Regional

According to the Marianas Variety as reported on Pacific Island Report on December 01, one American official has called the negotiations “extremely disappointing” as Pacific negotiators demand “fair” returns for the unique treatment accorded to U.S. fishing boats. According to the same report, “oth…

These are the final votes to be counted in this western Pacific’s election that was held on November 21. An archaic law requires a two-week wait post-election before the postal ballots can be counted. More than 350 of the postal ballots were rejected for missing or improperly filled out paperwork a…

National Planning Minister and member for Bulolo Sam Basil said this when receiving a petition from the Morobe Peace and Good Order committee that wanted peace, law and order to be restored in Lae City. He was accompanied by Minister for Internal Security and Member for Obura Wonenara John Boito an…

Fiji-owned recruiting company Access United (Fiji) revealed the figures to The Fiji Times yesterday. Access United (Fiji) managing director Varinava Tiko said the amount was the projected value of remittances, which Fiji would earn by people who were recruited to work overseas. “So far, we’ve sent …

Almost two weeks after it was first expected to be delivered, Treasurer Don Polye told parliament on Tuesday that the 10.5 million kina budget would reduce tax and tariffs on food, while providing free education to the majority of the nation’s school students. “It is aimed at lowering the cost of l…

The office of the opposition says it has asked the president to challenge the constitutionality of the bill in Court. Last week, during the debate on the bill, the opposition said it did not meet the requirements of international conventions being debated in parliament. Under Parliament standing or…

Samoa’s national airline — formed in 2005 by a joint venture between the then-Virgin Blue and the Samoan Government — will have “a new level of professionalism for our national airline; a new style; of which the people of Samoa can be proud” according to Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malie…

The US is building its military, economic and diplomatic strength in the region, while China and a number of other large powers work to increase their foothold in the island states. To cement its position, a new paper by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says Australia needs to launch a ran…

FCOSS Executive Director Mohammed Hassan Khan revealed the figure in a speech to mark the 10th anniversary of the International Volunteer Day. Khan said the council for the last 55 years had championed the course of volunteering in Fiji. “Out of the 1,400 schools in Fiji only eight belongs to Gover…

Bans on tuna fishing in these high seas pockets – on the use of Fish Aggregating Devices – are due to expire on the December 31. Greenpeace says postponing the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting until next year will make the decision to refuse an extension on the b…