Tonga

At the conclusion of the OCO Heads Annual Conference on October 20, themed “Working together to build a safer Blue Pacific”, leaders of Customs administrations in the region stated the loss in revenue collection for their governments due to the closure of borders as their biggest cost of COVID-19.

However, in addition to generating revenue for their governments, Customs administrations are increasingly being presented with other challenges such as the rise of illicit drugs, contraband goods and having to crew quarantine centers.

The Samoan and Tongan New Zealanders are all square at two wins a piece from their previous four meetings as amateurs, and they have plenty to fight for.

Junior Fa is all set for what's been billed as the 'Fight of the Century', but there's one person who will be missing from his corner - his dad and secondary trainer, Uaine Fa - who passed away due to cancer last year.

A Tongan-born amateur boxer in his youth and the biggest influence in Junior's career, Uaine Fa was the man resposible for his son's boxing career.

New Zealand Rugby League announced yesterday the Kiwi Ferns would face Fetū Samoa at Mount Smart Stadium on 7 November as part of the team's 25th anniversary year, with the Tonga and Niue women's teams squaring off in the curtain-raiser.

The Kiwi Ferns won the corresponding fixture 46-8 in June last year and the head of Rugby League Samoa's New Zealand chapter, Geoff Muliaga Brown, says discussions about a possible rematch have been happening ever since.

"The Kiwi Ferns are building on what was done last year but also they're trying to develop for the World Cup," he said.

According to Stuff.nz the team is backed by All Black legend Bryan Williams, as well as the former Attorney Generals of both Samoa and Tonga. The group that wants to represent all of the Pacific nations, and are proposing to work closely with Counties-Manukau rugby union, who are based in south Auckland.

Tonga defeated Papua New Guinea in March to set up a showdown against the Manusina for a berth in the final World Cup repechage tournament.

The match was meant to take place in Apia in April but was postponed indefinitely because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With global borders still shut, the teams were discussing the prospect of playing the game in Auckland in November, with both squads to be selected from players already based in New Zealand.

Samoa assistant coach, Cynthia Ta'ala-Timaloa, said it was probably their best option.

The countries include Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Cook Islands, and Niue.

Commenting on the delivery, Abdulla Al Subousi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Australia, said, "Today’s aid shipment to Pacific island countries reflects the UAE’s continued efforts to support and stand by these countries to contain the spread of COVID-19 by providing critical medical supplies and protection to strengthen the efforts of healthcare personnel."

The Walk Free report identifies cases of forced labour, commercial sexual exploitation of children, and forced marriage in the Pacific.

The report, Murky waters: A qualitative assessment of modern slavery in the Pacific region, said exploitation was fuelled by widespread poverty, migration, and the abuse of cultural practices.

The inaugural meeting of a Pacific Islands Digital Citizenship and Safety Advisory Group included Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand and Australia.

The new education programme to launch this year, will use Facebook's 'We Think Digital' to start a tailored education campaign relevant for local communities. 

Facebook's director of policy Mia Garlick said Pacific communities were spending more time online and there had been an increase in the use of social media platforms following the rise of Covid-19 incidence.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said upon arrival the travelers must spend 14 days in Fijian government quarantine facilities and then pass a COVID-19 test to enter society, both at their own cost or the cost of their respective government.

“As our risk assessments evolve, we may expand this arrangement to Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, “Mr Bainimarama said in a briefing in Suva today (Sunday).

This is the first time the airline has reconfigured its ATR aircraft for freight operations. The freighter service carried 3.8 tonnes of cargo from Nadi to Port Vila and 1.9 tonnes on the return sector on Sunday. Outbound freight included medical supplies, while the outbound carried a number of consolidated items, including coffee and mail.