Kiribati's Banaba Island faces a food shortage
Kiribati's remote Banaba Island, which has endured continuing water shortages, is now facing a food shortage.
An advocate, Biara Touakin, who is based in Fiji, said a ship typically visits each month, but the last one, on January the 6th, only contained enough food for about two weeks.
Banaba is suffering from a drought Photo: supplied
The more than 300 people living on Banaba depend almost entirely on food sent from Tarawa.
The island was decimated by phosphate mining in the first half of the 20th century, and it no longer has fruit bearing trees that could supplement the people's fishing.
Mr Touakin also said the desalination plant installed late last year continues to produce brackish water.
While government technicians have made several attempts to repair the unit, Mr Touakin said he undertands it was not assembled correctly in the first place.
Last year the Banabans formally called on the governments of New Zealand and Australia to help out, since those two nations benefitted the most from all the phosphate stripped off the island.
Tonga's largest church will provide counselling services
The leadership of Tonga's largest church is visiting communities to provide relief assistance and support for tsunami victims.
Reverend Dr Tevita Havea, of the Free Wesleyan Church, toured Nomuka Island in the Ha'apai Group this week, surveying the damage and speaking with villagers.
The church said it has joined the government's efforts to provide relief supplies.
It will also provide specially trained chaplains for counselling services.
The church also operates close to one third of schools throughout the Kingdom.
Schools and churches were damaged by the tsunami and volcanic ash.
Vaccination centres should not be closed indefinitely - Solomons' opposition
The Solomon Islands opposition leader, Matthew Wale, said vaccination centres should not be closed indefinitely.
The government shut down the centres on Wednesday with health officials saying it was to prevent the spread of the virus to the public and health workers, after chaotic scenes in Honiara.
The Health Ministry said the vaccination team will reassess how best to proceed with a drive that is safe for health workers and the public.
Mr Wale backs the move but says it shouldn't be indefinite.
He said it shouldn't take too long to recruit double vaccinated security personnel to support the centres to ensure social distancing is maintained.
He said overcrowding and the lack of social distancing at vaccination centers has been a problem right from the beginning, and it is disappointing that it has taken the government this long to address it.
Mr Wale is also advocating vaccinations being taken to houses, prioritising of older people, passes for access to services, drive through vaccination clinics and involving the private health sector.
New water production company for Bougainville
The government in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville is funding a water production company.
The government said it is part of its plan to harvest the low hanging fruit in Bougainville as it strives to build the local economy.
Bougainville Water Bottling, at Toniva in Central Bougainville, is planning to bottle water for domestic and international markets.
Through the Bougainville Public Investment Corporation the government is making 417,000 dollars available for the project, which aims to start operating in April.
