NEWSPAGE 24 August
2011

(Photos: Pacific Cooperation Foundation)

(Photo: Savali News)

SAMOA: Old Salelologa market to be the nonu and agricultural centre
Source: Savali News

The old produce market at Saleologa, Savai’i will now be the centre for all nonu and agricultural collection and preparation in Savaii by Pure Pacifika Samoa Limited for the huge Chinese market.

Pure Pacifika Samoa Limited is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Reef Group Limited, spearheading Reef’s efforts to match Samoan nonu and other agricultural production to the growing demand from China and elsewhere in Asia for organic premium produce.

This follows the smooth handover of the building from the Sa Pauli family of Salelologa to Reef Investments (Samoa) Limited, Reef Group’s property-owning company for Samoa.

The Reef Group companies are part of the consortium that is behind the village-based economic development projects through crops such as nonu, kava, honey and Samoan cocoa.

On behalf of all Samoan growers wishing to harvest and sell these crops, Reef has secured a supplier relationship with with Tupa’ilelei Jack Chen’s group of factories and concept stores in various cities in Mainland China, to target parts of the massive Chinese consumer market.

The agreement for the purchase of the old produce market building was finalised last Friday between the head of the Pauli Family, Pauli Apelu and ten matais of his family; a representative of Reef Investments (Samoa) Limited; and laywer Ms. Ruby Drake of the Drake & Co law firm of Apia.

The sale involves only the old market structure which was awarded to the family some years ago by the Government. A lease to the company of the land on which the building stands is also being drawn up with the Ministry of the Environment.

Pure Pacifika Samoa’s General Manager Masuisui JR Pereira said the Saleolologa property is ideal and strategically located for the company’s logistical needs and for future expansion and long term developments in Savai’i.

Since May this year, the company had been purchasing nonu from Savai’i farmers at $9.00 per bucket. To date, the nonu had been stored at Asau before transferring to its Vaitele factory for processing and juicing.

Pereira said that having a facility very close to the Saleologa wharf is ideal for transportation and will save handling costs and increase security and product care.

By having the property as its collection, storage, receivals and distribution hub, the company will also be providing employment to some of the villagers.

Pure Pacifika is contracted to supply 800,000 liters of nonu juice to its principal Chinese customer by December this year; 3 million liters by December 2012 and 5million liters by December 2013.

The company is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries so that the Samoan farmers will be able to deliver the huge orders already in place.

Having the secured market outlets come at a critical time when the Ministry has just released its Agriculture Sector Plan. As a consequence and given the potentially huge markets now opened to the Samoan farmers, nonu will likely be one of the main drivers for the sector.

Training for farmers on the husbandry and harvest of the nonu fruit will commence next week as the collection of nonu in Upolu is targeted to begin on 29 August.

A high level government delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Fonotoe Nuafesili Lauofo, the Speaker of Parliament Laauli Polatavao Fosi, Associate Ministers, Tafua Maluelue Tafua, Afoafouvale John Moors, Peseta Vaifou and included the CEO of the Ministry of Agriculture Fonoiava Sealiitu Sesega and the ACEO of Trade and Commerce - Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling, made a first hand inspection of the factories and stores where the nonu juice and other Samoan agro-based products would be packaged and sold across China.

Tupa’ilelei Jack Chen’s string of stores which will be 3,000 in total by next year, delivers the concept of the product from its pure, organic source in the Pacific, via the state-of-the-art factory in China and on to the shelf for the Chinese consumer cutting away the existence of the middlemen.

The “concept stores” which also sell Tupailelei’s milk and dairy products from his factory in Tauranga, New Zealand, target the affulent Chinese middle class clientele.

Pure Pacifika Samoa is also to deliver in a few months, its first order for Samoan kava and honey, again a first for the huge Chinese market.

Photo Caption: Apelu signing the sale agreement as other members of his family and Masuisui JR Pereira of Pure Pacifika looks on.
 

(Photo: Falaniko Vitolio / Samoa News)

AMERICAN SAMOA: Rugby aims high for 2011 Pacific Games
Source: Samoa News

"If we are placed high above other third tier teams in New Caledonia, we will play in Australia in next year's IRB circuit, and if we are successful in October's Oceania 7's tournament in Apia, we will be included in the Wellington IRB 7's competition. But if we top all the those countries except the big ones, American Samoa will be invited to play in Hong Kong."

These were encouraging remarks made by Gov, Togiola Tulafono, chairman of the American Samoa Rugby Union at the fund raising Tausala night last Saturday evening held at the Marist St. Joseph's Sports club center in Tafuna. The ASRU collected more than $4,000.

The ASRU is not only playing for gold in New Caledonia when the 14th Pacific Games begin at week's end, but is using this competition as a springboard to the international scene long dominated by other South Pacific giants in rugby, Samoa, Fiji, and to a lesser extent Tonga, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and Niue.

Chairman Togiola explains that his union's team must rank high against countries that are rated below the top playing nations like Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga in order to be invited to the International Rugby Board's 2011/12 international sevens circuit that will start at the end of November this year.

"It is therefore very important for American Samoa to place well ahead in Noumea and at the Oceania IRB sevens ranking tournament in Apia to be included to the Australia, New Zealand, and the Hong Kong legs of the IRB circuit", Togiola reiterates.

This will be the first time in close to 20 years that American Samoa will be represented in Pacific Games rugby. The union was not a part of the American Samoa National Olympic Committee for many years because of the power struggle among officials that had plagued any effort of reconciliation.

Thus the union was suspended from the ASNOC, according to the late ASNOC president, Ben Sola'ita. It was not until last year when Togiola stepped in and saved American Samoa's IRB associate membership that had been threatened to be withdrawn did things start to look better. The union was restructured and readmitted to the ASNOC.

Thirteen players have been selected to represent American Samoa at the New Caledonia Pacific Games that start this weekend. The players were picked from the Fagatogo, Lauli'i, Tafuna, Leone, and Marist St. Joseph's Sports rugby clubs.

The players are: David Laban, Feite Okesene, McClusky Fa'agata Jr., Joseph Tipoia, Lope Iakopo, Esau Time, Nard Umayam, Tapuala Tasiluatolu, Toss I. Poyer, Melea Timo, Nikikata Lua, Finau Loa, Pino Tapua'ilupe. The alternate, Pino will not travel with the team but may join the squad in New Caledonia in the event someone in the official squad is injured or sick.

Togiola will lead the American Samoa team and officials of close to 170 to New Caledonia on Tuesday evening. He is also a part of the rugby delegation in his capacity as chairman of the union. Three other officials will accompany the team. They are: national head coach, Tommy Elisara, team manager, union vice president Clarence Crichton, and assistant coach, Mafui'e McClusky Fa'agata. Vui Tagaloa Eli was to have traveled with the team as manager but pulled out because of employment obligations. He works for the Office of Samoan Affairs.

Coach Elisara says the team has been camping at the Marist St. Joseph's Sports club in Tafuna for the past three weeks and uses the Tafuna Veteran's stadium to train every evening. "The team is well prepared as far as fitness is concerned. We've been together since June and worked on ball skills, combinations, tackling and other important areas of sevens rugby that needed to be improved."

The most experienced member of the team is David Laban from Leone. He is 31 years old, married and has four children. He went to St. Joseph's College in Lotopa and represented Samoa in the under 21 World Cup squad in the tournament that was held in Australia. He was also a member of the IRB Savai'i Samoa team that played against teams from Fiji and Tonga and was picked for Samoa's international sevens squad.

He moved to American Samoa in 2004 and settled in Leone. He played for the Leone Whites for many years but joined the Marist club this year. He's a utility player and specializes at the second-five position. David will be named captain of the American Samoa squad before the team departs for New Caledonia on Tuesday evening.

David realizes that his young and inexperienced squad will go up against the top teams in the world at the Noumea rugby competition. In fact American Samoa's first match in its pool will be against the 2009 gold medalist and the 2010 IRB world sevens champion Samoa.

"It will not be easy, but we just have to stay focused and play our game. You never know what will happen. If David could bring down Goliath, I believe we can shock Samoa".

The oldest member of the rugby team is Melea Timo from the Leone rugby club. He is 33 years old, married and has an 8-year old daughter that attends Kanana Fou High School. He works at the LBJ Medical Center as a purchasing officer and plays at 2nd five. "We hope to do well in Noumea so we can play in the IRB circuit as explained by governor Togiola," Time comments.

Twenty-five year old Fe'ite Okesene was a star quarterback and wide receiver for the Faga'itua Vikings football team. He graduated in 2004 and plays in the backline for the Lauli'i rugby team. He stays home to care for his mom in Lauli'i and believes the squad leaving for Noumea has the potential of taking the championship.

"We aim for the gold in New Caledonia. We have a good team, very fit, and we have some fast players. We'll do our best to win the gold for American Samoa and for the future of rugby here and in the international arena."

Having played in both sports, football and rugby, Okesene believes that the latter is a more demanding code because of the physicality of the game and that there are no time outs during the match. "You have to run 80 minutes non stop."

McClusky Fa'agata Jr. a 21-year old Fagatogo player agrees. "The body contact in rugby is nastier. In football you wear pads and helmets for protection. In rugby, those safety pads are outlawed. There is nothing to protect your body from big hits."

Fa'agata went to Samoan High School and graduated in 2008. He is also a rower for his village of Fagatogo's fautasi, Ise'ula. He plays as a fullback with the Fagatogo Blues A team.

Tapuala Tasiluatolu lives in Nu'uuli but plays rugby for the Lalomalava club. He is 23 years old and is the fastest player in the team. A graduate of Pava'ia'i Elementary, Tapuala left the territory and attended the Laleleioamoa school on the big island of Savai'i in Samoa. He returned to American Samoa after he graduated and plays as a wing for his club team.

The rugby competition will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 31st at the Stade Numa Daly field in the capital, Noumea. American Samoa will face the Cook Islands 2009 mini Pacific Games gold medalist, Samoa in its opening match at 4.30 p.m. On Thursday, September 1st, the territorial squad will play two pool matches in the afternoon. Its first game is against the Solomon Islands at 1.30 then they will face Vanuatu in its third pool match at close to 4 p.m.

On Friday, September 2, matches will be held to determine which teams will advance to the medal rounds.

There are 14 countries and territories playing for the gold in the Pacific Games rugby in New Caledonia. These are: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis & Futuna.

Fiji won gold in both men's and women's divisions at the Pacific Games held in Samoa four years ago. In the men's group, Fiji beat Samoa in Apia for the gold but two years later, Manu Samoa revenged that loss and triumphed over Fiji to take the gold in the Rarotonga mini Pacific Games in 2009.
 

Photo Caption: American Samoa Rugby Union and team with chairman, Gov. Togiola Tulafono (4th from left).

FIJI: Health service improving, says adviser
Source: Fiji Times
 

Fiji has made significant progress towards improving the quality of health services including implementing in-service training for nurses despite geographical difficulties.

National adviser for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) Dr Isimeli Tukana said: "We believe that we could learn enormously by sharing the Central Division's experiences.

"We already anticipate a successful outcome."

Dr Tukana made the comments while opening the need based in-service training for community health nurses at the Tanoa Plaza in Suva yesterday.

The training model was developed in the Central Division between 2005 and 2008 within the initial project "in-service training for community health nurses".

It has proved to contribute towards improving nurses' performance leading to improved health services for communities.

The workshop facilitated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has 13 participants from Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu in attendance.

All participants will be able to share and gain practical knowledge on developing sustainable need based in-service training system at the end of the course.

Dr Tukana told the participants that he hoped the week-long training would be time well spent acquiring new knowledge and skills. "We would like to thank JICA for its continuous support in facilitating the development of the need based in-service training.

"And providing this great opportunity to conduct the regional training in order to share our experiences with our neighbouring countries," he said. He said the training model in Tonga and Vanuatu would be tailored to fit into each country's system and be implemented.
 

(Photo: Takitimu Festival)

TAHITI: Tahiti prepares for Takitimu Festival
Source: Voxy News

The unmistakable sound of Polynesian drum beats, mixed with the mesmerising hip movements of dancers, will be used to retell the 1000-year old story linking Tahiti with New Zealand.

It's likely to be part of the performance Leila Lai and her dance troupe, Tavai'ura, are planning to present at the international Takitimu Festival in Hawke's Bay next month.

"I don't want to give too much away, we want it to be a surprise. We've found many stories from the islands and from our ancestors, which relate to people here in New Zealand," she says.

Leila and a delegation from Tahiti were in town recently to talk to festival organisers in Hastings about the role the Pacific nation will play at the event.

The group shared stories with students from the Kahurangi Maori Dance Academy about how the Takitimu waka left the Pacific, carry people from Tahiti and other islands, in search of new land eventually landing in Aotearoa.

"And so it's my role to prepare the structure and story of our dance, to set the choreography for the boys and girls performing and to show our genealogical history," Leila says.

Preparations began several months ago when La-Darles, an experienced performer, had the difficult task of selecting 40 dancers from her 150-strong troupe for the Takitimu Festival.

"There were some who were disappointed they missed out, others couldn't go because of their commitments at home, so in the end I let our ancestors guide me.

"They are really excited to be part of the group coming to New Zealand and I've asked them to give everything in their performance, not just in terms of dancing, but spiritually as well," she says.

Leila began dancing in her father's troupe in Tahiti when she was three years old and further made a pledge to her country's culture following the death of her grandmother.

"Since that sad event, I have a lot of feelings when I dance, write songs and choreography. I love my culture and I want to share it with everybody."

She has danced around the Pacific and recently won the prestigious Hula Kahiko and Hula Owana contest in Hawaii, an accolade which entitled her to teach Hula Hawaiian dance to others.

It prompted her and friends to form a troupe which now had 150 performers and in 2010 it won first prize in the Orero section at the Heiva in Tahiti, considered the biggest dance contest in the Pacific.

The Orero involves performances depicting legends of events from centuries ago, using songs, dance and traditional orchestra percussion instruments such as pahu and toere, tariparau, pahu tupai and faakete.

"We also dance in the hotels of Huahine and Tahiti, they perform from 10am until 8pm most days, and in the weekend they spend time making their costumes, it's a lot of work," Leila says.

Among the troupe coming will be singers, dancers and a small number will perform craft work at the festival. For most, it will be their first time to New Zealand.

"Now there is only a month to go and they are doing everything they can do to be ready, physically as well as spiritually," Leila says.

(Photo: Pacific Islands Applied GeoScience Commission)

WORLDWIDE: Managing risk now a priority in the Pacific
Source: Pacific Islands Applied GeoScience Commission Press Release

Pacific Island nations can now access information that could change their response to the threat of natural hazards, and indicate options for managing the financial burden of disasters.

The Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative, a two-year project, has resulted in “the most comprehensive set of data ever collected within the Pacific Islands.”

“I would like to see the available data to be implemented in Pacific Island Governments for everyday processes, whether it be for asset management, building standards and controls, planning, or monitoring the impact of disasters,” said consulting scientist Phil Glassey, Head of Regional Geology Department, GNS Science New Zealand.

Speaking to more than 200 delegates at the SPC/SOPAC Division 3rd Session of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management, Mr Glassey said that information had been gathered from eleven Pacific Island countries through a joint initiative: SPC/SOPAC Division, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, with technical support from AIR Worldwide, GNS Science, the Pacific Disaster Center, and assistance from trained technical staff from within the Pacific Island countries.

Disasters in the region since 1950 have affected more than nine million people, caused just under 10,000 deaths, and have cost Pacific Island countries an estimated US$3.2 million in associated damage. Having access to this data can assist in disaster preparedness and damage reduction.

Mr Glassey explained that the information gathered during the Pacific Risk Assessment Initiative by contributing partner AIR Worldwide included a historical analysis of 450 disasters, from 1831 to 2009, and the frequency of these events, which made it possible to produce detailed hazard models for each of the countries.

The hazard models constructed by AIR Worldwide show the impact of tropical cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, storm surges, landslides, floods, and severe local storms. This includes the potential loss of life, damage to buildings, crops and infrastructure, as well as the cost in dollar value to rebuild and recuperate from an event.

Governments can access information as to which disasters they should prepare for. For example, Papua New Guinea has a history of many earthquakes, but only a few cyclones. Therefore, the country would concentrate on earthquake preparedness, rather than for cyclones.

The database contains information about the distribution of populations; major cash crops (such as coconut, banana or dalo); the location and structure of water, waste water and electrical utilities, infrastructure such as bridges, dams, and ports, and of an “astounding” 3.5 million commercial and public buildings.

Mr Glassey explained that there was detailed information describing 80,000 of these buildings, while the characteristics of the remainder have “been assumed, using statistical methods.”

He said the data collected could be utilised by Ministries and Offices for Disaster Risk Management, and Ministries of Finance and Planning, making informed decisions possible.

It gives planners the opportunity to strengthen existing buildings and infrastructure, or to increase new building code requirements before, for example, a cyclone or a tsunami strikes.

The immediate cost of such changes can be calculated against the cost of replacement or repair if strengthening measures are not implemented, so it is possible to assess the risk to future development if finances are diverted to meet the cost, immediate and in the aftermath, of a disaster.

Mr Glassey said that a possible future outcome from the Initiative could be the pooling of resources on a regional level as a part of disaster preparedness.

Commenting on the establishment of the database, which will be housed at the SOPAC Division of the SPC, the Director of the SOPAC Division, Dr Russell Howorth said, ”This is a very real and tangible development that will benefit Pacific Island countries as they engage in better planning and preparedness initiatives.

“Work now planned will involve ensuring that the ownership and capacity to fully utilise the very large information database is driven nationally, from capitals around the region,” concluded Dr Howorth.

Photo Caption: Mr Philip Glassey, during the recent SPC/SOPAC Division 3rd Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management in Auckland.