NEWSPAGE 17 August
2011

(Photo: Commonwealth Secretariat)

(Photo: Savali News)

SAMOA: Parliament passes Survivor bill
Source: Savali News

The Survivor bill - passed by Parliament - may challenge as the fastest to be approved in the House.

It took just two addresses - by the Prime Minister who explained it and the Opposition’s deputy leader who endorsed it - in less than 30 minutes to go through.

Dubbed the SEG (Survivor Entertainment Group) International Enterprise Group Bill 2011, it outlines tax exemptions and incentives to be extended to the popular CBS Survivor Series, again, being filmed in Samoa.

It covers exemptions on income tax, VAGST, departure tax and permit payments.

Explaining the bill, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the financial and tourism promotional benefits from filming the series, again, in Samoa far outweigh the waived taxes.

“The company is spending up to US$16 million in the country filming two seasons. That money goes to hotels, to restaurants, to rental car companies, to haulage companies, to builders, to super markets where they buy food, to hardware stores, to bars where the crew relax, handicraft makers, to farmers where they buy vegetables, to fishermen where they buy fish, to a myriad of other businesses not to mention the 150 or so local people directly employed by Survivor.

“It is the second time Survivor has filmed in Samoa and the exposure it has given to the country - with its 500,000 word-wide audience - is phenomenal. As a result, other film companies have made enquiries to government to also film in Samoa.”

The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to appeal to villages to protect their forests, their beaches, lagoons and reefs as such natural beauty abundant in Samoa draws film makers here.

“We want Samoa to be the fim capital of the Pacific,” the Prime Minister stated.

Opposition Deputy Leader Aeau Peniamina Leavai - who spoke for the Opposition benches - said they had no qualms with the bill.

“It is a clearly spelt-out bill and we see the huge benefits such film companies bring to Samoa. We are fully supportive of it.”

The unscheduled bill was forwarded to the House after the Head of State endorsed its urgency.

“Survivor is already halfway through filming and there is urgency in getting this bill signed into law,” said Prime Minister Tuilaepa.

“This bill is no different from that of March, 2009, when Survivor fist filmed here. It will be invalid when they wrap up shooting. And, from what I’ve gathered, they will again come to Samoa because of the good experience they’ve had here.”

Issues such as natural environment, security, accommodation, the lack of red tape and ease of operation draws such film companies to Samoa, the PM added.

“This has been their (Survivor) experience in Samoa.”

The back-to-back Survivor seasons is currently being filmed on-location at Falelatai and Saanapu.

However, in passing the bill, Speaker of the House Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao dropped a hint that, the next “overseas movie will be filmed in Savaii.”
 

Photo Caption: Natural environment and living authentic culture brings Survivor back to Samoa.

(Photo: Pacific Islands News Association)

AUSTRALIA: Ausveg highlights Pacific Islander work scheme
Source: www.freshfruitportal.com

Australian industry body AusVeg has called on farmers to make the most of the Federal Government’s Pacific Seasonal Workers Pilot Scheme, drawing labor from countries like Kiribati, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

AusVeg CEO Richard Mulcahy said the scheme could be a good way to meet current labor force challenges, especially as backpacker worker numbers are on the decline.

“Many Australian farms face problems finding a reliable workforce in busy periods of the year,” he said.

“Vegetable and fruit growers previously relied on backpacker labour, which is becoming increasingly scarce with the current uncertain global financial situation leading to less people spending on travel.

“The pilot scheme benefits growers as the workforce remain at their farm for periods of four to six months, which cuts down on the amount of re-training that they need to do during their busiest periods of the year.”

Mulcahy said an added benefit was that workers often return year after year, which leads to skills retention and efficiency improvement.

“The scheme also assists keen workers from Pacific Islands, where opportunities for work can be scarce, as these growers are paid to Australian standards, with money earned often used to support their families back home.

“A scheme like this is beneficial for all parties involved, as growers benefit through access to reliable and skilled workers, Australian industries are supported through improvements in efficiency and the workers benefit through employment that they may not otherwise have access to.”

The scheme was first announced in 2008 when former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced 2,500 visas would be given to unskilled workers from Pacific islands, magazine Islands Business International reported.

In early 2010, the magazine published a story pointing out only 56 workers had arrived in Australia under the scheme by that date, tagging the number as a ’sorry tally’.

Since then the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations has made changes to the scheme to provide more flexibility, sharing arrangements, and different payment requirements for workers’ airfares.

Under the previous scheme farmers needed to pay 50% of international airfare costs for any Pacific Island worker, but the percentages have changed to 35% for Kiribati workers, 50% for Tongans, 55% for Papua New Guineans and 80% for Vanuatuans.

Photo Caption: Pacific Seasonal Workers drawn from countries like Kiribati, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu

(Photo: Harinani.com)

HAWAII: Hawaii students, artists tapped to show what an aloha-based economy is
Source: The Hawaii Independent
 

A Hawaiiana-inspired community mural project and engagement program has been funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). Titled “Hawai’i Loa Ku Like Kakou” (Hawai’i Kakou), the project aims to create a visual response to the gathering of world economies in Hawai’i.

Five native Hawaiian artists and a group of young Hawaiian artists from public, private, and charter schools will be painting an eighty-foot mural on view at the Hawaii Convention Center.

“The mural’s creation gives Hawaiians and indigenous people a visual voice,” says artist and mural organizer Meleanna Meyer. “We can interpret ourselves, as Hawaiian artists. We don’t need intermediaries. OHA is giving us a chance to articulate for the world and ourselves, what an aloha-based economy is.”

Along with Meyer, Solomon Enos, Kahi Ching, Harinani Orme and Al Lagunero will be joining middle school and high school artists from Kamakau Public Charter School, Roosevelt High School, Moanalua, Punahou, Kamehameha, Kapolei High School, Pearl City High School, Anuenue, and Ha’akipu Learning Center to paint the mural from October 5 through October 11. The Mural will be painted on site at the Hawaii Convention Center in Waikiki. The mural will measure 6 feet by approximately 80 feet, when it is completed.

Collection on elements for the mural is underway. Focused efforts on gathering ideas from the Hawaiian community will take place at the Hawaiian Convention being held at the Convention Center on August 23.

The mural will also include messaging, icons, symbols, and visual interpretations that join many of the common elements of indigenous economies throughout Asia and the Pacific.

“The hope is that everyone who views the mural will feel, in some way, included in it,” says Maile Meyer, sister of artist Meleanna and another of the principal organizers of the Hawai’i Kakou mural project.

“We must find ourselves in each other, recognizing each other as family and not strangers. When the mural is completed, what we learned will be shared in various communication medium including social networking and blogging, film and video, print and magazines, curriculum materials, and community posters. We want to share a Hawaiian message, and this mural is the start.”

Photo Caption: Maile Meyer and Meleanna Meyer's Arting in Place mural at Camp Mokule’ia brought 15 young student artists and professional local artists together.
 

(Photos: Australia-Pacific Technical College)

NAURU: APTC Co-hosts Nauru Career/Trades Expo week
Source: Australia-Pacific Technical College

The APTC Nauru office, in conjunction with the USP Nauru Campus and the Nauru Secondary School / TVET College co-hosted an Annual Careers Expo from 2-4 August, 2011.

With the support of the APTC Alumni (past graduates of APTC), the three day event was organised through the Education Department's three secondary schools - Nauru Secondary School, Nauru College and Kayser College, to promote Trades and Careers to the youth and general public.

Employers set up stalls and made presentations to the audience on careers in their respective fields. Many career pathways were promoted through APTC, USP, and Nauru TVET. This included the Education Department who are keen for more local teachers to be trained. The Public Service's Human Resource and Labour staff promoted departmental careers in Government, while the Health Department presented valuable aspects of careers in the Health sector.

The APTC Country Program Coordinator, Formosa Halstead spoke to students, teachers, parents and the public about opportunities for Nauruans to gain internationally recognised Australian qualifications in trade areas such as Automotive, Carpentry, Hospitality, Tourism and Community Services.

Past APTC graduates, now members of the APTC Nauruan Alumni, participated as guest speakers giving an account of their training experiences across the trades, hospitality and community services fields. They explained how they are now applying in the local workforces what they had learnt while training.

The event was covered by the Nauru Media and was attended by staff and students of the local secondary schools, parents, employers and members of the community.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Nauru careers Expo.

Photo 2 - APTC course information given to students of Nauru College.

(Photo: Taimi Media Network)

TONGA: Banned FIFA officials wait for appeal
Source: Matangi Tonga
 

Three former FIFA executive committee members banned in a World Cup bidding scandal, including Tonga's 'Ahongalu Fusimalohi, will have their appeals heard no sooner than October, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Monday (August 15, 2011).

World sport's highest court said legal submissions have pushed back cases involving Amos Adamu, Amadou Diakite and 'Ahongalu Fusimalohi.

FIFA's ethics committee banned all three, plus three other officials, last November after a British newspaper, The Sunday Times, alleged vote-trading in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup contests.

The Associated Press reported that the three former FIFA executive members' appeals to FIFA were heard in February before they were able to launch appeals at CAS.

Adamu, a former Nigeria sports minister, is challenging a three-year ban for bribery that cost him his seat on FIFA's ruling body, and his World Cup votes.

Diakite, from Mali, lost his position as a member of the FIFA referees committee when he got a three-year ban that was reduced to two on appeal.

London Olympic

Fusimalohi also got a three-year sanction cut to two, but lost his job as Tonga Football Association chief executive. Since then Fusimalohi has become the Special Adviser to the Tongan Prime Minister (Media and Public Relations), and he was appointed by the Tonga Association of Sports (TASA) in May as its Chef de Mission for the London Olympic Games next year.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will be scrutinizing FIFA's code of ethics for the first time when its appeal panels hear the cases.

The same code was used by FIFA to ban Mohamed bin Hammam from football for life last month, after the former presidential candidate was judged to have arranged bribes for voters in the Caribbean. Bin Hammam has pledged to challenge that verdict at FIFA's appeal committee and then CAS.

Photo Caption: Former Tongan Football Association chief executive Ahongalu Fusimalohi.