Tagata o te Moana for 17 February 2018

It's now four days since cyclone Gita whipped across Tonga's Tongatapu causing widespread damage; following his visits to Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has highlighted a range of deep concerns in these countries; the University of Auckland launches a three part Pacific conference series with part one exploring Samoan traditional leadership, customary land tenure and religious rights; in 1968 twelve Pacific countries founded the University of the South Pacific which has grown to become the premiere provider of tertiary education in Oceania; the World Bank says poor child and maternal health is hampering Papua New Guinea's long term economic prospects; Over 4-thousand people from Vanuatu are working in New Zealand's horticulture and viticulture industries this year under the Recognised Seasonal Employer or RSE scheme; tributes flow this week for renowned Samoan musician.