NEWSPAGE 18 July
2011

(Photos: New Zealand Government / Samoan Government)

NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand and Samoa sign joint development agreement

SAMOA: Two confirmed for Miss Samoa 2011
Source: Samoa Tourism Authority Press Release

The Pageant Committees for Miss Samoa Australia and Miss Samoa New Zealand have confirmed with the Samoa Tourism Authority the participation of both their Pageant winners in this year’s Miss Samoa Pageant 2011.

The newly crowned Miss Samoa New Zealand, Metotisi Komiti-Faalavaau, and reigning Miss Samoa Australia, Rebecca Rowena Sutherton are the first contestants to be confirmed for this year’s contest. They will be competing with other local contestants for this year’s title.

Miss Samoa NZ, Metotisi Komiti -Faalavaau was crowned winner over 5 other competitors at the Miss Samoa NZ Pageant that was held on 2nd July (see Release on next page).

Upon her return from competing in last year’s Miss Samoa 2010, the then Miss Samoa Australia, Sally Wulf Peterson returned the title and crown of Miss Samoa Australia opting to follow a career alternative instead.

The title & crown for Miss Samoa Australia was then passed on to the 2010 First Runner Up, Rebecca Rowena Sutherton to carry on the title as well as duties and responsibilities of the Miss Samoa Australia.

Those duties include competing in this year’s Miss Samoa Pageant.

A Pageant to seek the new Miss Samoa Australia will take place in Australia when the current title holder returns from this year’s Miss Samoa Pageant.

The confirming of the two overseas contestants is in line with the opening of Contestant Registration that is taking place from now until the closing of Registrations on 05 August.

The Programme for this year’s Pageant includes a Pre-Pageant schedule which runs from Wednesday 24th August until Friday 02nd September, of which all contestants including the overseas contestants are expected to be a part of.

This year’s Miss Samoa Pageant 2011, also the finale of the 20th Teuila Festival, will take place on Friday 03rd September 2011. This year’s theme is Beautiful Samoa-Samoa Lalelei.
 

(Photos: J. Kneubuhll)

AMERICAN SAMOA: ASCC renovations on track for Fall semester
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

During the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) summer session's final week on the Tafuna High School (THS) campus, renovation work on the College’s classrooms continued at a brisk pace so that the project will reach completion in time for the fall semester set to begin in mid-August. Forty classrooms and four science labs on the ASCC campus are undergoing a complete overhaul, with 20 classrooms being upgraded to “smart” classrooms which offer enhanced audio/visual and internet capabilities as learning aids.

In order to allow contractors to meet the spring 2011 deadline for completion of the renovations, ASCC re-located its summer session to THS, with regular ASCC summer and evening classes ending on July 14 while the second ASTEP summer session will continue at THS until July 29. “With the support of DOE and Tafuna High School, our overall transition was very smooth,” said ASCC Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Irene Helsham. “With Principal Matagi’s assistance and working with Tafuna High School Vice Principals, our administration and staff were able to move in less than one week and continue our summer session with minimum disruptions. I believe we accomplished this though mobilizing ourselves as a team.”

Dean Helsham anticipates that the end result of the refurbished ASCC classrooms will leave little doubt that the occasionally hectic move to THS was worth it in the end. “Each of our classrooms will have new walls, flooring, lights, ACs, white boards, and electrical outlets,” she explained, “and 20 of them will have new technology installed for internet networking, power point, and multi-media technology for faculty and students to utilize.” ASCC President Dr. Seth Galea’i says the renovations “are proceeding on schedule”.

Besides work on classrooms in the main “quad” area of the ASCC campus, other areas which will have a new and improved look this fall include the ROTC classrooms located in the ASCC Gym, as well as the Institute of Trades & Technology (ITT) building, the Art Building, the English Language Institute/Upward Bound building, the second building now used by the Nursing Department and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. Moefa’auo Bill Emmsley is serving as the Project Director, in collaboration with Project Designer Reuben Siatu’u, P.E., and Project Superintendent Loligi S. Seumanutafa. With the project funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the College continues to work closely with John Utu, local Field Marshall for ARRA Projects.

“We feel a great deal of gratitude towards the DOE, its acting director Jacinta Galea’i, and Tafuna High School, along with its Principal Lentoy F. Matagi and her staff,” said ASCC President Dr. Galaea’i. “Thanks to them we were able to continue our summer session with only a minimum of disruption to instruction. Basically, all that changed was the location of the classes.” Dr. Galea’i thanks ASCC Vice President of Financial Affairs Mikaele Etuale initiating the move to an alternate site. ASCC advises all new and continuing students that registration dates and the start of instruction for the fall 2011 semester will be announced in the local media.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - ASCC science instructor Dr. Micael Otto Hansel and his class take a break for a photo in their Tafuna High School classroom. ASCC relocated its summer session to THS while renovation work on its classrooms proceed on schedule for the coming semester.

Photo 2 - ASCC Samoan Studies instructor Nunuimalo Apisaloma Toleafoa and his students take a break for a photo in their Tafuna High School classroom.

Photo 3 - ASCC Dean of Student Services Dr. Emilia Le'i and students gather at the College's information table at Tafuna High School.

Photo 4 - ASCC academic counsellors and students gather at the College's temporary counselling centre located in the Tafuna High School Library.
 

COOK ISLANDS: Cook Islands pearl industry to be revived with NZ's support
Source: New Zealand Government Press Release via Scoop Independent News

New Zealand will contribute to the revitalisation of the Cook Islands pearl industry as part of a three year programme funded through the New Zealand Aid Programme, Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced on Friday (July 15, 2011).

"At the industry's peak in 2000, black pearls contributed $18 million to the national economy per year", Mr McCully said.

"Limited regulation and some unsustainable environmental and farming practices, coupled with a slump in international pearl prices saw production in the Cook Islands reach record lows."

"New Zealand, as part of our harmonised aid programme with Australia, will commit NZ$3 million to the Pearl Industry Revitalisation programme aimed at developing sustainable farming practices and increasing income for those involved in the black pearl sector", Mr McCully said.

"Our support will contribute to monitoring and regulating pearl farm production, local, regional and international marketing, and financial assistance and capacity development for farmers to enhance current and future prospects of the industry."

"Revitalising the industry will have immense flow on benefits for outer island communities. 90 percent of Cook Islands pearls are produced in the northern island lagoon of Manihiki - 1160 kilometres north of Rarotonga - where employment and livelihood opportunities are limited", the Minister said.

"This programme builds on research already carried out into the ongoing viability of Cooks Island's marine resources, and an initial investment into market research aimed at helping to effectively position the Cook Island's pearl industry internationally."

"Investment in the pearl industry is a priority initiative under the New Zealand and Cook Islands Joint Commitment for Development, and is complemented by New Zealand's support for waste management and sanitation improvement in the Cook Islands which seeks to safeguard the country's lagoons for future generations", Mr McCully said.

The Joint Commitment for Development will serve to strengthen the development relationship and deliver real, long term outcomes for the people of Cook Islands.
 

(Photo: Fiji Broadcasting Corporation)

FIJI: 'Do your job well' says Police Commissioner
Source: Fiji Times

No matter what job or responsibility is given to you, you must finish the job properly, says Fiji Police Commissioner Brigadier General Iowane Naivalurua.

The police commissioner made the statement at a morning church service at the Nasea Methodist Church in Labasa yesterday.

He said he wanted the officers in the police force to do their job well in order to achieve the Look North Policy.

"It is a bad thing to do an incomplete job," Brig-Gen. Naivalurua said.

He said the police responsibilities were to uphold and enforce the rule of law, and to lead by example all the time.

Brig-Gen. Naivalurua said those on the frontline of the force would encounter challenges in their lives.

"The force stays still to fight crime."

He said before fighting crime, all policemen and women should know the meaning of the police uniform.

He advised two things people needed to be careful about.

He said they should put aside things that did not matter and be careful where they got counselling, and what they saw and heard.

"Once people get wrong counselling from other peer groups, they will bring that wrong counseling into the work-place, further passing it on to the other work members spoiling how work should be done," he added.

Photo Caption: Fiji Police Commissioner Brigadier General Iowane Naivalurua.
 

(Photo: UNIFEM)

WORLDWIDE: Peace building on the agenda
Source: United Nations Development Programme Press Release

Senior government officials, members of the civil society and development partners from four Pacific Island countries will attend a weeklong meeting to explore means of strengthening peace and stability and promoting dialogue.

The workshop, undertaken as part of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Strengthening Capacities for Peace and Development (CPAD) project will be attended by more than forty five participants from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Island and Tonga. CPAD aims to bring together government and civil society actors to share experiences, discuss the difficult issues and begin to strengthen leadership and capacities for peace in the Pacific.

Participants will look at identifying the linkages between peace, stability and development as well as ways to address the root causes of conflict in the Pacific. This workshop will also explore how public policy can address causes of conflict.

A similar workshop was held in Nadi last year, as part of which a community of Pacific peace builders was created. The experiences of the community will also be shared at this workshop.

The Permanent Secretary Lands, and a member of the Pacific Peace Community, Filimoni Kau, Manager of the UNDP Pacific Centre, Garry Wiseman and Team Leader of UNDP’s Crisis Prevention and Recovery team, Tracy Vienings will deliver remarks at the opening of the workshop.

The workshop will take place at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi from July 18 - 22.

Photo Caption: Participants at a peace-building workshop in the Solomon Islands.