Solomons' call for Games money to be re-directed to health
The leader of the Opposition in Solomon Islands is urging the government to redirect money allocated for the Pacific Games in 2023 to the country's health facilities to help combat the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.
Matthew Wale says the Covid-19 situation in the Solomons warrants redirecting all funds and resources from the Pacific Games to the National Referral Hospital, additional field hospitals and expanding the health care system.
Mr Wale is also calling on the government to provide free masks and hand sanitisers to the people.
He says it's disheartening to see shops taking advantage of the situation and selling masks and sanitisers at very high prices
The leader of the opposition in Solomon Islands parliament, Matthew Wale. Photo: Parliament Media
Fiji schools re-open
Schools in Fiji reopen this week and the Government says it's confident with the Covid-19 protocols in place to protect thousands of students across the country.
Children aged 5 to 12 have been at home since April last year while Year 12 and 13 students returned to classes in November.
Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said the coronavirus is now endemic to Fiji and community transmission will lead to the same in schools.
He said as of 19 January this year, close to 41-thousand Fijian children aged 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, "there are very strict processes within school, including the fact that they are fever tested, that we don't do normally at home. Obviously, there are challenges in some schools but they work in that regard and the use of masks. They probably have better health safety measures in some of the schools than we would normally do in a community."
French Polynesia coming to Tonga's aid
French Polynesia will join the relief effort for Tonga after the volcanic eruption and the tsunami.
The government says it will open a collection point for donated goods in the port of Papeete tomorrow.
It says in an appeal to the Pacific Islands Forum, Tonga had asked for water, storage tanks and tarpaulins.
It says the collection in Tahiti will also be for clothes, sanitary products and non-perishable food.
The government says the ship Tahiti Nui 1 is scheduled to sail with the supplies to Nukualofa on Friday.
Covid stops Fijians Sevens involvement in Spain
The Fijian 7s teams missed the Seville 7s due to postive covid-19 tests.
Several players in both the men's and women's teams returned positive results as part of their exit test after being in seven days of isolation.
Fiji Rugby Union chief executive John O'Connor says the results were unexpected but they had no other choice but to withdraw.
O'Connor says the players and management who initially tested positive have since tested negative.
American Samoa names competitor in skeleton for Winter Olympics
Nathan Crumpton is set to become the first athlete to represent American Samoa at the Winter Olympics for 28 years.
Crumpton is 26th on the men's skeleton ranking, good enough to qualify for Beijing 2022.
Crumpton also participated at Tokyo 2020 in the men's 100 metres, and is due to become the first person to compete for American Samoa at the Summer and Winter Olympics.
American Samoa last sent athletes to the Winter Olympics in Norway in 1994 when a two-man bobsleigh team competed.