Pareti, welcomed the focus on media freedom on 3 May and called for a greater focus on how to implement that freedom. “Pacific journalists need...

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr said while Micronesia welcomes the apology made by the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the sub-region will remain steadfast on leaving the regional grouping unless changes are made. “I am sorry for what. So the apology should come with the remedy. I assumed there are working on a remedy,” he said. The remedy he said would be...

In the dense fog of Covid-19 misinformation in Papua New Guinea (PNG) lurk deeply embedded beliefs in witchcraft. As Australia's nearest neighbour battles with what experts say is an exponential surge in coronavirus cases, fears of unexplained deaths have had sinister consequences. Sanguma - a local word that refers to the occult - is common across the Pacific. It is a...

A total of 28 election petitions have been filed in the Samoa Supreme Court following last month’s general elections. The petitions are registered at the close of business, 30 April 2021 being the last day for filing allowed for under section 109 of the Electoral Act 2019. The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration (MJCA) and...

Samoa caretaker Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi should accept the result of the general elections and concede defeat. This is according to the leader of the Fa’atuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi – FAST party, Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa who has reiterated the result of the general elections that gave her party the lead with 26 seats against to the Human...