Tonga signs with mining company

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Despite repeated concerns from civil society, youth advocates, and legal experts, Tonga has signed a revised sponsorship agreement for deep sea mining.

The deal was signed with Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd (TOML), a subsidiary of The Metals Company (TMC), on Monday.

In 2021,the original agreement was signed with little public consultation.

The updated deal promises future benefits if deep sea mining proceeds, yet many Tongans remain unconvinced, citing environmental risks, legal liabilities, and lack of transparency.

Tonga and TMC's previous contract for the country's block in the CCZ was signed 2021. The contract was for exploration activity only, and was signed through the International Seabed Authority (ISA) framework.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOIS) recognizes the ISA as the world's deep sea mining regulator.

However, the United States has effectively challenged that by saying its own high seas legislation makes it a deep sea mining regulator in international waters.

Prior to this year, TMC's contracts with its Pacific partners, which includes Nauru as well as Tonga, had been through the ISA framework.

Nauru, like Tonga, has special rights in the CCZ. The country signed a new agreement with TMC in May which had provisions for mining to occur through both the ISA and US pathways.

TMC's announcement this week said Tonga's new contract was "updating the terms of the agreement" from 2021.

It did not specify whether the contract covered mining activity under both the US and ISA pathways.

It also said Tonga would receive benefits should mining occur through its company, and that Tonga was committed to working with the ISA and meeting obligations under international law.

Tonga's Natural Resources Minister said the contract marked "an important step toward ensuring that seabed minerals activities contribute meaningfully to Tonga's long-term development goals - with transparency, fairness, and environmental care at the core."

Last week, RNZ Pacific reported the Civil Society Forum of Tonga wanted its government to refrain from signing a new agreement with TMC.

Its chair Drew Havea said the group wanted Tonga out of deep sea mining entirely.

(Islands Business & RNZ)

PNG TEACHER PAY

A number of teachers in West New Britain Province in Papua New Guinea are owed over 45 million kina (US$10.8 million) in outstanding salaries.

NBC reported these teachers are mostly new graduates or those who have re-entered the teaching service.

Acting executive manager for the Division of Education, Vincent Kalatia, said most of those affected are elementary school teachers whose wages have not been backdated.

He said these outstanding salaries date back as far as 2012.

Kalatia said the Provincial Government is doing its best to clear this backlog of claims but has limited funding.

(RNZ Pacific)

GEORGE "FIJI" VEIKOSO

The final farewell for Pacific music legend George "Fiji" Veikoso, who passed away on 24 July, is set to take place next Tuesday at Suva's Vodafone Arena.

Family, friends and the community are able to attend, with doors opening from 7:30am while the ground floor seating is reserved for close family and friends.

The funeral procession is expected to arrive by 8:30am, with the official service starting at 9am.

Fiji will then be laid to rest "among his ancestors".

His family has offered their thanks for the outpouring of love and support.

(RNZ Pacific)

SAMOA DENGUE UPDATE

Samoa's acting general health director Tagaloa Dr Robert Thomsen says public updates on the dengue outbreak may be slow as all information must be verified before release.

There has been criticism over how quickly information is released by the Ministry of Health.

More than 5000 people have been clinically diagnosed with dengue fever since January, with new cases still coming.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa is urging the public to avoid traditional healing methods, warning they could do more harm than good.

Tagaloa said the outbreak is expected to peak in the next three weeks before case numbers begin to drop.

(RNZ Pacific)

PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM

As Papua New Guinea approaches 50 years of independence, Prime Minister James Marape is calling for greater Pacific solidarity in the face of growing geopolitical tensions.

Speaking to PMN News, Marape emphasises regional unity ahead of the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.

This comes amid concerns hosts Solomon Islands, as an ally of China, may not allow Taiwan into the country during the event.

While Taiwan is not a Forum member, for many years it has attended the summit to speak with member nations on the fringes of the event.

Marape confirmed that PNG had sent official advice to Solomon Islands, reinforcing the importance of the Forum's collective approach.

(RNZ Pacific)

VANUATU THEFT

The Supreme Court has found Vanuatu MP Seoule Simeon guilty of one count of theft in relation to a government-owned Mitsubishi L200 pickup.

Local media reported a second charge of deception against Simeon has been dismissed by the court.

Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, 27 August.

(RNZ Pacific)