NEWSROOM: 05 August - 11 August 2007

SACCF visit to Samoa a great success
11 August 2007 - Source: Pacific Islands Board Auckland City Press Release

Samoa Auckland City Community Fono (SACCF) flying visit to Samoa was a great success. Flying Polynesian Blue Airlines means SACCF acknowledges the importance of supporting the national airline of Samoa, and all things that are Samoan. It is crucial that our Samoan people contribute to the economic development of Samoa by supporting Polynesian Blue Airline.

All 14 members of the SACCF fono attended their August monthly fono that was held in Apia and hosted by the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) and their Chief Executive Matatamalii Sonja Hunter on Thursday 2nd August local time. A presentation by STA on the current plans by the Samoa government which focuses on promoting Samoa as an ideal tourist destination, as well as asking the members of SACCF to assist in raising the profile of Samoa as an ideal destination for holiday makers.

Members of SACCF are proud to acknowledge that their homeland of Samoa has led with stability and consistency in the Pacific, due to the astute leadership of Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Malielegaoi Sailele and its government. Members of SACCF were also given the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoli’ai Malielegaoi Sailele, who endorsed the SACCF’s strategic plan and acknowledged the excellent development by the group.

The Samoan Prime Minister encouraged all members of the SACCF to continue with the fantastic work so far, and would like to see more of our Samoan people excel in New Zealand. In his words, where there is “tofa mamao” (sub-conscious) there is long term sustainability of success.
 

National commemoration of Father’s Day
10 August 2007 - Source: Press Secretariat

Cabinet has approved the programme for the commemoration of Fathers’ Day with a seminar which took place on Thursday 09th August, 2007 at the Maota o Tooa Salamasina at Sogi.

The ceremony began at 9.30am with the Hon. Minister of Women, Community and Social Development, Afioga Fiame Naomi Mataafa, delivering the keynote address.

The programme for this year focuses on good governance by village matais and the theme is “Culture and Christianity – the testamental gift for all men”.

It has also been approved by the Government, that Monday 13th August 2007 be declared as a Public Holiday for all fathers of Samoa.
 

Manu Samoa ready for the World Cup
09 August 2007 - Source: Samoa Rugby Union

Manu Samoa coach Laauli Michael Jones said that their training preparations for the Games in August have yielded great results. “We are satisfied with the fitness level of both the men and the women’s team, which we got from the beep-test,” said Laauli

“We have been putting our skills to the test for a year now and they have improved.”

However, despite all the positive results you would think a gold medal is in the bag. But Laauli, is wary of the hard competition from the eight other teams that will unfold in two weeks' time.

The Touch team has done what they could do physically, Laauli now turns to his religious belief, for his team to succeed in wearing the gold medal “We have done the best we could do in terms of training, now we will rely on God for the rest,” said Laauli

Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands are said to be the teams to defeat in the Games, as they contain within the team help from the superpowers Australia and New Zealand.

“Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Rarotonga have good influence from their neighbours Australia and New Zealand, which is an advantage to them,” said Laauli

“Our team however, is made up of only local players, no overseas players.”
Despite this perceived advantage with the competition, Laauli is confident and thrilled with his selected team.

“What more can I say, I am happy with the selection of the team and with the feedback from the coaches,” he said. Laauli now waits for the 27th of this month, to see his team in action against the visiting rivals.

One thing he hopes to see from his players on-field is the right competitive attitude towards matches.

“On the day, if the players Heart, Body, Soul and Mind are fused together then we have nothing to worry about.”

The Manu Samoa World Cup Squad held a lunch meeting yesterday at the Hotel Kitano Tusitala with the team’s major Sponsors.

Present at the gathering was Prime Minister and Samoa Rugby Union Chairman, Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi. Special guests were Frank Bunce, Mark Birtwistle, Soifua John Schuster and Jonah Lomu’s ex-manager, Phil Kingsley.

Tuilaepa gave an uplifting speech to give support to the team and also to motivate them.

After which, representatives from each sponsor were singled out and each honoured with fully autographed rugby balls by the Manu Samoa players. Those present got to see Manu Samoa perform their war dance one last time, before they head to Europe this coming Friday for the World Cup.
 

NZ Governor-General makes first official State Visit
08 August 2007 - Source: New Zealand High Commission Apia

Governor-General of New Zealand, the Hon. Anand Satyanand, recently made his first State Visit to Samoa, reinforcing the strong tie between the two South Pacific nations.

While the Governor-General and Her Excellency Susan Satyanand represented NewZealand at the funeral in May of the Head of State, His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, this visit marks their first State Visit to Samoa.

The Official Party, which includes the Hon. Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, officially began their visit to Samoa on Monday 6th August by calling on the newly elected Head of State, His Highness Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi before visiting the Prime Minister, the Hon. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

Over the next three days they also participated in a Royal Ava Ceremony and visited the Lands and Titles Court, as well as schools and projects supported by NZAID. They also toured the facilities for the forthcoming South Pacific Games, which will be held from late August.

The relationship between Samoa and New Zealand is close with strong personal and family ties as well as substantial political, economic and sporting links. More than 130,000 people of Samoan descent now live in New Zealand. An important element of the bilateral relationship is the unique 1962 Treaty of Friendship, concluded shortly after Samoa achieved independence.

The Governor-General said the visit was an opportunity to affirm the strong relationship between the two South Pacific nations.

The relationship between New Zealand and Samoa is particularly rich and has many strands. Many people of Samoa descent now call New Zealand home while many Samoan leaders have been educated in New Zealand. The deep relationships between various government agencies in education, health, justice, defence and police are underpinned by the 1962 Treaty of Relationship, the only one of its kind either country has signed.

In addition to the official events advised by the Samoan Government, their Excellencies will visit: Lands & Titles Court, Mailelani Soap Factory at Papauta, Vanila Plantation in Vailima, Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, Samoa College, Loto Taumafai School & South Pacific Games Facilities in Tuanaimato.
 

In Samoa, Be Safe, Be a Winner - Safe Games SPG Samoa
07 August 2007 - Source: Safe Games Committee Press Release

The XIIIth South Pacific Games (SPG) will be the largest event hosted by Samoa in recent times. World AIDS Day last year (Dec 1) saw the official launching of the Safe Games Campaign, opened by the Associate Minister for Health, Dr. Leao Tuitama, after more than 6 months of preparation and planning. This Campaign aims to focus on the key points of promoting a focus on the Games, and not engaging in unsafe behaviour, i.e. unprotected sex. The Safe Games Committee comprises of Government and Non-Government entities working together towards the same goal. The Committee is a multi-sectoral approach comprised of representatives from the Samoa AIDS Foundation, Ministry of Health, Samoa Red Cross, Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development and other regional partners.

So why is there a need for a Safe Games Campaign? It is expected that in addition to the Games sporting events, there will also be a significant amount of celebrations and partying, which indicates an increase in the amount of alcohol consumed by the athletes, coaches, officials and tourists. An increase in alcohol consumption supports an increase in unsafe behaviour, and more specifically unsafe sexual behaviour. The SPG therefore presents an excellent opportunity to raise awareness and educate the community of HIV and other STI issues in the Pacific. It consequently provides an opportune environment to implement prevention and awareness campaigns, and to promote reduced vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and other STI.

The Safe Games Campaign consists of three main components; media and communication (radio/TV spots, banners, posters and billboards), a Safe Games Kit (consisting of Safe Games branded merchandise and educational material to be given to athletes and officials), and peer education and referral services (peer educators being available in and around venues before, during and after Games to answer questions, give out education material, and refer people to appropriate health services).

The Safe Games Committee wishes to thank the sponsors of the Safe Games Campaign, namely, Canada Fund, Pacific Regional HIV/AIDS Project, Global Fund, UNFPA and UNAIDS, whose support has made the campaign possible. The Committee would also like to thank the Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC) for their technical assistance in the Campaign.
 

Business of the Week: Treasure Garden Hotel & Restaurant
06 August 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com

The hotel and restaurant of Treasure Garden observe a policy of serving the guests with first-class service. Conveniently located outside Apia on Fugalei Street is the sparkling and clean Treasure Garden Hotel & Restaurant, with modern style rooms, internet access and superb Chinese cuisine.

If you are planning a wedding, birthday, welcoming or farewell dinner, family dinner or simply taking that special person out and don't know where to go, Treasure Garden is the place to be. The restaurant caters for 250 - 300 people.

The Hotel contains twenty-one rooms; there are eight single rooms and thirteen doubles. All rooms have air conditioning, televisions, refrigerators & bathrooms with hot water. Single rooms include one double bed, whereas double rooms have one single bed and one double bed.

Treasure Garden Hotel & Restaurant also have an internet cafe located in the lobby. There are two computers, a scanner, a printer and a fax machine strictly for guest use. So why not come and experience Treasure Garden Hotel & Restaurant? It's like visiting two countries at the same time!
 

Person of the Week: Fepuleai Seuao Faamanu Taeao Salua
05 August 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com

Fepuleai Seuao Faamanu Taeao Salua was born in 1919.

He was a teacher at Samoa Primary School from 1942 to 1944. In 1945/1946 he got the chance to teach at Oheawai Maori Primary School in New Zealand, which was an opportunity for him to observe and learn some of the Maori's language and culture.

He returned to Samoa in 1947 and continued teaching at Malifa Primary School. Fepuleai married Avei Siliga from Falefa Anoamaa. During that year, Avei was teaching at Vaipouli College, Matautu Savaii. From 1949 to 1981 Fapuleai was a district school inspector. In 1954 he was ordained an elder for the LMS church in 1972 now known as the EFKS. He was called to work for the Ministry of Education in Leifiifi in the same year. Fepuleai retired from the Samoa Education Department in March 1981.

From 1981 to 1986 he lived in Falevao and Falefa as a family man and also as an elder for the EFK Samoa.

Fepuleai and his family moved to New Zealand in 1987 and since then, he has been an active member of the St David's Multicultural Parish in Petone, Lower Hutt where he continued his service being an elder for the church. He is the author of the well known Samoan book "O le tafatolu o Au Measina Samoa”.

"O le Tafafa o Au Measina Samoa" is in four parts; Traditional Family, Traditional Food, Traditional Fishing and Traditional Sports. The second edition was launched on Friday 03rd August 2007, at the National University of Samoa fale and was attended by His Highness Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Taisi Efi and Masiofo Filifilia, the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Neioti Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, Government officials, family and friends.
 

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