NEWSPAGE 05 November
2010

(Photo: CORE Education Ltd)

SAMOA: Samoa Tourism Authority updates
Source: Samoa Tourism Authority Press Release

Tsunami affected beach fales to receive NZ House of Travel donations

A select number of Beach Fale Properties that were affected by the 29 September 2009 Tsunami will benefit from House of Travel donations to assist them in their post tsunami recovery processes.

In a special ceremony that took place at the STA Cultural Centre on Friday 29th October 2010 at 6pm, the New Zealand House of Travel presented financial assistance to the tsunami affected Beach Fale Properties that are a part of its clientele.

Following the tsunami, the House of Travel outlets in New Zealand raised funds to help with the rebuilding of the beach fale operations that it works closely with. The NZD$16,000 that was raised, came about through a united drive by the House of Travel network across New Zealand.

These funds were presented to the selected beach fale operators by House of Travel in collaboration with the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, also the Minister of Tourism, Misa Telefoni;

Taufua Beach Fales - NZ$4000.00
Sea Breeze Resort - NZ$4000.00
Faofao Beach Fales - NZ$2000.00
Litia Sini Beach Fales - NZ$2000.00
Namua Beach Fales - NZ$2000.00
Anita’s Bed & Breakfast - NZ$2000.00

House of Travel is New Zealand’s largest privately owned travel firm, competing in a highly competitive travel booking market. It is also one of the major travel trade partners of the Samoa Tourism Authority and the local travel industry.


Government assistance to the Private Sector

At the conclusion of House of Travel donations presentation, the Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour distributed its yearly assistance to the Private Sector. This financial contribution is part of the Government’s Annual grant towards Administrative Support of the Private Sector.

The Deputy Prime Minister distributed a total of SAT$100,000 particular Private Sector Bodies as set out hereunder:

Women in Business Development Inc - $40,000.00
Samoa Chamber of Commerce - $17,500.00
Samoa Association of Manufactures & Exporters - $12,500.00
Samoa Hotels Association (SHA) - $12,500.00
Samoa Crops Cooperation Association for Exports Inc (SSCA) - $7,500.00
Samoa Mamanu Design & Manufacturers Inc. - $5,000.00
 

(Photo: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: ASCC awards fall 2010 in-house scholarships
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

The Student Services division of the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) announced this week the recipients of the College’s Presidential Merit Scholarship as well as the Saili Le Atamai Scholarship sponsored by the Student Government Association (SGA). Two recipients of the Presidential Merit Scholarship will receive $500 towards their education costs, while seven recipients of the Saili Le Atamai Scholarship will receive $250 each this semester.

The Office of the ASCC President provides funding for the Presidential Merit Scholarship, awarded this semester to Miss Rani Anandan and Mr. Gun King. The SGA sets aside a portion of the student activity fee to fund the Saili le Atamai Scholarship, which goes this semester to Miss Faith Vaifanua, Miss DaHae Hong, Miss Fa’apopo Liua, Miss Junyong Lee, Miss Leilua Pelenatete, Miss Sina Auomanu, and Mr. Vincent Tofilau.

Most students born in American Samoa automatically qualify for the Pell Grant, a federal source of funding that covers tuition, books, fees, and supplies, and even a portion of the student’s living expenses. However, young men and women born outside the US and its territories sometimes cannot meet the strict requirements for Pell awards, and two ASCC In-House Scholarships, help these students meet the costs of their attendance at the College.
While the Saili le Atami Scholarship has been designated solely for the benefit of students who do not qualify for the Pell Grant, students who do qualify for the Pell may also apply for the Presidential Merit Scholarship.

The In House Scholarships aid some of the College’s most promising students, who in turn wish to someday return to serve their community. Recipient Rani Anandan, for example, currently serves as the Vice President for the ASCC chapter of the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honors society. “Being a part of PTK has enhanced my leadership skills and provided me with openings that have increased my service involvement within the community,” she said. Now in her third semester at ASCC, Anandan plans to graduate with an Associates of Arts degree in Liberal Arts in spring 2011, and then attend Brigham Young University in Hawaii to pursue a bachelors degree in English. “My highest degree objective is a Masters,” she explained. “Upon receiving it, I plan to return to American Samoa and utilize what skills I will have attained, to best serve our community."

Recipient Faith Vaifanua, originally from the Independent State of Samoa, does not qualify for the Pell Grant, but has still made the best of the opportunities offered by ASCC. “It‘s common knowledge that being an international student offers hardly any benefits,” she said. “This did not motivate me any less, but encouraged me to strive hard to accomplish my very goal of becoming an international lawyer in the near future.” While at ASCC, Faith has run for the title of Miss ASCC and also serves as an executive officer of SGA.

Dean of Student Services Dr. Emilia Le’i, encourages students who do not receive the Pell Grant to apply for the In-House Scholarships, and also invites any private organizations, businesses or individuals who might have an interest in establishing a scholarship at the College to contact her to discuss this possibility. To reach Dr. Le’i, call ASCC at 699-9155 and ask for Student Services.

Photo Caption: ASCC Dean of Student Services Dr. Emilia Le'i congratulates this semester's recipients of the Presidential Merit and Saili le Atamai scholarships. Front row (L-R): Vincent Tofilau, Gun Kang. Second row (L-R): DaHae Hong, Fa'apopo Liua, Rani Anandan, Faith Vaifanua, Dr. Le'i. Not pictured: Sina Auomanu.
 

FIJI: Nominations sought for 2010 Pacific Human Rights Awards
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Community Press Release

Nominations are being sought for the 2010 SPC/RRRT Pacific Human Rights Awards. The 2010 award is being organised in partnership with the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC). The 2010 Award will focus on individuals and organisations working to advance women’s human rights and is open to all countries and territories of the Pacific region.

The theme for 2010 is violence against women. SPC/RRRT Programme Manager Sandra Bernklau said that this year the award will honour courageous and innovative individuals or organisations for outstanding achievement in advancing women’s human rights in the region.

“This year SPC/RRRT is partnering with FWCC, as advancing women’s human rights means we must also address and eradicate violence against women. The Pacific leaders have, through the Cairns Communiqué 2009, committed to addressing sexual and gender-based violence, so we wanted to focus on this theme,” Bernklau said.

In order to be considered for an award, nominees must have demonstrated a strong commitment to gender and women’s human rights, including social justice and human rights, as well as a high degree of commitment to advancing women’s human rights in their personal lives.

The SPC/RRRT awards also seek to highlight the framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Adopted on 10 December 1948, the declaration was the first international recognition that all human beings have fundamental rights and freedoms, and thus it serves as a global commitment to universal dignity and justice.

The 2010 award will be presented in Suva, Fiji Islands, on 10 December 2010. The venue is yet to be confirmed. The closing date for the receipt of nominations has been extended to 15 November 2010.

The Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) provides human rights training, technical support, and policy and advocacy services. RRRT is a programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). SPC's mission is to help Pacific Island people position themselves to respond effectively to the challenges they face and make informed decisions about their future and the future they wish to leave for the generations that follow.
 

(Photos: Secretariat of the Pacific Community)

NEW CALEDONIA: Pacific Community meeting looks to the future 
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Community Press Release

At the end of a week of discussion of development issues that affect the people of the region, the Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Dr Jimmie Rodgers, gave his assurance that the newly expanded organisation is committed to enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in delivering services to its 22 Pacific Island members.

Meeting at SPC headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia, from 25 to 29 October, CRGA 40 (the 40th meeting of SPC’s Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations) strongly endorsed plans to continue with the organisational restructure needed to cater for SPC’s growth.

In January 2011, the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA) will be fully integrated with SPC. This follows lengthy consultations and hours of work by staff teams to harmonise systems.

In addition, an agreement is currently being finalised on the transfer of functions in energy, ICT, infrastructure and transport from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat to SPC.

These moves bring to a close the first part of the process of reorganising the architecture of regional organisations, which was directed by Pacific Islands Forum leaders.

Dr Rodgers pointed out, ‘The ship has entered port, but that’s by no means the end of what has been a tough four-year journey. Now we must set the foundation for realising the longer-term benefits intended by the reform of the regional institutional framework.’

The Director-General stressed the need for strengthening SPC’s ‘engine room’ - the financial, administrative and communications systems, and library, publication and translation services needed to support technical programmes.

The organisations involved have committed to ensuring ‘no diminution of services to members’. To meet this commitment, a CRGA subcommittee has been set up to develop a long-term sustainable funding strategy for SPC.

Part of the subcommittee’s brief is to identify the services that are critical to members and the best method of funding them. At present many of SPC’s services are funded through short-term projects. When these end, they may leave gaps that must be bridged to ensure essential services can continue. The subcommittee will present a report to CRGA 41 in 2011.

While the meeting considered several organisational issues in detail, SPC’s technical services were to the fore with highlights presented on work in agriculture, aquaculture, biosecurity, culture, education, energy, fisheries, forestry, gender, ICT, human rights, public health, statistics and demography, transport, youth, and cross-cutting areas including food security and climate change.

The discussion that followed included strong support for scientific services in economically important natural resources sectors. There was also disquiet at the imminent end of project funding for critical areas including non-communicable diseases, which cause high levels of disability and premature death for Pacific people.

SPC leads regional initiatives in many of these sectors in partnership with other regional and international organisations.

Several members expressed the view that resources should be sought from non-traditional donors if necessary. While acknowledging this view, the Director-General emphasised that SPC’s founding members, Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States of America, continue to provide generous support for SPC.

He said SPC had for the first time rated a special mention in the United States Policy in the Pacific Islands with a statement made to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment that ‘…SPC is a natural partner to advance U.S. and regional agendas in climate change adaptation, food security, fisheries, health, and other priority sectors’.

In a brief visit to SPC headquarters in October, the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, the Hon. Richard Marles reconfirmed the Australian government’s view that SPC is a key regional partner.

Similarly, in a July visit, New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Murray McCully stressed the importance of linking SPC’s work to areas that bring sustained economic benefits for its island members.

During CRGA 40, France’s Ambassador, His Excellency M. Hadelin de la Tour-du-Pin (Permanent Representative for the Pacific), noted the importance of SPC’s work in fisheries and the specific funding that France provides in this and other sectors, both directly and through European Union funding mechanisms.

‘SPC is a unique institution that brings us all together,’ said Dr Jim Gosselin, Cook Islands’ Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, who chaired the meeting. ‘On the basis of the decisions made this week, we can move forward in a true Pacific spirit.’

Next year’s meeting of CRGA and the Conference of the Pacific Community will be held in Majuro in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Photo Caption: Participants at the meeting of CRGA 40 at SPC headquarters in Noumea, 25-29 October 2010.
 

(Photo: International Union for Conservation of Nature)

WORLDWIDE: 5 Countries aim to safeguard mangroves
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature Press Release

Safeguarding mangrove ecosystems for their ecological, social and environmental value has been the central topic of discussion amongst five Pacific Island Countries during an Induction Workshop of the Mangrove Ecosystems for Climate Change Adaptation and Livelihoods (MESCAL) Project undertaken in Suva last week from October 27th to 30th.

MESCAL is a new regional project being implemented in Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands, under the guidance of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The four day Induction Meeting of the project provided the opportunity for the national MESCAL Project Coordinators to meet and discuss opportunities and challenges each country is facing with respect to mangrove loss. In particular countries discussed how to reverse the current rate of mangrove loss, especially when mangroves are considered “no-mans land”.

One of the main challenges identified by the five countries is that mangrove ownership is not clear, which over the years has further contributed to the demise of mangrove areas.

“The issue of ownership of mangroves remains unclear in Samoa leading to overlaps in mandates and management frameworks,” says Ms. Malama Momoemausu of Samoa.

“Through the MESCAL project, Samoa and the other four countries would attempt to address these overlaps and improve coordination among communities, government(s) and private sector”

Similar issues are being faced in the Solomon Islands, where “logging of mangrove areas is a key concern, simply because the local people view mangroves as a common resource which unfortunately has drawn them to exploit without taking any responsibility,” says Mr. Hugo Tafea of Solomon Islands.

Highly valued for their goods and services and protective role for communities living in and around the coastal zone, mangroves are indeed being lost to uncontrolled human interventions at the local and global level. Weak policies and legislations including inadequate monitoring and control has led to an increase in the rate of loss of mangrove ecosystems through uncontrolled harvesting and conversion of the land to other land uses.

In developing a long term programme to safeguard and sustainably manage the mangrove ecosystem, MESCAL will work at the community level to look into ways and means where community, institutional and legislative governance can provide the framework from which partnerships and incentives can ensure realistic and achievable sustainable change.

“Based on existing data there is an urgent need to strengthen coordination, legislative frameworks, and support to address information gaps that will allow us to effectively manage our mangrove resources,” says Sione Lepa of Tonga.

“This is another common need for all Pacific Island Countries and because of our similar geographical features, we can implement similar solutions to problems facing our natural resources”

A field visit to Fiji’s coral coast provided the national coordinators with the chance to look at two initiatives; a commercially motivated venture and a more conventional NGOs community based approach. The former utilizes a “business and biodiversity” approach and is being run by the prestigious Beqa Adventure Divers.

Located in Galoa village, along the coral coast of Viti Levu, Beqa Adventure Divers provides a cash incentive to the youth of Galoa village to plant mangroves along their coastal area. The goal of the company is to ensure its operation is carbon neutral by offsetting its carbon emissions by planting mangroves. With two hectares of mangroves planted, the initiative is attracting the attention of local businesses and non-government organizations.

“The added value to this approach is that the mangroves will improve the reef quality which in turn adds value to our business,” indicates Arthur Sokimi, the resident Marine Scientist at Beqa Adventure Divers.

In Naboutini village, also located along the coral coast, 17 year old planted mangrove stands are bringing fish species back, according to the villagers. Increased fish catches and reduction to damages to the village infrastructure from storm surges are some obvious benefits to replanting mangroves. Having experienced the benefits of mangrove rehabilitation, the villagers of Naboutini are now extending their replanting initiative to cover more than 2 km of their coastal zone.

Photo Caption: Planted mangrove stands at Naboutini village.