Fiji was regarded a bully, flexing its muscle as a selfish and arrogant player in regional forums, claims Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA) president George Faktaufon.

He said he hoped Fiji would rejoin the regional aviation community with the election of the new coalition government.

Faktaufon said Fiji — through its national airline Fiji Airways — had a lot to offer to the development of the region’s aviation sector.

• READ MORE: Other Pacific aviation reports

“As one who worked for the Pacific Island region for most of my working life, it saddened me to watch Fiji slowly but surely lose its status as a credible leader in the region,” he said.

“Apart from climate change, which Fiji only joined the bandwagon years after countries like Kiribati and Marshall Islands and their leaders, [former presidents Anote] Tong and [David] Kabaua, had been in the forefront in every international forum, including COP and other forums, Fiji has been seen as a bully, flexing its muscles and often regarded as a selfish and arrogant player in regional forums,” he said.

“In 2022, I attended three regional high level ministerial meetings — Forum Aviation Ministerial Meeting, virtually, Forum Leaders/Private Sectors Dialogue in Suva and then the Forum Economic Ministers/Private Sector Dialogue in Vanuatu,” Faktaufon said.

“In all these meetings, Fiji came out as the stumbling block to enhancing regional air connectivity with its stringent air services agreements with other PICs [Pacific Island Countries], that were not only outdated but favoured Fiji and its national airline.

“Fiji Airways has a lot to offer to other PICs and their national airlines, but it has to be in a mutual partnership.

“Fiji Airways has the resources both in expertise and also equipment that it could use to benefit other PICs as well as itself.

“It is called regional collaboration and co-operation where there are winners and no losers.

“We had done it before, with a joint lease of a B737 between Fiji Airways and Royal Tongan,” Faktaufon said.

Repeka Nasiko is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.

Former Cook Islands prime minister Dr Joe Williams, 82, a distinguished medical practitioner in Auckland, has been admitted to hospital with covid-19.

His medical practice was near the Americold cold store at the centre of the new community-transmission virus cluster in New Zealand.

The practice is used by many Auckland Cook Islanders, prompting concern about the risk to others in the community – and about the 41 people who were meant to be returning on this afternoon’s flight.

READ MORE: NZ government steps in over Rarotonga flight

• ‘Don’t risk our lives over covid’

This set off an avalanche of fast-moving events between the two countries.

The Cook Islands Cabinet held an emergency meeting late last night, to decide whether to overrule health ministry Te Marae Ora advice and cancel the flight – but Air New Zealand’s executive beat them to it.

While Cabinet was still deliberating, Air NZ sent out messages to passengers cancelling their trip.

The Cook Islands and Air NZ decision-making was carried out under the shadow of the New Zealand government indicating it might prevent passengers boarding.

Ministry working closely with counterparts
“The Ministry of Health is currently working closely with its counterparts in the Cook Islands to mitigate any potential risk of covid-19 entering that country,” a New Zealand Ministry of Health spokesperson said.

Air NZ chief executive Greg Foran issued a statement shortly after midnight, Cook Islands time. After consultation with the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the airline had made the decision not to carry customers on today’s Flight NZ946 from Auckland to Rarotonga, he said.

The service would still fly to Rarotonga carrying cargo, and the return service will carry customers (understood to include medical cases) into Auckland.

The decision was made not to carry passengers out of Auckland due to the city currently being at Alert Level 3, Foran said. “The Cook Islands has so far had no cases of Covid-19 and we want to make sure we are doing the right thing for both countries in terms of safety and wellbeing,” he explained.

“That’s why we have taken the precautionary decision not to carry passengers out of Auckland on tomorrow’s service. We are contacting affected customers directly to let them know their options.”

On 1 News last night, Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver reported that a distinguished Cook Islands doctor had been admitted to hospital with covid, in what she described as “devastating” news for the Cook Islands community.

“The Cook Islands GP who’s currently in hospital is extremely respected,” she said.

Americold infected Cook Islander
One of the people infected with covid-19 at Americold was also a Cook Islander, she said – which prompted concerns that the infection might have spread at the nearby medical clinic.

A Te Marae Ora spokesperson declined to comment on questions about Dr Williams, beyond saying it would be “unethical to talk about any individual who may contract covid-19”.

She added: “The government will respect the privacy of whoever these people may be.”

Dr Williams, QSO, was born on Aitutaki and studied medicine at Otago and Hawai’i universities. He worked as a doctor in Cook Islands from 1964, before entering Parliament in 1968 as a Cook Islands Party MP.

He served as a member of the World Health Organisation’s executive board from 1995 to 1997, then as Cook Islands Prime Minister from July to November 1999.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, acting on Te Marae Ora advice, the Cook Islands government had given the greenlight for Air New Zealand to bring its 41 passengers, travelling in 26 family groups, into Rarotonga.

But that decision unravelled rapidly last night. And at 10.35pm, the government announced that it was implementing a temporary total air border closure for inwards travel, effective from 11.59pm last night.

That continues through to Monday evening, after which the Cabinet is to review the decision.

Mandatory self-quarantine plan
The plan was that the 41 returning Cook Islanders would go straight into mandatory self-quarantine at their homes or other accommodation.

In the afternoon, Prime Minister Henry Puna said: “These are our families coming home. Let’s welcome them home and continue to demonstrate aroa to everyone.”

But there are now 48 active cases in New Zealand and Auckland’s lockdown was last night extended by 12 more days – and the accumulation of bad news forced a u-turn.

And in a terse statement announcing the border closure late last night, the Cook Islands Cabinet said: “The Cook Islands has noted with concern the re-emergence of COVID-19 in New Zealand over the past 48 hours.

“Preventing COVID-19 from entering this country remains a top priority for the Cook Islands Government, the announced temporary air border closure for inwards travel has been assessed by Cabinet as an appropriate response at this time, while the source and extent of spread in New Zealand is being determined.

“All affected passengers booked on the flight due to arrive in Rarotonga tomorrow are being notified directly, with Air New Zealand standing by to assist with booking amendments as required.”

Government is calling for a renewed and redoubled focus on personal hygiene and social distancing.

“It is in the interests of all of us to play by the rules to keep all of us safe,” Henry Puna said. “I know we have been feeling a little relaxed lately in our Covid-free paradise. But this disease has re-emerged in the New Zealand community.

“I’m asking us all to double our efforts to keep the coronavirus at bay. Step up our hygiene practices, maintain physical distances and avoid crowded places; and be kind to each other, remember we’re all in this together.”

This article is republished with permission.

New Caledonia’s international airline, AirCalin, has been given tax rebates by France to buy two new Airbus airliners.

The French High Commission in Noumea announced the Economics and Finance Ministry had approved the concession for the purchase of two Airbus A330-900neo planes, which are expected to be delivered in May next year.

The statement did not say how much the airline had saved.

It said this support would help AirCalin develop its activities, be it for tourism or medical evacuations.

The statement said this was also a sign of the French state’s support for the airline and for New Caledonia.

AirCalin flies to destinations in the Pacific, including Auckland in New Zealand, and also provides a service to Japan to link passengers from and to France.

This article is republished under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.