Regional
Marshalls call drought emergency
Thursday 4 February 2016 | Published in Regional
MAJURO – The Marshall Islands government has declared a state of emergency as authorities try deal with a severe drought that has gripped the country for several months.
Crucial talks for New Caledonia
Thursday 4 February 2016 | Published in Regional
NOUMEA – Preparations for New Caledonia’s independence referendum are assuming growing urgency.
Accountant probed over NFP audit
Wednesday 3 February 2016 | Published in Regional
SUVA – The Fiji Institute of Accountants will open an investigation into an accountant who allegedly signed off the audit of the National Federation Party without a certificate of public practice.
Governor reiterates support for canneries
Wednesday 3 February 2016 | Published in Regional
PAGO PAGO – American Samoa’s governor said that his opposition to allowing large US longliner vessels to fish in the Large Vessel Protected Area (LVPA) in its EEZ does not mean he is not supportive of the local canneries.
The sinking of the US tuna treaty
Wednesday 3 February 2016 | Published in Regional
The United States has given Pacific island nations notice that it plans to withdraw from the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, one of its most important aid, trade and geopolitical arrangements with the region.
Rising seas displacing communities
Wednesday 3 February 2016 | Published in Regional
KADAVU – About 10,000 people from 61 villages on Kadavu could soon be displaced as the rise in sea level continues to threaten Fiji’s fourth largest island.
Censorship claims on Norfolk Island
Wednesday 3 February 2016 | Published in Regional
KINGSTON – The Australian government has put clamps on the Norfolk Island community radio station, directing it to avoid broadcasting political interviews.
Islanders angry and frustrated
Wednesday 3 February 2016 | Published in Regional
KINGSTON – Norfolk Island’s weekly newspaper The Norfolk Islander bristles weekly with letters of complaint over the Australian government’s conduct on the Island, writes Norfolk Islander Chris Hobbs on Facebook.
Raids ahead of court decision
Tuesday 2 February 2016 | Published in Regional
LORENGAU – There is more trouble at Australia’s asylum seeker detention camp in Papua New Guinea, ahead of a court decision that could see it closed.
Lack of zika awareness in American Samoa
Tuesday 2 February 2016 | Published in Regional
pago pago – There are worries over a lack of awareness being raised about suspected zika cases in American Samoa, and its possible link to severe birth defects.
Longline fishing restrictions lifted
Tuesday 2 February 2016 | Published in Regional
PAGO PAGO – The US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has approved a recommendation to allow large federally permitted US longline vessels to fish in certain areas of the Large Vessel Prohibited Area (LVPA) in American Samoa waters.
Fiji opposition party suspended
Tuesday 2 February 2016 | Published in Regional
SUVA – The Registrar of Political Parties in Fiji has suspended the opposition National Federation Party for 30 days with immediate effect.
Coalition announcement awaited
Tuesday 2 February 2016 | Published in Regional
PORT VILA – Vanuatu’s Electoral Commission has confirmed the major political parties have been largely wiped out following the country’s snap election.
'Hopeful' of airport repairs
Tuesday 2 February 2016 | Published in Regional
PORT VILA – There are hopes that Vanuatu’s elected representatives can put politics aside and sign off on an urgent upgrade of the country’s main international airport runway.
News site specific about Pacific
Saturday 30 January 2016 | Published in Regional
AUCKLAND – Auckland Univeristy of Technology’s ’s Pacific Media Centre and Evening Report editor Selwyn Manning have teamed up to launch Asia Pacific Report, a news website that will provide a fresh “Pacific” voice to bolster Asia Pacific news and analysis in New Zealand.
'Bird flipping' idiots should be banished
Saturday 30 January 2016 | Published in Regional
APIA – A couple of guys described as “dumbasses” have earned the wrath of Samoans in Samoa and all over the world for giving the television cameras ‘the bird’ on Saturday night during the Rumble in Paradise boxing event.
Swift action needed at Bauerfield
Saturday 30 January 2016 | Published in Regional
PORT VILA – The World Bank is ready to come to Vanuatu’s assistance for a swift rehabilitation of the country’s main airport runway.
No relief as people starve to death
Saturday 30 January 2016 | Published in Regional
PORT MORESBY – Poor logistical planning has been blamed for relief supplies not reaching starving people in drought-affected parts of Papua New Guinea. An estimated 800,000 people are in need of food in mainly remote areas. The PNG government says it has started providing relief aid but frontline workers say much of it is stuck in provincial warehouses, with no budget to distribute the supplies. “The dry spell is still on and, some people are starving because of shortage of food, it started last year and is still worse today,” said villager Solokai Fataiyai, speaking to Radio New Zealand’s Dateline Pacific from Mougulu Station deep in the jungle of Papua New Guineas Western Province. He says it has now been more than six months since the drought began and his people are losing hope of ever getting help from the government. “They are promising to assist us but at the moment we have not received any assistance, almost from last year middle of the year. At the moment we have got 15 people already have passed away because of hunger.” According to a specialist in Papua New Guinea agriculture and food, Fataiya’s situation is shared by hundreds of thousands not because there is no aid but because local authorities lack the resources to get aid to those in need. Mike Bourke who has just returned to Australia says this stems from a combination of drought-related factors including reduced nutrition and an increased disease burden with people having to work twice as hard to find food. “Adults are dying who don’t normally die, people in their 20s and 30s – and there is clearly an increase in death rate amongst very small children. “We don’t have really hard data, we don’t have lots of good demographic data but the evidence coming in is credible. “It may not be tens of thousands of people over all but for the groups and communities involved it is a huge tragedy.” Dr Bourke has been compiling reports and analysis to try and assist authorities to be more strategic in the distribution of the aid. Workers on the frontline of the drought crisis are pleading with the national government to allow international donor partners and humanitarian organisations to take part in ongoing efforts to provide relief to drought affected communities. The drought relief director for the Church Partnership Programme, Mathew Kanua, says international partners could help. “They do this thing all over the world, they can come and help and plan the logistics and transport together with the government and budget these things and invite the participation of the private sector and we can move this along very quickly. But the government has not clearly stated what role these people play and if any.” - RNZI
Tourist boats set on fire, competitors suspected
Thursday 28 January 2016 | Published in Regional
NGERMID – The owner of the three tourist boats burned two weeks ago at in Palau has offered a $2500 reward to anyone who provides information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.
Nothing clear about 2019 Games funding
Thursday 28 January 2016 | Published in Regional
PORT MORSEBY – Tonga has announced that Papua New Guinea will give US$35 million to the Pacific kingdom to help prepare for the 2019 Pacific Games, according to a brief out of Nuku‘alofa reported in the Post-Courier newspaper.
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