NEWSPAGE 14 July
2010

(Photo: Australian High Commission)

SAMOA: Australia assists in strengthening aviation security
Source: Australian High Commission Press Release

Officials from Australia’s Office of Transport Security were in Samoa last week delivering a program aimed to help the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (MWTI) ensure that the international airlines that fly to Samoa are meeting their stringent aviation security obligations.

The program, which has been supported by the participation of aviation security experts from the United States Transportation Security Administration, as well as senior security managers from Pacific Blue and Air Pacific, has provided MWTI staff with additional skills and tools for use when inspecting airline and airport operations.

The Director of Civil Aviation, Magele Hoe Viali, welcomed the assistance. “I am grateful for the assistance provided by the Australian Government,” he said.

This program is the latest in a number of recent Australian assistance packages to Samoa aimed to strengthen the country’s already robust aviation security system. Aviation Security Advisor to Samoa, Matthew Fleming, who has been seconded to MWTI on a short term appointment from Australia, describes the success of the program.
 
“This has been an invaluable learning opportunity, never before have we had so many aviation security people together at the one time from such diverse backgrounds in this region.”
It was also the first time that Australia has sent a senior Office of Transport Security official to the country.

Peter Robertson, General Manager Aviation Security, arrived in Samoa on Wednesday to support the program. The program ended on Friday after a dinner for participants was hosted by the Australian High Commissioner Matt Anderson.

Photo Caption: (L-R) RC Alejo, Jill Drury and Peter Ashley from the US Government's Transport Security Administration, Peter Robertson and Matthew Fleming from Australia's Office of Transport Security, US Ambassador Robin L Yeager and Australian High Commissioner Matt Anderson at the final dinner on Friday.
 

AMERICAN SAMOA: US State Department raises passport and immigration fees
Source: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega Press Release

Congressman Faleomavaega announced recently that the U.S. Department of State through the Bureau of Consular Affairs have implemented a revised fee schedule for passports, immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, and other Consular services, as of July 13, 2010. The revised fee schedule was made based on recommendations of a Cost of Service Study that was completed by the Bureau of Consular Affairs in 2009. According to the State Department, the two-year study reflects the true expenditure of providing these essential services.

“Given the constant travel of many of our constituents throughout the Pacific region and to the U.S. mainland, I highly recommend that many of those who do not have passports or those that wish to renew their passports do so before July 13, 2010,” said Faleomavaega. “The new passport fees are significantly higher since the last time State Department increased the fees in 2008 after the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.”

“I am hopeful that such fees will no longer be increased in the future. If you have any questions regarding passport applications or the fee schedule, please contact our local Post Office in Fagatogo or visit my office in Utulei,” concluded Faleomavaega.

Under the revised fee schedule, passport and other Consular fees are set as follows:
 

* New NIV fees were instituted June 4, 2010.
** This includes a $25 Execution fee not retained by Department of State.

Revised Fee Schedule Provided by the U.S. Department of State For further information, please visit www.travel.state.gov.
 

(Photo: Fiji Sun)

FIJI: Musuka champions education
Source: Fiji Sun

Miss Autocare Fiji Limited, Salanieta Virikoro Musuka, entered this year’s Sugar Festival to highlight the need for better medical and education facilities in rural areas.

The Lakeba lass is a graduate of Brigham Young University in Hawaii, and is among 11 contestants taking part in the 49th Sugar Festival which starts on Saturday.

Miss Musuka says the plight of the rural community is a major concern and that education is a necessity in life.

“The lack of education and medical facilities in rural areas is always an issue and I will emphasise on the need for more medical centres in rural areas.”

“People travel to urban centres to get medical help and I think these facilities should be available in their rural areas to help them.”

“With Education, I think it would be a good idea to have free education for children in rural areas.”

This year’s theme is ‘Generosity the way forward.’

The Sugar Festival Association is confident of raising more than $100,000 during the week-long event.

Photo Caption: Miss Autocare Fiji Limited, Salanieta Virikoro Musuka.
 

(Photo: Ross Setford / New Zealand Press Association)

TUVALU: Tuvalu fighting rising wave of water and rubbish
Source: New Zealand Press Association via Voxy News

The world's smallest, lowest-lying island nation may be a focal point for climate change and rising sea levels, but it is also a canary for many of the problems facing the Pacific Islands.

The small archipelago of nine islands, about 3700km north of New Zealand, is laden not only with the high profile fact it is so low lying -- the highest point is about 5m above sea level -- but it is also grappling with the problems of rubbish, environmental contamination, unemployment, isolation, and an increasingly unhealthy population, now very reliant on imported food.

With a population of around 12,000 Tuvalu is the world's second-least populous country after the Vatican.

With very little land area it cannot produce crops to export, and relies largely on aid to feed its people and keep them going on many western staples -- transport, government, communications and contact with the outside world.

The government's budget of around $30 million is about the size of some councils in New Zealand.

It makes money through fishing licenses, money sent home from Tuvaluans working overseas and aid. The Tuvalu Trust Fund, set up not long after independence as an investment income, is worth about $108 million, but the global financial crisis has seen returns shrivel as well as disappointing returns from its part in the dot.tv domain name, sold to a US company.

Tuvaluans worry primarily about rising sea levels, says local journalist Semi Lauti Malaki.

It means many coastal homes are swamped in high seas, salt water intrusion ruins their crops and causes coastal soil erosion.

One of the striking aspects of Tuvalu, and especially the main island of Funafuti, is the rubbish.

Rubbish strewn along the beaches and roadsides, also fills the "borrow pits" -- the holes excavated by the Americans in World War 2 to build the island's airport runway -- and the large piles of rubbish at the northern tip of the island.

On such a sliver of an island, there is no way rubbish can be put in to a landfill.

Efforts to deal with the rubbish have been slow moving, and it appears there is nothing in place to sort the plastic, metal and other waste that pours into the tip and also the borrow pits, which are filled with water and look like fetid swamps.

The issue is one that appeared to be addressed only very slowly, and with elections coming up in September, Malaki said it was very difficult for voters to send a message to the Government to act on it.

Malaki said elections were generally determined by the family backing for each minister, so it was very difficult to change a government based on its performance in the previous four years.

She said relationships with New Zealand were strong, because of the number of Tuvaluans living here -- about 2000 according to the last census, and also work and aid programmes.

New Zealand is increasing its aid to Tuvalu to $4 million annually in the 2011/12 year.

Photo Caption: Rusting vehicles litter the verge on the roads in Funafuti, Tuvalu.
 

(Photo: Stuart Chape / Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

WORLDWIDE: Samoa Voyaging Society crew share Pacific journey experiences
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

Crew of the Samoa Voyaging Society made a presentation to the Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation this week, sharing their highlights and experiences as Environment Ambassadors while sailing through the Pacific Ocean.

Members of the SVS joined forces with crew from Vanuatu and Tonga to sail the Hine Moana as part of a traditional fleet of va’a that sailed from New Zealand to French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga last month.

Supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) assisted by the Coral Reef Initiatives Programme (CRISP), the Samoa Voyaging Society crew shared messages of the importance of Nature Conservation during the many different stops along their voyage.

Participants at the Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation applauded the efforts of the crew.

“We have listened to incredible stories of these environment ambassadors and I guarantee that everyone in the room is proud of what has been achieved,” said Taholo Kami the Chair of the Pacific Islands Roundtable and Director of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Oceania Regional Office.

“It is an incredible thing that young Pacific islands people are given the opportunity to see different cultures in different lands with an emphasis on the importance of our Oceans.”
 
The crew now plans to share their knowledge with Samoa. With a core crew the Va’a Gaualofa will sail around Samoa visiting different communities and schools as well as train new interested crew members. It is also planned to sail to Tokelau and back to Tonga before a planned Pacific voyage to Hawaii next year.

Having been successful as strong environment ambassadors during their first voyage, the crew is keen to continue sharing messages of the importance of nature conservation.

“Spreading the word for environment was part of the journey as while we’ve been crossing the ocean we have been so enriched by this experience, “shared Captain Marc Gondard.

“Every day it was so beautiful to be at sea and by sharing our journey people realised how beautiful the ocean is, how beautiful the world is. The crew as messengers who have had this experience of surviving with nature share their words powerfully,”

There were noticeable moments for the crew while depending upon skill and nature to survive at sea. 75 dolphins crossing the bow of the va’a, a whale alone and off its path travelling between the va’a and the sunset, one whole week when the crew were unable to catch any fish, noticing floating garbage and debris in the ocean - all of these and others helped culminate in an incredible learning experience for the crew of the Samoa Voyaging Society.

“Our first voyage was an educational voyage,” said Brynne Eaton-Auvaa, one of the female crew members.

“Now we realise what we can do and how strongly we can share our messages, we now have to accomplish that and our next voyage will be bigger still. We as crew of the Gaualofa will make an excellent tool to convey environment messages.”

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - The Hine Moana with crew from the Samoa Voyaging Society.

Photo 2 - Captain Marc Gondard and crew present to Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation.