NEWSPAGE 08 June
2011

(Photos: Department of Labour)

NEW ZEALAND: Draw date set for Pacific Immigration Quota

SAMOA: Don Bosco opens at Salelologa
Source: Savali News

Don Bosco students in Savaii no longer have to come all the way to Alafua for school. They will now study at the brand new Don Bosco Technical College campus at Salelologa.

At the tune of over AUS$1 million (WST$2.429 million), the new school opened in a lavish ceremony this morning.

Delivering a pointed sermon, His Grace Arch-Bishop Alapati Mataeliga expounded on the need to keep students in their home environment;

“The idea of setting up Don Bosco here at Salelologa is to keep students in their homes while attending school. When they leave home to go to school in Apia, they are exposed to all sorts of problems. Families too, have had to uproot and look for lodgings at settlements at Vaitele.

“It only adds to the problems in Apia. The best environment for students to learn is at home where they are under the guidance of their parents.”

His Grace urged parents to support Catholic schools in Savaii.

“The priorities of the Catholic education is to strengthen faith and educate our young people. These two objectives are intertwined. Through faith one becomes educated.

“I’d also like to add that school is not where students are sent to learn best manners and behavior. That is the responsibility of the parents in the home, in the wider village community.

“So please parents, don’t send your children to learn good manners in school. That’s for you to teach them at home.”

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi echoed similar sentiments in government’s support for the Don Bosco Salelologa branch.

“Salelologa is the capital of Savaii. This is the center of Savaii where all buses and all residents of Savaii meet and congregate. It is only natural that Salelologa also becomes the centre of technical education in Savaii.”

The Prime Minister reiterated government’s top priorities of education and health.

“A healthy and educated population is the key to economic prosperity.”

The Don Bosco college at Salelologa was largely funded by the Salesian Provincial of the Australia-Pacific Province.

Said its director Father Frank Maloney;

“Don Bosco is open to all students of all faiths. The idea of this technical college is train boys to become skilled young men who will contribute positively to society.”

The school was built by Mosese Tui and carpenters in Saleloga and neighbouring villages.

“When bids for the design and construction of the school came in,” said Father Maloney, “it was three times what we estimated and budgeted for.

“In fact, we spent half a million dollars Australian just to clear this land and level it. Ten months ago, this was all tropical forest. A big thanks to Father Mosese and his hardworking construction team.”
 

(Photo: rugby.com.au)

AUSTRALIA: Polota-Nau to encourage kids to "find the fun"
Source: rugby.com.au

Qantas Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau wants to encourage students at his former high school to identify what they enjoy - and then pursue it with everything they have - when he visits Granville in Sydney’s west on Wednesday as part of the Australian Rugby Union’s Qantas Wallabies Towns project.

Polota-Nau will speak to over 700 pupils at Granville South High School and host a Student Forum to discuss his experiences growing up in the area, his achievements on and away from the field and his involvement in the local community - including his efforts to rebuild Parramatta Rugby Club, of which he is a board member.

Students at Granville South have a huge day planned for their much-loved alumni, with a special Pacific Island dance performance to kick off official proceedings, games of Walla Rugby on the school oval and a sausage sizzle for lunch.

After activities wrap up, Polota-Nau, who was co-captain of the Australian Schoolboys in his final year at Granville South in 2003, will head to Granville Oval to present a trophy to the Gala School winners and hold a training session with 30 lucky juniors from the Parramatta Rugby Club.

Polota-Nau, 26, said he hopes to encourage students to find the “fun factor” in their future endeavours.

“I’m going to enjoy every minute of the day, I’m thrilled to be going back to Granville but I’m also a bit nervous to be speaking in front of so many students at assembly, in terms of what I want to get across,” Polota-Nau said.

“I want to give them the message, that if you put your mind to it, nothing is impossible, but the most important thing is to enjoy what you do, and to find that “fun factor”.

“Whether it’s in sport or in work, I want to encourage the kids to get out there and find a way to enjoy what they’re doing and just get the message across that you’re the only one that can make your dreams come true.”

A late comer to Rugby, after concentrating on his studies at school, Polota-Nau’s talent quickly became apparent when he was named co-captain of the Australian Schools side within two years of taking up the game.

He went on to represent Australia at the 2004 Under 19 World Championships and the 2004 and 2005 Under 21 World Championships.

In 2005 he was named the IRB’s Under-21 Player of the Year before making his Test debut for the Qantas Wallabies against England at Twickenham in the same year.

Polota-Nau made his Super Rugby debut for the Waratahs in 2006, and in 2009 became the youngest player ever to earn 50 NSW state caps.

The popular cult-figure, who famously sported a ‘fro for much of the last 12 months in support of his beloved “Two Blues”, enjoyed a standout Super Rugby season in 2010 with the NSW Waratahs, winning the Matthew Burke Cup for the Players’ Player and collecting the Waratahs Medal for on and off-field excellence, largely due to his efforts with the Parramatta Rugby Club.

After injury interrupted his 2010 Qantas Wallabies campaign, Polota-Nau heads into season 2011 with 25 Tests under his belt, and the chance to attend his first Rugby World Cup.

Qantas Wallabies Towns, which will see about 16 players head back to where they grew up, is designed to encourage local communities to get behind their home-grown stars prior to the 2011 Rugby season which kicks off with a Test against Samoa in July before the Wallabies embark on their quest to win back the Bledisloe Cup, the Tri Nations and the World Cup.

Polata-Nau is the seventh player who will head home over the next two months.

Props Ben Alexander and Benn Robinson will team up for a visit to Dural on 15 June, Matt Giteau will visit his former school in Canberra on 22 June and Ben McCalman will head back to Warren in central NSW on 30 June.

Special thanks to ARU Partners Qantas, Lexus, Sportscraft and Skins for their support across the Qantas Wallabies Towns visits.

Photo Caption: Tatafu Polota-Nau is heading back to Granville as the seventh Wallabies player to head back to where is all began as part of the ARU's Qantas Wallabies Towns promotion.
 

(Photo: Hawaii.gov)

HAWAII: Ocean science and technology park appoints Executive Director
Source: Hawaii Reporter

The Board of Directors of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) has appointed Gregory P. Barbour as the agency’s new Executive Director. Barbour will assume responsibility for the management of the agency in mid-June.

NELHA is a world-renowned premier ocean science and technology park on the Island of Hawaii. It is the state’s largest technology park with 870 acres of prime coastal property at Keahole Point, Kailua-Kona.

“We are excited about having Mr. Barbour as the executive director of one of our most successful and pioneering ventures,” said Richard C. Lim, Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. “We are confident Greg has both the vision and experience in business incubation to take NELHA into new technology-based ventures that will make Hawaii a world-class competitor in the future.”

NELHA is the only facility in the world that has the capacity to continually bring ashore nearly 50,000 gallons per minute of both warm surface and cold deep seawater. The water is used for ocean research and technology development which includes: alternative energy production, aquaculture, marine biotechnology, agriculture, and a range of research and development projects that foster innovation that will shape the industries of tomorrow.

“NELHA is one of the only ‘green’ economic development parks in the world,” Barbour said. “With water emerging as one of the world’s most precious resources, NELHA’s work is helping Hawaii to be more competitive,” Barbour said.

Mr. Barbour’s professional career includes more than 27 years in state planning and management experience. Most recently, he spent 7 years as the state’s Foreign Trade Zone administrator.

Photo Caption: (R-L) Ron Baird, CEO, Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, discusses NELHA FTZ application with then Greg Barbour, FTZ No. 9 Zone Administrator, Ted E. Liu DBEDT Director, and Mark Anderson, DBEDT Deputy Director. Barbour is now the head of NELHA.

(Photo: Taimi Media Network)

TONGA: PHAMA launched in Tonga
Source: Taimi Media Network

The Tonga launching of a program called PHAMA - Pacific Horticultural & Agricultural Market Access - took place in Nuku’alofa on Wednesday, in which Lord Vaea, Minister of Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Fisheries, as well as the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Thomas Roth, were special guests of honour.

PHAMA is funded by AusAid, which is spending AUD$12-$13m for the regional program. How much Tonga will get is not yet determined but Richard Holloway, Team Leader for PHAMA in Tonga said there is enough money available from AusAid to whatever is needed in Tonga in this first phase of the program.

Essentially PHAMA is a program that deals with the regulatory process of movement of products between the producer and the market, “from farm-gate to the market entrance.”

It was acknowledged at the launch that market access is usually not a major issue if the necessary regulatory aspects associated with gaining market access for selected products can be worked out. This of-course would mean that a program like PHAMA would engage relevant government agencies and departments as well as the export industries, so that a collaborative effort may produce satisfactory results in the regulatory process.

Afeaki, Chairman of the Tonga Market Access Working Group opened the launching of PHAMA by a speech in which he stated that market access is a difficult game, and focusing on the regulatory aspect of market access is key to horticultural and agricultural exports from Tonga.

It has taken three years of discussions to get to where PHAMA is today. The program is being carried out in five Pacific Island nations, namely Solomons, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Samoa.

Australia is the sole funding agency for the program. Australia is also the largest regular aid donor to Tonga with increased aid allocation to Tonga of AUD$32m.

The market access group has nine members: Afeaki and Viliami Manu are co-chairs, Sione Foliaki, Tatafu Moeaki, Vaimoana Taukolo, Viliami Tisieli, Lamipeti Havea, Tom Nakao, and Minoru Nishi. Tom Nakao is the market access co-ordinator.

Photo Caption: Lord Vaea the Minister of Agriculture, Food, Forestry & Fisheries at the official launched of PHAMA.

(Photos: Avon Voices / Roslynn Mahe)

WORLDWIDE: Roslynn Mahe qualifies for round two of Avon Voices
Source: Roslynn Mahe

Roslynn Mahe is a singer/songwriter/musician from New Zealand, born to a Tongan Father and Samoan Mother, now living in London. Roslynn has grown up in the New Zealand music industry singing with the likes of Annie Crummer, Peter Morgan, Beaver and has previously featured on Tangata Pasifika, Showcase and Australia's X-Factor.

She has been blessed to have made it through to become one of 75 Round Two Contenders in Avon’s first ever online global talent search. She is also the only Tongan/Samoan representative in this group.

The finalists will be selected by a combination of online public voting and renowned judging panel of music industry leaders from around the world, including: Fergie, six-time Grammy award winner; Grammy Award Nominated Natasha Bedingfield, Diane Warren, legendary songwriter; and Sheila E., breakthrough, Grammy-nominated female percussionist.

YOUR VOTES could help Roslynn move one step closer to realising a musical dream of hers and our families and the opportunity to inspire and empower women of all cultures through music.


Roslynn Mahe (Roz) Fact Sheet

• Singer/Musician/Songwriter born and raised in New Zealand to a Tongan father, Samoan mother, now living in London, UK

• Started singing in church at age 4

• From the age of 6, she studied Violin, Piano Accordion and Piano to Grade 8

• Recorded a gospel album titled “This Is The Year of Jubilee” at age 7

• Appeared on NZ Television shows (Stars on Sunday, Tagata Pasifika, Hui Pacific, Telethon, Peter Morgan Special, Carl Doy’s Mothers day Special) from age 7 - alongside some of New Zealand’s top artists Carl Doy, Beaver, Annie Crummer, The Yandall Sisters, Kim Willoughby, Frankie Stevens, Peter Morgan, Suzanne Lee, Prince Tui Teka, Suzanne Prentice, The Patea Maori Club, the 3 T’s, Southern Transit, Richard Eriwata

• 1987, sang and contributed on the “Reachout” Ad campaign song for Womens’ Refuge alongside other NZ top female artists including When The Cats Away, Annie Crummer, Shona Laing, and The 3 T’s

• In 1988, recorded a gospel video of songs for Adventist Media in Australia titled “It’s Different Now” which successfully sold throughout the South Pacific Christian community

• 2nd Violinist in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra who performed at the Bi-Centenary celebrations in Norfolk Island

• Lead singer in band invited to perform for the weddings of NZ All Black Rugby clients’ Michael Jones, Junior Tonu’u and the 21st Birthday of Joe Stanley’s son Jeremy Stanley

• Finalist in Australia’s Channel Nine’s StarStruck Talent Show in 2000

• Female vocalist for the Max Stowers Band at Samoa’s First Jazz Festival, 2001

• Finalist in Australia’s X-Factor, 2005

• In 2004 and 2005 performed the NZ National Anthem at Sydney’s Olympic Park for the NZ Silverferns vs. Australian Netball team Test Series

• Guest appearance and Performance on Bert Newton’s “Good Morning Australia” television Show, 2005

• Female Vocalist and worked with some of New Zealand’s top vocalists/musicians, covering everything from Jazz, Soul to RnB and Gospel, including; Mike Pau, Lapi Mariner, Lole, The Max Stowers Band, Blue Train, Revelation, Feijoa Jam, Ben Gilgen, Taisha, Suskillma Fonk, Race Relations and Russell Harrison.

A message from Roslynn

As the only Samoan/Tongan contender in this Talent Search, I would love your support, so here’s a quick explanation of what you need to do:

1. Visit the AvonVoices website to hear Roslynn's Round Two Video:
http://www.avonvoices.com/en2/watch/8c2eb7ac66915ee1cb4784cf2e583d75

2. Click "Register" at the top of page, it’s quick & simple.
(If you go to register your details & the authorisation wheel spins for longer than 10 seconds, check your actual email account as you may have already received the authorisation email. Click on the link within the email to complete registration, then login and VOTE.)

3. Click "VOTE" right under video to cast your 18 votes with one click!

Please VOTE (it is FREE and every registered voter has maximum 18 votes to cast my way for Round Two)

Add me as a FAVOURITE & COMMENT (so I can reply to you).

Your support is invaluable so thank you in advance. Malo aupito and Fa’afetai lava for your support! Peace & Blessings.

Roslynn x

You can also show your support by following me on my:

Facebook Contender Page
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Roslynn-Mahe-Avon-Voices-Contender/205054066193412?sk=wall
 

and

Avon Voices Profile Page
http://www.avonvoices.com/en2/profile/YyR4uq