Solomon Islands
There are fears that a landslide
at Gold Ridge Mine in the Solomon Islands may have claimed
lives.
Gold Ridge Mining Limited today released a
statement confirming that an incident occurred at the mine
site in the early hours of this morning, 27 July.
The
company said no injuries, fatalities, or equipment damage
have been confirmed, and that mining and construction
activities continue without disruption.
Earlier,
In-depth Solomons reported that up to ten people may
have been buried as a result of the ground collapse at the
mine.
The Solomon Islands Police Force have been
approached for comment.
Kiribati
The Asian
Development Bank (ADB) and the Kiribati government have
signed anagreement for an US$11 million grant for
health.
The ADB said the signing marks a major step
toward completion of the new Betio Hospital, and
strengthening health services for communities in South
Tarawa and the outer islands.
The hospital is set to
be completed and operational by the end of the second
quarter of 2028.
Fiji
The Fiji High Court has
granted a permanent stay on criminal proceedings against
British and Fijian national Charlie Charters.
Charters
had been charged with two counts of aiding and
abetting.
fijivillage.com reports that in his
ruling on Friday, (24 July), Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu
found the anti-corruption commission had violated Mr
Charters’ constitutional rights and abused the court
process.
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Justice Bulamainaivalu gave the commission 30
days to appeal.
Fiji
China says its defence
cooperation with Fiji is not aimed at excluding other
countries.
FBC reports Chinese Embassy Defence
Attaché Zhang Yu saying China is committed to working
alongside Fiji’s existing security partners.
He said
China-Fiji defence and security cooperation is never meant
to shut anyone out.
Zhang said China stands ready to
work alongside all of Fiji’s defence partners in joint
efforts in boosting the Fiji military’s operational
readiness.
He said also includes tackling climate
change and maritime security threats, and countering
transnational organised crime such as drug
trafficking.
More than 40 officers from Fiji’s
Ministry of Defence and the military reportedly participated
in exchange programmes in China over the past
year.
Vanuatu/New Zealand
It is Vanuatu
Bislama Language Week in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The
theme translates to: “Talk about climate change – it is
real, and we must look after life”.
Around 300,000
people speak more than 100 indigenous languages across more
than 80 islands in Vanuatu. This gives Vanuatu one of the
highest numbers of languages per capita anywhere in the
world.
In the country itself, English and French are
official languages, while Bislama is the national language
and the most widely spoken.
American
Samoa
American Samoa’s congresswoman has spoken out
against what she calls mischaracterisations of her position
on seabed mining.
Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen’s
comment comes after the United States government proposed a
series of deep-sea mining leases in American Samoan
waters.
Aumua reiterated firm opposition to seabed
mining in American Samoa, and warned that others in the US
political space have tried to mischaracterise her
stance.
Aumua said she is confident the people of
American Samoa support her call against seabed
mining.
Bougainville
A two-week specialist eye
outreach programme is underway at Buka General Hospital in
Bougainville.
The programme, led by doctors from Papua
New Guinea provinces of Western Highlands and East New
Britain, offers eye screening, consultations and cataract
surgery.
Health extension officer and ophthalmologist
Tracey Riaman told NBC Bougainville the outreach is
life-changing, giving patients a second chance of
sight.
The programme runs until 31 July, with more
than 200 patients already registered.
Solomon
Islands
Prime Minister Matthew Wale has opted out of
a six percent payrise given to all MPs in the country by the
parliamentary entitlements commission this month.
This
has been widely criticised as it comes only two years after
MPs received massive pay rises of between 37 and 39 percent
just before the election in 2024.
In comparison,
public servants last year only received a pay rise of 3.5
percent.
In a statement from Tokyo where he was on a
state visit last week, Wale criticised the commission’s
decision saying the realities facing Solomon Islands
citizens must remain at the forefront of any decision-making
process.
Wale said he was committed to undertaking
constitutional reform to replace the current parliamentary
entitlements framework with a more comprehensive and
equitable mechanism.
He said this will involve the
establishment of a Higher Salaries Commission, mandated to
determine the remuneration of all public sector employees,
not just MPs.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu’s former speaker
of parliament Seoule Simeon is among 13 detainees granted a
presidential pardon by President Nikenike
Vurobaravu.
VBTC reported Simeon was convicted
last year and sentenced to two years in prison for
unlawfully taking a state-owned vehicle.
The State
Office confirmed other pardoned individuals included people
with serious medical conditions and those who were already
out on parole.
It said the latter group were pardonned
to clear their records and improve their prospects of
securing employment.
New Caledonia
The French
government is launching phase two of its US$2.3 billion
(CFP240 billion) investment programme in New
Caledonia.
It said it has approved 50 projects worth a
total of US$100 million.
The funding will support
transport infrastructure, water and sanitation networks,
disaster resilience, tourism and new economic
activity.
Paris said grant recipients must start work
as soon as possible, and no later than the end of
2026.
Phase one was worth
US$70m.
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