Pacific News In Brief For 1 July
A round-up of news from around the region, including Niue government announcing its budget for 2025.
Niue – budget
Health, education, social welfare and government salaries have receives a boost in the Niue government's new NZ$12.5 million (US$7.6m) deficit budget.
Last week, the island's finance minister announced the largest expenditure of the government is to cover the salaries of its workforce and the cost of social services.
TV Niue reported the health department gets the highest increase in this budget of more than $880,000, a 26 percent boost.
Cook Islands – firearms
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has announced several new initiatives aimed at enhancing firearm regulation and safety across the Pa Enua (outer islands).
Cook Islands News reported this includes the resumption of police-issued ammunition and plans to simplify the driving licensing process for tourists.
Speaking in parliament, Brown confirmed that the Cook Islands Police has reinstated its role as the official supplier of ammunition to the Pa Enua.
The move is expected to assist island communities in managing issues such as wild animal control.
Papua New Guinea – chicken
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird has raised concerns over a drop in chicken sales nationwide.
Bird said the government banned the importation of frozen chicken from Australia and New Zealand with the pretext of protecting the Papua New Guinea industry from foreign competitors and diseases.
He said it was a short-sighted decision and now as imported chicken stock runs out, the impact is being felt around the country.
He said imported chickens retail at about 22 kina ($US5.33) per kilo, while locally produced chickens retail at about 40 kina.
Bird said local chicken production will remain expensive because the chicken feed is imported and 80 per cent of the cost of producing a chicken is the feed cost.
Samoa – festival
A large Samoan festival – the Teuila Festival – has been cancelled this year.
The festival, which features cultural performances and the Miss Samoa pageant, has been cancelled to avoid a timing clash with Samoa's general election.
The Miss Samoa pageant has been rescheduled, to run from 27 October to 9 November.
Fiji – ICC
Fijian Nazhat Shameem Khan has been elevated to the topmost prosecutorial position at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Fiji Times reported the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICC has announced that deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang have taken over leadership, following prosecutor Karim Khan KC's temporary leave of absence.
In May Khan, who is British, stepped aside pending the outcome of a United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services investigation into alleged misconduct.
Nazhat Shameem Khan is a Fijian diplomat and former judge.
Fiji/PNG – anniversary
Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is poised to attend Papua New Guinea's 50th independence anniversary celebrations in Port Moresby on 16 September.
Local media reports Rabuka praising his PNG counterpart James Marape for his leadership in strengthening the region and expressed Fiji's commitment to maintaining strong diplomatic ties with PNG.
Fiji and PNG established diplomatic relations in 1975 and continue to build on their traditional, political, and economic partnership.
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