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(Photo:
New Zealand Government) |
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NEW ZEALAND: Whanau Ora brings in Pacific people
The decision to include Pacific providers in the
ground-breaking Whanau Ora programme is a move
that will be welcomed as making perfect sense,
given traditional Pacific approaches to
wellbeing, Minister of Pacific Island Affairs
Georgina te Heuheu says.
Mrs te Heuheu was referring to the announcement
today of the successful providers in the first
round of the new Whanau Ora programme.
"I congratulate Minister Turia both for Whanau
Ora itself, and for her willingness to include
Pacific providers in the first tranche of
funding," Mrs te Heuheu said. "This is a crucial
step in developing a Whanau centred-approach to
government services, and is great news for
Pacific people."
"I would also like to commend the Pacific
provider collectives who have been selected.
They went through a fairly rigorous process and
their response was always positive and
encouraging," she said.
Mrs te Heuheu said Government expected all the
provider collectives to contribute substantially
to best outcomes for families/whanau, by
delivering integrated and joined up services.
"Each of the successful Pacific provider
collectives is well-placed to further those
ambitions. And in what is one of the most
significant features of Whanau Ora, we are
trusting them to create their own pathways for
doing this," she said.
Four Pacific groups are amongst the 25 provider
collectives selected to offer Whanau Ora
services in the first round of funding announced
today. They include two in Auckland: the Pacific
Island Safety and Prevention Project and
Alliance Health, Pacific Health Service and
Taeomanino Trust in Wellington and the Pacific
Trust in Canterbury.
Photo Caption: Minister of Pacific Island
Affairs Georgina te Heuheu.
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(Photos:
Electric Power Corporation) |
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SAMOA: More contracts signed for the Power
Sector Expansion Project
Source:
Electric Power
Corporation Press Release
The Electric Power Corporation (EPC) through its
Project Management Unit (PMU) continues to award
and sign contracts for the supply of materials
and related services as well as construction
works for upgrading the entire EPC Transmission
and Distribution Network on both Upolu and
Savaii.
The Minister responsible for the EPC, Hon
Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau, signed two contracts
last week on Friday 29 October 2010, between the
Corporation and a local company George Meredith
& Associates (GMA) and an overseas company, Olex
Cables of Australia. This was a result of two
separate tenders advertised in September 2009
and April 2010 respectively.
The first tender was for the procurement of
works for the two subprojects - Hospital Feeder
Upgrading Stage 2 and 22kV Overhead Conductor
Upgrading Program. GMA was awarded the contract
for upgrading all of the 22kV High Voltage
Transmission and Distribution Power Lines on the
island of Upolu. This includes (i) Lalomauga
33kV and East Coast Feeder, (ii) South Coast
Feeder Reconductoring and a new dedicated Pure
Transmission Line from Alaoa and Fale o le Fee
Hydro Stations to Tanugamanono Diesel Power
Station and (iii) West Coast Feeder
Reconductoring.
Meanwhile, another local contractor, Bluebird
AhLAL JV has been awarded with the contract for
upgrading the Hospital Feeder Stage 2, as part
of this tender. This subproject involves
undergrounding the overhead electrical circuits
from Tanugamanono power station to Savalalo via
the Tupua Tamasese National Hospital. This will
improve the quality and reliability of
electricity supply to the Tupua Tamasese
national hospital. The Corporation has yet to
sign this contract with Bluebird AhLAL JV.
The second tender awarded to Olex Cables of
Australia was for the supply of bare conductors,
underground cables and other materials to
upgrade the Low Voltage Network on the island of
Upolu. Changing of smaller wires to larger ones
and resizing transformers to match load are the
main tasks to be undertaken in the construction
phase of this subproject which will be carried
out by the Corporation.
The Corporation has already awarded and signed
the contract for upgrading the Puapua Feeder in
Savaii from the Salelologa Diesel Power Station
towards the west along the north coast of Savaii
to Asau with Tenix Alliance Company Limited of
New Zealand. The upgrade of the Puapua-Asau
Feeder in Savaii will improve power supply
security and continuity for the Savaii
consumers. This project involves construction
and installation of the 200km aluminium WASP
overhead line re-conductor, new high voltage
poles, stays or ground anchors and fused
isolating switches and replacement of
deteriorated poles, cross arms and insulators.
The upgrade improves the security of power
supply especially during adverse weather
conditions. The aluminium WASP conductor is more
durable than the current copper and FLY
conductors. Currently local residents are
experiencing voltage drop issues. The robust new
conductor will increase voltage capacity for the
Savaii consumers.
More contracts will be signed this month.
Photo Captions:
Photo 1 - Hon Minister during contract
signing.
Photo 2 - After the contract signing L-R:
Mathew Lemisio (EPC), Muagututi’a George
Meredith (GMA), Hon Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau &
Tologāta Tile Leia (EPC).
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(Photo:
Australia-Pacific Technical College) |
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AUSTRALIA: New fitting and machining tutor for
APTC
Source:
Australia-Pacific Technical College
Waqavesi Bulivakarua, who hails from the island
of Cicia in Lau, is the most recent addition to
APTC's growing team of locally employed tutors
at the School of Automotive, Construction and
Electrical, and Manufacturing (ACEM).
Based at the Suva ACEM Campus in Walu Bay,
Waqavesi brings to his appointment as a Fitting
and Machining Tutor, twenty years' experience as
a fitter and machinist for the Fiji Department
of Public Works and a successfully completed
APTC Certificate III in Diesel Fitting.
"I first found out about courses at ACEM when
the APTC Diesel Fitting Trainer Taro Morrison
visited the PWD workshops. I started my training
in August 2009, and finished in July this year.
I will attend my graduation in November."
Waqavesi is studying Certificate IV in Training
and Assessment, and expects to complete this
course, also in November.
"I enjoy my new job as a tutor because APTC has
extremely high standards in regard to workplace
processes and procedures, health and safety, and
working effectively and efficiently. I look
forward to the new and exciting challenges put
in from of me each day. I take a positive
approach to everything."
Photo Caption: Waqavesi in the APTC
training workshop.
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PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Port Moresby cricket season
starts with Twenty20 challenge
Source:
The National
The first deliveries thundered down the pitch in
the 2010-11 Port Moresby cricket season over the
weekend in a Twenty20 extravaganza.
Both the men’s premier grade and women’s cricket
competitions got underway in what will prove to
be the biggest and best season ever in Port
Moresby.
Across the weekend eight teams in the men’s
premier while another eight teams in the women’s
cricket battled it out in front of big crowds at
the Amini Park precinct.
The massive improvements to the facilities at
the Home of Cricket has meant that it was
possible to have two games on turf wickets and
another two games on permanent synthetic
wickets.
As players from across Port Moresby began to
work out the kinks of a long off-season many
close games and outstanding individual efforts
were witnessed.
The weekend was the pool stage of a round robin
Twenty20 competition aimed at creating greater
interest and ability in this new and exciting
version of cricket.
In the men’s competition, traditional
powerhouses Poreporena and Coasters dominated
the competition winning three games a piece and
finishing on top of their respective pools.
Both clubs dominated the women’s competition to
lead their respective pools.
There were some outstanding efforts by
individuals.
Pendell Ipi, opening batsman for Taura and a
member of the PNG Lewas hit an enterprising 67
in her side’s loss to KCC while Bonnie David hit
55 not out for Poreporena.
In the men’s competition, Mea Jimmy hit a
quickfire 46 for Steamies and the ever-reliable
Chris Amini hit 47 not out for Coasters against
KCC.
Willie Gavera must be given special mention for
his outstanding hat trick against Kempa.
The Twenty20 finals will be held this weekend.
In the men’s semi-finals Poreporena meet Kempa
while Coasters face Raukele in the second match.
In the women’s semi-finals Poreporena clash with
KCC and the Coasters take on United.
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(Photo:
Solomon Star) |
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SOLOMON ISLANDS: Government receives final $30m
from ROC
Source:
Solomon Star
The remaining ROC (Taiwan) Rural Constituency
Micro Project (RCDF) and Millennium Development
Fund for 2010 have been handed over to the
Solomon Islands Government.
Prime Minister Danny Philip received the
remaining funds from ROC Ambassador His
Excellency George Chan yesterday (November 01,
2010) morning.
Totaling SBD$30 million, the funds for the first
time will be transferred to the bank account of
the 50 individual constituencies and not to the
Members of Parliament personal accounts.
The Constituency Development Officer (CDO) in
each constituency will be charged with the
administration and the management of the funds.
The CDO will also be responsible for the
submission of full acquittal reports to the
Ministry of Rural Development on how the funds
have been expended.
The Members of Parliament will still have to
endorse project proposals from their respective
constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Government is in the process of
finalising a position paper on how future ROC
funding support to Solomon Islands will be
administered.
The paper is expected to be deliberated on by
Cabinet shortly.
The paper will outline how ROC funding support
to Solomon Islands from 2011 and onwards will be
administered and utilised.
Rural Development will remain the focus of ROC
funding support to Solomon Islands, and he bulk
of ROC Funding to Solomon Islands will go
towards budget support for rural development.
The Ministry of Rural Development will play a
vital role in the administration and the
management of future ROC funding support to the
Solomon Islands, and in this regards, the NCRA
government intends to increase the capacity of
the Ministry to handle this new role.
During the handing over ceremony at the Prime
Minister’s Office, the ROC Government through
its representative HE George Chan has assured
the Solomon Islands Government that the level of
its funding commitment to Solomon Islands will
remain the same.
However, ROC will not release any funding in
2011 until the above position paper of future
ROC is concluded and agreed to by both
governments.
Photo Caption: PM Danny Philip receiving
the funds from Taiwan ambassador George Chan.
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(Photo:
Tarawa Climate Change Conference) |
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WORLDWIDE:
15 countries are now confirmed for Tarawa
Climate Change Conference
Source:
Government of
Kiribati Press Release
Kiribati's conference on Climate Change,
designated the Tarawa Climate Change Conference
(TCCC) is now geared up to get underway from the
9th to 11th November after the confirmation of
participation of 15 countries, with more
expected to confirm in the coming days.
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christina Figueres
has also conveyed her consideration in joining
this TCCC gathering and once this is confirmed,
is expected to deliver a statement on the status
of negotiations to date in the lead up to
Cancun, Mexico later this year.
"UNFCCC presence, being the key steering arm in
shaping negotiations and agreements on climate
change is vital at the meeting on Tarawa
moreover as UNFCCC meetings in recent months
have progressed positively tying in perfectly
with the intentions of the Tarawa Conference." A
report from the President's Office said.
Earlier this month at the UNFCCC meeting in
Tianjin, China, governments have made progress
in defining what can be achieved at the UN
Climate Conference in Cancun.
Ms Figueres pointed out the critical importance
of "turning dry texts into a set of keys that
unlock a new level of climate action - among
rich and poor, business and consumers,
governments and citizens."
TCCC is intended to be the final stepping block
to consolidate common interest among countries
on the issue of climate change outside of the
UNFCCC process and therefore the outcomes could
be considered as contributions to the sessions
in Cancun.
In a joint press conference on the final day of
the Tianjin meeting, UNFCCC Executive Secretary
Christina Figueres and Mexican Foreign Minister
and incoming President of COP16, Patricia
Espinosa said that "the outcomes of this year's
conferences can truly be the start of a new era
of cooperative global climate action." They
added that Cancun can and should be a very
significant step forward.
The TCCC will however, provide a realistic
advantage for participants aside from the
meeting as they will have time to witness the
brunt of climate change experienced in this
atoll nation.
"Countries which have confirmed their arrival in
Tarawa for the meeting are Australia, Canada,
China, Cuba, European Union, India, Japan,
Maldives, New Zealand, Republic of the Marshall
Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Kingdom
and the United States (USA)," the report added.
More countries will be confirming their
participation by early next week while
organizations such as the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), UNFCC,
Australia‐based Pacific Calling Partnership,
Pacific Council of Churches, World Bank, and the
regional environment body - SPREP have confirmed
their participation in the meeting.
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