NEWSPAGE 04 April
2011

(Photos: Department of Labour)

NEW ZEALAND: Registrations are open for Pacific Quota

(Photo: Australian High Commission)

SAMOA: APTC: bolstering the future of Samoa
Source: Australian High Commission Press Release

More Samoans than ever before are gaining internationally recognised trade qualifications thanks to the Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC), Australia’s High Commissioner to Samoa, Stephen Henningham, said yesterday.

The APTC is training the next generation of chefs, tour guides and hotel operators who will be vital to the future of Samoa’s economy.

Over 280 students from across the Pacific region are studying at APTC’s Apia campus with another 986 undertaking studies in Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.

Dr Henningham, accompanied by New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Samoa, Nick Hurley, recently undertook a joint tour of APTC’s Apia Campus and met a wide range of staff and students.

“The commitment and enthusiasm of APTC students is inspiring and matched only by that of the APTC staff and trainers themselves. Australia is pleased to be able to support this important initiative which enables Samoan students and other Pacific island students to improve their skills and career opportunities”, Dr Henningham said.

Australia has provided WST360.6 million in funding to the APTC over the past four years. WST39.4 million of this funding has been used to fund the 2,210 scholarships which have been awarded to students from across the region since the College began operations in 2007. These scholarships represent 60% of all enrolments.

In July 2011, APTC will commence Stage 2 of its operations. Australia will support Stage 2 through a further WST364.8 million over four years.

Photo Caption: APTC Engineering students demonstrate their work to Australian High Commissioner to Samoa Stephen Henningham and New Zealand’s High Commissioner, Nick Hurley.
 

(Photo: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: New ASCC Business Club hosts high schools
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

Twenty four members of the Leone High School Business Club enjoyed a field trip to the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) last week as guests of the newly-formed Business Ambassadors of ASCC (BAOA). As the College Business Club hosted their high school equivalent, the Leone visitors and their advisor Loleni Tasi spent several hours “shadowing” the ASCC students from one Business class to another, also participating in group presentations and testimonials to round out the morning. “We want to aid business-minded high schools students in their transition to college,” said BAOA President Katie Leilua. “By shadowing our club members, our Leone guests gained an understanding of what gets taught in college-level business classes.”
 
Leilua explained that BAOA has extended the invitation to other public and private high school business clubs, and that they hope to bring as many as possible to the College before the end of April, as this activity aligns with the civic responsibility that is one of the club’s stated goals. With their official launch having taken place just this past month, BAOA grew out of a shared wish among the ASCC Business faculty and students for a club focusing on business. The diversified organization comprises 45 registered members and accepts both Business majors and students majoring in other areas.

“We want to build a network for college students,” said Leilua when asked to describe the primary goal of BAOA. “We offer training and experience for members to transform from a student to an employee by applying the concepts taught in business courses to the real world workplace. Networking with the business community transitions students’ learning from the classroom to the workplace. We encourage businesses to host students on practicum and internship activities related to their areas of concentration within the ASCC business program.” As a recent example of the BAOA approach, as part of an agreement between the Business Department and the ASG Tax Office, Accounting and Management students have been providing assistance during the busy tax-filing season, not only on site at the Tax Office, but also on the ASCC campus. “Through this kind of activity, students get practical experience while at the same time providing tax preparation assistance to our community,” said Leilua.

The BAOA President said she plans to attend a university to earn a BS in Marketing & Management and eventually open her own small business. Asked why young people in American Samoa should focus on business, Leilua offered a thoughtful analysis reflective of her personal interest in the subject and concern for the well-being of her community. “With the global economic downturn affecting us, our local young people need to get more involved with businesses and create opportunities for ourselves,” she said. “Locals tend to seek government jobs, which leaves a vacuum in the business sector that’s filled by people from overseas. We need to create businesses and jobs for ourselves in the private sector, instead of earning money from government that ends up being sent out of the territory. It’s not healthy for the local economy when money sent in by the federal government just goes back out, instead of circulating here. That’s why we do not have growth. The challenge for our young people is to study and work hard to take back the business sector by learning the bookkeeping and accounting skills, entrepreneurship and business management. Nothing comes easy, but hard work also means higher returns.”

ASCC Business Department Chairperson Dr. Faofua Fa’atoafe and instructors Lam Yuen Lam Yuen Jr. and Athena Mauga serve as the BAOA advisors. Faia’i Vaeao is Vice President, Travis Shallout is Secretary, and Justin Tuiasosopo is Treasurer. For more information on the club, visit their web page at www.facebook.com/BAOA. They can also be reached by email at [email protected] or by telephoning 699-9155 and asking for extension 319.

Photo Caption: The Business Ambassadors of ASCC (BAOA), seen here with their advisors from the Business faculty, are a new club designed to promote networking between the ASCC learning community and the business sector. BAOA will be hosting other business clubs from the public and private high schools during visits to the ASCC campus throughout the month of April.
 

(Photo: Pacific Islands News Association)

FIJI: Police Forces agree to help each other
Source: Fiji Times

An agreement between the Fiji Police Force and Vanuatu Police Force for assistance in areas of its operations could lead to greater regional policing efforts.

This follows bilateral talks carried out by both countries during the 18th MSG Leaders summit this week.

Police Commissioner Brigadier General Ioane Naivalurua said it was a blessing for both countries to sign such a bilateral agreement.

"It's a wonderful occasion for both of us to be able to meet and work out plans on the establishment of the formation of working groups so that we have an idea of where things will move to from here," he said.

"We need to share resources, and I believe that Vanuatu and Fiji have the ability to come together and work as peacemakers in their own counties," said Vanuatu Police Commissioner Colonel Job Esau.

"Working together in the same culture, same environment and same spirit will enable us to achieve a successful implementation of our plan.

Police spokesman Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri said the Fiji Police Force was pleased to help Vanuatu.

"Some areas that the two police forces have identified include community policing and the development of human resources," he said.

"The Vanuatu Police Force is very interested in the community policing concept that Fiji has."

Photo Caption: Fijian Police Commissioner Brigadier General, Ioane Naivalurua.
 

(Photo: Oceania Football Confederation)

TAHITI: European tour for World Cup organisers
Source: Oceania Football Confederation Press Release

A trip to France and Belgium has proved valuable for organisers of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Tahiti 2013.

The Tahiti 2013 Local Organising Committee (LOC) was represented by CEO Noelline Parker and Operations Manager Nicole Bouteau who met with key political and sporting organisations as part of the preparations. Their first meeting took place in Paris, France, with Overseas Territories Minister Marie-Luce Penchard who underlined the benefits of this event for the Pacific region and commended organisers for the progress they’ve made so far.

Next up it was off to Brussels, Belgium, where Parker and Bouteau visited the European Commission to meet with European Deputy Maurice Ponga and Théodore Saramandis, Taskforce Manager for the Overseas Territories. This productive meeting was focused on the social, cultural and environment programmes around the event.

The LOC representatives then returned to Paris where they held discussions with the Fédération Française de Football (FFF) including Odile Lanceau, International Relations and Competitions Manager, and François Blanquart, National Technical Director. Lanceau provided useful insights having already worked as CEO of the Local Organising Committee for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Marseille 2008. On the technical side, Blanquart offered to help the Tahiti national team and local referees enter more international tournaments so they are well prepared for the event.

Parker expressed her gratitude to the Federation for their ongoing assistance.

“FFF representatives have shown great support for Tahiti 2013 and we look forward to working with them in the lead up to the event.”
Organizer

The final meeting in Paris took place at the National Centre for the Development of Sport (CNDS) with a number of senior management in attendance.

The CNDS is an organization which financially supports high level sports. Although Beach Soccer is not technically regarded as a high level discipline for the organisation, they too gave their backing to the Tahiti 2013 project.
 

TUVALU: Tuvalu acts to protect sea resources
Source: ABC Radio Australia

The Commonwealth Secretariat says it is working with Tuvalu to determine the extent of its maritime boundaries, to enable it to protect its sea resources.

The secretariat says it will provide legal and technical assistance to support the nation's maritime boundary negotiations in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Paul Hibberd, a legal adviser in the secretariat's Maritime Boundary Program, says Tuvalu is particularly vulnerable to climate change.

He says in order to safeguard the welfare of its people, it needs to be certain of its maritime entitlements.

The Maritime Boundary Program's aim is to assist Commonwealth member countries in the region to settle their unresolved maritime zones within five years.