NEWSPAGE 31 May
2010

(Photo: Pacific Music Awards Trust)

(Photos: International Rugby Board)

SAMOA: Samoa win Edinburgh and Sevens World Series
Source: International Rugby Board Press Release

Samoa produced a ruthless champion performance to overcome Australia 41-14 in the final of the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens, claim their fourth Cup title of the season and rubber-stamp a first IRB Sevens World Series crown.

In producing one of their most disciplined displays of the season, the Samoans extended their final points tally for the season to 164, 15 clear of New Zealand in second place.

After their superb end of the season run, Australia finish third with 122 ahead of Fiji (108), England (96) and South Africa (80).

In coach Stephen Gemmell's final World Series event, Scotland produced a superb performance to thrill the home crowd and claim the Plate and their first Series points of the season with victory against Argentina. Wales beat Kenya to take the Bowl and Russia took the Shield.

Samoa underline World Series title credentials

Jacob Taylor's try gave Australia the lead after just 15 seconds of the Cup final but Samoa, visibly exhausted following their 27-minute semi final against England, rallied to produce one final killer performance.

The season's top scorer Mikaele Pesamino grabbed one back and Reupena Levasa and Uale Mai also scored to give them a 17-7 half time lead.

Outstanding Australia captain James Stannard pulled one back after the break but again it was Pesamino who restored the lead. Fautua Otto grabbed a quickfire brace to put the match and the Edinburgh title beyond doubt and then Pesamino rounded off a season of extraordinary personal achievement by sealing his hat trick and the 41-14 win, to take his own tally for the season to 56.

Earlier, in a heart-stopping match Samoa beat England 15-12 with a drop goal penalty by captain Lolo Lui in the last seconds of extra time to win their semi final match and land the IRB Sevens World Series title.

In one of the finest Sevens games in living memory, Afa Aiono put the Samoans ahead but Tom Powell levelled up after the break. Mikaele Pesamino looked to have given the Samoans the win and the Series but Greg Barden scored to level it up. Ben Gollings missed the conversion and the game went into extra time. As the tension mounted Lolo Lui missed with a long range drop goal and England withstood concerted Samoan pressure. Not until the last second of extra time did Samoa work a position where Lolo Lui was able to opt for a penalty drop goal, which he cooly slotted to land Samoa their first ever World Series crown.

Australia then responded to the electric atmosphere by coming through in another superb match against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand, 24-19.

Earlier, Samoa put in a much better performance to beat South Africa 19-0 and put themselves one win away from a first World Series title. Nick Royle broke Scottish hearts by helping England come from behind to beat the hosts.

In the other side of the draw James Stannard was again at his best as Australia came from behind to beat Fiji. New Zealand were then hugely impressive in seeing off spirited Argentina 26-0.

Scotland win Plate

Scotland thrilled the home Murrayfield crowd by following up their strong day one performance with victory in the Plate against Argentina, 19-0.

Having lost against England in the Cup quarters, the hosts recovered brilliantly and fired the crowd with their slick passing game, first overcoming outgoing World Series champions South Africa and then Argentina in a fine final with tries by Andrew Turnbull, Colin Shaw and Ben Cairns. A fitting end to coach Stephen Gemmell's World Series career.

Wales claim Bowl

Wales beat first Canada and then France to reach the final of the Bowl, where they had to come from behind to beat Kenya 26-10.

Twice Kenya took the lead through captain Humphrey Kayange but the Welsh responded with tries from Lloyd Williams before the break and then Craig Hill, Rhys Webb and Rhys Jones in the second half to power to victory.

Russia win Shield

Two tries by Igor Galinovskiy and one apiece for Vladimir Ostroushko and Roman Timofeev wre enough to fire Russia to a fine win 26-7 against Canada in the final of the Shield.

After an opening loss on day two, Russia had earlier won through to the final with a dominant display against Portugal.

Photo Captions: Samoa beat Australia 41-14 in the Edinburgh Sevens Cup final to add the Cup title to their World Series triumph.
 

AUSTRALIA: Australian specialist medical team visits Samoa
Source: Australian High Commission Press Release

An expert team of volunteer Australian ophthalmology (eye) specialists arrive in Samoa over the weekend for a week-long visit at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital.

During the visit, the team will provide free expert medical services to patients with eye problems and disease.

The specialist team of five includes surgeons Dr Nitin Verma, Dr Dr Rob McDonald and Dr. Michael Haybittel, optometrist Ms Surabhi Verma and nurse Ms Andrea Schuurmans, who will provide free consultations and treatment.

They will also work closely with local doctors and medical staff to help develop their skills so they can continue to provide medical treatment in the future.

Australian High Commissioner to Samoa Matt Anderson said visits by Australian specialist medical teams is a vital part of Australia’s ongoing support to Samoa.

“Australia supports a dedicated program of bringing medical teams to Samoa and the Pacific region to ensure that people have access to specialist medical treatment that is not available in their home country.”

The Ophthalmology visit from 31 May to 4 June is funded under the AusAID Pacific Islands Project and is managed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

The Pacific Islands Project provides a program of short term visits, usually of one or two week’s duration, in a variety of medical specialties to 11 Pacific island countries. Medical specialities include cardiac surgery, ear, nose and throat, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, paediatric surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, psychiatry, urology, radiology and a diabetes training program.

Two more specialist Australian medical teams will visit Samoa this year to perform free medical consultations and treatment in the areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery (August) and orthopaedics (October).
 

(Photo: The National)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Boost for H’landers in Super 5s rugby challenge
Source: The National

Covec (PNG) Ltd has come to the aid of the PNG Rugby Football Union and the Highlanders, the Highlands representative side, competing in the Coca-Cola Super 5s challenge, with a K50,000 sponsorship.

PNGRFU vice-president Robert Nilkare was present to receive the cheque for K50,000 to formalise the partnership with the naming rights of the team, the Covec Highlanders.

“I sincerely thank Covec (PNG) Ltd for coming on board for PNGRFU and the Highlanders as we race to bring these top teams and the best rugby union players in the country to the Coca-Cola Super 5s challenge in Lae,” Nilkare said.

He added that the money would now be held in a trust by PNGRFU for the purpose of the team and their participation at the meet.

“Sponsorship and support going to the Coca-Cola Super 5s has been slow, placing added responsibility on PNGRFU to make it happen, and Covec has answered one of our calls.”

A Covec representative, Mary Kalabus, told PNGRFU officials that the company was honoured to support the team and rugby union in PNG.

“We are interested, not only in education and health aspects of the community, but the sporting aspect as well, and honoured, especially with this sponsorship of the Covec Highlanders.

“We hope the support will enable quality performance from the team, improvement and quality rugby overall on centre stage and the country as a whole,” Kalabus said.

“I can assure you this is only the beginning of our partnership with rugby union.”

The Coca-Cola Super 5s challenge includes the four regional teams, Southern Traders (Southern region), Northern Reds (Momase region), New Guinea Islanders (NGI region) and the Highlanders (Highlands region).

The new inclusion for this year’s tournament is the National U20 development side, with PNGRFU’s focus on building the strengthening competition to a higher level.

They have acquired support from Consap Developers Ltd, while the other teams are yet to establish a major sponsor.

The dates for the challenge are expected to be released in early June.
 

(Photo: Solomon Star)

SOLOMON ISLANDS: University issues laptops to students
Source:  Solomon Star

Divine Word University becomes one of the first institutions in the world and the first in the Pacific to issue laptops to its students.

This came with the launching of its Netbook project (one laptop per student) over the weekend.

Divine Word, PNG’s leading University in information technology, distributed more than 600 laptops to students with the aim of improving students’ skills and taking their learning to another level, enhancing academic excellence.

Speaking at the launching, University President Fr Jan Czuba acknowledged that after years of planning and consultation, the university has created history with the purchasing of the 600 laptops worth up to K2million.

“Divine Word University recognises the importance of preparing professionals to take leadership positions in a highly advanced technological society,” he said.

“The Netbook project is committed to creating a dynamic and collaborative educational environment that enhances teaching and learning, creativity and global connectivity through a DWU Netbook initiative.

“We want students to be able to graduate in their various fields of study with adequate knowledge, skill and ability in computing and how to use the internet.

“We are committed to providing students with resources and materials that are able to take their learning process to another level,” Fr Jan Czuba said.

Fr Jan reiterated that having students access important information off the internet would encourage self learning.

“We encourage our students not to only acquire knowledge through lectures but rather teach themselves using their laptops.

“The Netbook initiative opens up a whole new world of information where students can have 24/7 access to the University’s research databases and online resources at their convenience - learning has just got smarter,” Fr Jan said.

Fr Jan said that the laptops were specially designed for the University in Singapore and added that the second shipment of laptops will arrive during the University’s semester break in mid-June.

Third and fourth year students were the first recipients of the laptops, among them three third year Solomon Islands students; Jeffrey Mekab (Business Studies), Tony Laugwaro (Information Systems) and Jeremy Inifiri (Communications Art).
 

(Photos: Creative New Zealand)

WORLDWIDE: Gisborne artists awarded artist residency in the United States
Source: Creative New Zealand Press Release

Gisborne-based Māori artists Henare and Tawera Tahuri will travel to the United States in July to be the 2010 Toi Sqwigwialtxw artists-in-residence at the Evergreen State University in Olympia, Washington.

Henare and Tawera are the first Aotearoa artists with a background in performing arts - such as dance, waiata and kapa haka - to take up the Toi Sqwigwialtxw residency.

The biennial residency is funded by Te Waka Toi, the Māori Arts Board of Creative New Zealand, and the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center, based at the university.

During the month-long residency the husband and wife team, who are also practising visual artists, will be working alongside native American artists. They will be exploring the similarities and differences between Māori and native American culture particularly in relation to haka, chants and waiata.

“We’re very proud of our culture so we’re looking forward to sharing it with other first-nations people and creating a collaborative work,” says Tawera. “We’re also really looking forward to extending our networks with other indigenous peoples so we can potentially work together in the future.

”Henare and Tawera both graduated from the Tairawhiti Polytechnic’s Toihoukura School of Māori Visual Art and Design and have both since returned as tutors after achieving Masters in Māori Visual Arts from Massey University.

Their United States collaboration will be documented by the university’s Centre for Creative and Applied Media, which includes a high-definition television studio, so it can be made available to other students, performers and cultural institutions.

Longhouse Education and Cultural Center Director Tina Kuckkhan said, “the fact that Henare and Tawera will bring both visual and performing arts will allow them to engage with a broad range of indigenous artists living in the area”.

“We can envision them interacting with the numerous drum and dance groups in our area and especially during the summer when many people will be participating in the annual Tribal Canoe Journey.”

Previous recipients of the Toi Sqwigwialtxw residency have been:

2004, Tina Wirihana, master weaver
2006, Dr Takirirangi Smith, master carver
2008, June Northcroft-Grant, visual artist

For more information about the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center at Evergreen State University visit http://www.evergreen.edu/longhouse/.