Tagata o te Moana. 2013-08-31. 17:30-18:00.

A weekly wrap-up of news, issues and current affairs from the Pacific. The programme is broadcast nationwide every Saturday evening on Radio New Zealand National and is produced by the newsroom of Radio New Zealand International. The following rundown is supplied from the broadcaster’s news system:

1. The Samoa prime minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, says the new Fiji initiated Pacific Islands Development Forum will be short lived.

2. An expert in electoral systems in the region says the new system planned for Fiji is a radical change from the past and will be a challenge for the country.

3. Allegations of the use of mercury are among on-going issues at the Gold Ridge mine in Solomon Islands.

4. Public concern continues to fester in Papua New Guinea's Madang province over the deep sea tailings placement system of the huge Ramu nickel mine.

5. There are fears ni-Vanuatu shop owners in Port Vila will be driven out of the retail and wholesale sector as a result of tough competition from a growing Chinese population.

6. French Polynesia's assembly wants a global fund to be set up to help climate change refugees in the Pacific.

7. Close to 800 athletes are arriving in Wallis ahead of the start of the Pacific Mini Games on Monday.