Tonga
Tonga’s Supervisor of Elections Samiuela Vao says his office expects writs for two by-elections to be issued by King Tupou VI by the end of the week.
The Tongan Electoral Commission is now preparing for by-elections for the Tongatapu Two and Niua 17 seats.
This follows the resignations of the Members of Parliament for the two constituencies, Semisi Sika from Tongatapu 2 and Lata ʻi Faingataʻa Tangimana from Niua 17.
The two were found guilty of bribery by the Nuku’alofa Magistrates Court, in relation to the 2025 general election, and will not be able to stand for election for five years.
Papua New Guinea
PNG police have condemned the recent increase in school fights and violent behaviour involving students in Port Moresby.
They say schools are places of learning, not violence.
Police say students who choose to engage in public fighting, destroy property, intimidate others or disturb public order will be treated as offenders under the law.
Fiji
Manoa Kamikamica has returned to Cabinet as Fiji’s deputy prime minister and minister for industries, commerce, business development and public enterprises.
Kamikamica was sworn in Tuesday at State House in Suva.
He had been charged with perjury and giving false information to a public servant under oath to a Commission of Inquiry, but the Suva Magistrates Court ruled he has no case to answer.
Kamikamica previously held the same portfolios before stepping aside to clear his name.
Guam
Guam’s governor Lou Leon Guerrero has vetoed the US territory’s budget.
The Pacific Island Times reports the Republican-controlled Guam Legislature recently passed a bill that would cut spending by US$46 million per annum.
Guerrero’s office said this would come at the cost of essential services, proposing a new bill that it said would increase revenue by $18m per annum.
The bill has been sent back to the legislature for voting, with Guerrero set to convene a special session.
Fiji
The Fiji Corrections Service has suspended four officers pending the outcome of an investigation into an alleged assault on an inmate at the Lautoka Remand Centre.
Local media reported that it followed the circulation of CCTV footage on social media showing a prison officer allegedly dragging, punching and kicking an inmate at the facility in June.
Corrections said a formal investigation is underway and that the suspension is standard procedure when investigating such allegations.
Meanwhile, the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission has called for a prompt, independent and transparent investigation.
It said there must be zero tolerance for torture and all forms of ill-treatment in places of detention.
Tonga
Tonga’s Ministry of Health has declared an end to the country’s dengue fever outbreak.
The ministry said the last case was recorded on 19 July.
There were 29 hospital admission but no deaths reported during the outbreak, which had been declared on 17 April.
The ministry said the majority of cases were from Tongatapu, followed by Ha’apai and then ‘Eua, and the group mostly affected were 15-19 year-olds, predominantly males.
