NEWSROOM 29 April
2009

(Photos: New Zealand Labour Party / The Global Fund)

NEW ZEALAND: Chauvel appointed to Board of Pacific Friends of the Global Fund

(Photos: Manly Council)

SAMOA: Samoa joins Fiji and Vanuatu at this year's Manly Fair Trade Market
Source: Samoa Observer

Samoa is to display products at the Manly Fair Trade Market this year.

The fair is Australia’s contribution to the Fair Trade Fortnight, an annual event recognised around the world to celebrate fair trade and raise awareness about the movement.

This year for the first time, Pasifika Fair Trade, a bourgeoning movement of producers and organisations pioneering fair trade in the Pacific Islands region will participate in the Manly Fair Trade Market.

The organisation supports business development, marketing, product development, fair trade accreditation, capacity building and linkages between nations in the region.

Pasifika Fair Trade is an umbrella brand for the fair trade movement across the region being promoted through the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC’s) EU-funded FACT (Facilitating Agricultural Commodity Trade) project.

SPC is the largest developmental organisation in the Pacific Islands and has been active for more than 60 years.

FACT project team leader Dr Lex Thomson said through operating under fair trade principles, and coupled with appropriate branding, Pacific Island producers have a better opportunity to receive higher prices for their produce and obtain greater social benefits from their endeavours.

“Twelve to 14 producers and organisations from three countries (Fiji Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu) are showcasing their products at these events, including FACT recipients Origins Pacific Limited, Fiji FRIEND and Women in Business Development.

“Our Pasifika Fair Trade showcase encompasses island dance, food and products, as well as a visiting contingent.” Dr Thomson said.

“Fair Trade Fiesta (May 7) is the highlight of Sydney’s Fair Trade Fortnight, a day of entertainment, speakers, gourmet cuisine and celebrity chefs, and a bustling products market, while Manly Fair Trade Market is a key event on World Fair Trade Day (May 9). Pasifika Fair Trade is taking a Pacific focus to this event.”

Celebrating both World Fair Trade Day and Mothers’ Day in Australia, the Manly Fair Trade Market will host free entertainment including a Hula performance, music group Three Quarters Hazel (back due to popular demand), street theatre, free kids’ face painting and Mother’s Day gift activities.

Mothers’ Day gift opportunities, ranging from jewellery and fashion items to chocolate and delectable organic foods, and lots of other exciting goodies will be on offer at Manly Council’s next Fair Trade Market at Manly Council Chambers Forecourt on Saturday 9 May 2009, which is also World Fair Trade Day.

Meanwhile Councillor Jean Hay, Mayor of Manly, believes trade can certainly reduce hardship, “but Pacific producers must not be forced into signing away the jobs, lands, traditions and rights of Pacific peoples.”

“Fair Trade is a growing international movement which ensures that producers in developing countries in the Pacific region and elsewhere get a fair deal,” Mr Hay says.

“This means they get a fair price for their goods — one that covers the cost of production and guarantees a sustainable livelihood; long-term contracts which provide income security; and, when appropriate, additional support to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to develop their businesses and increase sales,” he says.
 

(Photo: Reuters)

AUSTRALIA: Australia, PNG warn Fiji of suspension from bloc
Source: Reuters

Australia and Papua New Guinea issued a final warning to Fiji's coup leader Frank Bainimarama on Tuesday to commit to fresh elections or face immediate suspension from a forum of South Pacific nations.

Bainimarama has until May 1 to set a timetable for elections in Fiji or his country faces suspension from the 15-nation Pacific Islands Forum, which has its headquarters in Fiji's capital of Suva.

With the deadline looming, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Michael Somare said the latest developments in Fiji, where the constitution was revoked and judiciary sacked, had hardened the resolve of Forum countries.

"The Forum has taken a stand. The Forum gave an ultimatum that if Fiji does not agree to set the date for elections, then the Forum has no option," Somare told reporters in Canberra after talks with Rudd.

Somare, the elder statesman of the South Pacific, has worked to keep fellow Melanesian nation Fiji involved with the Forum, but said he was losing patience with Bainimarama's regime.

Fiji was plunged into a new political crisis in early April when the country's President Ratu Josefa Iloilo revoked the constitution and sacked the judiciary, with the government imposing strict curbs on media reporting.

Bainimarama, who seized power in a bloodless coup in December 2006, had promised elections by mid 2009, but now says elections won't be held before 2014.

"We have bent over backwards. I have tried my best. But they have decided to suspend the constitution," Somare said. Rudd said Fiji could also be suspended from the 53-member Commonwealth group of mainly former British colonies by September if Bainimarama does not make progress towards democracy.

"Australia's position is hard line," Rudd told reporters.

"You cannot sustain within a family of democracies within the Pacific Island Forum, or a family of democracies within the Commonwealth, a government like that of Fiji which simply treats with contempt the most fundamental democratic institutions and press freedoms of its people."

Rudd said Commonwealth ministers will meet on May 15 to discuss developments in Fiji, Rudd said. Fiji has suffered four coups and an army mutiny since 1987. The country of about 900,00 people is racially divided, with tensions between majority indigenous Fijians and ethnic Indians.

Photo Caption: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has vowed to maintain Australia's "hardline" stance against Fiji's military dictatorship, as the rogue state heads towards being expelled from the Pacific Islands Forum on Friday.
 

(Photo: Jamm Aquino, Honolulu Star Bulletin)

HAWAII: Wartime deeds of heroism are brought to the forefront
Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin

Seven Hawaii soldiers will be inducted into the U.S. Army Museum's Gallery of Heroes at Fort DeRussy on Thursday. All are recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross.

These are their stories of heroism:

Capt. Robert Caliboso
Vietnam War, Company B, 1st Aviation Battalion, 1st Infantry Division
March 5, 1966

Caliboso was the pilot of a UH-1D helicopter when the Viet Cong attacked a unit of the 28th Infantry at Lai Khe in Binh Duong Province. With U.S. forces running low on ammunition Caliboso and his crew volunteered to deliver 1,500 pounds of explosive cargo into the battle area.

On the approach to the landing zone, Caliboso's helicopter and crew were hit time and time again by heavy machine gun and small arms fire. After unloading all the needed ammunition, Caliboso' helicopter was shot down, killing all aboard.

Capt. Linus Chock
Vietnam War, 183d Aviation Company, 223d Combat Support Aviation Battalion
Nov. 29, 1966

Chock was flying a single-engine reconnaissance O-1 L-19 aircraft escorting a Vietnamese Army convoy near Bao Loc when it came under heavy automatic weapons and recoilless rifle fire from a Viet Cong battalion, pinning down the convoy. Chock called for artillery fire and air strikes, but realized that more immediate action was necessary to save the convoy.

Although his aircraft was only armed with four small rockets normally used to mark targets, Chock chose to attack the Viet Cong to draw fire from the besieged convoy. Although Chock received intense ground fire, he destroyed the Viet Cong position on his second strike.

Despite damage to his plane, he started a third pass on another insurgent emplacement. His aircraft was raked by ground fire and Chock was killed.

Sgt. Douglas Factora
Vietnam War, Troop C, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
May 13, 1968

Factora was an assault vehicle commander during an attack on a well-fortified enemy position in the vicinity of Cu Chi. Directing suppressive fire with his vehicle's machine gun and hurling hand grenades, he eliminated several of the hostile emplacements.

During the final stages of the assault, Factora was wounded and thrown from his vehicle when it was struck by an enemy anti-tank rocket. He remounted the carrier, rallied his crew members, and continued his assault, destroying several additional enemy positions.

Factora's vehicle was hit by an enemy anti-tank round, seriously wounding several of his crew members and causing the vehicle to burst into flames. Factora removed his disabled comrades from the burning carrier. He died en route to the hospital.

Pvt. Paulino Hernaez
Korean War, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
May 30, 1951

Hernaez was acting as scout of a platoon whose mission was to break through hostile defenses to aid two friendly squads that had been encircled by the enemy. As his platoon advanced up a slope, it was hit by fire from four hostile machine-guns and was pinned down.

Hernaez quickly made his way to the left flank of the enemy positions and, without hesitation, singlehandedly charged the hostile emplacements. Although hit almost immediately by the heavy enemy fire, he continued his charge until mortally wounded. His sudden attack distracted the enemy, enabling his comrades to renew their assault and complete the mission.

Staff Sgt. George Iida
World War II: Company G, 2d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team
July 4, 1944

Iida's platoon was pinned down by machine gun fire near Castellina in Italy. Iida spotted two of the guns and took out one machine gun emplacement with his M-1 rifle. Iida then advanced alone and encountered an enemy rifleman and shot him. This action caused the enemy to open up with machine gun and machine pistol fire.

Locating one of these hostile positions, Iida crawled to within a few yards of it and throwing two hand grenades, destroyed the machine gun nest. Meanwhile, his platoon leader was seriously wounded and Iida was ordered to assume command of the platoon.

Observing that the men were still pinned down, Iida again advanced alone, located the hostile positions and heaved four more hand grenades into the emplacements, silencing the enemy weapons.

Staff Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro
Vietnam War, Company C, 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division
Dec. 1, 1966

While serving as a squad leader in an infantry platoon during a search-and-destroy mission at Phu Huu 2 in Kimson Valley, Kaneshiro's unit came under fire from a heavily fortified village of North Vietnamese troops some of whom were concealed in a trench system.

The enemy's fire pinned down several squads from Kaneshiro's platoon. Kaneshiro deployed his men, then crawled forward to attack it alone. He took out a machine gun with a grenade.

Kaneshiro then jumped into the trench where it fronted the two pinned squads. He worked the ditch alone, destroying one enemy group with M-16 fire and two others with grenade fires.

1st Lt. John Kauhaihao
Vietnam War, Company B, 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)
September 1969

Kauhaihao was leading his platoon during a reconnaissance operation in Tay Ninh Province when they were attacked by North Vietnamese regulars occupying bunker fortifications. Kauhaihao directed his men to cover behind several large, bamboo covered dirt mounds. As the rest of the company moved up, they were caught in a crossfire from flanking enemy bunkers.

Seizing upon a momentary lull in the exchange of fire, Kauhaihao hacked an opening through the bamboo grove. In the next 15 minutes, Kauhaihao hurled more than 30 hand grenades through this opening at the enemy bunkers. In so doing, Kauhaihao drew enemy fire on himself again and again so that his men could sight enemy gunners and bring them under suppressive fire.

Kauhaihao directed the withdrawal of his battered point element. He dragged vital equipment to the rear and helped wounded soldiers to a position of safety. While rejoining his men to the company's main force, Kauhaihao sighted an enemy squad moving up on his tattered platoon. As he advanced to engage the approaching enemy, Kauhaihao was morally wounded by enemy fire.

Photo Caption: Medals on display at the U.S. Army Museum.
 

TONGA: Tongan almond pickers send home Aussie dollars
Source: Matangi Tonga

Tongan seasonal workers who are picking almonds in Robinvale, Victoria are earning good money and sending remittances back to their families in Tonga, reports Vava'u People's Representative 'Etuate Lavulavu.

The Pacific Seasonal Pilot Worker Scheme to Australia is a good program, "one that is not only beneficial for Tonga's economy but to the development of the livelihood of the workers' families in Tonga," said Lavulavu, on April 17, after returning from a visit to Australia.

He said the workers were getting paid at a minimum rate of around AUD$17.00 per hour and working long hours. "This is good money and they are hard workers," said 'Etuate. Many of the workers are sending money home every week.

The 50 men are picking almonds in Robinvale for a Tongan company Tree Minders Pty Ltd. run by Samuela Fangaloka, who was appointed by the Australian Government as a Labour Hire Company.

The group of Tongan seasonal workers recruited under the Pacific Seasonal Pilot Workers scheme to Australia for seven months made up half of the initial 100 workers wanted by Australia for the pilot scheme.

The workers who left Tonga in February will return home on September 10 ont the completion of their seven months visa.

The Pacific Seasonal Pilot Worker Scheme to Australia includes four countries, Tonga, Vanuatu, PNG and Kiribati.
 

WORLDWIDE: Energy exposes vulnerability of Pacific Island countries
Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release

The question of energy, like no other, gives full exposure to the vulnerability of Pacific Island Countries.

This was highlighted by Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in his keynote address to the Pacific Energy Ministers’ Meeting which met in Nuku’alofa, Tonga 23 - 24 April.

In his keynote address, Forum Secretary General, Mr Slade said: “Renewable, sustainable and clean energy is and must be, unequivocally, our ultimate goal. It would be short-sighted however to neglect what can be done now to better relieve the very real pressures that many Forum countries face in meeting their energy requirements. Particularly, in our smaller island states”

He also urged the Region’s Energy Ministers to ensure that energy be viewed within a broader and more strategic context and encouraged that energy be integrated into national strategic development plans and policies.

The Forum Secretary General said all Forum member countries have to grapple with the effects of climate change and consequences of dependence on fossil fuels. He cited the importance of ensuring the region’s response to these challenges was collective, as should the region’s view of what energy means for all Forum members.

“Energy cannot be thought of as somehow separate to issues of economic development, infrastructure, transport, climate change or food security. In failing to grasp the often understated ‘true’ value of energy, we open the door to increasing national fragility and in some cases the very viability of some communities.”