25 Jan 2023

Pacific news in brief for January 25

3:41 pm on 25 January 2023

Tougher drug laws to be enforced in Papua New Guinea

In March, drug law amendments will impose a life sentence on anyone carrying over 10 grams of methamphetamine.

Papua New Guinea's Police Commissioner David Manning confirmed the new laws yesterday.

Manning said the law applies to possession for consumption and not just trafficking.

Honiara ratifies nuke test ban treaty

Solomon Islands has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) at the United Nations in New York.

The Solomons is party to the Treaty of Rarotonga, borne of the South Pacific's first-hand experience with nuclear weapons testing.

The executive secretary of the CTBT Organisation, Robert Floyd, says the move sends a powerful message and a strong political statement from Solomon Islands whose history underlines the importance of banning nuclear testing for good.

Solomon Islands becomes the 177th State to ratify the CTBT.

Dame Winnie says Sepuloni election should inspire young Pacific leaders in NZ

Dame Winnie Laban.

Dame Winnie Laban. Photo: RNZ/Denver Grenell

Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban says she hopes the choice of Carmel Sepuloni as New Zealand's first-ever deputy prime minister of Pacific descent inspires young up and coming Pacific leaders to pursue careers in politics.

Dame Winnie, who was New Zealand's first female MP of Pacific descent after her election in 1999, says she is absolutely thrilled by Sepuloni's appointment.

She described it as wonderful for both New Zealand and the wider Pacific region.

However, she said with two long-serving Pasifika MPs also bowing out of politics this year, it is no time for Pasifika to be resting on their laurels.

Chinese flyers to French Polynesia must test negative

Travellers flying to French Polynesia from China now must test negative for covid-19 two days before their departure.

On arrival, they must take a Covid-19 test.

The changes, which apply to people aged 11 and older, were adopted after the mass outbreak of the virus in China.

Travellers from China must also submit a declaration that they have no covid-19 symptoms and that they have no knowledge of having been in contact with a confirmed case in the 14 days before the flight.

They must also agree to isolate for seven days, should they test positive on arrival.

University reduces enrolment fees

The National University of Samoa has reduced its 2023 enrolment fees as many students are facing financial hardships.

But the students will to pay the difference later.

In a statement, the university said management decided to reduce the enrolment fee to $122 tala.

The fee was previously $322 tala, which is around $US118.

But the statement said the other $200 tala for enrolment administration costs is now added to the Semester 1 tuition fee, to be paid later in week 5 or by partial arrangement up to week 14.

Pacific education conference slated for March

The first Conference of Pacific Education Ministers will be held in March in Auckland, to discuss key education challenges and identify areas of action in the region.

Those in attendance are set to include Pacific Islands Forum Education leaders, senior government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, policymakers, students, and educators.

They are expected to also discuss how the region is progressing towards the goals of the Pacific Regional Education Framework 2030 Agenda.