PNG Prime Minister James Marape (centre) arrives in Arawa for talks with Bougainville's President Ishmael Toroama (second from right) 5 February, 2021 Photo: PNG PM Media
Papua New Guinea - delaying
New Ireland governor Sir Julius Chan has taken aim at Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape accusing his government of overborrowing and criticising it over the delay in granting Bougainville independence.
Sir Julius made the comments during his independence message to the New Ireland assembly on Wednesday.
The former prime minister said Marape's government has relied on loans to support the national budget for a fourth year running.
Papua New Guinea celebrates the 48th anniversary of its independence this weekend.
Fiji - Grace Road
A prominent member of the Grace Road Church in Fiji has accused authorities of religious persecution.
The Fiji Times reports Ana Sungdo has accused Fiji Immigration of denying her re-entry into the country last week after attempting to return from a trip to Australia.
Sungdo claims her visa had been rejected despite not being listed on an Interpol Red Notice.
Seven members, listed on the notice, had been deported last week.
Twenty employees of the church owned business Grace Road Group yesterday filed a petition to Fiji's Immigration Minister to release their president Daniel Kim, who is currently being held in immigration custody.
Fiji - diarrhoea
Health authorities in the Balevuto Medical Area of Fiji are scrambling to find the cause of a sudden increase in cases of diarrhoea.
FBC News reports 72 cases have been reported over the past few weeks. Four people have died, but from other underlying causes.
The Ministry of Health said what is particularly concerning is the rapid rise in the number of cases.
Health minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu said the sudden surge in cases has prompted an urgent investigation by the his ministry in close collaboration with the Water Authority of Fiji and other stakeholders.
Health officials have been conducting house visits in affected areas, providing residents with water, sanitation, and hygiene kits and purification tablets, and conducting awareness campaigns.
Fiji - teachers
Fiji's education minister Aseri Radrodro says strategies are being looked at to address a high turnover of teachers.
Radrodro told Fiji's Parliament a total of 441 teachers had resigned between January to June.
He said his ministry is looking to rehire retirees and teachers who had been terminated in the past for refusing covid jabs.
"The number of teachers who resigned from January to June 2023; 80 percent of them migrated for greener pastures, while 20 percent pursued other job opportunities.
"We have already executed plans to ensure that quality education in all our 176 secondary 436 primary schools, and more than 800 ECE centers is not at anytime compromised."
Bougainville - prisoners
Bougainville's northern region police commander Jacklyn Pais says she thinks thirteen prisoners still on the run are hiding out in the severely flooded south of the region.
The autonomous Papua New Guinea province has just recovered from a damaging volcanic eruption and is still trying to cope with the impact of flooding in the south, but a lot of police attention has been taken up by the prisoners, who were among 16 who escaped police cells in Buka three weeks ago.
They got out by sawing through the bars of a police cell window.
Commander Pais said police know from "intel" that most of the prisoners are now hiding out in the south of Bougainville's main island.
Samoa - vessel
A US Navy vessel has arrived into Apia to provide training and deliver development assistance.
The USS Jackson brings a multinational force of musicians, medical personnel, engineers and disaster relief experts.
Its part of an annual US development drive in the region known as the Pacific Partnership.
This year's mission focuses on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness.
West Papua - treason
Three students convicted of treason in Papua have been released from Abepura Prison.
Jubi TV says the students were spotted last November carrying the Morning Star flag while expressing their rejection to the Papua peace dialogue plan initiated by the National Commission on Human Rights.
On August 8, the court found them guilty of treason and sentenced them to a 10-month prison term, which was deducted from their detention period.
The three were welcomed by dozens of student activists, as well as their legal team, who gathered in front of the prison to pray together.
The field coordinator Marwa Wayne expressed her surprise at the early release of the students, as the initial release date had been set for September 12.