NEWSPAGE 22 June
2011

(Photo: Alafale Andrew Lesa)

NEW ZEALAND: NZ Youth Ambassadors selected for youth leadership summit

SAMOA: Cheaper faster remittances for Samoa
Source: Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme Press Release

Over 70 representatives from commercial banks, money transfer operators, telecoms, civil society organizations, government ministries and donor agencies in Samoa came together to discuss improving remittance services.

The event was made possible through an information exchange focusing on cheaper, faster remittances that was organized by the Central Bank of Samoa in partnership with the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP).

Remittances are very important to the economy and the people of Samoa. Currently they represent over one fifth of GDP, which is equivalent to about three times the official overseas development assistance received each year by Samoa. It was noted that while prices for these services have come down significantly over the past years, the average cost of sending a remittance still hovers around 20% of the value of the money sent, or about twice the average global price for sending money elsewhere in the world.

The Central Bank of Samoa has become a leading advocate for greater access to formal financial services in Samoa, and has made the issue of remittance services central to their platform. Governor Leasi Scanlan opened the event noting that, “remittances services are some of the only formal financial transactions many Samoans make, and therefore ensuring they are of a high quality and provided at a low cost will help many deserving Samoans”. The message was clear, that providers need to focus on improving services to clients now.

In Samoa, money can now be transferred around the country with the ease of sending a text message, and there are now companies that are offering very reasonable exchange rates for remittances. Mike McCaffrey, of the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme explained, “Improving remittance services is no longer a technological issue, those pieces of the puzzle are here. The issue now is formulating partnerships to improve access to these products and to build awareness of them.”

Three different presenters shared information supporting this initiative. Professor Rodney Wolff from the University of Queensland, provided insight as to how the senders of remittances in New Zealand and Australia are choosing which remittance services to use, and different qualities of those services that they value. He noted that the speed and cost of the service are important, but the ease of using it for both the sender and receiver are almost just as important.

The Chief Technical Officer for Digicel, Alex Abraham explained how their new mobile money system, which allows people to make financial transactions over the mobile phone, enables people to make domestic remittances to any of their 30 agents around the country in seconds. They are now formulating partnerships to expand their agent network, and are interested in partnering with organisations who will allow them to also offer international money transfer services.

Ross Peat, CEO for a company based in Auckland called KlickEx, provided perspective on technological trends around the world from which Samoans can benefit. His company KlickEx is now consistently the low cost leader for remittance services from both Australia and New Zealand to Samoa, and he briefed the participants on the model they are using to reduce costs to just a few percentage points of the value of the remittance. “We created an auction platform that allows buyers and sellers of currency to transact with each other at very low exchange rates”, explained Peat. KlickEx as well is now focusing on partnerships with organisations here in Samoa to help make this product available in more locations.

The closing statements for the event was made by CBS Deputy Governor Iosefo Bourne, who made the point that while these services need to be cost effective, they also need to be sustainable for the provider. There is a real business case for improving the quality of remittance services in the country, and those who grasp this opportunity will not only be doing good business, they will be also supporting the development of their country.

PFIP is a Pacific-wide programme helping provide sustainable financial services to low income and rural households. It is funded by the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), European Union, AusAID and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and operates from the UNDP Pacific Centre. More information is available on its website at: www.pfip.org
 

(Photo: Samoan Government Press Secretariat)

AUSTRALIA: Samoan PM meets with Ratu Tevita in Canberra
Source: Samoan Government Press Secretariat Press Release

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi met with former Fiji colonel Ratu Tevita Mara at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra, Wednesday morning where the Samoan delegation was staying.

Mara requested a meeting with the Prime Minister through Samoa’s High Commission office in Canberra.

“He wanted to meet with me and I was interested in what he had to say,” said Tuilaepa.

The Prime Minister was presented with the 10-point democratic transitional plan put together by the Fiji Democracy Movement in Australia and promised he will look at it.

“From what I’ve seen it’s a very simple and peaceful plan to bring Fiji back on the road to democracy. I’ve always maintained that a solution to the political crisis in Fiji - and the lack of democratic government there - has to come from the Fijian people themselves. It may take time, but that is the Pacific Way. It means all of us in the Pacific need to be patient. This document is a sensible initiative. It’s a good head start.

“Bainimarama must now accept that in the real world, the business of administering the complex affairs of government is not plain-sailing compared to just running a military. He ought to cease this challenge now and return to the barracks where he belongs.

“He has had enough time to realize the hopelessness of his military regime as an option of replacing the constitutionally-elected government. The international community is alienated and almost all the sources of help have been closed.

“There are indeed many many educated, talented and capable officials in Fiji who can take over the administration of government affairs any time, without a problem.

“Ratu Tevita Mara’s admission of guilt in his involvement with the illegal overthrow of the government and his subsequent efforts to make amends is praiseworthy. Bainimarama should also do what Tevita has done.”

During the brief meeting, Ratu Tevita briefed the prime minister on his current situation and made a formal request to visit Samoa.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa accepted.

“We have received envoys from the Fiji military government in recent years and I see no problem with Ratu Tevita visiting Samoa.”

On the travel sanctions issued by Australia and New Zealand governments on the Fiji regime and military personnel, the Prime Minister said,

“If the military regime is complaining about the travel sanctions, then it must be working. Ordinary Fijian citizens, as observed, are not affected.
 

Photo Caption: Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele meets with former Fiji military officers Jone Baledrokadroka (left) and Ratu Tevita Mara in Canberra.

(Photos: Fish Index / Tuna Seiners)

HAWAII: Federal fishery managers agree to annual catch limit process
Source: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Press Release

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council concluded its three-day meeting in Honolulu on Saturday (June 18, 2011) with agreement on the mechanism for setting annual catch limits (ACLs) for coral reef finfish, crustaceans, mollusks, opelu, akule and black coral in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), as appropriate. As there are thousands of coral reef finfish species, these ACLs will be specified at the family level for the top 90 percent of the species that are caught. The remaining 10 percent will be grouped into a single complex with a single ACL. Particularly rare or vulnerable species, such as the bumphead parrotfish, will receive a specific ACL based upon the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) recommendations when the Council meets in October. The SSC and Council will also address deepwater bottomfish ACLs for American Samoa, Guam and CNMI in October. The Council yesterday agreed to the Hawaii bottomfish ACL. Once the ACLs are calculated based upon the approved process, NMFS will publish them in a Federal Register notice. They will apply to the fishing year beginning Jan. 1, 2012, except for Hawaii bottomfish, which has a fishing season that begins on Sept. 1, 2011.

The Council today also addressed coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) pursuant to the executive order signed by President Obama in July 2010. The Council recommends that the Regional Planning Body members responsible for CMSP in the US Pacific Islands include the Council as well as representatives from the sub-regions of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and CNMI. Moreover, the representation from each island area should include representatives from each County to recognize their unique culture and resources. The Council also recommends that federal agencies that possess data from each sub-region provide this data to the Pacific Integrated Ocean Observing System to further develop its online CMSP data tools and that the establishment of permanent shipping lanes/routes be considered to avoid important fishing areas and banks.

Regarding measures to address overfishing of Pacific bigeye tuna, the Council recommends that NMFS draft international measures to present to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission that would 1) maintain distant-water fishing nations’ longline catch limits as well as establish longline bigeye catch limits of 2,000 metric tons or less form Small Island Developing States and Participating Territories with the ability to trade or transfer their quota; 2) establish annual bigeye catch limits for purse seine vessels that would reduce their overall catch of bigeye by 30 percent in 2014 from their 2001-2004 baseline levels; and 3) apply longline catch limits for vessels greater than 24 meters and purse-seine catch limits by vessel class, as done in the Eastern Pacific by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission.

The Council also considered the impacts of increased military activities and impending buildup on Guam and recommended actions to allow better access to open ocean and coastal fishing areas to local fishermen. The population is projected to increase by about 30,000, including marines, their family members and contract workers from Korea, Philippines and China.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Particularly rare or vulnerable species of coral reef fish, such as the Bumphead Parrotfish, will receive a specific ACL, yet to be determined.

Photo 2 - Also on the agenda, addressing the overfishing of Pacific Bigeye Tuna.

NIUE: Second satellite dish risk-proofs Internet Niue
Source: Internet Niue Press Release via Scoop Independent News

Internet Niue has installed a satellite dish on the island, about 2 kilometres from its existing dish. This will make Niue’s internet links with the outside world more reliable and at less risk of failure in a tropical cyclone.

The 4.5 metre dish, which cost more than $US100,000, has been tested for a month and is now operating efficiently.

Project manager Emani Fakaotimanava-Lui of RockET Systems, Alofi, says the hurricane-strength concrete base was poured late last year. Since then he has been working with satellite company Pactel and other equipment suppliers to get the new dish up and running.

“All Internet Niue and Government of Niue email and web traffic is now going through the new dish at Toa, with the old Kaimiti dish available for back-up,” he says.

“Our plan is to have Kaimiti linked to a second provider, so that if something goes wrong with the Pactel satellite link, Niue will still be connected to the worldwide web. Negotiations with possible providers are now underway.”

A year ago, Internet Niue increased the bandwidth it buys from Pactel on behalf of the Niue internet community to 4 megabits a second. This was the maximum the 3.8 metre Kaimiti dish could handle.

When the second provider comes on board, Internet Niue plans to use the Kaimiti connection to increase bandwidth by a further 50 per cent.

Per Darnell, president of the US-based IUSN Foundation which funds Internet Niue, says the new dish is a major investment and reflects the foundation’s commitment to the internet community on the island.

“The old dish at Kaimiti is on the edge of the Pactel satellite’s transmission path, which meant it was vulnerable to signal outages - though thankfully there have been very few of those. Also, in a country that’s prone to devastating cyclones, there are obvious risks in relying on one dish, a single location and a single satellite provider,” he says.

“The first dish we installed at Kaimiti was, along with the Telecom dish, destroyed by Cyclone Heta in 2004.”

The IUSN Foundation, which has the right to market .nu domain names, undertakes to provide least-cost or free internet services to the government and people of Niue.

Mr Fakaotimanava-Lui says the dish has been a major project for Niue. The island has a small construction sector and there are big delays associated with getting technical equipment and replacement parts from New Zealand and further afield. He thanks the contractors, friends and officials who made it possible.
 

(Photos: Taimi Media Network)

TONGA: First Tongan Contingent to Afghanistan returns home
Source: Taimi Media Network

The first Contingent to Afghanistan from the Tonga Defence Service returned safely to the Kingdom of Tonga last Thursday, after serving six-months at the Camp Bastion in the Helmand Province.

Led by Commander Sātisi Vunipola and Major Tevita Fifita, the fifty-five soldiers were met at the Fua’amotu Airport by the Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakanō and Brigadier Tau’aika ‘Uta’atu.

“I am most grateful this evening that we are able to meet each other again, all alive and well, and it is a day not only for your families to celebrate, but the whole country as well,” the Prime Minister told the group.

He also thanks them for fulfilling their military duties and “being good ambassadors of the nation.”

Commander Satisi Vunipola told the media that the main challenge they faced was adjusting to the extreme weather changes. Pre-deployment training took place during the coldest time of the year in Britain. They also experienced very cold weather in Afghanistan, which progressed to extreme heat.

“Overall we’re happy to be back in Tonga and the main key for a successful mission is obedience and discipline,” says Commander Vunipola.

After meeting the Prime Minister and the Brigadier the first Contingent were proudly welcomed by families and friends.

Commander Sione Uaiselē Fifita leads the second Contingent to Afghanistan, and they took over from the first Contingent in early June while the third contingent are also preparing for deployment.

Before arriving in Afghanistan, the troops underwent intensive training at RAF Honington in Suffolk, UK. On arrival in Helmand, they went through more training to familiarize themselves with the environment and hone their skills.

Camp Bastion is the main logistics hub for the International Security Assistance Fore (ISAF) in Helmand Province.

The troops have been deployed at the request of the British government and they are serving beside British and NATO troops, specifically assigned to provide security.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - First Tongan Contingent to Afghanistan arrives at Fua'amotu Airport.

Photo 2 - PM welcome back 1st Contingent to Afghanistan.