Samoa

The festival is being held alongside Literacy Week where the organisers have focused on reading, writing and mathematics.

“We the parents, villages, and the government need to work together. Our children’s learning is rock we must build together. Our partnership can foster the children’s education for tomorrow,” said Minister of Education sports and Culture, Loau Keneti Sio.

“We must all play a part in creating a brighter future for our children and the only way to do that is through education,” he added.

According to RNZ, Maiava Iulai Toma told delegates at a Commonwealth meeting in Apia there is much work to be done in combating Samoa's particularly high rates of domestic violence.

He said details such as the enquiry's scope are still being worked out but a major challenge will be collecting evidence in a culturally sensitive and safe way.

"We need to do this to address the impact of things on present victims, we need also to address the high tolerance of violence generally in Samoa, in Samoan life, that seems to roll on and on from generation to generation," he said.

This year, after years of lying in the boathouse, the Little Rina has broken the Tolotolo o le Tama Uli’s championship with a commanding win in the Teuila Festival in Apia.

“The fautasi was specifically designed by craftsmen from overseas that came to Samoa for scoop paddles to be used on it. Fortunately this year the government has opened the options and allowed us to use them today and we came away with a good win,” said captain Matuaotofiga Fonoti.

Earlier Lemalu Herman Retzlaff engaged two lawyers to prosecute the Director of Public Prosecutions, who faces charges of dangerous driving, and Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil, on charges including perjury, unlawful detention, providing false statements and disorderly conduct.

According to RNZ, the government said for reasons of fairness and equality, it was important an objective view was sought for the cases.

However in a statement the NPO said prosecution powers under the Constitution have not been delegated.

Since the completion of this year’s elections on March 4, Faimalomatumua and the OEC have been announcing the names of all eligible members of the public who were not registered in the previous elections and those who have now reached 21 years, the legal age mandatory to register to vote.

However, Faimalomatumua says there’s still a problem with the numbers after five months of advertising.

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Its latest findings reveal that Samoa is amongst some of the top most iconic destinations in the world.

After a stunning choral performance by different choirs in the formal opening last night, the Teuila Festival got underway today with a variety of shows.

A highlight of the morning was the food stalls lined up across the government ground parking lot that were jam packed with people.

From fresh umu to barbeques, the stall owners are enjoying the day as customers continue to flock in to buy snacks and food as they enjoy the shows.

Fa and Parker have history, splitting their four amateur fights two each, and momentum is slowly building behind the prospect of the pair eventually squaring off in the pro ranks.

Born and raised in South Auckland, Fa attended two Commonwealth Games with Tonga before taking three years out of the sport to have a family.

Pauli Pauli Ivan Williams has attributed this decline to new technological changes that Samoa is adopting for the races.

His dismay has been directed at the use of readymade paddles as opposed to the original and cultural Samoan made wooden oars, calling it an abomination of both culture and tradition.

“If we want to attract tourists through our Teuila Festival, then they want to see how Samoans in the past conquered the Pacific waters by long boats and they have to see that we used our own Samoan wooden-styled oars. That interests them,” he said.

And this is being put down to the promotional value garnered as a result of a cook book by noted chef Robert Oliver.

RNZ reports the chief executive of the Samoa Tourism Authority, Papalii Sonya Hunter, said in the past year or so they have cut the amount the country has had to spend on imported fruits, vegetables, meat and fish, for the tourism industry.

She says as Mr Oliver was researching the Samoan recipes for his regional cook book, Me'a Kai, her agency was looking for ways to brand Samoan cuisine for tourists.