Princess Ashika disaster ... under investigation. Photo: TNews

Pacific.Scoop
By Josephine Latu of Pacific Media Watch

Tonga’s Royal Commission of Inquiry, charged with investigating why the Princess Ashika sank earlier this month, is expected to name its second member this week, according to Attorney-General John Cauchi.

The commission, established a week after the ferry tragedy, will have three members.
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Press Release – New Zealand Defence Force

Today is the first day in a new role for Warrant Officer Jerald Twomey, the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) first Māori Cultural Advisor. This new role will continue to develop and enhance NZDF’s long standing traditions and unique cultural identity. …
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Press Release – Waikato Regional Airport Limited

Champagne corks will be popping at Hamilton International Airport this afternoon (Monday, August 31) when Pacific Blue’s Boeing 737-800 lands for the first time. And even more corks will be popping from 6am tomorrow (Tuesday, September 1) when …
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Netani Rika at the University of Queensland. Photo: UQ/Marie M'Balla-Ndi

Pacific.Scoop
By Holly Holmes in Brisbane

Fiji Times editor-in-chief Netani Rika has returned to Fiji from a visit to Australia last week to receive “serious and credible” threats, say staff at the University of Queensland journalism school.

Hailed by colleagues as a “Pacific journalism hero”, Rika has faced much harassment over his outspoken opposition to Fiji’s military regime and its draconian media censorship.

One threat after his media freedom speech in Brisbane – pressuring him to step down as editor-in-chief – was posted on a pro-regime blog, Real Fiji News, declaring:
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Fiji PM Voreqe Bainimarama ... talanoa offer. Photo: Scoop/Selwyn Manning

Pacific.Scoop
By Tupuola Terry Tavita in Apia

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has suggested possible ways in which to re-engage with the Fiji interim government following the Pacific Islands Forum’s reaffirmation of its membership suspension in Cairns earlier this month.

The Prime Minister says in an interview with the Samoan government newspaper Savali it would be useful for the interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe  Bainimarama to come to Apia for a talanoa (talk) session with him.
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Fiji's old Parliament ... target of the original coup in 1987.

Pacific.Scoop
Opinion – By Crosbie Walsh

Just as parents in the West used to warn their children, “The bogeyman will get you” to enforce compliance, extreme ethnic Fijian nationalists use “The Indians will get your land” bogeyman to justify the 1987 and 2000 coups, condemn democracy as a “foreign flower,” demand the President and Prime Minister must always be Fijians, and oppose all of regime Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama’s intended reforms.*
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Fretilin has dominated Timorese politics since independence, but lost office in the last elections while remaining the single largest party. Photo: PMC/David Robie

Pacific.Scoop
By Matt Crook in Dili

Ravaged by 24 years of military occupation and threatened with reprisals by vengeful militias, the people of East Timor went to the polls 10 years ago to vote for independence from Indonesia.

Now a festive mood is taking hold as the half-island Pacific nation of about 1.1 million people prepares to celebrate the referendum’s anniversary today. Sports and cultural events are being held in the lead-up to an official ceremony in Dili.
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Pacific Press Release – Pacific Media Watch

Title – 6392 FIJI: Times editor tells of police ‘Jesus  crusade’
Date – 28 August 2009, Source – Brisbane Times, 23/08/09
—————————-

UQ STUDENTS HEAR OF FIJIAN ‘JESUS CRUSADE’
www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/uq-students-hear-of-fijian-jesus-
crusade-20090828-f25w.html
Full text of Netani Rika’s speech “Silence in Paradise” on Pacific Media Watch database:

http://kauri.aut.ac.nz:8080/dspace/handle/123456789/2504

By John Austin

BRISBANE (Brisbane Times Online/Pacific Media Watch):  A “Jesus crusade” led by Fiji’s police force has been compared to the rule of the Taliban.
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Nu'utele Island... tackling the Pacific rat. Photo: SPREP/C. Stuart Chape

Pacific Press Release – Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), 27 August 2009

Protecting the natural heritage of Samoa

As fairytales go, Hamelin used a pied piper and pipes to rid the town of rats.  In real life, Samoa is using a helicopter and rat bait.
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Pacific Press Release – Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

28 August 2009

Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Programme underway

The Solomon Islands has signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project (PACC). This brings the total number of countries who have signed the PACC MoU to 10.
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