PNG governor's support for dumping at sea, adviser quits over far-right links, and internet disruption to continue in territory
New governor rejects long-standing opposition to ditching by-products in the sea
Papua New Guinea's newly re-installed governor in Morobe Province, Luther Wenge, is happy for mining by-products to be dumped at sea.
Getting the new Wafi-Golpu mine up and running is a focus of the national government as it strives to grow the country's economy.
Wenge's support comes despite years of opposition to dumping at sea, from the community and from two former Morobe Governors.
Wenge told the audience at his swearing-in ceremony the provincial government would drop all legal challenges to the mine going ahead.
RNZ Pacific's PNG correspondent Scott Waide said Wenge was clear about his reasons for backing the mine.
"He was saying deep sea tailings disposal will happen and that's where he is going to get the money to pay for free education," he said.
New Caledonia special adviser quits over far-right support
A special adviser to a New Caledonian member of the French government has resigned, after criticism of his support of France's far-right.
Breuic Frogier quit just days after being appointed by Sonia Backes, who in July took the newly created post of secretary of citizenship in France's reshuffled and enlarged 42-member government.
Frogier had led this year's presidential election campaign of far-right candidate Eric Zemmour, describing him as the only one with a perspective for New Caledonia's future.
He said criticism of his support of one of Emmanuel Macron's rivals has placed Backes in an uncomfortable position, which has prompted him to tender his resignation.
The group SOS Racism had asked the French prime minister Elisabeth Borne to sack him.
More internet turmoil expected in territory
Wallis and Futuna has been experiencing internet connection cuts - and more is expected.
The cut was blamed on an urgent replacement of the underwater-cable Tuisamoa around the level of American Samoa.
Photo: 123RF
The Tuisamoa is a cable system that is 1,470km long and runs through Samoa, Fiji and has been branched to Wallis and Futuna since 2017.
According to the managers working at the French internet company Orange the cut was not notified as it was supposed to.
More cuts are predicted on Thursday afternoon at the same time.
Some islands in Samoa have been impacted by the cuts - however they were able to rapidly reconnect thanks to its other connection links with Fiji and Australia.
Samoan police tries to tackle rising suicide rates
Samoa's Ministry of Police has launched a social media awareness campaign to help reduce the rising number of suicides.
The ministry launched the first 10-minute episode of Samoa Saogalemu, a Facebook-based series of discussions aimed at eliminating suicides on Tuesday.
Deputy Commissioner Papali'i Monalisa Tia'i-Keti says there were 15 suicides in the first eight months of 2022 compared to 15 for the whole of 2021.
He said that because Samoa has no resident clinical pathologist, there is a long wait as negotiations continue to get a pathologist from overseas.
"Families get very agitated with the long wait but it is a legal requirement of suicides to have an autopsy conducted and it can only be done by a qualified person from overseas," he said.
A recent Memorandum of Understanding between Samoa Police and the Fiji Police Force will see the availability of a pathologist to work in Samoa when needed.
Self-isolation for covid-positive travellers in American Samoa
Passengers arriving in American Samoa who test positive for Covid-19 no longer need to quarantine but must self-isolate.
All passengers are still being tested upon arrival.
Those who are negative are cleared to leave right away.
But those who test positive remain for a briefing on what they have to do, which is to self isolate at home for 10 days, and to register on TalofaPass to report in daily.
Pacific leaders heading soon to UN General Assembly
Pacific Island leaders are expected in New York for the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The conference will run from September 13-20.
Climate change and the Ukrainian crisis are expected to dominate discussions and speeches.
United States President Joe Biden has invited Pacific Island leaders to a meeting in Washington on September 28-29.
New Caledonia minister says emission targets reached early
New Caledonia's Minister of Energy Christophe Gyges says it has already hit emission reduction targets for 2025.
The territory plans to reach 70 per cent renewable energy to power its Nickel factories by 2030.
A new temporary floating power-plant CAT has arrived in New Caledonia from Turkey.
Gyges told RNZ Pacific the territory energy plan is well on its way.
"We are already producing 500 megawatts of photovoltaic effect, therefore we are already hitting targets 2025 to 2026 which is when the CAT will stop. This means it will be replaced by projects that are already authorised," he said.
The CAT will replace a 50-year-old plant to bring cleaner energy to the production of nickel.