Hon. Malcolm Leslie Bishop KC was officially sworn in yesterday morning as the new Lord Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and President of the Land Court of Tonga. The formal ceremony took place in the Cabinet Room, where Hon. Bishop took his oath of office, marking the beginning of his tenure. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku and members of the Cabinet. The appointment of Hon. Bishop has raised concerns particularly toward Bishop’s openness about his sexual orientation and his recognition as an LGBTQ hero by Barrister and TV personality Rob Rinder. Rinder praised Bishop for…
Author: Newsdesk
As the oceans face devastating change from climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, Pacific governments are preparing for the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, to be held in France in June 2025. Speaking on the sidelines of last week’s Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, Prime Minister of Tuvalu Feleti Teo spoke of the importance of the oceans’ agenda for the region. “The people of the Pacific are people of the ocean and the ocean defines and characterises the Pacific,” Teo said. “The ocean is integral and fundamental to the character, the cultural heritage and the way of life of the…
Tonga has overcome predictions the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting would be marred by disorganisation or stoushes, all while living up to its ‘friendly islands’ nickname. The annual Pacific summit of regional leaders wrapped up on Friday following an overnight leaders retreat in Vava’u. Anthony Albanese was one of a handful of leaders to skip that stay, leaving on Thursday night after a visit of less than 48 hours. The Pacific organisation has been devilled by rifts and spats in recent years, and there were certainly differences of geostrategic outlook on display in Nuku’alofa. PIF Secretary General Baron Waqa was…
Forum Chair and Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavemeiliku Siaosi Sovaleni has expressed deep condolences on behalf of Forum members following the passing of Māori King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. King Tuheitia, aged 69, died peacefully last week, sending New Zealand into mourning on Friday. “While we were in Vava’u, we received the very sad news of the passing of Māori King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. “On behalf of the Forum members, I would like to convey our condolences to his family and the people of New Zealand,” Sovaleni said. Forum Secretary-General, Baron Waqa also paid tribute, extending his condolences…
The Telecommunications Commission Solomon Islands (TCSI) has officially granted a class license to Starlink Solomon Islands Limited, enabling the company to provide telecommunications services across the country. The historic agreement was signed by TCSI Commissioner Calvin Ziru and Ryan Goodnight, a senior director at Starlink Solomon Islands Limited, at the TCSI office in Alvaro Building, Honiara. Starlink, a satellite internet service operated by Starlink Services, LLC, a subsidiary of SpaceX, offers high-speed internet through a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites. Owned by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, Starlink currently serves 102 countries, providing broad and affordable connectivity. Commissioner Ziru talked…
The Taiwanese foreign ministry on Saturday accused China of an “arbitrary intervention” after a joint declaration by Pacific leaders was altered to remove mentions of Taiwan. “Taiwan issued the strongest condemnation on China’s arbitrary intervention and unreasonable actions that undermine regional peace and stability,” the foreign ministry told Agence France-Presse in a statement. Self-ruled Taiwan — which Beijing claims as its own territory — also called on “all like-minded countries to closely monitor China’s actions” to safeguard “the harmony and stable development of Pacific island countries.” The rebuff came after a statement by Pacific leaders was reissued with mentions of…
Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku will open the 51st Pacific Islands Chief of Police (PICP) Conference today at the Fa’onelua Conference Center in Nuku’alofa. This event brings together Chiefs of Police from across the Pacific region and will run throughout the week, ending on Friday, 6 September. The PICP began yesterday with an service at the Free Wesleyan Church followed by a luncheon at the Police Academy in Longolongo, setting the tone for the discussions that will take place over the coming days. The theme of this year’s conference, “Our Blue Pacific On the Global Stage,” reflects the commitment of the Pacific’s…
The Pacific Islands Forum has submitted to China’s demand to remove the mention of Taiwan from the final communique of the leaders’ summit that concluded in Tonga this week. Kiribati wants to see consequences for whoever is behind the Taiwan communique bungle, after Beijing’s special envoy to the region cried foul at the inclusion of Taipei in the outcomes document. On Friday, China’s Ambassador to the Pacific, Qian Bo, was furious after the PIF Secretariat released the final communique which included a section in which Pacific leaders “reaffirmed” their relations with Taiwan. Qian told journalists that affirming reference to Taiwan…
Tavite Tonga, a talented trombonist with a blossoming career in New Zealand’s music scene, credits his Tongan heritage and Christian faith as the pillars of his musical journey. His deep connection to brass instruments, particularly the trombone, reflects the strong cultural and spiritual roots that have shaped his path. “Brass instruments, they’re the closest you can get to the human voice,” Tavite explained in a recent interview with Ma’a Brian Sagala on Pacific Days. “The only difference between singing and brass playing is that it’s your lips buzzing instead of your throat.” For Tavite, the trombone is more than just…
Pacific Island leaders concluded the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, reaffirming their commitment to regional cooperation, climate resilience, and sustainable development. The week-long gathering brought together leaders from 18 member countries and territories, focusing on the region’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, healthcare, education, and security. Climate resilience at the forefront Recognising the existential threat posed by climate change, Forum leaders endorsed the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific (FRDP) as the blueprint for strengthening regional resilience. They welcomed the adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) at the UN General Assembly, urging development institutions to integrate…