Lydia Longwell Lewis

1 week ago | rnz.co.nz | Lydia Longwell Lewis

In Tokelau, school kids have been rushing home for their favourite activity of the day: turtle time. Five-year-old Ilisapesi Sakalia (Pesi) loved her sea turtle friends, "Popo" and "Uto". 'Popo' means husked coconut, and 'Uto' means a coconut sprout. "It's teaching them to look after what we have in our environment," Pesi's grandmother Asi Pasilio, Tokelau's Natural Resources and Environment department director, told RNZ Pacific.

2 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Lydia Longwell Lewis

Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr fully supports a Australia-led Pacific United Nations climate change conference (COP31) next year. Whipps, who is in Sydney to promote smart energy and support Australia's COP31 bid, said hosting the annual climate conference in partnership with the Pacific is Canberra's "opportunity to lead on the world stage-with credibility and conscience".

2 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Lydia Longwell Lewis

Elena Pasilio, Tokelau*The initial reaction from Tokelauans to President Donald Trump's tariffs of surprise and laughter has turned to sadness, not just for Tokelau, but the whole Pacific region. "I'm very surprised," Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau general manager (national) Aukusitino Vitale told RNZ Pacific. Vitale, almost lost for words, said there is really not a lot to say but, "we don't export to the USA".

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Lydia Longwell Lewis

The New Zealand government remains tight-lipped on the findings of a review into its development assistance to Kiribati. It came in the wake of a diplomatic stoush between Foreign Minister Winston Peters and the Kiribati President Taneti Maamau over a proposed visit. "It was a misunderstanding that has since been clarified," Ruth Cross Kwansing, a Kiribati government MP, told RNZ Pacific.

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Lydia Longwell Lewis

Kiribati legislators unanimously passed a first-of-its-kind Data Protection Bill during its first reading in parliament on Tuesday. The bill's author, former education minister and now information, communications, and transport minister Alexander Teabo told RNZ Pacific that protecting public information is the aim of his proposal. He said personal information gathered by government officials in the health sector is an example of the type of data that would be protected under his proposed bill.