NEWSPAGE 19 August
2011

(Photo: Black Grace)

(Photo: Zhang Xu / China Radio International)

SAMOA: Love sports, love study more: one-athlete delegation of Samoa
Source: China Radio International

Emanuele Fuamatu, the 21-year-old Samoan who competed in the men's shot put at the Shenzhen Universiade, is the only one athlete representing his country at the international multi-sports event for university students.

"I am the only athlete here because I requested my country's university association to compete at this competition, because I know this competition is a very just competitive," Fuamatu said Wednesday during an exclusive interview with CRI.

Mervyn Kemp, Fuamatu 's coach, said another reason the two came to the Universiade was that it presented a good opportunity for Fuamatu to prepare for next year's London Olympic Games.

"I think it's important in competition level towards maybe, hopefully, meeting the Olympic Games next year, so it's very good experience to compete at this level, and it's like a rehearsal for Olympic Games with qualifying rounds and all of the same procedures as at the Olympic Games," Kemp said.

Although Fuamatu is the only delegate from Samoa, he doesn't feel alone in Shenzhen.

"Shenzhen is a great place," he said. "The hospitality of the people and their kindness are very good. I find them very helpful. They help you with anything you need and get it for you. It's quite pleasant!"

Fuamatu, who started his athletic career when he was 11 years old, has competed in the International Association of Athletics Federations World Junior Championships in Beijing in 2006, some U.S. championships, and a couple of events last yea in India.

Although Fuamatu made it to the finals at the Shenzhen Universiade, he failed to win a medal. Nevertheless, he believes he can win one two years from now at the next Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia.

"My final was competitive with a very high-quality (performance)," Fuamatu said. "Many of my opponents were much older than I and had a good deal of experience. They are very strong, but I think in two more years I can beat them."

When not competing, Fuamatu attends college in Sydney, Australia, where he is studying for degrees in international relations and politics and law.

"Study is very important in life because I compete at athletics which is not like other sports where you can earn a lot of money," he said. "You need a backup in case something bad happens. And education is good for your life. Athletics don't last all your life; only a couple of years, then it's (over)."

Fuamatu plans to become a diplomat or politician after he retires from his athletic career.
 

Photo Caption: Emanuele Fuamatu (R) of Samoa poses for a photo with coach Mervyn Kemp after an exclusive interview with CRI at the Universiade Village in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, on Wednesday, August 17, 2011.

AMERICAN SAMOA: RSAT for State Prisoners Program to receive Federal funding
Source: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega Press Release

Congressman Faleomavaega has announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) has made available $92,251 to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency through the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program. By authority granted by Congress under 42 U.S.C. 3796ff-1(e), the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the USDOJ awards RSAT grants to states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories based on a predetermined formula.

The goal of the RSAT Program is to break the cycle of drugs and violence by reducing the demand for, use, and trafficking of illegal drugs. Administered by USDOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, RSAT enhances the capability of states and units of local government to provide residential substance abuse treatment for incarcerated inmates; prepares offenders for their reintegration into their home communities by incorporating reentry planning activities; and assists offenders and their communities through the reentry process through the delivery of community-based treatment and other broad-based aftercare services.

The American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency may use the RSAT funds to implement up to three types of programs: residential, jail-based, and aftercare. At least ten percent of the total allocation for FY 2011 will be made available to local correctional and detention facilities for either residential or jail-based substance abuse treatment programs.

“I thank Attorney General Eric H. Holder and his team at the U.S. Department of Justice for making available these funds to assist local governments in breaking the cycle of drugs and violence through comprehensive treatment programs,” Faleomavaega stated.

“I am pleased to know that this program will assist the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency in delivering these crucial services through RSAT. More importantly, I am thankful that the RSAT program will help the incarcerated members of our community move one step towards a new beginning, equipping them with the tools that will help them to successfully rebuild and reunite with their families,” Congressman Faleomavaega stated.

“It is my hope that the RSAT program funding will enhance the admirable efforts in American Samoa to maintain justice and eradicate the drugs and violence that have increasingly plagued our Samoan families and community. I also thank and commend our local leaders and public servants who administer justice on a day-to-day basis. Thank you for your tireless efforts and dedication to further this noble cause,” the Congressman concluded. 
 

(Photo: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat)

FIJI: Pacific Plan achievements in the past year
Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release
 

The Pacific Plan endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in 2005 has recorded good achievements in the past year despite continuing challenges in the implementation of the Plan.

The achievements are contained in the 2011 Annual Pacific Plan Progress Report presented to the meeting of the Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC) underway at the Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji. PPAC is the committee mandated by Forum Leaders to oversee the implementation of the Plan.

The Report states that in the fisheries sector, a number of regional maritime surveillance operations were conducted to detect illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The largest of these was Operation Kurukuru in November last year, which covered the Exclusive Economic Zones of the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, and areas of the high seas - covering over 12 million square kilometers.

In the area of climate change, significant developments included the establishment of the CROP Executive Sub-Committee on Climate Change to coordinate the efforts of regional agencies. In response to a request by Forum Economic Ministers, the Forum Secretariat completed a major study on options to improve access to and management of climate change financing. Agreement was also reached at the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable held in Niue early this year on coordinating regional responses by establishing working groups on mitigation, adaptation and mainstreaming, climate change resources, and climate change information and knowledge management.

The implementation strategy for the Pacific Education Framework was endorsed by Forum Education Ministers in October last year. Work commenced on a baseline survey to obtain accurate information on the status and requirements of education systems in the Forum island countries.

As part of the implementation of the Forum Compact on Strengthening Development Cooperation, peer reviews were conducted in Vanuatu, Niue and Tuvalu in 2011.

Regional accountability was strengthened through the Pacific Regional Audit Initiative (PRAI) and the Pacific Ombudsman Alliance. Key programmes were delivered by the PRAI including financial audits on Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu, and co-operative performance audits into solid waste management involving ten Supreme Audit Institutions across the Pacific.

The Regional Institutional Reforms which were started in 2005 were completed during the past year. This included the merging of the Pacific Islands Applied GeoScience Commission (SOPAC) and the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA) into the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

The annual 2011 Pacific Plan Progress Reports states that while there have been achievements under the Plan in 2010 and 2011, major challenges remain. This includes ongoing negotiations on trade agreements under the Pacific Islands Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER Plus) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union. There are also major stresses on the region from the impact of climate change, and the rising costs of fuel and food.

The Report said that in considering the challenges, it is important to again highlight the potential benefits that regional integration and cooperation offers the Pacific region.

The full annual 2011 Pacific Plan Progress Report will be released after the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland, New Zealand 6 - 9 September.

Photo Caption: Delegates from Forum countries at the PPAC meeting.
 

(Photo: jbston)

NIUE: Niue’s noni farm to double in size to 120 hectares
Source: Radio New Zealand International

Niue’s noni farm is undergoing a major expansion and will become a significant employer on the island.

The farm, which is jointly owned by the Niue government and the Reef Group, is being doubled in size following the interest shown by Chinese investors.

A group of Chinese businesspeople from New Zealand last month made arrangements to take large quantities of noni juice from Niue, the Cook Islands and Samoa.

The manager of the Niue noni farm, Mike Doherty, says it’ll take about four years for the operation to reach full production from trees covering 120 hectares.

He says clearing the land’s a major exercise.

“There’s only a few inches of soil and below that is solid rock and a lot of the rock actually comes up out of the ground and it’s quite vicious looking, quite jagged. Yeah, it’s a big job clearing land in Niue. It involves bulldozers and then coming in behind the bulldozers and then doing.”

Mike Doherty says the farm currently has 20 staff but this will increase.

Photo Caption: Vaiea noni farm.

(Photo: Pacific Islands Applied GeoScience Commission)

WORLDWIDE: Cook Islands show the way at Pacific Disaster Platform
Source: Pacific Islands Applied GeoScience Commission Press Release

In common with many Pacific island countries, the Cook Islands face the effects of climate change and natural hazards and disasters such as tsunamis, droughts, fires and cyclones, all of which have the potential to cause set backs to economic, social and cultural development.

Two hundred delegates and experts, from 22 Pacific island countries and territories and around the world, met at the 3rd Session of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management to examine ways to mitigate the impact of disasters, including the impacts of climate change, on Pacific regional development.

Representing the Cook Islands at the SPC/SOPAC Division-organised Platform in Auckland New Zealand last week (01-05 August) were Mr Mac Mokoroa, Chief of Staff, Office of the Prime Minister, Ms Elizabeth Wright-Koteka, Director of the Cook Islands Central Planning and Policy Office, Ms Dallas Young, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, and Mr Charles Carlson, Director of Emergency Management Cook Islands.

“The Cook Islands Government, in recognising the overlap between Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, sees the need to harmonise the policies and implementation of each, and has committed to combining these in a joint National Action Plan. This plan can feed directly into the country’s national strategic development planning processes.

“It makes sense to use human, financial and institutional resources more efficiently while raising the profile of both Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation,” explained Ms Wright-Koteka.

Ms Wright-Koteka said that the goals of the joint action plan include a well-informed community, as this is vital to the overall effective preparedness, response and recovery of the nation to hazardous events. To be better able to cope with the impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise, cyclones and storm surges, the community needs to be involved and aware.
It is within the community context that Chief of Staff Mr Mokoroa drew attention to the work that is taking place on all of the islands in the Cooks, with Disaster Response Plans being put in place, Safety Centres being set up, and sirens for early warning systems being installed.

Mr Mokoroa said that even as the Platform was taking place, an automatic weather station had been installed in Auitaki, and updating of the Rarotonga automatic weather station was about to begin.

“This improves our ability to receive better forecasting. It allows our meteorologists to provide better quality information to our country in the event of a cyclone heading our way,” said Mr Mokoroa.

Mr Carlson of EMCI pointed out that after criticism of Government agencies’ delayed response to five cyclones in 2005 and Cyclone Pat in 2010, a contributing factor was found to be the lack of flexibility Ministries had in re-allocating funds to meet the cost of transporting personnel, supplies and equipment to disaster-struck areas.

The Disaster Assistance Emergency Fund announced in January this year by Prime Minister, Hon. Henry Puna, has had the allocation of $200,00NZD from the Government Reserve Fund approved by Cabinet.

With assistance from SPC/SOPAC Division, the Cook Islands Government is developing the management arrangements of the Fund. It is envisaged that in times of natural disasters and emergencies, this Fund will improve the immediate response time whilst awaiting responses from donor agencies.

The work carried out in the Cook Islands establishing the Fund and in harmonising policies can be used as a model by other countries. It informs planning at the national level, and preparedness at the grassroots level.

The Cook Islands representatives agreed that their country was giving a strong lead to other Pacific Island nations as to how a pro-active, committed government and an educated population can play their part in preparedness, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation

“Part of the success of the 3rd Session of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management was the inclusion of people from finance, policy and planning departments and agencies. They now better understand the needs of the region’s offices for Disaster Risk Management,” concluded Ms Wright-Koteka.

Photo Caption: (L-R) Cook Island delegates Charles Carlson, Mac Mokoroa and Elizabeth Wright-Koteka at the 3rd Session of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management.