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NEW ZEALAND: NZ media professionals urge more
‘ethnic’ news reporting of Pacific issues
Source:
Pacific Media Centre Press Release via Scoop
Three journalists working on Pacific issues are
expressing hopes for better media coverage of
the Pacific region.
Former Radio New Zealand International senior
reporter Sara Vui-Talitu has been at the radio
station for close to a decade.
She said although New Zealand’s influence in the
region had declined, the country’s media were
still very important in the Pacific context.
Vui-Talitu, who is currently working at AUT
University as a journalism tutor, also said
“there is definitely a place for indigenous
reporting”.
She said that often the mainstream media did not
cover indigenous issues, and that was where
indigenous reporting could have a place.
“Māori TV have a great show Native Affairs. That
show picks up on a lot of stories mainstream
media would not touch.
“They have stories that really affect native
communities, like the pollution of waterways
where indigenous Māori get their food.”
New Zealand as a watchdog
Interim chair of the Pacific Islands Media
Association (PIMA), Will ‘Ilolahia, said New
Zealand had done a very good job as a watchdog
in the Pacific.
“When Samoa was criticised for the government
misspending of the tsunami aid, a lot of Samoans
got their information through a channel I was
managing Kiwi TV, and we had on-demand from
Campbell Live.
“A lot of Samoans didn’t get their information
locally because their government was trying to
hide what they were doing, actually got it
through New Zealand,” ‘Ilolahia said.
However, ‘Ilolahia also said that in order to
better cover Pacific stories, New Zealand
journalists needed to gain a deeper
understanding of the “island way such as the
fano process,” a process where consensus in any
issue is deeply emphasised.
Contributing editor of Pacific Media Watch
Daniel Drageset argued news media would benefit
from bringing qualified Pasifika people into
newsrooms
He added there were many “blind spots” in the
current Pacific media coverage, where a higher
representation of Pasifika or other ethnicities
could contribute in uncovering the “blind
spots”.
Listen to Lei Shi’s audio report - read
introduction below:
2013 is an important year for the Pacific
region.
Media have provided a few Pacific stories
throughout the year - such as the Majuro
Declaration on climate change leadership,
China’s controversial aircraft to Tonga and the
fiber-optic cable between Fiji and Tonga giving
new opportunities to the kingdom.
The region is changing fast. But behind these
stories, there are many more stories, and things
are never what they seem to be.
The Pacific is a contested region for many major
world powers today, not only because of its rich
natural resources, but its political influence
on the international stage. How do we interpret
this complicated map of intertwined
relationships? And what does the future hold for
New Zealand’s place in the Pacific, as well as
for these island nations?
Locally, Māori are significantly
under-represented in the mainstream media
coverage, so where is the place for indigenous
reporting? Questions seem to be endless.
In this radio programme, Lei Shi takes you on a
journey to explore these questions from the eyes
of some experienced journalists in the country,
and to discuss with them some of the challenges
ahead for the media.
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SAMOA: World Bank Supports Reconstruction and
Livelihoods recovery in Samoa
Source:
World Bank Press Release
The World Bank today approved two grants
totaling US$25 million to the Government of
Samoa to help rebuild critical roads and bridges
and to restore agricultural and fishery
livelihoods for thousands of subsistence farmers
whose crops and farms were damaged during
Tropical Cyclone Evan (TCE).
“These two grants support the Government of
Samoa’s recovery framework to accelerate
reconstruction and recovery and to help ensure
the country is better prepared for dealing with
disasters in the future,” said Franz Drees-Gross,
World Bank Country Director for Papua New
Guinea, Timor-Leste and the Pacific Islands.
“The World Bank is pleased to support these
efforts to rebuild crucial roads and bridges and
to provide direct support to families who lost
their livelihoods when their farms and
agricultural assets were destroyed by Tropical
Cyclone Evan.”
The first grant will provide US$20 million under
the Enhanced Road Access Project to repair roads
and bridges damaged by TCE, and to upgrade,
rehabilitate and reconstruct existing road
infrastructure to strengthen its resilience to
climate change and extreme weather events. An
additional component will strengthen
institutional and regulatory arrangements to
manage and maintain road sector assets with a
goal to increasing sustainability of investments
in road sector assets.
The second grant will provide US$5 million to
the Agriculture and Fisheries Cyclone Response
Project to deliver recovery assistance through
the distribution of vouchers to about 7,000
cyclone-affected subsistence farmers and fishers
so that they can purchase necessary farm assets
and inputs to reestablish their agricultural
activities. Around 100 commercial farmers and
aquaculturalists whose operations were affected
by cyclone damage will also receive support.
Additionally, the project will assist the
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) to
repair damaged MAF facilities, to establish
regular agricultural data collection systems,
and to strengthen the capacity of the sector in
disaster preparedness and response.
“We welcome this support from the World Bank to
our long-term reconstruction program as we
continue our efforts to rebuild more resilient
infrastructure and to promote economic
recovery,” said Samoan Finance Minister the Hon.
Faumuina Tiatia Faaolatane Liuga. “These funds
will help our farmers restore their agricultural
activities and will ensure key roads and bridges
that were damaged can be rebuilt, stronger and
more resilient than before.”
Tropical Cyclone Evan (TCE) hit the remote
Pacific Island nation of Samoa in December 2012,
killing 14 people, destroying over 600 homes,
and temporarily displacing around 7,500 people.
Key roads and bridges were damaged, and a
government assessment estimated total economic
damages and production losses as a result of the
cyclone would exceed US$200 million, including
an estimate of US$33m in losses in the
agriculture sector alone.
The two grants approved today are funded through
the International Development Association (IDA),
the World Bank’s fund for the poorestand are
part of a wider package of support to Samoa that
is designed to accelerate economic recovery,
improve disaster resilience, and strengthen
public financial management.
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(Photo: J. Kneubuhl) |
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AMERICA SAMOA: ASCC/PTK Fall 2013 Induction
The American Samoa Community College (ASCC)
chapter of the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
Honors Society inducted eighteen new members
during its fall 2013 induction ceremony held on
Friday, October 18th. With chapters at community
and junior colleges across the United States and
its territories, Phi Theta Kappa recognizes and
encourages excellence in scholarship among
associate degree students. The Greek words Phi
Theta Kappa mean wisdom (Phi), aspiration
(Theta) and purity (Kappa). The society bases
its programs on its four hallmarks: scholarship,
leadership, service and fellowship.
The theme for this semester’s induction was
“Today’s Determination Brings Tomorrow’s
Success”, and the special guest speaker was Mr.
Joey Cummings, General Manager of radio stations
KHJ and V103, and himself a former PTK member.
The ceremony included the traditional lighting
of candles representing the “flame of knowledge”
by the inductees, followed by their reciting the
oath of allegiance to the PTK.
This semester’s inductees are Destinee Afalava,
Anna Imelda Afoa, Nikolao Alo, Olita Laumua
Hollister-Godinet, Jireh Kruse, Filoisamoa
Langkilde Jr., Tufanua Mase, Ella-Monique Misa,
Mellody Parungo, Togasi’i Peter Peko, Paul
Alaituasivi Saulo Jr., Talimeli F.
Taufete’e,Jessica Tuiletufuga, Anthony
Tuiolosega, Chastity Tuiolosega, Merieni Maryann
Tupuimatagi, Siuila Uele, and Zihao Zeng. They
will join current members Marietta Lafaele
(President), Sia Niupulusu (Vice President),
Maria Magalasin (Secretary), Wittenberg Mariner
(Treasurer), Easther Kim, Peniamina Tai'I, Seong
Hee Kim, Yeseul Kang, Nyrese Pato, Fa'afetai
Ifopo, Moya Beyer, Leli'a Mona Chang, Salani
Leota, Zerahamla Mamea.
Each semester, PTK advisors Toaiva Fiame-Tago,
Evile Feleti, Anthony Felise, Kuki Tuiasosopo,
and Evelyn Fuean review the ASCC Dean’s List and
other relevant data to determine which students
qualify for the membership in the Society. At
ASCC, PTK nominees must have taken at least 12
credits, passed their English 150, English 151
and Math 90 classes, and have earned a
cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
Qualifying students receive an invitation to
join PTK, and most of those invited readily
accept the offer.
Phi Theta Kappa provides more than $35 million
worth of scholarships annually to student
members nationwide. Each member is automatically
nominated for inclusion in the prestigious
National Dean’s List, and is also enrolled in
the PTK Transfer Database, which links senior
institutions across the nation offering
scholarships to PTK members. For more
information on the Phi Theta Kappa Honors
society, visit their webpage at www.ptk.org.
Photo: Advisor Evelyn Fruean (seated, far
left) joins current members and new inductees
into the ASCC chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
Honor Society at a rehearsal for this Friday's
induction ceremony. This semester, 18 ASCC
students will join the prestigious PTK, which
offers nationwide recognition of academic
excellence as well as scholarship opportunities.
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FIJI:
Fiji’s National Council of Women wants more
women in politics
Source:
Radio New Zealand International
The National Council of Women in Fiji is
embarking on a project that aims to increase the
representation of women in politics in the
lead-up to the elections promised for next year.
Its general secretary, Fay Volatabu, says it
will work with the United Nations Democracy Fund
to raise public awareness and train women as
leaders.
Ms Volatabu says the new constitution is silent
on the issue of women participating in politics,
so it is up to the political parties to decide
who they will nominate, and the public to who
they are going to vote for.
She says there is still a possibility the
yet-to-be released Electoral Act may demand that
half the electoral roll be reserved for women."
“This is basically about the empowerment of the
public to make decisions. I mean, that’s all it
is. It’s about freedom, it’s about human rights
enshrined in the constitution. So, as far as
we’re concerned, the people need to be
enlightened and especially for us as women.”
Fay Volatabu says it is not about getting all
women into leadership, just those of merit and
integrity.
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(Photo: Google) |
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TUVALU: Tuvalu wants changes in assessment of
LDC criteria
Source:
Radio New Zealand International
Tuvalu’s government is to push the United
Nations to reconsider its criteria for
graduation from Least Developed Country status.
Tuvalu is one of 49 countries with LDC status,
ensuring it has greater access to foreign aid.
The status is based on poverty, weakness in
human resources and economic and environmental
vulnerability.
Because of the impacts of climate change and sea
level rise, Tuvalu faces serious threats but
because it met other targets it is due to
graduate from LDC status, though this has been
temporarily deferred.
However the Tuvalu prime minister, Enele Sopoaga,
says his country feels not enough weight is
given to the environmental plight of small
island states like his.
“The present application of those criteria we
feel is totally unrealistic and perhaps very
very wrong. We need to address that. The
application of the current criterias - we have
no problem with the criterias but the
application - EVI (Environmental Vulnberability
Index) must be one of the two.”
The Tuvalu prime minister, Enele Sopoaga.
Photo: The Tuvalu prime minister, Enele
Sopoaga.
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(Photo: Western Pacific Regional Fishery
Management Council) |
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AROUND THE WORLD: US Should Refuse Any Quota
Reduction for Hawaii Bigeye Tuna, Fishery
Council Says
Source:
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management
Council Press Release
The United States should not accept a reduction
in the bigeye tuna limit for the Hawaii longline
fishery, according to the Western Pacific
Regional Fishery Management Council, which
concluded a four-day meeting in Honolulu today.
Authorized by Congress to manage fisheries
seaward of State and Territorial waters in the
US Pacific Islands, the Council noted that the
Hawaii longline fishery operates several
thousand miles from the equatorial Pacific,
where nearly 90 percent of bigeye tuna fishing
mortality occurs.
The tuna quotas for the Western and Central
Pacific Ocean (WCPO) are internationally
formulated by the Western and Central Pacific
Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), of which the
United States is a member. The WCPFC is
scheduled to meet Dec. 2 to 6, 2013, in Cairns,
Australia. The priority agenda item is the
management of tropical tunas, particularly
bigeye tuna, which has been experiencing
overfishing for about two decades. A proposal
developed by a WCPFC working group that met in
August in Japan would have the Hawaii longline
fishery quota for bigeye reduced by 45 percent.
If approved and implemented, the measure could
shut the Hawaii bigeye tuna fishery about July
each year.
The Council noted that the WCPFC's previous
conservation and management measures (CMMs) have
failed to prevent increases in fleet capacity,
fishing effort and total catch of tropical
tunas. Further, bigeye overfishing continues in
the WCPO primarily from its incidental catch by
the purse-seine fishery when fishing on fish
aggregation devices (FADs). The Council noted
its continued concern about the effectiveness of
the proposed purse-seine measures to achieve
effective reductions of juvenile bigeye fishing
morality. It said that the WCPFC's treatment of
purse seine and longline fisheries is
inequitable and scientifically unjustified. The
WCPFC has imposed bigeye quotas on the longline
fishery and fishing day limits for the
purse-seine fishery. The purse-seine take of
bigeye tuna has increased under this approach.
The Council directed its staff to work with the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to
develop spatial management approaches for bigeye
tuna for incorporation in future US CMM
proposals to the WCPFC. The Council also
recommended that the following research and
education/outreach activities related to tuna
management be undertaken:
The University of Hawaii's Pelagic Fisheries
Research Program complete and publish its bigeye
otolith stable isotope study, which helps to
resolve spatial distribution and connectivity of
Hawaii yellowfin tuna, and expand the bigeye
study to include sampling of otoliths from the
northwestern Pacific and other locations not yet
sampled.
Convene a workshop to design a collaborative
study of bigeye movements in the Pacific and the
data requirements to support such a study.
Collect the reports of various Hawaii tuna
tagging projects and summarize and disseminate
the findings in an accessible format to the
public.
The Council also made the following
recommendations, among others:
That a shark fishery resource assessment in the
Mariana Archipelago be conducted to include the
Council, NMFS and Mariana fishermen. Council
members from Guam and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) said shark
depredation has escalated. Sharks are attacking
artificial lures and are following vessels and
waiting for fish to be hooked.
That the NOAA Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries be reminded that, regarding the
Billfish Conservation Act, the intent of
Congress is to maintain the ability of Hawaii,
American Samoa, Guam and CNMI fisheries to send
billfish to the US mainland for sale as well as
allow billfish landed in American Samoa, Guam,
and CNMI by foreign vessels to be sold in
Hawaii.
That the US Coast Guard prioritize patrols of
the US exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to detect
foreign fishing violations and acquire or direct
additional patrol assets for the Western Pacific
Region.
That a Fishery Data Collection and Research
Committee be formed as a committee of the
Council and be comprised of the heads of the
Council, the American Samoa Department of Marine
and Wildlife Resources, Guam Department of
Agriculture, CNMI Department of Land and Natural
Resources, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural
Resources, Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans
and NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science
Center, as well as a representative from US Fish
and Wildlife Service.
That NMFS be notified of the Council's
concurrence with the positive 90-day finding in
response to the petition to delist the North
Pacific humpback whale population under the
Endangered Species Act. The Council reiterated
its previous recommendation to recognize the
recovery and delist the North Pacific humpback
whales and looks forward to a timely 12-month
finding from NMFS.
That the Department of Defense (DOD) and
Joint-Region Marianas be reminded of the
fishermen's concerns regarding the expansion of
the closure around Farallon de Medinilla, a
prime bottomfish ground, and the military's
plans for the islands of Tinian and Pagan.
That Council staff reviews the current CNMI
bottomfish fishery and its existing management
regime and develop an options paper for Council
consideration that would remove the large vessel
area closure for bottomfish in the southern
portion of the archipelago.
That Council staff assist the Governor of
American Samoa in reviewing America Samoa's
Deeds of Cession to determine applicability to
the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument,
National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and
other federally managed areas.
That Council staff assists the American Samoa
government in developing standards to prevent
illegal seafood imports, which currently may be
undercutting the price of locally caught fish,
and to develop seafood safety and handling
training programs and other marketing strategies
to promote local seafood markets. This would
benefit the local economy and enhance food
security.
The Council concluded its meeting by
reappointing its 2013 officers as its officers
for 2014, i.e., Arnold Palacios (CNMI) as chair
and Michael Duenas (Guam), Edwin Ebisui
(Hawaii), Richard Seman (CNMI) and William Sword
(American Samoa) as vice chairs.
The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council
was established by Congress to manage fisheries
in offshore waters around Hawaii, American
Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands and the US Pacific remote island
areas. Serving as a bridge between the local
communities, fishermen, and the federal
government, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery
Management Council continues its commitment to
keep fisheries sustainable, protecting the
fishing industry and the local communities that
that depend on it. For more information, visit
www.wpcouncil.org or email [email protected];
phone (808) 522-8220, or fax (808) 522-8226.
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management
Council: Appointees by the Secretary of Commerce
from nominees selected by American Samoa, CNMI,
Guam and Hawaii governors: Michael Duenas, Guam
Fishermen's Cooperative Association (Guam) (vice
chair) ; William Sword, recreational fisherman
(American Samoa) (vice chair); Edwin Ebisui
(Hawaii) (vice chair); Richard Seman, education
and outreach specialist (CNMI) (vice chair);
Michael Goto, United Fishing Agency Ltd.
(Hawaii); Julie Leialoha, biologist (Hawaii);
Dr. Claire Tuia Poumele, Port Administration
(American Samoa); and McGrew Rice, commercial
and charter fisherman (Hawaii). Designated state
officials: Arnold Palacios, CNMI Department of
Land & Natural Resources (chair); Mariquita
Taitague, Guam Department of Agriculture;
William Aila, Hawaii Department of Land &
Natural Resources; and Dr. Ruth Matagi-Tofiga,
American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife
Resources. Designated federal officials: Michael
Tosatto, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office;
Susan White, Pacific Reefs National Wildlife
Refuges Complex; RAdm Cari B. Thomas, U.S. Coast
Guard 14th District; and Bill Gibbons-Fly, US
Department of State.
Photo: Hawaii longline vessels docked at
Pier 38, Honolulu.
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