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	Palau signs agreement with US 09 April 2008 - Source: Radio New Zealand International Palau has become the first country in the Pacific to sign a permanent ship rider agreement with the United States. The bilateral agreement authorises Palau’s law enforcement officers to board US Coast Guard ships during operations against maritime transnational crime and illegal fishing. The U.S. Coast Guard Captain, William Marhoffer, told the Palau Horizon that this will expand Palau’s capability to monitor and enforce its laws against illegal activities within its 200-mile exclusive economic zone. The U.S. may also sign similar agreements with other Pacific countries, including the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Cook Islands.
	Progress In Dealing With Micronesia Immigrants, Senator Says 05 April 2008 - Source: Pacific Magazine Hawaii State Senator Kalani English sees tremendous progress in dealing with Micronesia area migration to Hawaii and other U.S. states after many years of neglect. As the pace of out-migration to America escalates, Micronesia area leaders are now engaging with Hawaii state officials to address the problems that have largely been ignored, English said in an interview before wrapping up a five-day visit to the Marshall Islands earlier this week. English has been championing the need for the U.S. government to take greater responsibility and provide funding for the impact of thousands of islanders migrating to Hawaii under the terms of a treaty with Washington. “Our side is open and willing, and now the Marshall Islands side is, too,” English said. “Good progress between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands can get results and it will be difficult for the (United States) federal government not to support it.” The three freely associated states (Marshall Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia) and Hawaii “are on the same page and now (American Samoa Congressman) Faleomavega Eni Hunkin is on the page,” English said. “I¹m excited because things are lining up. Our combined forces are much greater than one alone.” He made his comments after participating in hearings organized by the Faleomavaega in Majuro. Hawaii is seeking U.S. federal government reimbursement of tens of millions of dollars the state says it is paying to provide education and health services to migrants pouring into Hawaii from these western Pacific nations that are closely associated with the U.S. Hawaii spent more than $91 million of services to freely associated state citizens, but received only $10 million reimbursement from the federal government in 2006, English said. English said his aim is to create a situation where “we have measurable outcomes. It will give more ammunition for the Hawaii (congressional) delegation.” The Hawaii congressional delegation is pushing to get the federal government to eliminate the $30 million cap on money for Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Marianas that is known as “Compact impact funding” so that the federal government begins picking up the tab of the Compact of Free Association, which it approved with these three nations, English said. Islanders from these three Pacific nations have visa-free entry to the United States. With economic conditions worsening in the Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia, an estimated 2,500 are migrating annually to the U.S. Researchers estimate that close to 30 percent of the 70,000 Marshall Islanders and 25 percent of the 107,000 Micronesians now live in the U.S. Despite recent media coverage in Hawaii about the increasing number of islanders living in homeless shelters, English said he believes that attitudes of Hawaii residents “are still open (to the migrating islanders). That¹s why it¹s important for Marshallese/Micronesians to engage.” He said there is one Samoan-run church in the Waipahu area of Oahu that has been very active in providing services to low-income Marshallese, which he sees as a good sign. “It¹s one immigrant group helping another,” he said. “Everyone in Hawaii was an immigrant at one time.” He said he wants to see Marshallese and Micronesians integrate well into Hawaii, and is keen to see more get job training so that they can climb up the ladder. He noted that the five-star Four Seasons Hotel chain on the Big Island of Hawaii and Lanai has been actively hiring islanders from Kosrae, one of four states in the Micronesian federation, because of their good work ethic. Fortune Magazine recently ranked The Four Seasons chain as one of the best companies to work for in the United States. “The business community recognizes the potential of Micronesians,” he said. Getting the Micronesian governments involved with the states will help push the federal government to improve the current situation of migrants, he said.
	US military delivers flu vaccine to Pacific 01 April 2008 - Source: ABC Radio Australia The United States military says it has delivered 30,000 doses of flu vaccine to US territories and small islands in the Pacific. It says the decision to supply the vaccine was made following discussions on how the US could help Pacific nations cope with an influenza pandemic and natural disasters. The Defence Department requires all active duty personnel to be vaccinated against flu each year, and often has excess supplies. The excess doses are worth $US260,000, but are being given to Pacific nations at no cost. American Samoa, Palau, Northern Marianas, Micronesia, Guam and the Marshall Islands will all receive vaccines.
	Forum Officials Committee Approves PIF Revised Budget 28 March 2008 - Source: ABC Radio Australia The Forum Officials Committee (FOC), the governing body of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, has approved the revised 2008 Budget and Work Program of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) out of session. The PIFS 2008 Budget and Work Program was presented to the pre-Forum FOC Meeting in Tonga last September. FOC noted the recent extra demands placed on the Secretariat resulting from an increasing range of activities, including the advancement of the Pacific Plan, and the pressure that this has placed on available financial resources and asked that the work program and budget be revised to reduce operational costs, prioritize initiatives, and identify the highest priority activities within existing resources. In consultation with FOC, PIFS revised the 2008 budget and work program as requested. It was approved out of session last week. PIFS 2008 revised budget now stands at FJD$37 (US$24.7) million compared to that originally presented to FOC in September of FJD$43 (US$28) million
	US navy to conduct sonar training in Northern Marianas 24 March 2008 - Source: ABC Radio Australia The U-S Navy says the waters surrounding the northern Marianas are playing an increasingly important role in sonar training. Ed Lynch of the U.S. Pacific Fleet says submarines from rogue states continue to be a major threat particularly in critical choke points for shipping in narrow straits like Hormuz, Gibraltar and Malacca. Most diesel-electric submarines such as those from North Korea operate in areas where their activities can not be accurately read by passive sonars. Mr Lynch says the Marianas waters will provide an opportunity for US sailors to train in deep and shallow waters practicing their knowledge in active sonar technology which would allow the Navy to see underwater movement without being detected. He says this would allow the U.S. Navy to fulfil its mission to protect global economy and prevent wars better.
	U.S. EPA files complaint against ship brokers for violations 20 March 2008 - Source: U.S Enviroment Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a federal complaint against Global Shipping and Global Marketing Systems, Inc. for distribution in commerce and export of PCB-containing materials on the MV Oceanic, formerly the SS Independence, a ship being sent by Global to be scrapped overseas. Fines against these two companies may be assessed up to $32,500 per violation per day. The MV Pacific Hickory is towing the MV Oceanic to its final destination. “Federal law prohibits companies from exporting PCBs, including those in ships, that are sent overseas to be scrapped,” said Rich Vaille, Associate Director for waste program enforcement in EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “When companies illegally export PCB waste, they are circumventing U.S. requirements for proper disposal. PCB waste must be properly disposed to protect public health and the environment.” Global has 30 days to file an answer to the complaint to avoid a penalty assessment without a hearing. The EPA was not informed by Global of their intention to export the ship for disposal. The previous owners, Norwegian Cruise Lines, bought the ship through a wholly owned subsidiary with the intent to put it into service in the United States. The paperwork showing that Norwegian Cruise Lines had sold the vessel to Global was not submitted to the Maritime Administration until the ship had already sailed. Export of PCB materials from the United States is a violation of EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act. Vessels such as the MV Oceanic, which was built in the early 1950s, were commonly constructed with PCB-containing materials including cables, electrical equipment such as capacitors and transformers, watertight seal material, and painted surfaces. More than 1.5 billion pounds of PCBs were manufactured in the United States before the EPA banned the production of this chemical class in 1978. PCBs were commonly used in paints, industrial equipment, plastics, and rubber products. EPA banned this class of chemicals after tests showed that PCBs cause cancer in animals and adversely affect the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems in humans.
	Marshall Islands seeks amends from U.S. government 16 March 2008 - Source: Reuters A Pacific island government is seeking speedy compensation from the United States over what it sees as second-class treatment of local citizens caused by a missile test site, an island official said. The newly elected Marshall Islands administration wants the U.S. government to accelerate a $55 million to $75 million plan for sharing power, water and sewer lines on the Kwajalien atoll, the biggest in the world, Foreign Minister Tony deBrum told Reuters during an official visit to Taiwan. The Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site has banished the rest of the 20,000-population atoll to an effective ghetto by taking the best resources, deBrum said. The base employs 1,200 people but the U.S. Army recently laid off large numbers in the unemployment-stricken South Pacific nation, he said. The U.S. government began testing atomic and hydrogen bombs in the Marshalls in the 1940s and in 1954 detonated the most powerful hydrogen bomb ever tested, according to a website under the Claremont Institute, a U.S. political nonprofit. A military use agreement between the United States and the Marshalls allows the U.S. government to use Kwajalein Atoll until 2066, with an optional extension to 2086. However, landowners on the atol have not approved the use beyond 2016 as the rental amount is unsettled. DeBrum said he was unsure whether an extension would be possible. "We've made our plan very clear," deBrum said. The atoll, which has been "badly damaged" ecologically by the base, might work better as a vacation resort or for fishing use in a country with one million square miles of ocean, he said.
	US Customs Finally Sends Condolences For Baby Michael's Death 12 March 2008 - Source: Pacific Magazine The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Honolulu last Friday issued a message of condolence to the American Samoan family whose 14-day-old son died while being detained by the Customs service in a locked room at Honolulu International Airport February 8. Michael Futi was laid to rest on Saturday at the Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery in Honolulu. CBP’s Honolulu Area Port director Lamar Witmer says CBP grieves with the Futi family and the community for this loss. He said in a brief statement that CBP is fully cooperating and looks forwards to learning the results of the investigations into Michael’s death. There are three ongoing separate investigations into Micheal’s death while detained with his mother and a nurse at a customs room at the Pago Pago International Airport a month ago. While appreciative of CBP’s sympathies, the family’s attorney in Honolulu, Rick Fried says this incident should have never happening, adding that Michael and the nurse are both U.S. nationals, traveling on U.S. passports and should have never been detained. Michael is the youngest son of Tony and Luaipou of American Samoa. In response to the incident, Gov. Togiola Tulafono has called for a detailed review of immigration procedures at the Honolulu airport. In a Feb. 28 letter to Interior Department Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, the governor said it is American Samoa’s intent that this situation with Michael is never repeated. He said American Samoa is very concerned over immigration procedures for emergency medivac patients from American Samoa and calls for them to be reviewed.
	US cutting operations at main Pacific missile testing range 08 March 2008 - Source: AFP The cost of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are forcing the US to cut back operations at its Pacific missile testing range in the Marshall Islands, the range commander said Thursday. "The global war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan costs money and it has to come from somewhere," said Reagan Test Site commander, Colonel Stevenson Reed. "We're not immune," Reed said after briefing Marshall Islands President Litokwa Tomeing in the Marshall Islands capital Majuro. About six million US dollars will be cut from the 250 million dollar annual budget this year, meaning lay-offs for more than seven percent of its American and Marshall Islands workforce. The missile range at Kwajalein atoll has been the testing ground for every US missile and anti-missile defense system since it was first established in the mid-1960s. The US pays Kwajalein landowners more than 15 million dollars annually to rent islands in this boomerang-shaped necklace of low-lying coral islands that are dotted with radar, high speed infrared cameras and missile launch pads. The range is going through a four-year transformation period, during which it will cut about six million dollars from its budget annually. Last year, the US army started shifting some range operations and personnel to its Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, Alabama. The planned installation of a deep sea fibre optic communications cable by 2010 will allow some range operations to be will be run remotely, cutting costs for US Defense Department contractors and other branches of the military that use Kwajalein, Reed said. Tony deBrum, foreign minister of the Marshall Islands, a former US territory in the Western Pacific, expressed dismay at the sudden announcement of the cutbacks. About 12,000 islanders who live crowded on the tiny island of Ebeye, which has been described as the "slum of the Pacific", depend heavily on the salaries of the 1,125 Marshall Islanders who work at the nearby missile base. Up to 100 are expected to lose their jobs this year, while 64 American jobs will also be lost. "There is no doubt that the reduction in the Marshall Islands workforce at Kwajalein over the next four years will have immediate impact on families of the employees who will be laid off," deBrum said. DeBrum said he was "particularly dismayed" about the announcement by Reed because he was told by US Defense Department officials last year there would be no reduction in the workforce.
	Nose tackle Sopoaga re-ups with 49ers 04 March 2008 - Source: San Francisco Chronicle The 49ers kept another one of their own when they re-signed nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga on Wednesday to a five-year contract worth $20 million. Sopoaga, a four-year veteran, would have become an unrestricted free agent Friday, the start of free agency around the NFL. "He feels very comfortable here," Sopoaga's agent, Kenny Zuckerman, said. "It's one of the closest cities to American Samoa. He really likes coach (Jim) Tomsula. He helped really develop him. That was a factor in staying. He's committed to the 49ers. It was definitely a good year for him. You see a guy who's just scratching the surface." Under Tomsula, the 49ers' first-year defensive line coach, Sopoaga blossomed into a more complete player. He played in all 16 games, started five and recorded 58 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks and had a pass batted down. There was not much difference in quality of play between starting nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin and Sopoaga in 2007, and the latter proved more productive than the former. In 14 starts, Franklin had 61 tackles and no sacks. With Sopoaga, the 49ers have signed three players who would have become unrestricted free agents Friday. The others are quarterback Shaun Hill and linebacker Roderick Green.
	US urges Fiji to keep pledge to hold democratic election next year 29 February 2008 - Source: International Herald Tribune The United States has urged Fiji's military-backed government to keep its promise to hold elections next year to return the South Pacific nation to democracy, but warned that it sees little progress toward that goal. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia and the Pacific Glyn Davies told reporters late Wednesday in Fiji's capital, Suva, that Washington insists Fiji holds elections and returns to democratically elected government. "The United States of America is willing to help Fiji, but how can we help if we haven't seen any steps taken by the government to progress the country" toward elections, Davies said. "There is no progress since I visited last year," he said after meeting with the head of the military-led Fiji government, armed forces chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama, and other senior officials, including the finance and foreign ministers. Davies also met Laisenia Qarase, the elected prime minister Bainimarama ousted in his December 2006 coup. Bainimarama has pledged to South Pacific and European leaders that democratic elections will be held no later than March 2009. But critics, including South Pacific regional powers Australia and New Zealand, have expressed doubts that Bainimarama's promise is genuine. Washington suspended military assistance to Fiji's armed forces after the coup, and the measure will remain until a democratically elected government is chosen, Davies said. "What's important is getting back a government people can have faith in, where they can have a say, be informed," he said. Davies also criticized the deportation this week of the Fiji Sun newspaper's Australian managing director, Russell Hunter — a move that Australia and New Zealand condemned as intimidation and curtailing press freedom. "The issue of press freedom is important and to see what is currently happening was frightening," Davies said. "This is not a positive step taken by the government to move the country forward," he said of Hunter's expulsion.
	Industry Committee On Wages Hike Proposed During Congressional Hearing 25 February 2008 - Source: Pacific Magzine The U.S. Department of Interior has asked a congressional hearing to consider the establishment of a federal special industry committee to set minimum wages for American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on a biennial basis. The U.S. House subcommittee on insular areas four-hour hearing held at the Lee Auditorium in Pago Pago Friday gave the chance to DOI, local government leaders and representatives of the private sector to voice their opinion over the current federal wage law and future hikes. The next increase of 50 cent per hour goes into effect May 25. Nikolao Pula, DOI’s acting deputy secretary for insular affairs, was unable to address the hearing as planned but his five-page written testimony was presented to the subcommittee for its record. In his written testimony, Pula recalled the U.S. Department of Labor report which states that American Samoa and CNMI face unique challenges in attracting private sector businesses because of their geographic isolation and location in a part of the world where most neighboring economies have much lower minimum wage and living standards. Under the current federal law, wage hikes of 50 cents per hour for American Samoa and CNMI will continue until wages reach the new federal level of $7.25 per hour. The DOL report suggests that scheduled minimum wage increases could cause the canneries in American Samoa to relocate to lower cost countries long before they are force to pay $7.25 per hour and that more garment factories in the CNMI may close sooner than otherwise expected, said Pula. Congresswoman Donna Christensen, chairperson of the subcommittee, said she is “concerned” that the report does not address the issue of quality of life and standard of living needs in the two territories. In light of the risk to the American Samoa and CNMI economies, the Bush Administration suggests that Congress give “strong consideration” to amending the current law in order to avoid minimum wage increases that could result in significant job loss and harm to the economies of the two territories, said Pula in his written testimony. “Broad language that would postpone an increase in minimum wage based on a finding of any adverse impact on the respective economies of the CNMI and American Samoa might have the effect of preventing all progress towards a higher minimum wage,” said Pula. “Narrower language requiring a determination that the increase will not substantially curtail employment allows more flexibility, but the difficulties for the Secretary of Labor of obtaining reliable information upon which to based any determination will be significant,” he added. Another point Congress may consider is the establishment of a special industry committee that set the minimum wage rates biennially. Pula said the industry committee could ensure the people who determine the minimum wage increases share first-hand knowledge of island economies, while representing different stake-holder groups within those economies as well as the public interest. “When compared with proposals to vest the decision making authority in the Secretary of Labor, this model offers the advantage of ensuring that local knowledge is fully incorporated and that stakeholders in the territorial economies are able to play significant roles,” he added. Prior to May last year when the current federal law was enacted, American Samoa’s minimum wage was reviewed every two years by a special industry committee appointed by the Secretary of Labor. Lt. Gov. Ipulasi A. Sunia told the subcommittee that he supports the industry committee, adding that this system had worked for American Samoa in past years because wage hikes were based on local economic conditions. He said the system is better than the new annual wage increases mandated by Congress. Congressman Faleomavaega Eni, however, disagrees saying that the industry committee implements two to three cents an hour and he believes this is the first time in many years that a 50 cent hike was implemented. “I do not support the industry committee but I support a neutral party such as the Department of Labor,” he said. “The industry committee didn’t speak well for the workers.” Ipulasi called on Congress “to enact legislation that is fair and just for the Territory of American Samoa.” The Fono, the two canneries and the Chamber of Commerce support Faleomavaega’s bill which would make future increases in minimum wage rates in American Samoa or the CNMI conditional n a determination by the Secretary of Labor that an increase will not have an adverse impact on the economies of the two territories.
	Three U.S. Senators favour deferring another 50 cent increase in Am. Samoa 21 February 2008 - Source: Radio New Zealand International At least three U.S. Senators are in favour of deferring another 50-cent increase in American Samoa’s minimum wage, to avoid what they have describe as economic disaster. The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources scheduled a hearing for next week on the impact of the minimum wage increases on American Samoa and CNMI. The committee’s, Bill Wicker, says CNMI’s Governor and its Washington Representative and Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, as well as other officials will testify. He says the committee has not taken a formal position on this issue. But Chairman Jeff Bingaman, Hawaii senators Daniel Akaka , Daniel Inouye and Faleomavaega have sent a letter to several other senators saying the next increase would cause serious damage. American Samoa has said its tuna industry, which is a major source of revenue for the local government, cannot sustain another wage increase this year. The CNMI is also asking the U.S. Congress to defer the implementation of the wage hike law in the CNMI. Congressman Faleomavaega has introduced a bill which would remove the escalator provision in the wage law.
	Event Polynesia to market and promote Toa Samoa RLWC campaign 17 February 2008 - Source: eventpolynesia.com Samoa Rugby League has announced the appointment of Event Polynesia to market and promote Toa Samoa for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup, to be held in Australia starting in October. The arrangement includes marketing, promotion and fundraising, starting as soon as possible and includes all commercial arrangements from now up to and after the Rugby League World Cup. Details of the partnership are yet to be finalised, but the two parties are keen to work together for the betterment of Toa Samoa’s World Cup Campaign and commercial arrangements going forward. “We are so delighted to be working with Event Polynesia for the World Cup and going forward" said SRL President Mr Peter Paul. Toa Samoa RLWC Fundraising will kick-off in mid April with corporate fights pitching rugby league legends against those from other sports. It will also include fights between corporate professionals pitching CEO’s of the public and private sector against one another. This will be the first time for corporate Samoa to enjoy corporate fights, including wining and dining and cheering on a professional partner, while at the same time, contributing to and fundraising for Toa Samoa’s Rugby League World Cup campaign. “It is such a relief for us to bring in a professional event company to take care of marketing and commercial matters whilst we concentrate on the administration side of things for the World Cup” said SRL Secretary General Fritz Tuiavii. The local Samoa Rugby League competition kicks-off in early April, with trials set for July and the World Cup squad to be finalised in August. With the high interest and participation of our premier Samoan professional rugby league stars from all over the world, Toa Samoa stands a very positive chance to make the Semi Finals of the World Cup.
	US Pacific territories to meet to discuss contamination responses 13 February 2008 - Source: Radio New Zealand International Environmental officials from the United States-affiliated Pacific Territories are to meet in Honolulu this week to improve environmental contamination response procedures. The Pacific Basin Brownfields Response Team meeting will be attended by officials from Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Marianas, Hawaii and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA said the goal of the meeting is to build stronger programs to prevent and respond to chemical contamination on land and water. Brownfields are abandoned sites contaminated with hazardous chemicals. The inaugural meeting is sponsored by the EPA and the Hawaii Department of Health.
	A strong Samoan on and off the field 09 February 2008 - Source: Northwest Asian Weekly The Seattle Seahawks third-year middle linebacker and defensive captain Lofa Tatupu will play in his second straight Pro Bowl, the National Football League’s annual All-Star game in Hawaii on Feb. 10. Tatupu, a Samoan American, and fellow NFL star Troy Polamalu, of the Pittsburgh Steelers, were recently honored by the United States congressman from American Samoa, Eni Faleomavaega, for making the Pro Bowl. “I want to congratulate Lofa and Troy for their selection for the 2008 NFL Pro Bowl scheduled for Feb. 10, 2008,” said Faleomavaega. “This has been a tremendous season for both players and they are deserving of this opportunity to be playing once again in Hawaii. “It is amazing that out of a population of about 70,000, these two young men of Samoan heritage and whose roots are from American Samoa, are able to reach the highest individual honor as an active player of the National Football League. This selection is cumulative of the opinions from their coaches, their peers and, importantly, their fans that continue to support them every day. I know this selection also recognizes their fellow Polynesian brothers throughout the league.” Tatupu is very close to his family and will have a lot of support from the stands at Honolulu Stadium. His strongest supporters (in more ways than one) are probably his parents: His father Mosi was a fullback for the New England Patriots and his mother Linnea taught Lofa how to box when he was a child. To honor his parents, Tatupu has a tattoo on his forearm, inspired by a print on a tapa (bark cloth decorated with natural pigment) that served as the backdrop of his parents’ wedding ceremony. Tatupu’s leadership and strength is evident on and off the football field. Not only did he lead the team with 109 tackles, he is also very active in the community. Tatupu participated in the Seahawk’s Captain Blitz Program, joining his teammates for patient hospital visits during the holiday season. He also helped children in need with a free shopping spree at Toys “R” Us. Just recently, after a second-grade class from Rock Creek Elementary in Tacoma created and mailed a “Lofa Memory Book” about Tatupu’s accomplishments, he made a surprise visit to the school and gave everyone Tatupu jerseys.
	Ten Samoan boxing pioneers receive honorary awards 05 February 2008 - Source: eventpolynesia.com Ten recipients of the Samoa International Pro-Am Boxing Honorary Awards were presented their awards at the Pre-fight Cocktail on Friday 1st February 2008. According to Mr. Puni, “It is fitting that the pioneers of Samoa boxing are honoured at the inaugural Samoa International Pro-Am Boxing event for their service in boxing. This weekend Samoa will not only host representatives from the four main world boxing bodies, but will make boxing history with local referee and judges officiating the WBO Oriental Cruiserweight title.” “Contrary to what most think, it is very hard to raise funds in Samoa to promote boxing and especially to stage international fights here. This is the first and very likely to be the last time Event Polynesia Boxing will bring such an international boxing gathering here to Samoa.” “Event Polynesia Boxing is committed to promoting Samoan boxers. However, the international title fights will have to be in Auckland where we stage our New Zealand fights because of the huge expenses that we incur to bring such events to Samoa.” Mr. Puni and boxing officials made a courtesy call to personally thank the Prime Minister, Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi and to thank the Samoa Government for the financial assistance towards the amateur expenses of this event. Mr. Reginald Leca, President of Oceania Boxing Association and representative for PABA and WBA at a media conference yesterday, compared Samoa to Cuba as a force in world boxing. But unlike Cuba, Samoa needs to move its amateur boxers to professional boxing earlier rather than very late as is the case with Maselino Masoe. “This requires amateur boxing to work together with professional boxing in Samoa in association with promoters such as Event Polynesia Boxing, who are helping Samoan professional boxers to get ranking for title fights.” The 10 recipients of the Samoa International Pro-Am Boxing Honorary Awards are: Hon Peter Paul – Promoter, Hon Sala Ulugia Suivai – Promoter / Coach, Savaiinaea Malo Slade – Boxer / Trainer / Coach, Oscar Meredith – Trainer / Coach, Hon Fa’asootauloa Sam Saili – Promoter, Galumalemana Afeleti Betham – Trainer / Coach / Promoter, Hon Polataivao Fosi Schmidt – Boxer / Promoter / Coach, Lesa Eric Fatupaito – Trainer / Coach, Maposua Rudolf Keil – Promoter, and Ulugia Elijah Stanley – Promoter. American Samoa’s Congressman introduces bill to amend minimum wage act 01 February 2008 - Source: Radio New Zealand International American Samoa Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin has informed Governor Togiola that he has introduced a bill which would amend the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. The federal minimum wage law is due to go into effect in May. Congressman Faleomavaega says he would achieve the amendement by removing the annual 50 US cent increases to the local minimum wage. The new bill proposes that any further increases in minimum wages applicable to the territory would be based on a decision by the Secretary of Labor that such increases will not have an adverse impact on either economy. Faleomavaega introduced the bill in response to the Department of Labor’s recent report, which indicated that the first increase of 50 cents per hour was not harmful to either economy although further increases could be. Special accommodation and rental car deals announced for boxing fans 28 January 2008 - Source: eventpolynesia.com Overseas interest in the upcoming Samoa International Pro-Am Boxing event in Apia on Saturday 2nd February 2008 will see up to 200 boxing fans and supporters arriving in Samoa next week. Many more are expected to book a ticket to Samoa with the announcement over the week end of special accommodation and rental car deals for boxing fans and supporters. Hotel Kitano Samoa is offering an accommodation special $200 SAT per room per day for up to three people with ELAVA at Vaitele is offering $120 SAT per room per day up to two people with continental breakfast included. Apia Rental is offering a 15% discount to all their vehicles with DAT Car Rentals is offering a special $165 per day for their Hyundai Tucson fleet. This was confirmed by Mr. Teleiai Su’atapulolo’o Edwin Puni, Managing Director of Event Polynesia, “For the next two weeks, Hotel Kitano Samoa and ELAVA Resort will be the home of international boxing with Apia Rental and DAT Car Rentals as the preferred rental car service.” The inaugural Samoa International Pro-Am Boxing is an initiative of Event Polynesia Boxing in association with SPBI and SABA to provide our Samoan boxers both amateur and professional a pathway to boxing world titles by setting up the needed top international competitions right here in Samoa. Mr. Puni credits the support from media partners Samoa Observer, Le Samoa Post, SBC, TV3, Vaiala Beach TV and Radio Polynesia in promoting the upcoming fight. Mr. Puni goes on to say, “Staging international title fights in Samoa is very good for tourism and local businesses and also allows for our people to see the action LIVE and up close.” WBO Oriental Cruiserweight title contender and current IBF Australasian Cruiserweight champion Mr. Lawrence Tauasa arrived in Samoa on Sunday with his manager Mr. Lincoln Hudson to prepare for the upcoming fight. For more information contact Mr. Tuilagi Maiava Saipele Esera on (+685) 751-9458 or email: saipele@eventpolynesia.com. Climate change: The latest hot issue 24 January 2008 - Source: FT.com Next week, representatives of 17 of the world’s biggest economies – and biggest emitters of greenhouse gases – are to gather in Honolulu, Hawaii to discuss how they can tackle climate change in the coming decades. The meeting is the initiative of George W. Bush, US president, and will be the second in a series of meetings intended to forge agreement on some of the key questions facing governments in dealing with climate change. Mr Bush surprised the world last year by calling the meetings, in the first major initiative on climate change of his presidency. It will be an exhausting year for climate change negotiators. The Hawaii meeting follows on from a United Nations-sponsored meeting on the future of the Kyoto protocol on climate change, which took place on the opposite side of the Pacific in Bali, Indonesia in December. The Bali conference was the most important international meeting on climate change since the Kyoto protocol was signed in 1997, though it produced only an agreement to continue talks on the subject until 2009. Further meetings will follow under the US process in the coming months, with the possibility of a meeting of the heads of government of the 17 leading economies involved before the end of this year. At the same time, the UN will convene a separate series of meetings aimed at forging agreement on a successor to the Kyoto protocol by 2009, in time to take over when the current provisions of the treaty expire in 2012. But while this flurry of international activity makes a stark contrast with the once-a-year ministerial meetings under the UN that have taken place for more than a decade, will it result in any real solutions to the problem of climate change? Stephen Hale, director of the Green Alliance in the UK, is pessimistic that the meetings will produce substantial progress: “I don’t think we’re going to get much movement in 2008. I don’t think there will be agreement that will give us the outlines of a new international agreement. The US is still in a negative, spoiling strategy, and while there is enough pressure on them that they have to get through these meetings, it’s unlikely that they will make a major positive change.” Others are more optimistic. Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, says that achieving an agreement at Bali to begin negotiations was “very important” and a “big step”, and says that this year’s meetings will be just as important. But even if there is progress, the world is unlikely to find the answers to the most difficult problems of climate change this year: how far emissions should be cut, and by when; how should the cuts be shared among rich and poor countries; and what mechanisms should be introduced to assist with emissions reduction. Time is running out – both in scientific and political terms. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of the world’s leading climate change scientists convened by the UN, warned last year that irreversible and catastrophic changes to the world would be inevitable if the temperature rose by more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and that the best hope of avoiding such an outcome would require emissions to start to fall from 2020, against the rising trend of the past two centuries. In political terms, time is even shorter. The current provisions of Kyoto run out in 2012, and if governments cannot agree the principles of a successor by 2009, many experts believe there will not be enough time for national governments to ratify a new treaty before 2012. This would leave a dangerous gap in which the world’s only international agreement to cut global emissions would fall into abeyance, and would send the international markets in trading greenhouse gases into turmoil. Mr de Boer says: “It is essential to get agreement by 2009, and … it can be done.” But he concedes: “There is no doubt that it will be tough.”

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