NEWSPAGE 16 December
2009

(Photo: Auckland University Press)

NEW ZEALAND: New book examines global winds of change blowing through Samoa

(Photos: NZ Department of Labour)

SAMOA: Extension date for 2009 quota residence applications
Source: NZ Department of Labour Press Release

Successful ballotees in the 2009 Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Category quota ballots will have an extra month to apply for residence in New Zealand, if they obtain a satisfactory job offer in New Zealand and meet other immigration requirements.

Immigration New Zealand has announced 12 February 2010 as the closing date for receiving residence applications under the two quotas.

“Extending the closing date will give the successful ballotees from Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati and Tuvalu more time to get all the necessary documentation and to lodge their application”, says Acting Group Manager Service International, Jan Clark.

“We recognise that it is more of a challenge for successful ballotees to locate an offer of employment in this current economic climate, and we feel that it is fair to extend the deadline by a month”, adds Ms Clark.

The close relationship with the Pacific is embodied by the Samoan Quota and Pacific Access Category of the New Zealand immigration programme. The two quotas are government immigration policies that give Pacific people with a genuine job offer at or above a specified minimum pay level the opportunity to obtain permanent residence in New Zealand.

The Samoan Quota Scheme allows up to 1,100 Samoans, including their partners and dependent children, to be granted residence in New Zealand each year. The Pacific Access Category allows up to 250 citizens of Tonga, 75 citizens of Tuvalu, and 75 citizens of Kiribati, including their partners and dependent children, to be granted residence in New Zealand each year.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Immigration New Zealand Apia Branch Manager, Antony Harris.

Photo 2 - Immigration New Zealand Apia Branch staff.

(Photos: J. Kneubuhl)

AMERICAN SAMOA: Pastor David Katina keynote speaker at ASCC Graduation
Source: American Samoan Community College Press Release

The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will hold its 51st Commencement Ceremony this Friday, December 18th, at 10 a.m. in the Gymnasium. The ceremony will bring to a close one of the most eventful semesters in the College’s history, as the events of September 29th necessitated both relief efforts for tsunami-affected students as well as a re-structuring of the school calendar.

Despite the tragic events which affected everyday life at the College this semester, this graduation will be historic for ASCC for an altogether different reason. While the final number will depend on final exam results, the number of prospective graduates this semester currently stands at 162, the largest group ever in the College’s history. This marks a significant increase over 77 graduates in fall 2008, 111 in fall 2007, 120 in fall 2006, and 76 in fall 2005. “Enrollment at the College has risen steadily over the last several years,” reflected Dean of Student Services Dr. Emilia Le’i. “In fact, this semester ASCC reached its latest enrolment peak, so we did anticipate a rise in graduate numbers and had time to accommodate them.”

As is customary, the College has invited a number of dignitaries from the government and the community to take part in the ceremony, including Pastor David Katina, who will provide the keynote address. The elder brother of the five singers who make up the popular group The Katinas, Pastor David currently resides in Honolulu but makes frequent visits to American Samoa, most recently when all six Katina brothers lent their time and talents last month to disaster relief efforts. The Katina brothers’ father and mother come from two of the villages hardest hit by the tsunami — their father Mose Katina from the Mageo family in Pago Pago, and their mother Siai Katina from the Aumavae and Toilolo families of Leone.

Trained at the Berean Ministry Course with the Assemblies of God in American Samoa, Katina first pastored at church at age seventeen. From 1990-1994, under Pastor Joe Amosa, he served as a Youth and Music minister while attending the Word of Life Christian Centre's Ministry Leadership Institute, and was later ordained under the Word of Life Christian Center in 1995 by Pastors Art and Kuna Sepulveda. In 1994 Pastor Katina and his wife Pastor Debbie founded the Koinonia Christian Centre in Waipahu, Hawaii. He has hosted the "Pastoring the South Pacific Conference" in both Samoa and New Zealand, has given a keynote speech at Rhema Bible College and lectures at Leadership Bible Institute, and is a currently a member of Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann's Prayer Force.

“We are honoured that Pastor David has agreed to give the keynote speech on this historic occasion,” said Dr. Le’i. “We all have been through so much this semester, and I’m sure he will provide a message to lift everyone’s spirits.”

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Renowned Samoan singes The Katinas visited the ASCC campus last month, accompanied by non-performing eldest brother Pastor David Katina (top, far right) who will provide the keynote address at the College's graduation ceremony this Friday.

Photo 2 - Renowned Samoan singers The Katinas are seen here with GEARUP Director Tupua Roy Fua (top, far left).
 
Photo 3 - Following their concert last month at ASCC, members of The Katinas take a moment to visit with some fans.
 

(Photo: Allied Press)

FIJI: Prime Minister cancels trip as cyclone hits
Source: Fiji Sun

Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama began his tour of areas affected by Cyclone Mick yesterday.

It began with a visit to evacuation centres that were activated by the Disaster Management Committee (DISMAC) on Monday night.

Yesterday, he made a trip to Naqali, Naitasiri to assess damage to infrastructure and rootcrops.

He is expected to leave for the Western Division later in the week to visit areas affected badly by the cyclone.

Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, Pio Tikoduadua said Mr Bainimarama already has a plan of areas he will visit over the next few days.

Mr Bainimarama was to have left for Copenhagen, Germany on Monday for the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15).

However, upon reaching Nadi, he was briefed on the tropical cyclone threat by Fiji Meteorology Service director Rajendra Prasad .

Government spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Neumi Leweni revealed that after the briefing, Mr Bainimarama cancelled his trip.

Meanwhile, fallen trees, broken power lines, debris and damaged homes were a common sight yesterday morning in most parts of the country.

Police spokesman Sergeant Atunaisa Sokomuri last night confirmed the cyclone has claimed two lives while four people are still missing.

"There are two Lautoka fishermen who are still lost at sea. Also there is a report of two missing people- one in Navala Village in Ba and the other is at Nasivikoso."

Mr Sokomuri said the first victim was a 13-year-old of Savatu Village in Naitasiri, who died instantly when a mango tree fell on him.

The second victim, a 55-year-old woman who collapsed along Terry Walk in Suva, as she was rushing home on Monday.

Mr Sokomuri said they have not received the death report of a 62-year-old Kasavu Villager in Naitasiri.

DISMAC acting director, Pajiliai Dobui said the cost of Cyclone Mick's wrath would be established today.

Cyclone Mick which formed over the north of the Fiji group on Sunday, December 13, passed over Viti Levu and surrounding islands on Monday evening.

At 9am yesterday, TC Mick (Category 2 Tropical Cyclone) was located near 19.5 South and 179.0 East and moving southeast at 20kmph.

A gale force warning remains in for some islands in the southern Lau group.

Photo Caption: Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama began his tour of areas affected by Cyclone Mick yesterday.
 

(Photo: Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission)

TAHITI: Threat to Pacific tuna greater than ever - key negotiations fail in Tahiti
Source: Greenpeace New Zealand Press Release via Scoop Independent News

Greenpeace has slammed the refusal of Asian distant water fishing nations Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan to agree effective new measures to urgently halt the decline of tuna stocks at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).

Despite strong calls from Pacific Island Countries to limit fishing and widespread support to close two high seas enclaves to purse seine fishing(1), Japan, Korea and Taiwan blocked any agreement.

The failure took place on the backdrop of warnings from the scientific community that the catch of bigeye tuna needs to be cut by up to 50% to ensure its survival, and that the current short ban in place for fish aggregating devices (FADs) is insufficient to address bycatch of juvenile bigeye tuna and other marine life. In 2010, only a 10% catch reduction will be implemented on bigeye and a three month ban will be in place on the use of FADs. Both measures fall far short of scientific advice provided to the Commission.

“It is beyond belief that Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan are unable to follow the advice given to them by their own scientists, and continue to prioritise short term economic gains,” said Sari Tolvanen, Greenpeace International Oceans Campaigner in Tahiti. “The demands of the fishing industry and the shady international networks of fish traders should not be more important than securing long-term sustainable supplies of tuna to their own consumers.”

“This is an economic and social crime that is repeated in ocean after ocean, year after year, and which will soon lead to the disappearance of the word’s favourite fish - tuna,” continued Tolvanen. “Markets must now take urgent action to stop the trade of unsustainable tuna.”

Measures agreed in 2008 to ban purse seine fishing in two large high seas pockets will come into effect in January 2010. In addition eight of the most tuna-rich countries in the Pacific will take unilateral measures to restrict tuna longline fishing in those high seas pockets from January 2010. However, longline fishing vessels that do not hold fishing licenses with those countries can still fish tuna in the high seas areas.

Pirate fishing in the Pacific is estimated to be some of the highest anywhere in the world(2), and further undermines the stock estimates and management attempts of the fishery. Greenpeace has been calling for the four high seas pockets to be to be designated as marine reserves since 2005, and has undertaken four ship expeditions in the region to gather evidence of the legal and illegal overfishing taking place.

“Asian distant water fishing nations have shown that they have no intention to work with Pacific Island Countries to conserve tuna stocks, and ensure that the development aspirations of small island states are met,” said Lagi Toribau Greenpeace Australia Pacific Oceans Campaigner in Papeete. “The Pacific must now build on the solidarity they have shown in recent years to reject fishing by nations that are threatening their resources, livelihoods and futures.”

Greenpeace is campaigning for a global network of fully protected marine reserves, covering 40% of our oceans. They are essential to ensure clean and healthy oceans and protect marine life from overfishing and habitat destruction. Healthy oceans can also play a vital role in building resilience against the devastating effects of climate change.

NOTES:

(1) The pockets of international waters identified by Greenpeace as needing protection as marine reserves lie between Pacific Island country national waters - a map showing their locations is available athttp://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/oceans/marine-reserves/pacific-tuna-need-marine-reserves

(2) Marine Resource Assessment Group (MRAG) and the University of British Columbia (2008) “The global extent of illegal fishing”
 

WORLDWIDE: Pacific Voices from the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit
Source: South Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

Joe Pokana, PNG Delegate

The other thing that we are looking at is finance, we are pushing for three phase finance that will move from readiness to market based thats what we are doing. There's a lot of resistance to that option that one moves from market based to fund based, so we are moving from a readiness fund to a market based.

A lot of parties during our discussions and negotiations they want us to only stop at fund based and maybe in the next commitment phase than we go to market based.

Its those areas that we are really pushing for even though we are supporting other issues that the Coalition of Rainforest parties are involved in, we support human rights and indigenous rights because for Papua New Guinea 97 percent of our land is owned by local people so we cant do a policy thats outside of what our national circumstances are, we have to make sure that we capture in our negotiations as well.

So those are the key areas that we are pushing and working on it for the last 4 years so that REDD became an issue in Montreal in 2005.


Maylin Sese, Solomon Islands Youth Delegate

Hi my name is Maylin Sese and I'm from the Solomon Islands and I really hope to hear that a deal is being signed in Copenhagen so that I can take this hope to my people in the Solomon Islands. I'm really hoping that this deal can be legally and ambitiously signed by those leaders. This is my only hope that I have.


Christina Ora, Solomon Islands

Hi my name is Christina Ora and I'm from the Solomon Islands and I'm here in Copenhagen to put the voice of the Pacific Islanders out there and what I hope to achieve out of this is the experience and what we all wanted and hope and pray for, a legally binding agreement, so seal the deal.


Allan Tipet Bero, Tetepare Conservation Project, Solomon Islands

I'm representing a local community organization based with the Solomon Islands which is called the Tetepare Descendants Association. Im here to raise awareness about our organization and hope to access this REDD initiative since we are conserving a portion of rain forests in the Pacific Ocean.

We hope that such an initiative will be very beneficial to all of us Pacific Islanders since most of the REDD initiatives are carried by the African, Asians and only PNG is benefiting apart from us.

I think that this is an initiative for those of us who are from small island developing states.

The island is virtually uninhabited and because of it un-inhabitation the island is regarded as a significant area in the Solomon Islands. Through the conservation of the forest we believe that we are helping in reducing emissions.


David Lambourne, Kiribati

The thing is really, what we are seeing is far too many countries are taking a hard line approach and what we need to see is countries to enter the negotiations in the spirit of compromise.

Because without that spirit of compromise we not going to get a deal at all. And even if we get to the end of the week with this many leaders here obviously they are going to be looking for a political statement at the very least. But there are countries here who so much want to trash this process they want to derail this process that they looking to get not even a strong political statement they looking to get a weak political statement.

And really from the small Pacific Island perspective we really cant afford that.

We really want a legally binding agreement ... but if that is not possible, our absolute bottom line is...and here's me drawing a red line, our bottom line is we need to find a strong political statement from our leaders and from all the word leaders, not just from the Pacific.

We've already made our statement but what we need is a global consensus and that there is a strong commitment to doing something with climate change to ensure that we all join together in committing to mitigation and that we also join together in ensuring that there are adequate funds available for small island states.

The ultimate reality for us is if we stick with these red lines, the coast lines the coastline that we will be drawing for Kiribati has no land in it. For us its a matter of survival so we have no choice but to fight it, to keep fighting and to scream and shout and do whatever we can to try and get a commitment from our friends in the world to something that's meaningful.


Annie Rasmussen: Samoa delegate

Hi my name is Annie and Im from Samoa I don't know what our expectations are from this meeting but we are looking for a legally binding agreement as all the small island countries are calling for. So thats what our expectation is here we are not looking for politically binding agreement but a two track legally binding agreement so I hope we reach that in this COP otherwise then are are just wasting our time here.


Tamati Fau, Samoa

I'm Tamati Fau from Samoa and I think what we need to get as the outcome of this COP15 is we hope that all that is needed to be achieved is achieved.


Diana Saili: Vanuatu youth

Hi, I'm Diana from Vanuatu and I'm here at COP15 to make a difference and I hope that out of COP15 that I get a legally binding a agreement and if that dosen't happen after COP15 us Pacific Islanders should stand together and work together because we live in one ocean and we're one people and we have one problem and so we need one solution and that is to reduce carbon emissions and adapt.

Subashni Raj: Fiji Youth

Hi, I'm Subashni Raj and I'm from Fiji and I'm here with 350. I'm here at COP15 to try and get the peoples voices out to the leaders and be the human face that every time the leaders walk by they see us and they remember that this is for the people. This is not about the money.

You know we try everyday. On Saturday we had the biggest protest on climate change in the history of mankind and by doing this we hope to get the message out to the worlds leaders that are meeting here at COP15 that we are very serious and people realise the gravity of the situation.