Pacific Beat

When Vanuatu closed its international border in March 2020, there were grave concerns about how the tourism-dependent nation would survive. More than a year on, the country is hanging on, but there are concerns for the future.

On today's program; a Fijian fishing company rejects allegations it's used forced labour, mixed feelings in COVID-free Niue over the reopening of international borders, a New Zealand man's anguish at being stuck in Sydney's lengthy COVID lockdown, and an anthropologist examines the impact Australia's regional processing centre has had on Manus island.

A Fijian fishing company has rejected accusations by United States customs officials that it used forced labour on one of its boats.

Australia has sent 100,000 AstraZeneca vaccines to Fiji bringing the total number supplied so far to more than 600,000. The government has pledged to provide a total of 1 million doses to Fiji, which has an estimated population of around 900,000 people.

On today's program; Australia's Pacific Minister says potential support for the purchase of Digicel's Pacific operations is in line with the support for regional infrastructure investment, supporters of the Fijiana rugby sevens team mystified by Fiji Rugby Union's opposition to their fundraising efforts, the US Department of Energy directed to address safety shortfalls over nuclear waste stored on Runit Island, Australian farmers envious of New Zealand's quarantine-free entry for Pacific seasonal workers and the push to rid PNG of its colonial-era pay gap.

A United States government committee has directed the country's Department of Energy to address safety shortfalls over its handling of nuclear waste stored on Runit Island in the Marshall Islands.

The spectacular Raggiana Bird of Paradise, which is Papua New Guinea's national bird, has been bred in captivity for the first time in 20 years.

Opponents of the country's dual salary system are urging Prime Minister James Marape to scrap it as part of his campaign to take back Papua New Guinea. Research demonstrates that professionals in PNG can be earning up to nine times less than expatriates employed to do the same or similar work.

On today's program; Fiji's tourism industry gears up for a potential reopening of borders despite the country's ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, unusual volcanic activity sparks fear and rumours on Savo Island in the Solomons, questions about whether 'herd immunity' can ever be achieved against COVID-19, the financial cost of domestic violence on businesses quantified in PNG, and Pacific Islanders in Sydney say they're struggling through the city's lengthy COVID-19 lockdown.

Fiji's tourism industry is gearing up for a potential reopening of the country's borders later this year, even as the current COVID-19 outbreak continues to rage.