EYESPY NEWS BRIEFS
N.U.S. WELDERS FIX FAULTY MANHOLES AT FRIENDSHIP PARK IN COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT
Welding lecturers and students at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) sprang into action after the university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma discovered rusty and dangerous manholes at Friendship Park recently.
Professor Aiono had a walk with his friends along the waterfront at the back of Talafatai Friendship Park (the newly built Play Ground area) and he was surprised to find two rusty and wrecked manholes on the pedestrian path at the seawall, according a statement from N.U.S.
Finding the manholes unsafe and hazardous for pedestrians and young children who use the playground, the Vice Chancellor called on welders at the university to resolve the problem.
The sump was rusted and corroded as a result of seawater exposure, Professor Aiono found.
The Vice Chancellor was concerned particularly for young children who could slip into the ruined manholes and end up in the ocean, N.U. S. said.
Vice Chancellor Aiono sought the help of the Faculty of Technical Education (F.O.T.E.). In response, the Dean of F.O.T.E. Lineta Tamanikaiyaroi and the Fabrication Engineering Team assessed the proposal and remedied the hazard to ensure pedestrian safety.
As part of their contribution to the community, the Welding Students of F.O.T.E. designed, welded, and installed covers for two manholes without lids along the waterfront of the Friendship Park at Matagaialalua.
The project suited the learning experience of the current welding students at the University who are pursuing their Samoa Certificate II in Welding and Fabrication, N.U.S. said.
The N.U.S. administration commends the efforts of the Faculty of Technical Education and its Welding and Fabrication Trade for a job well done.
Lecturers Susuga Tuasivi Kaleopa, Papu Taiivao and Leiataua Setefano Paulo have worked tirelessly and diligently to put such projects into action to broaden the practical understanding of N.U.S. students in their quest to become professional welders.
GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN AND VAIMAUGA COLLEGE CELEBRATE NEW $747,600 HALL
The Embassy of Japan celebrated a new hall for Vaimauga College on Monday, 26 September, bringing to an end 60 long years of the secondary school operating without a hall.
The celebration was held at the school compound, according to a statement from the Embassy of Japan released on Monday.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Samoa, H.E. Mr. Senta Keisuke represented his government at the handover ceremony.
In attendance were attended were: Member of the Council of Deputies, Tapusatele Le Mamea Tuiletufuga Ropati Mualia and Maiava Elisa Mualia, Acting Prime Minister, Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio, representatives of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (M.E.S.C.) and distinguished guests.
Japan’s assistance was formalized in March, with a grant amount of $295,229 U.S. dollars (approximately $747,600 Samoan Tala) provided under its Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (G.G.P.) to fund the project construction of a single-storey school hall building with toilet and shower facilities.
As noted in many other schools the importance of having a school hall, the School Committee sought for Japan’s assistance with the aim of providing safe and proper educational facilities for use by students of Vaimauga College.
It has been 60 years since the school operated without a school hall.
It is anticipated that the project will empower the school with the best of resources to achieve academic excellence and will greatly assist in accommodating school activities.
Support toward education has always been placed highly on Japan’s priority list as Japan believes that education plays an important role in developing a child’s capability and also a nation’s capacity.
Japan’s G.G.P. was introduced in 1991 to respond directly to the basic human needs at the grass-roots level with 210 projects successfully completed.
The Government of Japan continues to provide development assistance which benefits villages, schools, hospitals, and Non-Government Organisations (N.G.O.) across Samoa, said the Embassy of Japan.
OCEAN RESEARCHERS COMPLETE 8-DAY EXPEDITION LED BY M.A.F. AND M.N.R.E.
Local and international researchers have completed an 8-day expedition across Samoa’s coral reefs, according to a 26 September statement from the Samoa Ocean Strategy (S.O.S.).
All data collected will help inform the S.O.S., which is the national policy framework to sustainably manage Samoa’s ocean and marine resources for the well-being of all Samoans now, and into the future.
The S.O.S. aims to safeguard the cultural, ecological, and socioeconomic values that Samoans derive from their ocean including: fisheries, tourism, offshore waters, maritime safety and security, biodiversity and ecosystems, food security, and ocean knowledge and traditions.
The expedition was led by the M.N.R.E. and M.A.F., in partnership with the Waitt Institute, Conservation International, and supported by Scripps Institution of Oceanography and CRIOBE or the Centre of Island Research and Environmental Observatory.
Though they were met with bad weather, including high winds and rough seas, researchers were able to complete 490 dives sampling 36 sites across the near shore waters of both islands to collect information on the status of Samoa’s coral reefs, fish populations, and water quality.
Researchers held an event in Apia on Monday, 26 September to share their initial findings and takeaways with the Government.
The expedition data will be processed and published in a scientific report that will be made available to the public in the coming months. The information collected will be used to inform the S.O.S. to guide decision-making on the best ways to manage Samoa’s ocean and marine resources.
“We collected information on the amount of fish and invertebrates, and found over 250 different species of fish at our survey sites. Additionally, we collected 3-Dimensional imagery of 36 reefs that will allow us get detailed information about the status of corals and allow us to see how they grow and change over time,” said Andrew Estep, Science Director of the Waitt Institute.
The survey techniques are consistent with marine monitoring done by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (M.A.F.) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.). The expedition helped fill gaps in data to give an overview of the health of Samoa’s near shore waters.
Principal Investigators of the Project are Schannel Van Dijken, Marine Programs Director at Conservation International and Andrew Estep, Science Director at the Waitt Institute.
“This is another step forward in the implementation of the Samoa Ocean Strategy (S.O.S.) and this expedition is helping to fill the gaps in marine science data which is important for sound decisions on how we can best manage our oceans. This has been possible because of genuine collaborative work with partners including Waitt Foundation and Conservation International as well as our local partners with Fisheries Division of M.A.F.,” said Seumalo Afele Faiilagi, Assistant Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) at M.N.R.E.’s Division of Environment and Conservation.
The marine expedition is part of the support offered under the partnership between the M.N.R.E., the Waitt Institute and Conservation International to assist in the implementation of the S.O.S 2020-2030.
Members of the Waitt Institute team will be in Samoa to support the S.O.S. through the end of the month, and a filmmaker will be capturing stories of how ocean users interact with the ocean to put together a short film on the expedition and Samoa’s ocean as a whole.
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