In 1981, 25 year-old Peace Corps volunteer, Carolyn Hessler-Radelet, taught at a girls’ Catholic school in Western Samoa and lived in a thatched hut with her host parents and their eight children. Last month, President Obama nominated Hessler-Radelet to be permanent director of the Peace Corps. Since arriving at the agency three years ago, she has Read more
The effort made by the Society of Mary and the people of Cakaudrove to provide outstanding development opportunities has been acknowledged by the Permanent Secretary of Fiji’s Ministry of Education. He made his comments when he recently toured the Marist Tutu Rural Training Centre in Tutu, Taveuni to look at the various educational opportunities it offered. During Read more
Pacific Conference of Churches(PCC) has welcomed the formation of the Pacific Islands Development Forum ( PIDF ) as as a move towards inclusivity but has warned against paying mere lip service to development in the Pacific. “From the perspective of the church and faith-based organisations, we have a huge constituency and network which can be used Read more
A review of current financial position of the Archdiocese Samoa-Apia as at 18th June 2013, says the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia is “insolvent”. This statement is contained in a review prepared by public Accountant, Tupuola Oloiali’i Koki Tuala, which the Samoa Observer says was leaked to the Sunday Samoan. In his report, Tupuola says the total Read more
An agreement has now been reached with Nauru, which is similar to the one already concluded with Papua New Guinea – to take more asylum seekers who arrive by boat in Australia and if they are found to be genuine refugees they’ll be settled permanently in Nauru. Father Frank Brennan who is professor of law at Read more
Residents of a home for the aged in Samoa broke out in applause when introduced to the new Manu Samoa 7s coach last Friday. Viliamu Punivalu was a member of a Samoa Rugby Union (SFU) delegation who took gifts from Manu Samoa players to residents of Mapuifagalele Home for the Aged. Opened in 1975, Mapuifagalele Home Read more
The Pacific Council of Churches wants to see more consultation over the asylum seeker deal between Australia and Papua New Guinea. The regional church body says with the possible resettlement of asylum seekers from different countries in Papua New Guinea, a policy of assimilation will have to be looked at to help the newcomers fit Read more
On the weekend of the 23rd to 25th August 2013, Pacific Regional Seminary of St. Peter Chanel in Suva Fiji will celebrate 40 years of its existence. A good representation from the various dioceses and congregations is expected to attend. These include diocesan priests from Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia and Kiribati as well religious Read more
The escalation in student violence is a major crisis for the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, its General Secretary Rev Dr Tevita Havea says, and he is suggesting that closing the rival boarding schools of ‘Atele and Toloa for ten years might be a way forward for the schools and the country. He was commenting Read more
In an unprecedented move the Catholic Bishops of the Papua New Guinea Highlands Region have made a strong attack on sorcery refuting in particular the deeply entrenched traditional belief of sanguma, based on which human death is allegedly caused by sorcerers. This leads to persecution and killing of innocent people conveniently identified with the weakest Read more