LIKE mobile phones, the internet is a need for many ordinary consumers in today’s modern technology-driven society. Internet service providers (ISPs) understand the demand and have tried to attract consumers with promotions highlighting how faster their speeds are or how generous they are with data. The fact is that consumers are hooked on to their…
The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) board has decided in its meeting on Thursday 27th March 2014 to move away from the moderate contractionary monetary policy stance that prevailed in the recent six months to a neutral monetary policy stance over the next six months. The decision reflects current inflation trends and expected macroeconomic…
A Suva based company has been awarded a contract to help install solar systems in three Tuvalu islands. The clean and sustainable source of energy will allow the Government of Tuvalu to save up to 120,000 litres of diesel a year translating into a savings of $AUD200,000. The Government of Tuvalu, the European Union and…
THE two largest economies in the Pacific region have experienced strong commodity-led growth in recent years. However, the soon-to-be-released 2014 Asian Development Outlook by the Asian Development Bank would focus on challenges faced by Timor Leste and Papua New Guinea in translating that growth into better services and living standards. Asian Development Bank economist Milovan…
Seasonal farm workers from the Pacific Islands region working in New Zealand’s horticulture sector under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme are being taught to manage their earnings well and invest wisely as part of PT&I’s ongoing annual financial literacy programme for seasonal workers. Last week, the Auckland offices of PT&I conducted a financial literacy…
The Pacific Islands Trade & Invest (PT&I) network, the trade and investment arm of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, is organising a three day workshop from 31 March to 2 April in Suva. The Pacific Path to Market Workshop – a first for Fiji, will address market compliance constraints and highlight specific solutions to enhance…
The regional ambition of a sustainable, affordable and efficient energy and transport services requires a multi-disciplinary approach and collaboration at the highest level among various stakeholders. Such synergies supplement national efforts through strategic partnerships and pooling of resources. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) will be convening the 2nd joint Pacific regional meeting for…
The President of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) has called for more investment in small media businesses. Moses Stevens was at the Asian Development Bank Pacific Business Media Summit last week in Sydney and said there were a lot of ideas shared about business models, but says some small media outlets would love to…
A new media alliance in Tonga is aiming to band outlets together to make advertising more accessible. The publisher of Taimi o Tonga, Kalafi Moala, says the real enemy for media is “out there” and not amongst different outlets. He says some outlets are so small that their reach is not attractive to advertisers, so…
While Fiji tends to be the hub colony for the rest of the Pacific, developments in the country have a strong knock-on effect on the region, says Asian Development Bank economist Milovan Lucich. Speaking to participants at the recent ADB Pacific Business Media Summit in Sydney, Australia, Lucich said they had seen signs of the…