Samoa

Justice Aitken had assisted with the establishing of the Drugs and Alcohol Court in Samoa and had worked in the Samoa Judiciary from January to December 2015.

Justice Aitken returned to New Zealand late last year but is visiting to ensure the smooth progress of the work of this Court.

Her visit is from 3 July to 9 July.                                                              

Justice Ema Aitken is also a pioneer in setting up the Alcohol and Drugs Court in New Zealand,

Tuiatafu’s small business called Koko Moni is now providing koko for New Zealand based chocolate company, Devonport Chocolates.

“It was two years ago that we first came into talks with the couple that own the business and after they tried samples of the Koko Moni they said they wanted me to supply their koko for their chocolate,” said Tuiatafu.

“So just last month we shipped off a 100kgs of koko to them and they have asked for 200 more kilograms for the month of July and August, and I’m preparing that shipment now.” he added.

Cook Islands opened the tournament with a 3-2 victory over Tonga before hosts Samoa held on to an early lead to secure a 3-0 win over rivals American Samoa yesterday.

It wasn’t a pretty win for Cook Islands as they struggled to impose their game against their physical and fleet-footed opponents.

RNZI reports Samoa was named in the Panama Papers tax scandal in April when documents were leaked from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

During a state visit in Brussels, Tuilaepa suggested that royalty payments from trustee companies like Mossack Fonseca fund social programmes for young people vulnerable to drug abuse.

The notion was triggered when the PM said he has received a lot of complaints written to him from members of the public regarding the decisions made in the Lands and Titles Court allegedly being false or unfair.

“When they write to me and ask me for help, I certainly cannot sit still because it is my job to answer to what the country needs,” said PM Tuilaepa.

American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga are bidding for a place in the 2017 OFC U-17 Championship and as the results of last month’s U-20 Preliminary showed, it’s no easy run for any team.

Cook Islands have history on their side at this level having made it through qualifying to take part in the 2013 OFC U-17 Championship in Vanuatu, and the nation will be buoyant after the success of the U-20 team.

He didn't really figure he would be in Rio de Janiero instead - as an Olympic athlete.

Exploring overseas markets are usually governmental roles as they have the resources and the connections needed for such, however with this particular growth, Thailand’s Ambassador to the South Pacific, Maris Sangiampongsa says it’s not enough.

“With these particular types of connections, government to government is not enough, we’re now moving towards the engine of growth, which the private sector are the this engine,” he said.

One way fares Fagalii FGI to Pago Pago PPG cost WST$245 for adults, WST$195 for children and WST$45 for infants.

OW fares PPG/FGI are USD$85 adults and children and USD$22.50 for infants.

The airline also has some specials return deals available for a limited time for WST$395 FGI/PPG/FGI and USD$160 PPG/FGI/PPG.

All airfares include taxes, surcharges and Fagalii Airport's AFC fee.              

“Our assistances and grants come from the EU altogether and while Britain was a superpower within the EU, don’t forget France and Germany are also a part of it as well, “he said.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa attended a successful European Union meeting in Belgium and another in Sweden last week, where he signed a $60m Tala grant to further complete the Samoa water pipeline works in Savai’i.

It was at these two meetings that the Prime Minister said he was assured that Samoa isn’t the only country trying to end certain challenges.