NEWSPAGE 30 August
2010

(Photo: Australian Government)

SAMOA: Deputy PM reveals plan which would have major impact on economy
Source: Samoa Observer

A major United States communications company has asked the government about the possibility of establishing a call-centre in Samoa, deputy Prime Minister Misa Telefoni has revealed.

Misa is upbeat about the project and hopes it might eventually be the catalyst for a new high-tech sector that would provide jobs and skills for Samoans.

Fiji was the first Pacific country to snare some of the lucrative international call centre business. Misa said talks with a major US call centre company have been underway for more than a year.

But with the deal yet to be secured, Misa is not ready to reveal the name of the company.
“The people that we are talking to came to American Samoa but they found the wage structures there far too high,” Misa told Radio Australia.

“They then came to us and at that time an opportunity came up because American Samoa was getting this very, very fast broadband cable and we found that for an investment of $US1.2 million which we did through SamoaTel, we purchased a line carrying that line on from American Samoa to us.

“That has now reached us and we now have basically doubled our broadband speed, but more importantly, we now qualify to host that call centre. It is starting off small with a about 400 seat call centre.”

Fibre optic cable links to key markets are a prerequisite for establishing a call centre. Samoa’s link is via the Pacrim cable to Hawaii and on to the rest of the world.

Misa said a call-centre would have a major impact on the Samoan economy.

“At the moment our main employer, but that is very much down towards the minimum wage level, is Yasaki, who make wire harnessing for Toyota in Melbourne,” he said.

“We believe there will be a lot of value added in terms of the call centre, because they are not talking about paying the minimum wage.”

“They are talking about paying maybe one-and-a-half to two times the minimum pay. But they are also talking about the possibility that if the call centre is up and running that it will be very successful.”

Misa said the company in negotiation with Samoa is a “massive firm that has already got close to 300 clients worldwide.”

What will it take to clinch the deal?

“Well, what it will take is for us to convince them that it will be in their interests to have a call centre in Samoa - that we will support it,” said Misa.

“We are talking about an agreement with our National University, where they run a six to ten week course in basic computer literacy and that we will help in terms of the training, but they are also talking about taking maybe 20 people to the States to be the mainline trainers and they will come down and be responsible for 50 or 60 staff each.

“The difficult time with this sort of operation is the first initial plunge. Because Samoa has never done call centres before, we need to be very, very careful that we do all the homework so that when we go into it we are fully capacitated and we have got everything we need in terms of infrastructure and capacity building, but also human resource development in order to have the centre run successfully, because from that success, it can only go bigger.”
So how does the call centre work?

“How it works is that if they have a control centre, say in Oklahoma, someone sitting there watching where the calls are going, because the only rule to their customer I believe is that the call must be answered within 20 secs - so if calls are coming in and they find one other centre is congested, someone presses a button there, and then Samoa call centre will come into action in terms with dealing with the calls.

“Say the customer is Pizza Hut or something, so it is quite conceivable that if someone in LA has a call diverted through Samoa to call his Pizza Hut down the road to place an order.”

Photo Caption: Misa Telefoni... the centre will benefit the economy.
 

(Photos: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: “Teach for the 21st Century” Governor advises ASCC
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

“We want to build a country of forward thinkers,” said Governor Togiola Tulafono in his address before the administration, faculty and staff at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) this past Monday. “This begins in the classroom. Don’t teach for yesterday, don’t even teach for today, but teach for tomorrow. We need to educate our youth in a way that will enable them to take American Samoa into the 21st Century.”

The Governor visited ASCC to deliver the keynote speech during the College’s first General Assembly of the semester. He recalled his own beginnings as a youngster at a village school in Vatia. “The Department of Education hired teachers within the village so that they did not have to transport teachers,” recalled the Governor. “They took teachers from the village and trained them, and I can tell you today that some of the teachers that I had in those days could not read beyond the book they were trained in. It’s a fact. But they were able to teach me, ABC, 123, and so forth. That was the beginning. I did not get here by myself.”

Togiola also emphasized his belief in lifelong learning. “I always say to teachers that learning is a lifetime endeavor,” he reflected. “We never stop learning. There is always something new to learn about something of someone. We must never deprive ourselves of opportunities to learn, because if we deny ourselves an opportunity you may not be able to learn what it is all about, and what it was that came before you. That’s what makes the role of teaching unique: the teacher is supposed to be the Big Thinker; a teacher is supposed to be a Forward Thinker. A teacher is supposed to be a Visionary. When you don’t think big your students cannot think big. If you don’t think forward, your students are limited. If you’re not a visionary you will never see the direction that your students need to go.”

The Governor also reaffirmed his wish that ASCC someday become a four year institution, especially considering the number of local students unable to travel off island in search of higher education, but added that with the new responsibilities needs to come a new way of looking at the College’s role in the community. “A year and half ago I told our island community that we need to elevate this institution of higher learning to a four year degree school,” he told the ASCC personnel. The day of community college services is over. We need an institution that moves American Samoa forward, where it must continue to think big and think forward and envision a better future. If you’re satisfied to just teach what was good enough in the 20th century that is all you’re ever going to be, a 20th century institution in the 21st century.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we need to step up to the plate,” continued the Governor. “It begins with you as a teacher. As a big thinker you are supposed to be ten times better than what you teach. As a forward thinker, you are not supposed to look at your pay grade and be satisfied with what you learned in the last five years. As a visionary, you owe it to our children and you owe it to American Samoa to be the better thinker, the better visionary. That forces you to go out and learn better than what you teach because that is what it’s going to take to create a culture of big thinkers, forward thinkers and visionaries in our island home.”

The assembly also featured opening remarks by ASCC President Dr. Seth Galea’i, who urged the faculty and staff to focus on the institutional values included in the College’s vision statement. “We always strive to apply our values of practicing cultural respect, being student-centered, valuing cultural diversity, engaging in lifelong learning, and succeeding through collaboration and teamwork,” said Dr. Galea’i. The President also reminded the general faculty to familiarize themselves with the educational values articulated in the ongoing dialogue between the College and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). “Many theories of education now exist,” he continued, “but I strongly recommend that that you use our accreditation standards as a guide to the best practices in the classroom.” Board of Higher Education (BHE) Chairman Uta Dr. Laloulu Tagoilelagi also addressed the assembly of offer the Board’s congratulations for the staff’s hard work and to wish them well on the forthcoming academic year.

The fall 2010 semester has gotten off to a bustling start at the College, with the newly introduced late afternoon/evening classes mostly full to capacity, as well as students who did not pre-register this past May facing long lines as they sought to enroll in their classes. "Enrollment for this semester reached about 2,000 last Friday afternoon,” said Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Kathleen Kolhoff-Belle. “Enrollment is still open, with late registration this week and ASTEP registration approaching, so the number will definitely go up. I believe we are looking at another record enrollment this semester."

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Following his speech at the College this past Monday, Governor Togiola Tulafono joins members of the ASCC Administration and Board of Higher Educaiton for a group photo.

Front row (l-r) BHE Chairman HTC Dr. Laloulu Tagoilelagi, Governor Togiola, ASCC President Dr. Seth Galea'i. Second row (l-r) CNR Director Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga, BHE Vice Chairman HC Pemerika Tauiliili, BHE members Sapini Siatu'u and Rev. Dr. Sekuini Seva'aetasi, ASCC Vice Presdient of Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Kathleen Kolhoff-Belle, ASCC Vice President of Administration and Finance Mikaele Etuale and BHE member Lauifi Tauiliili.

Photo 2 - Governor Togiola Tulafono is presented with a small token of appreciation by student Faith Vaifanua.

Photo 3 - Governor Togiola Tulafono converses with Board of Higher Education Vice Chairman HC Pemerika Tauiliili.
 

(Photo: South Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

COOK ISLANDS: Tania Temata to vacate seat on World Biodiversity Bureau in October
Source: South Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

Come the end of October, the second Pacific nation to hold a seat on the Bureau for the Convention for Biological Diversity, passes this privilege on.

Tania Temata from the Cook Islands together with Cambodia represents the Asia Pacific Group on this bureau. It is a first for the Cook Islands to be represented on any bureau for the many global multilateral-environmental agreements.

The Bureau for the CBD is like a Board of Directors for a company. It reviews the implementation of the Convention and oversees the preparation of the bi-annual conferences of the parties and all other related meetings in between the conference of the parties. The logistic organisation of the meeting is coordinated by the Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity.

The Convention of the Biological Diversity is having the 10th Conference of the Parties in Nagoya, Japan in October this year, for which 14 Pacific islands countries and territories are a party to this international agreement to conserve the biodiversity of the World.

The Asia Pacific Group is a recognised United Nations grouping within the Convention of Biological Diversity. It consists of over 40 different countries and is given two seats on the Bureau each term. Kiribati was the first Pacific nation to be nominated on the bureau by the Asia Pacific group. It has been agreed within the group that the seats are to be rotated each term amongst its sub-region grouping. (South Asia, Central Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific)

“My first interest is to represent the views of the Pacific islands countries on this bureau, and the business of CBD. Secondly it is to represent the interests of Asia Pacific as a group,” said Temata on her role on the bureau.

“I have learned a lot by sitting on the bureau in terms of CBD business and how the UN system works. Also working within the Asia Pacific Group, I've had to work within the dynamics of the different countries, their differing interests and priorities. Trying to manage these differing views, and making sure all interests are equally represented without any biases has been a real learning curve for me.”

"The Asia Pacific group consists of both developing and developed nations, big countries, like China and smaller countries like Niue for example. You have to recognise that the dynamics of the group is wide and varied, and try your best to represent them. I just hope that I have been able to represent both the Pacific and the group well during this term."

Temata will vacate her seat on the Bureau of the CBD at the end of the 10th Conference of the Parties in Nagoya, Japan. She began her term at the end of the 9th Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn, Germany in 2008.

Photo Caption: Bureau for the Convention for Biological Diversity Asia Pacific Group representative, Tania Temata.
 

FIJI: Putting Pacific health issues in the global arena
Source: United Nations Development Programme Press Release

The challenges posed by health related issues of the Pacific Islanders and impact on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be discussed at a workshop, focused on these issues, during the 63rd United Nations DPI/NGO conference that starts in Melbourne, Australia today.

The workshop titled the “Forum on Global Health and the MDGs - Efforts of Pacific Island NGOs” will take place on Tuesday, August 31.

The session will include presentations from Pacific Regional NGOs (PRNGOs) on topics that address the health challenges of the community, women, children and people with disability.

The panel of presenters at this session include: Margaret Eastgate from the Pacific Disability Forum; Chandra Shekhar from Save the Children Fiji and Edwina Kotoisuva and the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre. The session will be moderated by Margaret Leniston, Regional Health Programme Manager, at the Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International (FSPI).

The panel will demonstrate that achieving the MDGs requires non-state actors to address the key determinants of health of different population groups. The panel will also identify the key determinants of health, the challenges for population groups such as women, children, youth, and people with disabilities, and the community development strategies used by NGOs to contribute to achieving the MDGs.

The participant of Pacific Regional NGOs at this event has been supported by the UNDP Pacific Centre and AusAID.
 

(Photo: Joe Yaya / Pacific Conference of Churches)

WORLDWIDE: Lead fight against HIV/AIDS stigma, Pacific churches told
Source: Pacific Scoop

Church leaders at this month’s Pacific Conference of Churches meeting were called on to help deal with the issue of HIV and AIDS in the Pacific, with a focus on family and discouraging “outdated” cultural norms.

Church leaders must face the facts about HIV/AIDS in the Pacific and drop long-held prejudices about those living with the virus, says a regional advocate.

Steven Vete of UNAIDS said prejudice and discrimination prevent access to treatment for those most in need.

Vete, who is also sub-regional coordinator of the Asia Pacific Leadership Forum on HIV/AIDS, was speaking sternly at the recent Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) annual meeting in Auckland.

Also speaking at the conference, Reverend James Bhagwan from the Methodist Church of Fiji, said: “There are two major issues that have characterised the approach to HIV and AIDS so far - ignorance and stigma.”

Vete said the root of the issue of discrimination was ignorance of the type of people at risk.

“While people talk about the traffic of people, the sex workers and the marginalised, it is faithful and serving wives that suffer from this virus because of their philandering husbands,” he said.

“Traditions that help create these situations should be absolutely not tolerated. I am talking about having multiple wives, issues with the status of women, violence against women and children.”

The Auckland Declaration from the Pacific Regional Consultation on HIV and the Law, Ethics and Human Rights was a commitment from a meeting of 15 Pacific nations in 2007. It notes that “stigma and discrimination … impedes universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support and provision of services.

“Without realistically addressing HIV through behaviour change, legislative and policy frameworks, and rights-based approaches, all our social, political and economic development efforts could be significantly slowed or reversed.”


Practical work needed

While the PCC and other bodies are trying to work towards the UN Millennium Development Goal of halting and reversing the spread of the virus by 2015, Vete believes more practical work needs to be done.

“There is a raft of declarations around the world that people think is going to save them but it hasn’t,” he said.

A December 2009 Report of the Commission on AIDS in the Pacific says there were 59,000 people living with AIDS in Oceania in 2008. Oceania had 0.3 percent of adult prevalence of HIV/AIDS, which was one of the lowest rates in the world.

However, Papua New Guinea is by far the worst, with 95 percent of the cases of infection in Oceania between 1984 and 2007. In fact, even in the Papua province of Indonesia, HIV prevalence is 15 times higher than the national average.

Outside Papua New Guinea, the countries of New Caledonia, Fiji, French Polynesia and Guam account for the vast majority of HIV infections.

The report mentions, among other causes, that “limited employment opportunities in most Pacific countries result in high rates of internal and external mobility.”

The report also found that “increased movement to urban centres has been linked to increased crime, drug and alcohol abuse, overcrowding, higher unemployment, increased teenage pregnancy, STIs, gender-based violence and sex work.”


Youth issue

Findings from the report suggest that HIV/AIDS is a serious issue for the youth, particularly with drugs, alcohol and multiple partners. 40 percent of people in the Pacific are under the age of 15.

The report said that “around a third of all young people used alcohol and drugs before their last sexual encounter” and “in a survey of young people in two communities in Port Moresby alcohol use was linked to forced sex with over 40 percent of young men and young women reporting that they had been forced to have sex.”

Surveys in several Pacific nations indicate that a substantial minority of young people become sexually active before the age of 18, with roughly 40 percent of young people in Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu reporting more than one sexual partner.

The church leaders are concerned that caution be taken to avoid the spread.

Fe’iloakitau Tevi, the general secretary of PCC, said that “If there is one issue that is the responsibility of the church, it is the issue of HIV/AIDS.

“In some of our countries, perhaps there are no cases, or maybe one case. However, this does not make it any less of an issue.”

Vete believes the churches have a particular influence on communities and “has the best interests of the Pacific people.”

“The Parliament have the mandate of the people but you have the values to inculcate in the people,” Vete said.


Starts in the family

Dr Nuualofa Potoi, Director of Preventative Health Services in Samoa, told the conference that more should be done to encourage education of the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS and that the family was crucial as a starting point.

“It must start within your own family. It is the responsibility of each and every parent,” said Dr Potoi.

“I believe that it is my basic responsibility as a mother and as a parent to teach my children.”

Rev Bhagwan said that “for Pacific Islanders, family is everything. Our life continues through our children.”

Rev Bhagwan had practical advice for parents, saying some were getting distracted from their main task of looking after their children, suggesting parents “keep the family together, for example, not leaving the kids at home alone all night while going off to church functions.”

The relative success of some Pacific communities has been partly credited to positive relations between the churches and the government.

Shelton Neth, chairman and CEO of churches in the Federated States of Micronesia, belongs to the United Church of Christ, the biggest Christian Church in Micronesia.


Hand in hand

Neth reports that his church and the government are “working hand in hand to prevent the spread of AIDS”.

“The Church leaders made a resolution, which was sent to the government, that any outsider coming into FSM should be tested for HIV.”

Rev Bhagwan said these relationships were cutting through bureaucracy, saving the PCC from engaging with the Pacific Islands Forum.

“Rather than engage with the Forum, we engage directly with the leaders of nations themselves.” he said.

“For example, Reverend Tofinga Falani, president of the Ekalesia Kelisiano in Tuvalu, will speak directly to the President of Tuvalu.”

Aisake Casimira is programmes coordinator of PCC and works with the Catholic Church in Fiji. In practical terms, Casimira is calling for more to be done.

“This is a social problem” said Casimira. “And it goes hand in hand with other social problems such as unemployment. If people are unemployed and not doing anything, there is no chance to channel their energies.

“On one hand, it is good to talk and preach about responsible behaviour. But on the other hand, the church and the government have the opportunity to improve employment and solve other social issues so that the sexual urge is channelled to more productive ends.”

Apart from the social issues such as unemployment, Casimira believes that church leadership needs to look at education.


Wide choices

“There are a wide range of choices for young people, some good and some not so good. The question is how do you educate the young people to make good choices? The capacity that is lacking in our church is that - how to help the young people make good choices.”

Casimira said the church recently announced the Year of the Family and that adult education would be looked at as a way to filter good values to the young through the family unit.

Bhagwan had his own addition to the well-known ABC method of education about HIV/AIDS (Abstinence, Be Faithful, and Contraception).

“Of course there is the promotion of the ABC system that many other groups have promoted, with a special emphasis on Abstinence and Be faithful - get to know your partner and so on.” he said.

“But we add a ‘D’ - Do other stuff! Enjoy life, but don’t rush into sexual relationships.”

For its part, the PCC issued a declaration, “The Cry to Sing the Lord’s Song in Oceania” at the close of their conference.

The declaration stated the leaders’ intention to “commit ourselves to equipping our ministers to engage meaningfully and practically with this issue.”

They also committed to taking better care of those living with HIV/AIDS and to combat ignorant attitudes.

Photo Caption: Aisake Casimira, programmes coordinator for the Pacific Conference of Churches: “This is a social problem.”