07-07-2025
Pacific news in brief for 7 July
Artisanal miners search for gold in the waters downstream from the Panguna mine in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea.
Photo:
OCCRP / Aubrey Belford
The Bougainville House of Representatives amended the Mining Act last week.
The new law amends legislation from 2015 to provide a clear legal framework on the levies payable on gold mined in Bougainville.
President Ishmael Toroama, who is also Mining Minister, called it a practical reform that secures a fairer share of Bougainville's natural resource wealth for its people.
He said they will improve compliance, increase transparency and help ensure that the benefits of gold production in Bougainville flow more directly to the Bougainville Consolidated Revenue Fund.
The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Teo, has told a United Nations meeting technology is not a luxury - it's a necessity for survival.
During the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Spain, Teo said low-cost and high-impact technologies allow countries like Tuvalu to strengthen resilience and help it transform.
To achieve this he said Tuvalu and other small threatened states need affordable financing mechanisms so they can effectively deploy these technologies.
He said Tuvalu has solar energy and telemedicine, but scaling these solutions requires fair financing, skill-sharing, and international solidarity.
The public accounts committee is calling on the government to urgently appoint a new High Commissioner to Wellington.
TV Niue
reported the post has been vacant since March 2023.
In a 42-page report, the committee raised concerns about the delay - including unresolved issues around the High Commissioner's residence in Thorndon, which must meet earthquake safety standards set by the Wellington City Council.
The committee said reinstating the role is crucial for strengthening diplomatic ties with New Zealand.
It also flagged other concerns - from staff shortages and under-used government vehicles, to the lack of financial reporting on last year's 50th anniversary of self-government.
Tonga's Miss Heilala for 2025/26 is Siosi'ana Taumoepeau, who was born in Germany, grew up in the United States and Canada, and has French links.
The crowning of Miss Heilala is the highlight of the week-long festival celebrating Tongan culture and identity.
There has been a Tau'olunga competition where seven contestants performed the graceful traditional dance at Tonga High School's Indoor Stadium in Nuku'alofa.
Taumoepeau will also represent Tonga at the Miss Pacific Islands pageant.
