NEW ZEALAND: NZ and Australian Defence Ministers meet
Source: New Zealand Government Press Release
 
New Zealand and Australian Defence Ministers meet in Wellington.

The main focus of a meeting in Wellington today (Friday 22 August) between the New Zealand Defence Minister Phil Goff and his Australian counterpart Joel Fitzgibbon was a review of the closer defence partnership to ensure it continued to be prepared for, and responsive to, contemporary security challenges, Mr Goff said.

While the two defence forces have always been close, successive deployments on combined and coalition operations have accelerated efforts to deepen interoperability. The Ministers agreed on the mutual benefits of sustaining this strong momentum.

The meeting in New Zealand was the first formal annual meeting between the Ministers though they have met previously on two occasions in Australia to discuss defence issues. Mr Goff and Mr Fitzgibbon welcomed the close working relationship between the two countries and agreed that today's complex security environment demanded the closest possible collaboration between the two defence forces at all levels.

The Ministers reaffirmed their mutual commitment to working together to promote and support stability in the Pacific and in Timor-Leste. They noted that Australia and New Zealand were working effectively in defence and across a wide array of other agencies to support security, stabilisation and development in the region. Australia and New Zealand's ongoing efforts to augment national resilience in Timor-Leste demonstrated collective resolve and commitment in this regard.

The Ministers underlined the necessity of Australia and New Zealand continuing their commitment to RAMSI's work and welcomed its contribution to restoring security and stability in that country. As the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI progress a Partnership Framework to agree future priorities, they agreed it will be important to maintain support but with a greater emphasis on capacity building. They noted that RAMSI's security presence and the stability it provides have enabled donors to re-engage in support of social and economic development activities, thereby improving the lives of ordinary Solomon Islanders.

The Ministers acknowledged that the situation in Timor Leste was now more stable, but still fragile. They agreed that the effectiveness of Australia and New Zealand's combined operational efforts in the Pacific and Timor-Leste reflected the high levels of interoperability that the two defence forces had now achieved.

Global security issues were also on their agenda. Ministers discussed the security situation in Afghanistan, where both countries' Defence forces were actively engaged in supporting international efforts to stabilise and provide development assistance to avert the possibility of Afghanistan once again becoming a safe haven for terrorists and to guarantee a future for the Afghan people.

The Ministers noted that the range of security tasks overseas necessitated by state fragility and trans-national challenges continued to generate a very high operational tempo, which was placing strains on both Defence forces. This made the synergies derived from working very closely together even more important.

The Ministers also reviewed their national capability development programmes, agreeing that the investment by both countries was essential for their mutual security and prosperity.

Mr Fitzgibbon briefed Mr Goff on the status of Australia's new Defence White Paper, remarking that it would reaffirm the necessity for strong defence ties between our two countries.

The Ministers noted recent progress in and their support for the Six-Party Talks reflecting both countries' longstanding commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula. They signalled their support for, and commitment to, growing regional cooperation in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. The Ministers also underlined their commitment to cooperate in response to transnational threats including terrorism.

During their meeting the Ministers agreed to update the 2003 Joint Statement on closer defence relations. The new statement, attached to this release, reflects changes in the security environment over the past five years and reiterates both Ministers' commitment to meeting them.
 

(Photo: SRU)

SAMOA: Samoa Under 19 Team to participate at the FORU U19 Tournament
Source: SRU Press Release
 
Samoa Under 19 Team to participate at the FORU U19 Tournament, held in Fiji from 3rd to 12th September 2008.

Samoa has named a strong 30-player squad (26 travelling and 4 non travel) to contest the eight nations FORU Under-19 Championship in Fiji next month.

Head Coach, Tuala Mathew Vaea says, "In line with our schedule and preparation, we culled our 45-member training squad to 30 on Wednesday. From these players we will select our traveling 26 by Monday, 18 August. This coincides nicely with the anniversary of Samoa's first ever test
match against Fiji on 18 August 1924. It is a good way for the players to commemorate and remember their rugby heritage."

The Samoan national side is set to leave for Fiji on August, 30th ready for the tournament start on the 3rd of September.

"The tournament will be a difficult one for us, but it is one that is important for our rugby development at this age-group.

"Over the next three weeks we'll lift our preparation intensity with games against our U-18 squad and the Manu Samoa training squad preparing for their match against the All Blacks on September, 3rd. We have technical and skills, issues to fine tune."

Samoa will vie for Oceania's U-19 supremacy against Cook Island, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

The travelling squad is as follows:

Samoa U-19 squad: Matafele Longden; Tele'a; Tavita Filifili; George; Pao Muaau; Viliamu Afatia; Aomavaega Malo; Ray Pese; Meni Taufaasau; Daniel; Vailele Tauloa; Falemiga Selesele; Roma Leuluaialii; Talalelei; Andrew Stratton; Mark; Sopo; Europa Europa; Benjamin Leia; Karl Malielegaoi; Semi; Iafeta; Leia Saofaiga; Sitivi; Christian Perese; Amate Viane; Iosefo; Taupo; Taivalu; Ivy Leleisiuao.

Management: Faumuina Wayne Fong (Manager); Tuala Matthew Tangitau Vaea (Head Coach); Leu Alani Ulia (Assistant Coach-Forwards); Muliagatele Brian Lima (Assistant Coach-Backs); Dan Viali (Technical Advisor); Epenesa Pouesi-Young (Physiotherapist).

Photo Caption: Samoa U-19 team.
 

(Photo: ABC)

AUSTRALIA: Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme
Source: Australia High Commissioner Press Release

The Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme will see up to 2,500 workers from Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu participate in a three year pilot and work for up to seven months a year in the horticulture industry in regional Australia.

In making its selection of pilot scheme countries, Australia has been careful to choose a representative nation from each region of the Pacific. The pilot will include strict conditions to ensure there is no exploitation of Pacific workers and no undercutting of Australian working
standards, including awards.

The demand for the program came from Australian farmers unable to find the labour to get their produce to market for Australia families. Countries from the Pacific have been very enthusiastic about wanting to fill that need and be part of the pilot.

The pilot demonstrates Australia’s new partnership with our Pacific Island neighbours. Its Pacific focus reflects Australia’s special historic links with the Pacific Island countries and the Government’s commitment to assist them to address their unique, and in some cases significant,
development needs. In addition to the benefits for Australia farmers and consumers, Pacific
islanders will benefit from the income, experience and training received through the pilot scheme. The remittances sent home will significantly help the development of their villages and communities.

The Government made an election commitment to consider New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Scheme and the lessons learnt from that scheme have been important in the development of this pilot scheme.

Pacific Island countries have been very enthusiastic about inclusion in a pilot scheme of this sort and the Prime Minister has indicated this is something he wishes to discuss at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Niue later this week.

The pilot will be reviewed after 18 months to ensure it is meeting the needs of Australian employers and Pacific Island workers and that the necessary safeguards are working effectively.

Photo Caption: Australia Prime Minister - Kevin Rudd.
 

(Photo: Guam HIV-AIDS Project)

AROUND THE WORLD: HIV and AIDS - No room for health professions to blame
Source: SPC Press Release

For Dr Dennie Iniakwala, Head of the HIV & STI Section at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), reported statements on HIV and AIDS from a senior health service leader in the Pacific underscore that there is still much work to be done in addressing the stigma of HIV and AIDS.

He was responding to an article from PACNEWS (19 August 2008) in which Niue's Director of Health, Dr Sitaleki Finau, equated HIV infection with sin, and proposed isolating affected people on remote islands, like the old leper colonies, as a way for Niue to manage HIV.

Dr Iniakwala noted 'Many people were understandably offended and hurt by the reported statement - if I was living with HIV, I know I would have been deeply concerned.'

'Why would we start introducing approaches that firstly we know don't work, and secondly that go against all the things we hold dear as Pacific people?' he asked.

Iniakwala believes that the Pacific region has done well in terms of taking on board and applying lessons learnt from other parts of the world. However, he is realistic in his appraisal: 'There's obviously lots of work still to be done, but methods such as isolation, locking people up and
mandatory testing don't work in preventing HIV transmission. In fact, they contribute to its spread. No one will want to get tested for HIV if they are to be banished to an isolated island - we want people to feel able to test without fear'.

'The Pacific regional strategy on HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases specifically acknowledges the cultural and religious values of Pacific communities, which are based on compassion and reconciliation,' says Dr Iniakwala. As a medical practitioner, he believes that there's plenty of room in clinics or hospitals for these values 'but a clinic or hospital is no place for shaming, blaming or retribution,' he says. 'Every health professional has to remember that not only do the people they see have a right to advice and medical treatment but that that they
also have a right to be treated with respect and dignity - no matter what their HIV status is' comments Iniakwala.

A large part of the implementation plan for the regional strategy is devoted to training Pacific health professionals in HIV prevention, treatment, care, counseling and basic human rights to increase their effectiveness as key partners in providing more HIV and STI services in the region.

Photo Caption: Ed Tepporn and Dr. Dennie Iniakwala - Head of the HIV & STI Section at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).
 

(Photos: Samoa Observer)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Partnership for Development with PNG & Samoa signed
Source: Australia High Commissioner Press Release

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today signed Pacific Partnerships for Development with Prime Minister Somare of Papua New Guinea and Prime Minister Tuilaepa of Samoa at the Pacific Forum Leaders? Meeting in Niue. These are ground-breaking new initiatives, and a central element of our commitment to a new era of cooperation between Australia and our Pacific neighbours.

They give expression to the practical new regional partnership I outlined in my 6 March 2008 Port Moresby Declaration. These Partnerships commit Australia and our partners in the Pacific to
work together to meet common challenges, in particular to make faster progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and our partners? development goals.

Economic growth in the Pacific region has picked up. But progress is mixed and lags behind other parts of the world, such as the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa. Many Pacific island countries are not yet in a position to achieve MDG standards of health or education by 2015. Up to a
million children in the region do not attend school. As many as 18,000 children die each year from preventable causes. And lack of employment and economic opportunities, together with climate change and extreme weather, are grave concerns for vulnerable island and atoll countries.

We want to work shoulder to shoulder with our Pacific neighbours on these challenges. Our Partnerships for Development will strive to realise better development results by committing Australia to provide new and additional bilateral assistance over time, whilst at the same time embracing commitments from Pacific partners to improve governance, increase investment in economic infrastructure and achieve better outcomes in health and education and other areas.

Australia is committed to the fundamental principles of mutual respect and mutual responsibility underlying the Partnerships. We will jointly assess progress towards development outcomes and hold each other accountable for the commitments we make to our peoples and each other. This will reinforce our partner countries? leadership of their own development policy and strengthen our cooperation.

Our Partnership with PNG aims to provide better access to markets and services through improved infrastructure; faster progress towards universal basic education; improved health outcomes; strengthened public administration, including at the provincial and district levels; and to launch a new approach to providing sound development data, including a national census in 2010.

Samoa is on track to meet the MDGs. We have therefore agreed that our Partnership will assist Samoa to move beyond the Goals, by supporting a more robust economy through private sector-led growth and employment, agricultural development and regional economic integration; better quality health and education outcomes; improved governance, including public sector capacity development and strengthened law and justice agencies; and guarding against vulnerability to climate change.

Australia will be pursuing similar agreements with other Pacific partners who share this ambition and vision over the coming months and years.

Photo Caption: Prime Minister Somare of Papua New Guinea. Prime Minister Tuilaepa of Samoa.
 

SOLOMON ISLANDS: 30 years little to show for three decades of missed opportunities
Source: Islands Business

Solomon Islands, a cluster of 1,001-plus islands, slightly north east of Australia, is 30 years old this year. To be precise, it was on 7th July, the day it gained its political independence after 80 years of British colonial rule.

Like many of its Pacific neighbours, its developmental journey has been somewhat erratic, marred by social upheavals, near economic collapse and endless bouts of no confidence votes, creating a spasm of political instability over the years.

Australian High Commissioner, Peter Hooton, told ISLANDS BUSINESS in an exclusive interview just a few days before the big bash, “the last 30 years has been three decades of missed opportunities”.

With its 50,000-plus residents, Honiara, its capital, remains the mixing bowl, incubator or the epicenter for many of the social ills.

As the nation or rather Honiara celebrated with colourful floats through Honiara’s main thoroughfare last month [July] and a trade show organised to coincide with the 30th birthday anniversary festivities, some of the nation’s top leaders are asking what the country was supposed to be celebrating.

Take the view of Richard Na’amo Irosaea, the Premier of Malaita Province, the nation’s island with the largest population, for example.

“What’s the meaning of this celebration?,” Irosaea asked.

“What’s the meaning of this celebration in Honiara for the people of Solomon Islands when 85% of the population are not even involved,” the Premier, my one-time schoolmate, asked.

Celebrations: Premier Irosaea heads a province which bore the brunt of the so-called ethnic tension of the pre-2003 years. Some 15,000 Malaitan workers—skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled—were forced out of their jobs mainly on Guadalcanal as a direct result of the civil unrest. They’ve returned to Malaita where they remain unemployed today.

Premier Irosaea is not alone in his view. A few days earlier, a senior Government Minister echoed a similar view.
“What are we celebrating?” the minister asked.

A senior public servant of 30 years also weighed in. As I headed to my hired car in the direction of where the trade show was being held, the officer asked if he could be dropped off at the show grounds.

To strike a conversation, I asked my passenger what his thoughts are on the 30 years of independence and indeed the trade show, which has moved east from its traditional site at the Town Ground in the centre of Honiara.

[The Town Ground site has been fenced off since it was taken over by a Chinese firm to build a shopping complex and rugby union stadium which it then intends to sell to the Solomon Islands rugby union code once it is completed].

“I am 30 years old in the public service, just as old as the nation,” he began with a smile.

“We have the wrong people here,” he said as my three-door Rav 4 vehicle came to a stop outside the show grounds.

Reality: “The real people—the people of Solomon Islands—are not here. The people of the Solomon Islands should have been the ones celebrating if independence was meant for them in the first place. They are not here.
They are in the rural areas and there is nothing in the rural areas to celebrate—that’s the reality,” he said.

“The whole thing is a farce.”

The officer’s view is pretty close to the mark.

Since its “discovery” by Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendana in 1568 and subsequent declaration of the Solomons as a protectorate by Britain in 1893, Solomon Islands appeared set on a strong European-style administration and to some extent development trend.

But the gloss of European influence wore off rather quickly soon after independence on July 7, 1978. Services have been on the downward spiral since.

Take shipping services, for example. As a maritime nation, shipping is critical to move cargo, passengers and so on. As the biggest employer, the national government too, used to operate a fleet of its own. These ships ran a regular service delivering mail and pay to all government workers in the provinces. They were rotated amongst the different administrative centres such as Auki on Malaita, Gizo in Western Province, and Kirakira on Makira/Ulawa. It is no more.

It seems the excitement, or perhaps the shock of independence pushed the government of the day to phase out the service, allowing the private sector to take over. While charterers and businessmen are laughing all the way to the bank, the users have been feeling the pinch with the upward spiralling costs of fuel, freight charges and fares.

Users have little choice. Any upward movement in cost is passed on to the users. The rural dweller is caught between a rock and a hard place.

With a “centralised” development mode, little can a rural dweller do to avoid regular trips to Honiara, the capital, and its beckoning bright, deceptive neon lights.

The presence of Members of Parliament in Honiara is an added attraction for the rural dwellers to visit. And they do flock to town in great numbers—repeatedly—not entirely in search of jobs, although some do.

Many, however, travel to Honiara in the hope their elected representatives dish out in cash funds from the grants MPs receive from the central government on their behalf. Grants to the 50 constituencies have substantially increased since 2006.

For example, in the four years to 2010 when the next national general election is due, some S$100 million [US$12.83 million], that is S$2 million [US$256,600] per year in grants will have been injected into each of the 50 constituencies.

Asian loggers: These grants are designated for micro-projects in the rural areas. Half the funding comes from the Republic of China or Taiwan, the balance is from the Rural Livelihood Fund, a scheme introduced by Prime Minister Derek Sikua’s Coalition for National Unity and Rural Advancement [CNURA] government this year.

Its 28,986 sq km land mass puts it 142nd in world ranking in terms of the area it occupies. It may be small by any standard, but Solomon Islands is filthy rich in natural resources, including minerals, fisheries, timber, and so on.

Only its timber resource has been destructively harvested by mostly Asian loggers, who quietly but effectively pull the strings on who is to be the next government.

Take the last vote of no confidence which toppled the Manasseh Sogavare’s government, for example.

Members of Parliament who defected to the then Opposition locked down in a Honiara hotel, under a deal allegedly hammered out between the loggers and certain key go-betweens.

According to insiders, the deal was that if the group failed in its takeover bid of the government, the hotel would bill the loggers for the cost of accommodating and entertaining the group for the entire period they camped out at the hotel.

If the group succeeded in taking over government, insiders said, taxpayers would cover their hotel bill, estimated to have run into hundred of thousands of dollars.

Despite its wealth, the rest of Solomon Islands natural resources, minerals, fisheries and so on remain largely unexplored.

“It’s a country which is second only to Papua New Guinea in terms of endowments in natural resources,” one international observer resident in Honiara told me.

At the same time, Solomon Islands is a land of huge contrast and contradictions. One does not have to travel far outside of Honiara to see the striking contrast that manifests itself in the country’s infrastructures such as roads, bridges and so on. It’s worse in the country’s nine provinces.

The contradictions are just as striking. Take a taxi ride along the Prince Philip and Kukum highways particularly at night and you are soon greeted by candle-lit stalls infront of Chinese shops that line the street.

There, without fail, people sell betel nut, cigarettes and so on just to make ends meet. These are seen in alleyways as well as in suburban street corners. Every day. And the cycle is repeated day in, day out throughout the year.

Land dealings murky affair: For them, that’s what 30 years of independence meant. For them, Solomon Islands is a poor country. For them, only Honiara provides sources of regular income. For them, their development aspirations have all but evaporated.

But even Honiara too is feeling the weight of the population pressures. Demands for social services such as clean water in homes, good roads, clinics and schools have outstripped services. Some homes in suburbs such as Vura in East Honiara do not even have water in their homes—sometimes for extended periods.

Land dealing in Honiara is a murky affair. In many cases, it is where the dust of corruptions is spurned. Take for example the tract of prime land along the Kukum Highway as one heads west into town from Honiara International Airport.

At one point, the area had a dormitory-type accommodation for employees of the Honiara City Council, Solomon Islands Ports Authority, Public Works and so on.

Today, many of these buildings have been replaced with modern Chinese shops, restaurants and massage parlours—all owned by Chinese.

Even the piece of land on which the Kukum Traffic Police station stands has been sold off to Chinese interests.

All sea front land, earmarked for public recreation facilities and or historical sites to be preserved for posterity, have been taken up mostly by foreigners. And no one raises a finger. Take the site where the residence of the Governor in pre-independence Solomon Islands once stood.

Despite protests and parliament intervention, the land was sold to an Italian developer, based in Port Moresby. A five-star hotel is being completed on the site.

Economic growth: In terms of tangible economic growth, there is little to show for it in the 30 years since independence. If any, the only Solomon Islands outfit that has shown real growth and benefits for its clients is the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (see accompanying story).

Although its membership and membership dues were severely affected by the closures of businesses at the height of the ethnic tension, the fund with a complete complement of Solomon Islands management crew bounced back.

As at December last year, NPF had accumulated investable funds totalling S$741 million. Internally, it has invested in Our Telekom, Bank South Pacific and South Pacific Oil.
Earlier this year, NPF launched into new investment areas offshore, including property, foreign currency and so on.

Its Chief Executive Officer Tony Makabo, said the fund declared an 18 percent dividend to its 130,000-strong membership this financial year.

“The fund’s performance remains strong and is certain to continue in the foreseeable future,” Makabo said

“I am happy. It is perhaps the only large scale economic success story to show for after 30 years of nationhood,” Makabo, a former Ministry of Finance officer, said.

One of the reasons, Solomon Islands’ economic growth, appears confined to Honiara, is the fact that most foreign-owned businesses do not re-invest in Solomon Islands. Instead, many horde their takings and send them overseas.

Honiara, or Solomon Islands, for that matter is a money spinner for these merchants.

In terms of foreign investment, there has been repeated mention of potential investment in considerable amounts of money in the 30-year period since independence. None translated into tangible realities.

Good, honest leadership: So as the nation looks to the next three decades, what have we learnt in the last 30 years and what can the people expect to see?

It is a question I put to Prime Minister Sikua in an exclusive interview a few days before the 30th independence anniversary celebrations last month.

“We have learnt that good leadership—political leadership—must be honest, visionary, inclusive and consultative.

“This boils down to one thing: the quality of MPs people choose at election time to represent them,” the Prime Minister said.

What sort of Solomon Islands do you want to see? I asked. “I want to see a Solomon Islands that is united, strong and God-fearing, a Solomon Islands that is secure and prosperous,” he said.

As long as Solomon Islands continues to entertain missed opportunities, harbour foreign interests, particularly the strong logging lobby and the like, Sikua’s statement of intent may just be an addition to rhetorics piously repeated over and over again over the last three decades. Only time will tell.