NEWSPAGE 14 September
2011

(Photo: eventpolynesia.com)

(Photo: Daniel a.k.a ming mong / Flickr.com)

SAMOA: Manu Samoa team to play Namibia
Source: eventpolynesia.com
 
Head Coach Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua has named a strong line-up to open their World Cup campaign against Namibia today at Rotorua International Stadium, kick off at 2:30PM NZST.

Manu Samoa will be captained by the experienced international Mahonri Schwalger playing in his third World Cup campaign.

1. Sakaria Taulafo
2. Mahonri Schwalger (Captain)
3. Anthony Perenise
4. Kane Thompson
5. Daniel Leo
6. Taiasina Tu’ifua
7. Maurie Faasavalu
8. George Stowers
9. Kahn Fotuali’i
10. Tusiata Pisi
11. Alesana Tuilagi
12. Seilala Mapusua (Vice Captain)
13. George Pisi
14. Sailosi Tagicakibau
15. Paul Williams

RESERVES
16. Ti’i Paulo
17. Census Johnston
18. Iosefa Tekori
19. Ofisa Treviranus
20. Aukusitino Poluleuligaga
21. Eliota Fuimaono
22. Tasesa Lavea

In other news, next week will mark 20 years since Manu Samoa beat Wales in 1991 and reached the Quarter Finals of the World Cup. The players and management will meet up in Auckland for a week of anniversary celebrations culminating in watching Samoa vs Fiji at Eden Park. For one lucky winner, you will join me on Monday 19th September at the Manu Legends Reunion Welcome Cocktail at Guada’s Bar, 3 Ronwood Ave, Manukau, Auckland from 6pm till late with complimentary Beer, Wine, Juice & Soft Drinks between 6-8pm, finger foods provided throughout the night and the opportunity to meet Vili Alaalatoa, Tavita Sio, Andy Aiolupo, Timo Tagaloa, Mata’afa Keenan, Fereti Tuilagi and the list goes on.

To win, you will need to track down former Manu Samoa CEO Tuilagi Saipele Esera among the Manu supporters at the Rotorua International Stadium; take a picture with him and email it to [email protected] to go into the draw this Friday to win your invitation.

The Manu Legends Reunion events are being organised by former Manu Samoa captain Peter Fatialofa and Tu Nu'uali'itia and sponsored by Apia Concrete Production, Sinalei Reef Resort, Westforce and Carisbrook. Contact Haley-Belle Smith on (+649) 263-6540 to find

If you wish to receive updates on the Manu Samoa RWC 2011 campaign, subscribe for free by replying with the words GO MANU in the subject line. By the way, you don’t have to be Samoan to support the boys in blue and yes you can forward this email to your friends and families.

Go Manu!
 

(Photo: Australia-Pacific Technical College)

AUSTRALIA: APTC graduates at Samoa Shipping

The new Samoa Shipping Corporation's (SSC) Marine Engineering and Fabrication Services (MEFS) at Vaitele is totally staffed by graduates of the Australia Pacific Technical College. The skills that they have learned in their APTC courses are at international standard and mean that they can offer services to the public that cannot be done anywhere else in Samoa.

The Workshop Supervisor is Tuiafetea George Poutoa from Alafua who is a father of four children. He was trained in Diesel Fitting at APTC in Suva Fiji. He says that "the APTC training was of an excellent standard. My trainer, Taro Morrison, emphasised safety and high quality standards. Samoa Shipping has encouraged us to implement these same standards into this new workshop at Vaitele so customers don't have to order parts from New Zealand or Fiji - we can fabricate and repair them right here. This benefits Samoa and saves our customers money and time. We get the job done right the first time. "

Two other APTC graduates at MEFS are the senior welders Tui Vaavaoa Masua from Sapunaoa and Mataafa Franz Wulf from Moamoa. They both graduated from APTC in 2010 and are enjoying the chance to use their skills to benefit the public of Samoa. Their customers include large construction companies, transport and bus companies, builders, government ministries, automotive companies, Samoa shipping and other marine companies. The workshop has been equipped with over $NZ 100,000 of state of the art equipment including Plasma cutter, MIG welding machine, lathes, press and milling machinery. Franz said "the training we received from APTC was excellent. The way our trainers explained things and made us understand not only how to do a job, but also why you do it that way, has made us really good tradesmen. Now we have the new equipment we can do excellent work."

Fata Ioane Faifuaina is married with four children and is from Leauvaa. He is the Senior Fitter at MEFS. He did his Australian standard Fitting and Machining Certificate III qualification at APTC in Samoa. "The best thing about APTC is learning and applying the Australian standards. The highest demand from our trainers was for quality and precision in doing our jobs. The training I received challenged me and it has made me very confident and skilled in my job. They taught us how to use the latest machinery and to use new technologies." Ioane is assisted by Sione Belford who is also a graduate of the APTC Fitting and Machining course in Samoa. Ioane said "we all make a great team and between us we can do anything the customer needs". Sione will receive his Certificate at the next APTC graduation in Apia later this year along with over 100 other APTC Samoan graduates from all courses.

According to George "the bosses are really happy with the standards we are producing. I do all the quotes and costings and they are happy with the profits which have increased because of our new skills. I want to see the customer happy - and they are happy because we get lots of repeat business".

The Managing Director of Samoa Shipping Papali'i Willie Nanson said "all our engineers were trained and have graduated from the Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC). I am very comfortable that with their high level skills and the new machinery we can accommodate any kind of work in Samoa. The collaboration with APTC is a very positive and productive one for our business."

Photo Caption: Tuiafetea George Poutoa; Fata Ioane Faifuaina; Mataafa Franz Wulf; APTC Student Coordinator Muta Isara and Tui Vaavaoa Masua at the new MEFS workshop at Vaitele.

(Photo: The Hawaii Independent)

HAWAII: First annual Lanikai Surf Festival to celebrate the ocean lifestyle
Source: The Hawaii Independent
 

The First Annual Lanikai Surf Festival takes place over the weekend of September 23-24 at Lanikai Park, featuring a wide variety of activities from surf films to a 2.4 stand up paddle (SUP) race. The public is invited to picnic and enjoy free evening surf movie screenings by renowned filmmakers, and browse booths stocked for and by local watermen and women. Lanikai, a quiet, friendly beach community, seems the perfect place to hold an event that celebrates the ocean lifestyle.

Friday’s movies include Wateman by legendary surf photographer Don King. “Talk story” sessions will feature revered surfers, shapers, photographers, and surfing industry veterans on Saturday, and a surf museum and surfing-themed craft fair will be held.

All of the event proceeds will benefit AccesSurf, an non-profit organization that strives to provide recreation opportunities to people with disabilities, the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization which exists to honor and empower wounded warriors who incur service-connected wounds, injuries, and illnesses on or after September 11, 2001, and the Lanikai Association to support their efforts in maintaining Lanikai Public Park and retaining the residential feel of the community.

For more information, visit www.lanikaisurffestival.com.

Lanikai Surf Festival
Friday-Saturday, September 23-24.
Lanikai Park

Photo Caption: Lanikai is the perfect place to celebrate the ocean lifestyle.
 

NAURU: Taiwan helps Nauru grow vegetables, become self-sufficient
Source: Focus Taiwan
 
An agricultural technical team from Taiwan has been helping the Republic of Nauru, one of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the South Pacific, grow vegetables and improve the diets of the country's people.

Tien Chung-kwang, director of the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs under the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), said Nauru residents have largely depended in the past on imported foods that led many of them to become obese and develop diabetes.

To minimize the problem, Tien said the Taiwanese agricultural team began teaching local residents to grow vegetables in their backyards last year by making home composts and collecting rainwater for irrigation, with the ultimate goal to make them self-sufficient.

Located in the southwestern Pacific ocean and surrounded by coral reefs, Nauru has little arable land and limited fresh water supplies, making it a challenge to grow fresh vegetables on the island.

It has therefore relied heavily on imported meat, starches, and soft drink products for their daily diet, and around 80 percent of the islanders are defined as obese because of the nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, Tien said.

The agricultural technical team, part of a diplomatic program that began in 2010, is helping Nauru grow six kinds of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, carrots, and leafy vegetables. The program has already reduced food imports by 50 percent, Tien said.

WORLDWIDE: Sub-Regional 'writeshop' accelerates HIV Law reform in the Pacific
Source: United Nations Development Programme Press Release

High Level representatives from the Justice, Health and Civil Society Organizations from Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu gather in Nadi to share their experience on human rights compliant HIV Policies and Laws.

The 3 days ‘writeshop’ (11-14 September, 2011) is organized by a partnership between the UNDP, UNAIDS, PIAF (Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation) and the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC/RRRT).

The objective of the workshop is to provide support and technical assistance that is required to advance human rights compliant HIV legislative change by analysing the current legislative status per country, providing various models of legislative reform, looking at the rationale for human rights compliant legislative responses to address the spread of HIV and writing a policy papers to step up progress to legislative reform.

While most HIV interventions target individual behavioural change, it is equally important, if not more, that the norms and structures that shape these behaviours are addressed. There is extensive and longstanding evidence that strategic structural investments can contribute to ‘break through’ progress.

It is expected that the delegates will leave the ‘writeshop’ with a strategic plan to implement the policy framework which will work towards guiding the respective countries in their response to HIV.

Garry Wiseman, Manager of UNDP Pacific Centre in his opening remarks highlighted that “…some countries in the region have already passed human rights-based legislation to better address HIV and AIDS: PNG, FSM and more recently Fiji. Others are in the process to start drafting new HIV laws such as Tuvalu and Cook Islands; and some are starting to develop new policy framework to do. This week will be an opportunity to share lessons learned and help each other.”

The event represents an opportunity for intra-regional cooperation on these issues and uses an interactive format to ensure countries gain maximum benefit from experience sharing.

Ruby Awa from SPC/RRRT commented that “…this is great, it will allow those countries who are still working on having a HIV legislation share their progress and pick up pointers from those who already have HIV legislation in place.”

The event includes the participation of people living with HIV who are taking an active role in the policy dialogue.

“We do not just need representatives, we are present and must take an active part of the dialogue and the policy and law making to address HIV, this is what Meaningful Involvement of People living with HIV means,” Temo Sasau, Fijian AIDS Ambassador in his address.