NEWSROOM 26 June
2009

(Photos: Department of Labour)

NEW ZEALAND: Samoa Quota and Pacific Access Category ballots drawn

(Photos: British High Commission)

SAMOA: Apia students talk climate change with London
Source: British High Commission Press Release

Climate change is a hot subject here in the Pacific but do kids in London really care? That is the question Samoa’s Vaiala Beach School asked at a video conference link-up on Thursday morning.

An online discussion forum on the British High Commission’s children’s educational website, www.britain4pacifickids.org, has been helping connect Samoan Kids with their British counterparts, students from Northwood School in Erith.

On Thursday 25 June at 7.00am (Samoan time), and 7.00pm (UK time), the British High Commission hosted Vaiala Beach School’s class of 8-10 year olds, at the National University of Samoa. This was for a face to face with Northwood school .The children from both schools presented what they have learnt about Climate Change and how it affects them.

“Our main aim is to develop an international dimension to education by linking a Samoan classroom of students with a classroom of students from Britain via our online forum. It’s a chance to help broaden the minds of students both in Samoa and Britain” said the High Commissioner, George Fergusson, from Wellington.

“The website is aimed at children between seven and sixteen, with material for Pacific Island children about life in the UK. It is a good resource for projects about Britain and has plenty of information on Britain and British culture.”

The website also has links to children’s and educational sites at organisations like the British Museum and the Natural History Museum. It has a gallery of free photos for projects and has many useful links to other resources such as London’s Science Museum and the BBC children’s unit.

Photo Captions: British High Commissioner, George Fergusson says the main aim is to develop an international dimension to education by linking a Samoan classroom of students with a classroom of students from Britain via the online forum on the British High Commission’s children’s educational website, www.britain4pacifickids.org.
 

(Photos: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: Eight ASCC students accepted to Broadway Theatre Project
Source: American Samoa Community College Press Release

Theatrical publication Playbill calls the Broadway Theatre Project (BTP), “the world’s most prestigious musical theatre arts education program for high school and college students.” Founded in 1991 and held in Tampa Bay, Florida, the BTP offers students an intensive three-week training program focused on the key disciplines of musical theatre, including acting, dance, voice and the many facets of each, as well as the critical life skills necessary to prepare them to work in the professional world of entertainment. With emphasis not only placed on the individual art forms, but also on the collaborative process and collective creation, the BTP describes its mission as, “to provide educational excellence and to mold a creative, collaborative, well rounded, professional musical theatre arts performer.”

Given the worldwide prestige associated with the BTP, it may come as a surprise to some that this summer will mark the third year in a row that students from the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will attend this renowned training program. The BTP has accepted eight ASCC students, based on auditions they submitted on video under the direction of the College’s drama and dance instructor Carmela Gallace. Some of the eight have studied under Gallace for as long as two years, while others have worked with her as briefly as a single semester. In auditioning for the BTP, the ASCC students entered a competition with some of their most talented peers from across the nation.

The lucky eight from the College who “made the cut” in the BTP auditions are Latarah Ah See, Lawrence Fernandez, Ace Fuimaono, Leiema Hunt, Taumaia Magalei, Wesley Solaita, Fa’afetai Shane Ta’afua, and Ruth Tuasivi. Two of the group, Tuasivi and Ta’afua, attended the BTP last summer and made such a positive impression on the faculty that they received invitations to return this year. ASCC will assist these students with Fine Arts Department scholarship funds to cover their BTP tuition, but they had to raise their own travel funds to and from Florida through individual initiative and the support of their families and community. “For these students, getting accepted meant they had to face the challenge of arranging their own resources to get to the BTP,” said Gallace, “and all of them proved their commitment by making sure this happened.”

Three years ago, Gallace organized the process that resulted in the first group of ASCC performers gaining acceptance to the BTP, filming the audition videos herself and walking the students through the application process, a task which she says has gotten no easier with time, but still has always proved worth the effort. “I really believe in the potential of the young people of American Samoa to succeed in the entertainment industry,” she says. “Because of its reputation, theatrical agents from across the country attend the BTP to spot fresh young talent, and many BTP students have ended up being offered professional opportunities based on the performances these agents observe. So besides receiving training from some of the most experienced professionals in the field of musical theater, attending the BTP can also lead to careers for aspiring performers.”

Gallace will accompany the eight students to the event, after which she will take leave from her position at ASCC to concentrate on studying for an advanced degree in Performing Arts in New York City. “Working with the students in American Samoa for the past four years has proved truly inspiring,” she reflected. “At first many people expressed skepticism that our students could give quality performances in western style theater, but the productions we’ve staged have proved the skeptics wrong time and time again. We couldn’t have done it without the wholehearted backing of the ASCC administration, faculty and staff, as well as some key supporters in the community who contributed financial resources to our productions and to the Fine Arts Scholarship program that’s made this summer’s BTP trip possible.” While the ASCC Fine Arts Department has no immediate plans for forthcoming stage productions, its chairman Namulauulu Dr. Paul Pouesi said the department will for the time being focus its energies on more public activities involving art and music.

The Broadway Theatre Project 2009 summer session will culminate in a three day festival at the University of South Florida. For more information on the BTP, visit their web page at: www.broadwaytheatreproject.com.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - These ASCC students will travel to Tampa Bay, Florida to take part in this summer's Broadway Theatre Project, which begins in early July. Front row (l-r): Lawrence Fernandez, Taumaia Magalei, Leiema Hunt and Wesley Solaita. Back row (l-r) Latarah Ah See, Fa'afetai Shane Ta'afua and Ruth Lynn Tuasivi. Not pictured, but also bound for the BTP, is Ace Fuimaono.

Photo 2 - All of the students in this photo from last year's ASCC production of "The King & I" have gained acceptance into this summer's prestigious Broadway Theatre Project, taking place in Tampa Bay, Florida. Kneeling (l-r): Wesley Solaita and Leiema Hunt. Standing (l-r): Lawrence Fernandez, Ace Fuimaono, drama and dance instructor Carmela Gallace, and Ruth Lynn Tuasivi. Not pictured, but also bound for the BTP are Latarah Ah See, Taumaia Magalei, and Fa'afetai Shane Ta'afua.

(Photos: Bayleys Real Estate)

FIJI: Massive Fijian resort development site goes up for sale
Source: Bayleys Real Estate Press Release via Scoop Independent News

The partially completed Momi Resort development in Fiji will go up for mortgagee auction on July 22nd.

The Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) has appointed Bayleys Real Estate to handle the sale of the first stage of the development which encompasses more than 350 residential sites, a partially completed nine-hole golf course, golf clubhouse, and hotel complex.

The FNPF has recently taken over the Momi Bay property, 30 minutes drive south-west of Nadi, as mortgagee in possession, and has said it has no intention of being involved in developing the property in the immediate term.

The sale will be managed by Bayleys Real Estate’s executive chairman John Bayley and special projects manager Russell Adams in conjunction with Philip Toogood, managing director and partner of Bayleys Real Estate (Fiji) Limited.

Bayleys was the marketing agent for the first stage of the development and had sales agreements on more than 80 per cent of the residential sites, many of which have spectacular elevated views over the resort area and golf course and along the Fijian coastline.

Mr Adams said most of these purchasers had opted to have their deposits, which were held in interest-bearing trust accounts, refunded because the development had not been completed on schedule. However, there were 30 purchasers whose deposits remained in a trust account with Trustees Executors.

“A number of the original purchasers have expressed disappointment that the development has not been finished because it is in such a fantastic location. Their interest could be rekindled if a new developer completed the development to the high standard that was originally envisaged for the project.”

Mr Adams said the project was well advanced with much of the external structural work for the originally planned hotel complex completed.

“There is still a significant amount of finishing off and fitting out, along with some remedial work, still to be done. However, we would estimate that an experienced developer could complete the project within 12 to 18 months.”

Before work stopped in late 2006, Momi was one of the largest resort projects being undertaken in the South Pacific.

Considerable structural construction work had been completed on the resort’s distinctive Fijian canoe-style bures, as well as on what were to be Fiji’s over-water bungalows, located on a large lagoon. Three of the six guest room blocks had been roofed, and work was also well advanced on the remaining guest accommodation and facilities.

The first nine holes of the 18-hole championship golf course designed by Thomson Perrett to USPGA-standards, had been bedded down and the club house was also taking shape.

The residential sections are positioned on layered natural corridors from the forested highlands behind the resort, through the golf course and down to the white sand beaches, with building platforms selected for their views.

The first stage of the development encompasses 43 hectares of crown foreshore lease plus a mix of freehold and native lease titles.

“The outstanding location remains and the bones of a potentially world-class development are there,” says John Bayley, executive chairman of Bayleys Real Estate. “The necessary consents are still in place and the Fiji Government would like to see the project finished.

“At this stage we do not know what it might sell for because a sale of a project of this type and scale has not been attempted before in Fiji. But we will get a gauge of what interest there is and where the market is sitting over the next month or so.”

Mr Adams says the property would be marketed globally with the assistance of Bayleys’ international affiliate Cushman & Wakefield which is one of the world’s largest commercial real estate companies.

“They have a particularly strong presence in the resort and hotel sector and they will be helping us flush out any big international players that might be interested in picking up the project,” Mr Adams said.

The auction will be held at the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, Natadola Beach, Natadola, Fiji at 1.30pm on Wednesday July 22nd 2009.

Photo Captions: The partially completed Momi Resort development in Fiji will go up for mortgagee auction on July 22nd.

(Photo: Oceania Football Confederation)

NEW CALEDONIA: New Caledonia ‘select XI’ to play A-League newcomers
Source: Oceania Football Confederation Press Release

The Federation Caledonniene de Football (FCF) has announced it will host Australia’s A-League newcomers Gold Coast United FC in a one-off friendly match versus New Caledonian ‘select XI’ on 27 June at the Stadium Numa Daly in Nouméa.

An invite selection of New Caledonia players will face Gold Coast in the exhibition match that will double as a preseason training fixture for the Australian professionals.

Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) General Secretary Tai Nicholas put Gold Coast United representatives in contact with FCF officials earlier this year after the Australians put out ‘feelers’ seeking fixtures to extend their preseason Asia tour itinerary.

New Caledonia officials have confirmed that initial tickets sales have been strong for the one-off game. In May of last year a capacity crowd of 10,000 passionate New Caledonian football fans packed the Stade Numa Daly to watch their greatest football export (former French International and Real Madrid star) Christian Karembeu’s Jubilee testimonial match.

During the 2008 OFC Nations Cup, New Caledonia surged ahead in the FIFA/Coca-Cola rankings (September) to reach 95th position after finishing second in the tournament behind New Zealand. They are currently the third highest FIFA ranked Oceania nation after New Zealand (82) and Fiji (108).

The French territory has proved its mettle in the Oceania region at a variety of levels. In 2003, New Caledonia made the final top two playoff of the OFC U-17 Qualifying Tournament against Australia. New Caledonia also claimed the silver medal at the South Pacific Games Football Tournament the same year.

Fresh from starting in all three All Whites FIFA Confederations Cup tournament matches, 2008 Oceania Player of the Year and All Whites striker Shane Smeltz is expected to travel with his new A-League club on its ‘Asia’ tour and is likely to play in the New Caledonia fixture subject to passing a fitness test.

Big spending, and brash talking, Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer is sparing no expense as he readies his team, even making one of his fleet of private jets available to fly his squad to Nouméa as part of their four game, 12 day, ‘Asia’ tour.

The jet-setting Coast squad will fly out of Australia on 23 June and return to Australia on 8 July, three days before the Coast are set to play another headline grabbing one-off fixture, this time against English Premier League side Fulham FC.
 

WORLDWIDE: Phase One of the Pacific Petroleum Project to commence

Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is calling for Tenders to establish a Project Implementation Unit under Phase One of the Pacific Petroleum Project.

Prioritised by Forum Leaders, the Pacific Petroleum Project aims to bulk procure petroleum products by pooling Forum Island Country resources to improve negotiation for petroleum supply contracts, leverage purchasing power and to minimise transaction costs for procurement. The Project Implementation Unit will undertake a range of tasks to establish the necessary mechanisms allowing participating Forum members to move towards these arrangements.

“Failure to address the vulnerability resulting from poorly secured energy supply, ill conceived commercial arrangements, or inefficient supply chain management does nothing but continue to place pressure on scarce national resources and in particular national budgets," said Forum Secretariat Secretary General, Tuiloma Neroni Slade.

In an effort to mitigate these pressures, Mr Slade explains that Pacific Islands Forum Leaders agreed, through the Pacific Plan adopted at Port Moresby in October 2005, and in discussions since, to undertake a joint negotiation process for the bulk procurement of petroleum to address their shared concerns about energy affordability and security.

“The last 12 months have seen considerable progress in the implementation of this initiative and most notably the broad agreement on the model through which it will be implemented. The launching of Phase One of the Project will continue this momentum,” added Mr Slade.

Discussion and negotiation among national petroleum authorities, Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) representatives and sector experts reached agreement on a procurement model to support the implementation of this initiative in October 2008. This work resulted in the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining the responsibilities of those Forum members who sign up to this initiative under the auspices of the Pacific Petroleum Project.

The MOU and approach undertaken through Phase One of the Project have subsequently received strong support from Forum Economic and Pacific Energy Ministers respectively, both of whom are key Ministerial bodies dealing with the issue of energy.

The MOU has to date been signed by four Forum members with a number of other Forum members indicating that they will maintain their commitments made through both their Leaders and Energy Ministers and sign the MOU over the next few months.

Click here to download Request for Tender documents for Phase One of the Pacific Petroleum Project.