Press Release – AusAID

Australia has given A$80,000 (SBD$560,000) to help increase women’s leadership and economic empowerment in Solomon Islands. Visiting Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Richard Marles announced the funding to the Solomon Islands … Read more »

Dr Dan Murphy of Bairo Pite clinic in Dili ... supports more medical students from Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste Photo: Basil Rolandsen/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Laura Stewart

Australian contributions may become the latest asset for an already thriving Cuban health aid programme in Timor-Leste and this is likely to start later this year.

The Australian government has announced this year a $9 billion increase to foreign aid spending over the next four years with a significant focus on Timor-Leste.

The announcement comes in conjunction with the first independent review into the effectiveness of Australian foreign aid in 15 years. Read more »

Speech – AusAID

Together with the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, the Australian Government is pleased that the AusAID-funded Pacific Horticultural and Market Access Program, or PHAMA for short, will now be operating in Solomon Islands, in partnership with … Read more »

Speech – AusAID

I am indeed honoured to be part of this important occasion. Export of our agricultural and horticultural produce has been a priority of past governments. The NCRA government recognize the importance of having a diversified export base. Read more »

Sir Michael Somare on a visit to New Zealand ... now back in charge of PNG's affairs. Photo: Malum Nalu

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By a special correspondent in Port Moresby

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has directed his deputy and Works Minister Sam Abal to move with all possible haste to implement the Papua New Guinean government programmes this year, The National reports.

In a letter dated January 18, 2011, Sir Michael thanked Abal for taking “affirmative action” in bringing together all agencies of government and provincial governors to focus on implementing the 2011 budget.

He also thanked Abal for holding the fort in his absence. Read more »

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By Helen Hughes in Canberra

Taxpayers should be extremely concerned that egregiously high salaries are paid to aid-funded advisers, not because they are earning more than the Prime Minister but because the aid is being wasted. Read more »

Pacific Press Release – Secretariat of the Pacific Community

SPC Headquarters (Noumea, New Caledonia) – Today, the Port Moresby office of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) will provide 2220 water quality testing tablets and related supplies to Mr Enoch Posanai,to help fight the cholera outbreak. Read more »

Dr John Wallace ... international journalism for a better world. Photo: APCJ

Pacific.Scoop
Opinion – By John Wallace

In many parts of the world the options for professional journalism study are really quite limited, with many young people finding their way into journalism without preparation, and with opportunities for in-house training also limited.

This is one of the things the Asia-Pacific Journalism Centre tries to do something about – by providing professional development programmes for working journalists in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in those countries closest to Australia, such as East Timor, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and other southwest Pacific countries.
Read more »

Pacific Press Release – Pacific Media Watch, 22 September 2009

6449 REGIONAL WEATHER EXPERTS TO GET MEDIA TRAINING

SUVA (Radio Australia/Pacific Media Watch): Fiji’s Department of Meteorology has organised a workshop for participants to learn how to manage climate change information.
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Professor Randy Thaman (from left), Tony Weir and coral reef ecologist Edward Lovell at the USP seminar yesterday. Photo: Wansolwara

Pacific.Scoop
By Rachna Lal and Kalpana Prasad in Suva

The “tremendous” decline of Pacific coral reefs in the past two decades is continuing unabated, says a researcher.
Read more »