Seva’s Manuscript Title – The Impacts of the Bainimarama Land Reforms on iTaukei landowners The DevNet Pacific research initiative comes at a critical time when our regional university needs assistance to navigate the journey of young scholars and for that I would be always grateful. The research grant makes my academic lifeworld a reality, it allows me to locate myself within Oceania and contemplate the various problems and opportunities associated with it. It gives me the space to voice my views and my people, the indigenous people of Fiji and the Pacific region. The iTaukei, like the First People elsewhere, want a fair playing field  for dialogue so our voices are heard on issues concerning ourselves the most: our land, culture,…

Janice’s Manuscript Title – Pollution Impacts on Corals in Oceania: A Systematic Review of Ecotoxicology Studies As a young researcher, putting all your ideas and findings into a scientific paper can be a challenge. I am very grateful for the Pacific DevNet grant project, here I learnt how to write and convey my ideas into a well structured paper. My mentor provided me with timely advice and support, she always had time for me. Thank you Dr Sam. My research focuses on pollution impacts on corals in the Pacific Island Country Territories (PICTs) region. It assesses the current coral-related pollution studies that have been done in the region and identifies knowledge gaps that can be used to guide further research in…

Rufino’s Manuscript Title – Qi no tu i baba ni qwali (living down by the river): impacts of flooding and mining on ecosystems and livelihoods My research looked at a flood-prone district in the Province of Ba, Fiji Islands, and explored the indigenous people’s livelihoods that is under threat by a black sand mining operation around their customary coastal environment.  The iTaukei people of Vanua Votua have a cultural and spiritual attachment to their coastal ecosystem as indigenous custodians. However, they are limited in their ability to conserve and protect their traditional coastal environment due to an unfair legal duality of national coastal governance structures and processes between the state and indigenous custodians. This research provides a timely case study using…

Jerry’s Manuscript Title – Performance Measurement and Public Service Performance in the Solomon Islands Public Service As a newcomer to the field of academia, researching and writing seemed dubious. Paragraphs and structures of one’s research work is shrouded with doubt; whether it is good enough, or if it’s worth publishing and so forth. Writing under the DevNet grant project is hence, an empowering experience, eliminating doubts and enhancing confidence to participate in researching and contributing essential knowledge to the world of academia. For me personally, the benefits of this grant is twofold. First, the grant time-line provides recipient with a realistic time-management factor important for academics. Against a busy back-drop, writing an article may seem almost impossible. However, the grant provides…

Ana’s Manuscript Title – Melanesians on the Margins: the legacies of the labour trade for Melanesian descendants in Fiji and Sāmoa. I am very grateful for the Pacific DevNet Research Write Up Grant. As a young mother to three children, I have not had much time devoted to my research and writing, which was especially difficult during the Covid Pandemic. Being selected for the Pacific Devnet Research Write Up award at such an early stage in my research career has been very rewarding because it has allowed me to join a new generation of Pacific Island researchers who were supervised by renowned Pacific scholars of excellent scholarship. My mentor provided me with timely advice and support, even going as far as…

Ambrose’s Manuscript Title – Education Decentralisation: The case of Public Participation Theory in the delivery of education services to schools in the Solomon Islands Firstly, I wish to thank those on the committee for their trust in me and giving me the opportunity to engage in the programme. I was very happy to meet Hilary and create a mentoring relationship. It was a slow start for me but we have managed to establish a very friendly relationship right at the beginning of the journey. Hilary has a good connection with the Solomon Islands (context) and that was a perfect condition for the mentoring process. The writing journey was a bit untidy at the beginning for me. Hilary came in to provide…