Pacific news in brief for 27 July

There are fears that a landslide at Gold Ridge Mine in the Solomon Islands may have claimed lives.

Gold Ridge Mining Limited today released a statement confirming that an incident occurred at the mine site in the early hours of this morning, 27 July.

The company said no injuries, fatalities, or equipment damage have been confirmed, and that mining and construction activities continue without disruption.

Earlier, In-depth Solomons reported that up to ten people may have been buried as a result of the ground collapse at the mine.

The Solomon Islands Police Force have been approached for comment.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Kiribati government have signed an agreement for an US$11 million grant for health.

The ADB said the signing marks a major step toward completion of the new Betio Hospital, and strengthening health services for communities in South Tarawa and the outer islands.

The hospital is set to be completed and operational by the end of the second quarter of 2028.

The Fiji High Court has granted a permanent stay on criminal proceedings against British and Fijian national Charlie Charters.

Charters had been charged with two counts of aiding and abetting.

fijivillage.com reports that in his ruling on Friday, (24 July), Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu found the anti-corruption commission had violated Mr Charters’ constitutional rights and abused the court process.

Justice Bulamainaivalu gave the commission 30 days to appeal.

China says its defence cooperation with Fiji is not aimed at excluding other countries.

FBC reports Chinese Embassy Defence Attaché Zhang Yu saying China is committed to working alongside Fiji’s existing security partners.

He said China-Fiji defence and security cooperation is never meant to shut anyone out.

Zhang said China stands ready to work alongside all of Fiji’s defence partners in joint efforts in boosting the Fiji military’s operational readiness.

He said also includes tackling climate change and maritime security threats, and countering transnational organised crime such as drug trafficking.

More than 40 officers from Fiji’s Ministry of Defence and the military reportedly participated in exchange programmes in China over the past year.

It is Vanuatu Bislama Language Week in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The theme translates to: “Talk about climate change – it is real, and we must look after life”.

Around 300,000 people speak more than 100 indigenous languages across more than 80 islands in Vanuatu. This gives Vanuatu one of the highest numbers of languages per capita anywhere in the world.

In the country itself, English and French are official languages, while Bislama is the national language and the most widely spoken.

American Samoa’s congresswoman has spoken out against what she calls mischaracterisations of her position on seabed mining.

Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen’s comment comes after the United States government proposed a series of deep-sea mining leases in American Samoan waters.

Aumua reiterated firm opposition to seabed mining in American Samoa, and warned that others in the US political space have tried to mischaracterise her stance.

Aumua said she is confident the people of American Samoa support her call against seabed mining.

A two-week specialist eye outreach programme is underway at Buka General Hospital in Bougainville.

The programme, led by doctors from Papua New Guinea provinces of Western Highlands and East New Britain, offers eye screening, consultations and cataract surgery.

Health extension officer and ophthalmologist Tracey Riaman told NBC Bougainville the outreach is life-changing, giving patients a second chance of sight.

The programme runs until 31 July, with more than 200 patients already registered.

Prime Minister Matthew Wale has opted out of a six percent payrise given to all MPs in the country by the parliamentary entitlements commission this month.

This has been widely criticised as it comes only two years after MPs received massive pay rises of between 37 and 39 percent just before the election in 2024.

In comparison, public servants last year only received a pay rise of 3.5 percent.

In a statement from Tokyo where he was on a state visit last week, Wale criticised the commission’s decision saying the realities facing Solomon Islands citizens must remain at the forefront of any decision-making process.

Wale said he was committed to undertaking constitutional reform to replace the current parliamentary entitlements framework with a more comprehensive and equitable mechanism.

He said this will involve the establishment of a Higher Salaries Commission, mandated to determine the remuneration of all public sector employees, not just MPs.

Vanuatu’s former speaker of parliament Seoule Simeon is among 13 detainees granted a presidential pardon by President Nikenike Vurobaravu.

VBTC reported Simeon was convicted last year and sentenced to two years in prison for unlawfully taking a state-owned vehicle.

The State Office confirmed other pardoned individuals included people with serious medical conditions and those who were already out on parole.

It said the latter group were pardonned to clear their records and improve their prospects of securing employment.

The French government is launching phase two of its US$2.3 billion (CFP240 billion) investment programme in New Caledonia.

It said it has approved 50 projects worth a total of US$100 million.

The funding will support transport infrastructure, water and sanitation networks, disaster resilience, tourism and new economic activity.

Paris said grant recipients must start work as soon as possible, and no later than the end of 2026.

Phase one was worth US$70m.