Results for Pacific Islands

Tonga's critical shortage of sand for construction purposes has motivated a local man to find an alternative source of fine aggregate. Viliami Lolohea is currently building a small house at Fangaloto, trialling bricks made with imported Ferronickel slag. Last Friday, 10 December, King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau'u visited the building site to view the foundations of what will be the first house to be constructed locally with cement and slag

New COVID-19 cases in Fiji continue to decline with 12 new cases reported between November 27-28 and zero cases on November 29, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services reported. Fiji opened its borders today to fully vaccinated international travellers, repatriates and Fijians visiting families and friends.

New York Times Reporting by Yan Zhuang: After days of riots in the Solomon Islands during which protesters called for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to resign, set buildings ablaze and looted stores, authorities on Saturday said they had found the bodies of three people in a burned-out building of a store in the Chinatown district. They are the first reported deaths after days of violent protests in Honiara, the nation’s capital. Australia sent around 100 police officers and soldiers Thursday and Friday to help stabilize the situation, and Papua New Guinea sent 35 police and correctional service personnel Friday.

A sea level rise of one metre will be devasting for Tongatapu where, “Under this scenario, 25% of buildings, 11% of roads, 16% of water, and 29% of power infrastructure would be permanently lost,” new modelling shows. The findings of a groundbreaking report analyzing climate and disaster risk management in the Pacific nation of Tonga, one of the most vulnerable in the world to the impact of climate change, was discussed at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Glasgow this week. New assets need to be developed away from low-lying high risk locations, it says.

Fiji is on track to open its borders to fully vaccinated travellers as the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to decrease in the country, while a high percentage of its adult population have been inoculated. About 96.2% of eligible adults have received their first dose, and 86.3% are now fully vaccinated in the country.

Ana Waalkens spent a week in Auckland City Hospital's intensive care unit after falling ill days after a growing Delta outbreak was discovered in Auckland in August - and before the 38-year-old was eligible to be vaccinated. Waalkens is telling her story because she wants everyone, especially fellow Pasifika - she has Tongan heritage - to get vaccinated so they don't suffer as she and her family had. Waalkens was fighting for her life. "My family and friends all thought I was going to die,” she said. By Cherie Howie, Reporter NZ Herald.

Tonga's Fekita ‘Utoikamanu is a member of the jury for the Island Innovation Awards, an international initiative that is calling for applications in 12 award categories. The awards are focused on celebrating excellence in sustainability and are hosted by Island Innovation, in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative. Applications are open until November 5, for projects in island communities. There are no monetary awards but the initiative aims to provide global exposure for projects that drive positive change.

Fiji will reopen its border to ‘travel partner countries’ from 11 November, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama announced on Fiji Day, 10 October.

The Tongan Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020, a multi-million dollar facility built with assistance from the government of UAE, was officially handed over to Tonga's Ambassador, ahead of the official opening of the world expo next week. The theme of the pavilion ‘One Planet for All’ aims to shed light on the dangers of plastic waste to the ocean, its inhabitants and the subsequent challenges faced by the Pacific people.