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By Misa Telefoni*
Marketting Opportunities Money Can’t Buy
Just as significant as the publicity generated by Survivor Samoa, our Sevens Team winning the World Championship is worth millions to Samoa’s tourism marketing.
We could not buy this kind of publicity. It has also generated interest from the NFL (Jesse Sapolu’s visit detailed below).
Anna Pollock working on a book about Vaimasenu’u Zita Martel will be potentially another marketing bonanza for Samoa.
Samoa tourism are arranging for Zita to get her malu done at the Shanghai Expo by Suluape (Sua Petelo). This will coincide with our National Day on 1 August 2910.
Last week, there were no vacancies in Apia’s hotels for visitors. We had the IRB, the South African Netballers, and Oceania Swimming.
Our Pool was magnificent.
Our Manu boys emerged Pacific champions. Our netballers were exposed to top international competition but played very well.
With the German soccer Team defeating England 4 – 2, it was a great week for sports!
Hopefully, by the time you read this, Germany is in the semi-finals, and have beaten Argentina!
Tanoa Tusitala Open for Business
Congratulations to Y.P Reddy and family. Observer asked me for a comment – this is part of what I wrote:
“This work has greatly enhanced the magnificent location and created a city hotel which retains a resort like atmosphere and ambience.
This represents a major investment in manpower and resources and makes this project a showcase venture to show the world that Samoa provides good fiscal incentives, and a stable political environment. It is a milestone in terms of the first major substantial foreign investment in tourist accommodation in our country.
The fortitude and resilience of Mr Y.P Reddy in particular was best illustrated in his determination to rebuild Tanoa Tusitala from the ashes of the unfortunate fire that devastated this development at its earliest stages.”
Have you Reregistered Your Companies?
The deadline was last Wednesday 30 June, but come on in to the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour (MCIL) we can still help. Much is happening. Here is the agenda from the Trade Commerce and Industry Board Meeting I chaired last Friday (2 July 2010).
TCI BOARD - AGENDA
1. Derogation Yazaki – Status Report by MCIL
2. Update – Yazaki Operations by Funefeai Oliva Vaai
3. WTO Accession – Status Report by MCIL
4. LDC Status Deferral Report by MCIL/MFAT
5. Update on Decent Work Committee
6. Bank Interest Rates Submission
7. Re-registration of Companies – New Legislation Update by MCIL (as at 1 July 2010)
8. Update on PSSF Tourism Tsunami Re-building Program
9. Request from British American Tobacco Samoa
Visit our MCIL website on www.mcil.gov.ws. You can even form a company on line in Samoa now.
Samoan Arts Get A Boost
I am still hoping to get to Wellington to see Albert Wendt and Momoe Malietoa Von Reiche’s Art Exhibition before it closes.
Apart from Fatu Feu’u and other emerging younger artists – this Exhibition puts Samoan art on the map!
The Big Island (Savaii of course) was treated to a rare treat on Friday (25/6) when Lusia Chalets Resort hosted Fiona Collins’ series of scripts. These were first performed at NUS, and the quality of the performances is a credit to all the actors.
I was moved by the poignancy and the compassion – especially the tsunami skit which brought tears to our eyes. Humour was also present as in the mistaken gender piece.
I still remember this from the dialogue that evening:
“Our greatest fear – is not that we are inadequate.
Our greatest fear – is that we are powerful beyond measure”
We have award winning authors, great poets, and now emerging playwrights.
Who said Samoa only produces great rugby players?
Seiuli Jesse Sapolu
I was honoured when American Football Great Seiuli Jesse Sapolu flew into Apia to meet with me for a few hours last Sunday (27/6).
Seiuli is keen to establish his Jesse Sapolu Foundation in Samoa, as he has done in Tutuila. His foundation’s main goal is to develop the skills in American Football of young people.
We shall help him all we can, he intends to send up 15 – 20 coaches once it is all set up.
Jesses tells me there are 10 Samoans in NFL who earn more than US$30 million a year!
There are over 150 Samoan players altogether in College and the NFL itself. He tells me my cousin Melila Purcell should now be on a multi-million dollar contract. I asked Jesse to remind Melila that his “SA’O” – Lesamatauanu’u Telefoni, from Malaela needs the occasional contribution to family fa’alavelave!
Jesses confirmed how proud he was of our Sevens World Champions. He had been present in Las Vegas when they won the USA leg of the IRB World Sevens Circuit.
Aid Effectiveness
Frank Lowy is Australia’s richest man. He is also globally in the top 50. He founded, owns, and operates the Westfield Shopping Malls.
St Lukes and Sylvia Park in Auckland are Westfield Shopping Malls.
Frank Lowy invested in Tusitala Hotel, because of John Boyle (see Dedication), and once flew his private jet here to view his investment.
His Lowy Institute in Sydney is the greatest think-tank in Australasia.
It was a privilege to be invited for a second time by the Lowy Institute, this time for a conference on Aid Effectiveness in the context of the Milleneum Development Goals (MDGs).
My contributions (Public Discussion, Speech, Panel discussions) are all available on line, some in podcast on www.lowyinstitute.org
Australia’s First Woman Prime Minister
The Australian Labour Party has taken a big boost in the polls since Rt. Hon Julia Gillard was appointed Australia’s first female Prime Minister.
She replaced Rt. Hon Kevin Rudd. My friend Hon Simon Crean has taken over her major portfolios, and Trade has been added to Hon Steven Smith’s foreign affairs portfolio.
Here was part of
Samoa’s message of congratulations:
“We wish to formally convey our congratulations on your historic appointment as Prime Minister of Australia.
Samoa has a long history of warm and cordial relations with Australia, and we are extremely grateful for all the assistance and support that we have received.”
Small Business Gets Big Boost
A Commonwealth Project led by Ram Venuprasad is having a big impact on small business and micro-credit development in Samoa.
In a function held at Insel Fehrman Hotel I was most impressed with the project’s achievements, and the progress in particular achieved by Women in Business, Sylvia Salanoa of Mailelagi, Le Spa, and especially Panoa Tavita Moala in feed and farming (piggeries). There are now many other businesses getting direct assistance from them.
These efforts, in collaboration with Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC), South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) in Microcredit, and the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour, provide a big boost to small to medium business activities in Samoa.
This project will have a major impact on income distribution in Samoa, especially as the government of India have now committed to lending support to SPBD Foundation, and support the Project generally.
Gregory Casagrande Nominated as CNN Hero
On behalf of the people of Samoa, I was privileged to nominate Mr Gregory Casagrande as a CNN Hero. Their website is www.cnn.com/Heroes
In my nomination, this is a part of what I said:
“SPBD Foundation has made a profound and enduring impact on the lives of its Samoan women members. It recently began operations in Tonga, and has plans for a Fiji operation.
Most significantly, it has raised the self-esteem of our women and made them more Independent. Making women financially literate who are now able to assert themselves more substantially and have a great impact on not only their own lives, but also the lives of their families, especially their spouses and partners.”
Dedications
June was a hectic month, full of great achievements. Our Sevens Team triumphed as World Champions. Our Manu Samoa won the Pacific Cup. Tanoa Tusitala, like the Phoenix, rose from the ashes of that devastating fire. Samoa hosted Oceania swimming, and the South African netball team.
But June also brought much sadness in its wake. My cousin Tuisila Teja (Paul) Ulberg passed away. Tuisila grew up with my father and grandparents in Puipaa and was named Paul after my uncle who died in the War. Teja was a dark German warrior, and was my father’s favourite name for him.
Paul was only 17 and at school in Berlin when he was forcibly taken out of school by Hitler’s Nazis, and sent to the Russian front, where he was killed in battle. My father once traveled to Russia to see where his brother was killed. His body was never recovered.
Tuisila was one of the children of my Auntie Fuatino Leopoldine Ulberg. When my grandfather Erich (Telefoni) came to Samoa in 1906 to put up the telephone lines (he was a humble Post Office employee) he met and fell in love with my grandmother Pepe Purcell.
Pepe had separated from Tuisila Faitala many years prior to their meeting, and was living in Matautu with her daughter Fuatino. My father told me his parents could only get married when he was ten years old, as those days it took over ten years to get a divorce!
I loved Tuisila (he inherited his grandfather’s title) as a brother, and his passing has had a major impact on me.
My great friend Tofa Puni Aleki Muavae also passed away this past week. He was one of Samatau’s greatest advocate and chief, and was one of my reasons for being in politics. He drove the successful school project that resulted in the beautiful new Samatau Primary School (built with EU help). The re-emergence of Samatau Congregational Christian Church in Samoa is due largely to his determination and hard work.
A man of great compassion and humility, I loved him dearly and will miss him very much.
A great lady and accountant – Tufi Mulitalo also passed away. In a difficult time, she held the fort at the Office of the Controller and Chief Auditor, doing a great job.
She produced many excellent reports for Parliament, and all accountants in the Samoan Institute are proud of her achievements.
It was a privilege to give the eulogy on behalf of government for Tufi. She served the accounting profession and Samoa with pride and distinction.
June also claimed my great friend, John Boyle.
Thank you Tili, David, Brendan and Lisha, and all the Boyle family, for the privilege of giving a eulogy last Friday for John.
John loved Samoa with a passion. His family and I agree – John wanted to die in Samoa. He is buried in Vailele Cemetry.
He put together a group of investors including Frank Lowy who invested in Tusitala Hotel. This was the first significant overseas investment in Samoa’s tourism industry.
He brought new life to the Chamber of Commerce, an institution that badly needed a boost. He represented the Chamber with distinction in the Apprenticeship Council, and served as Secretary to the Chamber for many years.
He helped National Provident Fund’s (NPF) management to establish the systems and effected the institutional strengthening that still keeps NPF strong and vibrant today.
John and Tili adopted Owen after he was abandoned and left to die in a banana patch. This is a great indicator of the kind and compassionate human beings they were.
What more can I say about the man? He was passionate and had a great love of life. He worked hard, and always gave his best to everything he took on.
His last major consultancy before becoming ill was for Samoa Tourism Authority, in the Air New Zealand negotiations pertaining to the LA flight, in 2008 and early 2009.
John was a human being. He had his weaknesses, as we all do. He was flawed, but possessed a tremendous capacity to care and love everyone who needed his compassion and kindness.
As Fiona Collins writes in her play – Our greatest fear is not our inadequacies, but the false euphoria of believing we are all – powerful!
Have a blessed, and happy, peaceful July Samoa – may the second half of 2010 bring you God’s joy and peace.
God bless!
*Misa is deputy Prime Minister of Samoa and the Minister of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Tourism.
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