Press Release – Office of the Clerk

Clerks and senior parliamentary staff from Pacific Island Parliaments are participating in a parliamentary study programme organised by the New Zealand Parliament from 30 May to 10 June, Dr The Rt Hon Lockwood Smith announced today. Read more »

Press Release – AUT University

AUT University has opened a special connection across the South Pacific, signing an agreement to collaborate with the University of Hawai’i (UHM), at Mānoa, in Hawai’i. Read more »

Press Release – Manukau Institute of Technology

One hundred and thirty four Pasifika students from Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) graduated with their peers, friends and family this week with celebrations taking place over two nights due to an increase in graduating numbers. Read more »

Press Release – United Nations

The head of the United Nations agency tasked with preserving the world’s cultural heritage today endorsed recommendations to inscribe 45 new documents and documentary collections – ranging from Leo Tolstoy’s personal manuscripts to the collections … Read more »

Article – Scoop Audio

Audio: Selwyn Manning & 95bFM’s John Weekes discuss the strategies shaping up and the candidates stepping forward to take on the Mana Party and Hone Harawira in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election. What’s happening in Maori politics, and, who is likely to win then? Read more »

Press Release – US State Department

Cities worldwide are busy planting trees to keep summer temperatures down, and for good reason. Read more »

Regime wolves circle the Fiji National Provident Fund cash cow. Cartoon: Narsey/Fiji Times

Pacific Scoop:
Analysis – By Professor Wadan Narsey

The Fiji National Provident Fund management organised a symposium on the “future of the FNPF” last week.

Chaired and apparently dominated by an outside consultant, there was a public discussion of recommendations advocating changes to the FNPF structure, operations and pension rates at the symposium.

Similar recommendations had previously been made by other consultants from International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and International Labour Organisation, but none had the urgency that this last set has. Read more »

Press Release – Manukau Institute of Technology

One hundred and thirty four Pasifika students from Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) graduated with their peers, friends and family this week with celebrations taking place over two nights due to an increase in graduating numbers. Read more »

Press Release – New Zealand Defence Force

Sixty seven NZ Defence Force personnel arrived back in Christchurch after completing a six month deployment supporting the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Timor-Leste. Read more »

Fiji prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama ... potshots at the NZ media. Photo: Fiji Times

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Stanley Simpson in Suva

Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has rejected claims that President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau would be removed from his position – and says he is fed up with telling the media that elections will be held in 2014.

Bainimarama said he was committed to having elections in 2014, but people seem to want him to change the date by continuing to ask him about it.

“I don’t know what else to tell you media outlets about elections in 2014, if you want me to change it, you all get together and tell me,” he said. Read more »