Pacific news in brief for 31 July

RNZ News

31-07-2025

Photo:
RNZ / Mark Papalii
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is due to address the Papua New Guinea Parliament on 5 August.
Luxon will be in the country for two days, where he will meet with senior officials, including his counterpart James Marape.
This comes as the two countries implement a partnership agreement, amidst Aotearoa's involvement in the Bougainville peace process.
Luxon's first visit to the Pacific was in June last year.
A man accused of vandalising the Samabula Shiv Temple in Suva, Fiji, three weeks ago has been judged unfit to stand trial.
The accused appeared in the Suva Magistrates Court on Wednesday on one count of alleged sacrilege and one of throwing an object.
A medical report presented in court found that the accused suffered from schizophrenia and was incapable of entering a plea.
He was remanded in custody until 13 August, to undergo psychiatric care.
Fiji has launched a crackdown on food safety after a survey of 111 uncovered widespread breaches last year.
The issues range from pest infestations to expired licenses.
Trade ministry Permanent Secretary, Shaheen Ali, revealed alarming findings at the opening of a high-level food safety workshop in Suva.
fijivillage.com
reported nearly half of the surveyed restaurants lacked valid health licenses, more than 80 percent failed to display food grading certificates, and some showed signs of pest infestation.
Ali said they are serious issues that demand decisive action to protect public health.
An outrigger school in Samoa is also teaching water awareness, with concern about drownings in the nation.
Su'a Jay Ah Fook Schuster and his wife started Alo Paopao Academy in Apia years ago, and they are now running a pilot program at Maninoa on the south coast of Upolu.
Su'a told the
ABC
that last time he checked, there were about two drownings a month.
There are plans to expand the program to include other villages.
A woman who covered up her husband's abuse and impregnation of their underage daughter has received a suspended prison term in the Federated States of Micronesia.
The Pohnpei Supreme Court sentenced the Fijian national to eight years in prison, suspended under strict conditions.
She was found guilty of conspiracy, solicitation, failure to report criminal activity, harassment, intimidation, psychological abuse and the unlawful confinement of a family member.
The husband was previously tried, convicted and sentenced for the incest-related crimes and served a prison sentence before being deported to Fiji.
New Zealand is increasing its funding for drug detection dogs in the Pacific.
The programme sends dogs and trained handlers in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
From 2018, the NZ government invested NZ$3.8 million dollars; but that would be increased to NZ$6.7 million for the next five years.
National Coordinator Police Dogs Inspector Todd Southall told
1News
the five-year funding would focus on insider threats and corruption which were huge risks to the programme.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has visited the Port of Auckland on his New Zealand tour.
Manele expressed particular interest in the fisheries and maritime sectors, highlighting the Bina Harbour project in Malaita Province as a priority for Solomon Islands' national economic development.