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(Photo: Karen Kay Management) |
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NEW ZEALAND: Building on canoe-voyaging
traditions
Source:
Vaka Project Press Release via Scoop Independent
News
Seven Pacific islands groups are mounting a
joint effort to preserve and develop their
traditions of ocean voyaging by
double-hulled canoe, following an agreement
reached in Auckland last month to form
Pacific Voyagers, a pan-Pacific network of
voyaging societies.
The Pacific Voyagers’ network includes
voyaging groups in American Samoa, the Cook
Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga
and Western Samoa.
The participating groups intend to celebrate
the formation of Pacific Voyagers by
assembling a fleet of seven ocean-going
canoes at Raratonga in the Cook Islands in
April 2010 for a voyage to Hawaii at the
invitation of the Polynesian Voyaging
Society and the Makali’i Voyaging Society.
Announcing the development today (March 11,
2009), the participating groups acknowledged
the work of New Zealand actor, whale
protection advocate and star of the
internationally-acclaimed film Whalerider,
Rawiri Paratene, in negotiating its
formation.
“We wish to acknowledge Rawiri’s inspiration
and his achievement in gaining international
funding and support that will help us
broaden our effort to preserve and develop
the ocean voyaging traditions of our
ancestors,” says a joint statement issued by
the participating groups.
The Pacific Voyagers’ network project has
won funding and support from the Okeanos
foundation, an international philanthropic
organization based in Germany, formed with
the objective of protecting the ocean
environment and marine life.
The foundation says it recognises that
Polynesian ocean voyaging traditions are
strongly founded on high standards of
ecological sensitivity. It is delighted to
be able to support a project that will
preserve the traditions and build awareness
of practices that will enhance the oceanic
environment.
Project manager for the Pacific Voyagers’
network project is Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp,
an experienced ocean voyager who has
completed many long distance international
voyages by double-hulled canoe at the
invitation of Hekenukumai Busby and the late
Sir Thomas Davis.
The seven participating island groups in
Pacific Voyagers have agreed to the
construction of the canoe hulls and
operating infrastructure to a common design
based on traditional concepts, and to a
programme of certification, training and
qualification of crews to ensure that high
safety standards are observed during ocean
voyaging.
Construction of the first of the fleet of
seven new ocean-going canoes has already
commenced in Auckland. It is expected to be
launched in Auckland in March 2009, and will
be used to provide initial training for
crews from the island groups participating
in the Pacific voyaging network.
Once Pacific Voyagers’ entry qualifications
have been fulfilled, the hulls of the other
six canoes will be shipped to the voyaging
groups in the participating islands to be
completed in accordance with local voyaging
traditions and customs.
The Okeanos foundation is funding the
construction of the canoes and providing
them at no cost to the participating groups
for a period of four years to enable them to
establish their own voyaging operations on a
self-sustaining basis. Each participating
group will be able to obtain ownership of
their canoe for a nominal price during or at
the end of the four year establishment
period.
Photo Caption:
The participating groups have acknowledged
the work of New Zealand actor, whale
protection advocate and star of the
internationally-acclaimed film Whalerider,
Rawiri Paratene, in negotiating the
formation of Pacific Voyagers, a pan-Pacific
network of voyaging societies.
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(Photo: Samoa
Government) |
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SAMOA: Parliamentary Updates
Source:
Government Press Secretariat Press Release
Hon. Prime Minister travels to New
Zealand
Cabinet has approved the participation by the
Hon. Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele
Malielegaoi, of a special graduation for the
Degree holders from the Auckland University on
the 13th - 14th March and the meeting with the
City Council of Manukau on the 16th March 2009.
The Hon. Prime Minister is one of the recipients
of the Distinguished Alumni Award of the
University of Auckland. These awards are given
out to ex-Auckland University students that have
served their communities with honor. The Prime
Minister is been given the award in recognition
of his long and distinguished career in Samoan
politics.
The Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet
with the Manukau City Council on the 16th March,
to discuss plans of the Samoan Government to
purchase a land in Auckland for government use.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs and Trade, Aiono Mose Pouvi,
will be travelling with the Prime Minister to
Auckland.
American Samoa invites Upolu villages for
their Flag Day
Cabinet has approved the participation by the
villages of Satitoa and Falevao to take part in
the American Samoa Flag Day on the 17 April
2009, in respect of the invitation from their
Government.
The Police Brass Band is also invited. The two
villages have been asked to prepare dances and
Samoan traditional songs for the event. Satitoa
will also compete in the fautasi race.
Government to Lift Ban on Inter-School Sports
Competition
Cabinet has approved recommendation by the
Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture
according to a report, to lift the ban on
inter-school sports competition.
A report was prepared by KVA Consult Ltd based
on researches done on Inter-School Sports
Violence. According to this report, the Ministry
of Sports has advised the Cabinet to lift the
ban on inter-school competition, for reasons of
talents and healthy living promotions among
young people of Samoa. Cabinet has approved
recommendations and that:
[1] The MESC finalizes National Sports Policy
(2006 to 2009) and the National School Sports
Policy (2006 to 2015) so that there is an
integrated approach to sports development in
Samoa from Schools to the National level.
[2] The MESC to develop preventative as well as
a “Code of Sports Conduct”.
[3]MESC to finalize the discussion paper on
“Behavior Guidelines” for both Students and
Staff.
[4]The School Committees to reinforce the role
of parents and caregivers in the development of
their children’s educational and sporting
endeavors and provide moral guidance, tolerance
and discipline.
Don Bosco and Punaoa Institutes are banned from
these sports competition. All schools in the
tertiary level are prohibited from participating
in these competitions.
Policy Statement on Submarine Cable
Cabinet has endorsed the Government Policy
Statement on Submarine Cable and International
Gateway Services submitted by the Ministry of
Communications and Information Technology..
The Government Policy Statement states that:
[1] SamoaTel’s Exclusivity on full International
Gateway Services to be terminated by 30 June
2009, and full liberalization of the
International Telecom market to start 1 July
2009;
[2] The DS3 Circuit currently under MCIT to be
leased to any financially and technically
qualified firm with an International Gateway
Services License;
[3] The number of International Gateway Services
Operators no to be limited, and the limit to be
determined by the market and;
[4] The Management of the Cable Landing Station
to be included in a clear, transparent and non
discriminatory regulatory framework.
The Office of the Regulator and the Ministry of
Communication will be fully responsible for
above mentioned policies. The submarine cable is
schedule to be in Samoa in April 2009.
Seatrade Cruise Shipping 2009
Cabinet has approved the participation by the
General Manager, Samoa Shipping Corporation,
Papalii M Willie Nanse and Senior Officer, Samoa
Tourism Authority, Muliagatele Stella Fong, of
the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference and
Exhibition, to be held in Miami, America on the
16 - 19 March 2009.
The main objective of the exhibition and the
conference is to promote and advertise Tourist
attractions in different countries of the
Pacific to Cruise Ship Companies and the people
of America. Samoa’s participation in this
exhibition and conference is a good opportunity
for the senior participants to observe and learn
new ideas to better and improve on their
services.
The number of Cruise Ships visiting Samoa has
increased ever since Samoa participated in this
event in the past years.
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(Photo: Australian
Government) |
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AUSTRALIA:
Australia opens trade school in Port
Moresby
Source:
The National via Pacific Islands Report
The new Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC)
at the Port Moresby Technical College premises
was officially opened yesterday (March 10, 2009)
by Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane and
Australian High Commissioner to PNG Chris
Moraitis.
Funded by the Australian government, the PGK13
million [US$5 million] worth of facilities
include a new multi-purpose workshop which can
be reconfigured to train electricians,
carpenters, metal fabricators and other trades.
There are also student accommodation and
classroom facilities and training tools with
funding for operating cost for the first four
years and an additional PGK500,000 [US$178,000]
to help upgrade machine tooling facilities at
the college.
Currently, there are more than 20 day and
boarding students under the APTC scholarship
program at the new college doing carpentry,
automotive, fitter mechanics and metal
fabricating.
Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane said the
objective of the college was to provide
Australian technical and vocational
qualifications in areas of high demand with the
aim of contributing to the development of a
skilled work force.
"This institution can provide skills to our
people to work anywhere in the world and for
those who will train here, I encourage you to
make the most of this rare opportunity," Sir
Paulias said.
Mr. Moraitis said the college would further
strengthen education and further training
between Australia and PNG.
The opening of the APTC also coincided with the
graduation of 37 APTC students who completed
their training last year at the APTC Vanuatu and
Samoa campuses.
Graduands were from the school of automotive,
construction and electrical and manufacturing
and the school of hospitality and tourism.
Photo Caption:
Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Chris
Moraitis and Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane.
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(Photo: Marshall Islands Journal) |
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USA: US Ambassador To Marshall Islands retires
Source:
Yokwe Online
US Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall
Islands, Clyde Bishop announces his retirement
from the Foreign Service, effective April 30,
2009. As a career officer Ambassador Bishop’s
tenure was assured until the completion of his
tour of duty. Family circumstances require the
curtailment of his assignment and his premature
retirement.
Ambassador Bishop and his wife, Cynthia dePaulo
consider their assignment to the Republic of the
Marshall Islands to be the highlight of their
thirty year career.
The support and the cooperation they have
received from the government and the Marshallese
people will be lasting fond memories.
While in body he will be departing this
beautiful country, he says in spirit there will
always be a very positive affection for the
experience he has shared as US Ambassador.
Clyde Bishop was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to
the Republic of the Marshall Islands on
September 28, 2006 and assumed his duties on
December 5, 2006. Ambassador Bishop is a career
diplomat and Minister Counsellor in the Senior
Foreign Service of the United States.
Prior to his assignment to the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, Ambassador Bishop served as
the Consul General at the US Embassy Santo
Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. He also
served as Principal Officer in Naples, Italy.
His previous Foreign Service postings include
Hong Kong, Bombay, Rio de Janeiro, and Korea. He
began his career as a Consular/Economic officer
in Palermo, Italy.
Ambassador Bishop served as Diplomat in
Residence at City College New York. After his
promotion into the Senior Foreign Service, he
participated in the Foreign Service Institute
Senior Seminar.
Clyde Bishop received his Bachelor of Arts in
Sociology from Delaware State in 1964. He
received a Master of Arts in Sociology from
Delaware University in 1972 and was awarded a
Doctorate degree from the University of Delaware
in Public Policy Analysis in 1976. He is fluent
in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. He is a
recipient of two Meritorious Honour Awards and a
Superior Honour Award..
Photo Caption: US Ambassador to the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, Clyde Bishop.
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(Photo: Vanuatu Daily Post) |
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VANUATU:
Education gives Vt55 million worth of materials
to schools
Source:
Vanuatu Daily Post
The Ministry of Education have given out over
Vt55 million worth of free school materials for
all public schools in the country, courtesy of
NZAid.
Director General of Education Daniel Lamoureaux
said this was the first time to purchase such a
huge quantity of materials since the program
began in 2005.
Lamoureaux explained that the materials ranging
from exercise books (both for French and
English), pencils, pens, rubbers, rulers and
colour pencils will be shared evenly according
to the number of students in a school.
He said children from grades 1-8 are entitled to
a number of free 17 - 28 exercise books, 9
pencils, 5 pens, 1 rubber, 1 ruler and 1 colour
pencil in a school during an academic year.
The system of issuing free school materials to
public schools began on 2005 when the government
of Vanuatu budgeted Vt12 million for the
materials.
At the moment, the goods are ordered on a yearly
contract. Probably in future, the Ministry of
Education may look into signing at least more
than years contract, but this again would be
risky so careful consideration must be made
before actually thinking of going this far,”
Lamoureaux said.
Lamoureaux also said that except for schools on
Torba, materials would be shipped directly to
each respective port near the school.
“For schools on Torba, the materials would be
sent to the provincial headquarters where the
department would use boats to do the
distribution.
Lamourex is urged all schools not to charge
students for the materials and to make sure all
are used within the given timeframe which is one
year.
Daily Post understands that some primary schools
have not completely used up last year’s
materials but the Education head said there is
no reason why these books have not been
completely used because they were purchased to
be used by the students.
Photo Caption: The Ministry of Education
have given out over Vt55 million worth of free
school materials for all public schools in the
country, courtesy of NZAid.
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WORLDWIDE:
Pacific Time in New York
Source:
Secretariat
of the Pacific Community Press Release
It was Pacific Time at a well-attended event
during the 53rd Commission on the Status of
Women (CSW53) in New York when Pacific Islands
Forum members gave their perspective on the
theme of CSW53, Equal sharing of
responsibilities between women and men.
The event was chaired by the Honourable O'Love
Jacobsen (Niue’s Minister of Health, Women’s
Affairs, Public Works and Energy, and
chairperson of the Forum delegation to CSW) and
featured Professor Marilyn Waring of New
Zealand, Luagalau Foisagaasina Eteuati Shon (CEO
Ministry of Women, Samoa) and Winnie Byanyima
(Director, Gender Team, Bureau for Development
Policy, UNDP). They took the opportunity to
present the Pacific context and raise policy
initiatives to support more sharing of
responsibilities.
According to Professor Waring, the
‘invisibility’ of women’s unpaid work in the
Pacific must be viewed in the context of the
informal economies common in our region.
‘While the focus in global dialogues is often on
unpaid care giving and domestic
responsibilities, this is only a fraction of the
work carried out disproportionately by women in
the Pacific and completely unaccounted for in
national accounts. There is also a need to
recognise that a country’s resources are not
merely fiscal or monetary but also include human
and community resources,’ she said.
Waring gave the example of the Solomon Islands,
where close to 80% of all ‘economic’ activities
such as transportation and agriculture are at
the subsistence or informal level. But while
these activities are very visible at the
community level, work in homes and communities
is invisible or unaccounted for in formal
economic equations. She said relevant data are
needed to quantify women’s contributions through
the practical application of time use surveys.
This will provide a truer picture of Pacific
economies and help inform strategic policy
interventions.
Winnie Byanyima of UNDP agreed, saying that in
the global economic debate, there is an urgent
need to recognise and understand the role of
women in subsistence economies.
Speaking on a report recently released by the
UNDP Pacific Centre, Making invisible work more
visible: Gender and time use surveys with a
focus on the Pacific and unpaid care work, she
said that time use surveys can assist Pacific
governments to include women in national
economic planning and budgets, especially in
societies where subsistence production is shaped
by tradition and religion, which impacts on the
status of women.
Luagalau Foisagaasina Eteuati Shon outlined the
approach being taking in Samoa, where she said
the government was placing emphasis on
supporting community economic action and
ensuring more support for families who provided
care work, particularly through micro-enterprise
programmes for women.
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