Pacific Waves for Thursday 14 May 2015

3:10 PM.Fiji's opposition is outraged at new requirements for permits; Calls for the Melanesian Spearhead Group to be disbanded; A company argues that American Samoa should set its own wages, not Washington… Read more Audio

3:05 PM.A Papua New Guinea MP says the Melanesian Spearhead Group has failed its original mandate and should be disbanded due to the way its leaders appear beholden to external forces, particularly on the… Read more Audio

3:04 PM.As a federally mandated wage hike in American Samoa looms, the owner of a tuna cannery in the territory is arguing that wages should be determined by locals. Audio

3:02 PM.A festival celebrating Samoan language, theatre and dance is aiming to share stories that are precious to the culture, with the Samoan and wider New Zealand community. Audio

6:06 AM.Former Nauru justice minister says government's latest changes to criminal code are self serving; Fiji opposition party hits a snag in preparations for its constituency meetings; the Solomon Islands… Read more Audio

5:07 AM.Fiji's opposition SODELPA party has hit a snag in preparing for constituency meetings. Audio

5:06 AM.New moves by Nauru's govt to curb dissent; Australia slashes foreign aid spending; The PNG sojourn by Indonesia's leader sparks some controversy over neighbouring Papua; The standoff between Australia… Read more Audio

5:05 AM.Nauru's former resident magistrate says the government's latest move to further tighten laws in an effort to curb dissent is a worrying sign of the further decay of the country's democracy. Audio

5:04 AM.Australia has slashed its foreign aid by 20 percent to the lowest level ever of gross national income. Audio