March 2022

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IB March 2022 Fiji cover

Whispers

Samoan style Samoa’s former PM, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has been found guilty of contempt of court in relation to last year’s contentious election. But in

Working from home

Teleworking realities

The COVID-19 has been dubbed the “great accelerator,” as it brought an enormous shift to digital around the world. Schools and learning went online, video conference participation rose dramatically, medical services were delivered over the phone and Internet, and businesses struggling to implement their digital strategy took the leap, simply because they had no other choice.

Fiji workers

New Pacific workers scheme to deal with “slave labour” conditions

Next month (April) a new scheme for Pacific Islanders to work in Australia’s agricultural industry comes into force, after parliamentary inquiries heard evidence that Pacific Islanders have been exploited and treated as slave labour. But comments by a Samoan official cast doubt on how much support the workers receive from their own governments.

Lenora Qereqeretabua

The cost of politics

is again under the spotlight as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Australia, Wallis and Futuna and American-affiliated Pacific states and territories are all expected to hold elections this year.

Chris Cobb

Cobb seeks ‘Freedom’

Chris Cobb’s song Freedom is inspired by two tragedies, the ongoing human rights abuses of the indigenous people of West Papua, and the sinking of the MV Rabaul Queen.

Leonard Louma

Movers and Shakers

Leonard Louma is the new Director General of the MSG Secretariat. Louma is a seasoned PNG diplomat, with postings to the UN, France and China,