Work is underway in Papua New Guinea to come up with recommendations for the government on the best way to re-settle refugees, currently in detention at Manus Island. It will spend the next few weeks consulting non-government organisations, businesses and other community groups. The panel’s deputy chair is the Archbishop of Port Moresby John Ribat. Read more
The Don Bosco Technical Institute, Henderson, Solomon Islands commenced Term 2 on Tuesday 8th April, with 80% of its students in attendance. Everyone has been personally affected – directly or indirectly – and the weeklong floods have left painful memories that will be hard to heal. The rector, Fr. Dominic Kachira, invited those who were Read more
The flood in the Solomon Islands stranded Brother Joris van der Zant, the director San Isidro Care Centre for young people with speech and hearing disabilities. On Sunday the Archbishop Honiara, Adrian Smith reported that Brother Joris had been isolated from the centre, stranded between two damaged bridges. Joris eventually managed to return to the Read more
An outbreak of pink eye has closed all the Catholic schools in American Samoa. The Office of Catholic Education Service, closed the schools last Friday and it was expected that they would remain closed on Monday. The closure encompasses a high school, three elementary schools and two kindergartens, with more than 700 total students enrolled. Read more
American Samoa’s acting Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga has signed into law legislation that criminalises human trafficking and involuntary servitude. In a letter to the Fono (legislative Assembly) leaders Lemanu said, “We found that there have been past incidents of human trafficking in American Samoa.” “Victims of human trafficking are not limited to a certain age, Read more
There are 1296 asylum seekers being held in the Australian detention centre on the Papua New Guinea Island of Manus. Most are from troubled Middle East and Asian countries. The highest number is from Iran (533), followed by Afghanistan (134), Pakistan (104), Iraq (94). There are also 90 Sudanese, 47 Somalis and a handful of Read more
The Martin Hautus Institute is establishing itself in Samoa and will officially open after Easter. The Institute targets school leavers over 15 and mature people looking for jobs, according to Pulotu Arthur Solomon, one of the founders and directors of the Institute. He says “jobs” are at the heart of the institute’s programmes. In comparison with other Read more
The prime minister of Fiji, rear admiral Voreqe Bainimarama is bold because he knows God is leading him, says newly appointed military commander Brigadier General Mosese Tikoitoga. He made the statement during a visit to the Sukanaivalu Barracks in Labasa on 27 March. Speaking in the iTaukei language, Tikoitoga said a lot of trying situations Read more
The Archbishop of Suva, Peter Loy Chong, says the interim Fijian government’s pursuit of foreign investors has contributed to a rise in the country’s poverty rate. Research by social justice advocate Father Kevin Barr indicates that six out of ten Fijians in full-time work are being paid below the poverty line. But the real numbers Read more
A former Salvation Army worker who provided welfare services at the Australian-run asylum seeker detention centre on Nauru says the situation of hopelessness at the camp was so bad he had to speak out. Mark Isaacs has described his experience in his book, The Undesirables which was due for for publication next month, but has Read more