NEWSPAGE 23 November
2009

(Photos: Leautuli Family)

NEW ZEALAND: Leautuli Family seek help with tsunami fundraising

(Photos: Australian High Commission)

SAMOA: New equipment boost for Nafanua Netball Program
Source: Australian High Commission Press Release

Junior netball in Samoa received a boost last Friday (November 20, 2009) with the handover of new equipment to run netball clinics in school and villages to boost interest and participation in the sport.

The Samoa Netball Association received ST$14,500 from Australia to strengthen its Nafanua Netball program. The funding will be used to run development clinics through the Nafanua Netball program for children in villages and schools in Upolu and Savaii, as well as new netball equipment including netballs, bibs, whistles, portable goal posts, stopwatches, hoops and skipping ropes.

The secretary of the Samoa Netball Association, Louise Mataia-Milo said the Nafanua Netball program provides basic netball skills to both school teachers and children.

“More importantly this program set out to promote healthy lifestyles through netball and physical activity specifically for young children between the ages 7 - 13 years old.”

The Nafanua Netball program, which was started in 2009, will carry into the new year with the funding earmarked for programs to be run in 2010.

“We now have the equipment and funding for transport which is crucial to assist with our development programs,”’ said Samoa Netball Association’s Australian Youth Ambassador for Development, Faasalusalu McFarland.

“The program is aimed at grassroots level, increasing participation in the sport and getting as many young people interested in netball.”

“The clinics will focus on showing students and teachers the basic skills and technique of netball so they can continue to play the sport in schools and encourage participation to promote netball as a healthy and fun way to live.”

Mataia said even though netball is an established sport in Samoa, more needs to be done at a grass roots level to encourage girls, especially in rural areas, to take up the sport.

“I am optimistic that through the Nafanua Netball program we can develop the next generation of great Samoan netballers,” Mataia said.

“These clinics are similar to those run last year, however now with the additional funding, these clinics will be able to be taken out to villages and engage with the future netballers of Samoa.”

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Noumea Simi and Ian Bignall.

Photo 2 - Australian Youth Ambassador, Salu McFarland.
 

Photo 3 - Samoa Primary school thanking Salu McFarland.

Photo 4 - Students from Samoa Primary school with the new equipment donated by Australia.
 

(Photo: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: ASCC Fine Arts Department to stage tsunami benefit concert
Source: American Samoan Community College Press Release

The Fine Arts Department at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will present a benefit concert to raise funds for tsunami relief this coming Wednesday. “A Special Music Festival: In Loving Memory of the Tsunami Victims” will take place on November 26th, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Holy Family Hall at Fatuoaiga. “Over the last months, we’ve seen many efforts on behalf of the tsunami victims,” said Fine Arts Department Chairperson Namulauulu Dr. Paul Pouesi, “but we know that a great need still exists. We hope the public will include our performance in their pre-Thanksgiving plans as we offer our music as a way of helping and healing.”

Namulauulu will lead the ASCC Concert Choir during the evening’s performance. Having practiced diligently throughout the semester, the Concert Choir recently gave a notable performance as part of the Veterans Day services at the CCCAS Church in Fagaalu. Commending the performance, ASCC President Dr. Seth Galea’i remarked, “The ASCC Choir truly exemplified the level of excellence the College is accustomed to give.” The Choir also opened this past Thursday’s concert by the Katinas at Kananafou, of which Namulauulu recalled, “We really enjoyed how the Katinas’ great sound system helped project the professional quality of the choir.”

Namulauulu and the Choir will welcome a number of special guests at the concert, including the Faasao/Marist Choir, the ASCC Ukulele Ensemble, and a group known as Melodies of Grace. Offering a preview of the Ukulele Ensemble’s performance, their leader, music instructor Kuki Tuiasosopo said, “We’ve put together a dedication song called ‘Great Sea, Beloved Ones, Mighty God’, composed by members of the Ensemble. I wanted them to utilize their artistic skills to create a piece of music that would not only remember loved ones, but also capture the spirit of our Samoan people as we rise together and re-build.” Tuiasosopo added that he would like to see a recording made of this new song, if the Ensemble can secure the funding for studio time.

Comprising six closely-related singers from a musical family, Melodies of Grace has slowly built up their stage experience by playing at church meetings and youth gatherings over the last two years. Ranging in age from 12 to 20, the group consists of siblings Quenana, Quenton, Taylor and Tepualani Failauga, joined by cousins William Pedro and Melchizedek Lilio. Influenced by modern sounds but also firmly rooted in gospel tradition through their grandparents who are faifeau in the Seventh Day Adventist church in Manu’a, a spokesperson for Melodies of Grace said on their behalf, “It is the hope and prayer of the group that our music will be able to touch someone out there that still needs special healing.”

In addition to the fine lineup of musical talent, ASCC Visual Arts instructor Regina Meredith and her students will also join in the fundraising effort by having on display a number of recent artworks which they will auction. “My drawing, ceramics and design students have all contributed items for this cause,” said Meredith. “We plan to set up our display at the venue an hour before the performance, so that members of the public can view the artwork and make bids on items they like. All the proceeds we raise will go towards helping victims of the tsunami.”

Namulauulu explained that although the concert is being held to raise money, no admission will be charged at the door. “Rather than having a fixed admission price, we would instead like everyone to simply give what they feel comfortable giving. We will have a table where donations will be accepted, but just to attend the concert is basically free.” For more information on this Wednesday’s performance, call the main ASCC switchboard at 699-9155, and ask for Namulauulu Dr. Paul Pouesi.

Photo Caption: ASCC Fine Arts Department Chairman Namulauulu Dr. Paul Pouesi (far left) and the ASCC Concert Choir take a break from rehearsal for this group photo. The Concert Choir and special guests will perform a benefit concert for tsunami victims this coming Wednesday at Fatuoaiga at 7 p.m.

(Photo: Pacific Blue)

COOK ISLANDS: Pacific Blue adds extra Cook Islands flight
Source: Voxy News

Pacific Blue has added a fourth flight from Auckland to Rarotonga for the holiday season. The Thursday non-stop service departs Auckland at 6.30pm and arrives in Rarotonga at 11.25pm (previous day). The return flight leaves Rarotonga just after 1.00am, arriving into Auckland at 4.30am (the following day.)

The extra flight is in addition to the airline's regular Auckland-Rarotonga departures on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

Pacific Blue General Manager Commercial, Adrian Hamilton-Manns, said the fourth service had been added to provide more options for both leisure and family markets.

"With our connecting services from Australia, there is strong demand at this time of year from Cook Islanders returning home for the festive season," he said. "However there is also demand from Aussie and Kiwi travellers who are keen to enjoy Christmas or a holiday break in the tropics."

Cook Islands Tourism welcomed the additional service, with CEO John Dean noting that it would add over a thousand seats for the holiday season.

"Pacific Blue has a reputation for competitive fares and we're very supportive of anything the airline can do to increase capacity into the Cook Islands, especially from the Australian market which is showing increasingly strong growth."

The fourth service will operate from Thursday 10 December 2009 through till Thursday 28 January 2010.
 

FIJI: Suva to be crime free by year's end
Source: Fiji Daily Post

The Police Force and the Suva City Council have taken on an initiative to declare the city of Suva crime free by the end of next month.

In a presentation to members of the media, Inspector Anare Masitabua said the Fiji Police Force and the Suva City Council had a vision for a safe, free and friendly Suva.

“Our role is to protect the city of Suva, its citizens and visitors to be safe and secure in a crime free environment creating a sense of pride,” he said.

Highlighting the decrease in crime rate for the Suva area, Inspector Masitabua said that as of last month there was a decrease in the crime rate from 2285 in 2008 to 1360 for this year.

“We have divided the city into 4 zones and each zone has its own committee that involves everyone in the community with the support of the Police,” he said.

Inspector Masitabua also stressed that they were not playing a leading role and that the Chairman for the board is the Chief Executive Officer for Suva City Council, Ratu Ilitomasi Vere.

Inspector Masitabua said there was going to be a review of all the crime prevention committees and that they had undertaken an aggressive approach towards addressing crime which included stop and search on suspects, apprehending warrantees, continuous raids on drug dealers, boot legers and pawn shops.

Moreover, the Police Inspector said the increased number of policemen on the streets of Suva indicates the need for everyone to take ownership of this important initiative.

The crime free Suva city initiative will be launched next month by the Minister for Local Government Col Samuela Samatua.
 

WORLDWIDE: World AIDS Day - 01 December 2009
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Community Press Release

‘Universal Access and Human Rights’ is the international theme for World AIDS Day 2009.

The theme strikes at the heart of what is perhaps the single largest challenge faced by people living with HIV in our communities today. This challenge is demonstrated in the stories from many Pacific Island countries and territories including that of Pita (not his real name), a Fijian in his thirties who tested positive for HIV three years ago.

Pita’s story is similar to many others: ‘Life hasn’t been rosy. Even in hospital, I experienced how people living with HIV are constantly discriminated against and stigmatised. To this day, such discrimination stops me from revealing my positive status to anyone.’

The World AIDS Day theme - Universal access and human rights - focuses on issues close to Pita’s heart.

‘To me being HIV positive doesn’t mean others should point the finger. As humans we still have equal rights to life,’ says Pita. ‘The World AIDS Day campaign is a call to those in power throughout the Pacific to work together to revise laws, activities and cultural practices that discriminate against people living with HIV and those living on the edge.’

Speaking in support of the campaign, Dr Jimmie Rodgers, Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), says ‘The everyday increase in discrimination against our fellow human beings just because they seem different is not the Pacific way. Whether a colleague or someone we encounter is a member of a sexual minority, a sex worker or a person living with HIV should make no difference. Every person has equal rights and should be embraced with the same level of respect.’

Respect for human rights is central to an effective response to HIV in the Pacific. The region must be able to demonstrate that the rights of all individuals are protected and this means that:

· people living with HIV are able to access appropriate services and support;

· everyone in society is equipped with the information, services and products they need to protect themselves;

· children and adults are educated and taught to embrace differences to avoid the damaging impacts of gender inequality, gender-based violence, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and marginalisation of sex workers and people living with HIV; and

· the policies and legislation needed to ensure these rights are put in place and implemented.

Globally, 33 million people were estimated to be living with HIV in 2007. Of these, 2.7 million people were newly infected. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most seriously affected region, accounting for 67 per cent of all people living with HIV in 2007.

Even though the numbers of people living with HIV in the Pacific, excluding Papua New Guinea, are relatively small, the high rates of other sexually transmitted infections are a cause for concern. So far, only a few Pacific Islands (for example, Papua New Guinea, the French Territories and Pohnpei State) have laws that specifically protect the rights of people living with HIV. Fiji is currently drafting a promulgation specific to HIV, while other countries, such as Palau, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, are considering amending their Public Health Acts or developing comprehensive stand-alone legislation. Most countries still have laws that discriminate against men who have sex with men and against sex workers. Most still also lack legislation to deal with and prevent gender-based violence.

Pita hopes that people will take notice of the 2009 World AIDS Day campaign and will talk about it, whether at home, in the school playground or classroom, in church or at village chiefs’ meetings.

For more information, contact Jovesa Saladoka, Health Promotion Officer, HIV & STI Section, SPC
Mobile Ph: (679) 9377077 or SPC Office in Suva, Fiji: Ph: (679) 337 0733, email: [email protected].