NEWSPAGE 16 May
2011

(Photos: eventpolynesia.com)

NEW ZEALAND: NZ recommits cooperation with new Tongan government

(Photo: Samoa Tourism Authority)

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

Samoa Tourism Sector get significant contribution from New Zealand Government

The New Zealand Government proposes to significantly contribute to the development of the tourism sector over the next five years. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the New Zealand Aid Programme is currently working with the Government of Samoa and the Samoa Tourism Industry in the design phase of the Samoa Tourism Support Programme (STSP). The new programme will focus on the following areas that align directly to Samoa’s national tourism priorities and are validated by both the Government of Samoa and the Samoan tourism industry:

1) Tourism sector governance
2) Destination promotion and marketing
3) Human resource development, and
4) Product, service, and infrastructure development.

The design team whom are responsible for further detailing the content and determining the most appropriate methodology to deliver the STSP will commence their work in Samoa during 25th May to the 2nd June. The design team is made up of two overseas consultants, Ross Hopkins and Ross Corbett and will also include two Samoan representatives from the Samoan Government and the tourism sector, Papalii Matatamalii Sonja Hunter, CEO of Sa-moa Tourism Authority and Afoa Amituana’i Faleulu Mauli, President of the Samoa Hotels Association. They are expected to hold consultations with the relevant Samoa Government, private sector, and non-government organisation stakeholders and seek to ad-dress how the STSP can be delivered effectively. Strong consideration will be given to broad Samoan-ownership of the STSP across government, industry, and civil society, and alignment to Samoa’s strategies and systems.

Relevant organisations will be contacted directly to seek appointments once the design team schedule is finalised.

Should you have any queries please contact Peter Zwart at the New Zealand High Commission or Christina Gale at the Samoa Tourism Authority.


Aggies Hotel Group to purchase Le Penina Golf Course
Source: Savali News

Le Penina Championship Golf Course and Aggie Grey’s Hotel Group have agreed on a purchase deal.

To be completed soon, the transaction - at an undisclosed price tag - will see Aggies take over the sprawling course.

And the deal makes a lot of sense as the hotel company owns the Aggie Grey’s Re-sort and Spa next door to the golf course at Mulifanua.

Said Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also chairman of golf’s governing body - Samoa Golf Incorporated;

“Word has been received that the international championship golf course will be taken over by the world famous Aggies Hotel.”

“This will prove to be a very convenient facility for tourists who enjoy a game of golf while on holiday. For Aggies especially now that the course is part of their Mulifanua property.”

“The Le Penina Golf Course, the Prime Minister said, has been the venue for international tournaments hosted by SGI.”

“The course is one of the most challenging in the world where not a single professional golf player has scored below-bar in the tournaments that have been held there.”

It is understood original owner American Bob Katzin of Le Penina Golf has agreed to restore the golf course to top condition before it is handed over to Aggies. It is also understood that Aggies Hotel will build a clubhouse for the course this year.

Of the wider Mulifanua area, the Prime Minister said;

“I see the expansive Mulifanua area as our tourism centre - if not one of - in the coming years. There will certainly be more hotels that will be built there in the near future. The area is known for its coconut plantations and greenery. It is also home to Samoan Artesian Water production, which, is beginning to catch on in the United States, European and Australasian markets.”

“It recently gained tariff exemption for export to the vast Chinese market.”
 

AMERICAN SAMOA: Two Polynesian junior golfers taking the golf world by storm
Source: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega Press Release

Congressman Faleomavaega has congratulated and commended two up-and-coming junior golfers from the State of Utah, Naomi Soifua and Samisoni Fotofili, for their dedication and outstanding accomplishments in the sport. Both golfers, who have competed on the state, national, and international levels, have attracted a great amount of interest with their amazing talent, especially at such a young age.


Naomi Soifua, 12 years old

Naomi Soifua gave her first shot at golf after following her father, Mapu Soifua, around the golf course at age seven when she was only in the second grade. After begging her father to let her take swing, Naomi was granted her request and has not stopped playing golf since.

Naomi entered the competitive golf scene at age eight. For three years (ages 8, 9, and 11) she qualified to be one of two representatives for the State of Utah at the Callaway Junior World Golf Tournament in San Diego. She also entered the Utah Junior Golf Association (UJGA) at age aight, winning the Utah State Junior Match Play two years in a row.

At ten years old, Naomi played in her first-ever Utah Women’s State Amateur Tournament, becoming the youngest player in the tournament’s history. The following year, she became the UJGA 2010 “Player of the Year” in her division, playing up with 16-18 year olds.

Naomi played her most recent three golf tournaments in the men’s division where she shot from the “black tees” (farthest distance) along with the other players, enthralling them with her amazing talent. At twelve years old she can drive the ball approximately 280 yards. When she was only nine years old, Brigham Young University approached her to see if she would join their golf program when she graduates high school. She hopes to take up BYU on their offer and become a professional golfer. On June 1st, she will enter to qualify for the U.S. Public Links Tournaments, a tournament of top amateurs in the nation.

Naomi is the daughter of Mapu Soifua of Mapusaga Fou and Camilla Lealaitafea Soifua of La’ie, Hawaii. Her paternal grandparents are from Samata, Samoa and her maternal grandparents are from La’ie and Salagi, Samoa. She currently attends the 6th grade at Majestic Elementary School in West Jordan, Utah.


Samisoni Fotofili, 10 years old

Samisoni’s passion for golf began when at four years old when his grandfather, Halaapiapi Fotofili, would take him out to the golf course with his golf buddies. His grandfather later enrolled him in lessons at age six and later in the Drive, Chip, and Putt program.

Samisoni entered his first tournament at eight years old. Coached by his grandfather, father, family, and friends, Samisoni met with great success during his first season in the Utah Junior Golf Association. He placed 3rd in his very first tournament and won 1st place overall for the 2009 season as well as “Player of the Year” for the 7-8 age bracket.

At nine years old, he entered the Junior World qualifier and was one of two junior golfers in his division to represent the State of Utah at the Callaway Junior World Golf Tournament in San Diego, competing with junior golfers in his division from over 15 states and 25 countries.

Currently he is in his second spring season with U.S. Kids Golfing. Though Samisoni is a well-rounded athlete, also excelling in football, his first love is golf. His future plans and goals are to serve a mission, play golf at Stanford University, and become a professional golfer.

Samisoni is the son of Rick Fotofili, from the village of Mu’a, Tonga, and Lavinia Hunkin Vanisi, from La’ie, Hawai’i. His paternal grandparents are Halaapiapi and Lineti Fotofili and his maternal grandparents are Similati and Tui Vanisi. Samisoni currently attends the 4th grade at Westland Elementary in West Jordan, Utah.

“I am so thrilled to hear the news of these two talented junior golf stars, Naomi and Samisoni, and it is always a pleasure to share the accomplishments of our young prodigies with the greater community,” Faleomavaega stated.

“I commend both Naomi and Samisoni for their outstanding accomplishments in the golf world at such a young age. I also commend their parents, Mapu and Camilla Soifua and Rick and Lavinia Fotofili, as well as their grandparents, for their dedication and support. We’re definitely going to hear from Naomi and Samisoni in the years to come,” Faleomavaega concluded.
 

(Photos: University of the South Pacific)

FIJI: USP School of Tourism & Hospitality Management receives global accreditation
Source: University of the South Pacific

The University of the South Pacific officially commemorated the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management’s Associate Membership to the International Centre for Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education (THE-ICE) on 5th May, 2011.

A special function was held at the Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies (OCAC-PS) to mark this milestone achievement for USP.

The event was attended by members of the Diplomatic Corps, representatives of regional and international organisations, stakeholders in the tourism sector including the Chief Executive Officer of the Fiji Hotels and Tourism Association, Mr Michael Wong and the Director of Tourism in Fiji, Ms Fane Vave, USP staff and students, along with members of the media and invited guests.

At the function, addresses were delivered by Professor Rajesh Chandra, the Vice-Chancellor and President of USP, Professor Biman Chand Prasad, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics, Professor David Harrison, Head of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management at USP, and Mr Wong and Ms Vave.

THE-ICE is an Australian-based international accreditation body with a focus on programme accreditation, benchmarking and the promotion of excellence for tourism, hospitality and events education.

This accreditation is an official recognition that Tourism and Hospitality Management programmes offered by USP are of comparable standards to those offered by premier universities around the world.

In his welcome address, the Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE), Professor Biman Chand Prasad congratulated Professor Harrison and the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) staff on achieving such a vital recognition. He thanked the tourism and hotel industry operators in supporting the Hotel Management programme at USP and for providing practical internships for students.

Speaking at the function, Professor Chandra stressed the importance of USP programmes to relate to the industries to which the graduates are prepared for especially in the tourism sector.

He noted that that “systematic work is being undertaken on graduate attributes to ensure that USP produces graduates who are technically capable, can deal with change, think outside the box and hold high ethical standards.”

He added that the accreditation from THE-ICE was an example of USP’s commitment to quality.

In their presentations, Mr Michael Wong and Ms Fane Vave noted the importance of tourism to Fiji and the value of collaborating with the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management.

Ms Vave stated that partnerships with internal stakeholders, academia and international trade institutions strengthens and provides for the sustainable growth of the tourism industry in a global competitive environment.

She applauded USP on its achievement and added that, “the University has produced some of the finest graduates in the industry.”

In his concluding remarks, Professor Harrison pointed out that THE-ICE accreditation was beneficial to STHM and to the University.

He said THE-ICE was strongly regional and increasingly global, and in obtaining the Associate membership the School was aligning itself with, and being recognized as on a par with, major educational institutions across the world that were involved in tourism and hospitality education.

He noted that the School not only trained students in skills necessary for entry into tourism and hospitality employment, but also had a wider educational function in encouraging them to be aware of the wider issues concerning tourism’s role in development and understanding the benefits it brought to the region, as well as some of the pitfalls that might also be involved.

He appreciated the support received from governments and the tourism sector, and asked for a more extensive career structure for university graduates.

He outlined plans to develop postgraduate courses in tourism and hospitality. In view of USP’s first-class library provision in tourism and hospitality materials, Professor Harrison said, “we need to be a centre for research and further attract visiting scholars from all over the region, and beyond. They can work with us in carrying out research on South Pacific tourism, and bring their own insights and experiences to the benefit of both staff and students at USP.”

He acknowledged the contribution of the School’s hard-working staff and the support for the School from stakeholders in the tourism industry.

STHM students created an amazing transformation of the Oceania Centre into an exciting venue serving drinks for the occasion and modern Fiji cuisine, showcasing the best local produce in season, on many large tables throughout the venue offering sumptuous and tasty treats. These were skillfully prepared and served by USP’s Hospitality and FNU’S catering students under the guidance of Mr Colin Chung, the consultant chef from Hawai’i.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Professor David Harrison gives his address at the celebration of the School's Associate Membership to THE-ICE.

Photo 2 - Attending the celebration; (L-R) Professor Rajesh Chandra, the Vice-Chancellor and President of USP, and Professor Biman Chand Prasad, Dean of FBE with guests, Mr Michael Wong and Ms Fane Vave.

(Photos: Students in Free Enterprise)

TUVALU: Imagine Learning donates language software to children of Tuvalu
Source: PRWeb

Educational software company Imagine Learning has donated more than $30,000 in software and supplies to the Tuvalu Project, an initiative to improve education on the island nation of Tuvalu. The initiative is sponsored by the Brigham Young University-Hawaii chapter of Students in Free Enterprise.

Education for Tuvaluan children has become increasingly important because of the country’s uncertain future. At its highest point, Tuvalu is just 15 feet above sea level. Based on current climate trends and rising ocean levels, experts predict that within decades Tuvalu, which is located halfway between Hawaii and Australia, will be uninhabitable. Mastering English language skills will prepare the children of Tuvalu for employment in a competitive global economy.

Imagine Learning’s award-winning software, Imagine Learning English, helps students develop English reading and speaking skills through engaging activities, games, and songs. Access to the program will give hundreds of Tuvaluan children the opportunity to learn English. Imagine Learning donated headphones, Imagine Learning English software licenses, and laptops pre-installed with the educational software, which Students in Free Enterprise delivered to schools in Tuvalu.

Brigham Young University-Hawaii members of Students in Free Enterprise started the Tuvalu Project in an effort to improve the social and educational conditions in this country of 10,000 people. “Our student team wanted to assist the Tuvaluan youth in preparing for their futures,” said Dr. William Neal, assistant to the president at Brigham Young University-Hawaii and a Students in Free Enterprise advisor. “Developing these skills will build confidence in the children to attend college and to compete in a dynamic economic environment.”

Imagine Learning CEO Susan Preator was eager to get involved with the project. “As part of our ongoing mission to teach English to the children of the world, Imagine Learning is excited to be involved in this endeavor. We know the children of Tuvalu will benefit greatly from the opportunity to develop their language skills using 21st-century technology.”

Dr. Neal says developing English skills will be a huge advantage for these children. “We were excited to share the computers and the Imagine Learning software, which makes learning English more proactive and fun. As we trained the teachers, they commented that their students could learn better and faster and were grateful for this software tool.”

The project is initially expected to help hundreds of students in the capitol of Funafuti; plans are also being made to make the laptops available to more students throughout Tuvalu.

To find out more about the Tuvalu Project or to make a donation, visit http://sifetuvaluproject.blogspot.com/.

To find out more about Imagine Learning and its language and literacy software solutions, visit http://www.imaginelearning.com.

About Imagine Learning
Imagine Learning is the company behind Imagine Learning English, an innovative language and literacy software program designed to meet the needs of four key student populations: English learners, struggling readers, students with disabilities and early childhood education students. With first-language support and continual assessment, Imagine Learning English gives students one-on-one instruction and scaffolded support while keeping teachers abreast of student progress through real-time reports.

Visit http://www.imaginelearning.com to find out how Imagine Learning English gives students, parents and teachers essential tools for language and literacy development.
 

WORLDWIDE: Pacific Renewable Energy documentary series
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

11 Pacific island countries will be telling their stories on Renewable Energy through a series of documentaries commissioned by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). These stories will mainly focus on the successes and the lessons learnt from renewable energy projects in each country.

The Pacific experiences in trying to achieve renewable energy goals will feature the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. All of these countries are part of the Pacific Islands Greenhouse Gas Abatement through Renewable Energy Programme (PIGGAREP) which is working to help remove the barriers to using renewable energy.

It is hoped this documentary series will capture some of the challenges faced in the Pacific and what has been done to help overcome these as the region works towards reducing the regions’ greenhouse gas emissions by 33%.

“This is a very valuable opportunity for the region to show that even small countries with low greenhouse gas emissions can do something to contribute to reducing emissions, in a way stating that if we can do it, then why can’t larger countries. It will also likely highlight the economic and social benefits from having reliable renewable energy production for local consumption,” said Mr. Espen Ronneberg, SPREP’s Climate Change Adviser.

While Pacific island countries continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels and only 30% of the population on average has access to electricity, they at the same time have some of the highest renewable energy potential per capita.

Some of the higher renewable energy targets in the region include Tuvalu who is aiming to be 100% reliable on renewable energy by the year 2020 as well as Niue who also has a 100% Renewable energy economy target.

“In its effort to help mitigate the adverse effect of climate change through Renewable Energy intervention, PIGGAREP is reaching out to the mass of the Pacific population from all parts of the islands to share the trials and the achievements,” said Nixon Kua the Climate Change Mitigation Officer of SPREP.

“We are all working together in the Pacific to meet our renewable energy targets.”

The documentary series which is being produced by different production houses in the Pacific will be available for viewing in August this year. They will be available from SPREP, once completed.