NEWSPAGE 20 May
2011

(Photo: Christian Lawyers Association)

NEW ZEALAND: Champion of Samoan rights will be missed

(Photo: Pualele Outrigger Canoe Club)

SAMOA: Pualele Outrigger Canoe Club paddles to raise cancer awareness
Source: Pualele Outrigger Canoe Club Press Release

The Pualele Outrigger Canoe Club paddled to and from Savaii yesterday in an effort to raise money for the Samoa Cancer Society. Twenty four paddlers organized into four crews paddled two 6-seater canoes or ‘va’a’ from Mulifanua to Salelologa. This is the third time Pualele has paddled to Savaii. Crossing the channel to Savaii in an outrigger canoe is a challenging and thrilling experience. In the past it has generated a huge amount of public interest, particularly at the Mulifanua and Salelologa wharves. This interests has ranged from awe to the ‘are they crazy?’ Whatever the response there is no denying the huge sense of achievement that a paddler feels once they have successfully completed this milestone.

This year Pualele made the experience even more meaningful by using it as a fundraiser for the Samoa Cancer Society. According to Daryl Clark, President of the Samoa Cancer Society ‘Cancer affects 1 in 3 Samoans’. Promoting healthy lifestyles is one way of raising cancer awareness. Drawing the attention of the community of the need for early detection is also important. As far as Pualele is concerned, ‘the opportunity to raise money for the Samoa Cancer Society allows our Club to give something back to the community (Cam Wendt, President Pualele Outrigger Canoe Club). In particular we would like to thank the following for their support in making this Crossing possible: Jet Over Hotel, Aqua Samoa, Betham Brothers Enterprises and the Observer Newspaper.

If anyone is interested in supporting this initiative or wants to learn more about the programs and activities supported by the Samoa Cancer Society please contact any member of the Pualele Executive. We will be more than happy to accept your donation or refer your query to the relevant persons at the Samoa Cancer Society.
 

(Photos: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: Progressive Agriculture Safety Day comes to elementary schools
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

Students in several of Tutuila’s elementary schools enjoy a break from their normal routine when Progressive Agriculture Safety Day comes to their campus. Presented by staff from the Community & Natural Resources Division (CNR) at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC), sometimes accompanied by representatives of government agencies who share concerns for the safety of our island’s youngsters, Progressive Agriculture Safety Day takes the form of a morning long series of sessions on various safety topics.

“When we visit a school, we usually present four sessions for four different groups, who rotate between the sessions in whatever order the hosting school chooses,” said Lefua Amio Mavaega-Luvu of the CNR Agriculture Extension. During a recent visit to Iakina Adventist Academy, Mavaega-Luvu and other Agriculture Extension staff were joined by CNR colleagues from the ASCC-CNR Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, and the group presented a morning of discussions on topics as diverse as nutrition, food safety, basic first aid, the correct use of farm tools, and how to handle pesticides safely.

“The idea is to make farm life safer and healthier for children through education and training ", said Mavaega-Luvu. “We teach the kids to be alert and to how to avoid accidents and problems that could occur around them, not just in an agricultural setting, but also at home and at school. We want them to know what to do when accidents happen, especially if they are alone with no adults nearby. In addition to the CNR staff, other government agencies occasionally participate when time allows. For example, staff members of the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) have participated in all of the Progressive Agriculture Safety Days, giving presentations on subjects including Chemical Safety and Hazardous Materials.

CNR brings Progressive Agriculture Safety Day to several of American Samoa’s elementary schools every year through funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Extension Program, and the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, whose mission is to educate children on simple safety precautions that can prevent injury or death. Initiated in 1995, the program trains and provides the resources which local communities use to conduct one-day safety programs that are age-appropriate, hands-on, fun, and safe for children. While the basic program reaches children ages of 8 to 13, Safety Days may also be conducted for 4- to 7-year-olds or even entire families. Progressive Agriculture Safety Days are conducted in the United States, Canada and the U.S. territories, and the Association also sponsors Community Safety Days for adults.

2011 marks the sixth year CNR has brought the program to American Samoa, with the number of schools visited each year depending on available funding from the Progressive Agriculture Association. “Last year we proposed and got approved for three school visits and one Safety Day for the community,” explained Mavaega-Luvu, “and thus this year we've got approved for five schools, three of them public and private, as well as another Community Progressive Agriculture Safety Day we will hold at ASCC on June 9th.”

According to Mavaega-Luvu, most elementary school students welcome the change of pace and important information the Safety Days offer. “The schools appreciate that we share this information on subjects and issues they don’t touch on very often”, she said. “It reminds teachers as well as students that we never know when an emergency will occur, or some situation where someone needs to take the lead.” While the content of the Safety Days goes further than farm situations, any discussion of subjects even remotely related to agriculture sometimes sparks students interest in that topic. “We do often end up answering their questions about the field of Agriculture, since it’s all part of science,” said Mavaega-Luvu. “Some students do not know what Agriculture is, so we explain where we get taros, bananas, vegetables, fruits, rice, potatoes, milk and other such products from. We’ve shared with them that without Agriculture products and produce we won’t survive, and it opens up their minds to the big picture of this important field.”

Two more elementary schools on island can look forward to their own Progressive Agriculture Safety Day, as the CNR crew will visit Siliaga Elementary School in Aloau on May 19th and St. Francis School in Lefua on September 26th. For more information on ASCC CNR Agriculture Safety Day, please contact Lefua Amio Mavaega-Luvu and/or Helen Lago at 699-1394/1575. Information the Progressive Agriculture Association is available on their web page at: www.progressiveag.org.

Photo Captions: Students at Iakina Adventist Academy take a break from their normal routine to participate in Progressive Agricultural Safety Day, brought to American Samoa's public and private elementary schools by the Community & Natural Resources (CNR) division of ASCC.

(Photo: Jane Ollerenshaw / Berwick Leader)

COOK ISLANDS: Punching for a place
Source: Berwick Leader

Doveton boxer Mokopuna “Sonny” Nooroa says he has the tools to compete on a world stage.

He just needs to get to Rarotonga in his native Cook Islands by May 28 for national team try-outs.

Nooroa holds Cook Islands-Australian dual citizenship and hopes to make the Cook Islands team for the Pacific Games in Noumea, New Caledonia, this August.

The Cook Islands Boxing Federation will fund the trip to Noumea, but team hopefuls have to get to the try-outs under their own steam.

Nooroa, a 33-year-old who played for the Victorian Rugby League state team, said his focus shifted to boxing about four years ago.

“I used to do it when I was young but stopped to focus on rugby,” he said. “I got back in the ring four years ago and have been training hard and fighting locally before I got the invite.”

The assembly operator for a Braeside lighting company is a 90kg heavyweight standing 1.8m.

The father of four’s one regret was knocking back an invite by Australian boxing icon Sam “King” Soliman.

“I was invited to come and spar with him but I didn’t take up the offer because I didn’t know how far boxing would take me,” he said.

“I wish I had taken his offer now.”

Mr Nooroa and his wife Rhonda seek sponsorship for his trip.

For more details, phone Rhonda on +61 0411 607 174.

Photo Caption: Mokopuna "Sonny" Nooroa will be trying out for the Cook Islands national boxing team, given his dual Cook Island-Australian citizenship.
 

(Photo: FijiVillage)

FIJI: Fiji to work with Pacific neighbours
Source: Travel Weekly

The Fiji Government will work with stakeholders to market Fiji as part of a regional package, the tourism minister has announced.

Speaking at a ministerial briefing at BFTE, tourism minister Aiyaz Saiyed-Khaiyum said there are opportunities to “tie up” with other South Pacific destinations.

While details remained extremely vague, Saiyed-Khaiyum said the Fiji Government will encourage its neighbours to work with Fiji to create multi-destination holidays.

The minister also revealed it would conduct a “detailed economic study” as it looks to maximise its dollar spend.

“In respect of Tourism Fiji, the government has been giving a sustained boost to the marketing budget. At the same time we will be carrying out a more detailed economic study in the next few months,” the minister said. “We believe there is a lot more room for growth and for improvement. We have to be very clever in our dollar spent.”

Fiji tourism enjoyed a bumper year, according to official data, with 631,860 tourists travelling to the country, a 17% increase on the previous year.

It means Tourism Fiji hit its 600,000 target two years ahead of schedule.

Air Pacific’s codeshare services with Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong had resulted in growth from emerging source markets, China and India.

Photo Caption: Fiji's Tourism Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
 

(Photo: Oceania Football Confederation)

WORLDWIDE: Tahitians and Kurukuru earn shot at World Cup
Source: Oceania Football Confederation Press Release

The FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012 is one step closer for Tahiti and the Solomon Islands after both progressed to the final of the OFC Futsal Championship this evening in contrasting fashion.

Tahiti needed a penalty shoot-out to finally overcome New Zealand after a thrilling 3-3 extra-time draw while the Kurukuru had no such trouble in their comprehensive 13-1 victory over Vanuatu.

There was also an historic moment earlier in the day when newcomers Kiribati earned their first ever win at this competition with a 3-2 success over Tuvalu in the 7th/8th play-off before Fiji pipped New Caledonia to fifth place with an exciting 8-6 triumph.

But the headlines were then stolen by Tahiti and the Solomon Islands, who will now face off tomorrow evening to earn Oceania’s sole spot at the World Cup.

“I don’t know how we have won today, we were quite lucky,” admitted Tahiti coach Heitapu Hunter. “We came sixth last year and now we are in the final - that has always been our dream and it has come true. Anything can happen in a final - I believe you don’t need to think too much, you just have to go for it.”

Hunter’s side had conceded only three goals prior to this match and breaching such a tight rearguard appeared to be the main challenge facing New Zealand coach Matt Chandler and his men. But the Tahitians are not without ability in the attacking third either, a fact the Futsal Whites found out to their cost when a Gaby Kavera goal in the ninth minute had them 1-0 down by the halftime interval.

They were left with an even steeper hill to climb three minutes after the restart when Michel Maihuri put Tahiti two goals ahead.

Daniel Koprivcic finally came up with a response from a Dylan Manickum cross in the 25th minute and New Zealand drew level shortly after when Nathan Robertson swivelled and slipped the ball under goalkeeper Atanui Tetihia in the 29th minute.

Despite both teams putting on plenty of pressure in the remainder of normal time, there was no further score and an extra ten minutes were needed to decide the outcome.

The extra period was just as closely contested as regular time had been but New Zealand managed to find the net again just before the interval when captain Marvin Eakins poked home a Miro Major pass at the far post.

Tahiti were not about to give up their World Cup dream so easily, however, and were back in the game soon after the break, Kavera notching his second to make it 3-3 and set up an exciting finale.

The stage was set for someone to become a hero but one did not emerge at that stage and the result was left to be resolved in the lottery of the penalty shoot-out, during which Tahiti custodian Tetihia became the toast of his team mates with a pair of saves to deny Dylan Manickum and Koprivcic as Tahiti claimed a 4-3 shoot-out win.

“It was just one of those games really,” Chandler said. “We’ve lost by just one penalty shot and you wouldn’t pick a guy like Daniel Koprivcic to be the one to miss. To go out in the semi-final on one penalty is tough but we will have to live with it.”

The margin of victory was nowhere near as slim in the other semi-final as the Kurukuru put on yet another remarkable attacking display to end Vanuatu’s hopes of reaching the final.

The Solomons had won their previous match against Tuvalu 16-0 and, while they were up against a far more accomplished team this evening in Vanuatu, appeared intent on getting close to that figure again. Dickson Kadau's charges were 8-0 up by halftime and went on to score another five in the second half, to the delight of most of the 2000-plus crowd that crammed into Suva's Vodafone Arena.

Captain Elliot Ragomo again led by example with a hat-trick but was outdone by Micah Lea'alafa, who scored four. Moffat Sikwa'ae and Coleman Makau attempted to catch up with them but had to settle for doubles while a Jack Wetney strike and an own goal from the unfortunate Ricky Tuigaloa wrapped up the Kurukuru scoring.

Vanuatu's only response came from Fredy Vava just after halftime and they were never in the contest as the Solomons underlined just how hard it will be for Tahiti to beat them tomorrow.

“I am very proud of my boys, we have worked very hard for this tournament and that is now showing through,” Kadau said. “We played even better than I thought we might - the combinations between our players were at a very high level. We must respect Tahiti because they are very good defensively and we only beat them 1-0 earlier in the tournament. We'll work on our attacking moves to try to find a way around their system.”

Despite their gut-wrenching losses, the tournament is not over for New Zealand and Vanuatu, who will meet tomorrow evening in the 3rd/4th play-off, a match that effectively acts as the curtain-raiser to the winner-takes-all grand final.