SINGAPORE, (WORLD BANK) — Developing countries in East Asia Pacific will see slightly slower economic growth this year, but the pace of growth in the region, excluding China, will pick up next year, as the gradual recovery in high-income economies boosts demand for exports from the region, according to the East Asia Pacific Economic Update…
FFA HQ, – An historic agreement was reached at the negotiation session between the Governments of the 17 FFA members and the United States of America this week in Honolulu. The deal, struck in the dying minutes of a three-day negotiation session, provides for US flagged purse seine vessels to fish 8,300 days in the…
SYDNEY, (SMH) — Payments made by miners Allied Gold and St Barbara to a Solomon Islands’ government official are being investigated by the Australian Federal Police. Allied Gold, which was acquired by Perth-based St Barbara in 2012, allegedly provided benefits to the Solomon Islands’ outgoing opposition leader Matthew Wale from 2011. St Barbara then continued…
The Chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Spokesperson of the FLNKS of Kanaky New Caledonia, Mr Victor Tutugoro, congratulated the newly elected 8th President of the Republic of Vanuatu, His Excellency Fr. Baldwin Lonsdale of TORBA Province in Vanuatu. Mr Tutugoro in a congratulatory letter to His Excellency President Baldwin, said President Baldwin’s…
ABC: An Afghan Australian who was tortured and killed in Afghanistan while visiting relatives was targeted because he was Australian, authorities say. Sayed Habib Musawi, 56, grew up in Helmand Province, in Afghanistan’s south, and came to Australia by boat in 2000. He held an Australian passport and citizenship and lived in Sydney’s west with…
FIJI TV – From Attorney General to the country’s money man. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum now assumes the new role as Fiji’s Finance Minister as well as Minister for Public Enterprise, PSC, Trade and Tourism. He says one of his first order of business is to prepare the national budget for 2015. Of course the Fiji First…
SPC: Improving energy efficiency offers the Pacific region multiple benefits, including reduced dependence on imported petroleum fuels, increased energy security, lower energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, efficient lighting has been identified as one of the main ‘accelerators’ to achieve the sustainable energy for all (SE4ll) objectives. To support the efforts…
SPC: Samoa is the latest country to successfully develop a new trochus (Tectus niloticus) fishery. On learning of the successful introduction of the species in Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Cook Islands and French Polynesia, the Government of Samoa began its effort to introduce the species in the 1990s. Despite some initial losses, introductions…
FBC NEWS: Fiji’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Erami Raibe has taken up his new role as the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Department of Peacekeeping Officer in Port Villa, Vanuatu. The establishment of the MSG/DPKO was done to strengthen security capability and cooperation between member countries in the MSG region. SSP Raibe’s role will be…
POST COURIER – Papua New Guinea National airline Air Niugini has announced reduction in fuel surcharge for both domestic and international routes-effective from Monday. The airline chief executirve officer (CEO) Simon Foo said the decrease in fuel surcharge was due to reduction in fuel prices on the world market and also the current exchange rate.…