NEWSROOM 08 June
2009

(Photo: Duco Events)

NEW ZEALAND: Seconds out for ticket sales

(Photo: Tuputupu-A’e Trust)

SAMOA: Tuputupu-A’e Trust donates to Lalomanu, A’ufaga and Satitoa preschools
Source: Tuputupu-A’e Trust Press Release

Three preschools from the Aleipata district: Lalomanu, Satitoa & A’ufaga have been very happy recipients of learning materials from the Tuputupu-A’e Education Trust.

To assist teachers and children, the Tuputupu-A’e Education Trust donated a variety of resources to the three mentioned preschools. These ranged from books, reading activities, play clothes, masks & instruments to paints and crayons, to‘child-sized’ wheel barrows, ukulele’s and painting easels. All the learning resources will be very much utilised in the preschools by keen and energetic children.

In addition, in 2009 the Trust will sponsor the salary for each of the pre-school’s Head Teacher. Representatives of the three preschools Shan Fuataga of Lalomanu, Satelite Afaese of Satitoa and Wendy from Aufaga Seabreeze of Aufaga expressed gratitude to the organisation for the assistance.

The Tuputupu-A’e Education Trust is a registered Charitable Trust, established in 2007 with a mission to give rural based children in Samoa an equal chance in life through improving the quality of basic education available to them. Trustees contribute their skills and time on a voluntary basis. The Trust mainly depends on fundraising activities as a major source of income. In 2008, the Trust organised the Aleipata Run for Education and was able to secure extra funds from Rotary Clubs in New Zealand. This was a huge success such that it has now being destined as an annual even/fundraiser for the Trust. The next Aleipata Run for Education is being held on Saturday - July 18 at Lalomanu Beach.

Photo Caption: Gifts presented to the Vice Chairman of the Lalomanu School Committee, Mrs Shan Fuataga, (far right) by Tuputupua’e representatives Mrs Niusila Faamanatu- Eteuati (back row right) and Mrs Funealii Lumaava Sooaemalelagi (far left) at a brief presentation last Thursday night with a few children enjoying the dress-ups.
 

(Photo: U.S. Government)

AMERICAN SAMOA: Bill introduced ensures parity in Medicare funding for territories
Source: Samoa News

Federal legislation introduced Monday (June 01, 2009) in the U.S. House would provide for payment parity for the U.S. territories under the Medicaid program and the measure has been assigned to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce for review.

The measure — which addresses long standing concerns voiced in past years by Congressional delegates and leaders of the U.S. territories arguing this provision of the federal law discriminates against residents of the territories —was introduced by Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo of Guam and co-sponsored by Congressman Faleomavaega Eni and other territorial delegates.

If enacted into law, the measure, called the “Territorial Health Parity Act of 2009” would amend the Social Security Act to eliminate the federal funding caps now in place and to strike the statutorily set Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP) of 50% that currently applies to the territories, explained Cong. Bordallo.

In introducing the bill, Bordallo told her colleagues on Monday, this bill would ensure that each of the territories, like each of the 50 states receives an FMAP that accurately reflects its economic conditions and demographics, according to a copy of her speech distributed by the House.

In addition, because certain data needed to determine the true FMAP rates for the territories is presently lacking from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), this bill would direct the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services “to take steps to ensure that the FMAP rates for the territories are calculated in a fair and appropriate manner.”

“It is clear from all the evidence that the federal funding caps and the FMAP set in statute at 50% — which applies solely to the territories — have created significant health disparities between residents of the territories and their fellow citizens residing in the 50 states,” said Bordallo.

“Additionally, this policy has resulted in the territorial governments shouldering a disproportionately high financial liability when it comes to providing health care services to their indigent populations,” she said. “Treating the territories in such a fashion is as unjust in principle as it is harmful in affect.”

She said the bill is needed as Congress continues to debate over comprehensive health care reform, adding that based on a report released last year by the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General, the territories’ health jurisdictions are “at the crossroads of a total breakdown.”

“Combined with the financial state of the territorial governments, operating under decreasing revenues due to an economic downturn, the territories must bear a majority of the payment for indigent care under the current arrangements,” she noted. “Accordingly, eliminating the funding caps and adjusting the FMAPs for the territories are both critically important to public health in these U.S. jurisdictions.”

“This bill is to serve as starting point for advancing parity in treatment for the territories, with respect to the national health care reform debate,” she said. “There are other areas of federal law that need to be amended in order to improve public health in the territories and to bring full parity.

These include, for example, amendments to laws governing Medicare Part D and the Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI), she added.

A provision of the bill also extends the Medicaid program to the citizens of the Freely Associated States (FAS).

Photo Caption: Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo.
 

(Photos: New Zealand Defence Force)

COOK ISLANDS: NZ Defence team commences humanitarian mission in Pukapuka
Source: New Zealand Defence Force Press Release

The Royal New Zealand Navy’s amphibious support ship HMNZS CANTERBURY, under the command of Commander Jim Gilmour, sailed from Apia at 11:00 am on Monday 1 June after participating in the Samoan Independence Day Parade. At 10:00 am the following morning, with the islands of Pukapuka a mere 30 nautical miles away, CANTERBURY launched one of her two embarked Seasprite helicopters for a recce of the intended landing sites and to deliver the first personnel, four Cook Island officials including the local MP and Ministry of Health personnel, ashore.

On arrival in Pukapuka the Seasprite was enthusiastically greeted by a large number of local children, excited to see a helicopter land so close to their school. With the recce complete, the Seasprite returned to CANTERBURY with three Cook Island customs and health inspectors onboard who were required to conduct the clearances to land NZ personnel from the ship.

With clearances granted, the remaining Cook Island officials, NZ Army medical staff, Commander Amphibious Task Force (Commander Jim Gilmour, Royal NZ Navy), and Commander Land Forces, (Major Paul Hayward, NZ Army) were transported via the two embarked Seasprites to Motu Wale, the main island of Pukapuka. Just after midday, a traditional welcoming ceremony was conducted by the people of Pukapuka consisting of a colourful display of dancing and singing prior to the party being treated to some traditional island food.

On completion of the ceremony, it was down to business starting with the mammoth task of transporting the embarked land force and equipment from ship to shore. The two Seasprite Helicopters embarked onboard CANTERBURY flew continuously over the next 4 ½ hours between the ship and Motu Wale landing 40 medical and engineering personnel, three water tanks, numerous pallets of cargo, a generator, medical stores and a dental chair.

The NZ Defence Force personnel onboard CANTERBURY who made up the ship’s amphibious load team worked tirelessly with the riggers ashore to ensure the correct loads made it to the flight deck and quickly cleared from the landing zone on Pukapuka.

Helicopter operations recommenced at 9.00 am Wednesday 3 June with the main effort of the day being to disembark the remaining personnel to the southern island of Motu Ko and transporting the remaining cargo to the islands of both Motu Ko and Motu Wale. On completion of the initial tasking of the day Major Paul Hayward assumed control of the land mission ashore by organising the accommodation of the medical, dental and engineering personnel, food, water and equipment and ensuring communications back to the ship were well established.

The main task for CANTERBURY for the next 10 days of the NZAID Humanitarian Mission to Pukapuka is to support the personnel ashore to enable them to complete all the assigned tasks on the island including a daily resupply of food and fresh water.

Background

HMNZS CANTERBURY, with an extra 60 personnel onboard consisting of NZ Army, Territorial Force and civilian medical and dental personnel onboard, has arrived in Pukapuka to commence Exercise TROPIC TWILIGHT. This exercise involves the Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force working together to deliver people and equipment in support of the NZAID led humanitarian mission. During the 13 days that the Defence Force team will be on Pukapuka, the Regular and Territorial force soldiers will deliver health and engineering services to the islands residents.

HMNZS CANTERBURY is scheduled to arrive back in Apia to unload personnel on 17 June thence will make her way back home to New Zealand.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Seasprite making on Motu Wale after having landed with Army personnel.

Photo 2 - CDR Jim Gilmour and Maj Paul Hayward present the Mayor of Pukapuka with a framed picture of HMNZS CANTERBURY during the welcoming ceremony.

Photo 3 - CDR Jim Gilmour greets local children on the island of Pukapuka during the welcoming ceremony.

FIJI: Cultural profile to increase in the education sector
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Community Press Release

A strategy that aims to strengthen the role of Pacific culture in and through all levels of education is a step closer to completion after a group of specialists met recently to examine it.

Towards the end of May, a group made up of representatives from a number of regional culture and education institutions and agencies met at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC’s) offices in Suva, Fiji Islands, to comment on the draft strategy. The draft strategy is an outcome of the efforts of the Council of Pacific Arts (CPA)* Working Group on Culture and Education, and particularly its Chair, Dr Uiliami Fukofuka of Tonga, in collaboration with SPC’s Human Development Adviser for Culture Elise Huffer.

The initiative, which contributes to the Pacific Plan’s objective of improved education and training and to SPC’s focus on the development of human resources, evolved early last year following the 21st meeting of CPA. It is part of a concerted effort to strengthen the role of CPA through active participation in the development of the region’s culture sector.

In addition to CPA and SPC representatives, participants at the meeting included representatives from the Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific, the Pacific Islands Museum Association, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the University of the South Pacific, Pacific Regional Initiatives for the Delivery of basic Education (PRIDE), Pacific Association of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and the Pacific Arts Alliance.

The draft strategy focuses on three main areas. The first area relates to improving transmission of cultural values, ethics, skills and knowledge at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels as well as through technical and vocational education and training.

The second area focuses on strengthening the cultural sector by promoting existing cultural institutions through professional development opportunities for cultural workers and producers and through higher tertiary level education in areas such as archaeology, Pacific studies, anthropology, linguistics and indigenous studies.

The third area relates to establishing a regional network between the culture and education sectors to improve integration efforts across all levels through better collaboration.

Dr Huffer says the draft strategy is still in its early stages. ‘The meeting served to examine the suggestions and practical measures listed in the draft with key partners. The strategy will now be refined and circulated among those partners, with a view to defining tasks and roles for the future.’

The draft strategy is designed to complement the Pacific Education Development Framework, which outlines a Pacific vision of education agreed to by Forum Education Ministers in March 2009.

It will also become part of the Regional Cultural Strategy which is currently being developed by CPA and SPC. The aim of the Regional Cultural Strategy, which is an objective of the Pacific Plan, will be to maintain and strengthen Pacific cultural identity.


The draft culture and education strategy is expected to be finalised by the end of the year.

*The Council of Pacific Arts is a regional body which oversees the promotion of culture in the Pacific. It comprises the 22 Pacific Island countries and territories that are members of SPC, with the addition of Hawaii, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and Norfolk Island, and the founding members, Australia and New Zealand.

For more information please contact Elise Huffer, SPC Human Development Adviser (Culture)

by phone: +687 26 50 65 or email: [email protected]

or

Tione Chinula, Human Development Programme Advocacy and Communications Officer

by phone: +687 26 01 57 or email: [email protected].
 

TOKELAU: New Testament for Tokelau

Source: Bible Society Press Release via Scoop Independent News

The first Christian scriptures to be published in the Tokelau language were launched at a church service in Porirua near Wellington recently.

The New Testament has taken 13 years to translate into Tokelau and is one of the few written documents in that language.

While the funding and expertise for this translation has come from the Tokelau community and Bible Society, the head of the Tokelau government council, Foua Toloa, announced at the launching that the council was allocating $15,000 towards the completion of the translation of the Old Testament in Tokelau.

Mr Toloa said this further translation was important in helping to keep the Tokelau language alive.

The translation of the Old Testament into Tokelau is expected to take about four years.