NEWSPAGE 12 April
2010

(Photo: Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs)

(Photo: Samoa Government)

SAMOA: Parliamentary Updates
Source: Government Press Secretariat Press Release

Pacific Food Summit to be held

Cabinet has approved the participation by the Hon. Minister of Health, Gatoloai Amataga Alesana Gidlow, and the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Health, Palanitina Tupuimatagi Toelupe, of the Pacific Food Summit to be held in Port Vila, Vanuatu on the 21 - 23 April 2010.

The Pacific Food Summit will review threats to food security in the Pacific and best practice for improving food security. The meeting will also look into finalizing and endorsing a Framework for Action on Food Security and agreed on its outcomes. Issues about Food Security and its relation to Health is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Health.

This Summit will be attended by Chief Executive Officials from different Countries of the Pacific Region that are fully responsible for Food Security in their countries. The organization of this Summit was recommended by the 7th Pacific Health Ministers’ meeting in 2007 in Vanuatu.


Commonwealth Local Government Forum Pacific Project Consultation

Cabinet has approved the attendance by Maulolo Le’aula Tavita Amosa, Assistant Chief Executive Officer for Ministry of Women, of the 2010 Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Pacific Project Consultation, to be held in Brisbane, Australia, 12 - 14 April 2010.

The main purpose of this Consultation is to bring together member states of this Project and all stakeholders to discuss and set the future direction of the CLGF Pacific Project, which is an important part of its preparation as it enters its second phase in 2011. Discussions will include:
- CLGF Business Plan,
- CLGF Pacific Project Strategic Plan,
- CLGF Pacific Project Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

The representative from Samoa, Maulolo is the Chairman for the CLGF Technical Advisory Panel. He is also the officer responsible for managing this project in the Ministry of Women.


Maota Builders & Shwartz Construction awarded Contract

Cabinet has approved awarding of contract to Maota Builders & Shwartz Construction for building of New Market at Vaitele at a total cost of $4,396,247.00.

Tender for Bids was advertised for public interest. The Tender was divided into two sections. First Section was for building the Market and roads, while the second section was intended for building the Market only.

Six Companies expressed interest by submitting bids. Bids were then assessed according to the criteria set for the Tender and the Maota Builders & Shwartz Construction was considered as the most suitable candidate for the job.


Report regarding PICTA 4th Meeting on Trade Negotiations

Cabinet has approved the report on PICTA’s 4th Meeting on Trade Negotiations held in Nadi Fiji on 11- 13 March 2010.

Three main issues were highlighted in this meeting:
1. Tabling of proposals and submissions;
2. Discussion of the report on workers migrating through PICTA countries temporarily;
3. Meeting on PICTA agreement.

Ten countries including Samoa forwarded proposals and submissions. Most of the countries proposed commercial services like Lawyers, auditors, doctors, vets, transportation and tourism services.

Entries and departures of workers from PICTA countries were also discussed to utilize job opportunities available in each country.


Report of Convention on Monitoring Hazardous Chemicals

Cabinet has approved the report by Samoa representatives of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions which was held in Bali, Indonesia on the 22 - 24 February 2010.

This Convention focused on seven main issues, which include:
1. Joint activities
2. Joint managerial functions,
3. Joint services,
4. Synchronization of the Budget Cycle,
5. Joint Audits,
6. Review Arrangements and,
7. Decision Making.

No consensus was reached on Decision Making (issue number 7). Member countries agreed on the last part that each of the Three involved Conventions will have to look at Decision Making when discussing its own issues.


Distribution of goods for the tsunami victims

Cabinet has approved the distribution of container goods left over from last year for victims of the tsunami that struck the country in September 29, 2009.

The distribution of goods donated through the Government halted last year, and the remaining 41 containers were locked up at the Fire Services compound at Tuanaimato. These goods include foodstuff, clothes, drinks, kitchen wares, medical supplies, hardware goods, tarpaulin and tools, and also building supplies.

The decision was made to distribute foodstuff before their expiry dates, and to avoid the rising costs of container fees. The cyclone season is almost over, and it is most appropriate to distribute these goods now.

The distribution of goods started on Saturday 27 March 2010, on Saturday 10 and and will continue Saturday 17 of April 2010.

Members of the Disaster Advisory Council are responsible for the distribution. This committee consists of representatives from the Ministry of Women Community and Social Development, Ministry of Finance, Audit Office, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Police and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
 

(Photos: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: ASCC Spring 2010 Student Art Show Opens on April 15
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

When the Feleti Barstow Public Library marks its 10th anniversary this month, the celebration will include the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) Spring 2010 Student Art Show, which will open this coming Thursday, April 15th beginning at 10 a.m. The show, will feature drawings, paintings, designs, and pottery from this semester by the College’s student artists, which viewers can find on display mainly in the Library’s upstairs Conference Room as well as other locations around the facility.

Regina Meredith of the ASCC Fine Arts Department faculty says that this year she and her students have chosen the theme “Celebrating the Visual World and the Written Word”. As a means of merging written and visual art forms, Meredith asked her students to look for famous quotes pertinent to their work or their beliefs, and/or write poetry based on their works. “This exhibition will showcase an array of student versatility and creative thinking,” she explained. “It’s one thing to be talented, but to be creative and come up with interesting visual outcomes based on a particular concept is always challenging. It takes a lot of thinking.”

A typical ASCC Student Art Show will open with an evening reception, but this year Meredith sought to coordinate the College event with the Feleti Barstow Library anniversary celebration, which will begin as soon as the Library opens its doors this Thursday morning. “Since the opening will take place during Spring Break, we hope to attract students who might have difficulty attending an evening event,” said Meredith.

The most recent display of ASCC student art took place in December as part of a benefit concert for tsunami victims at Fatuoaiga. As they did at the tsunami benefit, the ASCC student artists will offer the public the opportunity to acquire some (but not all) of their artwork at the forthcoming show. “Each artist can make his or her own choice regarding sales,” said Meredith. “No artworks will have price tags on them at this show, but upon request we can make inquiries as to availability and prices.”

Meredith noted that some of the paintings the public can view at this Thursday’s opening came into existence thanks to the support of an unlikely patron of the arts. “Ace Hardware had a large stock of paint samples which they needed to rotate. Not full sized cans of paint, but sample containers about the size of a jar of cold cream. Ace asked us if we could use these samples, and now we’ve turned more than three thousand dollars worth of house paints into some works of art I would consider priceless.”

Following this Thursday’s opening, the public can view the ASCC student artwork during regular library hours until Friday, April 30th.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Regina Meredith (center) of the ASCC Fine Arts Department faculty and her students prepare for the Spring 2010 Student Art Show, which will open this coming Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Feleti Barstow Public Library, in conjunction with the Library's 10th Anniversary.

Photo 2 - Four student artists at ASCC collaborate on a painting they will display at the Spring 2010 Student art show.

COOK ISLANDS: Cooks mayor says Aitutaki rebuilding may start next month
Source: Radio New Zealand International

The mayor of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, Tai Herman, says the rebuilding of homes damaged by Cyclone Pat could begin as early as next month.

Cyclone Pat ripped through Aitutaki in February, causing damage to 80 percent of houses and destroying about 78.

Mr Herman says the process of repairing roofs is progressing well, with partially damaged roofs in three out of eight villages completely fixed.

He says designs have also been approved for new houses to replace those destroyed.

“The next step would obviously be to procure the materials from New Zealand, as we all buy everything from New Zealand. And then we are now processing through the various places where these houses are going to be built, to look at the sites where they’re going to be built. And we hope to start the construction phase within the next thirty days I hope.”

Tai Herman says the New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully, and a delegation have met the Island Council and is reportedly pleased with the clean-up.
 

(Photo: Fiji Times)

FIJI: Young blood make the cut
Source: Fiji Times

Three former national Und-er-20 players have been named in the 29-member Fiji A side to face Tonga in a two-Test match series.

The squad was named after a trial between the Fiji Warriors and Fiji Barbarians at Albert Park on Saturday morning.

Making their debut in the team will be young props Waisea Naulago and Manasa Saulo who were members of Lelean Memorial School Deans Trophy winning side of 2006.

Joining the two is former national sevens rep Waqabaca Kotobalavu.

The trio were part of the Fiji Under-20 side to the Junior World Cup in 2008 in Wales.

National fifteens head coach Samu Domoni said all players named had been certified 100 per cent fit by the team doctor before the names were released.

"The names of players selected were given to the team officials after the green light was given by the doctor," Domoni said after the team was announced at Peninsular Hotel on Saturday.

The team to play Tonga will be coached by Inoke Male and Sale Sorovaki.

Domoni said the two had been given the sole authority to prepare the Fiji A for the Tests.

Team manager Paula Biu said the team will march into camp on Wednesday to prepare for Tonga.

The team named is a mixture of experienced and young players coming through age group teams.

Players in the team who have already tasted international matches include Viliame Veikoso, Sireli Ledua, Setefano Samoca, Leone Nakarawa, Jimilai Nakaidawa and Mosese Volavola in the forwards while Waisale Vatuvoka and San Rawaqa are the only backline players who have played test rugby.

Domoni said the two test series would give the local players the opportunity to get a run against the best from Tonga.

"It rekindles the old rivalry we used to have before the advent of professionalism when both teams were always made up of home grown players."

The first test will be played at the National Stadium, Suva on Friday while the second will be played at Lautoka's Churchill Park on April 23.

Team: Waisea Naulago, Joe Nabou, Viliame Veikoso, Sireli Ledua, Setefano Samoca, Manasa Saulo, Leone Nakarawa, Mosese Vasuitoga, Manoa Tamaya, Anthony Wise, Kelepi Ketedromo, Jimilai Nakaidawa, Waqabaca Kotobalavu, Mosese Volavola, Dale Tonawai, Nemia Kenatale, Waisale Vatuvoka, Kelemedi Vosuqa, Koroi Yavala, Tikiko Uluiviti, Epeli Ruivadra, Paula Karatu, Mesulame Soga, Maikeli Mocetadra, John Stewart, Jonetani Ralulu, Aminisitai Niukula, Jonetani Ratu, Dan Rawaqa.

Photo Caption: Dale Tonawai passes to Mosese Volavola during the Fiji A trials at Albert Park in Suva on Saturday.
 

(Photos: Chaucer Partnership)

WOLDWIDE: Sails set for Pacific endeavour
Source: Chaucer Partnership Press Release

A sight not seen for hundreds of years greeted boaties on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour on Sunday, when four traditional vaka sailed in an inner harbour regatta.

The skippers of the double-hulled, 13-tonne, 22m-long vaka were fine-tuning their vessels in readiness for a voyage across the Pacific. The fleet will sail from Auckland on Wednesday April 14th (weather permitting) to French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.

Discovery was the prime motivator when the last vaka fleets crossed the Pacific more than 1000 years ago. This year’s voyage is one of rediscovery; aimed at re-establishing cultural links through traditional voyaging and raising awareness of the key environmental issues threatening the Pacific Ocean. This includes pollution, ocean noise, habitat destruction, overfishing, acidification and de-oxidation and climate change.

At each Pacific destination a vaka will stay behind to continue training crew to use the vaka for cultural and educational purposes, encompassing enterprise, kinship, navigation and ocean conservation.

The four vaka, which took part in the Te Kumete O Te Moana Nui (The bowl of the Pacific) regatta and will undertake the ocean voyage are: Te Matua a Maui (New Zealand crew), Hine Moana (Western Samoa, Vanuatu, Tongan crew), Uto Ni Yalo (Fijian crew) and Maramaru Atua (Cook Islands crew). A fifth vaka, Faafaite, will join the voyagers at Tahiti.

Built at the Salthouse yard at Greenhithe, Auckland, the vessels carry up to16 crew and are based on a traditional Tahitian design. Modern boatbuilding techniques are combined with established craftsmanship. The hulls are constructed from E-glass and foam and lashed together with wooden beams and rope. Two of the vaka use a solar power system for an auxiliary propulsion system.

At the regatta’s opening ceremony a bowl (te kumete) was passed to the Fijian crew for safe keeping until the next regatta.

The fleet will be back in Auckland next year when seven vaka will undertake a longer Pacific voyage to Hawaii via French Polynesia. This voyage will also serve as a reminder that the Pacific Ocean is an invisible continent connecting the peoples of the Pacific and that their continent is at risk.

The regatta and Pacific voyages have been initiated and supported by Okeanos, a German philanthropic organisation committed to highlighting environmental issues affecting the world’s oceans.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Hine Moana (Western Samoa, Vanuatu, Tongan crew).

Photo 2 - Maramaru Atua (Cook Islands crew) at Mission Bay beach, Auckland. The vaka beached at Mission Bay halfway though the regatta to let the public get a good look at the vessels.

Photo 3 - Matua a Maui (New Zealand crew). Auckland Harbour Bridge in the background.

Photo 4 - Uto Ni Yalo (Fijian crew).