The Pacific representative for United Nations child protection agency, UNICEF, says efforts to combat violence against children are hampered by shame and denial over the issue. Karen Allen has been with UNICEF for 13 years but started her new role in the Pacific in mid-2013. She has previously worked in such countries as Pakistan…
One of the small but growing number of women now making their presence felt in the fisheries sector in the region is Solomon Islander Agnes Arahauta. She was amongst the 22 regional fisheries officers now upskilled in detecting and prosecuting illegal fishing and other related offences. Agnes is one of a handful of women…
About 22 fisheries officers from across 14 Pacific Island nations now have the skills to properly detect and investigate fisheries offences. The competency-based month long intensive training course was conducted at the University of the South Pacific (USP) and backed by the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). FFA Director General James Movick says these fisheries…
The official launching of the 5th Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture was held in Mt Hagen over the weekend. Mt Hagen will be the satellite venue for the highlands regions when the festival will be held for everyone from the highlands region to see and participate. Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture Boka…
Fijian Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama will step down from his position as head of the Fiji Military Forces on Friday. This comes as he prepares to announce his political party to contest the upcoming 2014 Elections. While Commodore Bainimarama has not revealed members of his party, he has reportedly invited members of his current…
FISHERIES inspectors, investigators and enforcement officers from across the Pacific head home from Suva this weekend, after spending almost a month honing their ‘investigative’ skills to help detect fisheries offences. The fifth Pacific Islands Fisheries Evidence and Investigation Training Course, FETIC ended yesterday at the University of the South Pacific’s School of Maritime Studies. Participants…
The Australian Government has committed US$16 million to a new fund to combat malaria in the Asia Pacific region. The government says the new Regional Malaria and Other Communicable Disease Threats Trust Fund, established by the Asian Development Bank, will tackle the disease, which is preventable and has very high social and economic costs. The…
A 100 per cent Fijian-owned commercial bank was launched last week. Home Finance Company Bank also unveiled its branding in a spirit of excitement and with great hope for the future. “It is our bank, the people’s bank, and I am delighted as Prime Minister to be here on this historic occasion and to share…
An initial investment of $4 million will take place at the new Vuda Hideaway Resort, a fifteen-minute drive from the Nadi International Airport. The resort is the second investment of the Fijian Teachers Union — Co-operative Thrift And Credit Ltd’s (FTU-CTCL) engagement in the tourism sector. During the ground breaking ceremony, board chairman Agni Deo…
TAX exemption for local businesses is a way to encourage the grassroots to engage in small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has stressed. O’Neill said this during presentation of the draft SME policy and master plan by consultant Esther Igo on behalf of Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry last week, to members of…