Over 14,000 thousand people, including 5,000 children, have been displaced from their homes by the Fiji floods. These families are sheltering in over 200 evacuation centres and many lack regular access to water, food and essential items. Water and electricity shortages across the Western Division are creating a potentially dangerous situation for thousands more. The Read more
Thousands of police were deployed in Indoneisa to ensure a peaceful Easter. In Jakarta a total of 4,313 police were deployed to secure 1,262 churches, while West Java deployed more than 8,000 officers across the province over the Easter period. Thousands of people attended services at Jakarta Cathedral in Central Jakarta. Services were performed three Read more
The Speaker of Parliament, Jeffery Nape, has called on the Electoral Commission to set new dates for the election that’s supposed to be held in June, even though the Prime Minister and the Electoral Commissioner now say the elections will go ahead as scheduled. On Tuesday a crowd variously reported to number 100’s to 10,000 people, including students, Read more
The United Nations Children’s Fund says nutrition for children affected by the Fiji floods is a major concern. “It felt really heart wrenching to see families, and especially young children in the evacuation centers with nothing but the clothes on their back. Some lost everything while others saved what they could. It was really sad Read more
Three floods in three years have destroyed or severely damaged homes and businesses in Nadi, Fiji’s third largest town. Graham Davis reports these repeated disasters are being “regarded as no coincidence”. Davis says that developments upstream and downstream are contributing to the severity of the flooding problem. “In truth, the town has always sat on Read more
The bad weather in Fiji has not deterred close to 100 Catholic youths are braving strong winds and heavy rain in show of their faith. Former radio personality Tukini Cama who was the spokesman for participants of the week long walk said on Sunday,the rain would not deter them. “This is part of Holy Week,” Read more
Thirty-five students of Don Bosco College at Alafua in Samoa presented a traditional apology or ‘ifoga’ to the school last week. The students and two parents were seen on bended knees in front of the school offices while the school held its daily morning assembly. Director of Catholic Education, Aeau Chris Hazelman, said the students Read more
A Catholic priest in Papua New Guinea who teaches anger management says changing the way people think is one of the keys to overcoming the pervasive levels of domestic violence in the country. Father Philip Gibbs says law changes are one thing but implementation is another given that the police force is really stretched. “And Read more
A study has found Island youths who have been born outside the Pacific or who have migrated to countries such as New Zealand, Australia or the United States, are much more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. According to Dr Siale Foliaki, New Zealand’s first Tongan consultant psychiatrist, who was involved in the study, “People Read more
The director of Catholic Education in Samoa says inter-school fighting is one of the reasons for taking a tougher stance on bullying. Prefects at Don Bosco, a Catholic technical institution, finished a six-day suspension on Friday after an assault on a fellow student last week for which they all claimed responsibility. Nearly all of the school’s Read more