NEWSPAGE
05 December
2011

(Photo: Maori Party)

SAMOA: Commemoration Of The National Youth Week 2011
Source: Ministry of Women Community and Social Development Press Release

The Division for Youth of the Ministry of Women Community and Social Development is working in collaboration with youth stakeholders to coordinate and facilitate the celebration of the National Youth Week to be held on the 5th - 7th of December 2011 under the theme, “Dialogue and Mutual Understanding - Youth Drive Change.” It aims to celebrate and acknowledge youth achievements and to address issues affecting young people towards being youth as drivers of change under the objectives as follows;

1. To dialogue and raise awareness of young people on the National Youth Policy 2011 - 2015 and strategies in place for youth development;

2. To build and enhance leadership skills of young people;

3. To promote services available for empowerment of young people;

4. To promote best practice and innovative skills from young people and relevant youth stakeholders.

The initial programme will start with the opening ceremony to be held on Monday 5th of December 2011 at the Tooa Salamasina Hall and to officially launch the National Youth Policy 2011-2015.

This year focuses on building leadership capacities and life-skills of young people through the National Youth Leadership Forum. The forum aims to target newly appointed Samoa National Youth Council village representatives and National Peer Educators as our focal points to the communities. This will be an opportunity to educate and raise awareness of the policy issues affecting young people as well as strategies in place as stipulated in the Samoa National Youth Policy 2011 - 2015.

The capacity building process will also involve a Youth Expo & Networking process whereby the sector partners involved will set up booth/side events for more in depth dialogue and interactive sessions with the young people to gain deeper knowledge of the issues.

National Youth Council Village Representatives is also selected to be the members of the 5th National Youth Parliament to be held on the 7th of December 2011 at Maota Luafatasaga Conference room at Mulinuu behind the parliament house. This activity is aiming to encourage and to practice leadership skills of young people through serious discussions of ways to utilize sports as tool to break through youth employment barriers.

Radio programs will be broadcasted live on the Talofa 88.5 FM from the 6th - 7th of December 2011. Representatives from the Samoa Family Health Association, Men Against Violence Advocacy Group, Ministry of Police and Prison and selected Government Village Representatives to discuss and to share their knowledge and experience regarding gender based violence and sexual reproductive health issues affecting young people of Samoa.

The program is being funded jointly by the Government of Samoa together with the AusAID Pacific Leadership Program via the Samoa National Youth Council project, the Oceania Football Confederation through the Youth and Sports Project, and UNESCO.
 

(Photo: ASCC)

AMERICA SAMOA: New Miss ASCC Promotes Cleanliness in American Samoa

Having successfully competed for the title of Miss American Samoa Community College (ASCC) 2011-2012, Pearl Faimafili Paopao Sheck wasted no time in attending to the responsibilities that come with the honor. Only a week after the Pageant, she participated in the Student Government Association Retreat held this past weekend, and for the remainder of the semester she will undertake additional duties performed by the reigning Miss ASCC.

During the competition, Ms. Sheck announced her platform (a theme or agenda she hopes to pursue during her reign) as “Cleanliness in American Samoa”, and she recently shared her vision of how to fulfill that goal. “It’s not just a title, it comes with responsibilities,” she says of the designation. “I strongly believe that by being Miss ASCC I can hold programs not only for the student body and student clubs, but also for the community to help me promote my platform. There are so many ways I can promote cleanliness, and I will pursue them one at a time. I hope to serve our community in any way I can in order to make a change.”

Asked how she chose her particular platform, Ms. Sheck describes the decision as “challenging”, but says she ultimately looked to the theme of the Pageant to make an informed choice. “Looking at the Pageant theme, ‘Our Past, Our Legacy, Our Story’, I came to realize that our environment is a part of our story. For many years, our people and our government have tried to promote the health of the environment but yet there is still very little change in it”, she reflected. “Now with the increase of technology, I believe that we are somehow losing our value for things we take for granted, such as our environment. That’s why I’ve decided to promote cleanliness on island. “

Now 19, Ms. Sheck was born in Gataivai, raised in Fitiuta, Manu’a, and now resides in Petesa Uta. Her parents are Rev. Atina'e Fuisami and Mrs. Tolufale Paopao Sheck, and she also acknowledges Rev. Tusi and Mrs. Afutoto Seanoa as her “spiritual parents”. The third child among four siblings, she has two brothers, Reupena and Puleimau, and a sister, Bithiah. Ms. Sheck participates in the Petesa Uta Youth, Choir, Worship Team, Band, as well as her Congregation. She attended Tafuna Elementary and went on to graduate in 2010 from Tafuna High School ranked second in her class (Salutatorian) out of 400 plus students.

“I decided to become a contestant for the Miss ASCC because I wanted to experience this lifetime opportunity and take the challenge,” she says. “I am very grateful to become Miss ASCC as a representative of the Brotherhood club. One thing I learned throughout my preparation of the pageant is that when things get tough, never lose faith in God. During every night of rehearsal with the Brotherhood, practice would start with the Lord and end with the Lord. I am very thankful to everyone who helped with my success. That includes my designer, coach and advisor Moesha Bird, all my supporters, my Sheck, Paopao, Fano and Baxxide families, the businesses who contributed, and everyone who kept me and the Brotherhood in their prayers.”

In addition to her Miss ASCC responsibilities, Ms. Sheck will continue to pursue her Liberal Arts major. She hopes to complete a BA degree off island, and possibly serve as an officer in the Army. “As I continue my education, I want to achieve my MA or even PhD in Law”, she says. “I want to become a successful Lawyer to serve justice to our people. As one wise man said, you’re never too old to stop learning.” As she learns to handle the challenges of her new title, Ms. Sheck has received encouragement and advice from the 2010-2011 Miss ASCC, Toefuataina Ta’ai. “She said that it was a lifetime experience, and that I should at least enjoy myself as I work to try and make a change,” Ms. Scheck explains. “In addition, she said I should cherish every moment I have as Miss American Samoa Community College because time passes by really fast. “

As she prepares for the next 12 months of service to the College and the community, Ms. Sheck says she already feels some nostalgia for the fun and challenge of preparing for the Pageant. “With the competition over, I somehow miss the bond we contestants had during the preparations. I feel like some of the weight has been lifted, but I greatly miss it. Even though I’m honored to wear the crown, I still feel like an ordinary girl who just succeeded at something that I hadn't expected to achieve. My good fortune makes me reflect on my favorite verse from the scriptures, John 14 vs. 14, ‘Ask anything in his name and you shall receive’”

Photo Caption: After successfully competing to become the new Miss ASCC, Pearl Sheck says she's concerned with the state of cleanliness in American Samoa, and that she will use her title to encourage a change for the better.
 

COOK ISLANDS: Cooks implements Pacfic cyber safety programme
Source: Radio New Zealand International

A cyber safety programme designed to protect internet users in the Pacific is being rolled out in the Cook Islands.

The Police Commissioner says with more than 50 percent of the population accessing information online, the Cook Islands is second to Niue in terms of Pacific internet usage.

Maara Tetava says because people in the Cook Islands only started going online about a decade ago, they’re more vulnerable to the risks.

He says Cook Islanders are falling prey to scamsters so educating people about scams is a priority.

“But cyber bullying is also a concern to us - this programme will give us some indicator as to whether that’s happening here in the Cook Islands. Not only are our presenters presenting, they’re also talking to the kids and what they’re finding out from the kids is mind boogling, really, about what they’ve been doing on the internet.”

Maara Tetava says it’s also up to parents to get educated about the internet so they can proterct their children.
 

(Photo: UNDP )

FIJI: Fiji hosts first Regional Deportee Meeting
Source: UNDP Press Release
 
The first-ever regional meeting focusing on addressing the issue of criminal deportees was held in Suva, Fiji this week, organized by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Centre with support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The meeting provided the opportunity for 20 police and immigration experts from the region to collaboratively identify challenges and develop possible solutions with national civil society representatives. Supporting these activities were officials from regional law enforcement organisations from the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, Pacific Immigration Directors’ Conference and Pacific Transnational Crimes Network including representatives of the deported community who had been identified as role models in their respective countries.

Presentations were made by experts in Pacific transnational crime, USA gang culture, deportee policy development, corrections management, information management, resettlement/rehabilitation, and knowledge management. Over the three days, the participants shared knowledge, developed networks for potential partnership, and heard about the deportation experience directly from the deportee participants. The participants mapped domestic achievements of individual jurisdictions noting lessons learnt, discussed national challenges and possible solutions, drafted initial national priority areas to guide activities, and identified areas for possible regional support.

A crucial message repeated throughout the meeting, was the need to develop programmes that reduced instances of reoffending, not only for criminal deportees but all criminal offenders. It was accepted that the most effective method to reduce possible criminal threats was for the successful resettlement of deportees through the use or development of effective national support networks. Participants noted with interest the activities undertaken to proactively develop mechanisms and processes by Samoa and Tonga in this area.

The participants agreed to finalise a Statement of Intent to guide next steps they proposed to undertake individually to improve national law enforcement coordination, information management, and resettlement and rehabilitation activities for deportees returned from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Ben Toilolo, a member of the Samoan Returnee Charitable Trust Board and a youth counsellor in Samoa who himself was a deportee said, “by participating in the meeting, I was able to make good contacts and learn about different perspectives on the deportation process. I think we all gained a greater understanding of the challenges and I look forward to working with everyone to ensure better support for deportees for the benefit of the entire community.”

The meeting was part of an increasing engagement between PIFS, UNDP and affected jurisdictions on the issue of deportation. The engagement supports outcomes from the Forum Regional Security Committee meeting held in June encouraging Forum members, regional bodies and development partners to work collaboratively to develop national policies to manage the arrival, rehabilitation and reintegration of criminal deportees, removed nationals and returnees.

While limited resources to date have been identified to support the development of national policies to coordinate government activities, particularly in the area of reintegration and resettlement to reduce instances of recidivism, the results of the meeting point to greater engagement, cooperation and networking on the issue of deportees in the Pacific.

Photo Caption: The first-ever regional meeting focusing on addressing the issue of criminal deportees held in Fiji.
 

TOKELAU: Broadening The Climate Change Debate
Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release
 
Climate change goes beyond the direct impacts of well-publicised sea-level rise, says an expert from the Pacific region.

Think food security and health. Think infrastructure; planning and budgeting. Think holistic.

“These are all interconnected issues that impact our Pacific countries’ abilities to deal effectively with the impacts of climate change,” says Brian Dawson, Senior Climate Change Advisor with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

“People need to know their options for survival and quality of life, and how to effectively adapt to these grave threats.”

Adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change is one of the key international issues being negotiated at the United Nations Climate Change Conference - COP17 - currently underway in Durban, South Africa.

Filling the knowledge gap

Citing the findings of a recently released report from SPC titled “Food Security in the Pacific and East Timor and its vulnerability to climate change”, Mr Dawson said one of the key issues to address in the Pacific is understanding adaptation options.

He poses: “When will we have to adapt? What are the options that we have? How much is it going to cost? Who should pay for it and what should we do as countries ourselves to actually increase our resilience to climate change?”

There’s more than just climate change at work asserts Mr Dawson.

“There’s a range of variables that due to differences in governance, urbanization, population growth, waste streams, degradation of reefs - these actually increase island nations’ vulnerability to climate change.”

Mr Dawson suggests, as outlined in the SPC report, the need to improve existing management of resources and governance systems, and that in itself, irrespective of climate change, will be a benefit, and will also increase resilience to climate change.

“Climate change is a very slow, erosive effect in things like agriculture, sustainability of forest systems, ecosystems based on water changes of river levels and extreme rainfall events,” said Mr Dawson.

“All those things have an impact of day to day activities, like growing crops, catching fish, so it’s very important that we build that broad base of understanding in line ministries and communities if we’re actually going to get together a sensible approach to adaptation.”

The Ulu o Tokelau (Head of Government), Foua Toloa, echoes Mr Dawson’s sentiments on the far-reaching effects of climate change, reflecting on the small island nation’s recent water crisis.

“When you have no water there is a broad spectrum of impacts,” said the Ulu.

“We were under threat from health issues, even more vulnerable to disasters and there were many other development concerns because we had a severe shortage of water.

“When climate change affects one area, other areas feel the repercussions."

Tokelau declared a state of emergency in October this year after six months without substantial rain, their primary source of fresh water.

Food security - quality not quantity

Another major concern affecting Pacific peoples’ day-to-day lives, with climate change impacts a key factor in the severity of the issue, is food security.
Food security includes various elements, according to Mr Dawson.

“They include having access to food, and that’s a function of both incomes and also the ability to supply food to markets; it’s making sure that the food you have is hygienic; it’s about adequate nutrition; and in some of the countries there’s been a decline in the percentage of their diets supplied by traditional crops and fish being replaced by imported foods.”

All those different aspects are interrelated said Mr Dawson, and accentuated due to the impacts of climate change.

“When you talk about food security, you need to think about more than enough food, you need quality of food,” he said.

“Generally in the Pacific people are quite well fed, but in the nutritional aspects, you can have over nutrition and under nutrition and what we need to have is proper nutrition.”

Food production per capita has been declining in just about all countries in the region according to Mr Dawson.

“With climate change you get increased variability and intensity of rainfall, and consequent losses from things like floods and change in pest and disease regimes,” said Mr Dawson.

“A lot of crops depend on pollinators and with climate change these pollinators are disappearing, different fruits are flowering at different times, so the traditional food cropping systems are going to change.”

Fish

One of the significant findings of another SPC report, “Vulnerability of Tropical Pacific Fisheries and Aquaculture to Climate Change”, is that coastal fisheries will decline over the course of the century.

“So that by mid-century it will decline by 20-30%, and by the end of the century by up to 50%,” said Mr Dawson.

“At the same time, the availability of tuna increases, for a range of reasons, so some countries like Kiribati and Marshall Islands, Samoa, may get 20-40% increase in available tuna.

“So you could see that as a windfall in terms of exports of tuna, but at the same time, an important adaptation response is for greater domestic consumption of tuna to substitute for the loss of coastal fisheries.”

So when Pacific nations start planning ahead to get appropriate nutritional supplies, you need to think about what options are available.

“Luckily for the Pacific we have the increase in oceanic fisheries catches that can supplement food supplies and reduce our reliance on imported food,” said Mr Dawson. “But we need to understand now, so we can plan for the decades ahead.”

COP17 and the Pacific

According to Mr Dawson, the UN Climate Change Conference currently underway in Durban needs to deliver on finance and mitigation issues for the Pacific to reap any substantial benefits.

“The Pacific Island group at Durban, through the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), needs to articulate the particular concerns of the Pacific and I think we do that increasingly well,” said Mr Dawson.

“One key issue for the Pacific will be finance - where and how will we get the funds to adapt to climate change?”

COP17 has attracted some 20,000 delegates and international climate change negotiators from across the globe. The conference opened on 28 November and will close 9 December. See www.unfccc.int for more information.