NEWSROOM 10 June
2009

(Photo: Vector Wellington Orchestra)

NEW ZEALAND: Ben Makisi "On the Town" with Vector Wellington Orchestra

(Photos: SamoaTel Limited / Rugby League Samoa)

SAMOA: SamoaTel and Rugby League Samoa renew partnership
Source: SamoaTel Limited Press Release

SamoaTel Limited and Rugby League Samoa (RLS) have renewed their partnership for the year 2009-10. The partnership between SamoaTel and Rugby League Samoa was forged in the Rugby League World Cup year when SamoaTel came on board as the major sponsor for RLS.

The agreement was signed by Mr. Mike Johnstone - CEO SamoaTel Limited and Mr. Peter Paul - President Rugby League Samoa. Also present at the signing were Mr. Mark Williams - General Manager, Business and Consumer - SamoaTel Limited, Mr. Fritz Tuiavii, General Secretary - Rugby League Samoa, Mr. Tuilagi Saipele on behalf of Event Polynesia- Commercial Agents for Rugby League Samoa and Mr. Lauaki Fereti Tuilagi - Coach Toa Samoa.

On this occasion Mr. Mike Johnstone - CEO SamoaTel Limited comments, “SamoaTel is honoured to be associated with the sport of Rugby League as it a growing sport with a lot of potential for growth.”

Mr. Johnstone further adds,” Look at the pool of talent that is playing this code internationally, Samoans are at the forefront and it all starts here. SamoaTel is always willing to support where it all begins at the grassroots.”

Mr. Peter Paul - President Rugby League Samoa says, “The sport has come a long way and this would not have been possible without the support of sponsors like SamoaTel. Their belief in us and their financial support will facilitate us to rollout or calendar of events.”

As per the partnership, Samoatel has the naming rights for International Rugby League Series, the first international test between Toa Samoa and PNG Kumuls was played at Apia Park on 7th March 2008. The Toa Samoa comprising of local talent triumphed over the PNG Kumuls in front of a huge partisan crowd.

The second test in the SamoaTel International Rugby League Series is scheduled on 20th June 2009 at Apia Park. The Toa Samoa will be taken on the mighty BARLA (British Amateur Rugby League Association) team from the British Isles.

The trials for the Toa Samoa were held at 3.00pm on 5th June 2009 at the Marist Grounds Lotopa.
 

(Photo: Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH)

AUSTRALIA: Brisbane Tuvalu community pleads for help for hostages
Source: Brown Roots Collective Press Release

The Brisbane Tuvaluan community has pleaded with the Australian Government to assist twelve seafarers being held by Somali pirates.

“These sailors are our uncles, brothers, or cousins,” President of the Queensland Tuvalu Community, Tapaeko Apasai, said.

“The plight of these sea farers weighs on our people’s hearts,” Mr Apasai said. “Our men crew cargo boats all over the world, and send valuable remittances home to their families. We never imagined some of them would be held hostage by pirates.”

The sea farers, crewing the German registered freighter, the Hansa Stavanger, were captured at the beginning of April. The pirates have reportedly demanded a $US 15 million ransom. Between 400 and 600 Tuvaluan men are overseas crewing mostly German registered cargo boats.

“My cousin’s one of the captured sea farers,” Ms Mapusaga Fuamatagi said. “I’ve been feeling so helpless and powerless worrying about my cousin.”

“We only find comfort in prayer for our relative’s safety in this terrible situation,” Ms Fuamatagi said. “Tuvalu’s a tiny, closely knit, community. When even one of our people is suffering like this, we’re all suffering.”

“Tuvalu’s a small country and we can’t afford to pay the ransom even if we wanted to,” Mr Apasai said. “We’re pleading with the Australian Government to do everything it can to help our sea farers.”

“This is the worst thing to happen to Tuvalu since a terrible school dormitory fire in 2000 killed 19 school girls,” Brisbane academic, Dr Mark Hayes, said. “In population impact terms, it’s like 5,000 Australians being kidnapped by the Somali pirates. Tuvalu only has about 10,000 people living on its nine tiny islands.”

Dr Hayes, a University of Queensland journalism lecturer, has visited Tuvalu four times, and has many Tuvaluan friends, including the relatives of some of the captured sea farers.

“We’re a very quiet, very religious people,” Mrs Aoga Kofe, whose cousin is also being held hostage, said. “We’re harmless. Our men folk being held hostage are simply being held hostage for working hard to provide for their families.”

Photo Caption: Desperate families are praying for the safe release of 11 Tuvaluan sailors and one Fijian on board the German cargo ship Hansa Stavanger.
 

(Photos: Associated Press)

HAWAII: Mystery Lincoln memo turns up in Hawaii
Source: Associated Press via CBS News

Documents bearing signatures of U.S. presidents have turned up in a lot of unexpected places: Attics, libraries, even thrift stores.

But how did an innocuous Civil War-era memo bearing Abraham Lincoln's signature end up in the state archives of Hawaii, which was still a kingdom at the time? State researchers are trying to find out.

The memo dated Sept. 22, 1862, orders the secretary of state at the time to affix the U.S. seal to a separate piece of paper, a proclamation dated the same day.

That proclamation was the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln's official warning to rebellious Southern states to return to the Union within three months or face military emancipation of their slaves.

Hawaii records indicate they've had the memo — but not the proclamation — for at least 74 years.

"We knew we had it," said Luella Kurkjian, chief of the archives' historical records branch. "Quite frankly, we didn't know what it was. There was no documentation with it."

Hawaii's archives also contain one letter each from Lincoln to King Kamehameha IV and to his brother, King Kamehameha V, and a note from Lincoln appointing a new U.S. consul, Alfred Caldwell, to the Kingdom of Hawaii.

"Those three all make sense to be in the Hawaii State Archives," said Daniel Stowell, director of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln, a part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Ill.

"This one is a fish out of water," Stowell said of the 1862 memo. "I mean, it doesn't fit. Why is it here?"

Officials are following a couple of clues.

Back in the 1920s and '30s, the archives received several donations from a collector named Bruce Cartwright Jr., grandson of Alexander Joy Cartwright, considered by sports historians to be the inventor of baseball.

One of those donated items was the Lincoln-signed note announcing Caldwell's appointment, Kurkjian said.

"It's my guess that (Cartwright) is the donor" of the proclamation memo "and for whatever reason it wasn't properly documented," she said.

"I can't prove it. I've been trying," she said.

"Its an interesting mystery," Stowell said.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Dr. Daniel Stowell, left, Editor of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln, a project of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois and Luella Kurkjian, right, Branch Chief of Historical Records for the State of Hawaii Archive show a rare document President Abraham Lincoln signed concerning the Emancipation Proclamation Monday June 8, 2009 in Honolulu. The one-page document authorizes the Secretary of State to affix the seal of the United States to the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. President Abraham Lincoln singed the document on September 22, 1862.

Photo 2 - A rare one-page document signed by President Abraham Lincoln concerning the Emancipation Proclamation is shown Monday June 8, 2009 at the Hawaii State Archive in Honolulu. For at least 74 years, the Hawaii State Archives held the piece of paper bearing the signature of President Abraham Lincoln.
 

TONGA: Tongan coach praises competition for locals
Source: Fiji Times

Ikale Tahi coach Kudus Felea believes the Pacific Rugby Cup is a good building ground for Pacific nations teams.

Felea said he had included some players from the Tautahi Gold and Tu'uta Reds in this Pacific nations campaign.

Felea thanked the IRB for putting up a competition for local players in Tonga, Fiji and Samoa.

"The PRC is a good breeding ground for the three big rugby playing countries in the Pacific," Felea said.

"For us, we have seen the some young players showing they have the talent that can be used in the tough competitions like the PNC."

Felea said the PRC was a good platform for local players to show they had what it took to play in the next level of competition.

"While some local players have been unlucky to have missed out in the PNC this year, they still have the opportunity to try ageing next year.

One player unlucky this time is Tongan born Fiji Indo-Fijian Jack Ram.

Ram played well for the Tautahi Gold in the PRC but was not included in the Ikale Tahi for the PNC.

"Ram is still young and if he continues to improve his game, he is sure to make the Tongan team in future," Felea said.

Felea said it was very important to use experience in their opening game of the competition.

"Winning the first game is always important and that is why we have selected a team of experienced and young players.

"We want to start well before we come over to Fiji for the remaining games."
 

(Photo: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

WORLDWIDE: Regional meteorological and disaster management personnel team up

Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

Disaster managers and Meteorological Service Directors came together, for the first time in over a decade, for a Joint Pacific Regional Meeting in May. The last such meeting took place in 1998, at which time there was a resolution passed calling upon more joint meetings of the two groups of professionals.

Throughout the region at the national level, both departments coordinate activities closely. Tsunamis, cyclones, flooding, heavy swells, droughts and other hydro-meteorological hazards account for more than 80% of natural disasters in the Pacific region.

The extreme 2005 cyclone season in the Cook Islands saw the two offices work hand in hand to keep the nation well informed and as protected as possible. With the threats of climate change impacts, the two offices are critical for building safe and resilient Pacific Island communities.

The meeting of the heads of both departments throughout the Pacific helped to strengthen ties and cooperation on a regional basis.

Coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), the theme of the meeting was “Strengthening End-to-End Early Warning Systems - Challenges and Opportunities.”

“We covered a wide range of issues but overall the objective was on how to improve how the two offices can work together and to identify common needs and issues that need to be addressed both at the national and regional level,” said Dean Solofa of SPREP.

Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management efforts will be enhanced in the Pacific nations following recommendations which called for continued collaboration between these departments.

It was recommended that there be an increase in synchronized community outreach activities in the Pacific, particularly with regard to media interaction and involvement, community preparedness and civil society participation.

“The importance of community early warning systems was highlighted as well. There is a definite need to get out to the ‘last mile,’ so to speak, to ensure that even remote communities have their needs for an early warning system addressed. By working together we can decide how best to adapt the technologies and tools available to each office for community implementation to meet such a need. In fact there are good case studies showing how some local communities in Vanuatu, Niue and the FSM have benefited from doing exactly this. Reaching the last mile or the most distant community is a challenge that will always be present in the Pacific and what should drive us at the national and regional level to ensure that we work effectively together,” added Solofa.

Another key recommendation was the call for integration of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation issues into future development planning and budgeting processes as part of the move towards mainstreaming.

The meeting also proposed that sub-regional tsunami warning centres be established to enhance coverage provided by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

“Just having this joint meeting creates some milestones at the regional level. SPREP and SOPAC realize that we have common audiences with common goals to be met, so having jointly organized this meeting has been a positive experience all around. Both sides have learnt many lessons and gained new insights regarding how to continue to make better the already great relationship we enjoy.”

One of the final recommendations of this meeting was to hold future joint regional meetings between National Disaster Management Offices and Meteorological Service Directors.

This meeting was held after the 13th RMSD Meeting in Nadi, Fijji.

For more details please contact SPREP’s PI-GCOS Officer, Dean Solofa

E: [email protected] T: (685) 21929 F: (685) 20231 W: www.sprep.org

Photo Caption: Guests and speakers being garlanded with the Fijian salusalu at the opening of the RMSD meeting.