NEWSPAGE 31 January
2011

(Photo: Department of Labour)

NEW ZEALAND: Pacific Quota resident applications due in February

(Photos: Vaimoso Rugby Club)

SAMOA: Vaimoso Rugby Club 2010 Prizegiving Ceremony
Source: Vaimoso Rugby Club Press Release

The Vaimoso Rugby Club (VRC) Prizegiving Ceremony last weekend was a happy occasion for one of the name rugby clubs in Samoa. The clubs success in the 2010 Apia West Rugby Season is evident with all their three teams winning their respective Knock out and Playoff Championships in the 2010 AWRU season including the following:

• U20s: 1st Round Winners, Championship Knock Out Winners, Shield Holders
• Senior Reserves: 1st Round Champs, 2nd Round Champs
• Senior A: Top Six Champs, AWRU 7s Runners Up.

The 2010 Rugby Season was Vaimosos first year joining the Apia West Rugby Union after many years affiliated with the Apia Union. According to VRC President Aumao Leao Akeripa, ‘the overwhelming decision by the club at its 2009 AGM to move to Apia West was 1) Vaimoso being a pillar of Faleata and its rightful rugby zoning should be Apia West, 2) convenience for Players and Supporters to walk and travel to Lotopa for matches, and 3) for Players to get better chances for representative selection. For awhile there up to 2009, only one or two players from VRC were involved in national teams and we had to do something for the future of our players’

Hence the VRC results for 2010 speak for itself as not only did they dominate the Apia West Prizegiving in December 2010, but the rewards for players and coaches’ alike gaining provincial and national selection improved dramatically. Some of those achievements include:

• Viliamu Alauni, Talaga Lofipo and Faiva Tagatauli making the SRU High Performance Unit Class of 2011
• Felise Kolio receiving a Scholarship to Timaru Boys High School.
• Viliamu Alauni selected for Samoa U19s and Felise Kolio for Samoa U18s
• 50 % of the Apia West Rep Squads including both the Seniors and U20s were VRC players. Jonathan Meredith and Liki Crighton were named co Captains for the 2010 Apia West Senior Team
• Tuaumu Ngau Chung Captain for AW U20s Rep Team
• Tofaeono Potu Leavasa Coach AWU20s, Matafeo George Latu as Team Manager
• Leuluai Jerry Pose AW Seniors Team Manager
• Matafeo George Latu appointed as Apia West Disciplinary Chairman as well as appointed into the IRB Disciplinary Committtees through the Samoa Rugby Union

This has been such a good year for VRC especially now with players again getting selection into to NPC and National Teams. According to Coach Tofaeono Potu Leavasa, ‘it is much easier and more convenient for our players and supporters now to walk to Apia West instead of the travel they faced going to Apia Park in the morning and spending the whole day there over the past years’. Treasurer Fata Paul Ah Leong reiterated this stating that the effort is well worth it for VRC especially now that our Juniors are developing well and our players are getting selected for national duties. Club Secretary Leuluai Jerry Pose stated that ‘the function tomorrow is both thanksgiving to God and a big Faafetai Tele to our Partners and Supporters for the invaluable patronage last year’

The club is sincerely thankful to all it’s the Partners, Stakeholders and Supporters for helping them reinvigorate the club last year. Special thanks to Pinatis Restaurant and Carisbrook New Zealand for their sponsorship and support. Last but not least, the club thanks the Vaimoso Village Council and the Ex Members for their patronage and financial support especially in 2010. Besides the 2010 Prizegiving, the Vaimoso Rugby Club also launched its 2011 rugby season with prayers and best wishes at their function. Their Annual General Meeting was held on Sunday evening January 23rd, 2011.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Reverend Amosa and Vaimoso Rugby Club President Aumao.

Photo 2 - President Aumao Leao and Club Captain Tuilagi.

Photo 3 - Manu Samoa Manager Ryan Schuster & Lani with Hiro Tea.

(Photo: Australia-Pacific Technical College)

AUSTRALIA: Anthony Bailey new APTC Fiji Country Manager
Source: Australia-Pacific Technical College

Anthony Bailey was recently appointed to the position of Country Manager in Fiji for the Schools of Tourism and Hospitality and Health and Community Services. He replaces Jim Irwin, who has returned to Melbourne after three years' service with APTC.

Anthony is from Melbourne and originally trained as a chef. He spent some time travelling in Europe and the UK before training as a VET teacher at the University of Melbourne and teaching at Swinburne University of Technology in the late 1990s. He has worked at Box Hill Institute since 2002 in several roles in the Centre for Hospitality and Tourism Studies, including Centre Manager. His most recent position at the Institute was General Manager - Hospitality and Business Management, a role he combined with Head of School for the APTC School of Tourism and Hospitality.

As Head of School for STH Anthony has been involved with APTC almost from the beginning and was responsible for the initial marketing and recruitment trips to Kiribati and the Solomon Islands in 2007. More recently he worked for two months at the APTC Vanuatu campus and increased his knowledge and experience of the Pacific region through this extended stay. He managed to learn a small amount of Bislama while in Port Vila, which he is busily improving with the Vanuatu students who arrived in Nadi last week.

Photo Caption: Anthony Bailey, newly appointed APTC Country Manager in Fiji.
 

(Photo: U.S. Mission to the United Nations)

HAWAII: 'Forest box' takes isle koa abroad
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser

Students from Halau Ku Mana Public Charter School in Makiki created a "forest box" that went on display at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York. It was one of six boxes selected for the display by the American Forest Foundation out of dozens submitted nationwide. Other selected states were Florida, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire and New Mexico.

Hawaii's forest box, which was made of koa, was handcrafted by woodworker Robin Clark of Kauai. Items in the box included a Hawaiian bamboo stamping, a nose flute and kukui nut lotion and cream.

The United Nations designated 2011 as International Year of Forests to promote a broader understanding of the importance of forests and to promote sustainable forest management and conservation.

Photo Caption: A box compiled by students at Halau Ku Mana Public Charter School will be displayed at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York.
 

TONGA: Tongan parliamentarians to undergo induction training
Source: United Nations Development Programme Press Release

What does the new constitutional system in Tonga mean for parliamentary governance? How can a member of parliament effectively perform his or her role as a law-maker and a representative of the country? How can the Parliament promote transparent and accountable government and more active public participation?

These are some of the questions that will be answered during a week-long induction programme that will be held in Nuku’alofa starting today, for the newly elected Legislative Assembly.

The Parliamentary Awareness and Leadership workshop is organized by the Legislative Assembly of Tonga with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Australia), New Zealand Parliament, Commonwealth Pacific Governance Facility and AusAID.

It will take place at the Fa’onelua Convention Centre and will cover a wide range of issues pertaining to the workings of the Parliament, the role of parliamentarians and the support available to them.

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga Lord Lasike will deliver the keynote address.
The training will be facilitated by experts who will share local, regional and international expertise and knowledge with members of the Assembly.

Tonga had historic elections in November in which voters for the first time directly elected the majority of members of the Parliament. Eighteen members were elected by the public, and nine members were elected by Nobles. An additional two members were appointed by the King as Ministers.
 

(Photo: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

WORLDWIDE: World Wetlands Day 2011
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

World Wetlands Day this year celebrates terrestrial and wetland forests and their role in our lives. The theme, Forests for Water and Wetlands highlights the intricate links between forests and wetlands such as mangroves and freshwater swamps.

Forested wetlands play a vital role in maintaining our freshwater resources and our wetlands. Forests store carbon and thus help combat global climate change regardless of where they are located.

Wetlands are full of life and rich in biodiversity - they house fish, birds, insects and a variety of plants and are often landing sites for migratory birds.

“In our region, wetlands are central to the livelihoods of our communities,” said Mr. Vainuupo Jungblut, the Ramsar Officer Oceania at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

“Wetlands often mean food, water, income, medicines and employment for our people. They also form the foundation of our cultural heritage and traditions here in the Pacific. Our Forests have a key part to play in ensuring that our wetlands remain healthy so this is one really good reason why we need to take care of them.”

Take time to appreciate the role of wetlands in our lives and celebrate World Wetlands Day on 2 February this year.


What are wetlands?

Wetlands are areas where water is the main focus of the environment, including the relationship between plant and animal life. These freshwater, brackish or marine areas are an important breeding area for our wildlife and they also help with water filtration.


How do they help us?

Wetlands bring tremendous economic and conservation benefits such as through fisheries production, flood control, stabilizing and building up
shorelines, maintaining coastal water quality and providing a place for our recreational activities.


World Wetlands Day

Every year, on 2 February, the world celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention as World Wetlands Day. Since 1997, people from all sectors of society have undertaken actions aimed at raising public awareness of the value of wetlands and the importance of the Ramsar Convention.


The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an international agreement signed by many different governments around the world that provides the foundation for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

There are presently 160 Contracting Parties to the Convention. As of January 2011, there are over 1,900 wetland sites, totaling over 180 million hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar Convention’s List of Wetlands of International Importance or Ramsar site as they are also known. Seven SPREP Members are Parties to the Ramsar Convention: Australia, Fiji, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Samoa. A number of other SPREP Members are in the process of joining, including Kiribati and Tonga.

The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention is based in Gland, Switzerland.


Did you know?

• Ramsar is a small town in Iran where the Ramsar Convention was signed in 1971.

• 2011 marks the 40th Birthday of the Ramsar Convention.

• Wetlands include our Lakes, rivers, coral reefs, mangroves, lagoons, mudflats, marshes and seagrass beds.

• In the Pacific, mangroves and coral reefs are the two most common types of wetlands.

• The Pacific contains about 3 percent of the world’s mangroves and about 25 percent of the world’s coral reefs.


World Wetlands Day: Activity Suggestions

5 activities you may be able to do to celebrate World Wetlands Day 2011:

1. Organise a cleanup of wetlands near you. Write down what you found.

2. Write a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper about the importance of wetlands and encouraging people not to dump rubbish in or damage wetlands.

3. Monitor your local wetlands - check the way that people are using them. Observe if the animals and plants that live in the wetlands are healthy or if their numbers are changing.

4. Speak to your elders about traditional ways of using or looking after wetlands.

5. Take a fieldtrip! Investigate a wetland area observing plants and animals. Talk to people who use the wetland area and find out how useful it is to them and what they take.