NEWSROOM: 22 July - 28 July 2007

Fireworks for the South Pacific Games Opening
28 July 2007 - Source: SASNOC Press Release

I am very pleased to announce today that thanks to the generous support of the Chinese Embassy in Samoa, the Opening Ceremony for the South Pacific Games will feature a spectacular fireworks display.

The Opening Ceremony will mark the commencement of two weeks of the biggest and best supporting events ever held in Samoa. The Opening Ceremony program will have many highlights and the fireworks will add to the colour and atmosphere of the evening’s entertainment. The fireworks will provide a spectacular climax to the program.

I am sure the Opening Ceremony will be enjoyed by everyone. It will be a very colourful program and will involve the athletes and officials from the 22 competing countries.

The fireworks will be staged by Mr. Tony Finlay, fireworks specialist from Australia. Fireworks displays of this magnitude are not often seen in Samoa and I am particularly pleased that many Samoan children will have the opportunity to greatly enjoy spectacular fireworks.

The Chinese Government has contributed SAT6000 toward the cost.
 

Technical Training to Improve EPC Operation
27 July 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com

From Monday 23rd July to Friday 3rd August, an NZAID/AusAid In-country Training Course (ICT) will be conducted at the Electric Power Corporation (EPC), as part of the EPC In-house Training Scheme.

Due to constant improvements in technology and changes in both the internal and external business environments, EPC views ongoing training as a necessary function. The EPC In-house Training Scheme involves sourcing experts in various fields either internally or externally, to educate staff on improving their work.

To procure the training services, EPC worked with the Public Service Commission and the Oloamanu Centre for Professional Development and Continuous Improvement, to apply to the NZAID/AusAid In-county Training Project. Macquarie Training NZ has been sourced to work with counterparts at EPC to conduct two training programs across the fortnight.

The two courses that are being conducted are ‘Technical Training for Linesmen’ and ‘Training for Mechanical/Electrical Operators’. These courses have been chosen to aid EPC’s contribution to the South Pacific Games. The 44 participants in the courses will be able to apply their acquired skills during standby at relevant locations throughout the games, so to ensure the provision of reliable electricity.

The NZAID/AusAid In-Country Training Project is designed to extend choices through skill development. The goal of the project is to assist Samoan organizations like EPC to manage and administer the provision of short courses so that moving forward, the organisation can better manage their own training programs.

According to EPC’s Training and Development Specialist Douglas Tomane, “skills that are shared during ICT will allow us to conduct practical and high quality internal training sessions in the future. It will help to advance the skills of our internal trainers and ensure that staff members are kept up to date with changes in operation and technology. I would like to thank all involved parties for their assistance in implementing the ICT program.”
 

NUS Visions Restaurant reopening to public
26 July 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com

The Tourism and Hospitality Programme of the Institute of Technology (IoT) for the National University of Samoa is reopening Visions Restaurant to the general public, from 25 July to 09 August 2007.

The NUS Visions Restaurant provides students with practical training from cooking, to serving and hosting guests. Guests of Visions Restaurant are kindly asked to evaluate the service and performance of the students as part of the training process and in return offer affordable meals prepared by the students in the setting of brand new IoT facilities built by the Government of Japan.

The service and opening hours are as follows:

Week 1:
Wednesday 25th July 2007 - Buffet Menu
Thursday 26th July 2007 - A La Carte Menu
Friday 27th July 2007 - A La Carte Menu
Breakfast only - 7am - 11.00am

Week 2:
Tuesday 31st July 2007
Wednesday 1st August 2007
Thursday 2nd August 2007
Lunch only - 11.00am - 2.00pm

Week 3:
Tuesday 7th August 2007
Wednesday 8th August 2007
Thursday 9th August 2007
Breakfast - 7am - 10am
Lunch - 11am - 2.00pm

Reservations are strongly recommended, please call 21-428 extension 178 or 179.

Visions Restaurant is located opposite Vaivase-tai Primary School at the National University of Samoa (Institute of Technology), with entrance access from the Oloamanu Centre (follow the sign).
 

Punjas donate for the South Pacific Games
25 July 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com

Punjas Company Limited this week donated SAT25,000 to the South Pacific Games Authority. Chairman of the SPGA Afioga Faumuina Liuga and CEO Fonoti Etuale accepted the sponsorship donation from Punjas.

The occasion was marked with the SPGA and Punjas Management signing off the Sponsorship Deal and the handover of the cheque. The Minister thanked Punjas, especially for their commitment to help fund the South Pacific Games.

Furthermore the Minister acknowledged the contribution by Punjas to assist the South Pacific Region, and especially their commitment to Samoa over the past years. This includes their commitment to sports teams such as the Pacific Islanders Combined Rugby Team, as well as local sports teams in Samoa. Now, Punjas has stepped up with their commitment to be a major sponsor of the 13th South Pacific Games in Apia

The signing of the partnership with Punjas adds another major player to the list of SPG Sponsors. Companies that have signed their sponsorship for the SPG to date include ANZ Bank, Samoatel and others.
 

New Tugboats and Port Deepening Equipment for Samoa Ports Authority
24 July 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com

Government and Samoa Ports Authority are nearing completion of their Matautu Pier Project for yachts and the deepening of the Apia Harbour for visiting ships. Samoa Ports Authority dedicated two new Tugboats, a barge and a Giant Backhoe slated for the SPA Pier Projects.

The tugboats will not only be used to pilot ships into the Samoan harbours and wharfs but will also be used to tow the barge that carries the giant hoe for the pier project and deepening the harbours from time to time. The harbours in Samoa under the SPA are Salelologa, Asau, Mulifanua and Apia, where existing trading and passenger wharfs are located. The equipment will also be used to excavate and finish the port development work which has now restarted at Aleipata wharf.

This equipment was purchased from the Caterpillar Company in Korea and includes 3 tugboats with barge capability and giant backhoe machine which has taken over 6 months to arrive in Samoa. The first attempt by a Korean crew of six to sail the Tavae to Samoa was September 18 2006. The Tavae was pulling the Manuula with the backhoe on its deck and this first attempt failed due to bad weather. They tried again on 31 October and had to return home, beaten again by bad weather. After waiting for the weather to clear, they set sail for Samoa at the end of May 2007 and landed in Guam on 11 June, 2007.

The tugboats are named Samaria and Tavae whilst the barge was christened with the name Manuula. The purchase of the equipment is a major undertaking by the Samoa Ports Authority who also funded the purchase. According to Prime Minster Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, this shows the commitment of the SPA to the improvement of Samoa’s ports and to ensure that the SPA can handle its own development projects.
 

Business of the Week: Apia Bottling Company Limited
23 July 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com

Apia Bottling Company Limited manufactures a wide range of products. It is a Food and Drink Processing Company belonging to the Aggie Greys Company Limited. The factory and head office is located at Taufusi where it has operated for well over 15 years.

Offering more that any other food processing company, Apia Bottling processes the Orchy range of Fruit Juices, Velvet Ice Cream, Samoa's own Chilly Sauce, Sports Drinks, Velvet Water and Ice. The company has a strong commitment to environment, which is evident in the biodegradable wrapping of their products, suiting both cultural diversity and local community needs.

Apia Bottling is also the distributor of Pepsi soft drinks and the whole range of Pepsi Drink Products. They have a variety of products to choose from, including the latest Pepsi line; Pepsi Vanilla & You have to try it to believe it.

Apia Bottling is one of the founding Major Sponsors of the Samoa Rugby Union and prides itself in being the drinks and ice provider for the SRU and its Manu Samoa Team.

The General Manager is Mr. Robbie Rankin who has been at the forefront of running the company. Robbie is responsible for all aspects of the products they manufacture, from the quality assurance to production, to research and development of the products, which range from their world famous Samoa Chilli Sauce, to the Veloveta Ice Creams right down to their Artesian Veloveta water.
 

Person of the Week: Fuimaono Faleomavaega Titimaea Tafua
22 July 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com

Afioga Fuimaono Faleomavaega Titimaea Tafua has been appointed the State Secretary to the Samoan Head of State, His Highness Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi. Dickie as he is commonly known amongst his peers is none other than the National Coach for the Manu Samoa Sevens Team. He has been a national Manu Samoa Captain and also a representative for many years, of both Sevens and 15s rugby.

Fuimaono started his coaching career with the Vaiala Rugby Club Junior Teams and rose in the ranks to the Senor A side, which he coached for many National Championship titles over the years. From there, he graduated to coaching the Samoa National Rugby Teams from the Under 21s to Samoa A and now, the Manu Samoa Sevens Team which he was appointed to coach in 2005.

Fuimaono is one of the select few Samoan bred and taught coaches to have contributed to the development of the game in Samoa and he has undoubtedly contributed a lot over the years, both as a player and now as a coach of the Samoa National Representative Rugby Teams. The latest accolades he has brought to Samoa are the Manu Samoa 7s Team winning the renowned Hong Kong 7s title for the first time since 1993 and the Wellington 7s title, both in 2007. His current team were finalists in 6 of the 8 tournaments in the IRB 7s Circuit for 2006-07. The Manu Samoa 7s Team is currently favoured to win the South Pacific Games 7s within the current rankings for the tournament coming up in August.

In an interview with Event Polynesia this week, Fuimaono stated that he was a national representative from 1981 to 1990. He was appointed captain from 1983 till 1990 in the Samoa 7s Team and was also the national 15s captain for many years before they became known as the Manu Samoa Team in 1988. He was also one of the first Samoans to play contract rugby overseas when he played for Manly Rugby Club and in 1987 for Drummoyd Rugby Club in Sydney. He currently operates a bus transport company and is married to Eleni Pereise Fesili and has two college age sons.
 

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