NEWSPAGE 06 October
2010

(Photo: Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Awards)

(Photos: Electric Power Corporation)

SAMOA: EPC hands over solar power home system sets
Source: Electric Power Corporation Press Release

About twenty five (25) families, two Government Ministries and an NGO, received solar home system sets, from the Electric Power Corporation, during a handing over ceremony last Friday, 1 October.

These solar home system sets were donated by China Electric Equipment Group to the Government of Samoa last year, following the tsunami, to assist with the needs of those affected by the tsunami.

The solar system sets were distributed to these families, Mapuifagalele’s Home for the Elderly as well as District hospitals and police outposts at Lalomanu and Poutasi.

The families who received these sets were identified through a survey carried out by the Corporation in 2008, for households located more than 2km from the electrical grid. These solar powered systems will provide basic lighting for these households.

Prior to this ceremony, the Corporation’s Renewable Energy Unit conducted trainings for these families on how to install and maintain these sets, as they are responsible for this part. The Corporation will carry out inspection of the installations and supply the batteries prior to commissioning these systems.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Hon. Minister of EPC, after turning on 1 set of solar lights, during the ceremony.

Photo 2 - EPC Renewable Energy Staff, distributing solar home sets for families.

Photo 3 - Siaosi Tuialii of Tiavea, one of the recipients of this donation.
 

(Photo: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: Locally made short picked for Hawaii International Film Festival
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

This past August, a team from Honolulu-based Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) visited the Territory to conduct a week-long workshop on filmmaking at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC). PIC receives federal funding to promote storytelling among the first people of the American Pacific, including American Samoa, through the medium of film. and has regularly sent representatives every three or four years to conduct workshops at ASCC, whose association with PIC dates back to the late 1980s. The most recent PIC workshop attracted more than a dozen students and community members with an interest in the filmmaking process, and their week long creative endeavors under the guidance of the PIC visitors resulted in a five minute short film which they titled “O a’u o le Taupou”.

The short film, which illustrates the tension between traditional and modern Samoan culture through the experience of a young woman, premiered to highly positive community response at a free screening in the ASCC Lecture Hall. Upon their return to Hawaii, the PIC representatives submitted “O a’u o le Taupou” for consideration to be included in the world-renowned Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) which takes place this October. To the pleasant surprise of all involved, PIC recently received notification that the American Samoa-made short film will indeed be screened as part of this year’s HIFF. Hawaii residents with any connection to Samoa will want to catch the off-island premier of “O a’u o le Taupou” on Sunday, October 24th, at 2:15 p.m. in Dole Cannery Cinema E.

ASCC visual artist Regina Meredith, who also serves as a PIC Board member representing American Samoa and played a large organizational role in the making of “O a’u o le Taupou”, expressed the keen excitement she and the other local participants felt after having their film chosen by the HIFF. “This confirms that American Samoa has the capability to make a difference in the film world,” she said. “We may not have the high end equipment other places do, but our film getting into festival certainly confirms that we have the creative knack. The acceptance places us on the map and encourages us to do more. It challenges us to think more of how the world sees us and what we hope to share through the lens. This small piece showcases a collective inner Samoan creativity and encapsulates a worldview that would have been so different had it been shot by non-islanders.”

The PIC visiting team included Program Manager Leanne Ferrer, who echoed Meredith’s enthusiasm over the film’s selection by the HIFF. “The festival has a rigorous entry process and very high standards,” Ferrer emailed from Honolulu. “In fact, it was voted as one of the "50 Unmissable Film Festivals" by Variety magazine. So it is a great feat for a group of aspiring filmmakers with minimal to no experience to have their work chosen by HIFF.” Ferrer pointed out that “O a’u o le Taupou” is one of only two Samoan-related films in this year’s HIFF Pacific Showcase. The other Samoan film, “Malaga”, is a short by Hawai‘i-based Samoan filmmaker Robert Poleki, who has family ties to the Independent State of Samoa.”

Speaking of family ties, for the PIC visit last August, members of the Honolulu integrated branding and production company 10:13 accompanied Ferrer and contributed significantly to the resulting film. The 10:13 personnel along for the trip included company president Jason Suapaia, a Hawaii resident of Samoan ancestry making his first trip to these islands. Making a film about preserving culture with the involvement of someone like Jason, who’s just getting to know his ancestral culture, added quite a bit of poignancy to the work,” reflected Ferrer.

Established in 1981, the HIFF promotes the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. As the premiere international film event in the Pacific and the largest "East meets West" Festival in the United States, the HIFF is recognized as the primary source for the discovery and exhibition of Asian and Pacific feature films, documentaries and short films in the nation. The HIFF started as a project of the East-West Center at UH Manoa, and in its first year screened seven films from six countries to an audience of 5,000. Today, HIFF has more than one dozen screening sites on six Hawaiian Islands, and draws an audience of 80,000 or more from around the state, the nation and the world. Each year in preparation for the event, HIFF programmers view some 1,000 films and choose an average of 150 features, documentaries and film shorts.

For more information on the Hawaii International Film Festival, visit their website at: www.hiff.org.

To learn more about Pacific Islanders in Communications, go to: www.piccom.org.

Photo Caption: As she prepares to shoot a scene for the short film "O a'u o le Taoupou," lead
actress Cynthia Tinitali (center) receives direction from Leanne Ferrer of Pacific Islanders in Communcation (right) and Regina Meredith of ASCC. The short film has been chosen for inclusion in the prestigious Hawaii International Film Festival, which will screen it later this month.
 

FIJI: Oceania tourney a stepping stone
Source: Fiji Times

Fiji Football Association national technical director Saiyad Ali has hailed Fiji's performance in the Oceania Women's Nations Cup despite finishing at the bottom of its group.

The Ramesh Sharma-coached team failed to win any matches in the regional tournament.

Fiji lost the first match against second seeded Papua New Guinea 3-0. In the next game Fiji went down 2-1 to Tonga.

In their final group match Fiji had a scoreless draw with the Solomon Islands.

Ali said some of the players in the team had only taken up the sport last year. He said those players did not have any experience of international football.

"Going into the tournament it would be been unrealistic to say that we would be able to topple New Zealand," Ali said.

"The New Zealand players start soccer at the age of five years. We implemented our development plans recently.

"In the first game we let in goals due to lacking of goalkeeping. In the second game we led for most of the match but gave it away at the end. Against the Solomon Islands we earned a draw."

"So I'm happy with the improvement made from the first game. If there wasn't any improvement then I could say that there was something wrong. But the results show that we are in the right direction.

"The other countries included experienced players. This tournament was a learning curve for our players.

"The aim is to give the team the best preparation for next year's Pacific Games."

In the final match against the Solomon goalkeeper Betty Sade was forced to make a fingertip save in the 77th minute to deny Fiji's Kurukaba Ligavola.

Five minuter Ligavola broke through the Solomon defence but her shot hit the left-hand upright. Fiji coach Sharma said goal scoring proved to be their biggest draw back in the tournament.

He said they had given their best shot.

"We had a lot of missed opportunities," Sharma said.

"The results have been disappointing. But we have given it our best shot. The aim is to retain these girls and build towards the Pacific Games."

Fiji finished with one point behind Tonga on three points, Solomon on four points and New Zealand on nine points.
 

(Photos: Honolulu Star Advertiser)

HAWAII: President signs bill honouring Nisei World War II vets
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser

With several aging veterans of the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team, including Medal of Honour recipient U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, flanking him, President Barack Obama signed legislation today to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Battalion, the 442nd RCT, and the Military Intelligence Service for services in World War II.

The White House released photos and information on the signing in the Oval Office this afternoon on the White House Blog.

The new law recognizes more than 6,000 Japanese-Americans born of immigrant parents who served the United States and fought in battles in Europe and Asia.

About two-thirds of them were from Hawaii.

Joining the veterans, who wore their blue and red overseas cap, were Hawaii Reps. Mazie Hirono and Charles Djou. Also present was former Kauai resident and now Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric "Ric" Shinseki.

The veterans at the ceremony included Osamu "Sam" Fujikawa, who was interned with his family was interned at a relocation camp in Utah where he was drafted and ended up in the 100th Battalion; Grant Ichikawa, who also was sent to a relocation camp after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley and enlisted in the Army an became a MIS interpreter; Jimmie Kanaya, who enlisted the 442nd RCT and later received a battlefield commission; and Yeiichi "Kelly" Kagawa, who as a 442nd RCT medic is credited with saving Inouye's life.

Inouye lost his right arm while attacking a German machine gun emplacement in Italy.

In a statement issued last night, Sen. Daniel Akaka, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said "While some Japanese-Americans were being wrongly interned due only to their ethnicity, these brave men stepped forward to defend our nation. Their bravery helped to not only win the war, it paved the way towards a more tolerant and just nation."

The 442nd RCT, made up of Americans of Japanese ancestry who volunteered to fight, is the most decorated Army unit of its size and length of service in the history of the United States. The Military Intelligence Service provided the U.S. with valuable language and cultural knowledge, translating intercepted intelligence and helping the U.S. achieve victory in the Pacific.

The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian honours presented to people who serve the security and national interests of the United States. Past honourees of the Congressional Gold Medal include the Wright Brothers, Rosa Parks, Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen and the Dalai Lama.

The 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team received 7 Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals of Honour, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15 Soldier's Medal, and over 4,000 Purple Hearts.

The actual gold medal will be given to the Smithstonian Institution. The new law authorizes the Treasury to make bronze duplicates of the medal.

The Congressional Gold Medal was first awarded by the U.S. Continental Congress to George Washington in 1776.

Along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Presidential Citizens Medal, it is the highest civilian honour awarded in the U.S.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - President Barack Obama talks with his guests in the Oval Office before signing S.1055.

Photo 2 - President Barack Obama signs S.1055, a bill to grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.

(Photo: Dr. Alan Saunders)

WORLDWIDE: Invasive species a growing problem for the Pacific
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

Invasive species are a rapidly increasing problem across the Pacific islands region and countries are calling on the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to assist with raising public awareness and increasing government engagement in addressing the problem.

A working paper presented by New Caledonia at the 21st SPREP meeting recently held in Madang, Papua New Guinea, highlighted issues relating to invasive species and their impact on livelihoods and ecosystems of the Pacific. The main aim of the paper, titled “Mainstreaming Invasive Species and Biodiversity,” was to inform members of the risks to livelihoods and ecosystems posed by invasive alien species and their predicted interactions with climate change.

Dr Alan Tye, SPREP’s Invasive Species Officer, explained that more emphasis on public awareness and government support for invasive species management should be given. The paper sought the Meeting’s approval for SPREP to undertake a programme to increase public awareness of the value of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems in the Pacific.

He said that, during discussions at a workshop titled “Helping Islands Adapt” in Auckland earlier this year, the Pacific group determined that the fundamental problem which currently prevents adequate investment in managing the impacts of invasive species is lack of political support.

“This is compounded by the fact that modern society does not value biodiversity highly enough and does not understand the magnitude of the impacts of invasive species on economies, livelihoods and the environment,” he said.

The working paper explained that invasive species are recognised as a major driver of biodiversity loss worldwide and that island ecosystems were particularly fragile and vulnerable to invasive species. Although islands cover only 5% of the Earth’s land surface, they are home to about 20% of all known terrestrial species and almost half of all endangered species.

According to the paper, more than 70% of the world’s terrestrial species extinctions have occurred on islands, and most of these were caused by invasive species.

Dr Tye added that invasive species management represents an effective form of ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change and that every effort should be made to secure the financial resources necessary to build political support and inspire environmental stewardship.

Some of the recommendations outlined by the working paper at the 21st SPREP meeting included: reaffirming the importance of healthy ecosystems in helping Pacific islands to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change; reaffirming that invasive species constitute a primary threat to livelihoods and ecosystems; fully supporting SPREP in its search for resources to address the invasive species threat; and requesting SPREP to develop a social marketing strategy and programme that emphasises both political mainstreaming and environmental inspiration for the very young.

Photo Caption: Mont Panié Reserve, site of pest animal management by local communities, North Province, New Caledonia.