NEWSPAGE 26 July
2010

(Photo: Maori Party)

(Photo: Samoa Government)

SAMOA: Parliamentary Updates
Source: Government Press Secretariat Press Release

Financial Assistance for the Samoa Amateur Boxing Association

Cabinet has approved financial assistance of SAT$20,000.00 for the Samoa Amateur Boxing Association assists them in preparations for the upcoming Oceania Championships to be held in Canberra Australia from the 4th - 9th August, 2010.

The Samoan Delegation include seven(7) male boxers and three(3) officials. A workshop for the Officials and the boxers will be held prior to the Championships from the 30th July - 3rd August 2010. This workshop will focus on the development of Boxing in the Pacific Region.

Our team’s involvement in this tournament will prepare the players for next year’s South Pacific Games.


Seawall Construction for some Villages

Cabinet has approved awarding of Contracts to Companies mentioned below (see table) for construction of Seawalls in the villages of Sa’anapu, Satupa’itea, Letogo, Vaimoso, Lepea and Sinamoga.
 

The contracts were advertised for expression of interest where many applications for bids were submitted. The applications were assessed by a Sub Committee, which include representative from the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment, Ministry of Finance and Attorney General’s Office. The assessment which was based on conditions and requirements set for Government Tenders favoured four(4) of the most suitable applicants mentioned in the table above.


SWEL Savaii Civil Operations Ltd awarded contract

Cabinet has approved awarding of contract to SWEL Savaii Civil Operations Ltd for Construction of Iva, Savaii Primary School Sports Field and road.

The Contract was advertised for bids. After assessment of applications by the Committee, the contract was awarded to SWEL Savaii Civil Operations Ltd at the total cost of $272,978.19. The winning Company has met all requirements for the tender and was also the lowest bidder.


Cabinet approves $5000.00 for Samoa Athletic Association

Cabinet has approved financial assistance of SAT$5000.00 for Samoa’s Athletic Association to assist them in preparations for the 2010 World Junior Championships to be held in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada from the 19th - 25th July 2010.

Representing Samoa is Margaret Satupai (18) and Alex Rose (19). They are both selected to participate in the shot put and discus.


Financial Assistance approved for Samoa Volleyball Association

Cabinet has approved financial assistance of SAT$50,000.00 for the Samoa Volleyball Association. The financial assistance given by the Government of Samoa will help the Association prepare its team for the upcoming Oceania Zonal Volleyball Championships, which will be held in Noumea, New Caledonia from the 18th - 31st July 2010.

This tournament will prepare the team for the upcoming Pacific Games which will be held in New Caledonia in 2011. The Samoa Volleyball Association is yet to announce its team for this event.
 

AMERICAN SAMOA: Over $1 million in HUD grant funds available for American Samoa
Source: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega Press Release

Congressman Faleomavaega has announced that $1,510,019 in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grants, and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program is now available for American Samoa. In a recent message from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development to All Formula Grantees, Mercedes Márquez, stated that these programs will provide funding for housing, community and economic development activities, and assistance for low- and moderate-income persons and special populations across the country.

Within the funds made available today, American Samoa will receive:
- $1,121,951 in Community Development Block Grants
- $47,441 in Emergency Shelter Grants
- $340,627 in the HOME Investment Partnerships Program

In her message announcing these funds, Assistant Secretary Márquez also urged grantees to consider the needs of returning veterans and their families in the design and administration of these formula programs. She encouraged local leaders to consider their sacrifice and “ensure that [they] receive every appropriate consideration in the use of these funds at the local level.” Márquez also stressed the importance of complete performance measurement data to assess performance toward achieving objectives and outcomes.


Community Development Block Grants

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at HUD.

CDBG is an important tool that helps local governments tackle serious challenges facing their communities. A grantee must develop and follow a detailed plan that provides for and encourages citizen participation. This integral process emphasizes participation by persons of low or moderate income, and particularly residents of areas in which the grantee proposes to use CDBG funds. The plan must provide citizens with the following: reasonable and timely access to local meetings; an opportunity to review proposed activities and program performance; provide for timely written answers to written complaints and grievances.

Over a 1, 2, or 3-year period, as selected by the grantee, not less than 70 percent of CDBG funds must be used for activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. In addition, each activity must meet one of the following national objectives for the program: benefit low- and moderate-income persons, prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or address urgent community development needs related to serious or immediate threats to the health or welfare of communities that lack access to other funding sources.


Emergency Shelter Grants

The Emergency Shelter Grants program provides basic shelter and essential supportive services for the homeless as well as homeless prevention assistance to persons at imminent risk of losing their own housing due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoffs. It can assist with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant.

Grantees, which are state governments, large cities, urban counties, and U.S. territories, receive ESG grants and make these funds available to eligible recipients, which can be either local government agencies or private nonprofit organizations.

ESG funds are available for the rehabilitation or remodeling of a building used as a new shelter, operations and maintenance of the facility, essential supportive services (i.e., case management, physical and mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, childcare, etc.), homeless prevention, and grant administration.


HOME Investment Partnerships Program

The HOME program is the largest Federal block grant to State and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Each year it allocates approximately $2 billion among the States and hundreds of localities nationwide. The program was designed to reinforce several important values and principles of community development:

Of particular importance to American Samoa is HOME's flexibility. This principle empowers people and communities to design and implement strategies tailored to their own needs and priorities. For territories like American Samoa, which often have unique needs and ways of addressing housing issues for low-income individuals, flexibility is crucial.

HOME also provides formula grants that communities often use in partnership with local nonprofit groups to fund a wide range of activities such as rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership and providing direct rental assistance to low-income people. Also to note is HOME’s emphasis on consolidated planning which expands and strengthens partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector.

HOME funds are awarded annually as formula grants to participating jurisdictions. HUD establishes HOME Investment Trust Funds for each grantee, providing a line of credit that the jurisdiction may draw upon as needed. The program's flexibility allows States and local governments to use HOME funds for grants, direct loans, loan guarantees or other forms of credit enhancement, or rental assistance and security deposits.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues in Congress and President Obama for securing funding for these essential community programs. I would also like to commend Assistant Secretary Mercedes Márquez for her commitment to strengthening our communities through effective implementation and continuation of these grants. I am certain that through her close collaboration with state and local governmental agencies, we can all look forward to achieving important community development goals nationwide,” Faleomavaega stated.

“I also would like to thank our local community leaders’ efforts in serving our communities on the grass roots level. These funds are meaningless without dedicated servants to go out into field and implement quality programs and services. Thank you for your hard work service to our people,” the Congressman concluded.

“As Assistant Secretary Márquez reiterated, it is essential that we track the progress of these programs to ensure that this funding is helping us achieve our goals and meet the needs of our people. Therefore, I would also like to thank all those who perform these functions in our local programs. Though your work may seem to be ‘behind the scenes,’ the data and numbers you produce are necessary to progress and continued improvement,” the Congressman added.
 

(Photo: The National)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: PNG Tennis strikes an ace with Lamana
Source: The National

THE PNG Tennis Federation received a timely sponsorship of K10,000 from Lamana Hotel to support its junior tennis players participating in the Pacific Oceania Junior championships in Lautoka, Fiji, this week.

The PNG team of five players departed yesterday.

There they are joined by another PNG duo, Marcia Tere-Apisah and Lorish Puluspene, who are based in Lautoka, Fiji.

The local players are Celestine Stapleton, Natash Nakandaul, Robin Morove, John Martin Kaiulo and Mathew Stubbings.

Event organiser Barbara Stubbings said PNG had qualified to send seven players for International Tennis Federation (ITF) Pacific Oceania Junior championships (POJC) at the Goodman Fielder RTC in Fiji starting today and running till Friday.

They will also be participating at the Oceania Plate from Aug 2-6.

It is the largest group of PNG players to qualify for the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships.
Stubbings thanked Lamana Hotel for the funds which would go to meeting travel expenses and participating costs for the five junior elites.

“PNG Tennis junior development would like to express their sincere gratitude to Lamana Hotel general manager Yiannis Nicolaou for their continued support to tennis, especially junior tennis in PNG,” she said.

Lamana Development Ltd project manager Jackson Zabala, who was accompanied by his assistant Civan Koiri, said the company was pleased to assist the PNG Tennis Federation.

The sponsorship is a follow-up to a commitment made by late Sir George Constantinou to support PNG Tennis Federation and Lamana Hotel has been supporting tennis for the past two decades.
 

SOLOMON ISLANDS: RAMSI and government partnership in good shape
Source: RAMSI Media Press Release via Solomon Times

The partnership between RAMSI and the Solomon Islands is in good shape after seven years of working together to rebuild the nation.

This was the statement of the RAMSI Special Coordinator, Graeme Wilson, last Saturday, to mark the Mission's anniversary.

This is increasingly evident as RAMSI and Solomon Islands work together to implement the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI Partnership Framework, Mr Wilson said.

"The close consultation and cooperation between RAMSI and the Solomon Islands people and Government has laid a strong foundation to address the many challenges that lie ahead," he said.

The Partnership Framework, which was finalised last year, sets out a work plan to guide RAMSI's assistance to Solomon Islands.

The work of the Solomon Islands-RAMSI partnership was now very focused on developing the capacity of Solomon Islands people and institutions so that the country can look forward to a secure and sustainable future.

Seven years on, RAMSI recognises that this contribution does not just involve helping to restore law and order and revitalising government institutions but also includes supporting Solomon Islanders own efforts to build a better sense of their national identity.

"This is one of the reasons that we like to celebrate the anniversary of RAMSI's partnership with Solomon Islands by supporting communities in every province to hold RAMSI Community Fun Days," Mr Wilson said.

RAMSI personnel are also actively involved in sporting and other community activities with the key focus on creating stronger partnerships throughout the country.

Last Sunday, RAMSI also helped to launch the 2010 cricket season with a PM's XI versus RAMSI Special Coordinator's XI 20-20 match at 1.00pm at King George VI oval.
 

(Photos: Digicel (Pacific) Ltd)

WORLDWIDE: Pacific Islanders offered new remittance option to stay connected
Source: Digicel (Pacific) Ltd Press Release

New Zealand’s Pacific Island community now have a new remittance option for sending value or a gift to friends and family back in the Islands with the launch of Digicel’s new ”Top Up Your Friends & Family” service.

Digicel, the Pacific Island’s leading mobile provider operating in six Pacific Island countries, is now offering Digicel mobile Top Up credit in thousands of dairies and convenience stores throughout New Zealand. Customers can now simply buy Digicel mobile Top Up vouchers from their local prepaid outlet, available in $15, $20, $30 and $50 denominations, and can then send the Top Up credit to any Digicel prepaid phone in the Pacific via www.digicelrecharge.com or via 0800 DIGICEL (0800 34 44 235 or 09 9652715).

Digicel Top Up can be applied to any of Digicel’s 1.6 million customers in Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu in the value of the local currently - and with no fees attached.

Speaking at the launch of “Digicel Top Up Friends & Family”, His Excellency, Mr Faolotoi Reupena Pogi, Consul General Samoa said; “Being in contact and sending money or gifts back to the islands to family, friends and the community is integral to the culture of New Zealand’s Pacific Islanders. The amount of money sent from New Zealand annually is phenomenal and has a hugely positive impact on the lives of the Islanders and the development of these nations. I therefore commend Digicel on this service, which allows people to send credit home, with no fees attached, meaning more of the value gets to those who need it. The gift of Top Up or essentially the ability to communicate, will mean families can stay connected even if they are divided by the Pacific Ocean.”

Pepe Christian Fruean, CEO, Digicel Samoa said; “Digicel Top Up in New Zealand is an excellent remittance or gift option to send value back to loved ones to help them stay in touch. Digicel mobile international rates for calls from Samoa and Tonga to New Zealand are significantly better value than mobile calling rates available in New Zealand and we believe that this service will provide another way to help families, friends, church groups and communities stay connected.”

To celebrate the new service Digicel will add an additional 10% bonus credit on all Top Up sent from New Zealand in July.


About Digicel Group

After nine years of operation, Digicel Group Limited has 10.8 million customers across its 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network.

Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also the title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Championships and the Copa de Naciones Digicel. In the Pacific, Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket team.

Digicel also runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Jamaica, Haiti and Papua New Guinea which focus on educational, cultural and social development programmes.

It is incorporated in Bermuda and its markets comprise: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Nauru, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu. Digicel also has coverage in St. Martin and St. Barts in the Caribbean.

Visit www.digicelpacific.com or www.digicelgroup.com for more information.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Pepe Christian Fruean, CEO, Digicel Samoa and former All Black legend Va'aiga Lealuga Tuigamala at the launch of Digicel Top Up Your Friends and Family at the Pacific Business Trust, Wednesday, 21 July.

Photo 2 - His Excellency, Mr Faolotoi Reupena Pogi, Consul General Samoa (centre left), Pepe Christian Fruean, CEO, Digicel Samoa (centre) and Su'a William Sio, MP for Mangere (centre left) and other guests at the launch of Digicel Top Up Your Friends and Family Friends at the Pacific Business Trust, Wednesday, 21 July.