A standoff between the Prime Minister’s Office and the King’s Privy Council in its advisory capacity has put the two highest political powers, the Prime Minister and the Monarch, in what could be a serious constitutional conflict in Tonga. This came about when the Prime Minister’s Office received a letter from the Privy Council advising the Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet that the King no longer has confidence and consent to the appointment of two Ministers: the Minister for the Armed Forces, which is held by the Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs held by Hon.…
Author: Kalafi Moala
Twenty-three year-old Miss Samoa, Moemoana Safa’atoa Schwenke, has been named this year’s Miss Pacific Islands, taking home the same crown and title her mother won almost 30 years ago. The 35th pageant was held in Nauru throughout last week, with the final in the weekend. Seven contestants competed from American Samoa, Tonga, Palau, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, and Samoa. Miss Samoa stole the show with her siva afi or fire dance, and won categories of traditional wear, talent, interview, and the people’s choice award. Miss Schwenke follows in the footsteps of her mother, Mary Jane McKibbin-Schwenke, who won…
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare saw his dream come true in 2023 when the Solomon Islands hosted the Pacific Games, a big win in his time in office. The four-time Prime Minister has also had tremendous influence on international politics during the year.He took a brave step in forging a bilateral relations security agreement with China despite the protests of some Western nations. PM Sogavare rightly insisted that Solomon Islands is a sovereign nation and is free to choose whatever is good for itself. Richard Naidu, the editor of Islands Business, said these were just some of the reasons why the…
For nurses who did not go overseas seeking for better employment, it may not be a merrier Christmas for them this year. This has become apparent in a petition presented to the King this week for a pay raise. But it is not just for better pay the nurses are petitioning for; they are asking for better working conditions, in fact better management of their time and work shifts at Vaiola Hospital, Tonga’s main hospital and clinical service center. Some of the nurses left their assigned duties at Vaiola to join others in marching to the Palace Office to present…
The most important global meeting of the year on climate change among the nations of the world, COP 28 is being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and will run until December 12. COP stands for “Conference of the Parties” to the convention under the umbrella of the United Nations, referring to the convening of member countries every year to determine ambition and responsibilities, and identify and assess climate measures. The 21st session of the COP led to the Paris Agreement, which mobilized global collective action to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels by 2100, and to…
His Excellency Mr. Cao Xiaolin leaves Tonga this week having served as Chinese Ambassador to Tonga for the past 4 years. He is probably the most experienced Chinese diplomat who has worked in Tonga. He first came to Tonga as an embassy worker twenty five years ago when the two countries established diplomatic relations. After this first stint in the kingdom, he left and then was commissioned to come back four years ago as China’s ambassador to Tonga. Mr. Cao, in an interview with the Talanoa ‘o Tonga, said that the guidelines of common understanding initially by the heads of…
Questions raised about the appointment of in-coming Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Nauru’s Baron Waqa, have threatened to dismantle a frail unity among the leaders of the regional organisation. Mr Waqa, former President of Nauru, has been named the next Forum Secretary General despite his history which includes ongoing investigation by Australian Federal Police for taking bribes, sacking of judges he disagreed with, and imposing harsh restrictions on media. Nauru’s President David Adeang and his delegation stormed out of the Pacific Leaders’ plenary meeting yesterday when questions were raised about Baron Waqa. They also skipped the Pacific…
Japan’s decision to release the Fukushima nuclear wastewater to the Pacific Ocean in April is still a major issue to Pacific Island countries, and especially the Polynesia bloc. At the 52nd Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM) currently held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Polynesian countries are calling for a halt to the Fukushima wastewater discharge. At the Polynesia Leaders group meeting at the beginning of PIFLM, chaired by the President of French Polynesia, Moetai Brotherson, the Polynesian leaders shared a common position of not being in favour of the diluted radioactive wastewater release into the Pacific Ocean. It has been…
The leaders and their delegations from 18 Pacific Island nations have converged on Rarotonga for the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting (PIFLM) which will be begin Tuesday 7 November. The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, and outgoing caretaker Prime Minister of New Zealand, Chris Hipkins are also part of the Leaders’ Meeting. This year’s meeting is chaired by the Cook Islands Prime Minister, Hon. Mark Brown, with a theme ‘Our Voices, Our Choices, Our Pacific Way: Promote, Partner, Prosper’. Media workshops and pre-meeting seminars primarily for journalists and media participants have been in session in Rarotonga for two…
Six Pacific Island nations were among 14 countries who voted against the UN Resolution for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. These island nations included Fiji, Tonga, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, and FSM. There was support from these nations to the Canadian amendment to the resolution, to address actual ground realities and correct factual omissions, identify and condemn Hamas for initiating the crisis, holding hostages, and using them as human shields since the October 7 terrorist attack. But the amendment fell short of the 2/3 majority and was not adopted. The resolution however called for an immediate ceasefire in…