New policies help smallholder farmers

Ready access to land, labour and credit are the basic resources necessary for farming. And choosing the right type of farming is dependent on how land can be accessed, what labour is available (family or hire), and what assets the farmer has to obtain credit. Government services through research and extension departments of ministries of…

PEC fund coordinators meet in Palau to discuss projects

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s Pacific Environment Community (PEC) Fund is hosting the first ever meeting of regional PEC Fund coordinators from 15-17th July 2014 in Koror, Palau. With 13 Forum Island Countries’ PEC Fund Project Coordinators in attendance, the meeting will focus on knowledge sharing as well as discussions on strengthening the sustainability of…

Saipan will ship cattle to Guam

A rancher on Saipan is expected to ship this week 12 head of cattle to Guam, Department of Land and Natural Resources Secretary Arnold I. Palacios disclosed last week. In an interview, Palacios told reporters that CNMI veterinarian Dr. Ignacio Dela Cruz has started the vaccination and testing to prepare the cattle for shipment.  He…

Kahui commends market project

A Honiara resident has commended the Honiara City Council (HCC) in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO) for the initiative taken to improve the environment of the Honiara central market as a tobacco, betel nut and alcohol free environment. Hendry Kahui said its a great idea as part of making positive progress for the city.…

ADB assist Kiribati in USP upgrade

The Government of Kiribati, the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) participated in a ground-breaking ceremony yesterday to officially mark the first step toward upgrading the USP’s Tarawa Campus, which will boost students’ access to higher education.   The President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, delivered the keynote speech at the…

Nauru Air Corporation announces ‘Nauru Airlines’

Since 2006, Nauru Air Corporation has been trading as Our Airline and promoting co-operation amongst neighbouring countries to improve airline services in the region. The strategy has seen a number of new aviation initiatives and partnerships developed over the years since 2006 that have provided new services, linked new destinations and delivered more affordable travel…

Petrol colour to change: InterOil

INTEROIL will introduce red dye into its petrol product apart from the current purple colour starting next month. The company said: “The main reason is adoption of common colour that is widely used around the world. The colour coding product is primary for easy identification and safety reasons.” In a paid advertisement InterOil said it…

BSP to buy back shares

THE board of directors of Bank South Pacific (BSP) Ltd had resolved to undertake a buyback of up to K15 million worth of its own shares, chairman Kostas Constantinou said Monday. “The buyback is set to open on the day following this announcement (yesterday) and will continue for a period of up to 12 months.…

Vodafone expands to PNG, SI

Vodafone is extending its business activities to the somewhat exotic regions of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, after forming a non-equity arrangement with a local player. The UK-based group said it has signed an exclusive partner market agreement with Bemobile Limited, which trades as bmobile. The two operators will in future collaborate on…