Samoa

On Monday, 4th July 2016, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi granted an interview with the 60 Minutes Television Crew from Australia who had requested comment from government on the Lauititi Tualima case, which was before the Court; and on security concerns and services at Tafaigata Prison.

On Sunday night the 60 Minutes segment aired in Australia and of the 13 minutes of story, less than two minutes were given to the Prime Minister’s responses.

Hobart couple Angie Jackson and Tommy Williams are urging Australians not to visit the Pacific nation after it transpired that their assailant had simply stepped over the prison fence en route to committing the heinous act.

Wielding a pair of scissors, Lautiiti Tualima bound and gagged Ms Jackson, 28, and raped her in front of Mr Williams in their treehouse bungalow, launching the attack just as they were waking to begin the journey home after their honeymoon in September last year.

The trio were charged after a police inspector and a resident of Toamua village filed a complaint to police in 2014.

RNZI correspondent said the protest was over the defendants using an excavator to uproot the complainant's agricultural crops such as bananas and pawpaw trees.

Samoa won the toss and elected to bat and were all bowled out for a measly 136 runs.

Lewas right hand off spin bowler, Sibona Jimmy was instrumental snaring 4/24.

The Lewas run chase started off badly with Jimmy and Kopi John dismissed cheaply.

Captain Pauke Siaka and Konio Oala took charge of the run chase and guided the Lewas to a 102 runs after 27 overs.

Oala’s dismissal brought to the crease Veru Frank who with Siaka put on a partnership of 51 to reach the target in 34.5 overs.

Siaka was named player of the match.

Police report the boys, one of whom was carrying a machete, were playing around and trying to scare the tourists.

“The two boys seemed to have been mucking around while trying to block the road as the two tourists were bicycling and our reports are that the arm of one of the tourists, a female was injured during the incident,” said Inspector Maotaoalii Kaioneta Aliisolia.

Authorities are concerned these types of incidents will tarnish Samoa’s image as a tourist destination.

The accused was arrested a week ago after a terrified taxi driver alerted Police about one of his passengers allegedly carrying a 38 revolver pistol which was in a holster attached to his waist.

Police spokesperson, Inspector Maotaoalii Kaioneta Aliisolia told the media that while no incident occurred, it was not certain why the man was carrying the firearm.

He said regardless of that it is not a risk they were not willing to take, especially with the many gun-related incidents that occurred in Samoa in the past four weeks.

As a Voices of Future Generations Child Author, she has committed to turning her book into a series, writing one story each year until 2020.

Lupe is writing blogs on her journey, which has been supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Government of Samoa and its Strengthening Multi-Sectoral Management of Critical Landscapes in Samoa project, Samoa Stationery & Books and the Principal, Staff and Students of St. Mary's School, Savalalo.

One woman's husband was still in New Zealand and hoped to be reunited with him, but doubted that was possible.

She was introduced to Menefata Toso through a member of the church where he was a deacon.

Salma Farouque of the UN World Food Programme says they want to create a network of participating organisations that would be prepared to respond in the event of a disaster.

 “We are all from five of the countries in the region, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Fiji and what we’re focused on is how we can best prepare ourselves for when we face disasters,” Ms. Farouque said.

The Ministry of Health received complaints some tins of the corned beef were contaminated with flesh or tissue that was not beef.

Farmers Style Corned Beef is made from New Zealand beef and packed in Fiji.

Food safety officers confirmed the tin had unusual meat products and found inconstancies between the information labels and the food content.

The ministry's director general, Dr Take Naseri, said samples of the corned beef have been sent away for further tissue analysis.