NEWSPAGE 11 May
2011

(Photos: New Zealand Defence Force)

NEW ZEALAND: NZ Defence Force leaves long lasting benefits with Santo communities

(Photo: Samoa Tourism Authority)

SAMOA: What’s good for Upolu kids is good for Savaii kids too
Source: Samoa Tourism Authority Press Release

The current Miss Samoa, Jolivette Ete firmly believes that what is good for the children of Upolu is also good for the children of Savaii, and has set out to make this a reality.

Miss Samoa visited the Paediatric Ward at the Tuasivi Hospital in Savaii earlier this week, where she happily presented the ward with a brand new flat screen television, DVD player and DVDs.

The goods were made possible through kind donations from McDonald’s Family Restaurant (Flat Screen TV and DVD Player), the Samoa Rotary Club and Miss Samoa herself (DVDs).

The gifts were a result of an appeal to Miss Samoa by the hospital’s General Manager during her initial visit to the Tuasivi Paediatric Ward earlier on in the year through a SamoaTel sponsored visit.

Miss Samoa therefore put the request directly to McDonald’s Family Restaurant as, she had noted that ‘Ronald, Birdie, Grimace and Hamburglar (McDonald Characters) are familiar faces at the Motootua Paediatric ward’ and therefore hoped that McDonald’s would be just as visible in Savaii through such a contribution for the children in Savaii.

“Those on the big island (Savaii) are often overlooked due to distance, however, with the increase in the number of patients being treated in Savaii, especially the children, it’s great to be able to extend to the children of Savaii the same kindness that is usually received by those in Upolu. It’s delightful to be able to give them a reason to smile and something to enjoy too.”

Miss Samoa believes that this gift will be beneficial as well as entertaining for the kids at the paediatric ward.

“Despite being away from their families and being confined to hospital beds, they are (through the TV & DVD player) kept entertained and given the chance to watch a few kids movies to help them towards a speedy recovery.”

Miss Samoa is however encouraging that the majority of the programmes viewed by the paediatric ward are educational programmes, especially as the children at the ward are missing out on necessary school education while in the hospital.

This is in line with Miss Samoa’s chosen ‘Literacy’ project which she is carrying out throughout this year as part of her duties during her reign.

The gifts were gratefully received by Dr. Lamour Hansell on behalf of the Tuasivi Paediatric Ward.

Photo Caption: Miss Samoa, Jolivette Ete with the staff of the Tuasivi Hospital and some of the children of the Paediatric Ward, together with the Flat Screen TV, DVD Player and DVDs that were gifted to the Tuasivi Paediatric ward on Monday 02 May 2011.
 

AMERICAN SAMOA: DOH awarded Rural Health Network Planning Grant
Source: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega Press Release

Congressman Faleomavaega has announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has awarded $85,000 to the American Samoa Department Health (DOH) under the Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program.

Authorized by Congress under the Public Health Service Act (Title III, Section 330A, 42 U.S.C. § 254b), the purpose of the program is to expand access to health care, coordinate and improve the quality of essential health care services, and enhance the delivery of health care, in rural areas. This year, DHHS selected fifteen recipients for this grant and awarded an overall funding amount of $1,275,000.

Over the next year - May 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012 - this grant will support the American Samoa DOH in laying the foundation of a rural health network by identifying and convening potential collaborating network partners in the community/region, conducting planning activities, and carrying out network activities to promote the network's sustainability.

Though funds cannot be used for direct delivery of health care services, grants typically are used to acquire staff, hire technical experts, and purchase resources to build the network. In addition to the activities mentioned above, for this year’s award, projects can also focus on community needs assessments, HIT (Health Information Technology) readiness and economic impact analyses. After completion of the grant year, successful grantees often apply for the 3 year Network Development implementation grant to continue the work they started under the Network Planning grant.

“I would like to congratulate the American Samoa Department of Health for having successfully secured one of the fifteen discretionary Network Planning grants available this year through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” Congressman Faleomavaega stated.

“I am pleased that this grant will help our local health care providers to develop formal integrated health care networks and improve the quality of and access to health care in American Samoa,” Faleomavaega added.

“Lastly, I commend Mrs. Elizabeth Ponausuia, recently appointed DOH Director, as well as the staff of DOH for their continuous commitment to improving health care in our territory,” Faleomavaega concluded.
 

FIJI: Social Accountability Workshop starts in Suva
Source: United Nations Development Programme Press Release

What is social accountability? How can citizens hold their governments accountable for the delivery of services? What role do the civil society, private sector and donor community play in social accountability?

These are some questions that will be answered during the Training Workshop on Social Accountability being held in Suva from the 11th to 12th May.

The workshop, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Centre, is aimed at raising awareness and understanding amongst members of the civil society in Fiji and government on the various tools and practices on social accountability. It will be attended by 26 participants.

The Manager of the UNDP Pacific Centre, Garry Wiseman will deliver opening remarks at 9am at the Tanoa Plaza in Suva.

The training will provide participants with an overview of social accountability tools and practices developed in other countries and how these tools maybe adapted in the context of Pacific Island countries to identify gaps in the implementation of public services thereby contribute to advancing the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and or improving development outcomes. It will also provide participants with a deeper understanding of how social accountability initiatives operate and what contributes to the success, benefit or risks in the implementation of social accountability initiatives. The participants will also be equipped with the diagnostic tools and perspective to assess social accountability initiatives and translate principles into practice.

This workshop is the third of a series of in-country training workshops on social accountability after Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. Similar workshops are being planned for other Pacific Island countries later in the year.
 

(Photo: World Bank)

KIRIBATI: World Bank approves emergency food crisis grant for Kiribati
Source: World Bank Press Release

The World Bank and the Government of Kiribati have signed an emergency US$2 million grant agreement that supports the Government’s Import Levy Fund (ILF). The Food Crisis Response Grant will help improve the affordability and availability of food for the 62,000 residents of Kiribati’s Outer Islands. Representatives of the Government of Kiribati and the World Bank were in Hanoi attending the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank.

Kiribati imports most of its foods and has been hit particularly hard by high and volatile food and energy prices. Worst affected are the people living in the Outer Islands, where households already spend 50 percent of their budget on food.

Almost half of Kiribati’s population lives on the outer islands of the Gilbert Group, which includes North Tarawa, with 9.6 percent in the Line and Phoenix Islands. The remainder lives in South Tarawa, the country’s only urban area.

Without financial support to the ILF, it is expected that food costs would increase significantly for people living in the Outer Islands. This could leave thousands of households at risk of food insecurity.

“The Import Levy Fund is critical for ensuring the people of Kiribati can access the food they need and feed their families,” said Ferid Belhaj, World Bank Country Director for the Pacific Islands. “In addition to supporting the Fund and ensuring its long-term viability, the Food Crisis Emergency Response Grant will be part of a longer-term strategy to support the Government of Kiribati in developing sustainable programs for food security and the environment.”

The ILF was created in 1972 to subsidize transport costs between South Tarawa and the Outer Islands. It is one of the main mechanisms through which the Government can reduce the cost of living in the Outer Islands and ensure food remains affordable throughout Kiribati.

The Food Crisis Response Grant from the World Bank will enable the government to continue the ILF. At the same time measures will be taken to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the program through a separate technical assistance operation.

The Grant is being financed by the World Bank’s Food Price Crisis Response Core Multidonor Trust Fund.

Photo Caption: World Bank Country Director for the Pacific Islands, Ferid Belhaj.
 

(Photo: Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

NAURU: Reafforestation plans for Nauru and Solomon Islands
Source: Australia Network News

A grand plan to restore forests throughout the Pacific has begun with attempts to re-establish forests on Nauru and Solomon Islands.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community is attempting to raise the profile of Pacific forests and trees this year to coincide with the International Year of Forests.

Cenon Padolina, regional Forest Genetical Resource Officer with SPC has told Radio Australia's Brian Abbott, it is vital to raise awareness of the role of trees and forests to the wellbeing of the the Pacific community.

He says first step is involving the local community in forestry projects.

"Just like in any other part of the world, forestry is very important socially and environmentally in the pacific islands," he said.

"Thats why we have been promoting the sustainable management of this very important resource in the Pacific."

Now the government is trying to implement community planting, where they involve the villages and communities to do planting of important tree species like teak, eucalyptus and mahogany to be able to restore the forestry landscape."

Photo Caption: The Secretariat of the Pacific Community is attempting to raise the profile of Pacific forests and trees this year to coincide with the International Year of Forests.