Fiji

About 12,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine was sent to Fiji by the UN Children's Fund as part of the World Health Organisation's COVAX initiative.

The Fiji government said while the vaccine cost them $US30 million, AstraZeneca was ideal for the country's storage capability.

At least 600,000 Fijians need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to ensure the country is protected against infection, the government said.

It said about 6,000 front-line and essential workers would be the first to receive the jabs

Agreeing in unison on the initiative's timeliness, the respective governments and its people all see the urgent need to educate youths and individuals on online safety etiquettes.   

‘I Am Digital’ is a new social media online safety education campaign for Save the Children and Facebook, uniquely tailored for audiences in the Pacific Islands. The high-profile campaign is designed to help educate and empower Pacific Island teenagers and young people to have safer and more positive online experiences.

The Health Ministry says a 22-year-old man and a 66-year-old woman are the latest cases.

The ministry said the man had arrived in the country from Durban, South Africa, and had transited through Auckland.

He returned a positive result during routine quarantine testing while undergoing the mandatory 14-day quarantine in a government designated border quarantine facility in Nadi.

The ministry said the man currently has no symptoms, and further investigations are underway to determine whether this is a historical case of the coronavirus.

Frank Bainimarama said he was saddened at the loss of his friend and Pacific iconic leader.

Bainimarama said there has been a great mourning across PNG and the Pacific since the passing of the 'Grand Chief'.

He said Sir Michael was an 'architect of regional unity' who would live on in the hearts of the Pacific people.

Bainimarama said Fiji had lost a dear friend as Sir Michael was more than PNG's founding father,

The case is a 30-year-old man, who travelled from Manila, Philippines, transiting through Hong Kong, arriving in Nadi on flight FJ1394 on 18 February.

He returned a weak positive result during routine testing while undergoing mandatory 14-day quarantine in a government designated border quarantine facility in Nadi.

Speaking at the recent ordination, the Head of the Catholic Church in Fiji, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong said, “You are the voice of God to His people; you are to look after and abide by His calling into your lives,”

Deacon Filipo was born and raised in New Zealand of immigrant Samoan and Niuean parents.

He was a Marist Brother of the District of the Pacific for forty years, where he taught in various countries in South East Asia, Australia, Aotearoa-New Zealand and the Central and South Pacific Basin.

The leaders said they saw minimal, if any impact, by departing the region's primary body.

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says Micronesia must stand in solidarity with their Pacific counterparts.

The standoff stemmed from Micronesia's frustration at its candidate no getting the sceretary-general's position at the Forum Secretariat following what it called a 'gentlemen's agreement' the subregion would get the top job at PIFS.

Former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna was elected to replace Papua New Guinea's Dame Meg Taylor last month.

The category five storm left four people dead and thousands homeless when it hit the country in December.

Speaking in Parliament, the Disaster Management Minister Inia Seruiratu said about 139,000 people and 31,000 households were directly affected by the super storm.

Seruiratu said more than 8000 homes were destroyed.

He said the education sector was also impacted with more than 90 schools damaged across the country.

The minister said the health sector had recorded extensive damage to 25 of its facilities in Macuata, Cakaudrove, Bua and Taveuni.

The revelation follows the Fiji government's deportation of USP vice-chancellor and president (VCP) Pal Ahluwalia and his wife after they were whisked away from their home in the middle of the night by immigration officers.

Samoa's minister of education has revealed that moving the university headquarters to Samoa will be on the agenda of today's USP Council meeting.

Loau Keneti Sio said the manner in which USP president and vice-chancellor Pal Ahluwalia was removed will also be tabled.

Mrs Sandy Ahluwalia could not talk for long when Islands Business tried calling her husband’s telephone a short while ago.

“We can’t talk, we’re being deported on 11am flight today,” she whispered before the call was terminated.

The couple is believed to be at the Nadi International Airport.

USP staff tell us immigration officers arrested the VC and his wife at their home at the USP Campus around 11pm last night and took them by car on the three-hour drive to Nadi airport.