NEWSPAGE 21 October
2009

(Photos: New Zealand Defence Force)

NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand Defence Force begins tsunami draw down

(Photo: Samoa Government)

SAMOA: Parliamentary Updates
Source: Government Press Secretariat Press Release

National Week of Prayers and Fasting (18th - 23rd October 2009)

Cabinet recently approved of the National Week of Prayers and Fasting to commence on Sunday 18th to the 23rd October 2009.

The Official Service took place on Sunday 18th October 2009, at the Government’s Prayer House, Mt Vaea at 6:00pm. The service was officiated by members of the National Council of Churches. Fasting took place from mid-night to noon of the following day, and continues for five consecutive days until the Closing Service to be held at the end of this very important week of prayers.

The service to officially close the National Week of Prayers and Fasting will be held on Friday 23rd October 2009, at the Government’s Prayer House, Mt Vaea at 12:00noon.

The Public and especially public servants are hereby advised to please participate and help in the enforcement of this important week for the whole country.


Tender for Powerline Materials

Cabinet has approved awarding of contract to four(4) Companies for purchasing of Power line materials for upgrading power lines at some parts of Tanugamanono to the National Hospital at Motootua, Lalovaea, Afiamalu and also Salelologa to Puapua and Asau. These Companie are: Bluebird AHLAL, Olex Cable Australia, South Austral and ETEL Transformer.

An invitation for Tenders’ Bids was advertised for expression of interest and eight (8) contractors submitted their bids. Assessments of bids was carried out by a Sub Committee which include officials from the Electric Power Corporation, Ministry of Finance and Attorney General Office. The four Companies selected has been assessed as the most qualifies bidders for the job, having met all the requirements and necessary conditions.

The Four Companies will supply all the materials at the total cost of SAT$1,617,192.93.


Samoa delegation to attend Forum Disability Minister’s Meeting in Rarotonga

Cabinet has approved the participation by the Minister of Women Community and Social Development, Fiame Naomi Mataafa and the Samoa Delegation of the First Forum Disability Ministers’ Meeting to be held in Rarotonga from the 21-23 October, 2009.

The theme for the meeting is, “Strengthening Partnership for Disability Development in the Pacific.” The meeting will review the current status of the implemented Bikawo Millennium Framework in the region, and for further realization of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Samoa Delegation includes, Ms Vanessa Schuster and President of the Nuanua o le Alofa.
 

(Photos: Solomona Aoelua / U.S. Government)

AMERICAN SAMOA: ASG gets $24.8 million to assist in clean-up and recovery
Source: Office of Congressman Faleomavaega Press Release

Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor has released over $24 million in National Emergency Grant Funds to assist clean-up and recovery efforts in American Samoa.

"I want to personally thank my good friend and former colleague, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, for releasing more than $24 million in National Emergency Grant funds to assist clean-up and recovery efforts in American Samoa," Faleomavaega said. "The people of American Samoa are deeply appreciative of the support we are receiving from the federal government since the earthquake and tsunami struck our islands on September 29 and I thank the Obama Administration, the U.S. Congress, FEMA, Secretary Solis and all others for standing with us as we begin the long and difficult process of rebuilding."

The full text of the U.S. Department of Labor's notification, which was sent to Faleomavaega, Senator Inouye, Senator Akaka, and to members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) of which Faleomavaega serves as Vice-Chair is included below:

US Department of Labor provides more than $24.8 million to assist tsunami recovery efforts in American Samoa

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a $24,857,608 National Emergency Grant award to assist clean-up and recovery efforts in the wake of a tsunami that struck American Samoa on Sept. 29.

“Our hearts go out to the victims and survivors of the recent tsunami in American Samoa,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “Today’s grant will support ongoing recovery efforts and help American Samoans put their lives back together.”

These funds will be awarded to the American Samoa Department of Human Resources. Funds will be used to create more temporary jobs to assist in the recovery efforts as a result of the devastation caused by the tsunami.

On Sept. 29, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared all islands in the United States territory of American Samoa eligible for FEMA’s Public Assistance Program.

Of the $24,857,608 announced today, $8,285,870 will be released initially. Additional funding up to the amount approved will be made available as the territory demonstrates a continued need for assistance.

National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary of labor’s discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state’s ability to meet specific guidelines. For more information, visit http://www.doleta.gov/NEG.
 

(Photo: Fiji Times)

FIJI: School children get to ride free courtesy of the State
Source: Fiji Times

As of today, 79,505 school children get to ride on school buses courtesy of the Government.

The policy benefits 490 schools in Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Levuka, Taveuni and Rotuma.

The Education Ministry said it had delivered cheques to district education offices, who delivered them to the schools.

"Reports have come in that most schools have received their cheques with the exception of one or two that will receive theirs tomorrow," said Education Minister Filipe Bole.

"Funds will be released on a weekly basis to schools and school heads will be accountable for the proper disbursement, safekeeping and monitoring of funds for students."

The ministry said it had put in place a monitoring system, which includes a taskforce at its headquarters that will monitor and liaise with schools regarding any issue they face.

Schools can contact the Taskforce on telephone 3220423 or 3314477 (Ext 423) for any problems they may encounter.

The busfare policy has been welcomed by the general public after it was successfully spearheaded by the NGO, ECREA.

Photo Caption: Veiuto Primary students board a bus. Starting today, school children travelling by bus get to ride free courtesy of the State.
 

(Photo: Xinhua / AFP Photo)

TAHITI: French Senate endorses controversial nuclear compensation bill
Source: Oceania Flash via Pacific Scoop

The French Senate endorsed a controversial nuclear compensation bill this week which, for the first time, sets out a compensation mechanism for victims of the French nuclear tests, including those carried out between 1966 and 1996 in French Polynesia.

The bill, tabled by French Defence Minister Hervé Morin, was passed by 187 (from the ruling UMP party and centre coalition partners) and 29 against (mostly opposition parties).

It was endorsed by the French Lower House, the National Assembly, in July this year.

Morin, in his tabling speech, said the bill was “the Honour of the Republic” since France now “recognised its responsibility”.

The compensation process “must ensure integral redress for damage suffered”, the French said earlier this year.

According to the text, people who can justify they have resided in the testing zones, during the periods determined by the bill, and who are suffering illnesses on a list of diseases, are eligible.

The compensation committee would be chaired by a magistrate and consist mainly of medical practitioners.

Its task would be to study each case in order to determine whether there is a link between the person’s presence on the site and its illness, it would then make recommendations to the French Defence Ministry.

But opposition parties, mainly the Socialists and the Greens, said they did not vote for the bill as they regarded it as offering a very minimal compensation scale.

Since it was introduced earlier this year, the bill was met with scepticism and opposition from nuclear tests veterans association, both from metropolitan France and French Polynesia.

Those associations, including the France-based AVEN (Association des Vétérans des Essais Nucléaires) and Tahiti’s Moruroa e Tatou (Moruroa and Us) had called for a wider coverage of the notion of victims, including for family members of the veterans.

They were also critical of the areas defined to qualify for compensation claims.

In the face of reservations expressed by local veterans’ associations during the past few months, regarding the scope of eligibility of the compensations, some amendments were made, including extending the eligibility period that now ranges from 1966 (when the nuclear tests began in French Polynesia) until 1998.

Another new element was introduced: whereas earlier versions only included persons living or working at the time on Moruroa and Fangataufa atolls, the only other test located elsewhere, on Hao and Taravoa atolls, in 1974, has now been included.

And in the past few days, a new notion of “presumption of causality” between exposure to radiation and illnesses was also introduced.

But critics of the bill still maintain the compensation tribunal, in the shape of a committee, still does not include representatives from non-government organisations and veterans associations.

The latest version of the bill, as passed, now includes what is referred to as a “follow-up” committee that would, this time, include representatives from veterans’ associations.

Another criticism earlier levelled was that in its initial form, the bill introduced the notion of “threshold” of a minimum radiation exposure level.

Morin said this had now been rectified, but each case would be assessed by an “independent” team made up of medical doctors and chaired by a magistrate.

The claims tribunal would be provided with the United Nations’ list of 18 nuclear-related diseases and illnesses, Morin pointed out, saying this followed a specific request from nuclear veterans associations.

Responding to earlier criticisms from nuclear veterans in French Polynesia, Morin said he wanted the French compensation process to be “just, rigorous and balanced”.

He said about 150,000 individuals (both civilian and former defence staff) were potentially able to claim compensation from medical conditions, once their cases were examined individually.

$US13.5 million earmarked

The French defence minister, who has been saying since last year that France needed to come to terms with the nuclear issue, said earlier this year an initial fund of some 10 million euros ($US13.5 million) had been earmarked for the first 12 months following the enactment of the bill.

He said the fund would later be replenished by the French Defence Ministry, based on an average of compensation claims granted during the previous year.

“If the claim is accepted, redress for the damage will be integral … The commission will rely on scientific and medical data from the relevant United Nations body. As opposed to what happened in the past, it will no longer be up to the plaintiff to prove the cause and effect link between exposure to radiation and his or her illness. To deny a compensation claim, the (French) State will have to demonstrate that the pathology is not radio-induced”, Morin said.

Drifting away from ‘clean tests’ stance

Until recently, the official position from the French government regarding the possible consequences of nuclear testing on human health had been to claim the tests conducted in the African Sahara (on a site known as “Reggane”) and in French Polynesia (Moruroa and Fangataufa atolls) were harmless and clean.

“It was high time France come clean with its conscience. The more we refuse to tackle the health consequences that those tests could have entailed, the more we encourage the irrational, rumours, even fantasies. It was also important to avoid long and risky court proceedings for our fellow citizens who … have allowed our country to be part of the great military powers of this planet”, Morin said late March this year.

Between 1960 and 1996, France conducted some 210 nuclear tests, first in what was then the French Sahara (Algeria) and since 1966 in French Polynesia’s atolls of Moruroa and Fangataufa.

In French Polynesia, between 1966 and 1996, some 193 nuclear tests were carried out in what was called the Centre d’Expérimentations du Pacifique (CEP, Pacific Testing Centre), on the atolls of Moruroa and Fangataufa.

The CEP was first the scene of 41 atmospheric tests and later (in 1974) the tests went underground in boreholes deep under the sea, for a total of 193 tests altogether.

The nuclear testing facility was closed down and dismantled in 1996, after a final testing campaign.

Both civilian and military personnel who took part in the tests later developed serious medical conditions, mostly cancer and leukaemia.

The bill, which has now been endorsed by both the Upper and Lower Houses, now has to undergo the final stage before it is finally enacted as law: a joint Parliamentary committee consisting of seven senators (Upper House) and seven members of the National Assembly (Lower House).

Photo Caption: The French Senate endorsed a controversial nuclear compensation bill, tabled by French Defence Minister Hervé Morin.
 

WORLDWIDE: Ministers to discuss response to impact of global economic crisis
Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release

Economic Ministers of the Pacific Islands Forum will attend the 13th Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting (FEMM) in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, from 27-28 October 2009.

The Forum Economic Ministers are meeting at a time when the global economy is facing significant challenges and many Forum Island Countries will experience low or negative growth in 2009.

Export revenue, tourism receipts and remittances have all been affected by the global downturn.

“There is an urgent and ongoing need to develop effective policy measures and practical responses to support Forum Island Countries during this difficult time,” said Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

“This meeting will discuss practical measures which Forum Island Countries may wish to adopt in their national responses to alleviate the adverse effects of the global economic crisis and build, strong and sustained, economic resilience in the Pacific.”

Mr Slade added: “The implementation of the 2009 decision by Forum Leaders on the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Co-ordination in the Pacific will be high on the Ministers’ agenda. The Compact will help Forum Member Countries and donors to better coordinate reforms and aid delivery in order to accelerate progress towards the achievement of long-term regional socio-economic development goals.”

The meeting in Rarotonga will also update delegates on the progress of work to date on regional economic issues, including findings of the Benchmark Study aimed to upgrade country and regional statistical information services systems and databases. The meeting will hear the findings of a feasibility study to explore ways to improve targeted customs services through sub-regional approaches, and another on a Regional Financial Ombudsperson. Regional initiatives to strengthen financial markets and improve banking service delivery will also be discussed.