NEWSPAGE 30 November
2009

(Photo: Send MoneyPacific)

NEW ZEALAND: Sending money to the Pacific this Christmas?

(Photo: Samoa Government)

SAMOA: Parliamentary Updates
Source: Government Press Secretariat Press Release

Report on UNESCO conference in Paris

Cabinet has approved the report on the 35th Session of the General Conference of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which was held in Paris from 6 October - 23 October, 2009. Representing Samoa was Minister of Education Sports and Culture, Toomata Alapati Toomata.

Pacific countries first met to agree on certain issues in the fields of Education, Science, Social & Human Science, Culture, and Information Communication Technology before the issues were presented into commissions.

Also discussed at the conference were:
• The opportunity to ask for Disaster Grant to assist with the tsunami rebuilding efforts in the Pacific before the submission was approved.
• Clarify priority areas for the UNESCO Director General to for assisting Pacific countries; and the protection of small island nations from climate change impacts.

The former Director General of UNESCO, Mr Koichiro Matsuura delivered his farewell speech at the conference after his eight years in office. Replacing him is the first female to head the UNESCO since its establishment in 1945, Ms Irina Bokova.

Accompanying the Education Minister to the conference was ACEO, Alaifea Laititi Su’a.


Report on Forum Economic Activity Meeting

Cabinet has approved the Report on the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) in the Cook Islands on 26-28 October, 2009.

The meeting was attended by Ministers of Finance, Finance Officials and Central Bank Governors from the following counties: Australia, Cook Islands, FSM, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Observers representatives include from Financial Institutes and International Organisations.

The meeting started off with offering of condolences from Ministers to the people of American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga for loses from the impacts of the Tsunami.

These are the main issues discussed at the meeting:
• Global Economic Crisis Update,
• The Cairns Compact,
• Strengthening Statistical Services through Regional Approaches,
• Sub-Regional Approaches for Targeted Customs Services,
• Regional Initiatives to Support Financial Development,
• Economic Impacts of Natural Disasters in the Pacific Region,
• Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in 2010.

The overall of the meeting showed that economies of some Pacific countries are still affected by the financial crisis worldwide. Other focused of discussion was to familiarize Pacific people with financial dealings; and remittances.

Niue will host the next FEMM.

Accompanying the Finance Minister to the meeting was the Governor of the Central Bank, Susuga Papalii Scanlan.


Report on Forum Disability Minister’s Meeting

Cabinet has approved the report on the First Forum Disability Ministers’ Meeting which was held in Rarotonga from the 21-23 October, 2009.

The meeting focused on 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 region’s support was also called on for People with Special Needs and to strengthen partnership between the Pacific countries and People with Special Needs organizations.

It was prioritized at the meeting the Pacific region’s focus on issues regarding People with Special Needs, and specifying Government Ministries responsible for issues relating to People with Special Needs.

Other issues discussed include:
• Prioritizing education for People with Special Needs
• Prioritizing access to health for People with Special Needs
• Prioritizing access to other needed services for them
• Support for females with Special Needs
• Access to information and statistical documentations for People with Special Needs

Papua New Guinea will host the next meeting in 2012.

Samoa’s delegation was lead by the Minister of Women Community and Social Development, Afioga Fiame Naomi Mataafa, and includes the Ministry Policy Analyst Mrs Vanessa Schuster and President of Faataua le Ola Nofovaleane Maposua.
 

AUSTRALIA: Cairns Compact peer review process discussed
Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release

A regional workshop held last week on the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination in the Pacific discussed a process for regular peer review of Forum Island Countries’(FICs’) national development plans as proposed under the Compact.

The three-day workshop was attended by senior government officials from the Forum member countries, CROP agencies, development partners and international agencies. The Forum Secretariat is coordinating the workshop and funded by Australia’s international aid agency, AusAID.

The peer review of FIC national development plans is one of the key deliverables of the Compact which was endorsed by Forum Leaders at their meeting in Cairns in August.

The peer review process of FIC’s national development plans is intended to:

• Promote international best practice in key sectors;
• Improve effective budget allocation processes; and
• Guide support from development partners

In a concept paper prepared for discussion at the workshop, it is proposed that the objective of the peer review process is to guide improvements in development coordination, including information discussions at the Pacific Islands Forum and Post Forum Dialogue, through reviews of coordination at a country level.

Peer reviews are an opportunity for mutual learning between FICs and their partners about how best to address development challenges. The process will reinforce country leadership over the establishment of national priorities, and enhance the capacity of countries to guide the use of development resources.

It is proposed that two countries would host peer reviews in the first year. Countries have been invited by the Forum Secretariat to nominate either to host reviews or to participate in review teams.

The regional workshop is expected to better inform the development of the peer review process.
 

(Photo: The National)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Ex-missionary’s mercy mission for MAF
Source: The National

A former Kiwi missionary to Papua New Guinea is riding a motorcycle across the length of New Zealand to raise funds to buy an aeroplane to serve the rural people of PNG.

Interestingly, the motorcycle that Frank Carter, 76, is riding to raise funds is the same one - a 1955 DOT Scrambler- he used while serving in the Western Highlands province in the late 1950s.

So far, he has been able to raise more than NZ$20,000 (K40,000) on his road trip - far short of the NZ$1 million (K2 million) needed to by a new Australian-built GA8 Airvan and donate it to the Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF) for its work in PNG. Mr Carter was reported by the Otago Daily Times as saying that he was praying hard for more funds.

Mr Carter bought the motorbike in 1959 and shipped it to Mt Hagen where he and his family were doing missionary work.

He said the DOT (devoid of trouble) was ideal for the remote and rugged conditions he encountered in the Western Highlands province, and it was his only mode of transport for the seven-and a-half years he lived and served God there.

When it was time to return to New Zealand, the motorcycle was “a wreck”, so he sold it to the mission and left it in PNG.

Thirty-eight years later, Mr Carter had retired and was keen to relive a small part of his youth by buying another 1955 DOT Scrambler.

After a long search, he found one and, to his astonishment, it turned out to be his very own old 1955 model - refurbished.

“I was convinced that God was part of this reunion and I made the decision to ride the DOT from Cape Reinga to Bluff, as a fundraising venture towards the purchase of a new Mission Aviation Fellowship plane for Papua New Guinea,” Mr Carter said.

Photo Caption: Frank Carter on his 1955 DOT Scrambler.
 

(Photo: National Parliament of Solomon Islands)

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Minister unveils new tourism school
Source: Solomon Star

The construction of the country's new Tourism and Hospitality School will start soon.

This follows a ground breaking ceremony yesterday at the Kukum campus in Honiara. Minister of Culture and Tourism Seth Gukuna officially cut the ribbon to unveil the complex's design plan followed by the turning of soil where the new complex will be built. Mr Gukuna said the plan to build a tourism school for the country is long over due.

"It’s a reality and dream comes true for the country to see the new school about to start after two years of hardwork," he said.

Mr Gukuna said funding are now available for the construction of the school.

He told the delegation that the complex will be the best one to be built in the area.

"From this site the country will produce more qualified and skilled tourism workers," he said.

He said it’s important that the country moves into training its own tourism experts as the local tourism grows.

"In the coming years we can be proud to produce our own tourism and hospitality professionals as we compete with other regional countries," he said.

Local architecture Casper Luiramo designed the plan.

Witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony were officials from Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE), Tourism and Culture, and Solomon Islands Visitor's Bureau.

The ground breaking ceremony was moved to yesterday after it was postponed last week due to personal difference between Mr Gukuna and one of the guests. Yesterday the minister apologised to the guests for the mishap.

"I apologised for the incident last week which you all have read and I apologised for that. "But never mind we are here to celebrate a new chapter in our country's development,” he said.

Construction is expected to start next month or early next year.

Photo Caption: Minister of Culture and Tourism, Seth Gukuna.
 

(Photo: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

WORLDWIDE: Pacific attend Biocontrol workshop
Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

“Biocontrol” - it’s not a term you hear every day, but when successful it’s extremely important to your every day life. It is a method of using natural enemies to lower the population of pests (invasive species) affecting our natural ecosystems, agriculture and forestry.

This month (Nov 2009), 10 Pacific islands countries and territories were represented at a Pacific Biocontrol Strategy Development Workshop in New Zealand, along with over 30 other delegates including plant health experts, scientists and Pacific invasive information managers.

The workshop helped lay the foundation for a regional approach for implementing biological control work in the Pacific.

“One of the main highlights was to see and realise there is a significant number of successful invasive species projects using bio-control happening in the region at present and scope for much more,” said Mark Bonin, the Interim Coordinator of the Pacific Invasives Learning Network (PILN)

“There are already projects employing successful biological agents that can, in the very immediate future be shared amongst other countries that have similar problems. Of course we first would have to overcome the financial, legislative, and logistical constraints but there is great potential for doing something very soon and quickly that would enable Pacific Island countries and territories to share expertise, experiences and at least in part, resources.”

The workshop also looked at identifying and addressing issues related to the biological control of weeds and insect pests affecting agriculture, forestry and biodiversity.

A dramatic example of the economic impacts of invasives was seen in Samoa in the 1990s, when taro leaf blight, a fungal disease, arrived and decimated taro production, a key part of the Samoan economy. It is estimated to have cost Samoa $US 40 million, more than the impact of three cyclones, to replace domestic consumption, lost exports and the cost of measures to control the disease.

“One of the main targets for us now, after this workshop is to work with our member countries to help prioritise their invasive species, including both plant and animal pests, for biological control. Then we can start looking seriously at the commonalities between countries in the Pacific and work together to help minimise the expense of an often expensive invasive species management project.”

The Pacific Biocontrol Strategy Development Workshop was a collaborative effort between several key organisations including PILN, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Pacific Invasives Initiative based at Auckland University, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Land Resources Division, LandCare Research New Zealand, and the United States Forest Service in Hawai’i.

Funding for the workshop was provided by those already mentioned as well as the United States Department of State, Hawaii Invasive Species Council, CEPF, and NZAID.

American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Marianas, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu attended the Pacific Biocontrol Strategy Development Workshop which took place 16 to 18, November.

For further details please contact the SPREP’s Invasive Species Officer, Dr. Alan Tye E: [email protected] or the Interim PILN Coordinator Mr. Mark Bonin at E: [email protected] or [email protected], T: (685) 21929, F: (685) 20231 W: http://www.sprep.org/PILN/index.htm.

Photo Caption: Delegates attending the Pacific Biocontrol Strategy Development Workshop.