NEWSPAGE 19 October
2009

(Photos: New Zealand Defence Force)

NEW ZEALAND: HMNZS Canterbury arrives in Samoa

(Photos: Journalists Association of [Western] Samoa)

SAMOA: Dart Centre to assist Samoan Journalists who covered tsunami
Source: Journalists Association of [Western] Samoa Press Release

The Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma have offered assistance for local journalists in dealing with the trauma of reporting on the recent tsunami devastation in Samoa.

Cait McMahon the Managing Director of Dart Centre Australasia will be travelling to Samoa with veteran War Correspondent Jon Stephenson to take part in the Post-Tsunami Journalist Debrief Mission, in local newsrooms.

The Debrief Mission is an initiative of the Journalists Association of (Western) Samoa (JAWS) whose member journalists were the first to expose the devastation to the international media.

Local Journalist Cherelle Jackson reporting for Agency France-Presse (AFP), was on site shortly after the tsunami had hit and saw first -hand the initial devastation.

"It was hard to report without being affected by what had happened, nothing could prepare any journalist to cover such a tragic event without being personally affected and reduced to tears on the spot," she said.

In response to the world- wide media attention on Samoa, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expressed their solidarity with the local media during the week of the tsunami.

Programme Manager of IFJ Asia-Pacific Ms. Deborah Muir said: "We have observed the news reporting of the tsunami tragedy in the Pacific, and commend the professionalism of local journalists and media workers in Samoa to report in the most difficult of circumstances on events that must be affecting you all deeply.

We understand your job requires that you report impartially even in extreme circumstances, but we also know that as individuals who are witnessing such traumatic events you too will be suffering."

IFJ offered to assist Samoan journalists and sought the partnership of the Dart Centre.

IFJ and Dart will fund the Debrief Mission of McMahon and Stephenson to Samoa.

According to Stephenshon who is also an Ochberg Fellow for Dart Centre International says that trauma from the tsunami devastation was spread far and wide.

"Living in Auckland, the largest Polynesian city in the world, it is impossible not to have a sense of the tremendous shock and loss that Samoans are experiencing."

He said: "Samoan journalists have been especially hard hit. Many experienced the tsunami directly and lost friends or relatives, then they had to report on it all.

Cait and I are travelling to Samoa to listen to our colleagues, to learn about the challenges they are facing, and to offer whatever support we can."

The Dart Centre specialists will begin Debriefing sessions with local journalists on Tuesday next week.

Background:

Cait McMahon
Cait McMahon PhD (Cand.) is a registered psychologist and fulltime managing director of Dart Centre Australasia, with headquarters in Melbourne, Australia and activities throughout the Asia Pacific region. McMahon has been interested in the nexus of journalism and trauma since working as staff counsellor at The Age newspaper in Melbourne, Australia in the mid ‘80’s and 90’s. This interest resulted in postgraduate research in the area in 1993 with subsequent publications.
Cait is the only Australian psychologist to be published in the area of journalism and trauma. She has a significant history of clinical private practice, organisational development consulting and employee assistance programs. Cait continues to pursue further research at Swinburne University in Melbourne into journalism and trauma, focussing on both post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress experienced by news media professionals.

Jon Stephenson
Jon Stephenson is a New Zealand journalist with extensive experience reporting conflict and trauma. In addition to the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Jon has reported on the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon and on conflict in Gaza, East Timor and Zimbabwe, as well as on natural disasters such as the 2004 tsunami in Asia, the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, and the 2008 earthquake in China's Sichuan Province. A graduate of the University of Auckland, Jon has received numerous awards for his journalism, including the prestigious Bayeux-Calvados Prize for War Correspondents. He was a 2008 Ochberg Fellow at the US-based Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, and was recently appointed to the Center's Australasian advisory board.
 

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Managing Director of Dart Centre Australasia, Cait McMahon.

Photo 2 - War Correspondent, Jon Stephenson.

(Photos: Riamoana Pasifika)

AUSTRALIA: Music to heal the soul and money to rebuild
Source: Riamoana Pasifika Press Release

Successful Samoan business minds in Brisbane, Tagaloa Jerry Lale and Rhann Westbrook teamed up with major sponsors, Fadez Barbershop in Goodna and Ray White Real Estate Brisbane City last Thursday night putting on a stunner concert for around 250 people featuring Hip Hop high rollers, Deceptikonz Mareko, Devolo, Alphrisk plus guest DJ's for the Tsunami Appeal. These Famous Samoan Artists put on a magnificent performance with one purpose in mind. To help victims of the tsunami financially.

Lale of Safune and Apolima Uta, lost an Aunt in Pagopago and a niece (3yrs old) and nephew(1 yrs old) in Apia. " I can't imagine this happening to me, I have 2 young children of my own and it is terrible to even think that it could happen." he said. Rhann Westbrook from the Luafutu and Tuatagaloa family wanted to send this message for Samoa," even though we are far away, home is where the heart is. We will do our work from overseas and help to rebuild slowly but surely, one step at a time." James Leota aka DJ Blaze from the Fa'asii Taufua family in Lalomanu said that they had lost members of his fathers extended family. " It was very hard waking up that morning and seeing what was happening on the news and not being able to get anybody on phone."

Owner of Fadez Barber shop, Michael Kemp said that he and Jerry Lale have been friends since they were 11 years old in New Zealand. "Jerry and I come from the same neighbourhood in New Zealand and we both grew up being quite poor, now we are successful and able to do whatever we can to help the people in Samoa."There are so many successful Samoan people overseas and we are now in a position to help," Lale said.

Mark Sagapolutele aka 'Mareko' with songs like 'The Record of the Year' and "Gotta Go", is a well known and respected artist and performer internationally, " My father is from Saluafata and my mother from Safune, we weren't affected, but what a great loss for Samoa. Nearly a whole generation of children lost from certain villages. This is our way of lending a hand to do as much as we can to help."

Tickets on the night sold for $20.00, " One hundred percent of all the door takings is going to Samoa through the Australian Red Cross, stated Lale." There will be no skimming at all, he also added. "Performers like Mareko when performing professionally would cost over $1000 just to have them walk in the door."This concert was done at no charge except for the need to help, said Lale.

Although there were a lot of Samoan performers on the night, some artists did not give up the opportunity to say a few words for our readers like Singer Vocalist, Sammy J of the 'Fundamentals', " for me, even though I'm not Samoan, we are all Polynesian and we share friends and family. So I am very happy to be a part this concert so that we can help our brothers and sisters in Samoa."

According to Tagaloa J Lale another similar concert will be held in Auckland on the 19th.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - DJ Blaze, Tagaloa Jerry Lale, Rhann Westbrook, Deceptikonz-Mareko.

Photo 2 - Supporters on the night.

Photo 3 - Maria Langkilde, Sammy J, Tracy Nelson.
 

(Photo: The National)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Weightlifting contingent departs for Penang
Source: The National

PNG has sent a six-man contingent to participate at the 2009 senior and junior Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Penang, Malaysia, from Oct 18-23.

The team includes three female and three male athletes competing in various categories.

In the women’s category, Kathlene Hare will be competing in the senior (48kg division) while Rita Kari will contest the junior (58kg division) and Guba Hale will do battle in the 63kg division.

In the men’s category, 16-year-old Steven Kari will compete in the 62kg category, Moses Wak will do battle in the senior (56kg division) and Morea Baru will contest the senior (69kg division).
Trukai Industries Limited stepped in once again with a K55,000 sponsorship yesterday to make their trip possible.

The PNG Sports Federation and Olympic Committee secretary Sir John Dawanicura said Trukai Industries Ltd had supported the PNGSFOC for the past 10 years.

He said the sponsorship would go towards meeting the travelling expenses of the team to Malaysia.

Trukai Industries has been supporting weightlifting and bodybuilding every year with K40,000 each and funding for this trip was made possible through part of weightlifting monies not fully utilised last year and this year’s allocation.

Sir John is optimistic the athletes would do their best to at least break their personal best in this event because they have already been exposed to Oceania events and other international competition.

Team coach Douglas Mea said he was expecting some miracles from the six weightlifters. He is hopeful the weightlifters would bring some medals for PNG in the respective events.

The team headed by Mea and team manager Frank Robby, departed on Friday.

Trukai’s brand manager Mea Willie said Trukai Industries was proud to support weightlifting in PNG.

Photo Caption: PNG has sent a six-man contingent to participate at the 2009 senior and junior Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Penang, Malaysia, from Oct 18-23.
 

SOLOMON ISLANDS: PIFS commends Solomon Islands on plans to accede to UNCAC
Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat commends the Government of Solomon Islands for its dedication and commitment to fighting corruption following its decision to start working towards acceding to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)

The Solomon Islands Cabinet recently decided that the country will become party to the UNCAC in 2010. In its preparations the government is organising a series of anti-corruption workshops as well as examining the country’s legislations and policies.

“We commend Solomon Islands for its decision as this is a positive development for the anti-corruption agenda and good governance. If Solomon Islands do accede as stated, they become only the 4th Forum Island Country to do so after Papua New Guinea (2007), Fiji( 2008), and Palau (2009) since the UNCAC was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in October 2003,” says Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

“This is very good news for anti-corruption and good governance in the region. Even for Forum Island Countries that are yet to commit to acceding to the UNCAC, the Convention affords the opportunity to self-evaluate their legislative framework and policy instruments to assess their status, work out how much work is required and involved to be compliant with the UNCAC provisions and obligations, and what type of technical assistance is needed to take them forward towards acceding to UNCAC,” Mr Slade added.

At a regional level, Forum Leaders already recognized the important role that UNCAC would play in providing an internationally agreed framework for the construction of an effective anti-corruption framework for countries around the globe. In 2004, at the 35th Pacific Islands Forum in Apia, Samoa, Forum Leaders in their Communiqué “invited members to consider signing and ratifying the UN Convention against Corruption to strengthen good governance in accordance with the spirit of the Biketawa Declaration.”

The Pacific Plan which was endorsed by Forum Leaders in 2005 also focuses on strengthening anti-corruption institutions, requiring the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat to examine options for “regional support to consolidate commitments to key institutions such as audit and ombudsman offices, leadership codes [and] anti-corruption institutions…”

Recognising the momentum that is currently building in many domestic jurisdictions to tackle corruption issues, the Forum Secretariat is working with the UNDP Pacific Centre and the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to progress work to promote UNCAC.

UNCAC was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly by Resolution 58/4 of 31 October 2003. It came into force on 14 December 2005 when it received its 30th ratification. To date, 140 countries have signed and 117 Parties have ratified the Convention. The purposes of the Convention as set out in Article 1 are:

(a) To promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat corruption more efficiently and effectively;

(b) To promote, facilitate and support international cooperation and technical assistance in the prevention of and fight against corruption…; and,

(c) To promote integrity, accountability and proper management of public affairs and public property.
 

WORLDWIDE: U.S. Tsunami relief assistance to Samoa
Source: U.S. Embassy Press Release

In response to the devastating tsunami waves that struck the eastern and southern coasts of the Independent State of Samoa on September 29, 2009, the United States government immediately donated USD $100,000 (WST $251,900) to the Government of the Independent State of Samoa for disaster relief efforts. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also provided a grant of USD $250,000 (WST $629,750) to Samaritan’s Purse, a non-government organization, to provide non-food items such as tools, hygiene kits and plastic sheeting to tsunami affected villages.

Shortly thereafter, USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) sent a field officer to Samoa to assess the disaster, coordinate potential United States government disaster relief efforts with those currently being undertaken by the government of the Independent State of Samoa, other donors, the Samoa Red Cross Society, and other organizations; and to recommend further U.S. Government assistance actions.

The United States is pleased to announce that an additional USD $750,000 (WST $1,889,250) in disaster assistance funds will be made available to tsunami response organizations, for a total of $1.1 million USD (WST $2,770,900) in disaster relief funds. These additional funds will be equally distributed between the Government of Samoa’s Disaster Advisory Committee, the Samoan Red Cross Society, and Samaritan’s Purse; these funds will be officially presented to the respective organizations next week.

Funds provided to the Government of Samoa will be available to support the current operations of the Samoan Disaster Advisory Committee, purchasing and transportation of equipment and supplies to affected villages, as well purchase of equipment and other material to operate the National Emergency Operation Center at the Faleata Fire Station, and to provide for further disaster management, planning, prevention and mitigation.

Funds provided to the Samoan Red Cross, via the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, will be used to support water hauling operations to affected villages. The funds will also allow procurement of services of companies providing and servicing immediate-use latrines.

Funds provided to Samaritan’s Purse will be used to buy and distribute additional non-food items urgently requested by the Samoan Disaster Advisory Committee. Included in these items are hygiene kits, water purification for small family water containers as well as community health education program outreach.

In addition to these funds, USAID is procuring 362 air horns for distribution by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Disaster Management Office and Samaritan’s Purse to coastal villages on Upolu and Savai’i islands. USAID is also planning to provide one of the requested computers, loaded with software to support monitoring earthquakes and tsunamis from data transmitted directly from sonobuoys located between Samoa and the Tonga trench to speed up the process of gathering information that allows for important alerts, including tsunami warnings to people living and working along the coasts.

On Saturday, October 17, a U.S. Government funded cargo carrier, Arrow Air arrived at 2:30pm with 90,000lbs of relief aid from the donated and collected the Samoan communities in Los Angeles, U.S. The relief goods will handed over at the Faleolo Airport by U.S. Congress Representative Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin to the Samoan Government for distribution of the Disaster Advisory Committee. Peace Corps volunteers, embassy staff and other have volunteered to help unload and transfer the donated goods.