PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association articles from January 2009

PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association archives from January 2009

Powerful Indonesian quakes kill at least four, injure dozens.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2009 MANOKWARI (Pacnews) --- A string of powerful earthquakes rattled Indonesia yesterday, leaving at least four dead and dozens injured and triggering panic in the nation hardest hit by the 2004 Asian tsunami. Indonesian...

French High Commissioner in Tahiti to appear in court.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2009 PAPEETE (Pacnews) --- Frances top diplomat in French Polynesia is to appear in court next week on claims that he had made racist remark against an employee, reports Tahiti Presse. Tahiti Presse said the charge stems from a...

Ex-Australian PM Hawke and Archbishop Hesse bestowed with PNG highest awards.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- Two non Papua New Guineans have been made PNGs most special friends and bestowed the highest of the PNG Logohu (Bird of Paradise) awards on the 2009 New Years Honours List, Post Courier reports. ...

Four named in New Years honours Academic receives OBE.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2009 RAROTONGA (Pacnews) ---- Prominent Cook Islands academic Marjorie Crocombe has been awarded an OBE officer of the civil division of the most excellent order of the British Empire for services to her country and the Pacific,...

Sir Allan out of jail.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2008 HONIARA (Pacnews) --- Convicted former prime minister of Solomon Islands, Sir Allan Kemakeza has been released from Rove Prison after serving six months in jail, according to Solomon Star newspaper. Sir Allan was jailed for...

French court dismisses opposition's challenge of Tong Sang's presidency.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2009 PAPEETE (Pacnews) --- A member of Tahiti's opposition has lost an appeal to the Conseil d'Etat in Paris seeking a declaration to annul the French Polynesia Assembly, Tahiti Presse reports. The Conseil d'Etat, France's...

New movement for democracy established in Fiji.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) --- Fiji Council of Trade Unions general Secretary Attar Singh will head the Movement for Democracy in Fiji. On December 5 last year, a group of concerned citizens and organisations formally banded together...

Kiribati calls for regional air support.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2009 TARAWA (Pacnews) --- The government of Kiribati is asking airlines across the Pacific to register any interest they may have in providing international and domestic air services, Radio Australia reports. Currently Kiribati...

Crucial stage for ABG: Dr Temu.
January 5, 2009... 05 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- Papua New Guinea acting Prime Minister, Dr Puka Temu has congratulated the President-elect of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, James Tanis, on his election victory. Dr Temu said the people...

Dial X for Optus.
January 5, 2009... By Vanda Carson, Sydney Morning Herald. 05 January 2009 ----- The Optus "facilities maintenance centre" on the corner of Epsom Road and Dalmery Avenue in Rosebery looks like any other large glass-fronted commercial office building in the...

Bush designates three areas in the Pacific as Marine National Monuments.
January 6, 2009... 06 JANUARY 2009 WASHINGTON (Pacnews) --- President George Bush will create three new marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean , that spans 195,280 square miles that will protect some of the most ecologically-rich areas of the world's...

Government minister tells airline to beef up security.
January 6, 2009... 06 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) ---- Papua New Guineas internal security minister, Sani Rambi has lashed out at airline providers over poor security practices, reports The National. Mr Rambi said airlines, including the national...

Auckland fire kills four children.
January 6, 2009... 06 JANUARY 2009 AUCKLAND (Pacnews) --- A Polynesian family in Aucklands southern suburb of Mangere is still shocked by the death of four young children in a fire early this morning, according to media reports. Husband and wife, Misi and...

Three I-Kiribati fishermen survive 24 day sea ordeal.
January 6, 2009... 06 JANUARY 2009 HONIARA (Pacnews) --- Three I-Kiribati men who drifted without food and water for 24 days at sea have arrived safely in the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara yesterday after a fishing vessel rescued them, reports Solomon Star....

Multiple entry for non Fiji citizens.
January 6, 2009... 06 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) --- Non citizens can now reside in Fiji on a multiple entry social visit pass. There is a catch though people will need to bank thousands of dollars locally, according to Fiji Live. Called, Fiji My Second...

Cook Islands Government to look at berth for cruise ships.
January 6, 2009... 06 JANUARY RAROTONGA (Pacnews) ---- Cook Islands is considering the construction of a berth for cruise ships on the western side of the island, reveals its half year fiscal economic update of December 31, 2008. Rarotonga saw 28 cruise ship...

Samoan girl missing at sea after alleged rape.
January 6, 2009... 06 JANUARY 2009 APIA (Pacnews) ---- Police in Samoa say they are searching for the body of a 10-year old girl believed to have been dumped at sea off Savaii, Radio New Zealand International reports. Reports say before her disappearance, she...

PNG morgue filled with rotting corpses.
January 6, 2009... 06 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- The Port Moresby General Hospital (POMGH) morgue is filled to capacity and there is no room left to store bodies. The National newspaper was told the two containers used to store corpses were no...

Credit crunch hits miners.
January 6, 2009... By Michael Field, Fairfax Media. 06 JANUARY 2009 AUCKLAND --------- Achase to mine near legendary gold and mineral deposits in New Zealand waters is stalling as the credit crunch dries up money and commodity prices hit projected profits....

New citizenship identity card proposed for New Caledonians.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 NOUMEA (Pacnews) --- Two of New Caledonias pro-independence groups, the Union Caldonienne (UC) and the UNI-FLNKS parties, have filed a joint motion in the local Congress (Parliament) to debate what they call a New Caledonian...

New Bougainville president puts focus on peace.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 ARAWA (Pacnews) --- Bougainville's new president, James Tanis, was sworn into office yesterday (06 Jan) in front of a crowd of about 3,000 in the city of Arawa. The ceremony, which lasted most of the day, included indigenous...

French PM to visit New Caledonia in March, media reports.
January 7, 2009... JANUARY NOUMEA (Pacnews) ---- French Prime minister Franois Fillon is scheduled to visit the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia early March, media reports said at the weekend. Fillon, who chaired a meeting of the committee on the...

Hagen girl tied, burnt to death.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- She could have been engaged in an extra marital affair, accused of performing sorcery or blamed for passing the HIV/AIDS virus to one of the suspects. These were suspicions spreading like bushfire...

Samoan youth pastor shot by city gangsters.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 CALGARY (Pacnews) --- The escalating war between rival gangs in the Canadian city of Calgary has claimed the life of an innocent Samoan man, according to the Calgary Herald. Calgary police confirmed that 43 year old Keni...

UN and Commonwealth teams visit Fiji next week for political dialogue forum.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) --- A team of officials from the Commonwealth and the United Nations are expected to arrive in Fiji next week for the People's Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF). One of the two interlocutors, Robin Nair,...

Adoption scam defendants plead guilty to lesser counts.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 UTAH (Pacnews) --- Four of five defendants in a U.S federal adoption scam, involving children adopted from Samoa, have entered guilty pleas to misdemeanour violations. In a hearing before U.S. District Judge David Sam, the...

Tahiti flash floods kill two, one missing.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 PAPEETE (Pacnews) --- An eight year old boy and two adults were found dead at the weekend after flash floods, caused by torrential rains, struck on Tahiti, the main island of French Polynesia. The child was swept away by...

Manila eyes tuna deals with PNG, Palau.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- The Philippine Government is scheduled to negotiate for fishing access agreements with Palau Island and Papua New Guinea this month, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr said....

Auckland fire victims identified as Samoans living in NZ.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 AUCKLAND (Pacnews) --- A grieving father will treasure memories of Christmas with his family after a fire that killed four children, including his daughter and grandson. The children - aged from 1 to 15 - died after being...

New Caledonias Northern nickel project has new investors.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 NOUMEA (Pacnews) --- One of New Caledonias world class nickel mining project, Koniambo, in the North of the main island of New Caledonia, has secured a new string of investments, less than three months after other banks had...

Avon System makes an alpha release of the world's first ever Fijian Web browser.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 SUVA --- Ever wondered what it would be like to surf the net in the Fijian language? This year, this and even more would be possible thanks to an ardent group of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experts at...

Tongan rugby player held over theft.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 TOKYO (Pacnews) --- A 24-year-old Toshiba Brave Lupus rugby player has been arrested on suspicion of theft, The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported. According to the Tokyo police, Vivili Iongi, a Tongan national, stole a bag...

Krishna and Naka nominated for top Oceania award.
January 7, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) --- Fiji soccer rep and New Zealand-based Roy Krishna is fast becoming the Lord of Fiji soccer after winning another feather in his cap this week. The Siberia, Labasa lad who became the first Fiji islander to...

Pacific Leaders chair careful of Fiji promises.
January 8, 2009... 08 JANUARY 2009 MELBOURNE (Pacnews) --- Pacific Islands Forum Leaders must be careful when accepting interim Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama's promises to hold elections. The chairman of the Forum and the premier of Niue, Toke Talagi...

New Caledonias general elections to be held on May 10.
January 8, 2009... 08 JANUARY 2009 NOUMEA (Pacnews) --- General elections for all the three provinces in New Caledonia are scheduled for 10 May, 2009. The date was endorsed this week by the local government, Oceania Flash reports. The poll held every...

UNHCR backs off on climate refugees.
January 8, 2009... 08 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) ---- The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) says it is not equipped or designed to handle hundreds of millions of refugees from climate change. Currently, its resources are stressed in...

Parts of Fiji experience cyclone weather.
January 8, 2009... 08 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) --- If you think the depression hanging close to Fiji is bad, expect worse to develop over the next two weeks. Consultant meteorologist Neville Koop told Fiji Times that while the weather would be bad today...

US marine protection plans nothing new for American Samoa waters.
January 8, 2009... 08 JANUARY 2009 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) --- The South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) says the US Presidents new marine protection plans which encompasses a section in American Samoa waters is nothing new. President George W...

Tonga Police launch first national consultation on force restructuring.
January 8, 2009... 08 JANUARY 2009 NUKUALOFA (Pacnews) --- Tongas police force has taken its proposed restructure to the people. The public consultations began at the police headquarters in Nukualofa on 06 January. Assistant Police Commander, Siope...

Earharts plane found at last?
January 8, 2009... 08 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- The discovery of the wreckage of an aircraft in the Ip River in East Pomio, East New Britain province last week, has generated renewed speculation that it could be the aircraft belonging to famed...

ANZ opens third Prime Banking suite in Fiji.
January 8, 2009... 07 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) ---- ANZ Bank has opened a third Prime Banking suite in Fiji. ANZ's confidence in Fiji remains strong, through the good times and the challenging times, said Mr Robert Bell, CEO Central Pacific and General...

Cook Islands absent at Pacific Schools Games.
January 8, 2009... 08 JANUARY 2009 RAROTONGA (Pacnews) --- An Australian based Cook Islands family are asking why there wasnt a Cook Islands athletics team at the Pacific Schools Games in Australia. Especially when they read that the Cooks had sent a team to...

Tropical cyclone risk altered as La Nina back.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) --- The La Nina state in the tropical Pacific during December is likely to bring fewer cyclones in the region between January and May, New Zealands National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)...

Vanuatu MP probed for alleged rape of 15 year old daughter.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 PORT VILA (Pacnews) --- A prominent politician in Vanuatu is under police investigation for the alleged rape of his 15 year old daughter. Deputy Commissioner of Police Arthur Caulton confirmed to the Vanuatu Daily Post...

Former Solomon Islands prime minister loses his parliament seat.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 HONIARA (Pacnews) --- Its been confirmed in Solomon Islands that the former Solomon Islands prime minister, Sir Allan Kemakeza, is no longer a Member of Parliament. Sir Allan has just completed serving a six month jail...

Government probe abandoned tombs in Papua New Guinea.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 TAIPEI (Pacnews) ---- Taiwans defence ministry says it will go to Papua New Guinea to investigate a three abandoned tombs there., Radio Taiwan International reports. The tombs are said to belong to Republic of China (ROC)...

Over 400 stranded at Tokua airport.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- A shipping company is offering to transport Air Niugini ticket holders stranded in Kokopo, as a result of the Tokua Airport closure, to Kavieng. From there, they can then be flown to Port Moresby...

Fiji political group threatens suspension supporters with visa restrictions.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) --- A coalition of minor political parties in Fiji is threatening other Pacific states with visa restrictions if they decide to ban the country from the Pacific Islands Forum. Suspending Fiji from the...

Papuans to repatriate voluntarily.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) ---- The names of 702 West Papuans living in Papua New Guinea are on a list at the Indonesian Embassy in Port Moresby to be repatriated to Indonesia, Post Courier reports. This was discussed at the...

Vatukoula Gold's Fiji mine to get key concessions.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) --- Vatukoula Gold Mines Plc, formerly River Diamonds Plc says Fijis interim government has agreed to grant key concessions and exemptions to the company's mine in the country, Reuters reports. The Fijian...

Strong kina wont affect Aust development aid.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- The appreciation of the kina against the Australian dollar will not impact on Australias development assistance to Papua New Guinea, head of AusAID to PNG Peter Costello said. This is because...

femLINKPACIFICs regional UNSCR 1325 media network welcomes election of James Tanis as new ABG President.
January 9, 2009... Helen Hakena, the executive director of Leitana Nehan Women's Development Agency has welcomed the appointment of James Tanis as the new President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government. His election will renew peace building efforts in...

Fiji's Vijay Singh to undergo knee surgery.
January 9, 2009... 09 JANUARY 2009 KAPALUA (Pacnews) --- Fiji's Vijay Singh, a three-time major golf champion, will have knee surgery after this week's season-opening event and miss five weeks, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported. Singh, who led last year's...

Charges against former Taiwanese government officials over secret diplomatic ties with Papua New Guinea.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 TAIPEI (Pacnews) ---- Taiwans watchdog agency, Control Yuan, says it will charge former National Security Council secretary general, Chiou I-jen and former foreign affairs minister, Huang Chi-fang for an alleged secret diplomacy...

Bungling stalls plan to import Pacific fruit pickers.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 CANBERRA (Pacnews) --- The long-awaited trial to recruit guest workers from Pacific Islands to pick fruit in areas short of labour in Australia has been hit by delays and could now be sunk by the economic downturn, Sydney...

State of Emergency declared in Fiji.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) --- Fijis interim government has declared a 30 day state of natural disaster for the western part of the countrys main island of Viti Levu. The declaration was made in view of the widespread adverse effect of...

Swells hit Oro.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- Most villagers along the coast of Papua New Guineas Oro Province are abandoning their homes for higher ground since Friday after witnessing swelling seas and high tides which continue to hit. ...

France to spend US$80m to clean up Hao after end of nuclear weapons tests.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 PAPEETE (Pacnews) --- France has committed US$80 million to rehabilitate French Polynesian atoll of Hao, a key military base during the 20 years of nuclear weapons testing in the South Pacific. An agreement on Frances...

Cook Islands DPM defends PM.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 RAROTONGA (Pacnews) --- Cook Islands deputy Prime Minister Sir Terepai Maoate says he is satisfied with governments current leadership situation. Cabinet minister Wilkie Rasmussen recently told Cook Islands News it was time...

Diplomatic changes in Samoa.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 APIA (Pacnews) --- The Samoan Government has announced a number of changes to diplomatic postings, TV One reports. Lemalu Tate Simi has been appointed high commissioner to Australia. He is currently chief executive in the...

Inmates in prison inferno face charges.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 PORT VILA (Pacnews) --- Four different charges are expected to be laid against prisoners allegedly involved in the burning of the former French jail in Port Vila last month. The charges include arson, damage to property,...

Basil off to witness Obama take office.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- BULOLO MP Sam Basil will represent Papua New Guinea at the historical inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. Mr Basil will join millions of Americans in...

Deep sea mining bill to go to public.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) ---- Public consultations on the countrys draft deep sea mining bill are set to take place next month. This is according to Deputy Prime Minister Sir Terepai Maoate who says the manganese nodule resource...

Lali Media stopped by NZ Tax department.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 AUCKLAND (Pacnews) --- A company behind a controversial Tongan pro-democracy newspaper has gone bust, forcing the paper to drastically cut back its New Zealand operation, Sunday Times reported. Lali Media Group, which...

Plasma TV screens fine for Kiwis despite UK ban.
January 12, 2009... 12 JANUARY 2009 AUCKLAND (Pacnews) --- Energy-guzzling flat screen plasma televisions - dubbed "the 4x4s of the living room" - will soon be banned in Britain as part of the battle against climate change - but a similar proposal in New Zealand...

Five million people might descend on Washington DC to witness the inauguration of the United States first black president Barack Obama and so far officials and Obamas transitional team have a logistical nightmare to cater for the crowd.
January 12, 2009... Lock down for inauguration. 12 JANUARY WASHINGTON ---- In a little over a weeks time history will be made in the heart of the US capital when Barack Obama is sworn in as the nations first black president witnessed by millions of jubilant...

Australia moving on Pacific worker scheme, government defends.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANUARY 2009 CANBERRA (Pacnews) --- A plan to allow Pacific island workers into Australia is on track despite a delay, the federal government says. The government had planned to welcome the first batch of guest workers, who will work as...

Taiwan report to be aired.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- Another final report on the Papua New Guinea/Taiwan multi-million-kina diplomacy case will be tabled next Thursday in Taiwan, investigators said yesterday. The Taiwan scandal case investigators...

New Zealand assists Fiji despite diplomatic wrangle.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANUARY 2009 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) --- New Zealand will provide up to $100,000 in aid to help Fiji recover from it floods - but the money is going directly to the Red Cross rather than the military Government. The aid was announced...

Do not give in to labour mobility.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANAURY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- The head of the South Pacific Oceanic Council of Trade Unions (SPOCTU), Mele Amanaki has warned Papua New Guinea and South Pacific state governments against agreeing to labour mobility being tied to...

New maritime reserve close to Cook Islands.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANUARY 2009 RAROTONGA (Pacnews) --- One of three new United States maritime reserves in the Pacific announced this week reportedly shares a maritime boundary with the Cook Islands. Cook Island News asked Marine Resources legal services...

Mass burial planned for POMGH corpses.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- Relatives of dead people whose bodies are decomposing at the Port Moresby General Hospital (POMGH) have a week to collect their dead relatives and accord them a proper burial or the bodies will be...

Australia provides emergency supplies to FSM and Marshall Islands.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANUARY 2009 MAJURO (Pacnews) --- Australia provides emergency assistance to the Federated States of. Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Australia will provide US$50,000 in immediate emergency assistance to each of...

USP Emalus Campus extends enrolment to Francophone students.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANUARY 2009 PORT VILA (Pacnews) --- The Vanuatu Government will extend enrolment at the University of the South Pacific (USP) Emalus Campus in Port Vila to Francophone students, thanks to funding from the Chinese Government. Prime...

Global crisis threatens PNGs export revenue.
January 13, 2009... 13 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) --- There will be a gap in Government revenue generation if world commodity prices remained low between now and the expected start of the planned liquefied natural gas project in 2013. This is because...

Tonga's diplomatic community grows.
January 13, 2009... By Pesi Fonua, Matangi Tonga. 13 JANUARY 2009 NUKUALOFA ---- The opening of the new Japanese Embassy in Nuku'alofa this month has increased the island kingdoms small diplomatic community. When the new ambassador arrives to present his...

Suspension option still on agenda of Pacific Forum Leaders meeting.
January 14, 2009... 14 JANUARY 2009 CANBERRA (Pacnews) --- Fiji faces the real possibility of suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum, if Australia had its way. However, that decision will have to be endorsed by Leaders of 15 Forum Island Countries when...

Worse still to come as tourists flee Fiji.
January 14, 2009... 14 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) ----- A number of Australians have set up camp at Fiji's international airport, desperate to leave as the country braces itself for further storms after five days of torrential rain. While nearly all...

Australians stranded in Fiji blame Rudd government.
January 14, 2009... 14 JANUARY 2009 SUVA (Pacnews) ----- Australians stranded at luxury resorts in storm-ravaged Fiji say they are angry their government has not done more to rescue them from the flooded country, reports SMH. Hundreds of tourists sheltering in...

U.S assists Fiji flood victims.
January 14, 2009... 14 JANUARY 2008 SUVA (Pacnews) --- The United States Embassy in Fiji says it has been contact with government agencies and non-governmental organisations, to assess the needs of people in floods affected areas. We are providing immediate...

Stage set for leaders forum.
January 14, 2009... 14 JANUARY 2009 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) ---- Preparations for the special Pacific Island Forum meeting in Port Moresby are well underway, The National reports. Acting secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and NEC Gideon Oli said...

Delays for start of Australian Pacific Workers Scheme.
January 14, 2009... 14 JANUARY 2009 CANBERRA (Pacnews) ----- Australia says a delay to the expected start of its Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme does not reflect any diminished enthusiasm for it, reports Radio Australia. The Australian Government had...

Forum head mum about plea to drop Fiji Forum suspension threat.
January 14, 2009... 14 JANUARY 2008 SUVA (Pacnews) ----- The Pacific Islands Forum secretary general, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, says hell respond to concerns about the possible suspension of Fiji from the regional body, reports Radio New Zealand International. ...

Australia pledges aid to Pacific islands.
January 14, 2009... 14 JANUARY 2008 CANBERRA (Pacnews) ----- Australia has provided $142,000 in aid to two Pacific island nations after tidal surges caused widespread flooding late last year, reports The Daily. The federal government has allocated US$50,000 in...