Pacific Beat
Monday, 23 March 2009
Union raises questions over Solomon Islands gold mining licence
Updated 23/03/2009 10:59:22
The Solomon Islands National Union of Workers (SINUW) has serious concerns about the Director of Mines granting an alluvial gold mining licence to what they call a "highly questionable firm", Phoenix International.
Cook Islands hope NZ will help repay massive Chinese loan
Updated 23/03/2009 10:59:18
China has given the Cook Islands a $US28 million dollar loan to fund upgrading of the water supply system and roads on Rarotonga, and $US11 million dollars in grants for projects in the outer islands, with the Cook Islands Government hoping New Zealand aid will help them pay it back.
Tongan Govt newspaper to be managed by former anti-Govt publisher
Updated 23/03/2009 10:59:15
Tongan newspaper publisher and pro-democracy supporter Kalafi Moala will take over the publication of the Government-owned Tonga Chronicle, despite being jailed several times for articles published in his Times of Tonga newspaper.
NGO rejects criticism over failure to nominate women MPs to Parliament
Updated 23/03/2009 10:59:12
The President of the Papua New Guinea NGO National Women in Politics says accusations by Dame Carol Kidu that her organisation is responsible for derailing the nomination of three women to Parliament is wrong after repeated efforts last week to get the motion passed failed, with the Government failing to get enough MPs in the House at one time to vote.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Eruptions continue in Tonga but not linked to earthquake
Updated 20/03/2009 16:23:02
Vulcanologists are dismissing any connection between an undersea earthquake near Tonga and the volcanic eruptions off the coast of the island nation's capital Nuku'alofa.
SDL National Director questioned by Fiji military over unrest rumours
Updated 20/03/2009 16:22:58
The National Director of the one of Fiji's major politial parties, the SDL party, says he does not think the military meant to intimidate him when he was invited to the barracks for questioning again this week.
Solomon Islands dolphin export forum described as a "farce"
Updated 20/03/2009 16:22:51
Solomon Islands' outspoken environmentalist, Lawrence Makili is describing a forum on the dolphin trade in the country as a farce, after a Government organised debate on the controversial industry became heated.
Martime Security analyst warns low Pacific fish stocks pose risk
Updated 20/03/2009 16:22:54
An Australian maritime security analyst is renewing his warning that declining fish stocks in the Pacific are a potential threat to regional stability.
Regional mission makes difference in Solomons
Updated 20/03/2009 11:36:14
One of the most central figures in the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands says goodbye to the country on Friday, as Dr Jonathan Austin completes his two year posting as Deputy Special Coordinator for RAMSI.
PNG Parliament fails for the last time to nominate women to house
Updated 20/03/2009 11:36:12
Papua New Guinea's Parliament has failed yet again to vote on a motion to nominate three women to the house, with Parliament's only woman MP Dame Carol Kidu saying she felt humiliated after the Government consistently failed to get enough MPs in the house at any one time to push the vote through.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Former PNG Prime Minister pulls out of Fiji post after criticism
Updated 19/03/2009 16:16:20
Former Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu has withdrawn his name from the list of candidates proposed to chair the President's political dialogue forum in Fiji, telling Radio Australia he decided to step aside after criticism from Fiji's political parties that he was a "puppet" of Australia and New Zealand.
Pacific Forum head rejects allegations of Australian domination
Updated 19/03/2009 16:16:16
Claims that Australia and New Zealand dominate the 16-nation Pacific Islands Forum have been angrily rejected by the region's chief public servant, with
former Samoan Ambassador to the United Nations, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, saying the Forum has a track record of significant achievements.
Tongan eruption described as an awesome sight up close
Updated 19/03/2009 16:16:12
One of the first people to travel to Tonga's underwater eruption describes it as an awe inspiring sight, describing dead fish floating on the ocean surface and a blackened and charred landscape on the nearest island.
Woman gives birth enroute from Samoa to NZ and abandons baby
Updated 19/03/2009 16:16:07
A woman has given birth on a flight from Samoa to New Zealand without any other passengers or the airline crew noticing, and then disembarked leaving her new born baby in a trash recepticle in the aircraft's toilet, where it was discovered by air crew.
Stateless and poor Melanesians in Fiji face costly land purchase
Updated 19/03/2009 10:56:45
The descendants of Solomon Islands migrants whose forefathers had settled on the Namara land near Suva for more than 100 years, have now been given the opportunity to buy plots of that land, but may find that difficult as most live below the poverty line.
Australian diplomatic network needs major revamp says report
Updated 19/03/2009 10:56:48
In the first major public review of Australian diplomacy in 20 years, a new report claims the country's diplomatic network is crumbling and needs a major revamp, recommending greater investment in Pacific language skills, the opening of 20 new diplomatic mission, and an injection of extra funding for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Former Solomon Islands Police officers leave squat after 5 year battle
Updated 19/03/2009 10:56:52
Eleven former Solomon Islands police officers have vacated police houses they have been occupying rent-free since leaving the force almost five years ago after the High Court gave them notice to leave.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Papua New Guinea Government fails to get numbers to nominate women
Updated 18/03/2009 16:06:34
The Papua New Guinea Government says it can't get enough MPs in the house at one time to pass a motion which would see three women nominated to Parliament.
Underwater volcano erupts in sight of Tongan capital
Updated 18/03/2009 16:06:30
An underwater volcanic eruption has sent up spectacular clouds of smoke, steam and ash within sight of the Tonga capital, Nukualofa, and a team from the Tongan Ministry of Lands is heading to the area west of the main island of Tongatapu by boat on Thursday to investigate the phenomenon, which began with an earthquake on Monday.
PNG MP introducing internet service in his constituency
Updated 18/03/2009 16:06:29
Schools and surrounding communities in the Bulolo district of Papua New Guinea's Morobe Province have now entered the era of internet communication, with the MP for Bulolo, Sam Basil starting to provide internet services to schools in his constituency.
CNMI financial crunch means Government layoffs loom
Updated 18/03/2009 11:13:29
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands government is going to have to lay off contracted workers to cope with a lack of money with Governor, Benigno Fitial blaming the legislature for passing what he describes as a fiscally irresponsible budget which did not include austerity measures.
American Samoan Bill to ban plastic bags comes step closer to law
Updated 18/03/2009 11:13:25
America Samoa could soon become the first US State or Territory to ban plastic bags, with a bill passing its second reading in the House of Representatives on Monday.
Farmers not convinced by the launch of Vanuatu's first rice project
Updated 18/03/2009 11:13:23
Vanuatu's Ministry for Agriculture is launching the country's first rice project in a bid to reduce the dependency on imported grains, encouraging local farmers to move away from traditional root crops and plant rice instead.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Marshall Is report shows alarming level of incest and teenage suicide
Updated 17/03/2009 15:59:26
Alarming statistics uncovered in a survey of high school students in Marshall Islands revealed that one in five students has been raped by a relative.
NZ Aids report shows gay men aids continues to rise
Updated 17/03/2009 15:59:26
The New Zealand AIDS Foundation annual report shows the rate of infection remains high among gay men, with a report due out this week showing
an increase in the percentage of people presenting at the full blown AIDS stage of the illness.
SkyAirWorld air carrier collapses
Updated 17/03/2009 09:30:22
SkyAirWorld, one of the newer carriers to service the region, has collapsed owing tens of millions of dollars to more than a hundred creditors and with all five of its Embraer aircraft repossessed, it's unlikely the carrier will fly again.
PNG farmers asked to grow more vanilla
Updated 17/03/2009 09:30:19
A New Zealand food import company is trying to persuade more farmers in Papua New Guinea to plant vanilla as the bean is the second most expensive spice after saffron, but its cultivation can be very labour intensive.
Students at USP brace for tougher economic and academic conditions
Updated 17/03/2009 09:30:16
Over the past two years, the University of the South Pacific has experienced turbulent times, recording a deficit for two years in a row and declining enrolment.
