Pacific nations

Speaking at the World Trade Organization, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Regional workshop in Nadi, Fiji last week, SPTO Chief Executive Officer Chris Cocker said the internet continues to revolutionise tourism marketing and product distribution globally.

However, the Pacific tourism industry has failed in many aspects to keep pace with the level of technological change.

The change is in line with Tonga's ambition to increase transparency in government.

A reform expert from the Asian Development Bank Christopher Russell said Tonga was leading the way in the Pacific.

"Tonga is the first to have their website up and running. So they really are ranking very high within the Pacific realm and also internationally. There are not many countries around the world that will have the amount of information."

RBNZ reports Fiji and Samoa represented the Pacific at the last Championship in Glasgow three years ago, with one added berth on offer for 2017.

Former Samoa international Lee Edwards has taken charge of the country's Under 21 team and is excited by what she's seen.

"Quite a dark horse - I think people will be quite surprised that the talent that's out there for the 21s, especially also we've got three local girls from Samoa in the team," she said.

'Akilisi Pohiva attended his first Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Port Moresby last week.

Mr Pohiva says it was a good chance to observe regionalism at work.

However he says greater cooperation is also needed when it comes to the airways of the Pacific.