Fiji

The teeth, known in Fiji as tabua, are highly regarded cultural gifts and had been seized at New Zealand's border over the last 15 years under The Trade in Endangered Species Act.

More than 90 percent of specimens seized at New Zealand's border under the Convention of International Trade and Endangered Species, or CITES, are destroyed.

But since the early 1990s, after a request from Fiji authorities, all tabua has instead been collected and stored by DOC.

Wendy Jackson, the head of CITES New Zealand, said the repatriation was the first of its kind for DOC.

The 21 year old refugee was taken to the Waigani Police Station on Tuesday afternoon straight from his court trial at the Waigani District Court by police and Immigration officials.

He was then charged for making False Representation under section 16(1)(e) of the Migration act. He was also charged under section 16(1)(k) of the same act for using a passport which was fraudulently obtained.

His case under these new charges was briefly mentioned in court today by Magistrate John Kaumi. Sawari was not in court and the matter was adjourned to next week.    

Supreme Court: OC has power to investigate PM

The Ombudsman Commission has the jurisdiction to investigate Prime Minister Peter O’Neill under the Organic Law on the Ombudsman Commission and make comments involving interpretation and application of constitutional laws.

http://www.looppng.com/png-news/supreme-court-oc-has-power-investigate-pm-55611

The orientation sessions at APTC campuses in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu on January 16 and 17, provided valuable information to new students on APTC facilities, student support services, regulations, and their responsibilities.

APTC is an innovative development program funded by the Australian Government, delivering internationally-recognised Australian skills and qualifications for a wide range of vocational careers for skilled workers across the Pacific.

They avoided the waiting media for the last five hours after the Air Niugini aircraft he was on landed at 12:10pm.

Five hours later immigration and police officers whisked him out of the international terminal even before the waiting media could take pictures and do an interview.

The Land Cruiser registration number BEW 987 was believed to be from the Immigration Department.

The question which remains to be answered is why did Immigration officials whisk the refugee away without talking to the waiting media regarding this national issue.

Loghman Sawari was taken to the Nadi International Airport Departures Area after police and immigration intercepted the vehicle he was in with his lawyer, Aman Ravindra-Singh, this morning.

The pair were to meet with the Immigration Director Nemani Vuniwaqa.

Mr Sawari was taken into immigration custody just after 7.30am local time.

Fiji Village reports Mr Sawari came to Fiji on a PNG passport and his Immigration Arrival Card had misleading information.

He is a declared refugee in PNG.

Photo: Loghman Sawari in Fiji

"This is the end for me," said Loghman Sawari, whose time in PNG he claims has been punctuated by beatings, bullying, imprisonment, illness, suicide attempts and living on the street in Lae, one of the country's most dangerous cities.

The 21-year-old Ahwazi Arab managed to board a plane under a false name after he said he was threatened by a PNG immigration official and lost hope of being resettled in the United States under President Donald Trump.

A new film has highlighted the issue, writes Ben Collins.

Christine Nestel called Fiji's largest television station to ask if she could use footage from a talent programme. It was, she explained, for her documentary Coming Out of the Shadows.

The clip shows Laisa Bulatale, a woman with albinism and one of the subjects of Nestel's film.

She was eventually put through to the CEO of Fiji TV Geoffrey Smith.

Karen Seaton, who holds a Fiji residency permit, addressed the committee on Friday on behalf of expat landowners affected by changes to the Land Sales Act.

Act 16 requires all non-resident land owners to have constructed a $US120,000 dollar house by the end of the year or pay a fine every six months of 10 percent of the value of their land.

Miss Seaton said she was taken from her hotel room in Suva by immigration officials and forced onboard a flight to Los Angeles.

The pageant week begins with a church service and over the course of the week will assess each contestants through various activities planned.

Contestants representing eight Pacific Islands - American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tonga have all gathered in Apia, Samoa.

Contestants and their teams started arriving in Samoa last week for the 30^th anniversary of the Miss Pacific Islands.