NEWSPAGE 14 May
2010

(Photo: University of Auckland)

SAMOA: Samoan Language Week promoted in New Zealand
Source: Office of Su'a William Sio Press Release

The Labour Party has unanimously agreed to promote Samoan Language Week in the New Zealand House of Representatives and will be seeking the support of other political parties, says Labour MP for Mangere and Associate Spokesperson on Pacific Island Affairs, Su’a William Sio.

“I am thrilled that Labour MPs have agreed to support Samoan Language Week which runs from 30 May-5 June and they will be making attempts to speak the language in Parliament during the week,” Su’a William Sio said.

“New Zealand has a large number of Samoan speakers living here and it is great to see my colleagues embracing the language.

“I will be writing to all political parties over the next few days asking for their support to have Samoan spoken in Parliament.

“I know that having political parties across the spectrum support Samoan Language week would mean a great deal to people.

“Already I have had several emails from people congratulating Labour for supporting the Samoan language and I hope other politicians will also agree to take part.

“The participation of all political parties in recognising this significant week will send a strong message that New Zealanders at the highest level embraces the diversity of cultures and languages as one of the strengths of our nation moving forward.

“Since we live in the South Pacific region, I hope it will give encouragement to all our kids to learn the most spoken Pacific language, as well as the other languages of the Pacific, and around the world.

“In New Zealand, Samoan is the third most spoken language in the country. Many Pacific Island parents whose children were born here recognise the value of using the Samoan language to help keep them in touch with their culture,” Su’a William Sio said.

Between the 2001 and 2006 Censuses, the number of multi-lingual people (people who can speak two or more languages) increased by 19.5% to reach 671,658 people.
 

(Photos: Riamoana Pasifika)

AUSTRALIA: Pasifika Idol success in Brisbane
Source: Riamoana Pasifika Press Release

Pasifika Idol was held at the Maota Fono grounds Deception Bay on Monday 3rd May. Main organisers of the Idol, Pan Pacific Oceania Incorporated celebrated with thousands of supporters the performances of the contestants but also that so many youth and members of the community were there to enjoy and be involved in such a momentous event for the Pasifika.

'The Pasifika Idol began as a suggestion for a possible event for the upcoming Pasifika Spectacular, and then it picked up momentum and became a reality that has benefited so many youth and the community," said Sari Su'a, one of the main organisers of the Pasifika Idol under the Pan Pacific Oceania Inc (PPO) banner.

"Next years Pasifika Spectacular is going to be bigger and we might even consider separating the two events next year, but we will see," explained an excited Fa'asavalu Tavita Timaloa, Regional Manager for North District of PPO.

The three categories that finalists and winners were chosen from included: Best Young Star 8 - 15 yrs; Best Original Song and Best Open Vocal.

After the judges had their deliberations of the contestant's performances, the results were as follows.

Best Young Star
1. Mataniu Faith Musu , North Ipswich (Winner)
2. Eric Pilato, Scarborough ( First Runner up)
3. Campbell Hall, Redcliff (Second Runner up)

Best Original Song
1. Nathaniel Key, Bracken Ridge (Winner)
2. Jane Falua, Deception Bay (First Runner up)
3. Naomi Sailiai, Deagon (Second Runner up)

Best Open Vocal
1. Charity Soo Choon, Taigum (Winner)
2. Luseann Lopeti, Deception Bay (First Runner up)
3. Denny Moors, Narangba (Second Runner up)

"All contestants who have competed in the 2010 Pasifika Idol have all been winners," said Sari Su'a. " Our Pasifika Youth don't have that many opportunities to showcase their talents and this is a great avenue for them," she continued.

For information on Pasifika Idol 2011 contact http://www.panpacificoceania.org

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Winner of the Best Young Star category, Mataniu Faith Musu.

Photo 2 - Winner of the Best Original Song category, Nathaniel Key.

Photo 3 - Winner of the Best Open Vocal category, Charity Soo Choon.
 

FIJI: Gift from the heart
Source: Fiji Times

Up to 60 lives will have been saved when Operation Open Heart ends on May 30.

A team of experts — international medical volunteers — will spend two weeks of their lives operating on people they do not know in a gesture of pure selflessness and generosity.

Without the skills of these surgeons, physicians and nurses these patients would face a certain death.

This is not the first time such a team has visited the country.

Since 1990 Operation Open Heart has operated on 556 patients.

Across the world, teams from the Sydney Adventist Hospital helped by colleagues around Australia have operated on 2850 patients in 11 countries.

Each time the team operates in Fiji it is supported by the Australian Government through AusAID, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, community service organisations and sponsors.

We are honoured this year to continue our support for a truly worthy cause which will help the people of Fiji.

In the past we helped with accommodation and meals for the heart team.

This year, however, we will provide transportation and purchase some of the valves needed by patients.

It is a sign of our continued commitment to the community and the country which is our home.

Many civic-minded organisations and businesses will join us in this worthy cause but much more is needed if the operation is to be a continued success.

Some will provide vehicles to transport the surgical teams, others will help pay for accommodation or provide meals.

And there will be those who offer recreational facilities once the surgery is completed.

We must remember that these medical experts do not ask for remuneration.

But the country has an obligation to return the enormous favour by showing gratitude to these modern day miracle workers.

We call on all businesses — including statutory bodies — to join the effort to support Operation Open Heart and other medical teams like the doctors providing free clinics in Cakaudrove.

In this way companies can make practical, positive differences in the lives of the people who need it most.

And they will be returning money to the community from which their profits are made.

This will indeed be a gift from the heart.

Hopefully this generosity form civil society and the business community will allow the Ministry of Health to support initiatives such as the provision of better services, infrastructure and equipment.

The ministry must also become pro-active in its outreach programs which help reduce the incidence of heart disease.
 

(Photo: Vanuatu Daily Post)

VANUATU: Adventist lay workers get health training
Source: Vanuatu Daily Post

Thirteen young Adventist people recently went through training to revive health standards which were a noteworthy feature of Adventist pioneers.

The training will also help them present health issues more confidently to their communities.

Wesly Jerethy who manages the Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Vanuatu said while the 1800s saw the SDA church having a very strong emphasis on health and the benefits of healthful living these important messages have slowly been cast aside.

In addition to this there has also been a drop in an emphasis on the promotion of healthful living in SDA communities.

The training was planned as a result of observations within the Seventh Day Adventist churches at large on how health is promoted within these churches and what the churches are doing for their communities with respect to health issues.

This activity helped train 13 lay people from around Vanuatu to confidently present health messages in their churches and in their communities.

The training sessions focused on presentation skills and workshop facilitation skills, as well as the more technical health related topics that will be presented once they go back to their respective churches and communities.

After the training, it is believed that the churches will benefit from the presenters and the communities in which the presentations or workshop take place.

The Fund for this activity comes from AusAID and coordinated by ADRA Vanuatu in Conjunction with Vanuatu Adventist Health Department. Facilitator for this workshop is Mr. Rennie Ngwele, the Vanuatu Adventist Health Director.
 

WORLDWIDE: Women need support to overcome barriers entering parliament
Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release

Women in Tuvalu face a range of cultural barriers to participating in higher levels of decision making, but nonetheless, they have influence at the grassroots level.

This was the feedback from participants at a national consultation on “Promoting Women in Decision Making” which opened in Funafuti, Tuvalu on Tuesday (May 11, 2010). The consultation is being organized by the Department of Women in Tuvalu, with support from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the UNDP Pacific Centre.

Tuvalu is one of four Pacific Island countries which have no women in its national parliament, and since independence 31 years ago it has had only 1 woman parliamentarian.

Ms Saini Simona, Director of the Tuvalu Department of Women, observed that women’s representation in various levels of decision-making remain low. Only 6.2% of members of local island Kaupule’s are women, and in both the senior public service and statutory boards, women’s representation is only around 20%. This is despite the fact that women are awarded a high number of government scholarships.

“It is important for Tuvalu that we implement our commitments to gender equality under CEDAW and the Pacific Platform for Action for the Advancement of Women. The equal participation of women in all levels of decision-making has been recognized as a critical area of concern by the government of Tuvalu through the ratification of these gender commitments. My Department would like to support women to be elected and to encourage women to have the confidence to express their views and participate in the decisions that will help all Tuvaluans enjoy a good and dignified life,” said Ms Simona.

During feedback sessions, some participants in the workshop observed that there are no legal barriers to women running for parliament or Kaupule positions. However, not many women are nominating for these positions, and few who nominate are not being elected.

Ms Emily Koepke, who was one of only two women who ran in the last Tuvalu national elections, said:

“The Ministry of Home Affairs needs to seek funding for awareness programmes in communities, to educate the people along with the matais on the value of women’s perspectives, so that they will support women in future. We tend to vote through our family lines, instead of considering who would be the best people to run the country. We need to change voters’ attitudes when voting for their leaders.”

The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Kamuta Latasi, also shared his support for the participation of women in Parliament. When speaking about his wife’s involvement in Parliament, Ms Naama Maheu Latasi, as the first and only Tuvaluan woman politician who made it to the House of Parliament in 1989 - 1997, he stated that it was her own decision to take part in politics and he was really thankful to her community as well for supporting her.

Mr Latasi said: “For this idea to succeed, it is very important for women to support any woman who wishes to take part in politics.”

The two-day workshop will conclude with identification of short-term and long-term recommendations for action. The outcomes and recommendations from this workshop will feed into discussions at a sub-regional workshop that is being organized by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in partnership with UNIFEM and the UNDP Pacific Centre for Pacific Island Forum Small Island States to develop a sub-regional action plan on women in political empowerment. The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the PIF Small Island States received funding for this project under the UNIFEM Catalytic Fund.