NEWSROOM 30 March
2009

(Photo: Event Polynesia News)

NEW ZEALAND: Samatau in NZ rally to support baby Grace and her mother
Source: Event Polynesia News Press Release
 

(Photo: Samoa Government)

SAMOA: Parliamentary Updates
Source: Government Press Secretariat Press Release

Ministry of Police and Prison to Open New Branch

Cabinet has approved plans by the Ministry of Police and Prison to open its new Branch Office at Vaitoomuli, Savaii on the 3rd April 2009.

As scheduled for the financial year 2008/2009, there are two other new Branch Offices currently under constructions at the villages of Tuana’imato and Poutasi Falealili. These two Branches are scheduled to open before the end of this financial year (2008/2009).


Report on Pacific ICT Ministerial Forum

Cabinet has approved the report by Samoa’s Delegation for the Pacific ICT Ministerial Forum that was held in Nukualofa, Tonga on the 17 - 20 February 2009.

The meeting’s discussions were based on the Pacific’s initiative to create an Action Plan that can provide a safe, better and cheap service to cater for the needs of all people and to be met before 2015. Samoa also contributed in the discussions by sharing views according to our experiences and the need for more experts in the field to develop this area in the country.

The theme of the Forum was: “Connecting the UnConnected”. Some of the areas touched by and agreed upon by the Minister included:
Affordable Access: Domestic and International Connectivity in the Pacific;
Enabling Environment: Policy, Regulatory and Financial Framework;
Cybersecurity and ICT Applications;
Emergency Communications and Disaster Relief/Climate Change and;
Human Capacity Building.

Samoa was appointed to Chair the Ministerial Panel for the “Enabling Environment: Policy, Regulatory and Financial Framework”.

The Hon. Minister for Communication, Safuneituuga Paaga Neri and CEO for Ministry of Communication represented Samoa for this meeting.


Hon. Deputy Prime Minister Reports on AIDS Commission Forum

Cabinet has approved the report by the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Misa Telefoni, on the AIDS Commission’s Forum that was held in Canberra, Australia on the 8 - 11 March 2009.

A$14million has been allocated for the Commission’s Aid Programs for the year 2009. Since reports were not well prepared for putting together the aid Programs (such as AUSAID, Global Fund, UNAID and others) the AIDS Commission is now working on preparing a report to be discussed in their next Forum in July this year. This meeting, to be held in Fiji, will finalize the Commission’s report for the next ICAAP meeting in Bali, Indonesia, August 2009. The Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Misa Telefoni will be among the members of the delegation to the Bali Meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister, Misa Telefoni, also discussed some important issues in a meeting with Hon. Simon Crean (Australian Minister for Trade) and Duncan Kerr (Secretary to Parliament on AUSAID Issues for the Govt. Australia). Mr Crean and Mr Kerr, will be visiting Samoa in April 2009. At this visit Samoa will be signing the WTO Agreement to officially become a member.


Fletcher Awarded Contract

Cabinet has approved awarding of contract for Construction of Main Office for the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture at the cost of US$9,048,861.94.

An invitation for Tenders’ Bids was advertised for 13 weeks and five (5) contractors submitted their bids. After assessment of bids by the Tenders’ Board, they have realized that the Fletcher Company has met all the necessary conditions and requirements and awarded them the contract. The Ministry’s new Office is funded by the Development Bank of Asia, AUSAid, NZAid and the Government of Samoa.

The Contract is for a year and three months.
 

(Photos: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: ASCC marine science students enter IYOR contest
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

Over the years, American Samoa’s coral reefs have been agitated and disrupted. Increased sedimentation from land mismanagement and contaminants introduced into our streams by waste (trash, detergents, piggeries, animal wastes, etc.) are several examples of manmade practices which contribute to the deterioration of our reefs. Organizations such as the Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG) and small groups of students are collaborating to try to conserve marine ecosystems for their recreational, cultural and intrinsic value through increasing awareness.

If people understood that everything on the ground eventually ends up in the water and harms our coral reef ecosystems, then perhaps they would be more willing to make changes towards improving the land by adopting practices such as disposing of trash properly, not littering, moving piggeries 100 feet away from streams, using phosphate-free detergents, picking up after their animals, saying no to plastic bags, and recycling aluminum cans and glass bottles.

Five of my classmates and I from the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) Marine Science Tropical Island Ecology course, along with Ms. Lauren Wetzell, ASCC’s Marine Science Coordinator, and Mr. Derek Toloumu of CRAG, have joined the International Year Of The Reef (IYOR) video competition to help promote local awareness in marine conservation. Even though the class ended last semester, Joseph Iosua, Elizabeth Leituala, Elaine Lio, Kionasina Palasi, Henrygene Suapilimai, and Talifaia Tavete and myself got together and composed, recorded, and produced an IYOR music video. Our efforts were enhanced with musical talent from Mr. Lemuelu Fauo’o of Tafuna High School, videographer Mr. Fred Ahoia of Island Rootz Production, and Mr. Lavi Faaofo helped with the recording of our song.

For this international competition, the contestants were required to integrate cultural ties to the video. We used a Samoan traditional pate and fue, lavalavas, puletasis, and Triton horn (conch shell). Our song features an island beat, adapted from the song “Little Mermaid” in the Disney film Under the Sea. Also, we felt it was important to show the steps our island has taken towards promoting marine awareness and included Wyland’s mural at the EOB as well as the Coral Reef Bus operated by Tala Iakopo.
We wanted to participate in this competition because if we win, we would like to put the money towards visiting and learning about the proactive measures our sister-island Upolu has taken towards implementing protection and awareness for their coral reefs.

Together, we can increase our numbers of supporters and apply strategies toward improving the quality of our watersheds and fundamentally, the health of our reefs.
In order for us to win, we need your support and your online vote by March 31st. Please visit the following website www.reefcheck.org/video/video_contest.php
Look for our video under American Samoa, “Tupulaga Taualaga” (Youth Outcry). Citizens of American Samoa, we humbly ask you for your vote, for while we are the children of today, we are also the leaders of tomorrow.

We would like to recognize the many people and businesses who have promoted our cause, including radio stations FM104 (Showers of Blessings), 93KHJ, and V103. Also, we are very grateful for the several TV stations who have aired our video and encouraged the community to vote, such as Channel 13 and KVZK Channel 2. Finally, we would like to thank our parents, friends, and ASCC and CRAG staff for allowing us the time from our daily commitments to pursue this opportunity and helping us promote the awareness of coral reefs to a higher level.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - During the fall 2008 semester, Marine Science students at ASCC composed a song about environmental awareness, which they performed in the studio of KHJ. This semester, the Marine Science students have entered a video in the International Year of the Reef competition sponsored by MTV, and hope the community will support them by voting for it online.

Photo 2 - ASCC Marine Science students performing their song about environmental awareness in the studio of KHJ.

Photo 3 - ASCC Marine Science instructor Lauren Wetzell does a radio interview to promote the original song her students composed last semester to promote environmental awareness. This semester, the Marine Science students have entered a video in the International Year of the Reef competition sponsored by MTV, and hope the community will support them by voting for it online.
 

(Photo: Oceania Football Confederation)

COOK ISLANDS: New skills for Cook Island coaches
Source: Oceania Football Confederation Press Release

Oceania Football Confederation’s senior coaching course is being held in the Cook Islands for the first time this week offering coaches essential training tips.

Around 15 coaches are setting out on the path towards a senior coaching badge as OFC Technical Director Jim Selby takes them through the course this week and will then return in July to give assessments before awarding the OFC badges.

Selby says coaches will be able to call on local mentors for assistance leading up to the July assessments.

“Straight after this course, each coach can put the training into practice with their local team and be mentored by newly appointed CIFA Technical Director Maurice Tillotson now based in the Cook Islands,” says Selby, who is usually based at OFC Headquarters in Auckland.

“Those that show they are competent will achieve the OFC Senior Coaching Certificate and those that are not quite up to the standard will have a chance to be reassessed later in the year.”

This week’s training follows on from youth and junior courses facilitated by Selby in the Cook Islands over the past two years. He says the Cook Islands Football Association (CIFA) has been systematic in its approach to coach education.

“CIFA has shown exemplary support for these courses and that has resulted in coaches having ample opportunities to improve their skills. OFC continues to work closely with CIFA to deliver the full range of courses to further lift the technical standards of Jim Selbyfootball in the Cook Islands.”

One coach who has directly benefited is Jimmy Katoa. Through participating in OFC courses, Katoa has achieved the qualifications to deliver courses for community coaches and junior coaches.

In May he is set to become the first Cook Islander qualified to run youth coaching courses. Selby says this is an example of the Technical Department’s commitment to see local people deliver local courses in the future.

On Sunday (March 29, 2009), Selby will fly from the Cook Islands to Samoa where he will meet with the Normalisation Committee to put together a plan of action for 2009 including grassroots programmes, player identification strategies, football in schools and other initiatives.

Photo Caption: Coaches attending Oceania Football Confederation’s senior coaching course.
 

(Photo: Reuters)

FIJI: Fiji beats South Africa to win Hong Kong Rugby Sevens
Source: Canadian Press

Emosi Vucago scored two tries as Fiji held on for a 26-24 win over South Africa on Sunday and a record 12th Hong Kong Sevens rugby title.

Canada came within seconds of winning the consolation Plate, only to see Tonga score a converted try on the last play of the match to win 14-12. The Canadians had advanced to the championship game of the second-tier bracket with wins over Wales and Hong Kong.

But the day belonged to Fiji, which proved once again it is a master of the seven-a-side game.

Fiji coach Iliesa Tanivula said he was happy his young team - averaging 23 or 24 in age - proved its sceptics back home wrong.

"They wrote us off," Tanivula said. "It gave us the motivation to do better, to shut everyone up. The Fijians back home and around the world, they didn't even give us a chance. So these guys - credit to them. I take my hat off to them."

Fiji went ahead 19-0 on two tries by Vucago and once from Osea Kolinisau. But the South Africans responded with tries from Robert Ebersohn and Renfred Dazel to pull within seven points before the break.

A converted try by Seremaia Burotu Fiji up 26-12 after the break. But South Africa hit back with two tries, with Vuyo Zangqu going over after Roko was sent to the sin bin. The South Africans scored again with another Fijian, Vereniki Goneva, was sent off to pull within two points, but Mzwandile Stick missed the long conversion to hand Fiji the title.

Against Tonga, the Canadians led 12-5 on tries by Sean Duke and DTH van der Merwe and looked set for victory until Nili Latu's late try was converted by Peasipa Moimoi

Earlier Canada beat Wales 19-10 - with two tries from Adam Kleeberger and one from Duke - and Hong Kong 26-5.

The South Africans went into the Cup final on a 24-10 quarter-final win over Australia and a 29-3 defeat of Samoa. Fiji warmed up with a 10-7 win over England in the quarter-finals and a 24-7 semi-final win over Kenya, which upset defending champion New Zealand 10-7 in the quarter-finals.

Despite losing the final, South Africa, which has already won twice on the IRB Sevens tour this year, now leads the series standings with 84 points. They were tied with England at 60 points before the Hong Kong tournament.

Photo Caption: Fiji's Emosi Vucago.
 

WORLDWIDE: Improving public auditing in Kiribatu, Nauru and Tuvalu
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Community Press Release

In a new initiative by the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI), Auditors General from Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to commence the Subregional Audit Support (SAS) Programme under the overall framework of the Pacific Regional Audit Initiative (PRAI).

SAS Programme Committee Chairperson and Auditor General of Tuvalu, Mr Isaako Kine, said the programme’s objective is to enable the public accounts of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu to be audited to uniformly high standards in a timely manner.

“The SAS programme in turn will contribute to good governance through improved accountability and efficiency in providing audit scrutiny and oversight over the use of public resources in Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu.”

Mr Kine added: “The SAS Programme will also strengthen in-country financial management capacity and enhance accountability mechanisms. At a later point, the programme will be expanded to undertake performance audits.”

Mr Barry Reid, the Asian Development Bank's Senior Financial Management Specialist, remarked that the Programme has the unanimous support of PASAI members, the Forum Leaders and the Forum Economic Ministers, and will establish an SAS team which will work with the three participating countries to conduct financial audits, and at a later point performance audits.

"SAS team members will be seconded from the Kiribati National Audit Office, the Nauru Audit Department and the Office of the Auditor General of Tuvalu and will be led by external audit staff with practical auditing and training experience," explained Mr Reid. "The initial programme period will be 2008-2012, at which point the programme will be evaluated.”

Mr Kine noted that the programme will be managed by the strengthened PASAI Secretariat, once established, under the oversight of a SAS Programme Committee.

"In the interim, the programme will be established and managed by the SAS Programme Coordinator under the SAS Programme Committee’s oversight. An SAS Programme Coordinator has been appointed and other SAS Programme secondees and technical staff will be in place in the coming months.”

Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, said Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and Forum Economic Ministers have identified the audit initiative as an important regional undertaking, as recognised in the Pacific Plan.

"PRAI progress is an excellent demonstration of regional cooperation, with a significant dimension of pooling scarce resources to support improved transparency and accountability in the management and use of our public resources," said Mr Slade.

"While there is still some more work to get through, the good progress that has been achieved so far is underscored by the commitment of all relevant stakeholders - firstly, the national SAIs for supporting the initiative, secondly, to PASAI for its leadership and guidance, and finally, of ADB, AusAID and IDI for the financial and technical support which they have provided to the initiative.”

The SAS Programme Committee, which was established to implement the SAS Programme, met in Wellington, New Zealand, from 19-20 March to progress transition arrangements to mobilise staff resources to undertake cooperative audits in the three participating jurisdictions commencing from third quarter 2009.

The working group comprises the Auditors-General from Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu. Representatives from the Asian Development Bank, Australian Agency for International Development, the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions Development Initiative and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat attended the meeting.

PASAI is a regional organisation representing 25 audit institutions in the Pacific and is one of seven regional working groups of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions.

The Pacific Regional Audit Initiative was developed through an extensive 18-month consultative process under the guidance of PASAI, with support from ADB and AusAID, under the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s co-ordination, given the interest of Forum Leaders on good governance, as articulated in the Pacific Plan.