Results for Press Releases

"The goal of SOPAC is to apply geoscience and technology to realize new opportunities for improving the livelihoods of Pacific communities. Geographic Information System GIS and Remote Sensing is clearly a technology which can contribute to realizing improving livelihoods." - Dr Russell Howorth, the director of SOPAC.

"Fiji's military rulers are turning the country into an absolute dictatorship, and seem determined to destroy the trade unions as part of their strategy to crush any dissent and eliminate the legitimate voice of civil society," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. "The rulers must turn back from this destructive path, and allow Fiji to return to democracy." - ITUC.

Five TVNZ journalists have been named as finalists in the prestigious Sir Terry McLean National Sports Journalism Awards.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Pacific Power Association (PPA), the two leading development agencies in the Pacific region's energy sector, today (4 Nov) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), effectively enabling the intergovernmental organisations to combine their resources and offer greater assistance and benefits to Pacific Islands countries and territories (PICTs). - SPC.

The Secretary General of PIFS Tuiloma Neroni Slade today attended the opening ceremony of CHOGM being held in Perth, Western Australia. "My presence here in Perth as a Special Guest of the Commonwealth Secretary General is a concrete demonstration of our continuing interest in working closely with the Secretary General and Commonwealth Secretariat in our joint efforts to advance the interests of Pacific island countries". – SG of PIFS tuiloma Neroni Slade.

I would like to congratulate and welcome Ms Christine Lagarde on her first Annual Meetings in her capacity as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. On behalf of the Tongan delegation, I would like to express my appreciation to the Fund and Bank for the excellent arrangements of this important meeting. – Hon. Sunia Fili.

The Asian Development Bank ADB’s Board of Directors has approved a $6.06 million grant for the $14.59 million Nuku’alofa Urban Development Sector Project. The grant is sourced from ADB’s Special Funds resources. The Australian government will provide grant co-financing of about $6.44 million equivalent. - ADB.

Interplast Australia and New Zealand team will visit Tonga from 28 October – 3 November 2011 to assist Tongan National Health Services to conduct specialist consultation clinics and perform plastic and reconstructive surgery services. - Australian plastic surgery team.

"Rich countries have long promised to take the lead on reducing emissions but are now insisting on shifting the burden onto developing countries. In good faith, developing countries have proposed to reduce 5 gigatonnes of emissions. Rich countries have proposed just 4 gigatonnes of their own reductions, and with the loopholes on accounting rules they want, they actually are proposing closer to zero reductions. In Panama it looks like a rowing boat with all the oars and effort only on one side." Lim Li Lin, legal expert at TWN.