Samoa

It's the fourth year of specialist assistance from Guangdong province.

Three ophthalmology specialists and a nurse provided free cataract surgery to patients at the Apia National Hospital in Moto'otua.

They also presented medical equipment and medicine to the National Health Service.

They were led by the Deputy Director of the Zhongshan Ophthalmology Center at Sun Yat-sen University.

Photo file MFA China. Caption: Specialists from Guangdong Medical Team are treating a Samoan patient with cataract

Police were notified of the victim’s death after she was admitted at TTM Moto’otua hospital last Sunday morning.

The girl is believed to be a victim of sexual violation and police have applied for coronial enquiries to be undertaken to confirm any criminal acts.

Their investigations are continuing.

It is expected to outline ways to combat what is seen as a plague of violence in the country.

The report is the culmination of a year-long National Inquiry into Family Violence.

Government figures showed reported cases of domestic violence more than trebled from 2012 to 2015.

Commissioners spent 2017 engaging with all facets of Samoan society to understand the depth and breadth of the issue.

The inquiry heard testimony from victims and survivors.

The resulting 2018 report has been completed and submitted to Parliament.

Maiava Iulai Toma's comment comes as a major new report seeks to spark a government-led effort to counter the country's domestic violence problem.

According to Maiava, despite efforts of government and non-government agencies, violence in the country has been getting worse.

He said the country's courts had been very innovative in dealing with the issue, but that more needed to be done.

Maiava heads Samoa's human rights office which was prompted last year to convene a national inquiry into the issue. The year-long inquiry culminates in a report due out today.

However the Fijians fought back in the second half to secure a 3-2 victory over the Qualifier winners before Tahiti beat New Caledonia 2-1 in the day’s late match.

The kick-off for the opening match was delayed by two hours following disruptions to the flight arrangements for Samoa, but that barely registered for the side as they settled easily into the encounter.

So much so, within the first 10 minutes they’d had more shots than their opponent, and were rewarded with a seventh minute goal courtesy of captain Lotial Mano with an impressive back-heel.

Talamua Online reported the Fiji based company had won the World Bank funded project over four local construction companies but has had it cancelled after the World Bank discovered illegal transactions.

One of the four, Bluebird Construction, has now been awarded the job with their bid of $US2.9 million.

The contract was part of a $US26.35 million project from the World Bank and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to restore storm-damaged roads and bridges and make them more resilient to the effects of climate change.

A Commission of Inquiry opened in Apia today into the one year olds' deaths soon after receiving the inoculation for measles, mumps and rubella.

The hearing began with a public apology to the families and the country by the National Health Service's chief executive Palanitina Tupuimatagi Toelupe.

She told the inquiry the death of the babies had caused great sadness and deep concern to the whole health service.

Samoa prime minister and minister of police, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, had expressed concerns earlier this year about the possibility police would be enticed to New Zealand.

He had made his comments during the official visit to his country by New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, where it was mentioned New Zealand Police were looking to recruit from the Pacific, including Samoa.

Tuila'epa at the time said if large number of Samoan police were to move away the country would face a major problem.

Papalii Niko Lee Hang told the Samoa Observer that intoxicated and impaired drivers were a very real danger for both drivers and passengers on the roads.

The current penalty for drunk driving is up to 5 years in prison and or a fine.

Papalii said drunk driver can cause an accident anytime, anywhere.

He said police and the Land Transport Authority are working to address the problem but the solution ultimately lies with the drivers themselves.

Malietoa Tanumafili II was bestowed one of Samoa's four paramount chiefly titles and served as Samoa's head of state from 1962 up until he died in 2007.

For direct desendant, Papalii Iosefo Titiuatoa Malietoa Tanumafili II, he believed there had been no discussion with the entire family about the biography being done by academics.

His nephew, Malietau Malietoa, was also up in arms about it being written without the entire family's support and wrote to Victoria University to express his views.