NEWSROOM: 02 December - 08 December 2007

Samoa authorities not surprised at rise of HIV/Aids
08 December 2007 - Source: Astrid Tumanu

An official at Samoa’s Ministry of Health says he is not surprised by the 25 percent rise in the number of people with HIV/Aids.

Two men and one woman have been diagnosed with the disease, increasing the number to fifteen of those who have contracted the disease since the first case in the 1990s.

The last HIV/aids cases were reported five years ago.

A two day workshop is being held to educate young people about the disease.

The Assistant Chief Executive Officer responsible for health promotion and preventative services at the Ministry of Health, Andrew Peteru, says with the high rates of sexually transmitted diseases in Samoa, this latest rise is to be expected.

“We do have high rates of sexually transmitted infections particularly chlamidia so we are reviewing our own plans and policies to prepare for this, continuing the awareness, the education, whatever strategies for the early ages of young people becoming sexually active.” .

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand visits Samoa
07 December 2007 - Source: New Zealand High Commission Press Release

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Major General Rhys Jones is in Samoa today for what has become an annual series of talks with keys personnel.

Topics on the agenda for his meetings include disaster relief and the Mutual Assistance Programme.

The goal is to ensure that support from the New Zealand Defence Force (ZNDF) is well turned to Samoa's requirements.

"In order to be certain that we know the real needs of Samoa it is important that we maintain contact and personal relations with the personalities. My visits are part of this ongoing programme of engagement," said Maj Gen Jones.

The busy schedule of meetings will see Maj Gen Jones meet with Hon Toleafoa Apulu Faafisi (Ministry of Police), Papalii Lorenese Neru (Police Commissioner), Seve Tony Hill (Head of Fire Service), Filomena Nelson (Head of Disaster Management), Toafitu Petaia, (Transnational Crime Unit (and LTCDR Tony Powell (Maritime Surveillance Advisor).

The NZDF has supported disaster relief operations assisted in the building of infrastructures, and patrolled the economic zones in Samoa and other Pacific nations for many years.

Training and support to local military and police forces, both in their home locations and in New Zealand is also provided by the NZDF.

The economic zone patrols are a regular task for the Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion, usually carried out once a month and often in conjunction with Navy patrol beats to primary target illegal foreign fishing vessels.

SamoaPost launches new image
06 December 2007 - Source: SamoaPost

For the first in over 20years, SamoaTel Postal Services has refreshed its brand, a new development for SamoaPost.

The launch of this new brand is more than a logo change; it's a strategic alignment of all postal services that encompasses the General Post Office, 4 District Post Office and Sub-Postal agencies around Upolu and Savaii - The SamoaPost Organisation.

In today's contemporary postal world, the dynamics are changing faster than ever before, and we have been re-positioning our company and our services offered, in order to help our clients, employees and associates to understand and navigate the challenges of today's changing marketplace.

The new brand will reflect the company we are today with the image we are projecting into tomorrow.

SamoaTel is proud to introduce its new postal brand "SamoaPost" a small business unit that is establishing itself as a separate player in the Postal arena.

In unison with the launch of our SamoaPost Brand, Management and staff would like to welcome the public to our newly opened SamoaPost Office at Matafele, "one of the best Post Offices in the South Pacific region, strategically located in the heart of the city making it easier for everyone." said the Acting General Manager Tupe Ualolo.

For the staff, 2007 is a transition of old to the new and will mark a major milestone when SamoaPost opens its doors to our newly renovated one stop shop, where you can post, buy stationery and merchandise, and talk to our friendly staff, all under one roof.

Salua Manono Tai clean-up in conjunction with Peace Corps
05 December 2007 - Source: Stephanie Hsu

On Saturday, December 1, 2007, 30 Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV), staff and their kids set out for a morning of adventure in the village of Salua, Manono-tai. Working as a liaison between Peace Corps and her village, PCV Stephanie Hsu, organised a village-wide rubbish clean-up in hopes of raising environmental awareness.

The Saturday before, Stephanie and 5 environmental PCV’s held an educational session on waste management with the help of the NGO, METI.

Since Manono has no roads or cars, it is difficult for the government to provide assistance. Currently there is a boat on Saturday mornings that brings rubbish to Upolu Island, but that does not even constitute a fraction of the week's garbage. Families have nowhere to put the garbage. METI hopes to encourage the village to work with their PCV to purchase rubbish bins or fatalapisi's to put at the wharf and to organise a waste disposal system. But first, awareness and interest had to be raised and the educational session and rubbish day clean-up were designed with this in mind.

What appeared to be a rainy and overcast Saturday morning on the day of the clean-up quickly changed to blue skies. The volunteers and staff boarded two boats and travelled over the turquoise waters a short 20 minutes to Manono Island. A warm greeting at the wharf was followed by a short morning tea before the group, as well as villagers, were split into 3; a group for each of the village's sub villages (Satoi, Salua and Satuilagi).

And what adventure it turned-out to be, as upon arrival, it seemed the unlittered paths and painted coconuts in front of the houses meant that there was little rubbish to pick up. But as volunteers, villagers and children ventured between and behind houses and on the beaches, they all realised there was a lot more rubbish than met the eye. For two hours, the participants worked together to find and collect as much rubbish as they possibly could fit in the big heavy-duty rubbish bags. At the end, just a small dent had been made in all the rubbish there was to be collected. However, the event turned out to be a huge success, as villagers themselves realised just how much rubbish there was and that something needed to be done about it.

As the day on Manono came to a close, the boats went around from wharf to wharf collecting all the rubbish and brought it over to the Manono wharf, where an MNRE truck was waiting to help take the rubbish to Apia. PCV’s said goodbye to new friends made promises to return. The village of Salua was very thankful for all the time taken and help given to make the project a success. They will now all work together to decide the next steps that must be taken.

SPC Pacific Regional Youth Development Meetings
04 December 2007 - Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Community Press Release

Cabinet had approved the report on the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Regional Youth Development meetings, which took place in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, from the 17 – 21 September, 2007.

I. Pacific Youth Mapping Project Meeting 17 – 18 September, 2007 This meeting discussed the Pacific Youth Mapping Exercise which involves collecting data on ways in which SPC member governments, civil society organisations, youth groups and regional organisations involve young people in their work. The information collected will be published on a website.

II. SPC Youth Advisory Committee, 19 September, 2007 important issues addressed at this meeting include the committee’s activities and financial statements as well as action plans for the next three years. Vanuatu was also endorsed as the host for the next advisory committee meeting.

III. Pacific Regional Youth Committee meeting at this meeting, the Regional Youth Committee addressed its priorities which include promoting educational and training opportunities for youth development in areas of health, leadership as well as good governance.

The CEO, Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, Luagalau Foisagaasina Eteuati Shon, the assitant CEO Youth Division, Sydney Faasau, and Talavou Programme coordinator, Fiasili Vaeau, represented Samoa at this meeting.

Head of State to visit New Zealand
03 December 2007 - Source: NZ High Commission

Samoa's recently appointed Head of State, His Highness Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, will make his first official State visit to New Zealand from 2-8 December, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced.

Helen Clark said Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, who assumed the title Head of State in June this year, would be welcomed by Governor-General Anand Satyanand. He will attend an official luncheon at Government House, hosted by the Governor General, and dinner at Premier House.

“The special relationship between New Zealand and Samoa is underpinned by the Treaty of Friendship concluded when Samoa became independent in 1962”, Helen Clark said.

"Samoa and New Zealand are close friends and it is an honour to host the Head of State on his first official visit to New Zealand.

His Highness and Helen Clark will view the Tagata ole Moana exhibition at Te Papa, which celebrates Pacific peoples and includes a fine mat presented to the Prime Minister by Tuiatua in 2002.

"The exhibition at Te Papa is a fitting representation of the closeness of the relationship between New Zealand and the Pacific, but particularly with Samoa.”

"Samoans have made an important contribution to New Zealand society through their involvement in many fields from sport to politics and the exhibition is in part a celebration of these contributions," Clark said.

During his official visit, Tuiatua and his wife Masiofo Filifilia Tamsese will visit schools they attended in New Zealand; St. Patrick's Silverstream and New Plymouth Girl’s High School respectively. The couple will also undertake official engagements Auckland.

His Highness Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi was appointed on 19 June as the new Head of State for a period of five years. He replaced the late Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II, who was passed away in May, and who had been appointed for life under the 1962 Constitution.

China dominates the women's events at the SIFA IWF World Cup
02 December 2007 - Source: Matthew Joyce

At 5:30pm Sunday afternoon the eight women's 63kg contestants took to the stage for Day Two's final SIFA 2007 IWF World Cup event.

The long day of constant support did not fatigue the light but vibrant crowd. Letogo Village, with its flaring costume of green and gold and vocals as powerful for its adopted Australian lifters as for their own fellow Samoan participating athletes, has continually kept all entertained.

Liying Li (China) sent an immediate ominous message to the crowd and fellow lifters alike, as the competition screen indicated that her first snatch attempt was going to be 110kg, just 6kg shy of the World Senior Record. When Liying Li took to the stage for the final time she completed her lift, and then continued to successfully lift 114kg on her second attempt with what seemed to be relative ease.

Fellow Chinese competitor Jiangxia Tan set out to achieve a more moderate start with a lift of 85kg, but upon completion of this task, severely increased her second attempt weight directly to 111kg. Dramatically time ran out for Jiangxia, and thus her second lift was disqualified. Jiangxia Tan then raised her attempting weight again, this time trying to equal Liying Li's 115kg lift. Confusion then emerged with the weight indicated by Jiangxia Tan's coach and the weight received by the jury's table. When the time clock again ran dry for Jiangxia Tan, the chairman of the jury board entered the warm up room in what seemed to be an attempt to find the root of the problem.

Whether this was due to information being lost in translation, as was suggested to the crowd via informative MC Australia's Simon Grace, or another issue, Jiangxia Tan did not return to the stage for the snatch event, and had to settle for her first, much more modest weight of 85kg.

Liying Li did however return to the stage for her final snatch lift, and unfortunately missed the 117kg would-be World Record attempt, but nonetheless remained well in front of the others with the clean and jerk to come.

The second half of the women's 63kg event saw Malaysia's Johari Nurul Farhanah reach 85kg, Palaus Alexandrina Patris managed an even 100kg, and Aussie Jacqueline White went all the way to 101kg, much to her own delight and that of the crowd.

Jiangxia Tan returned to the stage for the first attempt of her clean and jerk, and had a successful lift of 110kg. However, the earlier drama surrounding Jiangxia Tan seemed to continue when she elected not to attempt any further lifts, and chose to remain with her first lift.

This was not the case for the other Chinese lifter (the last remaining athlete), as Liying Li won the IWF Title on her first lift with a clean and jerk of 120kg. Not satisfied to finish without giving more, she then continued to lift a second weight of 125kg, and then a third of 128kg to finish on an impressive 242kg Total.

With this being the final event for today, China can rest easy with the knowledge that their 'Dream Team' has claimed victory in every event as yet held. This competition's complete dominance to date (an outstanding achievement even for a Dream Team) cementing the fact that China continue to dominate the sport of Weightlifting.

With the only obvious barrier stopping the Chinese team from claiming a complete sweep of victories in this SIFA IWF World Cup being the fact that they are, as of yet not entered in two of the remaining events (94kg men's & 105kg men's), tells us that not only that it will be worth the wait to watch their Beijing Olympic Team next year, but also worth the trip to Faleata to be treated to a true world dominating sporting outfit, in their prime, in the flesh.

IWF WOMEN'S 58KG UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
NAME NAT SNATCH C & J TOTAL
GOLD LI Liying CHN 114 128 242
SILVER TAN Jiangxia CHN 85 110 195
BRONZE WHITE Jacqueline AUS 83 101 184

COMMONWEALTH WOMEN'S 58KG UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
NAME NAT SNATCH C & J TOTAL
GOLD WHITE Jacqueline AUS 83 101 184
SILVER NURUL Farhannan MAS 80 85 165
BRONZE PHILIPS Sheena NZL 60 75 135

OCEANIA WOMEN'S 58KG UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
NAME NAT SNATCH C & J TOTAL
GOLD WHITE Jacqueline AUS 83 101 184
SILVER PATRIS Alexandrina PLW 74 100 174
BRONZE SALIMU Vanissa SAM 57 70 127.

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