West Papuan highlights deforestation at major demo in the UK; New Caledonia cancels domestic flights for three weeks; Bougainville MP John Tabinam dies

West Papuan highlights deforestation at major demo in the UK

A West Papuan activist has addressed a major demonstration in the United Kingdom over the impacts of rampant forest clearance in her homeland.

Koteka Wenda told thousands who marched in central London that as well as adding to the climate crisis, deforestation under Indonesian rule has steadily eroded the source of her people's livelihoods and well-being.

"Road constructions, illegal logging companies, commercial agricultural expansions have robbed us of the sacred relationship (between West Papuans and their forests)."

Koteka Wenda is the daughter of Benny Wenda, the head of the United Liberation movement for West Papua.

Last week at the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow, Wenda released a Green Vision for an aspirant West Papuan state based on indigenous rights, forest protection and a rapid transition to a zero-carbon world

New Caledonia cancels domestic flights for three weeks

New Caledonia's domestic airline has cancelled all scheduled flights until November 28th.

On its website, Air Caledonie says there will only be flights which have been given authorisation.

It says all its offices are closed but affected passengers will be helped to find solutions as not to lose their tickets.

Last month, chiefs in the Loyalty islands forced the closure of the islands' airports because they are opposed to the use of the health pass needed for air travel.

Flights by Air Caledonie from Noumea to Mare, Lifou and Ouvea were subsequently suspended until further notice.

The pass can be obtained once seven days have elapsed after the second jab of an mRNA vaccine and 28 days after getting other vaccines.

Bougainville MP John Tabinam dies

Bougainville MP, John Tabinaman, the only member to win selection in all four polls in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province, has died.

Tabinaman, the MP for Mahari Constituency, died on Sunday, at Buka Hospital, after a brief illness.

In the very first parliament he was vice president under Joseph Kabui, becoming acting president when Kabui passed away suddenly.

Bougainville's President Ishmael Toroama said Tabinaman served Bougainville with distinction across 16 years.

Tabinaman is the third Bougainville MP to die since the election last year.

Tahiti tourism minister quits over vaccination row

French Polynesia's tourism minister Nicole Bouteau has resigned in an apparent protest at a cabinet colleague's refusal to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Last week, the president Edouard Fritch removed Teraii Alpha as vice-president but decided to retain him as minister.

By law, people dealing with the public must get vaccinated within the next six weeks.

Alpha as well as the assembly president Gaston Tong Sang have said they won't comply, fuelling a rift within the ruling Tapura Huiraatira party.

Fritch said private considerations of a politician had to be sidelined in view of the collective responsibility.

The presidency has just issued a statement, saying Fritch won't comment about any cabinet reshuffle while holding consultations.

Tahiti hospital gets sea water-cooled air conditioning

French Polynesia's main hospital is about to run its air-conditioning system with technology using cold ocean water.

The installation of the Sea Water Air Conditioning system has been completed, and after tests, the system will power the Tahiti hospital's 1,600 air conditioning units.

As the largest such plant in the world, its three pumps will draw one million litres of sea water per hour from a depth of 900 meters where the temperature is five degrees.

Through a heat exchange unit, the sea water will cool the fresh water of the air conditioning network and allow the hospital to save about $US2.9 million in electricity costs a year.

The Sea Water Air Conditioning installation is said to cost $US36 million and should be paid off in about ten to 15 years, while the plant is expected to reduce Tahiti's overall power consumption by two percent.