NEWSPAGE 14 June
2010

(Photo: Auckland City Council)

(Photo: Samoa Government)

SAMOA: Parliamentary Updates
Source: Government Press Secretariat Press Release

Samoa to be represented at the ACP and the Joint ACP-EU Council of Ministers meeting

Cabinet has approved the participation by Associate Minister for Commerce Industry and Labour, Hans Joachim Keil to the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) and the joint ACP and European Union meeting in Burkina on 17 - 22 June 2010.

The Signing o the Agreement of the Second Revision of the Cotonou Agreement is scheduled to take place at the meeting. The new amendment now incorporated in the agreement enables the Pacific and the Caribbean regions to access intra-ACP funds to finance their regional projects.


Waste-water Treatment Plant opens at Sogi

Cabinet has approved the completion of the Waste-water Treatment Plant at Sogi which was officially opened on Friday 11 June 2010.

This project by the Samoa Water Authority consisted of tanks and state of the art facilities to treat waste-water.


Report on PASO Annual General Meeting

Cabinet has approved the report on Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) Annual General Meeting in Vanuatu on May 10 2010.

Discussed at the meeting was a letter by the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Transportation, where PASO countries were urged to pay fifty percent before the proceed of their main project in a year, when paying for their annual contributions.

Representing Samoa was the Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Works Transport and Infrastructure, Afioga Magele Hoe Viali.


Road Extension at Utumapu Fagalii-uta

Cabinet has approved the extension of the road at Utumapu Fagalii-uta to another 1,225 meters.

The construction of the Utumapu Fagalii-uta road was advertised for bids on November 2009 and the contract was awarded to the SWEL Co. Ltd. Construction started on 17 February 2010. The original length of the road was 1,500 metres but the Land Transport Authority requested the extension. SWEL Co. Ltd will carry on the road extension work.

The cost for construction of the road extension is $293,238.64 including the VAGST.
 

(Photos: Australian High Commission)

AUSTRALIA: Australian Surf Life Savers bring new skills to Samoa
Source: Australian High Commission Press Release

In a first for Samoa, the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia (Tasmania) conducted a Skills for Life program at Lalomanu over the past five days. Aimed at tourism operators, staff and those who live along the coast, the course taught about 30 young Samoans how to be 'first responders' in the event of a water-based emergency.

The General Manager of Surf Life Saving Tasmania, Tony van den Enden, supported by First Aid and Education Officer Jacqui Hughes, said they were thrilled to be able to help establish a program to make going to the beach safer and reduce Samoa's drowning death toll.

"We came to Samoa to impart water safety culture; and making people comfortable around the water environment, particularly (after) the tsunami last September."

Australia's High Commissioner to Samoa, Matt Anderson, said he was pleased the Australian High Commission was able to bring Tony and Jacqui to Samoa to impart their life saving knowledge. "This visit has been three years in the making. As a former surf lifesaver, I have been so impressed by the speed with which the Samoan participants have grasped the technical aspects of water-based rescues. They are naturals." he said.

"I have no doubt that with the empathy Samoans have for the water, and the work put in over the past 5 days by Surf Life Saving Tasmania and their Samoan participants, lives will be saved."

Mr Anderson also extended his personal thanks to Tai, Sili and the crew at Taufua Fales, as well as the young men and women from Lalomanu who, under Fuataga's leadership, threw themselves into the program."
 

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 300 join new church
Source: The National

More than 300 people in the National Capital District have signed up for training courses offered by the church of scientology through its team of volunteers.

Since its official opening and welcoming ceremony last Monday (June 07, 2010), scientology volunteer ministers have attracted many city residents to their exhibition tents at the Murray army barracks playing field.

Australian team leader Mathew Andrews confirmed that he had recruited seven PNG volunteers to help with the training of participants who signed up to learn more about the group and its ways.

“Many people have shown an interest.”

“We are getting about 100 people a day and have more than 300 here with us,” Andrews said.
He said since putting out advertisements in the newspapers, he had been getting between 30 and 40 calls a day from people wanting to know more about the organisation.

Andrews, who was running a training programme for the new recruits at the campsite, maintained that scientology was all about helping people help themselves and others in overcoming life’s problem and make the world better.

“Our aim is to pass on the knowledge of scientology to people which they could use to deal with their lives’ problems,” he added.

The training programmes are conducted for free.

The organisation boasts of more than 200,000 volunteer ministers in 193 countries around the world.
 

(Photo: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Solomon Islands prepares to host a major UN meeting
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

The European Union has lived up to its promise to support vulnerable countries combat climate change through a financial assistance to the Solomon Islands Government to host an international meeting of Least Developed Countries and members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

It’s providing US$1.1 million to bring to Honiara nearly 200 climate change negotiators from 91 countries that are Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to discuss key climate change issues before the Conference of the Parties in Mexico in December.

Rence Sore, the permanent secretary for environment, conservation and meteorology, who is spearheading Solomon Islands bid to host this meeting, said this is the biggest ever international meeting to be hosted by Solomon Islands.

“We are finalising the dates, it may be at the end of September or the first week of October, said Sore.

Solomon Islands have played an active role both with the LDC and AOSIS negotiating groups within the UN climate change body.

Sore is chair of one of the LDC’s influential decision making group while Solomon Islands permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Colin Beck is one of the key negotiators for the Pacific and the AOSIS group.

“The purpose of the meeting is to consolidate the positions of all vulnerable states, which incorporates both the LDCs and small island developing states (SIDS) or AOSIS countries.

“AOSIS is talking about 1.5 degrees ceiling for global temperature and a limit of 350 parts per million in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. We want these positions to be accepted by LDCs too, to strengthen our voice in Cancun, said Sore.

Sore said the aim of the Honiara meeting is to provide a platform to unite all the negotiating positions of LDCs and AOSIS.

“There is a general support for the AOSIS position amongst the 48 LDC countries but we need to convert that support to become unanimous support before Mexico.

“While there have been some compromises here in Bonn on some other key issues like adaptation, mitigation technology transfer, capacity building and financing, we want to ‘cement’ those positions in Honiara.

The Solomon Islands head of delegation to the Bonn talks assured the proposed meeting is part and parcel of the UNFCCC climate change negotiations.

“The LDC Unit within the UNFCCC will provide technical support for our meeting in Honiara. In that way, we are seeing his meeting as part of the negotiation process. We don’t want to isolate this meeting from the UNFCCC process.

“We want this meeting to contribute positively to the outcome of COP16 in Cancun. We don’t want this meeting to be done outside of the UN process and not recognised by the negotiation process, said Sore.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) will assist the Solomon Islands Government with administrative and logistical support.

Sore attributed Solomon Islands success in bringing this major United Nations conference to the Pacific to the support of the government, paying tribute to both the former minister for environment, Gordon Darcy Lilo and the current minister responsible for environment, conservation and meteorology, Clement Kengava.

“This is credit to the support of the Solomon Islands Government and the contributions of the country’s negotiators at the UNFCCC climate change meetings.

“Since my minister came into office, he has established a climate change division with support from the United Nations Development Programme and other stakeholders. There is ownership by the government on climate change.

Sore said nationwide consultations are going on now with all stakeholders to come up with a climate change policy before the LDC/AOSIS meeting towards the end of the year.

At the same time, Solomon Islands are waiting for final approval from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) on the implementation of its national adaptation programmes of action (NAPAs).

“The process normally takes time but we are hopeful that funds through the implementing agency, the World Bank, may come in next year, after almost two years of waiting.

Under the least Development Fund (LDCF) allocation for NAPA funding, Solomon Islands is entitled to US$6 million - $11 million short of what is required to implement its national adaptation projects.

“That is why LDCs have raised their concerns that there is not enough money in the LDCF to cater for our immediate adaptation needs. We need developed countries to replenish the LDCF.

As of May 2009, the LDCF had US$176 million and needs at least $2 billion to finance all the national adaptation plans of its 48 members.

Another major concern is the turn-around time for GEF to approve NAPA plans submitted by LDC countries.

“But, we have been assured that GEF will begin streamlining its process from July this year.
“If that happens, then it will be good news for Solomon Islands because we will not have to wait for long like some LDC countries.

Sore said, Samoa had to wait for five years for GEF’s approval.

NAPA proposals are prepared based on a country’s immediate needs.

“This is in line with the European Union’s criteria for fast start financing. The financial assistance is based on immediate needs, said Sore.

The EU has made it clear that 60 percent of its €2.4 billion fast start finance promised for 2010 will disbursed through bilateral channels and only 39 percent through existing multilateral institutions.

Photo Caption: Permanent Secretary for Environment, Rence Sore in attendance at the Bonn Climate Change negotiations in Germany.
 

(Photos: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega)

WORLDWIDE: USMA graduate's remarkable achievement recognised
Source: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega Press Release

Congressman Faleomavaega has offered his congratulations to Second Lieutenant Gibson Sale, Jr. on his recent graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point on May 22nd, 2010. Sale was nominated to the USMA in 2005 by Congressman Faleomavaega.

“It gives me great pleasure to share the news of Second Lieutenant Sale’s remarkable accomplishment with our Samoan community,” Congressman Faleomavaega said.

“One of 1,002 cadets in the Class of 2010, Gibson Sale graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with an Automotive Sub-focus and was concurrently commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. Along with intense academic study and military training, Gibson was also a starting centre on West Point’s most winning team, the Army Rugby team, in which he played for four years.”

“Choosing the Engineers branch, Gibson will now serve an eight year active duty commitment, starting with a four year detail in Infantry. His first post assignment is Fort Drum, New York and his future plans include earning a graduate degree in business during his military service.”

Mr.Gibson Sale is the son of SFC Gibson Sale Sr. (Ret., US Army) and Mrs. Virginia Sale of Nu’uuli. A 2005 graduate and Salutatorian of Samoana High School, Gibson was a member of the National Honor Society three years in a row, and was conferred several awards including the Congressional Academic Scholar Award, the Floramma Stanislaus Award in Mathematics, and the Superior Cadet Award for J.R.O.T.C.”

Beyond his academic achievements in high school, Gibson also excelled as an athlete, playing both football and basketball for Samoana. He also contributed regularly to the community as a Youth Leader at Word of Faith South Pacific Outreach Center, under the leadership of his pastors, Faai’u Faai’u and Traci Faai’u.

As a senior at Samoana, Gibson received numerous scholarship and admissions offers from other military academies and major universities but chose to attend West Point. He was first accepted to the United States Military Academy Preparatory School in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey before entering West Point in 2006.

In a recent statement to the Congressman, Gibson elaborated on his experience at West Point, stating that attending West Point has been “one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life.” He added that the leadership lessons and educational and training system at West Point are “unparalleled.”

“West Point's challenges militarily, academically, and physically have given me experience, maturity, and character…Based on my experiences at West Point and my interactions with active duty personnel, I can say that I am very excited to be joining the United States Army. I am very eager to put my leadership skills to the test in the Army and look forward to the experiences ahead of me. The U.S. Army has some of the greatest individuals I have ever come across and I am extremely proud to be a part of such an elite organization,” Gibson Sale concluded.

“I would like to extend my congratulations and deep appreciation to Second Lieutenant Gibson Sale for his extraordinary achievement and for his dedication to serve and defend our nation. Graduating from West Point is no easy feat. The life of a cadet is demanding, both intellectually and physically. It requires considerable sacrifice and perseverance, and for that Gibson is to be commended,” Faleomavaega stated.

“As we all know, this was a significant year for cadets at West Point. Just last December, President Obama delivered a speech to West Point cadets where he announced his decision to increase U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan by about 30,000. Returning to West Point as this year’s commencement speaker, President Obama gave an encouraging message to the graduates, highlighting their reflection of West Point’s time-honoured ideals, ‘Duty, Honor, Country.’”

“I am proud of Second Lieutenant Sale’s reflection of these ideals and I would like to thank him for being a fine example to our young Samoans around the world. I also would like to commend and thank his parents, Retired SFC Gibson Sale, Sr. and Mrs. Virginia Sale, and family members who have played a vital support role during this tremendous undertaking. Gibson and many other young Samoans in the military have joined a long tradition of Samoans in the armed services and their willingness to defend our country is sincerely appreciated. I pray for his continued success and wish him all the best in his future endeavours,” the Congressman concluded.