Results for Pacific Islands

Ahead of World Health Day on 7 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the launch of S.A.R.A.H., a digital health promoter avatar, powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI) to help answer health questions online. Sarah has the ability to support people in developing a better understanding of risk factors for some of the leading causes of death in the world, including cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes.

Australia is about to launch a new visa that will for the first time create a Pacific quota in Australia’s permanent migration regime. 3,000 visas will be issued every year for the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste. It’s a huge opportunity yet awareness of this new visa is low. By Stephen Howes and Athualla Rasheed.

The Commonwealth Secretary General, the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland KC attended Easter Sunday mass in the Kauvai Parish of the village of Longoteme, Tongatapu, this morning, where Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi, Bishop of Tonga, conducted the service.

A Tongan academic, Dr Mo'ale 'Otunuku of Longomapu won the Vava'u 14 By-election with 709 votes, securing his seat as a new People's Representative in the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, today, 28 March, 2024.

The Legislative Assembly of Tonga will reconvene next Thursday, 4 April at 10:00 am, after a month long adjournment since 5 March. The office of the Fale Alea reported that the agenda for next week’s sitting will include Government's annual reports, Parliamentary constituency reports, and the Auditor’s compliance report.

The polls have closed at 4:00pm in today's By-election for the Vava'u Constituency no. 14 held in Tongatapu and Vava'u, to fill the seat vacated by Dr. Saia Piukala. There are four candidates. The Electoral Commissioner and Supervisor of Elections, Pita Vuki said the results will be released at the end of the counting, whenever that might be.

The new Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mrs Polotu Paunga of Ma'ufanga was appointed today, 26 March, at the Public Service Commission in Nuku'alofa, where she signed a four years contract with the Government of Tonga.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland KC, will spend Easter Sunday in Tonga on her first official visit to Tonga from 30 March to 3 April.

The unmanaged drugs issue in Tonga is becoming “a new normal”, says Tonga's Head Psychiatrist, Dr. Mapa Puloka, who is seeing illicit drug-related disorders making up 40% of monthly admissions to the psychiatric ward. With mental health impacts skyrocketing, there is no one available to pick up the pieces. From the frontline, both Mapa and the Salvation Army counselor Mele Prescott are lonely voices urging government to establish a drugs rehabilitation center in Tonga, as they see families and communities being broken by the mental health impacts of illicit drugs use. Interview by Katalina Siasau.