Former Marshalls president Heine appointed USP pro-chancellor; PNG law reform head hits out at Pandemic Act; US seizes drugs bound for Fiji; PNG health minister welcomes NZ emergency medical team

Former Marshalls president Heine appointed USP pro-chancellor

The former Marshall Islands President, Dr Hilda Heine, has been appointed as pro-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific.

Ms Heine is a long-time educator, the first female Marshall Islander to gain a Ph.D, as well as a past member of the USP council and more recently the chancellor of the university.

She is now the first Micronesian to be pro-chancellor of the regional university.

A release from the current leader of the Micronesian President's Summit, Nauru's Lionel Aingimea, extended congratulations to Heine, describing her as an exceptional choice and saluting her resilient regional leadership.

Heine replaces Winston Thompson who was embroiled in recent controversy surrounding Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia who was forced to leave Fiji in February this year after the government accused him of breaching his work permit.

PNG law reform head hits out at Pandemic Act

The chairman of Papua New Guinea's Constitutional and Law Reform Commission has called for a review of the National Pandemic Act 2020.

Kevin Isifu, who is also the MP for Wewak, told NBC the law wasn't drafted by the Commission, and proper consultation was not carried out.

As a result he said the pandemic law infringes on the rights of Papua New Guineans.

The Act established the authority of a Controller, who oversees the national pandemic response, to impose measures on the movement of people and to regulate business activities among other powers

Isifu said some provisions of the act were "not right", questioning whether it was inconsistent with PNG's constitution.

Members of the government have defended the legislation, saying the constitution provides for the fundamental right to life, and the role of government to act to protect it.

US seizes drugs bound for Fiji

Close to 10 kilogrammes of methamphetamine bound for Fiji were recently seized in the United States.

US Attorney Nick Brown said the drugs were seized as part of a multi-state meth and fentanyl distribution ring in the country.

Brown said last week that "on August 17, 2021, law enforcement officers seized 9.9kg of meth that conspirators attempted to mail to Fiji".

He said the drug organisation trafficked two of the deadliest substances - fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Brown said an 18-month investigation had resulted in the arrest of 16 people involved in the drug distribution ring.

PNG health minister welcomes NZ emergency medical team

Papua New Guinea's Health Minister says Port Moresby and some of the country's other Covid-19 hotspots have past the peak of their current Covid outbreaks.

Yet Jelta Wong said the New Zealand emergency team that deployed to PNG at the weekend was still much needed, particularly in provinces where cases were yet to peak.

"They will actually train some of the nurses and actually work with them through the Covid process, because New Zealand's rate of vaccination and emergency response is also really good. So I think that my PNG teams will get a good training," Wong said.

"We do have a lot of people dying but the surge has also reached its peak and is on a downards slope in most provinces. So in some provinces where they haven't reach the peak yet or the surge, we have the teams there that can ensure we don't get any worse off."

The New Zealand team that flew to PNG at the weekend includes two doctors and three nurses, and personnel from both the Defence Force and Fire & Emergency New Zealand.

Covid-19 in Fiji: 41 new cases for Nov 10-12

Fiji has reported 41 new cases of Covid-19 for the period November 10th to the 12th.

This brings the total number of active cases to 821 since this outbreak began in April this year.

There were no deaths reported in the latest update on Monday with the toll still at 679 since March 2020, 677 of them from April.

Fiji's Health Ministry says a total of 52,326 cases were recorded, with 71 percent from the Central Division, 28 percent from the west and 1 percent of the cases from the eastern and northern divisions.

Fiji's daily average is 17 cases.

NZ fund to support awareness of Dawn Raids history

A special fund has been established to support initiatives that generate, preserve, raise awareness and pass on knowledge of the Dawn Raids period of New Zealand history in the 1970s.

New Zealand's Ministry for Pacific Peoples is accepting applications for the Teu le Va - Dawn Raids History Community Fund which is part of the Dawn Raids apology by the New Zealand Government.

Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio said successful applicants will be initiatives that enable individuals, artists, historians, and community groups to tell their own stories and experiences of the Dawn Raids. 

Aupito said the fund was part of the reconciliation process which will also help to capture a comprehensive historical account of the Dawn Raids in New Zealand.  

He said the successful initiatives will allow for a healing process to take place through storytelling for those impacted by the Dawn Raids as well as help increase understanding and appreciation of the history of Pacific communities in New Zealand.

Aupito said the fund - offering grants of up to NZ$5000 - will inform educational resources; and ensure Pacific languages, cultures, and identities in New Zealand thrive.