NEWSPAGE 29 July
2009

(Photos: Bryan James / Ngaahina Hohaia)

NEW ZEALAND: Artist’s poi reflect on pain of Parihaka

(Photo: Commonwealth of Australia)

SAMOA: Tourism boom triggers Samoa to aim high
Source: eTravel Blackboard

Samoa’s Deputy Prime Minister announced Monday plans to increase its tourist arrival numbers by up to 50 percent over a five year period.

Minister Misa Telefoni said the new Samoa Tourism Development Plan had been devised in light of the country’s recent tourism boom which has seen arrivals spike in the last two years.

He pointed to the 125,000 tourism arrivals in 2008 which generated 109 million US dollars compared to 100,000 arrivals and 74 million US dollars in 2007.

The new plan aims to increase visitor arrivals from 40 percent to 50 percent or from 170,000 to 190,000 and increasing visitor room nights to more than 1 million.

Radio NZ International reported that Telefoni called for local and overseas tourism development investment as figures showed a dramatic rise in occupancy rates.

He added that the country needed to increase its frequency of existing flights and Air Pacific’s frequency of its new Apia/Honolulu return service set to launch in September.
New Zealand, Australia and American Samoa, North America are still the core markets for the country.

Photo Caption: Deputy Prime Minister, Misa Telefoni.

(Photos: U.S. Government)

AMERICAN SAMOA: Eni announces release of American Samoa Quarter
Source: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega Press Release

Congressman Faleomavaega announced today (July 27, 2009) that American Samoa’s commemorative quarter has been released today by the U.S. Mint to the Federal Reserve banks.

“This quarter has been 9 years in the making and came about as a result of federal legislation the Congressional Delegates sponsored and cosponsored since 2000,” Faleomavaega said. “Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia championed the cause, and Congressman Jose Serrano of New York included our last bill in the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act.”

“After cosponsoring H.R. 5010, H.R. 4005, H.R. 2993, H.R. 3883 and H.R. 392 from the 106th Congress to the 110th, Congress finally passed our legislation into law, and my colleagues and I who represent the Territories and the District of Columbia are pleased by the outcome.”

“As part of the legislation, we wanted to make sure our local Governors could also participate in this historic process so we made sure our legislation was modelled after the 50 State Quarters Program which included a provision to allow our local governments to design our quarters. I especially commend Governor Togiola and his administration for the work they did in designing American Samoa’s quarter.”

“While the U.S. Mint and my office had scheduled an unveiling ceremony in Washington this morning to coincide with today’s release of American Samoa’s quarter, Governor Togiola has requested to be part of this Congressional ceremony and, as a courtesy to him, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Secretary of Samoan Affairs, and the First Lady who are travelling with the Governor, I have agreed to postpone the Congressional ceremony until Wednesday of this week since Governor Togiola had to cancel the local ceremony he had arranged with the U.S. Mint due to his decision to come to Washington DC this week. The Governor’s event with the U.S. Mint was scheduled to be held in American Samoa on July 29 but, according to the U.S. Mint, the Governor has now rescheduled American Samoa’s local ceremony for sometime in September.”

“Since the coin was officially released today and because we want the people of American Samoa to be able to celebrate and share in this important moment, the U.S. Mint and my office will issue another statement with photos after we unveil the quarter in Washington this Wednesday,” Faleomavaega concluded.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Artist renderings of the three American Samoa commemorative quarter finalist designs.

Photo 2 - The design that was selected for the American Samoa commemorative quarter (reverse/tails side). The obverse (heads side) of all six 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters will continue to display the familiar image of President George Washington, the inscription "In God We Trust" will continue to appear on the obverse of the quarter, as well as the words "United States of America," "Quarter Dollar," and "Liberty.".

FIJI: Hymns become latest revolt trigger in Fiji

Source: Ecumenical News International

Charles Wesley, the great Methodist hymn writer, may have penned his famous words "O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer praise" almost 270 years ago, but it seems just singing these words today in strife-torn Fiji could destabilise a whole government.

The military government of interim prime minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama has agitated the normally harmonious voice of Fijian Methodists by attempting to stop the church's conference from taking place in late August.

A Fiji court order on 23 July silenced two top Methodist Church ministers and paramount chief, Ro Teimumu Kepa. They were charged with defying the Public Emergency Regulation over the church's annual conference which they had planned.

Ro Teimumu along with the church's president, the Rev. Ame Tugaue, and its secretary general, the Rev. Tuikilakila Waqairatu, were granted bail after being held in custody for two days, and ordered to appear in court in three weeks. They had to surrender all their travel documents and are banned from having any meetings for 21 days, and are not allowed to be seen in public or to conduct anything that might be construed to be a meeting.

It is believed to be the first time a Fijian government has clashed so openly with the Methodist church, which many residents say has a reputation for moderation, conservative social values and harmony. About one third of Fiji's almost one million people are Methodists.

In the days leading up to the conference it is normal for up to 10 000 singing Fijians to gather together for the nation's biggest social gathering: the Fijian choir hymn singing contest. Fiji is as renowned for its choir singing as for its electrifying brand of rugby football.

Now church members say the government has also banned the choral feast, fearing it will lead to further political instability. But in a show of religious conviction and support for their church leaders that may have political reverberations for the fragile hold on power by Bainimarama, it is rumoured that many more choirs will make their way to Suva to sing their hymns of God's power and might.

Sources have told Ecumenical News International that between 20 000 and 50 000 Fijian Methodists are planning to descend on the area around the national capital, Suva, to ensure the hymn singing - and the church conference - goes ahead.

"The tension is growing and there is a great deal of anger," an Australian church leader who has had regular contacts within Fiji, told ENI.

People are concerned that it will just take a clash between a couple of angry young people and the military for violence to erupt, he said.

"While there may be only two roads into the area around the airport and the military may think they can control the area, many are concerned that 50 000 people will be beyond their capacity and then they may resort to violence," he stated.

Meanwhile ENI has learned that Methodist church leaders are reported to be finding alternative leadership structures to deal with the muzzling of their president and general secretary, who are now under strict bail terms which prevent them from talking to more than one person at a time.

At this stage, the church is determined to hold its annual conference, which usually brings together up to 1000 church leaders for a week of discussion, celebration and singing. It is the supreme decision-making body for the Methodist church.

ENI has been told that many church members will still attend the location of the conference, even if the church leaders call the gathering off.

Radio New Zealand has reported that Fijian church leaders are afraid that their electronic communications - telephone and email - are being monitored by the government.

As the stand off between the church and the military grows, the national assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia, which includes former Methodists, has pledged its "prayerful support" for the Fijian church, sending an envoy to Suva as a sign of support for the Methodists.
 

(Photo: Tahiti Tourisme)

TAHITI: Tahiti Tourisme targets the gourmet traveller at Auckland Food Show
Source: STAR Public Relations Ltd Press Release

Renowned for its unique brand of French/Polynesian cuisine, Tahiti and Her Islands have long been an ideal destination for the gourmet traveller.

Poisson Cru, croques and boulangeries are some of the culinary delights that attract thousands of New Zealand holiday makers to this tropical island paradise each year.

For the fifth time Tahiti Tourisme will have a stand at the Auckland Food Show at the ASB Showgrounds this weekend.

Representatives from Tahiti Tourisme will be available to offer their expertise and local knowledge to assist travellers planning their island escape.

There will be a variety of show specials and exclusive packages on offer.

Radio personality, author and newspaper columnist Kerre Woodham will be at the stand on Friday and Sunday afternoon.

Kerre was a guest of Tahiti Tourisme and Air Tahiti Nui in February when she ran the Moorea half marathon.

In an adjoining stand, Noa Noa Tahiti will showcase their range of niche products, including Noa Noa Tahiti Rum, with an opportunity for visitors to sample a variety of delicious rum cocktails.

The Auckland Food Show runs from Thursday 30th July - Sunday 2nd August and is open from 10 - 6pm daily.
 

WORLDWIDE: Kiribati and Tuvalu climate change strategy: total evacuation
Source: Crikey

Climate change is already having major effects on Pacific Island states, according to a new report from Oxfam, which looked at mitigation and adaptation strategies in the region and assistance from Australia and New Zealand.

The report makes clear that Pacific States, which have long been identified as some of the most vulnerable nations in the world to climate change, are facing serious impacts already from rising sea levels, altered weather patterns and rising temperatures. In many cases the impacts are a consequence of multiple causes, including human activity such as logging.

Among the impacts identified in the report:

* The Solomon Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia have all suffered major  — in some cases historic  — flooding or storm surges in the last twelve months, with loss of life, crop damage and, critically, damage to local infrastructure such as hospitals and roads.

* Coral bleaching is becoming more widespread and regular in Tahiti, Palau and parts of Melanesia.

* Health impacts of rising temperatures are emerging: in PNG’s Western Highlands Province, the number of malaria cases increased eightfold between 2000-05.

* Coastal communities in Fiji are switching to salt-resistant staple crops because of the impact of tidal surges on soil quality, and planting mangroves and grasses to halt erosion and protect freshwater wells from salt. Relocation of homes and villages is also underway.

* The seasonality of foods is changing, with some plants appearing earlier, and traditional wind patterns are being replaced with far more variable weather.

* Villages are being repeatedly relocated as a consequence of storm surges and flooding, leading to searches for unused land to relocate entire communities. The Malaita provincial government in the Solomon Islands is looking for land to resettle people from low-lying outer atoll.

* The Government of Kiribati has prepared a long-term training plan to make its people’s skills more “marketable” in other countries to assist in international relocation.

* Nations such as Tuvalu are already debating what the entire evacuation of their country will mean for its national identity  — and issues such as its economic exclusion zone and UN seat.

A simultaneous report from the Australia Institute has criticised the level of Australian support for Pacific states in addressing climate change. The Rudd Government has committed $150m in funding for the region for adaptation projects, after years of climate change denial from the Howard Government, which insisted on portraying the regional through a national security “arc of instability” lens. While welcoming the Australian assistance, Oxfam suggests up to $300m a year is needed to establish serious adaptation programs, as well as a genuine commitment to keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees.

Both Oxfam and the Australia Institute note that Australia (and New Zealand) appear unwilling to develop a strategy for, or even discuss, forced migration among the Pacific’s 8 million people. The Institute reports that Department of Immigration officials as recently as October last year were explaining the lack of planning for displacement of Pacific people by climate change on the basis that mitigation was the key to addressing climate change, followed by “internal relocation” and international resettlement as a last resort.

As the Oxfam report shows, internal relocation is occurring already. It will almost certainly lead to greater internal tensions as disputes over access to land and water grow between displaced and settled communities. A number of states are politically fragile enough without the added problem of internal refugees.

All of these states face the double problem of being among the first exposed to the impacts of climate change  — like Australia  — but unlike us have very limited resources to deploy in mitigation and adaptation strategies, and are more vulnerable to internal tensions as the need to relocate communities in a heavily agriculture-dependent economy increases.

However, Australia and New Zealand both appear to be hoping the issue of international resettlement somehow goes away, and do not appear to have even focussed on how they will assist regional governments in dealing with the problems generated by internal relocation. But as the dominant powers of the region and the most likely destinations for people displaced by rising seas and vanishing resources, they don’t have a choice.