NEWSPAGE 10 June
2011

(Photos: Angie Enoka)

NEW ZEALAND: Pacific vibe hits Wellington air waves

(Photo: Emil & Liliana Schmid)

SAMOA: Changes to be made in Parliament
Source: Samoa Observer

Speaker of the Parliament, La’auli Polata’ivao has announced a number of changes to be made in Parliament.

The first part involves renovation that includes the installation of a new audiovisual recording system.

The second is that the historical Malae o Tiafau will be fenced.

The changes will be quick, says La’auli, with Parliament’s next sitting in two weeks on 20 June to be recorded by television.

But it won’t be live TV as many in the public were hoping.

And which TV station is not yet known. Bid documents will be released early next week.

“[There] will be no live coverage unless they are special events such as the opening and closing of Parliament or other significant events,” says La’auli.

For live coverage to take place, there is a need to look at amending the legislation due to challenges such as, “duplicating of recordings as these are public records and people could edit it for their own ends.

Those types of issues should be protected by law,” says La'auli.

But for now the priority is to start taking audiovisual recordings of Parliamentary deliberations.

The issue of audiovisual or TV recordings was raised by the previous [XIV] parliamentary sitting to keep abreast with overseas developments, address gaps in past archives and because of the increasing capability of today’s technology.

“What was envisioned by the XIVth Parliament is the need to capture video footage as it’s a more holistic record of the House’s deliberations.”

Visual recordings, he says, captures the nuances of discussions missed by audio recordings.

“It’s an historical record of Samoa’s lawmaking and this provides a more wholesome picture of Parliament’s discussions,” says the Speaker.

Audio records of Parliamentary discussions began in 1957 and through lack of resources and weather created gaps in the Legislative archives.

“We have audio records of those days. But we also have gaps, sometimes due to insufficient resources but also natural disasters affecting the fidelity of equipments and record devices.”

Today, he says, “The technology is here that can protect these records as in hard-drives, DVD or discs.

This is the reason why we should improve the security and archives of our history.”

Once the Legislative office takes ownership of its own audiovisual recordings, media outlets can access relevant footage through the Speaker.

Renovations to Parliament House is start in a month or two but work to Malae o Tiafau will take place next week.

“Renovations include the whole malae and securing the entire premises including car park. That will be started sometime next week.”

Fencing of the whole grounds is security, protection for pigs and dogs, and vandalism.

“We see pigs digging the grounds, dogs so it’s a real job for the staff. It’s also becoming a rubbish dump for night revellers.”

Cabinet according to La'auli has endorsed the building of a ‘Welcome Fence’.

“The welcome fence is like the one in front of Aggie’s, it’s not a prison fence.

It’ll be built in the spirit of beautification where many tourists should want to go and take a photo or have a tour of the place,” he says.

“At the same time it should deter night revellers who want to use it for other reasons.”

Both the renovations and refurbishments envisions the next 30 years where Parliament’s needs for security, aesthetic appeal, safety and information fidelity keeping in line with overseas developments are achieved.

As to budget costs;

“There have been past allocations made for yard and fencing, but the audiovisual and installation system is new and its budget elements will be tabled in the new budget,” says Laauli.

Estimated costs for the new system will be available once engineering and architectural drawings are available.

Photo Caption: Audiovisual: Installation of TV equipment and general renovations will begin soon.

(Photo: Coalition of Reef Lovers)

AMERICAN SAMOA: Local coalition of reef lovers celebrate Oceans Day
Source: Coalition of Reef Lovers Press Release via Samoa News

At the Coalition of Reef Lovers (CORL) branch in American Samoa, everyday is dedicated to helping preserve and protect the only Indo-Pacific coral reefs within the United States or its Territories. On Ocean's day June 8, 2011 we invited the public to visit the Amouli Village coral farm to see what we do, and more importantly, what they can do to help save American Samoa's coral reef habitats.

At the Amouli Coral Farm we aquaculture corals for our Reef Restoration and Coral Research projects, along with corals destined for scientific research in the United States.

In the near future we hope to extend our services to the Marine Aquarium hobbyist offering aquacultured corals where the profits from such sales can be used for the continued operation of the Coral Farm and in the restoration efforts of American Samoa's coral reefs.

CORL currently operates three coral farms in American Samoa; they were started with the help from The Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture and The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Our Coral Farm project has shown that many species of corals can be farmed at the village level and a sustainable village based coral farming industry is possible.

The ultimate goal of CORL's Coral Farms are to become eco-beneficial, creating a village based industry that is beneficial to the environment.

CORL also works with local and National governments to help reduce the stressors that are harming the coral reefs and oceans.

In 2006 CORL's Nutrient Pollution Reduction project (funded by the NFWF) identified a major source of nutrient pollution in American Samoa. CORL is now working with the NFWF, American Samoa Departments of Environmental Protection and Customs to stop the importation of high phosphate detergents and soaps entering the Territory and thus reducing some of the stress upon the local coral reefs.

Photo Caption: CORL celebrated Oceans Day in Amouli Village, with an open-house invitation to help save American Samoa’s coral reef habitats.
 

FIJI: Fiji joins regional project
Source: Fiji Times

Fiji has joined five Pacific island countries in the signing of a $2.3 million regional environment project co-ordinated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Joining neighbouring island countries like Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, Fiji's Environment Department has supported the implementation of a regional mangrove project.

Fiji received $210,000 from the million dollar contract and proceeds will fund legislative review, site surveys, mangrove management plans and resource mapping, national co-ordinator of the MESCAL project Neema Nand said.

Involvement in the Mangrove Ecosystems Climate Adaptation and Livelihoods (MESCAL) project means there will be increased visibility on the measures to conserve mangroves, IUCN said.

The signing of financial contracts in Suva last night was a significant step as it symbolised the transition of funds and management of the project activities from IUCN to the governments.
 

(Photos: Taimi Media Network)

NIUE: What Welly-wouldn’t, Niue-would
Source: 4pr Press Release

After seeing the positive impact that the film industry has had on Wellington, former Mayor of Wellington Mark Blumsky has a novel suggestion to lure film makers to Niue Island where he now acts as High Commissioner - Since his former city said no, Niue thought why not?

To secure film industry business and lure tourists, Niue Island has decided to follow Wellington’s lead by installing a ‘Niuewood’ sign high on the hill in Alofi Bay or Togo Chasm.

“Niue Island is a stunning destination and we think it has huge potential as a ‘tropical paradise’ film location” says Blumsky.

Maybe Peter Jackson should jump on a plane and come and see what Niue has to offer. We think that it would make the perfect setting for a blockbuster re-make of Robinson Crusoe”.

The ‘Niuewood’ sign is just one of the potential developments on the island which is undergoing major accommodation and facility upgrades to meet increasing tourist numbers provide visitors with an even better island experience.

Blumsky says “It is good timing that we have made these changes as Peter Jackson and other big names will surely be landing their private jets in Niue in the very near future”.

One of the Pacific’s fastest growing tourism destinations, Niue Island is blessed with stunning scenery including lush rainforest, intricate cave systems and crystal clear lagoons. The sea surrounding Niue is rich in marine-life including tropical game fish, dolphins and seasonal humpback whales.

“The filming potential here is enormous” says Blumsky.

We also have a keen base of locals who would love to be extras and with no Actors Equity Union, filming here is sure to be a breeze for Mr. Jackson”.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - An artist’s impression of the proposed Niuewood sign to be erected in Togo Chasm - a natural ‘Middle Earth’.

Photo 2 - An alternate location possibility in Alofi Bay.

(Photo: Pacific Islands Applied GeoScience Commission)

WORLDWIDE: Timor Leste moves towards mining regulation
Source: Pacific Islands Applied GeoScience Commission Press Release

While some island countries in the Pacific have developed basic laws to govern terrestrial (land) and seabed mineral mining, according to Vincent da Costa Pinto who is representing Timor Leste, his country has none.

Mr. da Costa Pinto is in Fiji attending the Deep Sea Mineral Project workshop organized by SOPAC, a division of the South Pacific Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

The workshop is addressing legislative, regulatory, capacity requirements and environmental issues pertaining to deep-sea minerals in Pacific region. The project is for a four-year period.

Mr. da Costa Pinto said that Timor Leste, gaining independence in 2002, has yet to come to terms with a number of challenges.

There is a new environmental act but with limited reach into the mining industry, he said.

Indications are that a terrestrial copper mine may be developed in the future. Presently there is no mining in Timor Leste; but there is oil and gas as its main source of income. Oil production began in 2002 with the necessary laws to regulate the industry, he said.

Mr. da Costa Pinto is attending the Sea Bed Mineral Mining workshop because the country wants to develop the technical and legislative expertise to effectively govern both is terrestrial and seabed mining and he believes that SOPAC can help.

“What has been presented in the workshop has provided opportunities that I will take back to the country and share with the Secretary of National Resources. It is a first step towards developing mining laws,” he said.

Mr. da Costa Pinto added that the country’s main exports are coffee beans and coconut oil.

“As for the coffee beans, they can be found in many of the Starbucks around the world,” said Mr. da Costa Pinto.

Photo Caption: Vincente da Costa Pinto.